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yann64andClaude Opus 5.5 b274874139 All machines linked to their forum thread (full comment import)
1,289 discussions, 9,527 archived comments; pages no longer carry the comments themselves.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
2026-10-13 17:26:43 +02:00

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Markdown

---
title: IMSAI VDP 80
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1977'
cpus:
- Intel 8085
params:
name: VDP 80
image: /media/museum/photos/imsai_vdp80_1.jpg
company: /companies/imsai
company_name: IMSAI
specs:
- label: NAME
value: VDP 80
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: IMSAI
- label: TYPE
value: Professional Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: U.S.A.
- label: YEAR
value: '1977'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: None
- label: KEYBOARD
value: Full stroke keyboard
- label: CPU
value: Intel 8085
- label: SPEED
value: 3 MHz
- label: RAM
value: 48 or 64 KB
- label: ROM
value: Bios'es were located on the VIO-C video card and the DIO-C floppy controller
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 80 x 24 (with inverse video and 256 programmable characters)
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: None
- label: COLORS
value: Monochrome
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: 55 kg (121 lbs)
- label: I/O PORTS
value: Parallel port - Serial port (asynch/synch, programmable from 0.05 to 56 Kbauds)
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
value: Two PERSCI 8
- label: OS
value: CP/M 1.4 to 2.2
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: Built-in power supply unit
- label: PRICE
value: between $9,995 and $12,995, depending on RAM and FDD configuration
tabs:
- photos
forum_thread: 347
photos:
- title: THE VDP 80 AND ITS PERIPHERALS
subtitle: ''
text: The VDP 80 supports up to 6 terminals or modems and four drive tapes.
image: /media/museum/photos/imsai2.jpg
- title: WOMAN USING A VDP-80
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/imsai_vdp80_pub_1.jpg
oc_id: 343
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230401021936/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=343
date: '2023-04-01'
---
The IMSAI VDP-80 was the first commercially succesful business computer, accounting for almost 50% of the store sales where I worked at the time.
It was delived with 48 KB or 64 KB of RAM, and newer systems offered the Persci 299, double-sided, double density floppy drives. Both models of Persci (277 or 299) were a dual drive with a shared voice coil positioner in the center.
The primary CP/M applications were Electric Pencil or Wordstar which made them a hit in law offices. FMS-80 (database), Supercalc (spreadsheet) and Accounting Plus were also used.
Several languages were also available for this computer : BASIC (with compiler) and Fortran IV level 2 ANSI compiler.
These units were the first used by the Alexandria Police department to automate their booking and arrest database in 1978.
---
**Douro** says :\
This computer had a very simplified design; it was built around the Intel 8085. This processor contains the complete 8080 core and additional glue logic (i.e. the clock chip). The 8085 performed five times faster than the 8080 due to its smaller transistor size and the use of very large scale integration (VLSI). The CMOS version of this chip was the Oki 80C85, and the EPROM version was the 8075.
<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>