website/content/museum/ibm-pc-model-5150.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
IBM PC - Model 5150	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	1981	Intel 8088	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts screenshots links related oc_id source PC - Model 5150 /media/museum/photos/ibm_5150_system_s1.jpg /companies/ibm IBM label value NAME PC - Model 5150 label value MANUFACTURER IBM label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1981 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE IBM BASIC (Special Microsoft BASIC-80 version in ROM) label value KEYBOARD Full stroke 'clicky' 83 keys with 10 function keys and numeric keypad label value CPU Intel 8088 label value SPEED 4.77 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR Optional 8087 math coprocessor label value RAM 64 KB (The very first ones had only 16 KB), 256 KB max. (then later 640 KB max.) label value ROM 64 KB label value TEXT MODES 40 or 80 char x 25 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES Optional CGA graphic modes : 320 x 200 / 640 x 200 label value COLORS Monochrome / 4 among 8 in 320 x 200 CGA mode label value SOUND Tone Generator - built-in speaker label value SIZE / WEIGHT 50.8 (W) x 40.6 (D) x 14 (H) cm label value I/O PORTS Five internal 8 bit ISA slots, monitor, Centronics, cassette (!), label value BUILT IN MEDIA One or two 160 KB 5.25'' disk-drives label value OS MS-DOS, CP/M-86, USCD Pascal label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in 63.5W switching power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS 5 expansion slots, 5, 10, 20 MB hard discs label value PRICE £1736 (1 FD, monochrome monitor, U.K., 1983) photos adverts software links 284 title subtitle text image INSIDE PC A modular concept which allows user to add, remove or exchange any part of the computer. **(1)** Expansion slots for add-on cards. There are only five of these ones, which is almost too much for the 63 Watts power supply which cannot handle high power cards.\ **(2)** Intel 8088 microprocessor. Next to it is an empty socket intended for an Intel 8087 math. coprocessor.\ **(3)** The power supply is equiped with a security system which automatically cut the power in case of short-circuit or overheating.\ **(4)** Floppy-disk controler card. The first PC was equiped with full height, single sided, single density, 160 Kb disk-drives.\ **(5)** Disk eject levers.\ **(6)** First PC motherboards included 64 Kb. RAM. Note that each row of memory circuits is composed of 9 chips, eight for memory plus one for parity control.\ **(7)** ROMs holding the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) and the IBM Basic written by Microsoft. /media/museum/photos/ibm_5150_inside_1.jpg title subtitle text image PROMOTIONAL PICTURE /media/museum/photos/ibm_pc5150_prm-pic_1.jpg title subtitle text image FIRST ADVERT - NOV.1981 Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_pub81_s1.jpg title subtitle text image FIRST ADVERT - JAN.1982 Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_pub81_s2.jpg title subtitle text image FIRST ADVERT - FEB.1982 Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_pub81_s3.jpg title subtitle text image CHARLIE CHAPLIN #1 1982 - Advert said: Stop in a store near you. Take a look. You'll be instantly taken with some of the features that make the IBM Personal Computer so different... /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image CHARLIE CHAPLIN #2 1982 - It was the time when one still lacked good programs for the IBM PC... Advert said: Attention, all programmers. Here's a chance to reach the top.\ If you've written software that's completed and runs on the IBM Personal Computer (or another computer), we could be interested in publishing it...\ ... We select programs that will make the IBM Personal Computer an even more useful toll for modern times... /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_2.jpg title subtitle text image CHARLIE CHAPLIN #3 1983 - Before the IBM PC became THE universal standard, IBM was looking for good programs using all the features IBM Basic could offer. Advert said: Let your imagination take wing.\ Think charts, Graphs, Shapes, Images.\ Use originality, creativity and color in programs that entertain, educate, organize, analyse. And programs that get down to business...\ ...In fact, if you are interested in licensing your software, we could be interested in publishing it... /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_3.jpg title subtitle text image CHARLIE CHAPLIN #4 In June 1983, IBM was still seeking independant programmers.\ Advert said: There's an acceptance letter inside. And a check that could have your name on it. (If we select your program, that is.)\ But remember. We pick our winners carefully... /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_4.jpg title subtitle text image CHARLIE CHAPLIN #5 Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_5.jpg title subtitle text image CHARLIE CHAPLIN #6 From Personal Computing, July 1982 issue. Courtesy of **[Attached](http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/)** /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_6.jpg title subtitle text image CHARLIE CHAPLIN #7 TopView, one of the first serious multitasking tool for the IBM PC. Byte Magazine, July 1985 /media/museum/pubs/ibm_5150_chaplinpub_7.jpg title subtitle text image US ADVERT (APRIL 1982) null title subtitle text image FRENCH AD (DEC.1983) "Simplify your everyday life" /media/museum/pubs/ibm_pc5150_pub_simplifiez-quotidien.jpg title subtitle text image WRITING ASSISTANT This word processor was a part of the 'Assistant' pack IBM offered. It was composed of:\ - Writing Assistant (word processor)\ - Filing Assistant (Database)\ - Reporting Assistant (Database reports)\ - Graphing Assistant (Graphic Charts) /media/museum/software/ibm_5150_writingassist_1.jpg title url text Vintage IBM http://www.vintageibm.net site is dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the IBM 5150 line of computers /museum/amstrad-pc-1512 /museum/amstrad-pc-1640 /museum/amstrad-ppc-512-640 /museum/ibm-pc-at /museum/ibm-pc-portable-model-5155 /museum/ibm-pc-xt-286 /museum/ibm-pc-xt-model-5160 /museum/ibm-ps-1 /museum/micronique-hector-xt 274 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230606185231/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=274 2023-06-06

The computer which caused the death of CP/M computers.

In the early part of 1980, IBM decided to create a microcomputer (up to this date, IBM produced only mini and mainframes). They didn't really know that they wanted and they didn't think for one second that producing microcomputer was a profitable business (who would have thought!)!
After hesitation between the Intel 8086 (16 bit) and the Motorola MC68000, they decided to use the Intel 8088 (8 - 16 bit) processor, as the two other ones were considered too powerful! Then they asked to Digital Research (the creators of CP/M) to create an operating system for their new computer, as DR was not very interested, they then asked a small company (famous for its BASIC Programming Language) to write the operating system: Microsoft.
Microsoft wasn't capable of doing it, Bill Gates bought the rights to a small, hacked OS written by a small company called Seattle Computer Products: QDOS (which reportedly stood for "Quick and Dirty Operating System", which itself bears a striking resemblance to CP/M) which became PC-DOS and then later MS-DOS!
In fact, when it was launched, three operating systems could run on the IBM-PC: PC-DOS, CPM-86, but also the UCSD D-PASCAL system.

The original IBM PC wasn't very powerful (and was certainly less powerful than lot of 8 bit computers at the time). The very first PC’s had only 16 KB RAM and no floppy disk units, they used cassettes to load & store programs (notice that the commands to handle the cassette drives were present in the operating system all the way up to MS-DOS 5!). In fact, units could also be purchased from IBM with drives and more RAM. Only the lowest cost version had no drives included (this is exactly how Apple and the other manufacturers did it as well).

The model 5150 was actually a success due to name and fame of IBM, high quality construction (especially the keyboard and monitor), great expandability and IBM's decision to publish complete technical specs. The IBM PC Technical manual included circuit diagrams and the full source code for the BIOS! The PC 5150 became a standard and IBM ran the business computer market up to the end of the 80's.

Now, we can consider that about 90% of the microcomputers are PC compatibles and run under MS-DOS or Windows (At the beginning, Windows was just a graphic interface for MS-DOS, but that’s another story).

Although the IBM PC XT was launched in 1983, IBM continued production of both units, in various configurations, for several years. The model types were followed by a xx version number, i.e. 5150-xx, where the xx represented the included options (amount of RAM, single or dual floppy disk drive, etc.).

Jeffrey H. Ingber reports that when these computers (PC and XT) were initially sold, they were built-to-order computers (sounds like Gateway or Dell, doesn’t it?). Retail outlets would carry the factory products, which consisted of a boxed computer with basic components such as the motherboard, power supply, floppies & floppy drives, etc. There was no official base model configurations for the PC and XT.
Customers had a choice of RAM, display, serial ports, etc. that they could have installed on-site before the computer went home.
One could not purchase a "new" PC/XT and run it out of the box becuase it was incomplete without additional configuration.

The PC was available with either CGA or MDA (on an MPA card). The CGA adapter actually has an RCA composite output to hook it up to your TV if you did not want the CGA monitor. The output quality was PERFECT!

Another notable great feature of the PC line was the expansion base: it added additional (I think it was eight) 8-bit slots in an external enclosure.