website/content/museum/olivetti-pc-1.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Olivetti PC 1	Computers	Home Computer	Italy	1988	Nec V40	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts oc_id source PC 1 /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc1_system_1.jpg /companies/olivetti Olivetti label value NAME PC 1 label value MANUFACTURER Olivetti label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Italy label value YEAR 1988 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Full-stroke 82 keys with 10 functions keys and numeric keypad label value CPU Nec V40 label value SPEED 4.77 / 8 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR Yamaha custom chip label value RAM 512 KB (up to 640 KB) label value ROM Unknown label value TEXT MODES 40 x 25 / 80 x 25 label value GRAPHIC MODES CGA graphic modes : 320 x 200 / 640 x 200 label value COLORS 4 label value SOUND Tone Generator label value SIZE / WEIGHT 39(W) x 31(D) x 9(H) cm. label value I/O PORTS Centronics, RGB monitor and TV, RS232, Mouse, Audio, Floppy disk, Expansion connector label value BUILT IN MEDIA 1 or 2 x 3.5'' 720 KB FDD label value OS MS DOS label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS Expansion box label value PRICE 3371 FF HT (France, June 1988) photos adverts 192 title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc1_systemr_1.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT SIDE /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc1_systeml_1.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc1_closeup_1.jpg title subtitle text image 1 DRIVE MODEL /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc1_2.jpg title subtitle text image REAR CONNECTORS **(1)** Expansion slot dedicated to Olivetti peripherals\ **(2)** System reset switch\ **(3)** Sound output jack\ **(4)** Parallel printer DB25 connector\ **(5)** Serial DB25 connector\ **(6)** Mouse DB9 connector\ **(7)** TV/RGB video out DIN plug.\ **(8)** RGB video out for a video monitor /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc1_rearconnect_1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE Only one board assumes all the functions of a standard PC, including video and floppy disc interfaces **(1)** Power supply unit\ **(2)** Standard DB9 CGA video connector\ **(3)** Video DIN plug allowing a TV set to be directly connected through the Scart plug\ **(4)** Mouse DB9 connector\ **(5)** Serial DB25 connector\ **(6)** Parallel DB 25 connector\ **(7)** Sound jack output\ **(8)** Intel Parallel programmable interface 8255 chip. Here a Mitsubishi version\ **(9)** BIOS ROM\ **(10)** Expansion connector for Olivetti peripherals\ **(11)** Buzzer and volume adjustment\ **(12)** Intel 8042 keyboard controller and sound generator. Here a Fujitsu version\ **(13)** Keyboard connectors\ **(14)** Western Digital floppy disc controller chip\ **(15)** External floppy disc unit connector\ **(16)** Nec V40 processor (see close-up)\ **(17)** Floppy disc drives connector\ **(18)** Characters generator ROM\ **(19)** Custom gate array chip made by Yamaha /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc1_motherboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image CUSTOM CHIP This chip, specially manufactured for the PC1, assumes a large part of internal board functions (I/O and memory management, video display) and replaces more than 20 standard logic chips. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc1_yamahachip_1.jpg title subtitle text image NEC V40 The V40 processor was one of the most powerful true 16 bit Intel 80186 clone. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc1_necv40_1.jpg title subtitle text image FRENCH ADVERT (1988) null 182 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608074251/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=182 2023-06-08

The Olivetti PC 1 was designed to be a family computer and Olivetti’s answer to the Amstrad PC 1512.

It uses the TV screen instead of a special monitor, but one could be used if you wanted to use one. It was sold with a mouse.
No internal slot : to use ISA cards, an expansion box had to be connected onto the expansion connector. This device supplied two 8-bit ISA slots, hard disk connector (for a 20 mb hard disk, 85 ms) and 128 KB ram. It runs under MS DOS 3.2.

The most particular feature is the disk-drives mounted above the keyboard. The computer was sold with 1 or 2 of them.