website/content/museum/nec-pc-8001-mk-2.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
NEC PC 8001 MK 2	Computers	Home Computer	Japan	1982	µPD 780C-1	name company company_name specs tabs photos hardware connectors screenshots emulators links comments related oc_id source PC 8001 MK 2 /companies/nec NEC label value NAME PC 8001 MK 2 label value MANUFACTURER NEC label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Japan label value YEAR 1982 label value END OF PRODUCTION Unknown label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE NEC N-80 Basic v1.0 (enhanced) label value KEYBOARD Full-stroke keyboard with separated numeric keypad label value CPU µPD 780C-1(Z80 Compatible) label value SPEED 4MHz label value RAM 64 KB label value VRAM 16 KB label value ROM 32 KB label value TEXT MODES 80 x 25 (8 colors), 40 x 25 (8 colors, 2 pages) label value GRAPHIC MODES 320x200 8Colors, 640x200 monochrome label value COLORS 8 label value SOUND Unknown label value SIZE / WEIGHT Unknown label value I/O PORTS FDD Interface, 2 expantion slots label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS Unknown label value PRICE Unknown photos hardware connectors software emulators links title subtitle text image PC-8001 MK2 null title subtitle text image REAR null title subtitle text image DUAL 5.25'' FLOPPY DISCS UNIT Dual 5.25" Double-side, double-density 320 KB floppy drive unit.\ The unit uses the 8255 parallel interface. It can be also used with PC-8001/mkII, PC-8801 Series, PC-9801/E/F/M etc. null title subtitle text image COMPOSITE VIDEO DIN PLUG **(1)** VDD 12V\ **(2)** GND\ **(3)** Video Out\ **(4)** NC\ **(5)** Light pen null title subtitle text image RGB VIDEO DIN PLUG **(1)** VDD 12V\ **(2)** GND\ **(3)** Color clock\ **(4)** H-SYNC\ **(5)** V-SYNC\ **(6)** R\ **(7)** G\ **(8)** B null title subtitle text image BOOT SCREEN null title url platform text M88 emulator http://retropc.net/cisc/m88/ Windows Japanese emulator title url platform text PC88 Emulator http://home.highway.ne.jp/soltin/pc88win.html Windows Japanese emulator title url platform text QUASI88 http://www.117.ne.jp/~show/pc8801/pc88emu2.html Multiplatform Multiplatform emulator title url text Web Wiz CAPTCHA http://www.webwizcaptcha.com author date text Frits Meuris (Netherlands Europe) Saturday 23rd November 2019 He.....I was Nec PC8001 $ PC 8088 computer dealer in the Netherlands. I have sold about 50 complete systems in total, with 8031 $ 8031-2W double discdrive units, NEC PC8023 super reliable dot matrix printer $ Nec 8043 highres color monitors with super picture. The PC8001 had the most riliable keyboard good for real fast tekst editing. The PC8001 is nor produced by NEC but produced in the Kyocera factories. In the Netherlands was a Nec usergroup and we did met each other one time pro month.\ With the discdrive stations included there was also the CP/M operating system included. To use that there was the memory extensionboc 8011 available.\ Nec had in Germany a distributor also which delivered complete tables and consoles to use these computers in offices.\ We did get all computers from NEC London in the U.K.\ English software I have still available and I can send you a list.\ We never had a MK2 but we sold later the 8088 system after the 8001 systems. Sofar...greatings from Netherlands... /museum/nec-pc-8001 /museum/nec-pc-8001-mk-2-sr /museum/nec-pc-8801 /museum/nec-pc-8801-fa /museum/nec-pc-8801-fe /museum/nec-pc-88va 396 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230605033142/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=396 2023-06-05

The PC-8001 mk2 replaced the PC-8001.

In 1983, the PC-8001 still had great success in Japanese market. However, a lot of competitive PCs were released by other companies.
PC-8001 had a tough race in business market because of poor graphics feature that cannot display KANJI characters.

NEC had to solve 3 difficult problems simultaneously:
1. high-resolution graphics for business users,
2. Middle-level (suitable for CPU power) Color graphics for hobby users,
3. Hardware/Software compatibility with the PC-8001.

The PC-8001mkII was the answer. This machine was born with expectation and attention. The PC-hobby magazine publishers delayed printing to write detailed information of this machine. However, the expectaition of people changed to disappointment. Most competitive machine already had 640x200 8 color graphics but the PC-8001mkII only had black&white. A lot of hobby-users started to put money aside for the PC-8801 instead of purchasing the PC-8001mkII.

This machine met a limited success, even though NEC had 40,000 back-orders. The PC-8001 was sold over 120,000 within 2 years.

Thanks to Nomura Hisayuki for this information.

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.