---
title: Philips P5000 series
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- Netherlands
years:
- '1978'
cpus:
- Intel 8080
params:
  name: P5000 series
  image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_system_s1.jpg
  company: /companies/philips
  company_name: Philips
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: P5000 series
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Philips
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Netherlands
  - label: YEAR
    value: October 1978
  - label: END OF PRODUCTION
    value: Unknown
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: None
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: 82 keys with editing and cursor keys
  - label: CPU
    value: Intel 8080
  - label: SPEED
    value: Unknown
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: None
  - label: RAM
    value: 64 KB or 128 KB
  - label: VRAM
    value: 8 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: Unknown
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 80 columns x 28 line + 3 control lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: None
  - label: COLORS
    value: Monochrome green phosphore
  - label: SOUND
    value: beeper
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: main unit 56 (W) x 48 (D) x 68 (H) cm
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Two parallel printer connector
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: 2 x 8'' 300 KB floppy disc drives
  - label: OS
    value: Proprietary OS
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built in power supply unit
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: No extensions
  - label: PRICE
    value: About $25,000
  tabs:
  - photos
  forum_thread: 968
  photos:
  - title: SYSTEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_system_s2.jpg
  - title: DISPLAY & KEYBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_dispkeyb_s1.jpg
  - title: KEYBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_keyboard_s1.jpg
  - title: INSIDE RIGHT
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The right part holds the power regulation card and four logic cards, from left to right:\
      • Video card\
      • Intel 8080 CPU and I/O card\
      • Floppy drives controller card\
      • 64 KB RAM card
    image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_insideright_s1.jpg
  - title: INSIDE LEFT
    subtitle: ''
    text: The left side contains two Shugart 300 KB 8" floppy disc drives and a massive power transformer.
    image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_insideleft_s1.jpg
  - title: SYSTEM CARDS
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      From top to bottom:\
      • 64 KB RAM card\
      • 8080 CPU and I/O card\
      • FD controller card\
      • Video card
    image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_systemcards_s1.jpg
  - title: REAR CONNECTORS
    subtitle: ''
    text: Only two printer connectors and power plugs. The video cable is not removable.
    image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_rearside_s1.jpg
  - title: FD DRIVES
    subtitle: ''
    text: The twin 8" Shugart floppy disc drives.
    image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_fddrives_s1.jpg
  - title: PHILIPS LABEL
    subtitle: ''
    text: The beast was born and first used in Canada, then its owner carried it to the U.K.
    image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p5200_label_s1.jpg
  oc_id: 994
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230607045836/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=994
    date: '2023-06-07'
---

P5000 came in two major types. One was 8080 based, and the other was Z80 based. RAM on the 8080 was 64K, 128K on the Z80. The Z80 was used on the "twin" (two terminal and two printer) version, and the Cluster (or 4 Head/4 terminal version).

Software was remarkably efficient, copies going between the two floppies, printing, and editing all at the same time on up to 4 terminals, on an 8 bit CPU and 128K of RAM.

The software was originanally developed in Ottawa, lead by the person who would become company president. Company started as Micom, and was eventually bought by Philiips.

The pictured model is a P5004, second generation from P5002 series. This huge system (at least 50 kg) was conceived by D. K. Hammer at system software development department of Philips in Vienna, but manufactured in Canada. It was commonly connected to a Qume daysywheel printer and was used not only for word processing, but also as billing, accounting or specialized system for technical or scientific documents production.

First P5000s did not boot from a floppy but from a Magnetic card reader. The ‘Schugart’ 8” drives came later. Each 300 KB 8" floppy disc could store up to 128 A4 size pages.

There was also a **P5040** third generation which looked like a modern pc. This was the last of the dedicated Philips word processors.

---

**Contributors**: Kevin Holdaway, Kostas Kritsilas