website/content/museum/kaypro-2x.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Kaypro 2x	Computers	Transportable	U.S.A.	1984	Z80A	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos emulators links docs related oc_id source Kaypro 2x /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_system_2.jpg /companies/kaypro Kaypro label value NAME Kaypro 2x label value MANUFACTURER Kaypro label value TYPE Transportable label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1984 label value END OF PRODUCTION Unknown label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None (M-BASIC and O-BASIC on diskette) label value KEYBOARD Detachable, 72 key typewriter style keyboard with 18 programmable keys. label value CPU Z80A label value SPEED 4 MHz label value RAM 64 KB label value VRAM 2 KB label value ROM Unknown label value TEXT MODES 80 chars x 25 lines (ADM-3A compatible) label value GRAPHIC MODES 160 x 100 text squares label value COLORS built-in 9'' non-glare green phosphor screen label value SOUND Beep only label value SIZE / WEIGHT 45 (W) x 38.5 (D) x 21 (H) cm / 11.5 Kg label value I/O PORTS 2 RS232c serial ports, 1 Centronics-type parallel port, keyboard, built-in 300-baud modem label value BUILT IN MEDIA 2 x 5.25'' DS/DD 400 KB half-size floppy drives label value OS CP/M 2.2 label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in switching power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS 10 MB hard disc, battery pack/charger label value PRICE $1595 (in 1986) photos emulators links docs 930 title subtitle text image LARGER VIEW Notice that some Kaypro 2X models had a "2X" label on the front panel, between the two floppy drives. This version only have a "X" sticker on the back panel. /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_system_1.jpg title subtitle text image RUNNING SYSTEM The Kaypro 2x is running ProfitPlan, a spreadsheet program from Chang Laboratories. /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_running_1.jpg title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_rightside_1.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP The keyboard, made by Keytronic, was build sturdy. /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_keyboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image READY FOR TRAVELLING /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_closed_1.jpg title subtitle text image CARRYING BAG The Kaypro 2x in its carrying bag. /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_bag_1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR SIDE **(1)** Power plug, switch and fuse\ **(2)** Reset button\ **(3)** The case was designed to take a fan but most of the Kaypro models didn't need it\ **(4)** Modem RJ11 plug\ **(5)** Parallel printer connector\ **(6)** The Kaypro 2x sticker\ **(7)** Serial port for data I/O\ **(8)** Second serial port for serial printer\ **(9)** Keyboard RJ11 plug\ **(10)** Brightness control knob Special thanks to **Thomas J. Casey** who donates us this computer /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_back_1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE The main board is taken off. One can see the video circuitry and the switching power supply unit. /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_inside_1.jpg title subtitle text image MOTHERBOARD **(1)** 8 x Mostek 4564 chips hold the 64 KB of RAM\ **(2)** Memory controller chip labelled Kaypro\ **(3)** BIOS ROM chips\ **(4)** Mostek Z80A processor\ **(5)** Characters generator ROM\ **(6)** MOS display controller\ **(7)** MOS serial I/O controllers\ **(8)** Siemens floppy drives controller\ **(9)** Several empty sockets are probably used for an optional hard disk controller /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_mainboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image FLOPPY DRIVE Slimline floppy drives came from an U.S. company called High Tech Peripherals, but they were probably made in Japan. /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_floppydrive_1.jpg title subtitle text image ARTHUR C. CLARKE Arthur C. Clarke working with his Kaypro computer. /media/museum/photos/kaypro_iix_clarke_1.jpg title url platform text M.E.S.S. emulator http://www.emulator-zone.com/doc.php/misc/mess.html Windows also emulates the Kaypro 2x title url text Web Wiz CAPTCHA http://www.webwizcaptcha.com title url cover text KAYPRO TECHNICAL MANUAL null /media/museum/docs/couvs/kaypro_technical_manual.jpg **KAYPRO TECHNICAL MANUAL**\ written by Kaypro  compiled/archived by Unknown\  type of document : Online reader **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** /museum/kaypro-1 /museum/kaypro-10 /museum/kaypro-4 /museum/kaypro-ii /museum/kaypro-iv /museum/kaypro-robie 954 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20221203191624/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=954 2022-12-03

The Kaypro 2x was one of the last models Kaypro produced. Size and appearence were the same as the first Kaypro II, but Internal hardware was inspired by the Kaypro 10.

It came with a 4 MHz Z80A processor, dual slimline 400 KB floppy drives, a built-in 300 baud modem, two serial ports and a full set of Micropro software (WordStar, CalcStar, DataStar)

It is said that Arthur C. Clarke worked in the movie version of "2010: Odyssey Two", a sequel of "2001", using a Kaypro 2x and its built-in modem for transfering texts from Sri Lanka, where he lived, to Los Angeles.

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Roy Miller specifies:
I own two. One looks like the machine you have (colors of the original 2), and has the same equipment. The other doesn't have a modem, and came in the same color scheme as the 4, 10, and 16.
The one in the older color scheme has a sticker with an "X" on it pasted just after the "2" on the back. The dark grey one doesn't have that. It seems clear that they used the older 2 cases as well as newer cases.

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More info about the internal modem by David C. Oshel:
The internal modem didn't work with the software Kaypro provided, so you had to use a Hayes Smartmodem attached to a serial i/o port. The internal modem chip had a defect: One of its pinouts went low when the specs said it went high.
We put an oscilloscope on the pup and saw this for ourselves on the Beacon Microcenter (Ames, Iowa) workbench in 1983. I was able to write a driver that made it work, but nobody cared.