yann64andClaude Opus 5.5
b274874139
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
184 lines
7.2 KiB
Markdown
184 lines
7.2 KiB
Markdown
---
|
||
title: SEMI-TECH (STM) Pied Piper
|
||
categories:
|
||
- Computers
|
||
types:
|
||
- Professional Computer
|
||
origins:
|
||
- U.S.A.
|
||
years:
|
||
- '1983'
|
||
cpus:
|
||
- Zilog Z80A
|
||
params:
|
||
name: Pied Piper
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_system_s2.jpg
|
||
company: /companies/semi-tech-stm
|
||
company_name: SEMI-TECH (STM)
|
||
specs:
|
||
- label: NAME
|
||
value: Pied Piper
|
||
- label: MANUFACTURER
|
||
value: Semi-Tech (STM)
|
||
- label: TYPE
|
||
value: Professional Computer
|
||
- label: ORIGIN
|
||
value: U.S.A.
|
||
- label: YEAR
|
||
value: May 1983
|
||
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
|
||
value: None
|
||
- label: KEYBOARD
|
||
value: Typewriter keyboard, QWERTY, 62 keys
|
||
- label: CPU
|
||
value: Zilog Z80A
|
||
- label: SPEED
|
||
value: 4 MHZ
|
||
- label: RAM
|
||
value: 64 kb
|
||
- label: VRAM
|
||
value: 2 KB
|
||
- label: ROM
|
||
value: 8 KB
|
||
- label: TEXT MODES
|
||
value: 40 or 80 columns x 24 lines
|
||
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
|
||
value: None
|
||
- label: COLORS
|
||
value: '16'
|
||
- label: SOUND
|
||
value: None
|
||
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
|
||
value: 51 (W) x 27 (D) x 10 (H) cm / 6.25 Kg.
|
||
- label: I/O PORTS
|
||
value: serial / parallel port , RF Modulator
|
||
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
|
||
value: 5.25'' disk-drive (720kb)
|
||
- label: OS
|
||
value: CP/M 2.2
|
||
- label: POWER SUPPLY
|
||
value: Built in power supply unit
|
||
- label: PERIPHERALS
|
||
value: External 5.25 floppy drive, internal RAM card and modem card, Hard disk interface
|
||
- label: PRICE
|
||
value: $1299 (1983)
|
||
tabs:
|
||
- photos
|
||
- adverts
|
||
forum_thread: 203
|
||
photos:
|
||
- title: LARGE VIEW
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: ''
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_system_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: LEFT SIDE
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: ''
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_leftside_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: RIGHT SIDE
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: ''
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_rightside_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: SECOND FDD
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: With external 5.25" FDD unit
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_dualdrive_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: BACK SIDE
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: |-
|
||
**(1)** External fllopy drive unit connector\
|
||
**(2)** Z80 bus connector\
|
||
**(3)** Reset switch\
|
||
**(4)** Serial port DIN socket\
|
||
**(5)** Parallel printer connector\
|
||
**(6)** Optional Modem card location\
|
||
**(7)** Power switch and socket
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_backside_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: 'INSIDE #1'
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: |-
|
||
**(1)** Switching power supply unit\
|
||
**(2)** Video chip (unknown reference)\
|
||
**(3)** Nec 8279 Keyboard/Display interface chip\
|
||
**(4)** Keyboard connector\
|
||
**(5)** Z80 processor, here a SGS version\
|
||
**(6)** 2 KB Video RAM - 4 x 2114 chips\
|
||
**(7)** Internal expansion connectors for modem and RAM cards\
|
||
**(8)** 64 KB main RAM - 8 x 4164 chips\
|
||
**(9)** FDD controller chip and connector
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_inside_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: 'INSIDE #2'
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: RAM, ROM and FD controller chips.
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_inside_s2.jpg
|
||
- title: 'INSIDE #3'
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: Complete system with Mitsubishi 5.25" floppy disk drive installed.
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_inside_s3.jpg
|
||
- title: MANUALS
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: User and 'Perfect' suite manuals
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_manuals_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: ORIGINAL MODEL
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: To be franck, the Pied Piper model we own isn't as clean as the above pictures. We had to 'slightly' retouch them...
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_realsystem_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: CLONE
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: In 1985, a company called STM took up the design of the Pied Piper to make a PC compatible system. The detachable keyboard covered a LCD display. The system also featured a built-in printer. It had a very short life.
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_clone_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: SEMI-TECH BUILDING
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: |-
|
||
Semi-Tech building (Markham Ontario Canada).\
|
||
The whole 3 story building and land were belonged to Semi Tech until the company went bankrupt.
|
||
|
||
**Steve Otsuka** who worked for Semi Tech during 1982-1987 says:\
|
||
We were cash rich (over $100M), and bought a mainframe computer from Control Data which occupied one floor, mini-computer from DEC VAX series, expensive paintings, old China collectibles. Inside Semi Tech there were people with creative brains including myself (sorry to say this but I was a key engineer) and some of the most advanced projects in North America that time which you would be surprised.
|
||
|
||
Thanks to **Steve Otsuka** for information and picture.
|
||
image: /media/museum/photos/semitech_building_s1.jpg
|
||
adverts:
|
||
- title: 'SEMI-TECH BROCHURE #1'
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: ''
|
||
image: /media/museum/pubs/semitech_piedpiper_brochure_s1.jpg
|
||
- title: 'SEMI-TECH BROCHURE #2'
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: ''
|
||
image: /media/museum/pubs/semitech_piedpiper_brochure_s2.jpg
|
||
- title: US ADVERT (MAY 1983)
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: No info in this advert about the display that could be used (TV, composite, colour, B/W?)
|
||
image: /media/museum/pubs/smt_piedpiper_pub_1982%5B2%5D.jpg
|
||
- title: NEW ZEALAND REVIEW
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: |-
|
||
Review from a New Zealand magazine. Notice the prices in Australian$ at the bottom right of the page.
|
||
|
||
Thanks to **Murray Moffatt** from New Zealand
|
||
image: /media/museum/pubs/semitech_piedpiper_pub_s2.jpg
|
||
- title: UK ADVERT, OCT. 1983
|
||
subtitle: ''
|
||
text: ''
|
||
image: /media/museum/pubs/semitech_piedpiper_pub_s1.jpg
|
||
oc_id: 193
|
||
source:
|
||
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608213119/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=193
|
||
date: '2023-06-08'
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
Not much is known about this small computer, designed in Canada and presented at the 1983 NCC show (Anaheim, California), in May. It was marketed then as a portable computer! Quite strange as when you have look at the picture, it looks more like a desktop computer, no built-in screen... In fact it had a handle on the back and a plastic cover for the keyboard. One could carry it like a briefcase. You still needed a monitor (TV) at the other location, however...
|
||
|
||
Anyway, the Pied Piper apparently didn't last long. All we know is that it was intended to be marketed in the US, at $1300. It was based upon a Z80 CPU, had a 5''1/4 disk-drive built-in (720 KB) and used CP/M. It was sold with a complete "Perfect Software" package.\
|
||
The modem card was optional, manufacturered in Hong Kong at Semi Tech Hong Kong Ltd.
|
||
|
||
According to **Terry Danyleyko** who worked for Semi Tech, 1000 pieces were sold to China. A Chinese CP/M was even written specially for the Pied Piper.
|
||
|
||
---
|
||
|
||
**Tim Gieseler** reports :\
|
||
I sold ONE pied-piper at my short-lived computer store around 1983-4. There was nothing portable about it, but it was a smallish CP/M machine distinguished by it's use of a standard video monitor (none was supplied) and an unusually large single floppy drive compared to the Eagle/Kaypro/TRS-80s of the day. It was able to read/write many of the numerous floppy formats, as well.
|
||
|
||
The "Perfect" software, same as supplied by Kaypro, was universally horrible, buggy, barely functional - but heavily promoted by the manufacture and bundled by many computer makers.
|