website/content/museum/nec-pc-8201a.md

---
title: NEC PC 8201A
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Portable
origins:
- Japan
years:
- '1983'
cpus:
- Intel 80C85
params:
  name: PC 8201A
  company: /companies/nec
  company_name: NEC
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: PC 8201A
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: NEC
  - label: TYPE
    value: Portable
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Japan
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1983'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Microsoft BASIC 1.0
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-stroke 67-key with 5 function keys and arrow keypad
  - label: CPU
    value: Intel 80C85
  - label: SPEED
    value: 2.4 576 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 16 KB up to 64 KB internally, and 128 KB via IC sockets underneath unit
  - label: ROM
    value: 32 KB (standard, up to 64 KB)
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40 chars. x 8 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 240 x 64 dots
  - label: COLORS
    value: Monochrome
  - label: SOUND
    value: 4 channels, 3.5 octaves
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 30 (W) x 21.3 (D) x 3.3 (H) cm. / 1.7 kg
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: RS 232 (DSUB 25 pin type), SIO1, SIO2 connectors, 8 pin duPont BERG modular jack - 3 megabytes/minute max transfer CMT socket - 8 pin DIN plug for cassette recorder, Standard centronics printer port, Bar code reader socket - 9 pin DSUB connector, SYSTEM SLOT - for ram cartridges (programs, software etc.)
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: CMOS battery backup RAM
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: 4 x AA batteries, NiCad battery pack or AC adaptor (DC 6-8.5V, 600mW)
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: External FD units, RAM expansion, external monitor adaptor, bar-code reader
  - label: PRICE
    value: $675 - £546
  tabs:
  - photos
  - software
  - docs
  photos:
  - title: 4AA BATTERY PACK
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: SIDE, SHOWING CARDRIDGE PORT
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: FRONT VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to **Ray Payne**
    image: null
  - title: BOTTOM SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Batteries housing\
      **(2)** ROM / RAM extensions\
      **(3)** Backup power switch

      Thanks to **Ray Payne**
    image: null
  - title: REAR SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** External AC adaptor plug\
      **(2)** RAM backup switch. RAM content can be saved when the computer is switched off.\
      **(3)** Reset switch\
      **(4)** Serial I/O ports 1 & 2\
      **(5)** Barre code reader plug\
      **(6)** Parallel printer connector\
      **(7)** RS-232 serial connector\
      **(8)** Tape recorder DIN plug

      Thanks to **Ray Payne**
    image: null
  - title: LEFT & RIGHT SIDES
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Cartridges port\
      **(2)** Batteries housing

      Thanks to **Ray Payne**
    image: null
  - title: RED MODEL
    subtitle: ''
    text: The 8201 could be delivered with white, red or silver case.
    image: null
  - title: DISPLAY CLOSE-UP
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: 'DISPLAY CLOSE-UP #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: SYSTEM & LEATHER CASE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: NEC BAG
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: SAME HARDWARE BASE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Like Philips which sells in Europe a part of its products range under Radiola or Schneider brands names, or Sharp pocket computers, also sold under Tandy name with minor design changes, these three computers (<$475$>Olivetti M10, <$334$>NEC 8201, <$233$>Tandy Mod. 100)are, in fact the same model, manufactured by Kyocera company. If hardware part is basically the same, external design may differ. Olivetti propose a tilting display, Nec adds arrows keys, etc. Major purpose of this partnership is to reduce study and manufacturing costs. The same model, designed and manufactured by a single company should be 25% more expensive.
    image: null
  screenshots:
  - title: DEMONSTRATION TAPE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      This tape, delivered with the machine, holds 25 programs, among them: Calc, TxtForm, Invest, Fcast, Loan, Schedule, Chrdef, sequential and direct access file demos, Terminal, Music, Tank, Snake,...

      Thanks to **Ray Payne**
    image: null
  docs:
  - title: PC-8201A - USER'S GUIDE
    url: http://www.club100.org/library/libdoc.html
    cover: null
    text: |-
      [**PC-8201A - USER'S GUIDE**](http://www.club100.org/library/libdoc.html)written by NEC

       compiled/archived by Charles Good\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.club100.org](http://www.club100.org)
  - title: PC-8201A - N82-BASIC REFERENCE MANUAL
    url: http://www.club100.org/library/libdoc.html
    cover: null
    text: |-
      [**PC-8201A - N82-BASIC REFERENCE MANUAL**](http://www.club100.org/library/libdoc.html)written by NEC

       compiled/archived by Charles Good\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.club100.org](http://www.club100.org)
  comments:
  - author: Stephen G. (Australia)
    date: Saturday 2nd April 2022
    text: I have an NEC 8201A and NEC8300 both in good working order and still use them regularly. I have the Ultimate ROM II and mainly use the outliner IDEA!. Still have all manuals, etc. True trailing edge stuff.
  - author: Michael (US)
    date: Thursday 14th October 2021
    text: I owned one of these, my first computer, after my brother-in-law showed me his Radio Shack M-100. I also got the external drive. I learned basic on it and programmed it to handle our construction company''s payroll and taxes.
  - author: John LOW (Hong Kong)
    date: Wednesday 31st July 2019
    text: |-
      For your reference:

      http://www.web8201.net/

      cheers, John
  - author: Sean
    date: Wednesday 17th May 2017
    text: I still have one in working condition. However, manual, accessories like the cable and program tape are long gone.
  - author: Mark (Chicago / USA)
    date: Saturday 16th November 2013
    text: I used an NEC PC8201A in the early 80s to hook up a Mettler balance to do "real-time" fill weight for medical solutions at one of our plants in AltaVista, Virginia. I wrote the interface program in basic to allow the inspector to place the bottle on the scale, hit the spacebar to take the reading, and the statistics for all the bottles were displayed when completed, flagging in and out of spec bottles. It was a great machine!
  - author: René (Puerto Rico)
    date: Friday 13rd September 2013
    text: I had one. I cannot tell you how usefull it was. I bought a third party wordprocessor and with it became a indespensable tool for my work. I am an engineer. I was able to writte several engineering programs that I used in my engineering calculations. It eventually brokedown and by that time there were other alternatives. I had a lot fun with it. I tell the young generation about this "lap computer" I used to have and they are skepticall that such computer could ever exist in the 80''s.
  - author: Jesper (Danmark)
    date: Wednesday 11th May 2011
    text: |-
      I used the PC8201A for a job in Greenland about 1986.\
      Some Landis $ Gyr substations used for a supervision system should be exchanged to newer models.\
      I used the teletype to save the configuration data, used the wordprocessor for search and replace, and the basic to generate some other conversions. And then the teletype to upload to the new substations. It was simply marveless for the job. Would love have one. I also made a speedpilot-program in basic to calculate time to desination, and a BLOCK game.\
      I really like the basic in it.
  - author: Slowmotion (Hong Kong)
    date: Saturday 15th May 2010
    text: |-
      I still have one under my bed - it was a Japanese version of PC-8201 in silver color.

      It has N82-BASIC, and surprisingly it has a dedicated word processor (text editor should be a more accurate description), and a TTY terminal... really went ahead of its time.
  - author: Joe (USA)
    date: Monday 17th July 2006
    text: I bought my PC 8201 while living in Tokyo shortly after it came on the market in 1983. I used it for note-taking, correspondence, learning basic and for hooking up to largely unsatisfying mail boxes. After learning basic on it, I wrote a "mastermind" program (including stone-age graphics and sounds) that I stored on audio cassette tape. It worked wonderfully for the entire time I used it. Very long battery life. Very crisp feel to the keyboard. Instant boot-up (no non-volatile memory of any sort). When I moved on to other computers, I could never bring myself to dispose of the PC 8201. I still have it and it still works.
  oc_id: 334
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230529185226/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=334
    date: '2023-05-29'
---

Sheduled to be released in the U.S. in 1983 summertime, the PC-8201 was expected to compete directly with Tandy Model 100. Both machines were very similar, but the NEC could expand its internal RAM memory from 16 KB to 64 KB (only 32 KB for the Model 100).

The 8201's 32 KB ROM contained the operating system, Microsoft BASIC interpreter, a simple text-editing program and a telecommunication program. It could display the full 128 ASCII character set as well as Japanese Katakana characters and 61 user-definable characters.

Nec produced its own range of peripherals for the 8201, like a floppy disc controller (PC-8233) and various floppy drive units, including the most sold 3.5" unit (PC-8031). A video monitor adapter (PC-8240), an acoustic modem and a bar-code reader were also available.

Same hardware basis, made in fact by Kyocera, was also sold as the [Tandy (TRS-80) Model 100](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-100-102/) (USA), [Olivetti M10](/museum/olivetti-m10/) (Europe), and Kyocera Keytronic (Asia).

---

**Ben** adds:\
You can sync this computer with a standard PC using a serial cable connection and some terminal program like PROCOMM. I've gotten it to work with ASCII protocol so far.\
Something else really cool is that this system should last 20+ hours on a single charge of batteries. That, and a really high-quality keboard for quick note-grabbing during a class or a presentation.

<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>