---
title: IMSAI PCS 80
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1977'
cpus:
- Intel 8080 - IMSAI PCS 80
params:
  name: PCS 80
  image: /media/museum/photos/imsai0.jpg
  company: /companies/imsai
  company_name: IMSAI
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: PCS 80
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: IMSAI
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1977'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: None
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Video terminal
  - label: CPU
    value: Intel 8080 - IMSAI PCS 80/30 came with
  - label: SPEED
    value: 3 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 2.25 KB (up to 64 KB thanks to RAM boards, there are 4K, 16K, 32K and 64K memory expansion boards).
  - label: ROM
    value: 3 KB (Including monitor)
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 12x40, 12x80, 24x40 and 24x80 (128 characters of either 5x7 or 7x10 dot matirx fonts)
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Serial ports (2) - Parallel Port (1) - Monitor - S100 Bus (8 expansion slots)
  - label: OS
    value: 8K DOS based upon CP/M
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: built-in 28AMP power supply unit
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Floppy drives inteface, Single or dual 8'' drives in a separate housing same size as main frame unit
  tabs:
  - photos
  photos:
  - title: THE PCS-80 COMPONENTS
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/imsai_pcs80_components_1.jpg
  - title: THE PCS 80 MODEL 15
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/imsai_pcs80_model15_1.jpg
  - title: THE PCS-80 MODEL 30
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/imsai_pcs80_mod30_1.jpg
  comments:
  - author: Lawrence Shadai (United States)
    date: Tuesday 31st December 2019
    text: 'IIRC: A heavily modified PCS-80 was used by Rob Barnaby to develop WordStar. Modifications (as I can best tell) included an inverse video board ("Black on White" instead of the regular "While on Black") and 5.25 Inch dual floppy disks with an external monitor. Currently located at DigiBarn, it no longer has the inverse video board. I could be mistaken, but this looks like the very same model.'
  - author: j4kc (a)
    date: Wednesday 6th April 2005
    text: yes, they used an IMSAI in war games but not this one, they use the 8080
  - author: Matt (Earth)
    date: Tuesday 21st December 2004
    text: |-
      Did they use this kind of computer in War Games ?\
      Would like to know because I saw a IMSAI floppy system. Thanks,Matt
  oc_id: 342
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608155226/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=342
    date: '2023-06-08'
---

The PCS 80 came with a lot of peripherals: line and character printers, CRT terminals, intelligent keyboards, ACR storage, 8" and 5.25" floppy disks and with several languages: TTY BASIC with OS, 4K, 8K and 12K BASIC, audio cassette BASIC with OS, & a scientifically oriented disk BASIC and level 2 Fortran IV compiler.

**Greg Bober** stil have an extended working configuration including:\
• External 5.25" quad density 380Kb Micropolis floppy with BASIC,\
• Faster memory & "I" tempgrade CPU, speed could goto 7MHz,\
• 58K 10MHz RAM,\
• Custom boot operating system,\
• 64K of extended RAM/ported PROM containing the DOS & BASIC operating system to have 1 second versus 30 second floppy boot up,\
• Extrernal 12" monitor since 24x80 is hard to see on tiny screen,\
• Spare parts.\
Numerous photos of his system may be seen [here](http://www.smallscalerailway.com/PCS80%20IMSAI.htm).