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---
title: Philips P2000 T/M
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Netherlands
years:
- '1980'
cpus:
- Z80
params:
name: P2000 T/M
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_system_s1.jpg
company: /companies/philips
company_name: Philips
specs:
- label: NAME
value: P2000 T/M
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Philips
- label: TYPE
value: Home Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: Netherlands
- label: YEAR
value: March 1980
- label: END OF PRODUCTION
value: Unknown
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: None
- label: KEYBOARD
value: Typewriter type - 74 keys with numeric keypad
- label: CPU
value: Z80
- label: SPEED
value: 2.5 MHz
- label: CO-PROCESSOR
value: None
- label: RAM
value: 16 KB to 48 KB
- label: VRAM
value: 1 (T) or 2 (M) KB
- label: ROM
value: 4 KB + 16 KB in ROM cartridges
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 40 (T) or 80 (M) columns x 24 lines
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: None
- label: COLORS
value: '7'
- label: SOUND
value: Built-in beeper - 1 channel
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: 41 (W) x 47 (D) x 11 (H) cm
- label: I/O PORTS
value: |-
T version: TV aerial, RGB, Serial\
M version: Monochrome composite video, Serial, FDD interface
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
value: Mini cassette drive (42 KB)
- label: OS
value: Philips JWSDOS, CP/M with extra card
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: Built-in power supply unit
- label: PERIPHERALS
value: Various interfaces through the Bus slot
- label: PRICE
value: About 3000 Dutch guilders ($1375)
tabs:
- photos
- adverts
forum_thread: 1016
photos:
- title: LARGE VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: Large view of a French version
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_system_s2.jpg
- title: TOP VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: The cartridge slots are covered by a sliding plastic lid.
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_topview_s1.jpg
- title: BOOT-UP SCREEN
subtitle: ''
text: A word processor cartridge - Text 2 - is inserted into the first cartridge slot.
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_bootscreen_s1.jpg
- title: LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_bothsides_s1.jpg
- title: FRENCH & GERMAN KEYBOARDS
subtitle: ''
text: Notice that the German version is simply labelled P2000 although it's a 2000M version.
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_frgerkeyboards_s1.jpg
- title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP
subtitle: ''
text: Here the French version
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_keybcloseup_s1.jpg
- title: MINI CASSETTE DRIVE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
This mini cassette drive is totally software controlled and acts as a slow floppy drive.\
The mini cassette tape holds demo programs for the Text 2 cartridge.
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_tapedrive_s1.jpg
- title: REAR SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
**(1)** External floppy drive unit connector\
**(2)** Serial DB25 connector mainly intended for a printer\
**(3)** RGB video output. Only available in the T version\
**(4)** Monochrome composite video output (M version)\
**(5)** TV aerial output. Only available in the T version.
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_rearside_s1.jpg
- title: 'OPENED #1'
subtitle: ''
text: M version. The upper card is the FDD controller card.
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_opened_s1.jpg
- title: 'OPENED #2'
subtitle: ''
text: |-
One clearly see the 3 superimposed cards of the M system. From bottom to top:\
• CPU card,\
• Video card,\
• FDD controller card.
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_inside_s1.jpg
- title: CPU BOARD
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Notice that all of the chips used for the video management in the T version have been removed in the M version.
**(1)** Beeper\
**(2)** Serial connector\
**(3)** Z80 processor\
**(4)** 4 KB ROM chip. A second ROM socket is available\
**(5)** 16 KB 4116 RAM chips
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_inside_s3.jpg
- title: M CARDS
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Additional cards of the M version.\
• Floppy disc controller (bottom)\
• Monochrome 80-column
image: /media/museum/photos/philips_p2000m_cards_s1.jpg
adverts:
- title: SPANISH ADVERT (MAY 1982)
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
oc_id: 1042
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230604041908/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1042
date: '2023-06-04'
---
The P2000 desktop series was the first Philips attempt to penetrate the home computer market. It was released in March 1980 in two version, the P2000M and the P2000T.
The main difference lied in the video interface. The T version, aimed at home and educational use, could be connected to either a standard TV set or a special RGB monitor. The M version, more professional, had an additional 80-column card allowing to connect a monochrome composite monitor. This version shipped with a monitor cabinet also housing a dual 5.25" floppy drive.
The P2000 was a robust and well conceived machine. There was no built-in language but only a 4 KB ROM holding system basic and I/O routines. Two cartridges slots allowed to add ROM programs (slot 1) or interface cards (slot 2) like a modem or a parallel printer interface.
Programs and data could be stored through the built-in mini cassette drive which was seen by the user as a floppy drive with automatic search for a program (CLOAD command) or free space (CSAVE). A command also allowed to display the directory of a cassette tape.
The P2000 didn't meet a great success in Europe, except in the Netherlands, its country of origin (although the machine was made in Austria) where the very active Philips user group provided lots of original software and hardware extensions like CP/M or disk drive controller cards. The P2000 was also widely used in Dutch and German schools.
**J. Frijling** (Netherlands) reports:\
The P2000 was initially meant for office use. Since a lot of other manufactures made home computers, Philips desided to put it on the home computer market. By the graphics you can see that it is a professional computer. If you wanted to do other than graphics, this was a powerful computer. Back then, this computer had already a RS232!! A novelty in those days. Because of that, it was widly used in the HAM-radio and hobby circuits. The 1st model came out with 16kb. You could add another 16kb as an internal extensionboard. Later came 64kb, although for basic you could only use 40kb, 64, 80 and 102kb. Above 40kb you could use it for bankswitching.\
The best part of all was that everything was protected by buffers, unlike the Commodore, who could easily be damged when wron connected! Unfortunatly the majority went for the better graphics.\
Later major improvements were made such as Highres graphics, inbuild 720kb FDD for model T, memory extension & lots more. I enjoyed this machine very much and recently I used it to improve my morsecode speed!
<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>