website/content/museum/conitec-prof80.md

---
title: CONITEC Prof80
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Germany
years:
- '1982'
cpus:
- Z80A
params:
  name: Prof80
  company: /companies/conitec
  company_name: CONITEC
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Prof80
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Conitec
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Germany
  - label: YEAR
    value: September 1982
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: TRS compatible Basic interpreter
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: As the user chooses
  - label: CPU
    value: Z80A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 6 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 64 KB
  - label: VRAM
    value: 2 KB (text mode) - 16 KB (optional graphics mode)
  - label: ROM
    value: 12 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 32 or 64 columns x 16 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: Unknown
  - label: COLORS
    value: Monochrome
  - label: SOUND
    value: Built-in speaker, 1 channel
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Serial, Parallel, Tape recorder, Composite video, FDD unit
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: External single or dual FDD unit, 5.25'' or 8''
  - label: OS
    value: OS-80, NewDos-80, CP/M 2.2 then 3.X
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: +5V 2A, +12V 1A, -12V 0.5A
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: All the TRS-80 extensions
  - label: PRICE
    value: 100 (bare board)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - links
  photos:
  - title: COMPLETE SYSTEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: Complete system along with the 8" floppy drive cased in its "shoes box"
    image: null
  - title: REAR SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Parallel, Serial and Floppy drive connectors\
      **(2)** Tape recorder DIN plug\
      **(3)** Composite video output\
      **(4)** There was even a time counter! But it was disconnected after 42 hours of use
    image: null
  - title: 'KEYBOARD #1'
    subtitle: ''
    text: The keyboard comes from the original video terminal.
    image: null
  - title: 'KEYBOARD #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: The keyboard matrix has been wired by hand.
    image: null
  - title: THE PROF80 BOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Keyboard connector\
      **(2)** Z80A processor\
      **(3)** High resolution graphics card with 16 KB RAM\
      **(4)** Main RAM chips. In this version, only 3 rows of 16 KB are installed\
      **(5)** 8" floppy drive controller add-on card\
      **(6)** Z80 data and address buses connector\
      **(7)** Floppy drive connector\
      **(8)** Parallel port connector
    image: null
  - title: POWER SUPPLY
    subtitle: ''
    text: Dual power supply unit. One for the main board (round transformer), one for the display unit.
    image: null
  - title: OPENED
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: 8'' FLOPPY DRIVE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  adverts:
  - title: PROF80 ADVERT
    subtitle: ''
    text: French advert from Pentasonic stores chain.
    image: null
  links:
  - title: Prof 80 - ein CP/M 3 System
    url: http://www.prof80.de
    text: more information about the Prof 80 card and expansions (German page)
  comments:
  - author: Fred Jan Kraan (Netherlands)
    date: Wednesday 25th July 2012
    text: |-
      There were actually two computer systems with the name PROF80:\
      \- The German Comitec system, which was an ECB-bus based Eurocard (optional graphics board).\
      \- The French Pentasonic system which was a TRS-80 Model III clone. This is the displayed system.\
      There also was a compatible small interface named PROF80 for the TRS-80 Model I and III to be placed between the main board and the CPU, which added an boot menu and RAM bank switching. This allowed CP/M on these machines. The bank switching is different than the LNW-scheme.
  oc_id: 992
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230607181902/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=992
    date: '2023-06-07'
---

This computer was never sold in computer stores. It is an homebrew machine built around an unique board called PROF80.

The Prof 80 was a CPM Board for CP/m 2.2 or (later) 3.X., manufactured by Conitec, Dieburg, Germany. There is also a branch in US. The company still exists, and the chief designer of the board, Joachim Hanst, is still working there.

It was sold in France in kit form by the Pentasonic stores chain. User had to solder all the components onto the bare board.

The PROF80 board was fully compatible with the Tandy [Trs-80 MOD III](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-iii/), and featured 64 KB of RAM, serial and parallel ports, floppy drive controller, video and tape recorder interfaces and a GRIP (Graphical IO-Processor). The Basic interpreter was the [LNW](/museum/lnw-research-lnw-80/) version.

Various systems were designed by private persons around this board, mainly in Germany. From simple training computers up to complete professional system.

The version pictured here was very carefully built from an old video terminal. It featured some enhancements allowing the use of the 8" floppy disk drive as well as graphic capabilities.