website/content/museum/olivetti-prodest-pc-128s.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	params
Olivetti Prodest PC 128S	Computers	Home Computer	Italy	1987	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos links oc_id source Prodest PC 128S /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_system_s1.jpg /companies/olivetti Olivetti label value NAME Prodest PC 128S label value MANUFACTURER Olivetti label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Italy label value YEAR 1987 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE BBC BASIC Version 4 label value KEYBOARD Full-stroke 93-key with 10 function keys and numeric keypad label value CPU 65C12 - CMOS version of the 6502 with minor technical changes label value SPEED 2 MHz label value RAM 128 KB label value ROM 64 KB - OS: 32 KB, BASIC: 16 KB, ADFS: 16 KB label value TEXT MODES 80 x 32/25 (2 colors) / 40 x 32/25 (2 or 4 colors) / 20 x 32 (16 colors) / 40 x 25 (Teletext display) label value GRAPHIC MODES 640 x 256 (2 colors) / 320 x 256 (4 colors) / 160 x 256 (16 colors) label value COLORS 16 (8 colors + flashing option) label value SOUND 4 channels, 7 octaves label value SIZE / WEIGHT Keyboard unit: 42.5 (W) x 21.7 (D) x 7.7 (H) cm\ Expansion unit: 35.1 (W) x 33.3 (D) x 9.5 (H) cm label value I/O PORTS RGB & Composite video out, RS232 (optional), Econet port (optional), Parallel printer, Disk-drive, Joystick/mouse, expansion edge connector label value BUILT IN MEDIA 1 or 2 3.5'' 640 KB floppy-disk drives label value OS ADFS label value POWER SUPPLY Switching PSU in the expansion box label value PRICE Unknown photos links 1028 title subtitle text image LARGE VIEW /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_system_s2.jpg title subtitle text image TOP VIEW /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_topview_s1.jpg title subtitle text image RUNNING SYSTEM Welcome logo of the utility and programs diskette. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_bootscreen_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MAIN UNIT /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_mainunit_s1.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT & RIGHT SIDES On the right side, the bus expansion connector. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_bothsides_s1.jpg title subtitle text image OLIVETTI LOGOS Nice Italian design. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_keyblogos_s1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR SIDES Main unit, from left to right:\ • Expansion connector (right side)\ • RGB DIN socket\ • Composite video jack\ • locations for optional RS232 and Econet connectors\ • Joystick/mouse DB9 connector\ • Parallel printer connector\ • External floppy-disk drive DB25 connector\ • DC 5V input conector. Power is supplied by the expansion unit Expansion unit\ • Male and female power plugs, fuses and power switch.\ • 5V power lead and disk interface flat cable, both are nornally connected to the main unit. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_rearside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MAINBOARD **(1)** Empty sockets for the optional RS232 interface\ **(2)** Connectors for the optional Econet card\ **(3)** SAA-5050 Teletext character generator (Mode 7)\ **(4)** Custom chip. Address decoder for various peripherals\ **(5)** 65SC12 microprocessor\ **(6)** Custom chip dedicated to ROM and RAM bank switching\ **(7)** 64 KB system ROM. Up to 4 additional ROMs can be added\ **(8)** 128 KB RAM chips (4x4464)\ **(9)** Custom chip in charge of the video RAM management\ **(10)** 6845 video chipset (First IBM PC monochrome and colour cards used the same chipset)\ **(11)** Custom chip used to manage the system's data bus\ **(12)** 6522 VIA chips (Versatile Interface Adapter) in charge of various I/O\ **(13)** Western Digital WD1772 floppy-disk controller /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_inside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE THE EXPANSION MODULE Sony double-sided, single density floppy-disk drive and switching PSU, also used for the main unit. Provision is made for a second 3.5" drive. /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_insidefdunit_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MANUALS User manual, command summary cards for the 'Sheet' word processor, spreadsheet and database programs, Welcome diskette and even the warranty card :-) /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_manuals_s1.jpg title subtitle text image ORIGINAL BOXES /media/museum/photos/olivetti_pc128s_boxes_s1.jpg title url text PC128S Olivetti Prodest http://pc128s.altervista.org/ Italian website dedicated to the PC128S Olivetti Prodest 1055 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608072917/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1055 2023-06-08

The Olivetti PC 128S was exactly the same machine as the Acorn BBC Master compact. It was sold only in Italy.

Olivetti merely transformed the case design with nice blue and grey patterns and translated all the programs of the original Acorn Welcome disk, as well as the manual into Italian language.

Although it was one of the most advanced 8-bit computer, the PC 128S, like its predecessor, the PC 128, didn't meet a large success, mainly because it came to late on the market, just at the time when the new Atari and Commodore 16-bit machines were launched in Europe.