website/content/museum/nec-pc-8001.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
NEC PC 8001	Computers	Home Computer	Japan	1979	uPD 780c-1	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware connectors screenshots emulators links related oc_id source PC 8001 /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_2.jpg /companies/nec NEC label value NAME PC 8001 label value MANUFACTURER NEC label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Japan label value YEAR 1979 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE BASIC interpreter label value KEYBOARD Full-stroke keyboard with numeric keypad, 5 function keys, JIS standard layout label value CPU uPD 780c-1 (compatible with Z80) label value SPEED 4 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR ìPD3301D (CRT controller), ìPD8257C-5 (DMA controller) label value RAM 16 KB (upgradable to 32 KB and 64 KB) label value VRAM 3 KB label value ROM 24 KB label value TEXT MODES 36x20, 36x25, 40x20, 40x25, 72x20, 72x25, 80x20, 80x25 label value GRAPHIC MODES 160 x 100 (320 x 200 in option) label value COLORS 8 label value SOUND Built-in beeper label value SIZE / WEIGHT 440 x 265 x 80 mm / 4 Kg label value I/O PORTS Centronics, RS232c, IEEE 488 (optional), cassette interface (600 baud) label value BUILT IN MEDIA One or two 5.25'' disk-drives (PC-8031) label value OS N-BASIC, CP/M optional label value POWER SUPPLY AC100V±10% 50/60Hz, 20w label value PERIPHERALS Fixed expansion unit with dual 5'' 163 KB FDD, extra 32 KB of RAM, 2 x RS232C, IEEE488 and Parallel interfaces label value PRICE 168,000 yens (Japan, 1979) photos adverts hardware connectors software emulators links 188 title subtitle text image PC-8001 /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_4.jpg title subtitle text image SYSTEM + PRINTER /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_3.jpg title subtitle text image IN USE Complete system in use, including NEC dual 5.25" floppy drives unit, hard disk unit and printer /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8000_inuse_1.jpg title subtitle text image PC-8001A U.S. version of the PC-8001 /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_system_1.jpg title subtitle text image COMPLETE SYSTEM Complete system with PC-8012 I/O unit and PC-8031 dual floppy drive unit /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_completesyst_1.jpg title subtitle text image SIDE VIEWS /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_sides_1.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_keyboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR SIDE **(1)** Reset switch\ **(2)** Tape recorder DIN plug\ **(3)** Monochrome composite video output\ **(4)** Colour TTL RGB output\ **(5)** Parallel printer connector\ **(6)** Z80 bus extension connector /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_rearside_1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE On the U.S. version, the mainboard is covered with a metallic protection against magnetic fields. The switching power supply unit occupies the whole width of the computer. /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_inside_1.jpg title subtitle text image MOTHERBOARD **(1)** 16 x 4116 chips (here Nec µPD416-30) hold 32 KB of RAM\ **(2)** 3 x 8K 2364 ROM hold the NBASIC interpreter. One socket remains empty\ **(3)** Z80 processor (Nec D780C version)\ **(4)** Nec 8257 DMA controller\ **(5)** Nec D3301, manages video and colours\ **(6)** Nec 8251 USART (Synchronous/Asynchronous receiver/transmitter)\ **(7)** Keyboard connectors\ **(8)** Nec D2316, video RAM chip\ **(9)** Parallel printer connector\ **(10)** External bus connector /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_mainboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image ROM & RAM AREA /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_mainboard_2.jpg title subtitle text image USER MANUALS /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_manuals_1.jpg title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT (APRIL1982) /media/museum/pubs/nec_pc8000_french-pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT (APRIL 1982) /media/museum/pubs/nec_pc8000_french-pub_biset.jpg title subtitle text image PC-8012 EXPANSION BOX The expansion box is here fitted with a 64 KB RAM board. /media/museum/hardware/nec_pc8001_expbox_1.jpg title subtitle text image PC-8031 FD EXTENSION This unit uses two 140 KB single side 5.25" TEAC floppy drives. A Z80 processor manages the controller board. /media/museum/hardware/nec_pc8001_fdbox_1.jpg title subtitle text image DUAL 5.25'' FLOPPY DISCS UNIT Dual 5.25" Double-side, double-density 320 KB floppy drive unit.\ The unit uses the 8255 parallel interface. It can be also used with PC-8001/mkII, PC-8801 Series, PC-9801/E/F/M etc. /media/museum/hardware/nec_pc8001mk2sr_fdunit-s1.jpg title subtitle text image COMPOSITE VIDEO DIN PLUG **(1)** VDD 12V\ **(2)** GND\ **(3)** Video Out\ **(4)** NC\ **(5)** Light pen /media/museum/connectors/nec_pc8001_compositeplug_1.jpg title subtitle text image RGB VIDEO DIN PLUG **(1)** VDD 12V\ **(2)** GND\ **(3)** Color clock\ **(4)** H-SYNC\ **(5)** V-SYNC\ **(6)** R\ **(7)** G\ **(8)** B /media/museum/connectors/nec_pc8001_rgbplug_1.jpg title subtitle text image BOOT SCREEN /media/museum/software/nec_pc8001_boot.jpg title url platform text M88 emulator http://retropc.net/cisc/m88/ Windows Japanese emulator title url platform text PC88 Emulator http://home.highway.ne.jp/soltin/pc88win.html Windows Japanese emulator title url platform text QUASI88 http://www.117.ne.jp/~show/pc8801/pc88emu2.html Multiplatform Multiplatform emulator title url text Junyo Kubota's PC-8001 page http://my.reset.jp/~toragiku/kopa/8001.htm Interesting (japanese) title url text PC-8001 Page http://tje12.is.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~mino/PC-8001/PC-8001.html It looks interesting but it's all japanese ;-) /museum/nec-pc-8001-mk-2 /museum/nec-pc-8001-mk-2-sr /museum/nec-pc-8801 /museum/nec-pc-8801-fa /museum/nec-pc-8801-fe /museum/nec-pc-88va 178 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230601101546/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=178 2023-06-01

In 1979, the NEC PC-8001 was an excellent machine, offering 8 colors when most of its competitors were still monochrome. There is even a (low) graphic resolution of 160 x 100 dots. It could display capital and small letters.

The PC-8001 had great success with Japanese businesses, where it was widely used. At the time, NEC claimed that the PC-8001 represented at least 45% of their home japanese market. This is when the PC serie from NEC and MZ serie from Sharp started competing!

The base system was 32K, but a company in Concord, CA. made a thing called the "WEDGE" that mounted below the Base system and added the needed 32K plus it had analog and digital input ports and other goodies.

The US version of the PC-8001 was named PC-8001A.

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Contributors : Jeff Denno

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.