---
title: NEC Compo BS/80
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Japan
years:
- '1978'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80A
params:
  name: Compo BS/80
  image: /media/museum/photos/nec_compobs80_1.jpg
  company: /companies/nec
  company_name: NEC
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Compo BS/80
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: NEC
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Japan
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1978'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: NEC Level-2 Basic
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-stroke keyboard, JIS standard, 58 keys
  - label: CPU
    value: Zilog Z80A
  - label: RAM
    value: 7 kb
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 32 x 16
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: |-
      Tape-recorder, video output\
      BS/80A : 2 expansion slots\
      BS/80B : 3 expansion slots
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: PSU built-in
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Memory expansions, printer, monitor, tape-recorder
  - label: PRICE
    value: |-
      BS/80A : 238000 yens\
      BS/80B : 198000 yens
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - links
  photos:
  - title: BS/80 A
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/nec_compobs80_3.jpg
  - title: BS/80 B
    subtitle: ''
    text: This model as a numeric (hexadecimal ?) keypad instead of the tape-recorder built-in the BS/80 A model.
    image: /media/museum/photos/nec_compobs80_2.jpg
  - title: COMPLETE SYSTEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Compo BS/80 B with numeric keypad and external tape-recorder.

      Thanks to [Ohishi Nobuaki / Nibbles lab](http://welcome.to/Nibbles) for this picture.
    image: /media/museum/photos/nec_compobs80_4.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: JAPANESE ADVERT
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [Sato's Homepage](http://www1.cts.ne.jp/~sato/hp/) for this picture.
    image: /media/museum/pubs/nec_compobs80_pub1.jpg
  links:
  - title: Electric Brain Museum
    url: http://www.tk.airnet.ne.jp/mit/mitland/Musium/NEC/COMPOBS.html
    text: Interesting japanese page with pictures
  - title: Japanese site
    url: http://cwaweb.bai.ne.jp/~ohishi/museum/mz80c.htm
    text: Some useful infos in Japanese
  - title: Japanese site
    url: http://www1.cts.ne.jp/~sato/hp/log/1978/compobs80/compobs80.html
    text: Description of a japanese advert. Interesting.
  oc_id: 392
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230605032845/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=392
    date: '2023-06-05'
---

These Compo 80/BS systems (BS stands for Basic) are in fact based upon the [NEC TK-80 board system](/museum/nec-tk-80/). There are a kind of "all-in-one" offer with a TK-80 board, a plastic case, a real keyboard, a tape-recorder or a numeric keypad and several other boards...

The Compo BS/80A has a remote controled tape-recorder built-in (1200 bauds) whereas the BS/80B must use an external tape-recorder (300 bauds).

A weird feature is that you have to use a key to unlock the system. The keylock is placed above the keyboard on the left-hand side (black square on the picture).