website/content/museum/system-formulet-inc-bubcom-80.md at 0663e96a461c61eb03008e0b13a047120e62c82a

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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

3.1 KiB

Raw Blame History

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

title

categories

types

origins

years

cpus

params

SYSTEM FORMULET INC. BUBCOM 80

Computers

Professional Computer

Japan

1980

Zilog Z80

name

image

logo

company

company_name

specs

tabs

forum_thread

photos

adverts

oc_id

source

BUBCOM 80

/media/museum/photos/bubcom80_2.jpg

/media/museum/logos/bubcom80_logo.gif

/companies/system-formulet-inc

SYSTEM FORMULET INC.

label	value
NAME	BUBCOM 80

label	value
MANUFACTURER	System Formulet Inc.

label	value
TYPE	Professional Computer

label	value
ORIGIN	Japan

label	value
YEAR	? 1980

label	value
BUILT IN LANGUAGE	Bubcom 80 Basic

label	value
KEYBOARD	Full-stroke keyboard with numeric and editing keypads, function keys

label	value
CPU	Zilog Z80 + Motorola 6809A

label	value
RAM	64 KB

label	value
ROM	Unknown

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TEXT MODES	80 x 24 ?

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GRAPHIC MODES	Unknown

label	value
COLORS	yes

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SOUND	Unknown

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BUILT IN MEDIA	2 x 8'' disk-drives

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OS	CP/M optional

label	value
POWER SUPPLY	Built-in PSU

label	value
PERIPHERALS	Light pen, disk-drive, printer

label	value
PRICE	BC-80RN (64 KB) = 168 000 yen (Japan, 1980?)

photos

adverts

344

title	subtitle	text	image
COMPLETE SYSTEM			/media/museum/photos/bubcom80_1.jpg

title	subtitle	text	image
JAPANESE ADVERT		Thanks to [Mayura Labo](http://mayura.jp/blog) for this picture	/media/museum/pubs/bubcom80_pub_1.jpg

340

url	date
https://web.archive.org/web/20221203230610/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=340	2022-12-03

Almost nothing is known about this rare japanese system... Apparently its was first marketed as the System Formulet Bubcom 80, then bought back by Fujitsu and sold as the Fujitsu Bubcom 80.

Originaly it was a CP/M machine which used Fujitsu magnetic bubble memory. It had filesystem support for the bubble memory cartridge right in the CP/M BIOS. It seems also to have been one of the first japanese system to offer 8 colors display and is considered at the origin of the popular Fujitsu FM-8 computer (anyone can confirm that ?).

There were different versions, at least two : BC-80RN and BC-80RS with memory differences. The RN model had 64 KB RAM, and the RS ... more ?!

It was apparently possible to upgrade it with modules inserted in one of the two slots on top of the case.

Jake Christie sent us this information:
The Bubcom 80 used "bubble memory", which was supposed to be the solution to the storage limitations of 1980s microcomputers.
I believe the machine cost over 10,000 yen in Japan when it was introduced sometime between 1982 or 1984, and there was an attempt to export the Bubcom 80 to the US because it was a business computer.

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.

3.1 KiB Raw Blame History

3.1 KiB

Raw Blame History