Robotron KC 87
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| Developer | VEB Robotron-Meßelektronik "Otto Schön" Dresden |
|---|---|
| Type | Home computer |
| Release date | 1987 |
| Media | Cassette tapes |
| Operating system | BASIC interpreter in ROM |
| CPU | U880 (Zilog Z80 clone) @ 2.5 MHz |
The Robotron KC 87, fully known as the Kleincomputer robotron KC 87 (KC standing for Kleincomputer, lit. "small computer"), was an 8-bit home computer released in 1987 and produced in East Germany by the VEB Robotron-Meßelektronik "Otto Schön" Dresden, part of the Kombinat Robotron.
The first model in the series, the Robotron Z 9001, was introduced in 1984 and renamed Robotron KC 85/1 in 1985. Despite similar names, the Robotron home computers were not directly related to the KC 85 series produced by the VEB Mikroelektronik "Wilhelm Pieck" Mühlhausen.[1][2]
The availability of the Robotron KC series for private customers was very limited. The computers were mostly used at educational institutions, organizations, and enterprises. Therefore, the extracurricular use of home computers was often allowed for students at institutions and organizations.[1]
Design
The Robotron KC series used an U880 microprocessor, a clone of the Zilog Z80, which was clocked at 2.5 MHz. The keyboard was integrated into every machine. Software could be loaded from cassette tapes; a separate cassette deck was needed for doing so. All models featured module slots for up to four expansion modules, which allowed expansion of the hardware, such as by upgrading the RAM or allowing it to connect to a printer, but also included applications and programming languages. The KC 87 had the BASIC interpreter in ROM, (in earlier models, the user had to load it from tape or use a BASIC expansion module). In addition to the home computers, Robotron also offered cassette tapes with applications and games, modules, and other equipment.
Robotron Z 9001 prototype
Robotron Z 9001
Robotron KC 85/1
Robotron KC 87 from side view
Running workplace for the Robotron KC 85/1, with cassette deck Geracord 6020 Portable, dot matrix printer Robotron K 6313 and Russian Junost-402B television set.
See also
- Robotron Z1013 - A mostly compatible hobbyist kit for self-assembly, available even to private consumers via written order, waiting of one year and then self-pickup from factory outlet.
- KC 85 - A series of mostly compatible computers from a different manufacturer.
- KC compact - The only pre-assembled home computer made in the GDR aimed at private consumers; not compatible to any of the other KC systems.
References
- ^ a b Klaus-Dieter Weise (December 2005). "Erzeugnislinie Heimcomputer, Kleincomputer und Bildungscomputer des VEB Kombinat Robotron" [Product line home computers, small computers, and educational computers of the VEB Kombinat Robotron] (PDF) (in German). Förderverein für die Technischen Sammlungen Dresden. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
- ^ Peter Mühlbauer (3 October 2000). "Auferstanden aus Platinen" [Risen from boards] (in German). Telepolis. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
External links
- Robotron KC series at robotrontechnik.de (in German)
- History of Robotron - Development of home computers (in German)