website/content/museum/robotron-kc-85-1-z-9001.md

---
title: Robotron KC 85/1 - Z 9001
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Germany
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- U880 D
params:
  name: KC 85/1 - Z 9001
  company: /companies/robotron
  company_name: Robotron
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: KC 85/1 - Z 9001
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Robotron
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Germany
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1984'
  - label: END OF PRODUCTION
    value: '1987'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: KC 85/1 OS, HC OS
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: QWERTZ-Layout, 65 keys. VERY hard to type with
  - label: CPU
    value: U880 D (Z80 clone)
  - label: SPEED
    value: 1,75 Mhz
  - label: RAM
    value: 17 KB (16 KB free), expandable to 64 KB max.
  - label: VRAM
    value: 2 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 6 KB (4 KB OS + 2 KB character map)
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40x24 characters (switchable to 40x20)
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: Graphics only possible with 128 pre-defined graphic and 96 text symbols in text mode (8x8 pixels size)
  - label: COLORS
    value: B/W, optional color module (then 8 foreground & 8 background colors)
  - label: SOUND
    value: Integrated beeper; Mono sound module with 8 volumes & 6 octaves
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 400x300x85 mm / 4,1 Kg
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: |-
      B/W TV output through HF-modulator, Tape interface (DIN), I/0 connector (DIN), 2 Joysticks connectors, 4 module slots\
      After RGB-Upgrade: 1 connector for 2 Joysticks, 1 connector for RGB color output
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: none; external cassette player required (connected via DIN connector)
  - label: OS
    value: KC 85/1 OS, HC OS
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: ca. 25 W
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Color upgrade, Sound module, Basic on ROM, 16 KB RAM modules, 10 KB module with room for self-programmed ROM’s, ADC module, DAC module
  - label: PRICE
    value: 1500 Marks
  tabs:
  - photos
  - links
  - docs
  photos:
  - title: Z-9001 MODEL
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [WWW.HEIMCOMPUTER.DE](http://www.heimcomputer.de) for this picture
    image: null
  - title: EXPANSION MODULES / CARTRIDGES
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      This picture shows a Basic module and RAM module plugged into the two expansion slots.

      Thanks to [WWW.HEIMCOMPUTER.DE](http://www.heimcomputer.de) for this picture
    image: null
  links:
  - title: KC Club
    url: http://www.kc-club.de/
    text: Nice german site full of info!
  - title: UPKA
    url: http://www.upka.de/
    text: lots of documentations in PDF (German)
  docs:
  - title: KC87 & Z9001 MANUALS AND DIAGRAMS, IN GERMAN
    url: null
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif
    text: |-
      **KC87 & Z9001 MANUALS AND DIAGRAMS, IN GERMAN**\
      written by Robotron

       compiled/archived by Compiled/archived by Thomas Stein\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : Thomas Stein
  comments:
  - author: Ron (Germany)
    date: Friday 19th December 2008
    text: |-
      I remember this particular computer very well, as it was my first computer and I learned how to program BASIC and Assembler on it.\
      The keyboard surely was a pain in the ass, not so much because of its form factor but rather because a lot of force was necessary to press down a key. Good training for a guitar-player like me, but horrible in general.

      Its former name was actually "Z 9001", not "HC9001", see here for an example:\
      http://www.homecomputermuseum.de/comp/detail/111.jpg.
  - author: Josh Carlson (Gadsden, AL, USA)
    date: Friday 16th November 2007
    text: Wow, who the hell would think designing a keyboard like that would be a "good" thing!?!?! Shoot some engineers :)
  related:
  - /museum/r-f-t-kc-85-3
  - /museum/r-f-t-kc-85-4
  - /museum/robotron-kc-87
  oc_id: 599
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230528042255/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=599
    date: '2023-05-28'
---

The KC85/1 was originally introduced as the HC-9001, "HC" meaning "Home Computer". But as the industry demand for computers was so high, they even used these home computers, so the name was changed to **KC85/1**, "KC" standing for "KleinComputer", which could be translated to "Small Computer".

The machine had very limited graphical capabilities with 128 pre-defined graphic and 96 text symbols in text mode (8x8 pixels size). The BASIC language needs to be loaded from cassette every time you needed it (or you could also get it as an optional ROM Module). It has got an awful keyboard (3 x 10 mm plastic keys), which was quite a pain to type with for a long time.

There was probably no real reason to prefer it from the other available models, except its low price, compared to its bigger and more featured brothers.

---

Info kindly provided by **Stefan Goehler**.