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 image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos hardware connectors screenshots emulators links related oc_id source PC 8001 MK 2 /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_mk2_2.jpg /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 394 title subtitle text image PC-8001 MK2 /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_mk2.jpg title subtitle text image REAR /media/museum/photos/nec_pc8001_mk2_rear.jpg 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. /media/museum/hardware/nec_pc8001mk2sr_fdunit-s1.jpg title subtitle text image COMPOSITE VIDEO DIN PLUG **(1)** VDD 12V\ **(2)** GND\ **(3)** Video Out\ **(4)** NC\ **(5)** Light pen /media/museum/connectors/nec_pc8001_compositeplug_1.jpg 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 /media/museum/connectors/nec_pc8001_rgbplug_1.jpg title subtitle text image BOOT SCREEN /media/museum/software/nec_pc8001_mk2_boot.jpg 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 /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.