IBM JX
Encyclopedia
The IBM JX was a personal computer
released in 1984 into the Japanese, Australian and New Zealand markets. Designed in Japan, it was based on the technology of the IBM PCjr
and was designated the IBM 5511.
's disparaged chiclet
), a hard drive option, and targeted at the small business and education market, the IBM JX was much more successful in Australia and New Zealand than the PCjr had been in the United States.
In Japan both white and black units were available, but elsewhere all IBM JX's were black—very unusual in the days of the standard color of IBM "beige box
es".
However, it shared many of the disadvantages of the IBM PCjr
:
The system operated PC-DOS
2.11 as well as, Microsoft disk BASIC and Advanced BASIC
. Like the IBM PC
, if the system was left to boot without inserting a diskette into one of the drives the Microsoft Cassette BASIC interpreter would be loaded, which was compatible with IBM PCjr BASIC, including Cartridge BASIC. PC-DOS 2.11 could only use half of the tracks of a 3.5" drive, however, since it didn't really understand what a 3.5" drive even was. The PCjx's BIOS could only address the first 40 tracks like a 5.25" drive.
The PCjx later had a BIOS upgrade chip, sold together with DOS 3.21, which permitted the full 720kB capacity of the diskette drives to be used. Some popular options for the PCjx were a 10MB external hard disk (as a stackable unit the same size as the JX itself) and a joystick. IBM never released a 3270 emulation adapter for the PCjx in order to steer enterprise customers to more expensive IBM PCs and XTs.
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
released in 1984 into the Japanese, Australian and New Zealand markets. Designed in Japan, it was based on the technology of the IBM PCjr
IBM PCjr
The IBM PCjr was IBM's first attempt to enter the home computer market. The PCjr, IBM model number 4860, retained the IBM PC's 8088 CPU and BIOS interface for compatibility, but various design and implementation decisions led the PCjr to be a commercial failure.- Features :Announced November 1,...
and was designated the IBM 5511.
General
With a professional keyboard (rather than IBM PCjrIBM PCjr
The IBM PCjr was IBM's first attempt to enter the home computer market. The PCjr, IBM model number 4860, retained the IBM PC's 8088 CPU and BIOS interface for compatibility, but various design and implementation decisions led the PCjr to be a commercial failure.- Features :Announced November 1,...
's disparaged chiclet
Chiclet keyboard
A chiclet keyboard or island-style keyboard is a computer keyboard built with an array of small, flat rectangular or lozenge-shaped rubber or plastic keys that look like erasers or "Chiclets", a brand of chewing gum manufactured in the shape of small squares with rounded corners...
), a hard drive option, and targeted at the small business and education market, the IBM JX was much more successful in Australia and New Zealand than the PCjr had been in the United States.
Configuration
It had several innovative features:- Twin 720kB 3.5" diskette drivesFloppy 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...
- Wireless infra-red keyboard
- 16-color monitorComputer displayA monitor or display is an electronic visual display for computers. The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry, and an enclosure...
- Stackable expansion
In Japan both white and black units were available, but elsewhere all IBM JX's were black—very unusual in the days of the standard color of IBM "beige box
Beige box
In consumer computer products, a beige box is a standard personal computer . It has come to be used as a term of derision implying conservative or dated aesthetics and unremarkable specifications....
es".
However, it shared many of the disadvantages of the IBM PCjr
IBM PCjr
The IBM PCjr was IBM's first attempt to enter the home computer market. The PCjr, IBM model number 4860, retained the IBM PC's 8088 CPU and BIOS interface for compatibility, but various design and implementation decisions led the PCjr to be a commercial failure.- Features :Announced November 1,...
:
- Could not the use the standard ISA bus cards of the PC XT
- Would not run software written to directly address hardware (such as Microsoft Flight Simulator)
The system operated PC-DOS
PC-DOS
IBM PC DOS is a DOS system for the IBM Personal Computer and compatibles, manufactured and sold by IBM from the 1980s to the 2000s....
2.11 as well as, Microsoft disk BASIC and Advanced BASIC
Microsoft BASICA
IBM BASICA is a disk-based BASIC interpreter written by Microsoft for PC-DOS. BASICA used the ROM-resident code of "IBM Cassette BASIC" which was included with early models of IBM's PC. It added functions such as diskette file access, storing programs on disk, and monophonic music through the PC's...
. Like the IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
, if the system was left to boot without inserting a diskette into one of the drives the Microsoft Cassette BASIC interpreter would be loaded, which was compatible with IBM PCjr BASIC, including Cartridge BASIC. PC-DOS 2.11 could only use half of the tracks of a 3.5" drive, however, since it didn't really understand what a 3.5" drive even was. The PCjx's BIOS could only address the first 40 tracks like a 5.25" drive.
The PCjx later had a BIOS upgrade chip, sold together with DOS 3.21, which permitted the full 720kB capacity of the diskette drives to be used. Some popular options for the PCjx were a 10MB external hard disk (as a stackable unit the same size as the JX itself) and a joystick. IBM never released a 3270 emulation adapter for the PCjx in order to steer enterprise customers to more expensive IBM PCs and XTs.
External links
- IBM JX, The As-Yet Unnamed Computer Museum!!
- IBM PC JX, OLD-COMPUTERS.COM Museum
- 1984 (month unknown), Chronology of IBM Personal Computers (1983-1986)
- Photo:Vintage IBM 5511