--- title: ZPA IQ-151 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - Czechoslovakia years: - '1984' cpus: - TESLA MHB 8080 params: name: IQ-151 image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_system_s1.jpg logo: /media/museum/logos/zpa_iq151_logo_s2.gif company: /companies/zpa company_name: ZPA specs: - label: NAME value: IQ-151 - label: MANUFACTURER value: ZPA - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: Czechoslovakia - label: YEAR value: Unknown 1984 - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Primitive monitor, various languages in cartridges - label: KEYBOARD value: 71 key with function and arrow keys - label: CPU value: TESLA MHB 8080 or Intel 8080 - label: SPEED value: 2 MHz - label: RAM value: 32 KB, up to 64 KB (then MIKROS OS could be used) - label: ROM value: 6 KB (EPROM) - label: TEXT MODES value: 32 or 64 columns x 32 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 512 x 256 - Semigraphics mode with the GRAFIK external module - label: COLORS value: Monochrome - label: SOUND value: One voice sound generator, built-in speaker - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 40.5 (W) x 44.5 (D) x 12.3 (H) cm - label: I/O PORTS value: 5 expansion slots - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: None - label: OS value: ROM monitor, AMOS (Almost Memory Oriented System - Students project - MFF UK), MIKROS (with 64 KB RAM) - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Built-in PSU - label: PERIPHERALS value: CONSUL 2112 or 2113, MINIGRAF 0507 (Aritma), SESTYK (teleprinter connection), printer, tape-recorder TESLA M710A or K-10 (external memory), Basic G, VIDEO , TAPER external module (printer connection), GRAFIK external module (256x512). - label: PRICE value: 60,000 CZK ? tabs: - photos - hardware forum_thread: 1018 photos: - title: LARGE VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_system_s2.jpg - title: BOTH SIDES subtitle: '' text: On the left side one spots the dual video jacks (TV set and monochrome composite monitor),the dual tape recorder DIN sockets and the power switch. image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_sides_s1.jpg - title: REAR SIDE subtitle: '' text: A basic cartridge is inserted in one of five cartridge slots. image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_rearside_s1.jpg - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: |- The keyboard is really dreadful, even worth than that the Sinclair ZX-81's which is the reference in poor keyboard. When you type a key, it doesn't sink, so you never know either the typing is valid or not.\ Eack key have up to four functions, depending on the function key typed simultaneously (Shift, Control or Function). image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_keybcloseup_s1.jpg - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: |- All of the ICs and components come from Eastern Europe. Most of the ICs come from Tesla, Tchekoslovaquia, some others from Russia. **(1)** ROM cartridge connectors\ **(2)** Monitor EPROMs\ **(3)** RAM chips\ **(4)** Tesla MHB8080A microprocessor\ **(5)** Tesla MH3212 8-bit accumulator-counter\ **(6)** Russian version of the 8255 PIA (Programmable Interface Adapter)\ **(7)** Keyboard connector\ **(8)** Power supply unit. The "gold" heat sinks are fixed to the case when closed. image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_inside_s1.jpg - title: MAIN BOARD CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_closeup_s1.jpg - title: RAM CHIPS CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: The 32 KB RAM is composed of 16 Russian RAM chips labelled K565P. image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_ramarea_s1.jpg - title: MONITOR EPROMS subtitle: '' text: EPROMs also come from Russia. image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_roms_s1.jpg - title: ZPA PLATE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/zpa_iq151_plate_s1.jpg hardware: - title: ROM MODULES subtitle: '' text: |- **BASIC 6**: Text BASIC interpreter\ **Video 64**: 64-column expansion\ **BASIC G**: Graphic BASIC interpreter\ **GRAFIK**: 256 x 512 graphics image: /media/museum/hardware/zpa_iq151_cartridges_s1.jpg - title: PASCAL LANGUAGE ROM MODULE subtitle: '' text: Thanks to **Jan Krupka** image: /media/museum/hardware/zpa_iq151_pascalmodule_s1.jpg - title: ARITMA MINIGRAF 0507 subtitle: A4 plotter text: |- This small A4 plotter was widely used together with the PMD-85 as well as the IQ-151. In both cases it needed a special driver in EPROM.\ The IQ-151 was connected to the Minigraf through an expansion module.\ Later it was possibe to buy the Minigraf in some shops. There were also interfaces from Aritma for Atari XL and XE and for ZX Spectrum. Thanks to **Jan Krupka** for information and pictures image: /media/museum/hardware/tesla_pdm85_aritmaplotter_s1.jpg oc_id: 1045 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230602004729/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1045 date: '2023-06-02' --- The IQ-151 was a Czechoslovakian home computer manufactured by ZPA Novy Bor (Novy Bor being the town where ZPA was based). It was mainly intended for educational purpose and was actually supplied to all types of Czech schools. The main peripheral was a standard cassette recorder, but several modules could be connected to 5 built-in expansion slots: VIDEO (display), BASIC (interpreter), BASIC G (graphic Basic interpreter), GRAFIK (256 x 512 graphics), STAPER (printer), MINIGRAF (plotter) --- More information from **Martin**:\ There were also two expansion cards for pascal (pascal was probaly too big to fit in one card - project AMOS) and a network card. We used them in our school. One IQ151 was set as a server with a big floppy disk (8", unknown capacity but not more than 360KB). The teacher was able to display any student's screen on his monitor, but the student noticed temporary stop response of his computer :-) **Jakub** remembers:\ We were using IQ 151 in the school. Its keyboard was probably the worst keyboard ever invented (at least I cannot imagine worse keyboard) and it was very difficult to type. The computer produced lots of heat (people say that they put coffee cup on it to keep their drink warm). Hardware was VERY unreliable, often there were half of the computers in our school out of order. It was used widely in Czechoslovak schools together with Tesla PMD-85 which was better and more reliable but were hardly available. **Xaint**'s memories (Czech Republic):\ We had this monster in school too. It had different graphics and text pages, so until you dont reset graphics, it was over the text you typed. Bad, bad computer. It produced A LOT of heat, when it was rainy day and some people came to school in wet clothes, put them on the back of this metal monster to dry it.\ It had a primitive sound system, mono. Keyboard was membrane type, so after long using membrane was almost unable to use. The case was from real honest cast iron. Standard language was a clone of Basic.\ Ugly machine, but memories are funny :-)