--- title: Philips P2000 T/M categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - Netherlands years: - '1980' cpus: - Z80 params: name: P2000 T/M image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_system_s1.jpg company: /companies/philips company_name: Philips specs: - label: NAME value: P2000 T/M - label: MANUFACTURER value: Philips - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: Netherlands - label: YEAR value: March 1980 - label: END OF PRODUCTION value: Unknown - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: None - label: KEYBOARD value: Typewriter type - 74 keys with numeric keypad - label: CPU value: Z80 - label: SPEED value: 2.5 MHz - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: None - label: RAM value: 16 KB to 48 KB - label: VRAM value: 1 (T) or 2 (M) KB - label: ROM value: 4 KB + 16 KB in ROM cartridges - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 (T) or 80 (M) columns x 24 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: None - label: COLORS value: '7' - label: SOUND value: Built-in beeper - 1 channel - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 41 (W) x 47 (D) x 11 (H) cm - label: I/O PORTS value: |- T version: TV aerial, RGB, Serial\ M version: Monochrome composite video, Serial, FDD interface - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: Mini cassette drive (42 KB) - label: OS value: Philips JWSDOS, CP/M with extra card - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Built-in power supply unit - label: PERIPHERALS value: Various interfaces through the Bus slot - label: PRICE value: About 3000 Dutch guilders ($1375) tabs: - photos - adverts forum_thread: 1016 photos: - title: LARGE VIEW subtitle: '' text: Large view of a French version image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_system_s2.jpg - title: TOP VIEW subtitle: '' text: The cartridge slots are covered by a sliding plastic lid. image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_topview_s1.jpg - title: BOOT-UP SCREEN subtitle: '' text: A word processor cartridge - Text 2 - is inserted into the first cartridge slot. image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_bootscreen_s1.jpg - title: LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_bothsides_s1.jpg - title: FRENCH & GERMAN KEYBOARDS subtitle: '' text: Notice that the German version is simply labelled P2000 although it's a 2000M version. image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_frgerkeyboards_s1.jpg - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: Here the French version image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_keybcloseup_s1.jpg - title: MINI CASSETTE DRIVE subtitle: '' text: |- This mini cassette drive is totally software controlled and acts as a slow floppy drive.\ The mini cassette tape holds demo programs for the Text 2 cartridge. image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_tapedrive_s1.jpg - title: REAR SIDE subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** External floppy drive unit connector\ **(2)** Serial DB25 connector mainly intended for a printer\ **(3)** RGB video output. Only available in the T version\ **(4)** Monochrome composite video output (M version)\ **(5)** TV aerial output. Only available in the T version. image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_rearside_s1.jpg - title: 'OPENED #1' subtitle: '' text: M version. The upper card is the FDD controller card. image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_opened_s1.jpg - title: 'OPENED #2' subtitle: '' text: |- One clearly see the 3 superimposed cards of the M system. From bottom to top:\ • CPU card,\ • Video card,\ • FDD controller card. image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_inside_s1.jpg - title: CPU BOARD subtitle: '' text: |- Notice that all of the chips used for the video management in the T version have been removed in the M version. **(1)** Beeper\ **(2)** Serial connector\ **(3)** Z80 processor\ **(4)** 4 KB ROM chip. A second ROM socket is available\ **(5)** 16 KB 4116 RAM chips image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_inside_s3.jpg - title: M CARDS subtitle: '' text: |- Additional cards of the M version.\ • Floppy disc controller (bottom)\ • Monochrome 80-column image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_cards_s1.jpg adverts: - title: SPANISH ADVERT (MAY 1982) subtitle: '' text: '' image: null oc_id: 1042 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230604041908/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1042 date: '2023-06-04' --- The P2000 desktop series was the first Philips attempt to penetrate the home computer market. It was released in March 1980 in two version, the P2000M and the P2000T. The main difference lied in the video interface. The T version, aimed at home and educational use, could be connected to either a standard TV set or a special RGB monitor. The M version, more professional, had an additional 80-column card allowing to connect a monochrome composite monitor. This version shipped with a monitor cabinet also housing a dual 5.25" floppy drive. The P2000 was a robust and well conceived machine. There was no built-in language but only a 4 KB ROM holding system basic and I/O routines. Two cartridges slots allowed to add ROM programs (slot 1) or interface cards (slot 2) like a modem or a parallel printer interface. Programs and data could be stored through the built-in mini cassette drive which was seen by the user as a floppy drive with automatic search for a program (CLOAD command) or free space (CSAVE). A command also allowed to display the directory of a cassette tape. The P2000 didn't meet a great success in Europe, except in the Netherlands, its country of origin (although the machine was made in Austria) where the very active Philips user group provided lots of original software and hardware extensions like CP/M or disk drive controller cards. The P2000 was also widely used in Dutch and German schools. **J. Frijling** (Netherlands) reports:\ The P2000 was initially meant for office use. Since a lot of other manufactures made home computers, Philips desided to put it on the home computer market. By the graphics you can see that it is a professional computer. If you wanted to do other than graphics, this was a powerful computer. Back then, this computer had already a RS232!! A novelty in those days. Because of that, it was widly used in the HAM-radio and hobby circuits. The 1st model came out with 16kb. You could add another 16kb as an internal extensionboard. Later came 64kb, although for basic you could only use 40kb, 64, 80 and 102kb. Above 40kb you could use it for bankswitching.\ The best part of all was that everything was protected by buffers, unlike the Commodore, who could easily be damged when wron connected! Unfortunatly the majority went for the better graphics.\ Later major improvements were made such as Highres graphics, inbuild 720kb FDD for model T, memory extension & lots more. I enjoyed this machine very much and recently I used it to improve my morsecode speed!
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