FM-7
Encyclopedia
FM-7 is a home computer
released in 1982 in Japan
.
The Fujitsu FM-7 was Fujitsu's first entry into the Japanese home computer market, and for their debut computer, they chose to come out with a 6809
-based personal computer very similar to Radio Shack
's Color Computer.
CoCo BASIC include the Japanese character set (katakana
, and a few kanji
), block graphics, three-voice music, the ability to have graphics appear on the default text screen, and some neat commands such as being able to take any string and print it out in various sizes (from tiny to huge) and directions (forward, backward, up, down, etc).
While there are a multitude of new commands on the FM-7 not found in Microsoft's CoCo BASIC, it is worth pointing out that the commands that ARE found in both machines operate in exactly the same fashion. Both Microsoft and Fujitsu share the copyright on the BASIC
. There are also strings for TIME$ and DATE$, which access a temporary built-in internal clock, though if the power is turned off, the time and date are lost.
While the BASIC 'EDIT' command works the same as on the Radio Shack CoCo
, the cursor position is important on the FM-7: there is a small keypad on the upper-right of the FM-7 with cursor-control keys (arrows, INSERT & DELETE), and wherever you decide to position the cursor, it will move it there, and affect whatever is underneath it.
Home computer
Home computers were a class of microcomputers entering the market in 1977, and becoming increasingly common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single nontechnical user...
released in 1982 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
The Fujitsu FM-7 was Fujitsu's first entry into the Japanese home computer market, and for their debut computer, they chose to come out with a 6809
Motorola 6809
The Motorola 6809 is an 8-bit microprocessor CPU from Motorola, designed by Terry Ritter and Joel Boney and introduced 1978...
-based personal computer very similar to Radio Shack
Radio shack
Radio shack is a slang term for a room or structure for housing radio equipment.-History:In the early days of radio, equipment was experimental and home-built. The first radio transmitters used a noisy spark to generate radio waves and were often housed in a garage or shed. When radio was first...
's Color Computer.
Hardware
- Two MC 68B09Motorola 6809The Motorola 6809 is an 8-bit microprocessor CPU from Motorola, designed by Terry Ritter and Joel Boney and introduced 1978...
CPUs @ 2 MHz: one main CPUCentral processing unitThe central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
and one graphics processor. - Screen Resolution: 640×200, 8 colors.
- MemoryComputer storageComputer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components and recording media that retain digital data. Data storage is one of the core functions and fundamental components of computers....
: 40 KBKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
ROMRead-only memoryRead-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
, 64 KBKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
RAM - Sound: 3-channel (AY-3-8910) PSGProgrammable sound generatorA Programmable Sound Generator is a sound chip that generates sound waves by synthesizing multiple basic waveforms, and often some kind of noise generator, and combining and mixing these waveforms into a complex waveform, then shaping the amplitude of the resulting waveform using...
chip, built-in speaker mounted near the top of the unit. - Interfaces: RS-232RS-232In telecommunications, RS-232 is the traditional name for a series of standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals connecting between a DTE and a DCE . It is commonly used in computer serial ports...
, monitor and CentronicsCentronicsCentronics Data Computer Corporation was a pioneering American manufacturer of computer printers, now remembered primarily for the parallel interface that bears its name.-The beginning:Centronics began as a division of Wang Laboratories...
ports, expansion slots. - Storage: 5.25" floppy diskFloppy diskA floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
- Operating systemOperating systemAn operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
: OS-9OS-9OS-9 is a family of real-time, process-based, multitasking, multi-user, Unix-like operating systems, developed in the 1980s, originally by Microware Systems Corporation for the Motorola 6809 microprocessor. It is currently owned by RadiSys Corporation....
, (compatible with Color Computer) - Three slots for optional plug-in cards, including a Z-80 CPU and additional RS-232RS-232In telecommunications, RS-232 is the traditional name for a series of standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals connecting between a DTE and a DCE . It is commonly used in computer serial ports...
ports. - Full-size keyboard, with keys handling multiple functions (as many as 5, depending on what SHIFT/KANA/GRAPH/etc key is pressed).
- 10 Function Keys at the top, pre-programmed with shortcuts (LIST, etc).
- Numeric keypad (on right) and cursor-control keys (upper-right).
F-BASIC
The included "F-BASIC" is an enhanced version of Microsoft's Color BASIC. F-BASIC's additions to the standard MicrosoftMicrosoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
CoCo BASIC include the Japanese character set (katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
, and a few kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
), block graphics, three-voice music, the ability to have graphics appear on the default text screen, and some neat commands such as being able to take any string and print it out in various sizes (from tiny to huge) and directions (forward, backward, up, down, etc).
While there are a multitude of new commands on the FM-7 not found in Microsoft's CoCo BASIC, it is worth pointing out that the commands that ARE found in both machines operate in exactly the same fashion. Both Microsoft and Fujitsu share the copyright on the BASIC
BASIC
BASIC is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages whose design philosophy emphasizes ease of use - the name is an acronym from Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code....
. There are also strings for TIME$ and DATE$, which access a temporary built-in internal clock, though if the power is turned off, the time and date are lost.
While the BASIC 'EDIT' command works the same as on the Radio Shack CoCo
Coco
Coco, CoCo, Co-Co or similar can mean:*Co-Co locomotives, a code for a locomotive wheel arrangement with two six-wheeled bogies with all axles powered, with a separate motor per axle*Co-Co , a British pop group...
, the cursor position is important on the FM-7: there is a small keypad on the upper-right of the FM-7 with cursor-control keys (arrows, INSERT & DELETE), and wherever you decide to position the cursor, it will move it there, and affect whatever is underneath it.
Models
There were several models of the computer:- 1982 — FM7: M68B09, ram 64kb, rom 48kb, vram 48kb, 640×200, 8 colors
- 1984 — FM New7: M68B09 integrated memory and LSI chip (cheap production) The features are the same than FM-7
- 1984 — FM77: M68B09E, ram 64kb (max256kb), vram 48kb
- 1985 — FM77L2, M68B09E
- 1985 — FM77L4, M68B09E
- 1985 — FM77AV: M68B09E, ram 128kb (max 192kb), rom 48kb, vram 96kb, 640x200 (2 colors), 320x200 (4096 colors), 4096 colors, 1(AV-1) o 2(AV-2) floppy 3.5 320kb
- 1986 — FM77AV20: M68B09E, like l'FM77AV but: floppy 640kb
- 1986 — FM77AV40: M68B09E, like l'FM77AV20 but: ram 192kb (max 448kb), vram 144kb to support 320x200 (262144 colors)
- 1987 — FM77AV20EX: M68B09E, ram 128kb (max 192kb), vram 96kb, 640x400 ?
- 1987 — FM77AV40EX: M68B09E, ram 192kb (max 448kb), vram 144kb, 640x400 ?
- 1988 — FM77AV40SX: M68B09E, ram 192kb (max 448kb), vram 144kb
External links
- http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=325
- http://www.nausicaa.net/~lgreenf/fm7page.htm
- Oh!FM-7 museum