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---
title: Hewlett Packard HP-87
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1982'
cpus:
- '''Capricorn'' custom HP 8-bit CPU'
params:
name: HP-87
company: /companies/hewlett-packard
company_name: Hewlett Packard
specs:
- label: NAME
value: HP-87
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Hewlett Packard
- label: TYPE
value: Professional Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: U.S.A.
- label: YEAR
value: September 1982
- label: END OF PRODUCTION
value: '1984'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: HP Basic interpreter
- label: KEYBOARD
value: Full stroke 93 keys with numeric keypad and user definable keys
- label: CPU
value: '''Capricorn'' custom HP 8-bit CPU'
- label: SPEED
value: 0.625 MHz
- label: CO-PROCESSOR
value: Custom HP I/O circuits
- label: RAM
value: 32 KB up to 534 KB max.
- label: VRAM
value: 16 KB
- label: ROM
value: 48 KB
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 80 chars x 16 or 24 lines (software switch)
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: 544 x 240 dots
- label: COLORS
value: Monochrome
- label: SOUND
value: Tone Generator
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: Unknown
- label: I/O PORTS
value: Four I/O Ports, HP-IB
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
value: None
- label: OS
value: Built-in BASIC language. Optional CP/M O.S. Needed external FD/HD unit
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: Built-in power supply unit - 110V / 240V switchable
- label: PERIPHERALS
value: |-
Speech Synthesis module, modem\
Various extension cards: GP-IB, Serial, FDD/HDD controller, I/O routines, Parallel, BASIC extensions
- label: PRICE
value: $2495, (HP-87), $2995 (HP-87XM)
tabs:
- photos
- emulators
- links
photos:
- title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
- title: HP-IB INTERFACE
subtitle: ''
text: This interface allowed to connect in chain up to 14 peripherals - mass storage, printers, plotters - using HP-IB or IEEE-488 protocol.
image: null
- title: EXPANSION CONNECTORS
subtitle: ''
text: Mainly used for RAM/ROM expansions.
image: null
- title: RUNNING CP/M
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: null
emulators:
- title: Emulator for the HP85B & HP86B/87
url: http://olivier.2.smet.googlepages.com/HPSERIES80
platform: Windows
text: Open source GNU licence
- title: HP 86 / 87(+) emulator
url: http://www2.akso.de/files/series_80/Emulator/
platform: Windows
text: ''
links:
- title: HP Series 80 Web Site
url: http://www.series80.org/
text: Nice website dedicated to HP Series 80 computers (manuals, programs, ROMs, articles, accessories, etc.).
- title: The Museum of HP Calculators
url: http://www.hpmuseum.org/hp85.htm
text: Some useful infos here
- title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
text: Lots of further info and links on the Series 80
comments:
- author: Ryan Schweitzer (United States)
date: Saturday 13rd July 2019
text: The local public safety/911 dispatch center back in the ''80s in my town (Bismarck, ND) had an HP-87 at their dispatch console that was used to control the outdoor warning sirens (for tornado alerts and such) across town. It was loaded with a custom software package for such, IIRC.
related:
- /museum/hewlett-packard-hp-85
- /museum/hewlett-packard-hp-86
oc_id: 926
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230417024943/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=926
date: '2023-04-17'
---
The HP-87 was the follow-on model to the [HP-85](/museum/hewlett-packard-hp-85/) in the 'Series 80'. It was a logical development, keeping the same processor and clock speed, but with the following changes:
• Basic language extended ie long variable names added, support for larger graphical display, total 48K in ROM.\
• Allows programs to address memory above 64K, through use of an extended memory controller.\
• HP-87 has 32K RAM built in, and allows up to 4 extra RAM modules of either 32K, 64K or 128K ie 534K max.\
• Built in HP-IB interface, together with software support for basic I/O, mass-storage and printing without additional ROMs.\
• Bigger screen allowing 80 column text, with either 16 or 25 lines.\
• No built in tape or printer.\
• Support for multiple (up to 5) binary programs in RAM.
The HP-87 was followed by the [HP-86](/museum/hewlett-packard-hp-86/) and HP-87XM. The HP-86 lost the internal monitor in favour of an external monitor, and lost the built in HP-IB connector in favour of a Centronics parallel printer port and two connectors for HP floppy disks.
The HP-86 also had 64K RAM while the HP-87XM included 128K RAM. The final machine in the series 80 family was the **HP-86B**, which went back to having a built-in HP-IB port and featured 128K of RAM.
Thanks to **John Shadbolt** and his [site](http://www.vintagecomputers.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm) for this information