List of home computers
Encyclopedia
The home computer
s between 1977 and about 1990 were different from today's uniform and predictable machines. During this time it made economic sense for manufacturers to make microcomputers aimed at the home user. By simplifying the machines, and making use of household items such as television sets and cassette recorders instead of dedicated computer peripherals, the home computer allowed the consumer to own a computer at a fraction of the price of computers oriented to small business. Today, the price of microcomputers has dropped to the point where there's no advantage to building a separate, incompatible series just for home users.
While many office-type personal computers were used in homes, in this list a "home computer" is a factory-assembled
mass-marketed
consumer product
, usually at significantly lower cost than contemporary business computers. It would have an alphabetic keyboard and a multi-line alphanumeric display, the ability to run both games software as well as application software and user-written programs, and some removable mass storage device (such as cassette or floppy disk
).
This list excludes personal digital assistant
s, pocket computer
s, laptop computers, programmable calculator
s and pure video game consoles. Single-board development or evaluation boards, intended to demonstrate a microprocessor
, are excluded since these were not marketed to general consumers.
Pioneering kit and assembled hobby microcomputers which generally required electronics skills to build or operate are listed separately, as are computers intended primarily for use in schools. A hobby-type computer often would have required significant expansion of memory and peripherals to make it useful for the usual role of a factory-made home computer. School computers usually had facilities to share expensive peripherals such as disk drives and printers, and often had provision for central administration.
"Processor" indicates the microprocessor chip that ran the system. A few home computers had multiple processors, generally used for input/output devices. Processor speeds were not a competitive point among home computer manufacturers, and typically the processor ran either at its maximum rated speed ( between 1 and 4 MHZ for most processor types here), or at some fraction of the television color subcarrier signal, for economy of design. Since a crystal oscillator was necessary for stable color, it was often also used as the microprocessor clock source. Many processors were second-sourced, with different manufacturers making the same device under different part numbers. Variations of a basic part number might have been used to indicate minor variations in speed or transistor type, or might indicate fairly significant alterations to the prototype's capabilities. In the Soviet Bloc countries, manufacturers made functional duplicates of Western microprocessors under different part number series.
TV indicates the factory configuration produces composite video compatible with a home receiver. Some computers came with a built-in RF modulator
to allow connection to the TV receiver antenna terminals; others output composite video for use with a free-standing monitor or external RF modulator
. Still others had built-in or proprietary monitors. Often a composite video monitor (monochrome or color) would be substituted for the family TV. Some standard types of video controller ICs were popular, but see the very detailed List of home computers by video hardware for a discussion of video capabilities of different models. Memory and TV bandwidth restrictions meant that typical home computers had only a few color choices and perhaps 20 lines of 40 characters of text as an upper limit to their video capabilities.
Base mass storage was whatever came in the basic configuration. Some machines had built-in cassette drives, others relied on the consumer to provide a cassette recorder. Cassette recorders had the primary virtue of being widely available as a consumer product at the time. Typically a home computer would contain dedicated hardware to generate audio tones to encode data, that could be stored on audio tape through a direct connection to the recorder. Re-loading the data required re-winding the tape. The home computer would contain some dedicated circuits such as a phase-locked loop
to convert audio tones back into digital data. Since consumer cassette recorders were not made for remote control, the user would have to manually operate the recorder in response to prompts from the computer. Random access to data on a cassette was impossible, since the entire tape would be searched to retrieve any particular item. A few manufacturers integrated a cassette tape drive or cassette-like tape mechanism into the console, but these variants were made obsolete by the reduction in cost of floppy diskette drives.
Floppy disk drives were initially very costly compared to the system purchase price. Plug-in ROM cartridge
s containing game or application software were popular in earlier home computers since they were easier to use, faster, and more reliable than cassette tapes. Once diskette drives became available at low cost, cartridges declined in popularity since they were more expensive to manufacture than reproducing a diskette, and had comparatively small capacity compared to diskettes. A few cartridges contained battery-backed memory that allowed users to save data (for example, game high scores) between uses of the cartridge.
Typically there were several models or variants within a product line, especially to account for different international video standards and power supplies; see the linked articles for variants and consequences of variations. "Compatibility" indicates some measure of compatibility with a parent type, however, sometimes incompatibility existed even within a product family. A "clone" system has identical hardware and is functionally interchangeable with its prototype; a few clone systems relied on illicit copies of system ROM
s to make them functional.
. They may have had just blinky lights and toggle switches
, or a hexadecimal display and a numeric keypad. While some units were possibly expandable to the "checkbook balancing/homework typing" stage, most were intended more for education on the use and application of microprocessors. See also Microprocessor development board
, Single-board computer
.
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...
s between 1977 and about 1990 were different from today's uniform and predictable machines. During this time it made economic sense for manufacturers to make microcomputers aimed at the home user. By simplifying the machines, and making use of household items such as television sets and cassette recorders instead of dedicated computer peripherals, the home computer allowed the consumer to own a computer at a fraction of the price of computers oriented to small business. Today, the price of microcomputers has dropped to the point where there's no advantage to building a separate, incompatible series just for home users.
While many office-type personal computers were used in homes, in this list a "home computer" is a factory-assembled
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
mass-marketed
Mass market
The mass market is a general business term describing the largest group of consumers for a specified industry product. It is the opposite extreme of the term niche market.-General:...
consumer product
Consumer product
A consumer product is generally any tangible personal property for sale and that is used for personal, family, or household for non-business purposes. The determination whether a good is a consumer product requires a factual finding, on a case-by-case basis...
, usually at significantly lower cost than contemporary business computers. It would have an alphabetic keyboard and a multi-line alphanumeric display, the ability to run both games software as well as application software and user-written programs, and some removable mass storage device (such as cassette or floppy disk
Floppy disk
A 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...
).
This list excludes personal digital assistant
PDA
A PDA is most commonly a Personal digital assistant, also known as a Personal data assistant, a mobile electronic device.PDA may also refer to:In science, medicine and technology:...
s, pocket computer
Pocket computer
A pocket computer is a small calculator-sized handheld programmable computer.This specific category of computers existed primarily in the 1980s. Manufacturers included Casio, Hewlett-Packard, Sharp, Tandy/Radio Shack and many more.The programming language was usually BASIC, but some devices...
s, laptop computers, programmable calculator
Programmable calculator
Programmable calculators are calculators that can automatically carry out a sequence of operations under control of a stored program, much like a computer. The first programmable calculators such as the IBM CPC used punched cards or other media for program storage...
s and pure video game consoles. Single-board development or evaluation boards, intended to demonstrate a microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
, are excluded since these were not marketed to general consumers.
Pioneering kit and assembled hobby microcomputers which generally required electronics skills to build or operate are listed separately, as are computers intended primarily for use in schools. A hobby-type computer often would have required significant expansion of memory and peripherals to make it useful for the usual role of a factory-made home computer. School computers usually had facilities to share expensive peripherals such as disk drives and printers, and often had provision for central administration.
Attributes
Attributes are as typically advertised by the original manufacturer. Popular machines inspired third-party sources for adapters, add-on processors, mass storage, and other peripherals."Processor" indicates the microprocessor chip that ran the system. A few home computers had multiple processors, generally used for input/output devices. Processor speeds were not a competitive point among home computer manufacturers, and typically the processor ran either at its maximum rated speed ( between 1 and 4 MHZ for most processor types here), or at some fraction of the television color subcarrier signal, for economy of design. Since a crystal oscillator was necessary for stable color, it was often also used as the microprocessor clock source. Many processors were second-sourced, with different manufacturers making the same device under different part numbers. Variations of a basic part number might have been used to indicate minor variations in speed or transistor type, or might indicate fairly significant alterations to the prototype's capabilities. In the Soviet Bloc countries, manufacturers made functional duplicates of Western microprocessors under different part number series.
TV indicates the factory configuration produces composite video compatible with a home receiver. Some computers came with a built-in RF modulator
RF modulator
An RF modulator is a device that takes a baseband input signal and outputs a radio frequency-modulated signal....
to allow connection to the TV receiver antenna terminals; others output composite video for use with a free-standing monitor or external RF modulator
RF modulator
An RF modulator is a device that takes a baseband input signal and outputs a radio frequency-modulated signal....
. Still others had built-in or proprietary monitors. Often a composite video monitor (monochrome or color) would be substituted for the family TV. Some standard types of video controller ICs were popular, but see the very detailed List of home computers by video hardware for a discussion of video capabilities of different models. Memory and TV bandwidth restrictions meant that typical home computers had only a few color choices and perhaps 20 lines of 40 characters of text as an upper limit to their video capabilities.
Base mass storage was whatever came in the basic configuration. Some machines had built-in cassette drives, others relied on the consumer to provide a cassette recorder. Cassette recorders had the primary virtue of being widely available as a consumer product at the time. Typically a home computer would contain dedicated hardware to generate audio tones to encode data, that could be stored on audio tape through a direct connection to the recorder. Re-loading the data required re-winding the tape. The home computer would contain some dedicated circuits such as a phase-locked loop
Phase-locked loop
A phase-locked loop or phase lock loop is a control system that generates an output signal whose phase is related to the phase of an input "reference" signal. It is an electronic circuit consisting of a variable frequency oscillator and a phase detector...
to convert audio tones back into digital data. Since consumer cassette recorders were not made for remote control, the user would have to manually operate the recorder in response to prompts from the computer. Random access to data on a cassette was impossible, since the entire tape would be searched to retrieve any particular item. A few manufacturers integrated a cassette tape drive or cassette-like tape mechanism into the console, but these variants were made obsolete by the reduction in cost of floppy diskette drives.
Floppy disk drives were initially very costly compared to the system purchase price. Plug-in ROM cartridge
ROM cartridge
A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to as a cart, is a removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices designed to be connected to a computer or games console....
s containing game or application software were popular in earlier home computers since they were easier to use, faster, and more reliable than cassette tapes. Once diskette drives became available at low cost, cartridges declined in popularity since they were more expensive to manufacture than reproducing a diskette, and had comparatively small capacity compared to diskettes. A few cartridges contained battery-backed memory that allowed users to save data (for example, game high scores) between uses of the cartridge.
Typically there were several models or variants within a product line, especially to account for different international video standards and power supplies; see the linked articles for variants and consequences of variations. "Compatibility" indicates some measure of compatibility with a parent type, however, sometimes incompatibility existed even within a product family. A "clone" system has identical hardware and is functionally interchangeable with its prototype; a few clone systems relied on illicit copies of system ROM
Rom
ROM, Rom, or rom is an abbreviation and name that may refer to:-In computers and mathematics:* Read-only memory, a type of storage media which is used in computers and other electronic devices....
s to make them functional.
Manufacturers and models
| Manufacturer | Model | Processor | Year | Video Type | Mass storage | Video Chip (see List of home computers by video hardware) |
Compatibility | Remarks | Ref | |
 United Kingdom |
Acorn Computers Ltd | Acorn Atom Acorn Atom The Acorn Atom was a home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd from 1980 to 1982 when it was replaced by the BBC Micro and later the Acorn Electron.... |
6502 | 1982 | TV | Cassette | 6847 | |||
| United Kingdom |
Acorn Computers Ltd | BBC Micro BBC Micro The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation... |
6502 | 1981 | TV | Cassette, diskette option,cartridge | 6845 | Optional processor boards; Several models, see article | ||
| United Kingdom |
Acorn Computers Ltd | Acorn Electron Acorn Electron The Acorn Electron is a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. It has 32 kilobytes of RAM, and its ROM includes BBC BASIC along with its operating system.... |
6502 | 1983 | TV | Cassette, diskette option | 6845 | BBC Micro | ||
| United Kingdom |
Acorn Computers Ltd | BBC Master BBC Master The BBC Master was a home computer released by Acorn Computers in early 1986. It was designed and built for the British Broadcasting Corporation and was the successor to the BBC Micro Model B. The Master 128 remained in production until 1993.... |
65SC12 | 1986 | TV | Diskette,cassette | BBC Micro | Several models, also sold as Olivetti Prodest PC128S | ||
| United Kingdom |
Acorn Computers Ltd | Acorn Archimedes Acorn Archimedes The Acorn Archimedes was Acorn Computers Ltd's first general purpose home computer to be based on their own ARM architecture.Using a RISC design with a 32-bit CPU, at its launch in June 1987, the Archimedes was stated as running at 4 MIPS, with a claim of 18 MIPS during tests.The name is commonly... |
ARM RISC | 1987 | RGB Monitor | Diskette, hard drive | several models | |||
| United Kingdom |
Acorn Computers Ltd | Acorn A7000 Acorn A7000 The A7000 and A7000+ were Acorn Computers's entry level computer based on the Risc PC architecture. Launched in 1995, they replaced some of the models of the Acorn Archimedes range. After the breakup of Acorn Computers in 1998, Castle Technology bought the rights to continue production of the A7000+... |
ARM RISC | 1995 | RGB Monitor | Diskette, hard drive | ||||
| United Kingdom |
Amstrad Amstrad Amstrad is a British electronics company, now wholly owned by BSkyB. As of 2006, Amstrad's main business is manufacturing Sky Digital interactive boxes.... |
Amstrad CPC 464, 664, 6128 Amstrad CPC The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,... |
Z80 | 1984 | dedicated mono or RGB monitor | cassette, diskette | Several models | |||
| United Kingdom |
Amstrad Amstrad Amstrad is a British electronics company, now wholly owned by BSkyB. As of 2006, Amstrad's main business is manufacturing Sky Digital interactive boxes.... |
Amstrad PCW Amstrad PCW The Amstrad PCW series was a range of personal computers produced by British company Amstrad from 1985 to 1998, and also sold under licence in Europe as the "Joyce" by the German electronics company Schneider in the early years of the series' life. When it was launched, the cost of a PCW system was... |
Z80 | 1985 | dedicated integrated monochrome | diskette | Several successive models | |||
| United Kingdom |
Amstrad Amstrad Amstrad is a British electronics company, now wholly owned by BSkyB. As of 2006, Amstrad's main business is manufacturing Sky Digital interactive boxes.... |
PC-1512 PC-1512 The Amstrad PC1512 was Amstrad's mostly IBM PC-compatible computer system, first manufactured in 1986. It was later succeeded by the PC1640.It launched for £499 and sold very well, as it was one of the first cheap PCs in Europe... |
8086 | 1986 | dedicated mono or RGB Monitor | Diskette, hard drive | IBM PC | PC compatible aimed at the home market | ||
 United States |
APF Electronics, Inc. | Imagination Machine APF Imagination Machine The APF Imagination Machine was a combination home video game console and computer system released by APF Electronics Inc. in late 1979. It was composed of two separate components, the APF-M1000 game system, and an add on docking bay with full sized typewriter keyboard and tape drive. The APF-M1000... |
6800 | 1979 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy,cartridge | Expansion pack for a video game console that provided programmability | |||
| United States |
Apple Computer Apple Computer Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad... |
Apple II series Apple II series The Apple II series is a set of 8-bit home computers, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977 with the original Apple II... |
6502 | 1977 | Monitor, TV | Cassette, optional floppy | Several models, several descendants, and many third-party clones | |||
| United States |
Apple Computer Apple Computer Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad... |
Apple IIe Apple IIe The Apple IIe is the third model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The e in the name stands for enhanced, referring to the fact that several popular features were now built-in that were only available as upgrades and add-ons in earlier models... |
6502 | 1983 | Monitor,TV | Cassette, optional floppy | Apple | |||
| United States |
Apple Computer Apple Computer Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad... |
Apple IIc Apple IIc The Apple IIc, the fourth model in the Apple II series of personal computers, was Apple Computer’s first endeavor to produce a portable computer. The end result was a notebook-sized version of the Apple II that could be transported from place to place... |
65C02 | 1984 | Monitor,TV | floppy disk drive | Apple | Portable, but not integrated like a modern laptop | ||
| United States |
Apple Computer Apple Computer Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad... |
Apple IIc Plus Apple IIc Plus The Apple IIc Plus is the sixth and final model in the Apple II line of personal computers, produced by Apple Computer. The "Plus" in the name was a reference to the additional features it offered over the original portable Apple IIc, such as greater storage capacity , increased processing speed,... |
65C02 | 1988 | Monitor,TV | floppy disk drive | Apple | Portable, but not integrated like a modern laptop | ||
| United States |
Apple Computer Apple Computer Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad... |
Apple II Plus Apple II Plus The Apple II Plus was the second model of the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer, Inc. It was sold new from June 1979 to December 1982.-Features:... |
6502 | 1979 | Monitor,TV | floppy disk drive | Apple | |||
| United States |
Apple Computer Apple Computer Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad... |
Apple IIgs Apple IIGS The Apple , the fifth and most powerful model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The "GS" in the name stands for Graphics and Sound, referring to its enhanced graphics and sound capabilities, both of which greatly surpassed previous models of the line... |
65C816 | 1986 | Monitor,TV | floppy disk, optional hard drive | Apple | |||
| United Kingdom |
Apricot Computers/Applied Computer Technology Apricot Computers Apricot Computers is a British manufacturer of business personal computers, originally founded in 1965 as "Applied Computer Techniques" , changing its name to Apricot Computers, Ltd. in the 1980s... |
Apricot F1 | 8088 | 1984 | Monitor | floppy disk | MS-DOS | Ran MS DOS but not IBM compatible; several descendant models | ||
 Netherlands |
Aster Computers | Aster CT-80 Aster CT-80 The Aster CT-80, an early home/personal computer developed by the small Dutch company MCP , was sold in its first incarnation as a kit for hobbyists. Later it was sold ready to use. It consisted of several Eurocard PCB's with DIN 41612 connectors, and a backplane all based on a 19-inch rack... |
Z80 | 1980 | Monitor | floppy disk | TRS-80 | |||
| United States |
Atari Atari Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in... |
Atari 400, 600, 800, XL, and XE Atari 8-bit family The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips... |
6502 | 1979–1985 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk,cartridge | Also used as cartridge video game consoles | |||
| United States |
Atari Atari Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in... |
Atari ST Atari ST The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals... |
68000 | 1985 | Monitor | Floppy disk, optional hard disk | Custom LSI | Several related models | ||
| United States |
Atari Atari Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in... |
Atari TT | 68030 | 1990 | Monitor | Floppy disk, hard disk | Custom LSI | Several related models | ||
| United States |
Bally Consumer Products | Bally Brain video game/home computer | 1979 | TV | Cassette, cartridge | A video game console with programmability | ||||
| United States |
Bally Consumer Products | Bally Astrocade Bally Astrocade The Astrocade is an early video game console and simple computer system designed by a team at Midway, the videogame division of Bally. It was marketed only for a limited time before Bally decided to exit the market. The rights were later picked up by a third-party company, who re-released it and... |
1977 | TV | Cassette,cartridge | A video game console with programmability, several models and revisions | ||||
 Kingdom of Romania |
Brasov Computer | CoBra | Z80 | 1986 | Monitor | Diskette | CP/M | |||
| United Kingdom |
Camputers | Lynx Camputers Lynx The Lynx was an 8-bit British home computer that was first released in early 1983 as a 48 kB model. The designer of the Lynx was John Shireff and several models were available with 48 kB, 96 kB or 128 kB RAM... |
Z80 | 1983 | Monitor | Cassette | 6845 | Several related models | ||
 United Nations |
Various manufacturers | List of MSX compatible computers | Z80 | 1983 | TV | Cassette,optional floppy,cartridge | TMS 9918 | MSX MSX MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation... standard |
||
| United States |
Coleco Coleco Coleco is an American company founded in 1932 by Maurice Greenberg as "Connecticut Leather Company". It became a highly successful toy company in the 1980s, known for its mass-produced version of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and its video game consoles, the Coleco Telstar and... |
Coleco Adam Coleco Adam The Coleco Adam is a home computer, an attempt in the early 1980s by American toy manufacturer Coleco to follow on the success of its ColecoVision game console... |
Z80 | 1983 | Monitor, TV | Cassette (custom built-in), optional floppies | TMS9928A | Apple-flavored BASIC, but otherwise one of a kind | ||
 Japan |
Sord Computer Corporation Sord Computer Corporation Sord Computer Corporation was a Japanese electronics company, founded in 1970 by the entrepreneur Takayoshi Shiina.- History :In the 1980s, Sord was known for 8-bit home computers... CGL Home Computers |
Sord M5 Sord M5 The Sord M5 , was a Japanese home computer launched by Sord Computer Corporation in 1982.-Internal hardware:* CPU: Zilog Z80 , 3.58 MHz... CGL M5 |
Z80 | 1982 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk | ||||
| United States |
Commodore Commodore International Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited... |
Commodore PET Commodore PET The Commodore PET was a home/personal computer produced from 1977 by Commodore International... |
6502 | 1977 | Built-in monochrome monitor | Cassette | Several 6502 descendants, more or less compatible | |||
| United States |
Commodore Commodore International Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited... |
Commodore VIC-20 Commodore VIC-20 The VIC-20 is an 8-bit home computer which was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET... |
6502 | 1980 | TV | Optional cassette, optional floppy, cartridge | VIC custom LSI | PET-style BASIC, extended | ||
| United States |
Commodore Commodore International Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited... |
Commodore 64 Commodore 64 The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595... |
6510 | 1982 | TV | Optional cassette, optional floppy, cartridge | VIC II custom LSI | Optional dual processor in cartridge could run CP/M plus version 3.0 | ||
| United States |
Commodore Commodore International Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited... |
Commodore Executive 64 Commodore 64 The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595... |
6510 | 1982 | Built-in color monitor | Built-in floppy, optional cassette, cartridge | VIC II custom LSI | Portable with keyboard that attached to cover monitor and disk drive | ||
| United States |
Commodore Commodore International Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited... |
MAX Machine Commodore MAX Machine The Commodore MAX Machine, also known as Ultimax in the United States and VC-10 in Germany, was a home computer designed and sold by Commodore International in Japan, beginning in early 1982, a predecessor to the popular Commodore 64... |
6510 | 1982 | TV | Optional cassette, cartridge | VIC II custom LSI | |||
| United States |
Commodore Commodore International Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited... |
Commodore 16 and 116 Commodore 16 The Commodore 16 was a home computer made by Commodore with a 6502-compatible 8501 CPU, released in 1984. It was intended to be an entry-level computer to replace the VIC-20 and it often sold for 99 USD... |
8501 (6502) | 1984 | TV | Optional cassette, optional floppy, cartridge | TED custom LSI | |||
| United States |
Commodore Commodore International Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited... |
Commodore Plus/4 Commodore Plus/4 The Commodore Plus/4 was a home computer released by Commodore International in 1984. The "Plus/4" name refers to the four-application ROM resident office suite ; it was billed as "the productivity computer with software built-in"... |
8501 (6502) | 1984 | TV | Optional cassette, optional floppy, cartridge | TED custom LSI | |||
| United States |
Commodore Commodore International Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited... |
Commodore 128 Commodore 128 The Commodore 128 home/personal computer was the last 8-bit machine commercially released by Commodore Business Machines... |
8502(6502)/ Z80 | 1985 | TV | Optional cassette, optional 5.25" floppy, Optional 3.5" floppy, cartridge | VIC II and MOS 8563 custom LSI | C64 compatibility mode | Dual processor could run CP/M plus version 3.0 | |
| United States |
Commodore Commodore International Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited... |
Amiga Amiga The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities... |
68000 (family) | 1985 | Monitor, composite video | Diskette, optional hard drive | Custom LSI | Several models with 680X0 family processors | ||
 Hong Kong |
Comx World Operations | Comx-35 Comx-35 The COMX-35 was a home computer that was one of the very few systems to use the RCA 1802 microprocessor, the same microprocessor that is also used in some space probes... |
RCA CDP 1802 | 1983 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk | CDP 1879 | |||
 Belgium |
Data Applications International | DAI Personal Computer DAI Personal Computer The DAI personal computer is a rare, early home computer from the Belgian company Data Applications International. The DAI came to market in 1980. It provided many pioneering features such as high resolution color graphics, a maths co-processor, and a pre-compiling BASIC interpreter... |
Intel 8080 | 1980 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk | Programmable Graphics Generator custom LSI | |||
| Hong Kong |
Vtech | VTech Laser 200 VTech Laser 200 The VTech Laser 200 was an early 8-bit home computer from 1983, also sold as the Salora Fellow , the Texet TX8000 and the Dick Smith VZ 200 .... |
Z80 | 1985 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk | 6847 | Also sold by Dick Smith (retailer)s VZ200 and by others under other names | ||
| Hong Kong |
EACA EACA The Hong Kong-based EACA group of companies was established in December 1972 by Eric Chung Kwan-yee , a businessman of humble beginnings from mainland China who stealt into the then British colony from Guangzhou as a young man... |
Video Genie Video Genie Video Genie was a series of computers produced by Hong Kong-based manufacturer EACA during the early 1980s. They were compatible with the Tandy TRS-80 Model I computers and could be considered a clone, although there were hardware and software differences.The computers making up the series... family |
Z80 | 1980–1982 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk | TRS 80 Model 1 (mostly) | Rebadged and sold by others, see article | ||
| Hong Kong |
EACA | Colour Genie Colour Genie The EACA EG2000 Colour Genie was a computer produced by Hong Kong-based manufacturer EACA and introduced in Germany in August 1982. It followed their earlier Video Genie I and II computers and was released around the same time as the business-oriented Video Genie III.The BASIC was compatible with... |
Z80 | 1983 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk,cartridge | 6845 | TRS 80 Model 1 (mostly) | Rebadged and sold by others, see article | |
 Czechoslovakia |
Didaktik Didaktik The Didaktik was a series of home computers based on the Intel 8080 and Zilog Z80 processors produced in former Czechoslovakia.-Didaktik Alfa:Didaktik Alfa was produced in 1986, as a "more professional" clone of PMD 85... |
Alpha, Beta | Z80 | 1986 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk | ||||
| Czechoslovakia |
Didaktik | Gama | Z80 | 1987 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk | ZX Spectrum | Also M and portable variants, see article | ||
| United Kingdom |
Dragon Data Dragon Data Dragon Data was a Welsh producer of home computers during the early 1980s. These computers, the Dragon 32 and Dragon 64, strongly resembled the Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer —both followed a standard Motorola datasheet configuration for the three key components... |
Dragon 32/64 Dragon 32/64 The Dragon 32 and Dragon 64 are home computers that were built in the 1980s. The Dragons are very similar to the TRS-80 Color Computer , and were produced for the European market by Dragon Data, Ltd., in Port Talbot, Wales, and for the US market by Tano of New Orleans, Louisiana... |
6809 | 1982 | TV, composite video | Cassette, optional floppy disk | 6847 | Radio Shack Color Computer | ||
 Soviet Union |
Dubna | Dubna 48K Dubna 48K The Dubna 48K is a Soviet clone of the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was based on an analogue of the Zilog Z80 microprocessor... |
Z80 (compatible) | 1991 | TV | Cassette, optional floppy disk | Custom LSI | ZX Spectrum | ||
| Soviet Union |
Elektronika Elektronika Electronika is the brand name used for many different electronic products such as calculators, electronic watches, portable games and radios in the Soviet Union and, nowadays, in Russia... |
BK-0010 Elektronika BK The Elektronika BK was a series of 16-bit PDP-11-compatible Soviet home computers developed by NPO Scientific Center, the leading Soviet microcomputer design team at the time. It was also responsible for the more powerful UKNC and DVK micros... |
PDP 11 (compatible) | 1985 | TV | Cassette, optional/home made floppy disk | Custom LSI | |||
 Serbia |
Elektronska Industrija Niš | Pecom 32 Pecom 32 Pecom 32 was an educational and/or home computer developed by Elektronska Industrija Niš of Serbia in 1985.-Specifications:* CPU: CPD 1802B 5V7 running at 5 MHz* ROM: 16 KB, with optional 16 KB upgrade containing enhanced editor and assembler... Pecom 64 Pecom 64 Pecom 64 was an educational and/or home computer developed by Elektronska Industrija Niš of Serbia in 1985.- Specifications :* CPU: CDP 1802B 5V7 running at 2.813 MHz* ROM: 16 KB, with optional 16 KB upgrade containing enhanced editor and assembler... |
CDP 1802 (compatible) | 1985 | TV | Cassette | CDP 1869 | COMX-35 | ||
| United States |
Exidy Exidy Exidy was one of the largest creators of arcade video games during the early period of video games, from 1974 until at least 1986 . The company was founded by H.R."Pete" Kauffman... |
Exidy Sorcerer Exidy Sorcerer The Sorcerer was one of the early home computer systems, released in 1978 by the videogame company, Exidy. It was comparatively advanced when released, especially when compared to the contemporary more commercially-orientated Commodore PET and TRS-80, but due to a number of problems including a... |
Z80 | 1978 | Monitor | Cassette, optional 3rd party expansion to diskettes | ||||
| United Kingdom |
Locurnals/Intelligent Software | Enterprise 64 and 128 Enterprise 128 The Enterprise is a Zilog Z80 based home computer first released in 1985. There are two variants, the Enterprise 64 with 64 kB of RAM, and the Enterprise 128 with 128 kB.- Hardware :- CPU, memory and ASIC chips :... |
Z80 | 1985 | TV, monitor | Cassette, | Custom ASIC ASIC ASIC may refer to:* Application-specific integrated circuit, an integrated circuit developed for a particular use, as opposed to a customised general-purpose device.* ASIC programming language, a dialect of BASIC... "Nick" |
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| United Kingdom |
Lambda Electronics | Lambda 8300 Lambda 8300 Lambda 8300 was a Sinclair ZX81 clone from Lambda Electronics Limited. It wasn't a straight clone as the original ROM is a new one but it could be fitted with a ZX81 ROM and become compatible. Comes with 2K RAM , sound and joystick port. Runs with a Z80A at 3.25 MHz. Identical with PC 8300, Power... |
Z80 | 1985 | TV | Cassette, | ZX81 compatible also sold as PC8300,Power 3000 and BASIC 2000 | |||
| United Nations |
Various manufacturers | List of Apple II clones | 6502 | 1979 | TV, monitor | Cassette,optional diskette | Apple II | Many annonymous or obscure companies made copies of the Apple II, some illegally duplicating the Apple ROM contents | ||
| United States |
Franklin Computer Corporation | Franklin ACE series | 6502 | 1982 | TV, monitor | Diskette, cassette | Apple II | |||
| Japan |
Fujitsu Fujitsu is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues.... |
FM Towns FM Towns The FM Towns system is a Japanese PC variant, built by Fujitsu from February 1989 to the summer of 1997. It started as a proprietary PC variant intended for multimedia applications and PC games, but later became more compatible with regular PCs... series |
80386SX | 1989 | Monitor | CD ROM, optional hard drive | Semi Windows compatible | Almost a video game console | ||
| Japan |
Fujitsu Fujitsu is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues.... |
FM-7 FM-7 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.-Hardware:*Two MC 68B09 CPUs @... series |
6809 | 1982 | TV | Diskette | Radio Shack Color Computer | Several models | ||
| United Kingdom |
Grundy Business Systems | Grundy NewBrain Grundy NewBrain The Grundy NewBrain was a microcomputer sold in the early 1980s by Grundy Business Systems Ltd of Teddington and Cambridge, England.- Beginnings :... |
Z80 | 1982 | TV, monitor, built-in 1 line display | Cassette, Floppy diskette | Radio Shack Color Computer BASIC | Several models | ||
 Brazil |
Gradiente Gradiente Gradiente is a Brazilian consumer electronics company based in São Paulo. The company designs and markets many product lines, including video , audio, home theater, high end acoustics, office and mobile stereo, and wireless. The company was founded in 1964... |
Gradiente Expert Gradiente Expert The Expert, made by Gradiente Eletrônica was the second and last MSX home computer launched in the Brazilian market, in mid-1980s... |
Z80 | 1985 | TV,RGB monitor | Cassette,cartridge, diskette expansion available | MSX compatible | Several models | ||
| United States |
Honeywell Honeywell Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments.... |
Honeywell 316#Kitchen Computer | DDP 16 Minicomputer | 1969 | Binary lights | None offered (contemporary systems would have used paper tape) | No video | Honorary home computer, marketed but never sold. | ||
| United States |
IBM IBM International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas... |
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,... |
8088 | 1984 | Monitor, composite video | Cassette, floppy diskette,cartridge | VGA | IBM PC | ||
| United States |
IBM IBM International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas... |
IBM PS/1 IBM PS/1 The IBM PS/1 was a brand for a line of personal computers and was IBM's return to the home market in 1990, five years after the IBM PCjr. It was replaced by the IBM Aptiva in September 1994.-Position in IBM's PC brands:... |
8088 | 1990 | Monitor, | Floppy diskette, hard drive | IBM PC | |||
| United States |
Interact | Interact Home Computer Interact Home Computer The Interact Home Computer was a rare and very early American home computer made by Interact Co. of Ann Arbor MI. It sold under the name "interact home computer".Only a few thousand were sold before the company went bankrupt... |
8080 | 1979 | TV | Cassette | ||||
| United States |
Intelligent Systems Corporation | Compucolor II Compucolor II The CompuColor II was an early home computer introduced in 1977 by Intelligent Systems Corporation. It was a lower-cost version of the Compucolor, which is credited with being the first home computer system with built-in color graphics, designed to hit the home computer price points... |
8080 | 1977 | TV | Diskette ( I: 8-track) | ||||
| Soviet Union |
Intercompex | Hobbit Hobbit (computer) Hobbit is a Soviet/Russian 8-bit home computer, based on the Sinclair ZX Spectrum hardware architecture.It also featured a CP/M mode and Forth mode or LOGO mode, with the Forth or LOGO operating environment residing in an on-board ROM chip.... |
Z80 compatible | 1990 | TV, monitor | Cassette, floppy drive | ZX Spectrum | Several models for export and home markets | ||
| Soviet Union |
Iskra | Iskra-1030 Iskra-1030 The Iskra 1030 was an Intel 8086 compatible personal computer produced in Kursk, USSR. It was produced at the Scetmash factory .-Specification:The Iskra 1030M produced from 1989 comprised:... |
8086 compatible | floppy drive | ||||||
 Independent State of Croatia |
Ivasim | Ivel Ultra Ivel Ultra Ivel Ultra was an Apple II compatible computer developed by Ivasim in 1980s. There are two model of the computer; The first model is brown and the second model is white.... |
6502 compatible | 1984 | floppy drive | Apple II | ||||
| Independent State of Croatia |
Ivasim | Ivel Z3 Ivel Z3 Ivel Z3 was an Apple IIe compatible computer developed by Ivasim in 1980s.... |
6502 compatible | Built-in monitor | floppy drive | Apple IIe | ||||
| United Kingdom |
Jupiter Cantab Jupiter Cantab Jupiter Cantab Limited was a Cambridge based home computer company. Its main product was the 1983 Forth based Jupiter Ace.The company was founded in 1982 by two ex-Sinclair Research staffers, Richard Altwasser and Steven Vickers. Their machine was, externally, remarkably similar to the ZX Spectrum,... |
Jupiter ACE Jupiter ACE The Jupiter Ace was a British home computer of the early 1980s, produced by a company, set up for the purpose, named Jupiter Cantab. The Ace differed from other microcomputers of the time in that it used FORTH instead of the more common BASIC.- Introduction :... |
Z80 | 1982 | TV | Cassette, 3rd party diskette | custom ASIC | FORTH instead of BASIC | ||
 Sweden |
Luxor Luxor AB Luxor was a Swedish home electronics and computer manufacturer located in Motala, acquired by Nokia in 1985.Originally a manufacturer of tape recorders, radios, television sets, stereo systems, and other home electronics, it launched its first home computer, the ABC 80 in 1978... |
ABC 80 | Z80 | 1978 | TV | Cassette, 3rd party diskette | also made in Budapest, ABC 800 office versions had disk drives | |||
| United States |
Mattel Mattel Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from... |
Aquarius Mattel Aquarius Aquarius is a home computer designed by Radofin and released by Mattel in 1983. It features a Zilog Z80 microprocessor, a rubber chiclet keyboard, 4K of RAM, and a subset of Microsoft BASIC in ROM. It connects to a television set and uses a cassette tape recorder for secondary data storage... |
Z80 | 1983 | TV | Cassette, cartridge | ||||
 Early Modern France |
Matra Matra Mécanique Aviation Traction or Matra was a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to automobile, bicycles, aeronautics and weaponry. In 1994, it became a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group and now operates under that name.Matra was owned by the Floirat family... |
Matra Alice Matra Alice The Matra & Hachette Ordinateur Alice was a home computer sold in France beginning in 1983. It was a clone of the TRS-80 MC-10, produced through a collaboration between Matra and Hachette in France and Tandy Corporation in the United States.... |
6803 | 1983 | TV | Cassette | Radio Shack TRS 80 MC 10 | |||
| United Kingdom |
Memotech Memotech Memotech was a company based in Witney in Oxfordshire, England. They started out during the early 1980s producing memory expansion packs and other hardware expansions for the Sinclair ZX81.... |
Memotech MTX500, MTX512, RS128 | Z80 | 1983 | TV,monitor | Cassette,diskette, hard drive, cartridge | ||||
| United Kingdom |
Memotech Memotech Memotech was a company based in Witney in Oxfordshire, England. They started out during the early 1980s producing memory expansion packs and other hardware expansions for the Sinclair ZX81.... |
Memotech MTX500, MTX512, RS128 | Z80 | 1983 | TV,monitor | Cassette,diskette, hard drive, cartridge | ||||
 Australia |
Microbee Systems | MicroBee MicroBee MicroBee was a series of home computers by Applied Technology, later known as MicroBee Systems.The original MicroBee computer was designed in Australia by a team including Owen Hill and Matthew Starr... series |
Z80 | 1983 | TV,monitor | Cassette,later models floppy diskette, | 6545 | Several models | ||
| Brazil |
Microdigital Eletronica Microdigital Eletronica Microdigital Eletrônica Ltda. was an influential Brazilian computer company in the 1980s, based in São Paulo.- History :Established in 1981 by the brothers George and Tomas Kovari , its first product was the TK80, a clone of the British microcomputer Sinclair ZX80.The company... |
TK 82C TK 82C TK 82C was a Sinclair ZX81 clone made by Microdigital Eletrônica Ltda., a computer company located in Brazil.-General information:The TK 82C had the ZILOG Z80A processor running at 3.25 MHz, 2 KB SRAM and 8 KB of EPROM with the BASIC interpreter. The keyboard was made of layers of... series |
Z80 | 1985 | TV,monitor | Cassette,cartridge | ZX80,ZX81 | TK 90X TK 90X The TK 90X was the first Brazilian ZX Spectrum clone made in 1985 by Microdigital Eletronica, a company located at São Paulo, Brazil, that manufactured some ZX81 clones before and a ZX80 clones .... Several models |
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| United Kingdom |
Miles Gordon Technology Miles Gordon Technology Miles Gordon Technology, known as MGT, was a small British company, initially specialising in high-quality add-ons for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum home computer. It was named for its founders, Alan Miles and Bruce Gordon and was founded in Cambridge, England in June 1986, by the two ex-Sinclair... |
SAM Coupé SAM Coupé The SAM Coupé is an 8-bit British home computer that was first released in late 1989. It is commonly considered a clone of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer, since it features a compatible screen mode and emulated compatibility, and it was marketed as a logical upgrade from the Spectrum... |
Z80 | 1989 | Monitor, composite video | Floppy diskette, | Custom ASIC | ZX Spectrum | ||
 Republic of China |
Multitech | Microprofessor III Microprofessor III Microprofessor III , introduced in 1983, was Acer's third branded computer product and also one of the first Apple clones . Unlike the two earlier computers, its design was influenced by the IBM personal computer... |
6502 | 1983 | TV, Monitor | Floppy diskette, cassette | Apple IIe | |||
| Japan |
NEC | NEC PC-100 NEC PC-100 The NEC PC-100 was a Japanese home computer available on October 13, 1983. It operated on 8086 CPU 7 MHz, 128KB RAM, 128KB VRAM, a Japanese language capable keyboard and a two button mouse. It had three models and its color monitor, PC-KD651, which could be used vertically or horizontally, had the... |
8086 | 1983 | Monitor | Floppy diskette, | MS DOS | Various models, many too costly for home market | ||
| Japan |
NEC | NEC PC-8801 NEC PC-8801 The NEC PC-8801 was an early Zilog Z80-based computer exclusively released in Japan, where it became very popular, by NEC Corporation in 1981. It was informally called the "PC-88".... series |
Z80 | 1981 | RGB Monitor | Cassette, later models with floppy diskettes, | CP/M | Several models, also called PC-88 | ||
| United States |
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... |
TRS-80 Color Computer TRS-80 Color Computer The Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer was a home computer launched in 1980. It was one of the earliest of the first generation of computers marketed for home use in English-speaking markets... CoCo, Coco 2, Coco 3 |
6809 | 1980 | Monitor | Cassette,Floppy diskette,cartridge | Several models | |||
| United States |
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... |
TRS-80 Model 1 TRS-80 TRS-80 was Tandy Corporation's desktop microcomputer model line, sold through Tandy's Radio Shack stores in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first units, ordered unseen, were delivered in November 1977, and rolled out to the stores the third week of December. The line won popularity with... |
Z80 | 1977 | Monitor (built in) | Cassette, optional floppy diskette | See List of TRS-80 clones. Later models aimed more at hobby/small business, but this one was priced like a home computer. | |||
| United States |
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... |
TRS-80 MC-10 TRS-80 MC-10 thumb|right|The TRS-80 MC-10The TRS-80 MC-10 microcomputer is a lesser-known member of the TRS-80 line of home computers, produced by Tandy Corporation in the early 1980s and sold through their RadioShack chain of electronics stores... |
6803 | 1980 | TV | Cassette, | 6847 | See also Matra Alice | ||
| United States |
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... |
Tandy 1000 Tandy 1000 The Tandy 1000 was the first in a line of more-or-less IBM PC compatible home computer systems produced by the Tandy Corporation for sale in its Radio Shack chain of stores.-Overview:... series |
8088 (depends on model) | 1987 | TV, Monitor | Cassette,Floppy diskette | IBM PC Jr | Several models in series | ||
| United Kingdom |
Oric Int'l/Tangerine Tangerine Computer Systems British microcomputer company Tangerine Computer Systems was founded in 1979 by Dr. Paul Johnson, Mark Rainer and Nigel Penton Tilbury in St. Ives, Cambridgeshire... |
Oric 1 | 6502 | 1983 | TV, Monitor | Cassette | ||||
| United Kingdom |
Oric Int'l/Tangerine Tangerine Computer Systems British microcomputer company Tangerine Computer Systems was founded in 1979 by Dr. Paul Johnson, Mark Rainer and Nigel Penton Tilbury in St. Ives, Cambridgeshire... |
Oric Atmos | 6502 | 1984 | TV, Monitor | Cassette, optional floppy diskette | ||||
| United Kingdom |
Oric Int'l/Tangerine Tangerine Computer Systems British microcomputer company Tangerine Computer Systems was founded in 1979 by Dr. Paul Johnson, Mark Rainer and Nigel Penton Tilbury in St. Ives, Cambridgeshire... |
Oric Telestrat | 1986 | |||||||
| Independent State of Croatia |
PEL Varaždin | Galeb Galeb (computer) Galeb was an 8-bit computer developed by the PEL Varaždin company in Yugoslavia in the early 1980s. A grand total of 250 were produced by the end of the summer of 1984, before being replaced by Orao.... |
6502 | 1981 | TV, Monitor | Cassette | ||||
| Independent State of Croatia |
PEL Varaždin | Orao Orao (computer) Orao was an 8-bit computer developed by PEL Varaždin in 1984. It was used as a standard primary school computer in Croatia and Vojvodina from 1985 to 1991.... |
6502 | 1984 | TV, Monitor | Cassette | ||||
| Netherlands |
Philips Philips Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company.... |
P2000 Philips P2000 --The Philips P2000T home computer was Philips' first real entry in the home computer market, after the Philips Videopac G7000 game system which they already sold to compete with the Atari 2600 and similar game systems. There was also an P2000M version with an additional 80-column card for use... |
Z80 | 1980 | TV, Monitor | Cassette, optional floppy diskette, cartridge | Teletext chip | Several models, disk models fairly costly by home computer standards | ||
| Netherlands |
Philips Philips Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company.... |
G7480 Philips Videopac + G7400 The Philips Videopac+ G7400 was a video game console released in limited quantities in 1983, and only in Europe; an American release as the Odyssey³ Command Center was planned but never occurred. The G7400 was the successor to the Philips Videopac G7000, the European counterpart to the American... |
Z80 | 1983 | TV | Cassette, cartridge | Home computer expansion module for G7400 game console | |||
| Netherlands |
Philips Philips Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company.... |
Philips :YES | 80186 | 1985 | Monitor | Floppy diskette | IBM PC semi-compatible | |||
 Kingdom of Bulgaria |
Pravetz | Pravetz series 8 Pravetz series 8 Pravetz were Bulgarian computers, manufactured mainly in the town of Pravetz but also components and software were produced in Stara Zagora, Plovdiv and other.- History :... , including -83, -83, -84, -8M/E/A/D/S. |
6502 | 1982 | TV, Monitor | Cassette, floppy diskettee | Apple II | Several models, company later made IBM PC compatibles. | ||
| Kingdom of Bulgaria |
Pravetz | IMKO-1 IMKO-1 The IMKO-1 , Individualen Micro KOmputer, Individual micro computer) was the first Bulgarian personal computer, built in 1979 in Pravetz, Bulgaria. It was the first in the Pravetz series 8 range of computers. Like other computers in the series, it is an Apple II clone.... |
6502 | 1980 | TV, Monitor | Cassette, floppy diskette | Apple II | High cost compared to later Western home computers | ||
| Brazil |
Prológica | Prológica CP-400 Prológica CP-400 In the middle of 1984 a Brazilian company called Prológica, which made its own versions of 8 bits US computers, brought to the Brazilian market a new equipment for its personal computer series called "CP" .... |
6809 | 1984 | TV, Monitor | Cassette, floppy diskette | Radio Shack Color Computer | |||
 German Democratic Republic |
Robotron Robotron VEB Kombinat Robotron was the biggest East German electronics manufacturer. It was based in Dresden and employed 68,000 people . It produced personal computers, SM EVM minicomputers, the ESER mainframe computers, several computer peripherals as well as home computers, radios and television... /VEB Volkseigener Betrieb The Volkseigener Betrieb was the legal form of industrial enterprise in East Germany... |
KC 85 KC 85 The KC 85 were models of microcomputers built in East Germany, first in 1984 by Robotron and later by VEB Mikroelektronik "Wilhelm Pieck" Mühlhausen .... |
Z80 compatible | 1984 | TV | Cassette | Theoretically available to consumers, but a difficult purchase in 1984 East Germany. | |||
| German Democratic Republic |
Robotron Robotron VEB Kombinat Robotron was the biggest East German electronics manufacturer. It was based in Dresden and employed 68,000 people . It produced personal computers, SM EVM minicomputers, the ESER mainframe computers, several computer peripherals as well as home computers, radios and television... |
KC87 | Z80 compatible | 1987 | TV | Cassette, cartridge | Theoretically available to consumers | |||
| German Democratic Republic |
Robotron Robotron VEB Kombinat Robotron was the biggest East German electronics manufacturer. It was based in Dresden and employed 68,000 people . It produced personal computers, SM EVM minicomputers, the ESER mainframe computers, several computer peripherals as well as home computers, radios and television... |
Z1013 Robotron Z1013 The Z1013 was an East German home computer produced by VEB Robotron. It had a U880 processor and a membrane keyboard.... |
Z80 compatible | TV | Cassette | |||||
| Japan |
Sega Sega , usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world... |
SC-3000 | Z80 compatible | 1983 | TV | Cassette,cartridge,optional floppy | ||||
| Japan |
Sharp Sharp Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first... |
MZ series Sharp MZ The Sharp MZ is a series of personal computers sold in Japan and Europe by Sharp beginning in 1978.-Overview:... |
Z80 compatible | 1979 | TV | Cassette,cartridge,optional floppy | Many models in the series, escalating to small business systems | |||
| Japan |
Sharp Sharp Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first... |
Sharp X1 Sharp X1 The X1 is a series of home computer released by Sharp Corporation from 1982 to 1988. It was based on a Z80 CPU.Despite the fact that the Computer Division of Sharp Corporation had released the MZ series, suddenly the Television Division released a new computer series called the X1... |
Z80 compatible | 1982 | TV, dedicated monitor | Cassette,cartridge,optional floppy | Several models | |||
| Japan |
Sharp Sharp Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first... |
Sharp X68000 Sharp X68000 The Sharp X68000, often referred to as the X68k, is a home computer released only in Japan by the Sharp Corporation. The first model was released in 1987, with a 10 MHz Motorola 68000 CPU, 1 MB of RAM and no hard drive; the last model was released in 1993 with a 25 MHz Motorola 68030... |
68000 | 1987 | Monitor | Floppy diskette, optional hard disk | Several models | |||
| United Kingdom |
Sinclair Research | ZX80 Sinclair ZX80 The Sinclair ZX80 is a home computer brought to market in 1980 by Science of Cambridge Ltd. . It is notable for being the first computer available in the United Kingdom for less than a hundred pounds... |
Z80 | 1980 | TV | Cassette | Custom ASIC | Initially also available as a kit, and see MicroAce MicroAce The MicroAce was an unlicensed clone of the Sinclair ZX80, manufactured by the eponymous MicroAce of Santa Ana, California. The MicroAce came with an option to expand the internal random access memory to 2K, but had an identical copy of the ROM. The company was sued by Sinclair Research, who were... for an unlicensed knock-off |
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| United Kingdom |
Sinclair Research | ZX81 Sinclair ZX81 The ZX81 was a home computer produced by Sinclair Research and manufactured in Scotland by Timex Corporation. It was launched in the United Kingdom in March 1981 as the successor to Sinclair's ZX80 and was designed to be a low-cost introduction to home computing for the general public... |
Z80 | 1981 | TV | Cassette | Custom ASIC | See also List of ZX80/81 clones and Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair was a joint venture between the British company Sinclair Research and Timex Corporation in an effort to gain an entry into the rapidly-growing early-1980s home computer market in the United States... |
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| United Kingdom |
Sinclair Research | ZX Spectrum ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd... |
Z80 | 1982 | TV | Cassette, later models floppy diskette | Custom ASIC | See List of ZX Spectrum clones | ||
| United Kingdom |
Sinclair Research: | Sinclair QL Sinclair QL The Sinclair QL , was a personal computer launched by Sinclair Research in 1984, as the successor to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum... |
68008 | 1984 | TV,monitor | "Microdrive" tape | ZX8301 Custom ASIC | Spin-off to several related products, see List of Sinclair QL clones | ||
 New Zealand |
Technosys | Aamber Pegasus Aamber Pegasus thumb|300px|The 1981 Technosys Aamber Pegasus shown here in its suitcase style cardboard case.thumb|300px|Aamber Pegasus PCB with MONITOR 1.0, FORTH 1.1A and FORTH 1.1B EPROMs installed.... |
6809 | 1984 | TV,monitor | Cassette | Educational network version made | |||
| United States |
Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology... |
TI-99/4, TI-99/4A | TMS 9900 | 1979 | TV,monitor | Cassette, optional floppy disk drive | TMS9918 | Several models, more common 4A in 1981; some compatibles made by others | ||
| Czechoslovakia |
Tesla Tesla (company) TESLA was a large, state-owned electrotechnical conglomerate in the former Czechoslovakia.... |
PMD 85 PMD 85 The PMD 85 was an 8-bit personal computer produced from 1985 by the companies Tesla Piešťany and Bratislava in the former Czechoslovakia.They were deployed en masse in schools throughout Slovakia, while the IQ 151 performed a similar role in Czech part of the country.PMD 85s were famous for their... |
8080 | 1985 | TV,monitor | Cassette | ||||
| Czechoslovakia |
Štátny majetok Závadka š.p., Závadka nad Hronom | MAŤO MATO The Maťo was an 8-bit personal computer produced in the former Czechoslovakia by Štátny majetok Závadka š.p., Závadka nad Hronom. Their primary goal was to produce a personal computer as cheaply as possible, and therefore it was also sold as a self-assembly kit. It was basically modified PMD 85,... |
8080 | TV,monitor | Cassette | PMD 85 | Also made as a kit | |||
| Early Modern France |
Thomson Thomson SA Technicolor SA , formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia, is a French international provider of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s headquarters are located in Issy les... |
TO7 Thomson TO7 The Thomson TO7 is a home computer introduced by Thomson SA in November 1982.The TO7 is built around a 1 MHz Motorola 6809 processor. ROM cartridges, designed as MEMO7, can be introduced through a memory bay. The user interface uses Microsoft BASIC, included in the kit cartridge. The keyboard... |
6809 | 1982 | TV,monitor | Cassette,cartridge | ||||
| Early Modern France |
Thomson Thomson SA Technicolor SA , formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia, is a French international provider of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s headquarters are located in Issy les... |
MO5 Thomson MO5 The Thomson MO5 was a 6809E-based computer introduced in France in 1984. It featured 32 KB of RAM, a 40×25 text display, and built-in Microsoft BASIC. The MO5 was replaced by the MO6 in 1986.-External links:... aka Olivetti Prodest PC128 |
6809 | 1984 | TV,monitor | Cassette,cartridge | Successor model MO6 in 1986, and others | |||
United States/ United Kingdom/ Portugal |
Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair was a joint venture between the British company Sinclair Research and Timex Corporation in an effort to gain an entry into the rapidly-growing early-1980s home computer market in the United States... |
Timex Sinclair 1000 and 1500 Timex Sinclair 1000 The Timex Sinclair 1000 was the first computer produced by Timex Sinclair, a joint-venture between Timex Corporation and Sinclair Research. It was launched in July 1982.... |
Z80 | 1982 | TV,monitor | Cassette, optional cartridge | ||||
| United States/ United Kingdom/ Portugal |
Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair was a joint venture between the British company Sinclair Research and Timex Corporation in an effort to gain an entry into the rapidly-growing early-1980s home computer market in the United States... |
Timex Sinclair 2048 Timex Sinclair 2048 The "Timex Sinclair 2048" was to be an improved version of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer. Never released by Timex Corporation because of TS1500 failure... |
Z80 | 1984 | TV | Cassette, cartridge | Custom ULA ULA ULA can refer to any of the following:* ULA TV, a Venezuelan regional television channel* Ulster Liberation Army, a fictional terrorist organization* Uncommitted Logic Array, a type of microchip* Underground Literary Alliance, a writer society... |
ZX Spectrum | ||
| Portugal |
Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair was a joint venture between the British company Sinclair Research and Timex Corporation in an effort to gain an entry into the rapidly-growing early-1980s home computer market in the United States... |
Timex Computer 2048 Timex Computer 2048 The TC 2048 or Timex Computer 2048 is a computer created by "Timex of Portugal, Lda", a branch of Timex Corporation.It was highly compatible with the Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer, although differences in the ROM prevented 100% compatibility.... |
Z80 | 1984 | TV | Cassette, cartridge | Custom ULA | ZX Spectrum | ||
| United States/ United Kingdom/ Portugal |
Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair was a joint venture between the British company Sinclair Research and Timex Corporation in an effort to gain an entry into the rapidly-growing early-1980s home computer market in the United States... |
Timex Computer 2068 | Z80 | 1983 | TV | Cassette, cartridge | Custom ULA | ZX Spectrum | Several related models | |
Portugal/ Poland |
Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair Timex Sinclair was a joint venture between the British company Sinclair Research and Timex Corporation in an effort to gain an entry into the rapidly-growing early-1980s home computer market in the United States... |
Komputer 2086 Komputer 2086 The Unipolbrit Komputer 2086 was a Polish version of the home computer Timex Sinclair 2068, produced by a joint venture of the Polish Unimor and Timex Computer of Portugal. The machine wasn't 100% ZX Spectrum-compatible and a "Spectrum Emulation" cartridge was available .-Technical... |
Z80 | 1986 | TV | Cassette, cartridge, optional floppy diskette | Custom ULA | Sinclair 2068 | ||
| Japan |
Tomy Takara Tomy is a Japanese toy, children's merchandise and entertainment company created from the March 2006 merger of two companies: Tomy and long-time rival, Takara... |
Tomy Tutor (US) /Grandstand Tutor (UK) | TMS 9900 | 1986 | TV | Cassette, cartridge, optional floppy diskette | Texas Instruments TI-99/4A Texas Instruments TI-99/4A The Texas Instruments TI-99/4A was an early home computer, released in June 1981, originally at a price of USD $525. It was an enhanced version of the less-successful—and quite rare—TI-99/4 model, which was released in late 1979 at a price of $1,150... near-compatible |
|||
| Soviet Union |
Vector | Vector-06C Vector-06C Vector-06C is a home computer that was designed and mass produced in USSR in the late 1980s.- History :Vector-06C was created by Soviet engineers Donat Temirazov and Alexander Sokolov from Kishinev, Moldovan SSR . On 33rd National Radio Exhibition the design was honoured with the grand... |
8080 compatible | 1987 | TV | Cassette, 3rd party cartridge and floppy diskette | ||||
| United States |
Videobrain | VideoBrain Family Computer VideoBrain Family Computer The VideoBrain Family Computer is an 8-bit home computer manufactured by the VideoBrain Computer Company, starting in 1977. It is based on the Fairchild Semiconductor F8 CPU and is notable for being the first fully programmable cartridge-based home computer... |
Fairchild F8 Fairchild F8 The Fairchild F8 was an 8-bit microprocessor created by Fairchild Semiconductor. It was introduced in 1975 and was "the world´s leading microprocessor in terms of CPU sales" in 1977.-Features:... |
1977 | TV | Cartridge, optional cassette | ||||
 Hungary |
Videoton | TVC TVC (computer) The TV Computer was a home computer made by the Hungarian company Videoton around 1986. The computer was based on the ZiLOG Z80 microprocessor and had a built-in BASIC interpreter... |
Z80 | 1986 | TV | Cassette, floppy diskette |
List of hobby, kit, or trainer computers
This type of microcomputer required significant electronics skills to assemble or operate. They were sometimes sold in kit form that required the user to insert and solder components in a printed circuit boardPrinted circuit board
A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...
. They may have had just blinky lights and toggle switches
Front panel
A front panel was used on early electronic computers to display and allow the alteration of the state of the machine's internal registers and memory. The front panel usually consisted of arrays of indicator lamps, toggle switches, and push buttons mounted on a sheet metal face plate...
, or a hexadecimal display and a numeric keypad. While some units were possibly expandable to the "checkbook balancing/homework typing" stage, most were intended more for education on the use and application of microprocessors. See also Microprocessor development board
Microprocessor development board
A microprocessor development board is a printed circuit board containing a microprocessor and the minimal support logic needed for an engineer to become acquainted with the microprocessor on the board, and to learn to program it...
, Single-board computer
Single-board computer
A single-board computer is a complete computer built on a single circuit board, with microprocessor, memory, input/output and other features required of a functional computer. Unlike a typical personal computer, an SBC may not include slots into which accessory cards may be plugged...
.
- Altair 8800Altair 8800The MITS Altair 8800 was a microcomputer design from 1975 based on the Intel 8080 CPU and sold by mail order through advertisements in Popular Electronics, Radio-Electronics and other hobbyist magazines. The designers hoped to sell only a few hundred build-it-yourself kits to hobbyists, and were...
- Apple IApple IThe original Apple Computer, also known retroactively as the Apple I, or Apple-1, is a personal computer released by the Apple Computer Company in 1976. They were designed and hand-built by Steve Wozniak. Wozniak's friend Steve Jobs had the idea of selling the computer...
and also Replica 1Replica 1The Replica 1 is a clone of the Apple I designed by Vince Briel with permission from the Apple I's original creator Steve Wozniak. The Replica 1 is functionally a close copy of the original, but it is designed using much more modern parts on a smaller, simplified board design. The Replica 1 is... - Applix 1616Applix 1616The Applix 1616 was a kit computer with a Motorola 68000 CPU, produced by a small company called Applix in Sydney, Australia, from 1986 to the early 1990s. It ran a custom multitasking multiuser operating system that was resident in ROM. A version of Minix was also ported to the 1616, as was the...
- Compukit UK101
- Dick Smith Super-80 ComputerDick Smith Super-80 ComputerThe Dick Smith Super-80 was a Zilog Z80 based kit computer developed as a joint venture between Electronics Australia magazine and Dick Smith Electronics...
- Educ-8Educ-8The EDUC-8, pronounced "educate", was an early microcomputer kit published by Electronics Australia in a series of articles starting in August 1974 and continuing to August 1975. Electronics Australia initially believed that it was the first such kit, but later discovered that Radio-Electronics had...
non-microprocessor kit computer - Elektor Junior ComputerElektor Junior ComputerThe Elektor Junior Computer was a simple 6502 based microprocessor development board published in the 1980s in the Dutch, German and later French, Spanish and British versions of Elektor/Elektuur, in the form of a series of articles, and four books...
- Elektor TV Games ComputerElektor TV Games ComputerThe Elektor TV Games Computer was a programmable computer system sold by Elektor in kit form from 1979. It used the Signetics 2650 CPU with the Signetics 2636 PVI for graphics and sound. These were the same chips as used in the Interton VC 4000 console family...
- Ferguson Big Board
- GalaksijaGalaksijaThe Galaksija was originally a build-it-yourself computer designed by Voja Antonić. It was featured in the special edition Računari u vašoj kući of a popular eponymous science magazine, published late December 1983 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia...
, a build-it-yourself home computer that created a wave of enthusiasts - Heathkit H8Heathkit H8Heathkit's H8 was an Intel 8080-based microcomputer sold in kit form starting in 1977. The H8 was similar to the S-100 bus computers of the era, and like those machines was often used with the CP/M operating system on floppy disk...
and relations - Heathkit H11
- Heath ET-100 8088 trainer
- Kenbak-1Kenbak-1The Kenbak-1 is considered by the Computer History Museum and the American Computer Museum to be the world's first "personal computer" . Only 40 machines were ever built and sold. It was designed and invented by John Blankenbaker of Kenbak Corporation in 1970, and was first sold in early 1971. The...
- KIM-1KIM-1The KIM-1, short for Keyboard Input Monitor, was a small 6502-based single-board computer developed and produced by MOS Technology, Inc. and launched in 1976...
- LNW-80LNW-80The LNW-80, released in 1982, is the first computer built by LNW Research. The computer is 100% compatible with the Tandy TRS-80 Model 1, but has some hardware enhancements. Most notable are the high-resolution color graphics, which could also be used for a 80×24 screen, with a special software...
- MK14MK14The Microcomputer Kit 14, or MK14 was a computer kit sold by Science of Cambridge of the United Kingdom, first introduced in 1977 for UK£39.95. The MK14 eventually sold over 50,000 units. It used a National Semiconductor SC/MP CPU , 256 bytes of random access memory which was directly expandable...
- Mark-8Mark-8The Mark-8 is a microcomputer design from 1974, based on the Intel 8008 CPU . The Mark-8 was designed by graduate student Jonathan Titus and announced as a 'loose kit' in the July 1974 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine.- Project kit :The Mark-8 was introduced as a 'build it yourself' project in...
- Micro-Professor MPF-I
- Nascom 1 and Nascom 2NascomThe Nascom 1 and 2 were single-board computer kits issued in 1977 and 1979, respectively, based on the Zilog Z80 and including a keyboard and video interface, a serial port that could be used to store data on a tape cassette using the Kansas City standard, and two 8-bit parallel ports...
- Newbear 77-68
- Processor Technology SOL 20Processor TechnologyProcessor Technology Corporation was a microcomputer company founded by Bob Marsh and Gary Ingram in April 1975. Its best known product is the Sol-20 computer.-History:...
- PSI Comp 80 (computer)PSI Comp 80 (computer)In 1979, the British magazine Wireless World published the technical details for a "Scientific Computer". Shortly afterward the British firm Powertran used this design for their implementation, which they called the PSI Comp 80...
- SCELBISCELBISCELBI Computer Consulting was a personal-computer hardware and software manufacturer located in Milford, Connecticut. It was founded in 1973 by Nat Wadsworth and Bob Findley. Initially, they sold hardware based on the first 8-bit microprocessor from Intel, the 8008...
- Sinclair ZX80Sinclair ZX80The Sinclair ZX80 is a home computer brought to market in 1980 by Science of Cambridge Ltd. . It is notable for being the first computer available in the United Kingdom for less than a hundred pounds...
kit - Tangerine MICROTAN 65Tangerine MICROTAN 65The Tangerine Microtan 65 was a 6502 based single board microcomputer, first sold in 1979, which could be expanded into, what was for its day, a comprehensive and powerful system. The design became the basis for what later became the ORIC, ATMOS and later computers, which had similar keyboard...
- TEC-1TEC-1The TEC-1 is a single-board kit computer first produced by the Australian hobbyist electronics magazine in the early 80's. It was based on the Zilog Z80 CPU, had 2K of RAM and 2K of ROM in a default configuration. Later versions used a 4k ROM with two different versions of the monitor software...
- WaveMate BulletWaveMate BulletThe Wave Mate Bullet was a Z80 Single Board Computer from the late 1970's and early 1980's which used the CP/M operating system. This computer is rarely seen now but has historical value as an early microcomputer pioneer...
School computers
These were aimed at the class room, not the living room. Some types were popular in the centrally planned economies of eastern Europe where Western computers were scarce, or in the early days of computer education in Western schools. Popular home computers of the period were fitted with various types of network interfaces to allow sharing of files, large disk drives, and printers, and often allowed a teacher to interact with a student, supervise the system usage, and carry out administrative tasks from a host computer.- Acorn ArchimedesAcorn ArchimedesThe Acorn Archimedes was Acorn Computers Ltd's first general purpose home computer to be based on their own ARM architecture.Using a RISC design with a 32-bit CPU, at its launch in June 1987, the Archimedes was stated as running at 4 MIPS, with a claim of 18 MIPS during tests.The name is commonly...
(and derivatives) - BBC MicroBBC MicroThe BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
- Commodore SuperPET/SP9000
- IQ 151IQ 151The IQ 151 was a personal computer produced by ZPA Nový Bor in the former Czechoslovakia.It had a Tesla MHB8080A CPU / 2 MHz, 32 KB RAM , 4 KB ROM, with video output and the BASIC programming language as external modules...
- Research Machines 380ZResearch Machines 380ZThe Research Machines 380Z was an early 8-bit microcomputer produced by Research Machines Limited in Oxford, England, from 1978 to 1985....
Industrial and school systems - LINK 480ZLINK 480ZThe LINK 480Z was an 8-bit microcomputer produced by Research Machines Limited in Oxford, England, during the early 1980s.The 480Z used a Z80 microprocessor with up to 256 KB of bank-switched RAM...
- Regency Systems R2CRegency Systems R2CThe R2C was the color version of the 2nd Z80-based microcomputer produced by Regency Systems of Champaign, Illinois, the first being the RC1. The RC1 had a high resolution display and dual 8-inch floppy drives. It was essentially a standalone PLATO environment, adapting the TUTOR language and...
- Tiki 100Tiki 100Tiki 100 was a desktop home/personal computer manufactured by Tiki Data of Oslo, Norway. The computer was launched in the spring of 1984 under the original name Kontiki 100, and was first and foremost intended for the emerging educational sector, especially for primary schools...
- TIM-011TIM-011TIM 011 was an educational or Personal computer for school microcomputer developed by Mihajlo Pupin Institute of Serbia in 1987. There were about 1.200 TIM-011 computers in Serbian schools in the 1990's.-Specifications:...
- Unisys ICONUnisys ICONThe ICON was a computer built specifically for use in schools, to fill a standard created by the Ontario Ministry of Education. They were widely used, mostly in high schools in the mid- to late 1980s, but disappeared after that time with the widespread introduction of PCs and Apple Macintoshes...
Cardboard and demonstrator "computers"
Logic demonstrators illustrated some of the logical principles of computer circuits, but were incapable of automatic operation or non-trivial calculations. Some were literally cardboard, others used combinations of switches and lamps to show how logical operations worked. Some products demonstrated logical operations purely mechanically.- CARDboard Illustrative Aid to ComputationCARDboard Illustrative Aid to ComputationCardiac was a learning aid developed by David Hagelbarger and Saul Fingerman for Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1968 to teach high school students how computers work. The kit consisted of an instruction manual and a die-cut cardboard "computer".The computer "operated" by means of pencil and...
cardboard computer logic demonstrator - GeniacGeniacGeniac was an educational toy billed as a "computer" designed and marketed by Edmund Berkeley from 1955 through the 1960s. The name stood for "Genius Almost-automatic Computer."...
, non-electronic logic demonstrator - Minivac 601Minivac 601Minivac 601 Digital Computer Kit was an electromechanical digital computer product created by Claude Shannon and sold by Scientific Development Corporation as early as 1961 as an educational kit for digital circuits. It used electrical relays as logic switches and for storage...
, logic trainer that demonstrated computer circuits - Digi-Comp IDigi-Comp IThe Digi-Comp I is a functioning, mechanical digital computer sold in kit form. It was originally manufactured from polystyrene parts by E.S.R., Inc...
, mechanical logic demonstrator - Digi-Comp IIDigi-Comp IIThe Digi-Comp II was a toy computer manufactured by E.S.R., Inc. that used marbles rolling down a ramp to perform basic calculations. A two-level masonite platform with guides served as the medium for a supply of marbles that rolled down an inclined plane moving plastic cams as they went...
, mechanical logic using marbles
See also
- History of computer hardware in Soviet Bloc countriesHistory of computer hardware in Soviet Bloc countriesThe history of computing hardware in the former Soviet Bloc is somewhat different from that of the Western world. As a result of the CoCom embargo, computers could not be imported in a large scale from capitalist countries...
- Homebuilt computerHomebuilt computerA homebuilt computer is a computer assembled from available components, usually commercial off-the-shelf components, rather than purchased as a complete system from a computer system supplier.- History :...
- Homebrew Computer ClubHomebrew Computer ClubThe Homebrew Computer Club was an early computer hobbyist users' group in Silicon Valley, which met from March 5, 1975 to December 1986...
- Home computer remake
- List of machines running CP/M contains a list of personal computers running CP/M. These were usually intended for small office use.
- List of home computers by video hardware classified by video interface
- List of home computers by category classified by word length and processor.
- List of Soviet computer systems includes many "home" systems as well as office and "big iron" systems.
- Simon (computer)Simon (computer)Simon was the name given to the first "personal computer" of history, a project developed by Edmund Berkeley and presented in a thirteen articles series issued in Radio-Electronics magazine, from October 1950...
, a relay computer (demonstrator) from 1950 - SWTPCSWTPCThe U.S. company SWTPC started in 1964 as DEMCO . It was incorporated in 1967 as Southwest Technical Products Corporation of San Antonio, Texas...
- Popular ElectronicsPopular ElectronicsPopular Electronics was an American magazine started by Ziff-Davis Publishing in October 1954 for electronics hobbyists and experimenters. It soon became the "World's Largest-Selling Electronics Magazine". The circulation was 240,151 in April 1957 and 400,000 by 1963. Ziff-Davis published Popular...
- TV TypewriterTV TypewriterThe TV Typewriter was a video terminal that could display 2 pages of 16 lines of 32 upper case characters on a standard television set. The Don Lancaster design appeared on the cover of Radio-Electronics magazine in September 1973. The magazine included a 6 page description of the design but...
External links
- Obsolete technology website — Information about many old computers.
- old-computers.com — Web Site dedicated to old computers.