--- title: IBM PC - Model 5150 categories: - Computers types: - Professional Computer origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1981' cpus: - Intel 8088 params: name: PC - Model 5150 image: /media/museum/photos/ibm_5150_system_s1.jpg company: /companies/ibm company_name: IBM specs: - label: NAME value: PC - Model 5150 - label: MANUFACTURER value: IBM - label: TYPE value: Professional Computer - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: '1981' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: IBM BASIC (Special Microsoft BASIC-80 version in ROM) - label: KEYBOARD value: Full stroke 'clicky' 83 keys with 10 function keys and numeric keypad - label: CPU value: Intel 8088 - label: SPEED value: 4.77 MHz - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: Optional 8087 math coprocessor - label: RAM value: 64 KB (The very first ones had only 16 KB), 256 KB max. (then later 640 KB max.) - label: ROM value: 64 KB - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 or 80 char x 25 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 'Optional CGA graphic modes : 320 x 200 / 640 x 200' - label: COLORS value: Monochrome / 4 among 8 in 320 x 200 CGA mode - label: SOUND value: Tone Generator - built-in speaker - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 50.8 (W) x 40.6 (D) x 14 (H) cm - label: I/O PORTS value: Five internal 8 bit ISA slots, monitor, Centronics, cassette (!), - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: One or two 160 KB 5.25'' disk-drives - label: OS value: MS-DOS, CP/M-86, USCD Pascal - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Built-in 63.5W switching power supply unit - label: PERIPHERALS value: 5 expansion slots, 5, 10, 20 MB hard discs - label: PRICE value: £1736 (1 FD, monochrome monitor, U.K., 1983) tabs: - photos - adverts - software - links forum_thread: 284 photos: - title: INSIDE PC subtitle: '' text: |- A modular concept which allows user to add, remove or exchange any part of the computer. **(1)** Expansion slots for add-on cards. There are only five of these ones, which is almost too much for the 63 Watts power supply which cannot handle high power cards.\ **(2)** Intel 8088 microprocessor. Next to it is an empty socket intended for an Intel 8087 math. coprocessor.\ **(3)** The power supply is equiped with a security system which automatically cut the power in case of short-circuit or overheating.\ **(4)** Floppy-disk controler card. The first PC was equiped with full height, single sided, single density, 160 Kb disk-drives.\ **(5)** Disk eject levers.\ **(6)** First PC motherboards included 64 Kb. RAM. Note that each row of memory circuits is composed of 9 chips, eight for memory plus one for parity control.\ **(7)** ROMs holding the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) and the IBM Basic written by Microsoft. image: /media/museum/photos/ibm_5150_inside_1.jpg - title: PROMOTIONAL PICTURE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/ibm_pc5150_prm-pic_1.jpg adverts: - title: FIRST ADVERT - NOV.1981 subtitle: '' text: Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_pub81_s1.jpg - title: FIRST ADVERT - JAN.1982 subtitle: '' text: Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_pub81_s2.jpg - title: FIRST ADVERT - FEB.1982 subtitle: '' text: Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_pub81_s3.jpg - title: 'CHARLIE CHAPLIN #1' subtitle: '' text: |- 1982 - Advert said: Stop in a store near you. Take a look. You'll be instantly taken with some of the features that make the IBM Personal Computer so different... image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_pub_1.jpg - title: 'CHARLIE CHAPLIN #2' subtitle: '' text: |- 1982 - It was the time when one still lacked good programs for the IBM PC... Advert said: Attention, all programmers. Here's a chance to reach the top.\ If you've written software that's completed and runs on the IBM Personal Computer (or another computer), we could be interested in publishing it...\ ... We select programs that will make the IBM Personal Computer an even more useful toll for modern times... image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_2.jpg - title: 'CHARLIE CHAPLIN #3' subtitle: '' text: |- 1983 - Before the IBM PC became THE universal standard, IBM was looking for good programs using all the features IBM Basic could offer. Advert said: Let your imagination take wing.\ Think charts, Graphs, Shapes, Images.\ Use originality, creativity and color in programs that entertain, educate, organize, analyse. And programs that get down to business...\ ...In fact, if you are interested in licensing your software, we could be interested in publishing it... image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_3.jpg - title: 'CHARLIE CHAPLIN #4' subtitle: '' text: |- In June 1983, IBM was still seeking independant programmers.\ Advert said: There's an acceptance letter inside. And a check that could have your name on it. (If we select your program, that is.)\ But remember. We pick our winners carefully... image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_4.jpg - title: 'CHARLIE CHAPLIN #5' subtitle: '' text: Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_5.jpg - title: 'CHARLIE CHAPLIN #6' subtitle: '' text: |- From Personal Computing, July 1982 issue. Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_6.jpg - title: 'CHARLIE CHAPLIN #7' subtitle: '' text: |- TopView, one of the first serious multitasking tool for the IBM PC. Byte Magazine, July 1985 image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_7.jpg - title: US ADVERT (APRIL 1982) subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: FRENCH AD (DEC.1983) subtitle: '' text: '"Simplify your everyday life"' image: /media/museum/pubs/ibm_pc5150_pub_simplifiez-quotidien.jpg screenshots: - title: WRITING ASSISTANT subtitle: '' text: |- This word processor was a part of the 'Assistant' pack IBM offered. It was composed of:\ \- Writing Assistant (word processor)\ \- Filing Assistant (Database)\ \- Reporting Assistant (Database reports)\ \- Graphing Assistant (Graphic Charts) image: /media/museum/software/ibm_5150_writingassist_1.jpg links: - title: Vintage IBM url: http://www.vintageibm.net text: site is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the IBM 5150 line of computers related: - /museum/amstrad-pc-1512 - /museum/amstrad-pc-1640 - /museum/amstrad-ppc-512-640 - /museum/ibm-pc-at - /museum/ibm-pc-portable-model-5155 - /museum/ibm-pc-xt-286 - /museum/ibm-pc-xt-model-5160 - /museum/ibm-ps-1 - /museum/micronique-hector-xt oc_id: 274 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230606185231/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=274 date: '2023-06-06' --- The computer which caused the death of CP/M computers. In the early part of 1980, IBM decided to create a microcomputer (up to this date, IBM produced only mini and mainframes). They didn't really know that they wanted and they didn't think for one second that producing microcomputer was a profitable business (who would have thought!)!\ After hesitation between the Intel 8086 (16 bit) and the Motorola MC68000, they decided to use the Intel 8088 (8 - 16 bit) processor, as the two other ones were considered too powerful! Then they asked to Digital Research (the creators of CP/M) to create an operating system for their new computer, as DR was not very interested, they then asked a small company (famous for its BASIC Programming Language) to write the operating system: Microsoft.\ Microsoft wasn't capable of doing it, Bill Gates bought the rights to a small, hacked OS written by a small company called [Seattle Computer Products](/museum/seattle-computer-gazelle/): QDOS (which reportedly stood for "Quick and Dirty Operating System", which itself bears a striking resemblance to CP/M) which became PC-DOS and then later MS-DOS!\ In fact, when it was launched, three operating systems could run on the IBM-PC: PC-DOS, CPM-86, but also the UCSD D-PASCAL system. The original IBM PC wasn't very powerful (and was certainly less powerful than lot of 8 bit computers at the time). The very first PC’s had only 16 KB RAM and no floppy disk units, they used cassettes to load & store programs (notice that the commands to handle the cassette drives were present in the operating system all the way up to MS-DOS 5!). In fact, units could also be purchased from IBM with drives and more RAM. Only the lowest cost version had no drives included (this is exactly how Apple and the other manufacturers did it as well). The model 5150 was actually a success due to name and fame of IBM, high quality construction (especially the keyboard and monitor), great expandability and IBM's decision to publish complete technical specs. The IBM PC Technical manual included circuit diagrams and the full source code for the BIOS! The PC 5150 became a standard and IBM ran the business computer market up to the end of the 80's. Now, we can consider that about 90% of the microcomputers are PC compatibles and run under MS-DOS or Windows (At the beginning, Windows was just a graphic interface for MS-DOS, but that’s another story). Although the [IBM PC XT](/museum/ibm-pc-xt-model-5160/) was launched in 1983, IBM continued production of both units, in various configurations, for several years. The model types were followed by a xx version number, i.e. 5150-xx, where the xx represented the included options (amount of RAM, single or dual floppy disk drive, etc.). Jeffrey H. Ingber reports that when these computers (PC and XT) were initially sold, they were built-to-order computers (sounds like Gateway or Dell, doesn’t it?). Retail outlets would carry the factory products, which consisted of a boxed computer with basic components such as the motherboard, power supply, floppies & floppy drives, etc. There was no official base model configurations for the PC and XT.\ Customers had a choice of RAM, display, serial ports, etc. that they could have installed on-site before the computer went home.\ One could not purchase a "new" PC/XT and run it out of the box becuase it was incomplete without additional configuration. The PC was available with either CGA or MDA (on an MPA card). The CGA adapter actually has an RCA composite output to hook it up to your TV if you did not want the CGA monitor. The output quality was PERFECT! Another notable great feature of the PC line was the expansion base: it added additional (I think it was eight) 8-bit slots in an external enclosure.