website/content/museum/robotron-kc-87.md

---
title: Robotron KC 87
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Germany
years:
- '1986'
cpus:
- U880 D
params:
  name: KC 87
  company: /companies/robotron
  company_name: Robotron
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: KC 87
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Robotron
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Germany
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1986'
  - label: END OF PRODUCTION
    value: around 1990
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: KC 87 OS, BASIC
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: |-
      Built into Unit, QWERTZ-Layout, 65 keys\
      VERY hard to write with
  - label: CPU
    value: U880 D (Z80 clone)
  - label: SPEED
    value: 1,75 Mhz
  - label: RAM
    value: '17 KB (useable: 16), expandable to 64 KB max.'
  - label: VRAM
    value: 2 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 16 KB (4 KB OS, 10 KB BASIC, 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, color module available as an option (then 8 foreground and 8 background colors)
  - label: SOUND
    value: Integrated beeper. Mono sound module with 8 volumes and 6 octaves available as an option
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 400x300x85 mm / 4,1 Kg
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: |-
      B/W TV output through HF-modulator, DIN connector for cassette drive, DIN connector for special tasks (I/O), 2 connectors for 2 Joysticks, 4 x module slots (K1520-Bus)\
      After RGB-Upgrade: 1 connector for 2 Joysticks, 1 connector for RGB color output
  - label: OS
    value: KC 87 OS
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: ca. 25 W
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Colour addon, 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: |-
      KC 87.30: 3000 Marks (1986), 960 Marks (1989)\
      KC 87.31: 1300 Marks (1989)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - hardware
  - software
  - links
  - docs
  photos:
  - title: KC 87
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: KC 87
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [WWW.HEIMCOMPUTER.DE](http://www.heimcomputer.de) for this picture
    image: null
  - title: BACK SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      On the left, the power plug, the fuse and the On/Off switch.

      The right inscription mentions that this system is a KC 87.11 version, manufactured in the Robotron factory in Dresden
    image: null
  - title: RIGHT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      From left to right:

      \- Optional numeric keypad connector,\
      \- Tape recorder DIN plug,\
      \- Colour RGB monitor DIN plug,\
      \- 2 x Joysticks DIN plug,\
      \- RF TV aerial output.
    image: null
  - title: 'KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP #1'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Original, well designed but very poor quality keyboard.
    image: null
  - title: 'KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: 'INSIDE #1'
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Manufacturing quality is equal to the western productions of the time. All chips and components (except 4) came from Eastern-Europe. The numerous brown sqares are old-fashioned capacitors.

      **(1)** U-880D East-European clone of the Z80 CPU\
      **(2)** Video RAM chips\
      **(3)** O.S. and BASIC language ROM chips\
      **(4)** I/O chips (clones of the 8255 chip)\
      **(5)** TV aerial UHF modulator\
      **(6)** switching power supply.
    image: null
  - title: 'INSIDE #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Notice the four module slots (K1520-Bus) at the upper left.
    image: null
  - title: C.P.U. CLOSE-UP
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      To note:\
      \- The UB 880D microprocessor,\
      \- 2 x 8 KB ROM chips: one SGS EPROM from Western-Europe (with green mask) and one ROM from Eastern-Europe,\
      \- Siemens video RAM chips.
    image: null
  - title: EXPANSION MODULES HOUSING
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  - title: DOCS
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [WWW.HEIMCOMPUTER.DE](http://www.heimcomputer.de) for this picture
    image: null
  hardware:
  - title: KEYPAD
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [WWW.HEIMCOMPUTER.DE](http://www.heimcomputer.de) for this picture
    image: null
  screenshots:
  - title: BOOT SCREEN
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    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: Werner-Thomas Niemann (Germany)
    date: Friday 13rd June 2008
    text: This computer is an East-German product (GDR)
  related:
  - /museum/r-f-t-kc-85-3
  - /museum/r-f-t-kc-85-4
  - /museum/robotron-kc-85-1-z-9001
  oc_id: 568
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230601145719/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=568
    date: '2023-06-01'
---

The KC87 is the successor of the KC85/1. The main difference between the two systems is the built-in BASIC interpreter. Thus it was software and hardware compatible to its predecessor.

This model existed in two different versions: KC87.30 and KC87.31. Latter had the RGB option already included.

Text and info kindly provided by Stefan Goehler.