The PC-8000 series (Japanese: PC-8000シリーズ, Hepburn: Pī-Shī Hassen Shirīzu) is a line of personal computers developed for the Japanese market by NEC. The PC-8001 model was also sold in the United States[5][6] and Canada as the PC-8001A.[7]
Developer | Nippon Electric |
---|---|
Manufacturer | New Nippon Electric[1] |
Type | Home computer |
Release date | 1979[1][2] |
Introductory price | 168,000 yen (equivalent to ¥246,603 in 2019) US$1,295 (equivalent to $4,340 in 2023)[3] CA$1,495 (equivalent to $3,876 in 2023) |
Discontinued | January 1983[4] |
Units sold | 250,000 (PC-8001)[4] |
Operating system | DISK BASIC, CP/M |
CPU | NEC |
Memory | ROM 24 KB, RAM 16 KB |
Display | Text 80 × 25, Graphics 160 × 100, 8 colors |
Graphics | NEC |
Sound | Beeper |
Power | AC 100 V 50/60 |
Dimensions | 430(W) × 260(D) × 80(H) mm |
Mass | 4 kg |
Predecessor | COMPO BS/80 |
Successor | NEC PC-6001 NEC PC-8801 |
Original models of the NEC PC-8001B (or sometimes the NEC PC-8000) were also sold in some European countries like in the UK, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands and in Australia and New Zealand as well.
PC-8001
editThe first member of the PC-8000 series, the PC-8001 was first introduced on May 9, 1979,[8][9] and went on sale in September 1979 for ¥168,000.[1][2] Its design combines the keyboard and the mainboard into a single unit. At a time when most microcomputers were sold as "semi-kits" requiring end user assembly, the fully assembled PC-8001 was a rarity in the market. Peripherals included a printer, a cassette tape storage unit, and a CRT interface. Although it is often believed to be the first domestically produced personal computer for the Japanese market, it was preceded by both the Hitachi Basic Master and the Sharp MZ-80K .
The PC-8001A was released in the United States in August 1981, and was priced at US$1,295 (32 KB of RAM). It is modified to reduce electromagnetic interference to comply with FCC regulations. The Katakana glyphs in the character ROM (see JIS X 0201) are replaced by Greek alphabet.[10][11]
Specification
editThe PC-8001 has an NEC
The PC-8011 Expansion Unit provides additional capabilities and interfaces, which has 32 KB RAM sockets for
Development
editIn Japan, Nippon Electric's Microcomputer Sales Section in the Electronic Device Sales Division released the TK-80 in 1976, a single-board computer kit, and it became popular among hobbyists. American personal computers were expensive for personal use (Initial list price of the Apple II was 358,000 yen, Commodore PET was 298,000 yen, and the TRS-80 was 248,000 yen).[15] In 1978, the Hitachi Basic Master and Sharp MZ-80K, both developed by consumer electronics companies, were released as personal computers targeted for hobbyists, not for business use.[16]
In the summer of 1978, the Microcomputer Sales Section started developing the PC-8001, codenamed "PCX-1".[1] The development team consisted of 10 engineers including section manager Kazuya Watanabe(engineer) (
When Goto visited Silicon Valley to survey the application of microprocessors, he ran across Kazuhiko Nishi at a computer store. They only exchanged business cards, but Nishi introduced Microsoft to him after he returned to Japan. Goto thought of visiting Microsoft, but he worried that the trip wouldn't be accepted by his boss because Microsoft was a small company. Instead, he attended the fall 1978 West Coast Computer Faire during its first day. The next day, he met Bill Gates at the airport in Albuquerque. After lunch, they went to Microsoft's office, and then Gates told him the importance of having a de facto standard. Goto agreed.[18]
The team had already been developing a BASIC interpreter, but Watanabe decided to adopt Microsoft BASIC because it was widely used in the North American market. At that time, Microsoft and ASCII (the main Microsoft dealer in Japan) intended to expand OEM business in Japan, so N-BASIC was provided for NEC with a very low licence fee.[16] It had been developed at Microsoft's office in Seattle, and NEC provided a wirewrapped prototype, known as the PC-8001g.[19]
The Electronic Device Group only had a small distribution network of electronic parts stores, and the Information Processing Group only had corporate customers who purchased expensive mainframe computers. Also, they didn't have the capability for mass production. They asked New Nippon Electric (NEC Home Electronics since 1983) to sell the personal computers through their consumer distribution network. The system unit, displays and storage devices were all developed by NEC, and manufactured by New Nippon Electric.[17] Printers were provided from Tokyo Denki (Toshiba TEC) because NEC had only developed expensive printers for mainframes.[19]
Other NEC divisions didn't appreciate the project before the PC-8001 went on sale. Most people, even in NEC, didn't know about microcomputers, and they couldn't understand what the Microcomputer Sales Section aimed for. The TK-80 sold well for computer enthusiasts, but the computer division regarded it as a toy. Their projects were often criticized inside the company. Watanabe recalled that engineers of the computer division criticized microcomputers didn't have parity bit checking, and they assumed the microprocessors of the time were not suitable for computing due to their lack of performance and reliability. He believed microprocessors were more reliable than wirewrapped minicomputers. When he circulated the contract with Microsoft for approval, computer division's director criticized they planned to purchase the software from a small company. Inside the company, it was considered engineers were confident in their softwares and had to develop softwares themselves. He explained to the director, "It's profitable, so there is no problem. We are salesmen." Watanabe knew importance of the industrial standard and third party developers, but his perception was against company's practice.[20]
Watanabe's bosses, Electronic Device Sales Division manager Morichika Sawanobori (
Success in Japan
editThe PC-8001 was introduced on May 9, 1979, and its prototype went to the public at the Microcomputer Show '79 (マイクロコンピュータショウ'79) held from May 16 to 19 at the Tokyo Ryūtsū Center. Soon after the exposition, NEC received thousands of orders. It took half a year to ship about 10,000 backorders after shipment began on September 20, 1979.[17][22] By 1981, it dominated 40% of the Japanese personal computer market. About 250,000 units were shipped until production stopped in January 1983.[23] NEC also succeeded in expanding their personal computer chain in Japan. The chain owned 7 stores in 1979, 15 stores in 1980, more than 100 stores in 1981, and reached 200 stores by 1983.[21]
The PC-8001 sold well in the educational market because NEC advertised that the PC-8001 used the industrial standard of Microsoft BASIC.[24] Kanagawa Prefectural Chigasaki Nishihama High School was the first futsu-ka school (upper secondary schools with a focus on a common course) to purchase PC-8001 computers (buying 17 units) and started teaching programming as an elective subject in 1981.[25] In April 1982, NHK Educational TV started the television program "Interest course 'Introduction to Microcomputers' (
PC-8001mkII
editA higher-performance, more graphically capable revision of the PC-8001, the Mark II debuted in March 1983 for a price of 123,000 yen.
While its most obvious improvement was in its graphical capabilities, the Mark II also included an internal 5.25" floppy disk interface as well as two internal expansion slots, doing away with the need for an "expansion box" to permit upgrades. The internal BASIC was changed as well, from the 24 KB N-BASIC to a 32 KB "N80-BASIC" that added new conditional statements as well as graphics commands.
While the price of the PC-8001mkII was comparable with other 8-bit computer offerings at the time, its graphics were notably worse than its competitors (most likely an attempt on NEC's part to avoid competing with their own, higher-powered PC-8800 series). This led to a relative dearth of software produced for it, particularly games.
PC-8001mkIISR
editA games-oriented revision of the PC-8001mkII with significantly better graphics and sound, making its debut in January 1985 for 108,000 yen.
The mkIISR increased the frame-buffer memory from 16 kB to 48 kB, allowing for 640×200-pixel graphics or 320×200-pixel double-buffered graphics modes. Additionally, the primitive PC speaker was replaced by an FM synthesis audio system. Its internal BASIC was also updated to allow usage of this new hardware, as well as providing mkII and PC-8001 compatibility modes (although a significant proportion of older software would not run properly under these modes). Other changes included the change of one general-purpose expansion slot to a Kanji character ROM expansion slot, a PC-8800 series keyboard connector, and an Atari-style joystick connector.
Reception
editThe Japanese personal computer magazine ASCII concluded in 1979 that "Although some problems remain, at present, we can guarantee it is the strongest machine for both software and hardware."[14]
Sawanobori recalled why the PC-8001 became a long seller that "The biggest factor is the price setting of 168,000 yen. The major opinion insisted 220,000 to 230,000 yen was appropriate for value of the product, but Kazuya Watanabe never withdrew 168,000 yen. After all, Watanabe's proposal was accepted by the executive director Ouchi's decision, but his stubbornness was admirable."[17]
Although handicapped by the lack of English documentation, BYTE's American reviewers concluded in January 1981 after evaluating a unit purchased in Japan that "the PC-8001 appears to be an attractive, well-planned, and well-made personal computer ... Most people who have seen our PC-8001 feel that, if it were sold in our country, it would provide strong competition for any of the color-based home computers currently being sold".[27]
References
edit- ^ a b c d
日本電気 社 史 編纂 室 (2001-12-25).日本電気 株式会社 百 年 史 (in Japanese). NEC. pp. 653–654. - ^ a b Forster, Winnie (2005). The encyclopedia of consoles, handhelds & home computers 1972 - 2005. GAMEPLAN. p. 33. ISBN 3-00-015359-4.
- ^ Hawkins, William J. (1981). "New personal computers". Popular Science. 219 (5): 95 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b
小林 ,紀 興 (1987).富士通 の大 逆襲 計画 (in Japanese). Kodansha. p. 93. ISBN 4-06-192807-4. - ^ Webster, Tony (1981). Microcomputer Buyer's Guide. p. 208. ISBN 9780959462425.
- ^ "PC 8001 NEC". www.old-computers.com. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
- ^ "Buyer's Guide". Which Micro?: 104. April 1983.
- ^ "
日 電 と日本 マイクロコンピュータ、低 価格 パソコン相次 ぎ新 製品 発表 " [NEC and Nippon Microcomputer announced new products 'Low-priced personal computer', one after another.]. Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun. 1979-05-10. p. 14. - ^ "PC-8001-Computer Museum". museum.ipsj.or.jp. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
- ^ "ASCII EXPRESS : PC-8000シリーズ、いよいよアメリカに
上陸 開始 、米国 仕様 PC-8001Aのスペックは?". ASCII (in Japanese). 5 (9). ASCII Publishing. 1981. ISSN 0386-5428. - ^ Kocher, C P; Keith, Michael (1982). "Six Personal Computers from Japan : PC-8001A". Byte. 7 (5): 69–74. ISSN 0360-5280.
- ^ NEC Personal Computer PC-8000 Series (PDF). Japan: NEC. 1981. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
- ^ "PC-8801 Programing - VRAM Information -". mydocuments.g2.xrea.com. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
- ^ a b ASCIIラボラトリーズ (1979). "LOAD TEST No.4:
日本電気 株式会社 NEC PC-8001". ASCII (in Japanese). 3 (11). ASCII Publishing: 34–41. ISSN 0386-5428. - ^
田口 ,潤 (1984-10-29). "アップル社 の対 日 戦略 :米国 産 リンゴは日本人 の口 に合 うか".日経 コンピュータ (in Japanese). Nikkei McGraw-Hill: 71–79. ISSN 0285-4619. - ^ a b c
後藤 ,富雄 (2006). "日本 PC事始 その2: デバイス屋 が創 ったNECのパーソナル コンピュータ「PC-8001」" (PDF). Encore (in Japanese). 45. SSIS半導体 シニア協会 : 14–15. Retrieved 2019-03-23. - ^ a b c d
太田 ,行 生 (1983). パソコン誕生 (in Japanese).日本電気 文化 センター. pp. 46–72. ISBN 4-930916-11-9. - ^
大河原 ,克行 (2019-08-05). "【大河原 克行 の「パソコン業界 、東奔西走 」】ビル・ゲイツとの密会 、サードパーティ戦略 。いま振 り返 る「PC-8001」成功 物語 ". PC Watch. Impress Corporation. Retrieved 2019-08-25. - ^ a b
加藤 ,明 (2011-06-01). "PC-8001の開発 " [Development of PC-8801] (PDF).電子 情報 通信 学会 通信 ソサイエティマガジン (in Japanese). 2010 (15). Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers: 15_58–15_65. doi:10.1587/bplus.2010.15_58. Retrieved 2016-11-03. - ^ "
秋葉原 ビットイン誕生 秘話 :渡邊 和也 氏 インタビュー".蘇 るPC-9801伝説 永久 保存 版 第 1弾 (in Japanese). ASCII Corporation. 2004. pp. 98–103. ISBN 4-7561-4419-5. - ^ a b
田中 ,繁 廣 (1988-02-17). "ドキュメント・NECのPC戦略 ―市場 制覇 への道 を切 り拓 いた戦士 達 その決断 と挑戦 の歴史 ". 100万 人 の謎 を解 く ザ・PCの系譜 (in Japanese). コンピュータ・ニュース社 . pp. 76–89. ISBN 4-8061-0316-0. - ^ "
急 成長 続 けるパーソナル・コンピュータの国内 市場 ".日経 エレクトロニクス (in Japanese). Nikkei McGraw-Hill: 188–193. 1981-01-21. ISSN 0385-1680. - ^ "
日本電気 PC-8001". パソコン大 図鑑 最新 ・人気 パソコン目的 別 全 カタログ (in Japanese). Kodansha. 1981. pp. 30–31. ISBN 4-06-141673-1. - ^ "PC-9800シリーズ100
万 台 突破 を検証 する―PCウォッチャー6名 の分析 ". 100万 人 の謎 を解 く ザ・PCの系譜 (in Japanese). コンピュータ・ニュース社 . 1988-02-17. pp. 62–63. ISBN 4-8061-0316-0. - ^ "パソコン
特集 : パソコン、着実 な歩 み :情報処理 教育 は普通 高校 にも". Nihon Keizai Shimbun. 1982-04-28. p. 33. - ^ "NHK
教育 テレビ30周年 比重 増 す生涯 教育 番組 ". Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Evening ed.). 1989-02-10. p. 12. - ^ Keith, Michael; Kocher, C P (January 1981). "The NEC PC-8001: A New Japanese Personal Computer". Byte. pp. 72–88. ISSN 0360-5280. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
External links
edit- Available software at 2012 and picture of NEC PC-8001
- PC-8001 Archived 2017-04-04 at the Wayback Machine, Oldcomputer.com
- NEC PC-8001 / 8801 games