website/content/museum/epson-px-8-hc-88-geneva.md

---
title: Epson PX 8 / HC-88 / Geneva
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Portable
origins:
- Japan
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80
params:
  name: PX 8 / HC-88 / Geneva
  image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_system_1.jpg
  company: /companies/epson
  company_name: Epson
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: PX 8 / HC-88 / Geneva
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Epson
  - label: TYPE
    value: Portable
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Japan
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1984'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Microsoft Basic
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-stroke 72 key with function keys and cursor keys
  - label: CPU
    value: Zilog Z80 (+ Hitachi 6301 for I/O)
  - label: SPEED
    value: 2.45 MHz (Z80) / 614 KHz (6301)
  - label: RAM
    value: 64 KB (up to 184 KB)
  - label: VRAM
    value: 6 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 32 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 8 lines of 80 characters
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 480 x 64 dots
  - label: COLORS
    value: LCD monochrome display
  - label: SOUND
    value: beeper - Volume control
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 29.7 (W) x 21.6 (D) x 4.6 (H) cm (A4 size) / 1.8 Kg
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: RS232, bar code reader, bus, ADC, cartridge, analog in (2)
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: small tape recorder
  - label: OS
    value: CP/M 80
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: External 6V. AC adaptor and rechargeable Ni-cad battery
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: 64 KB or 128 KB Memory expansion units, 3.5'' and 5.25'' FDD units
  - label: PRICE
    value: |-
      £798\
      1990 FF (France, january 1988)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - hardware
  - software
  - emulators
  - links
  - videos
  forum_thread: 208
  photos:
  - title: HC-88 (JAPANESE MODEL)
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_hc88.jpg
  - title: COMPLETE SYSTEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: Complete PX-8 system with 3.5" FDD unit and acoustic modem.
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_systemfdmodem_1.jpg
  - title: PX-8 DISPLAY
    subtitle: ''
    text: CP/M RAM drive directory
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_display_1.jpg
  - title: READY FOR TRAVELLING
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_closed_1.jpg
  - title: RIGHT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Notice the power switch and the contrast adjustment knob.
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_rightside_1.jpg
  - title: LEFT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: The system reset switch needs a pen to be pushed.
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_leftside_1.jpg
  - title: BOTTOM SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Three trap doors allow BIOS ROM **(1)**, software and CP/M ROMs **(3)** as well as main battery **(2)**) to be replaced.
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_bottom_1.jpg
  - title: MICROCASSETTE DRIVE
    subtitle: ''
    text: The microcassette drive can be operated manually or managed by software. A tape directory placed at the beginning of each cassette allows the tape drive to be seen like a floppy disc drive by the operating system.
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_taperec_1.jpg
  - title: REAR CONNECTORS
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Speaker or headphones output jack\
      **(2)** Analogue/digital converter input jack\
      **(3)** Barcode reader input jack\
      **(4)** Bus expansion 50 pin connector\
      **(5)** First serial RS-232 mini-Din connector, mainly intended to a printer\
      **(6)** Second serial connector intended to a modem\
      **(7)** External AC adaptor connector
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_rearcon_1.jpg
  - title: REMOVABLE ROM SOFTWARE
    subtitle: ''
    text: 'Apart from the Microsoft Basic ROM **(1)** (adapted to the specific characteristics of the PX-8), several CP/M applications were available : wordprocessor **(2)**, spreadsheet **(3)**, electronic diary, communication software,etc.'
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_eproms_1.jpg
  - title: MOTHERBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The compact board, the size of an A4 paper sheet, includes CP/M operating system, a smart mini-tape recorder, software stored on interchangeable ROMs and multiple extension possibilities.

      **(1)** Bios ROM holding basic I/O routines (keyboard, display, etc)\
      **(2)** Z-80 microprocessor. Low power C-MOS version, running at 2.45 MHz.\
      **(3)** Custom Epson chip managing Z80 address and data buses\
      **(4)** Cassette recorder unit\
      **(5)** Main battery\
      **(6)** C-MOS RAM battery backup. Saves memory content when the computer is switched off.\
      **(7)** Chipsets handling external communications (printer, disk-drive, tape recorder, internal loudspeaker)\
      **(8)** Removable ROM chips hold the CP/M operating system and a vast library of professional and utility software\
      **(9)** Custom Epson chips managing ROM and RAM memory\
      **(10)** RAM memory C-MOS chips (4 x 4265)\
      **(11)** Keyboard flat cable\
      **(12)** 7508 chipset, used to convert the analogue signal (received from analogue jack) into digital information\
      **(13)** 8251 UART chip. Manages Barcode reader information
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_mainboard_1.jpg
  - title: MANUALS
    subtitle: ''
    text: Set of PX-8, peripherals and ROM software manuals.
    image: /media/museum/photos/epson_px8_manuals_1.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: GENEVA AD, OCT. 1985
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/epson_px8_pub_s1.jpg
  - title: GENEVA AD, NOV. 1985
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/epson_px8_pub_s2.jpg
  - title: UK ADVERT (JULY 1984)
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/epson_pc8_uk-pub_july-1984.jpg
  hardware:
  - title: CX-21 ACOUSTIC COUPLER
    subtitle: ''
    text: The CX-21 could emit/receive data through a telephone handset at up to 300 baud.
    image: /media/museum/hardware/epson_px8_acmodem_1.jpg
  - title: BARCODE READER
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/epson_px8_barcode-reader_1.jpg
  - title: PF-10 FDD UNIT
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      3.5", 360 KB, double side floppy disc drive unit. Can be operated with either internal Ni-Cd battery (90 mn life) or AC adaptor.

      Note the dual serial mini-din plug allowing either a second floppy drive unit or a serial printer to be connected using the serial daisy chain.\
      Speed transfer rate is of 38.4 KB per second.
    image: /media/museum/hardware/epson_px8_fddunit_1.jpg
  - title: TF-15 FDD UNIT
    subtitle: Dual 5.25'' floppy-disk unit
    text: Each drive had 640 KB capacity (80 tracks x 16 sectors x 256 bytes). Information was transferred through a high speed serial interface, at 38,4 Kbits per second.
    image: /media/museum/hardware/epson_px8_tf15dualfdunit_s1.jpg
  - title: P-80X PRINTER
    subtitle: Thermal printer
    text: This thermal printer featured a 24-pin head. The resolution was of 7 x 8 in draft mode, or 16 x 24 in LQ mode. Speed was of 22.5 to 45 CPS. It was powered by a Nicad battery and an AC adapter-charger.
    image: /media/museum/hardware/epson_px8_p80xprinter_s1.jpg
  - title: P-40 THERMAL PRINTER
    subtitle: ''
    text: The P-40 was a 40-80 column thermal printer which used 11 cm wide thermal paper rolls. It was powered by rechargeable batteries.
    image: /media/museum/hardware/epson_px8_p40printer_s1.jpg
  - title: P-40 BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: P-40 box with two boxes of five paper rolls.
    image: /media/museum/hardware/epson_px8_p40printerbox_s1.jpg
  screenshots:
  - title: ROM AND MICROCASSETTE SOFTWARE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      ROM software:\
      \- **Portable WordStar** (word processor)\
      \- **Portable calc** (Spreadsheet)\
      \- **Portable Cardbox** - 2 versions (Data management)

      Epson microcassettes hold various sample programs.
    image: /media/museum/software/epson_px8_romtapes_1.jpg
  - title: 'ROM SOFTWARE #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/epson_px8_rommodules_s1.jpg
  emulators:
  - title: Takeda Toshiya's homepage
    url: http://homepage3.nifty.com/takeda-toshiya/
    platform: Windows
    text: one of the many emulators writtent by this awesome japanese guy
  links:
  - title: Demo "Buried By Sands Of Time" by "bEnd oF crUsH"
    url: http://pouet.net/prod.php?which=50186
    text: -running demo running on a Epson HX-20 - scored 2nd on BreakPoint 2008 in category "Wild console"
  - title: Yet another computer museum
    url: http://www.xs4all.nl/~fjkraan/comp/px8/
    text: Lots of CP/M software and documentation links
  videos:
  - title: Epson HX-20 commercial
    url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUueKeoKPc0
    text: 'Length: 32s'
  - title: Epson HX-20 demos
    url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atklmnxwTNU
    text: 'Length: 4:04'
  - title: Epson HX-20 presentation
    url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeMp7Cu-hGk
    text: 'Length: 7:08'
  - title: Printing on an Epson HX-20
    url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeLYWXZ6pE8
    text: 'Length: 55s'
  related:
  - /museum/epson-hc-hx-20
  oc_id: 198
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230604034013/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=198
    date: '2023-06-04'
---

The PX-8 was the successor of the [PX-4](/museum/epson-px-4-hc-40/) and [HX-20](/museum/epson-hc-hx-20/). The main improvement was a twice bigger flip-up LCD screen.

It was sold with four cartridges which could be added to the base of the unit: a **BASIC** Programming Language, **CardBox Plus**, a diary for 400 names and addresss, **Calc**, a spreadsheet and **WordStar** the well known word processor. A double 5.25" floppy drive was available, and an Epson developed stand alone 3.5" floppy drive.

The PX-8 was designed to be compatible with CP/M programs but these may need some modifications due to the display system. Actually, 8 lines of 80 characters were shown at any one time, but the display could be scrolled through up to 48 lines.\
It may also act as a terminal for other computers.

The PX-8 was sold as HC-88 in Japan and Geneva in the USA.