--- title: Robotron KC 87 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - Germany years: - '1986' cpus: - U880 D params: name: KC 87 image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_system_1.jpg company: /companies/robotron company_name: Robotron specs: - label: NAME value: KC 87 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Robotron - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: Germany - label: YEAR value: '1986' - label: END OF PRODUCTION value: around 1990 - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: KC 87 OS, BASIC - label: KEYBOARD value: |- Built into Unit, QWERTZ-Layout, 65 keys\ VERY hard to write with - label: CPU value: U880 D (Z80 clone) - label: SPEED value: 1,75 Mhz - label: RAM value: '17 KB (useable: 16), expandable to 64 KB max.' - label: VRAM value: 2 KB - label: ROM value: 16 KB (4 KB OS, 10 KB BASIC, 2 KB character map) - label: TEXT MODES value: 40x24 characters (switchable to 40x20) - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: Graphics only possible with 128 pre-defined graphic and 96 text symbols in text mode (8x8 pixels size) - label: COLORS value: B/W, color module available as an option (then 8 foreground and 8 background colors) - label: SOUND value: Integrated beeper. Mono sound module with 8 volumes and 6 octaves available as an option - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 400x300x85 mm / 4,1 Kg - label: I/O PORTS value: |- B/W TV output through HF-modulator, DIN connector for cassette drive, DIN connector for special tasks (I/O), 2 connectors for 2 Joysticks, 4 x module slots (K1520-Bus)\ After RGB-Upgrade: 1 connector for 2 Joysticks, 1 connector for RGB color output - label: OS value: KC 87 OS - label: POWER SUPPLY value: ca. 25 W - label: PERIPHERALS value: Colour addon, Sound module, Basic on ROM, 16 KB RAM modules, 10 KB module with room for self-programmed ROM’s, ADC module, DAC module - label: PRICE value: |- KC 87.30: 3000 Marks (1986), 960 Marks (1989)\ KC 87.31: 1300 Marks (1989) tabs: - photos - hardware - software - links - docs forum_thread: 559 photos: - title: KC 87 subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87-front1.jpg - title: KC 87 subtitle: '' text: Thanks to [WWW.HEIMCOMPUTER.DE](http://www.heimcomputer.de) for this picture image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_3.jpg - title: BACK SIDE subtitle: '' text: |- On the left, the power plug, the fuse and the On/Off switch. The right inscription mentions that this system is a KC 87.11 version, manufactured in the Robotron factory in Dresden image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_back_1.jpg - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: |- From left to right: \- Optional numeric keypad connector,\ \- Tape recorder DIN plug,\ \- Colour RGB monitor DIN plug,\ \- 2 x Joysticks DIN plug,\ \- RF TV aerial output. image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_right_1.jpg - title: 'KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP #1' subtitle: '' text: Original, well designed but very poor quality keyboard. image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_keybclose_1.jpg - title: 'KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP #2' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_keybclose_2.jpg - title: 'INSIDE #1' subtitle: '' text: |- Manufacturing quality is equal to the western productions of the time. All chips and components (except 4) came from Eastern-Europe. The numerous brown sqares are old-fashioned capacitors. **(1)** U-880D East-European clone of the Z80 CPU\ **(2)** Video RAM chips\ **(3)** O.S. and BASIC language ROM chips\ **(4)** I/O chips (clones of the 8255 chip)\ **(5)** TV aerial UHF modulator\ **(6)** switching power supply. image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_inside_1.jpg - title: 'INSIDE #2' subtitle: '' text: Notice the four module slots (K1520-Bus) at the upper left. image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87-open.jpg - title: C.P.U. CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: |- To note:\ \- The UB 880D microprocessor,\ \- 2 x 8 KB ROM chips: one SGS EPROM from Western-Europe (with green mask) and one ROM from Eastern-Europe,\ \- Siemens video RAM chips. image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_insidecl_1.jpg - title: EXPANSION MODULES HOUSING subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_inside_2.jpg - title: DOCS subtitle: '' text: Thanks to [WWW.HEIMCOMPUTER.DE](http://www.heimcomputer.de) for this picture image: /media/museum/photos/robotron_kc87_docs.jpg hardware: - title: KEYPAD subtitle: '' text: Thanks to [WWW.HEIMCOMPUTER.DE](http://www.heimcomputer.de) for this picture image: /media/museum/hardware/robotron_keypad.jpg screenshots: - title: BOOT SCREEN subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/robotron_kc87_boot_ss.gif links: - title: KC Club url: http://www.kc-club.de/ text: Nice german site full of info! - title: UPKA url: http://www.upka.de/ text: lots of documentations in PDF (German) docs: - title: KC87 & Z9001 MANUALS AND DIAGRAMS, IN GERMAN url: null cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif text: |- **KC87 & Z9001 MANUALS AND DIAGRAMS, IN GERMAN**\ written by Robotron  compiled/archived by Compiled/archived by Thomas Stein\  type of document : PDF\  source : Thomas Stein related: - /museum/r-f-t-kc-85-3 - /museum/r-f-t-kc-85-4 - /museum/robotron-kc-85-1-z-9001 oc_id: 568 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230601145719/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=568 date: '2023-06-01' --- The KC87 is the successor of the KC85/1. The main difference between the two systems is the built-in BASIC interpreter. Thus it was software and hardware compatible to its predecessor. This model existed in two different versions: KC87.30 and KC87.31. Latter had the RGB option already included. Text and info kindly provided by Stefan Goehler.