website/content/museum/semi-tech-stm-pied-piper.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
SEMI-TECH (STM) Pied Piper	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	1983	Zilog Z80A	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts oc_id source Pied Piper /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_system_s2.jpg /companies/semi-tech-stm SEMI-TECH (STM) label value NAME Pied Piper label value MANUFACTURER Semi-Tech (STM) label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR May 1983 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Typewriter keyboard, QWERTY, 62 keys label value CPU Zilog Z80A label value SPEED 4 MHZ label value RAM 64 kb label value VRAM 2 KB label value ROM 8 KB label value TEXT MODES 40 or 80 columns x 24 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES None label value COLORS 16 label value SOUND None label value SIZE / WEIGHT 51 (W) x 27 (D) x 10 (H) cm / 6.25 Kg. label value I/O PORTS serial / parallel port , RF Modulator label value BUILT IN MEDIA 5.25'' disk-drive (720kb) label value OS CP/M 2.2 label value POWER SUPPLY Built in power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS External 5.25 floppy drive, internal RAM card and modem card, Hard disk interface label value PRICE $1299 (1983) photos adverts 203 title subtitle text image LARGE VIEW /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_system_s1.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT SIDE /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_leftside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_rightside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image SECOND FDD With external 5.25" FDD unit /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_dualdrive_s1.jpg title subtitle text image BACK SIDE **(1)** External fllopy drive unit connector\ **(2)** Z80 bus connector\ **(3)** Reset switch\ **(4)** Serial port DIN socket\ **(5)** Parallel printer connector\ **(6)** Optional Modem card location\ **(7)** Power switch and socket /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_backside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE #1 **(1)** Switching power supply unit\ **(2)** Video chip (unknown reference)\ **(3)** Nec 8279 Keyboard/Display interface chip\ **(4)** Keyboard connector\ **(5)** Z80 processor, here a SGS version\ **(6)** 2 KB Video RAM - 4 x 2114 chips\ **(7)** Internal expansion connectors for modem and RAM cards\ **(8)** 64 KB main RAM - 8 x 4164 chips\ **(9)** FDD controller chip and connector /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_inside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE #2 RAM, ROM and FD controller chips. /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_inside_s2.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE #3 Complete system with Mitsubishi 5.25" floppy disk drive installed. /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_inside_s3.jpg title subtitle text image MANUALS User and 'Perfect' suite manuals /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_manuals_s1.jpg title subtitle text image ORIGINAL MODEL To be franck, the Pied Piper model we own isn't as clean as the above pictures. We had to 'slightly' retouch them... /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_realsystem_s1.jpg title subtitle text image CLONE In 1985, a company called STM took up the design of the Pied Piper to make a PC compatible system. The detachable keyboard covered a LCD display. The system also featured a built-in printer. It had a very short life. /media/museum/photos/semitech_piedpiper_clone_s1.jpg title subtitle text image SEMI-TECH BUILDING Semi-Tech building (Markham Ontario Canada).\ The whole 3 story building and land were belonged to Semi Tech until the company went bankrupt. **Steve Otsuka** who worked for Semi Tech during 1982-1987 says:\ We were cash rich (over $100M), and bought a mainframe computer from Control Data which occupied one floor, mini-computer from DEC VAX series, expensive paintings, old China collectibles. Inside Semi Tech there were people with creative brains including myself (sorry to say this but I was a key engineer) and some of the most advanced projects in North America that time which you would be surprised. Thanks to **Steve Otsuka** for information and picture. /media/museum/photos/semitech_building_s1.jpg title subtitle text image SEMI-TECH BROCHURE #1 /media/museum/pubs/semitech_piedpiper_brochure_s1.jpg title subtitle text image SEMI-TECH BROCHURE #2 /media/museum/pubs/semitech_piedpiper_brochure_s2.jpg title subtitle text image US ADVERT (MAY 1983) No info in this advert about the display that could be used (TV, composite, colour, B/W?) /media/museum/pubs/smt_piedpiper_pub_1982%5B2%5D.jpg title subtitle text image NEW ZEALAND REVIEW Review from a New Zealand magazine. Notice the prices in Australian$ at the bottom right of the page. Thanks to **Murray Moffatt** from New Zealand /media/museum/pubs/semitech_piedpiper_pub_s2.jpg title subtitle text image UK ADVERT, OCT. 1983 /media/museum/pubs/semitech_piedpiper_pub_s1.jpg 193 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608213119/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=193 2023-06-08

Not much is known about this small computer, designed in Canada and presented at the 1983 NCC show (Anaheim, California), in May. It was marketed then as a portable computer! Quite strange as when you have look at the picture, it looks more like a desktop computer, no built-in screen... In fact it had a handle on the back and a plastic cover for the keyboard. One could carry it like a briefcase. You still needed a monitor (TV) at the other location, however...

Anyway, the Pied Piper apparently didn't last long. All we know is that it was intended to be marketed in the US, at $1300. It was based upon a Z80 CPU, had a 5''1/4 disk-drive built-in (720 KB) and used CP/M. It was sold with a complete "Perfect Software" package.
The modem card was optional, manufacturered in Hong Kong at Semi Tech Hong Kong Ltd.

According to Terry Danyleyko who worked for Semi Tech, 1000 pieces were sold to China. A Chinese CP/M was even written specially for the Pied Piper.

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Tim Gieseler reports :
I sold ONE pied-piper at my short-lived computer store around 1983-4. There was nothing portable about it, but it was a smallish CP/M machine distinguished by it's use of a standard video monitor (none was supplied) and an unusually large single floppy drive compared to the Eagle/Kaypro/TRS-80s of the day. It was able to read/write many of the numerous floppy formats, as well.

The "Perfect" software, same as supplied by Kaypro, was universally horrible, buggy, barely functional - but heavily promoted by the manufacture and bundled by many computer makers.