website/content/museum/polymorphic-poly-88.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Polymorphic POLY 88	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	1976	8080A	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware screenshots emulators links related oc_id source POLY 88 /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_system_1.jpg /companies/polymorphic Polymorphic label value NAME POLY 88 label value MANUFACTURER Polymorphic label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1976 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Full-stroke 54 keys (made by Cherry) label value CPU 8080A label value SPEED 2 MHz 8080A, running at 1.8432 MHz (so that it could be easily divided to produce standard baud rate clocks) label value RAM 512 bytes to 32 KB. label value VRAM 1 KB label value ROM Monitor 1 KB (2 KB optional) label value TEXT MODES 40 chars x 25 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES Semi-graphic mode (128 x 48) label value COLORS Monochrome label value SOUND None standard (available through S100 boards) label value SIZE / WEIGHT 11(W) x 17.5(H) x 43 (D) cm. label value I/O PORTS Keyboard, tape recorder, printer, video vomposite label value BUILT IN MEDIA None label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in PSU label value PERIPHERALS Video, keyboard, cassette, serial interfaces.\ Some Altair S-100 cards label value PRICE From $595 to $1350 photos adverts hardware software emulators links 554 title subtitle text image SYSTEM #1 /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_system_2.jpg title subtitle text image FRONT PANEL Unlike competitors systems of the time (Imsai, Altair) the POLY 88 front panel only featured Power and reset switches. /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_frontpanel_1.jpg title subtitle text image BACK PANEL Note the red switch used to modify the tape record speed (300 - 1200 bauds); and the serial number: 1904! /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_backpanel_1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE Full system featuring 32 KB of RAM, video, keyboard and cassette interfaces. **(1)** Cassette interface\ **(2)** Keyboard cable coming from the video board\ **(3)** Cassette interface cable coming from a serial port of the CPU board\ **(4)** CPU board\ **(5)** Video / Keyboard board\ **(6)** 16 KB static RAM card\ **(7)** 8 KB static RAM card (Polymorphic)\ **(8)** Second 8 KB static RAM card /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_inside_1.jpg title subtitle text image BACKPLANE The backplane supported: **(1)** Power supply filtering components\ **(2)** Five S-100 connectors, an expansion connector for additional cards\ **(3)** Fan and reset switch connector /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_backplane.jpg title subtitle text image CASE FRAME /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_chassis.jpg title subtitle text image COMPLETE SYSTEM Cherry keyboard, Sanyo 9" monitor and General Electric data recorder. /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_system_3.jpg title subtitle text image ASSEMBLY, ADJUSTMENTS MANUAL /media/museum/photos/polymorphic_poly88_manual_1.jpg title subtitle text image U.S. ADVERT (1976) /media/museum/pubs/polymorphic_poly88_pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image U.S. ADVERT (1977) #1 This advert (May 1977) introduced the **System 16**, same as assembled System 7 with 16 Kb of RAM. ($1995) /media/museum/pubs/polymorphic_poly88_pub_2.jpg title subtitle text image U.S. ADVERT (1977) #2 An advert dédicated to Polymorphic BASIC language features and to a new version of the system named System 0. The **System 0** was intended for the users who already have a S-100 Bus based system and wanted to transform it into a Poly 88 system. It consisted of the central processor card with ROM monitor, the video card and the cassette interface, all in kit form. Price: $525 /media/museum/pubs/polymorphic_poly88_pub_3.jpg title subtitle text image POLY88 DISK KIT The advert says : "Each kit contains a brushed aluminium front panel and walnut cabinet"! /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_diskkit.jpg title subtitle text image CPU BOARD The CPU board features ROM, RAM and serial I/O. It could be used as a stand-alone system, connected to a serial Input / Output device (Teletype). **(1)** 512 bytes of RAM holded in 4 * 9111 chips (256*4)\ **(2)** 8080 chip. Here a NEC version\ **(3)** Sockets for additonal 2 KB ROM chips\ **(4)** 1 KB Boot ROM chip\ **(5)** Serial connectors /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_cpuboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image VIDEO BOARD This board manages video output and keyboard input. **(1)** composite video output connector\ **(2)** Character generator ROM chip\ **(3)** 8 * 2111 memory chips (256 bits * 4) holding 1 KB of video RAM memory\ **(4)** Keyboard connector /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_videoboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image 8 KB RAM BOARD 8 KB static RAM are made of 64 * 2102 RAM chips (1K * 1 bit). /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_8kramboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image 16 KB RAM BOARD This standard S-100 bus 16 KB memory board cames from California Computer Systems. The memory is broken into four 4 KB groups which are independantly addressable. **(1)** Power regulators (one per chips row)\ **(2)** Led indicators for board selection and bank selection\ **(3)** Bank and address select switches\ **(4)** Ram is arranged in four 4 KB independant groups /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_16kramboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image PROCESSOR CLOSE-UP /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_proc8080_1.jpg title subtitle text image CASSETTE INTERFACE The cassette interface operates through the serial port of the CPU board.\ It could read/write programs at 30 or 120 chars per second. Selection was made with the red switch. /media/museum/hardware/polymorphic_poly88_k7interface.jpg title subtitle text image BASIC INTERPRETER A diskette version was also available with data files management addition. /media/museum/software/polymorphic_poly88_k7basic.jpg title subtitle text image ASSEMBLER AND MONITOR. These tools were delivered with each Poly 88 version. /media/museum/software/polymorphic_poly88_k7asm.jpg title url platform text Bob Bybee's PolyMorphic Emulator program http://www.bybeeweb.com/pm.htm MS DOS Polymorphic systems emulator ! title url text Polymorphic documentation http://www.hartetechnologies.com/manuals/PolyMorphic/ title url text www.retrotechnology.com http://www.retrotechnology.com/restore/poly_restore.html A page dedicated to the restoration of a Poly 88 /museum/polymorphic-system-8813 563 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230531223712/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=563 2023-05-31

The POLY 88 was a S-100 bus based computer sold in kit or assembled versions. The small case could receive the 8080 CPU board and three additional S-100 cards. Daughter boards were provided by Polymorphic to expand system capacities: video, keyboard, serial and cassette interfaces.

The system was also compatible with Altair peripherals. Originally, the computer was sold with the name "Micro-Altair", but MITS (the Altair manufacturer) required to change it quickly. So the company name became Polymorphic and its first computer, the POLY 88.

In 1976, five versions were proposed:
System 1 Kit version including 512 bytes RAM, 1 Kb. ROM monitor, 16 lines x 32 chars. video interface, keyboard input port and power supply. ($595)
System 2 System 1 plus 64 chars. per line option and cassette interface kit. ($690)
System 3 System 2 plus 8 Kb. of RAM, Basic and Assembler programs on cassette tape. ($990)
System 4 Complete kit including System 3 plus TV monitor, keyboard and cassette recorder ($1350)
System 7 System 4 assembled and ready to use. ($1350)

Thanks to Leon H. Schindel for his invaluable help

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.