PC-8800 series

PC-8800 series
	NEC PC-8801
Developer	Nippon Electric(NEC)
Manufacturer	New Nippon Electric (NEC Home Electronics)
Type	Personal computer
Release date	November 1981;42 years ago
Operating system	N-88 BASIC
CPU	NEC μPD780C-1@ 4 MHz and higher
Memory	64kilobytesand higher
Display	Text 80 × 25, graphics 160 × 100, 8 colors (and higher)
Graphics	SGP
Sound	Internal beeper (and higher)
Power	100 VAC
Predecessor	PC-8000 series
Successor	PC-9800 series

ThePC-8800 series(Japanese:PC-8800シリーズ,Hepburn:Pī Shī Hassen Happyaku Shirīzu),commonly shortened toPC-88,are a brand ofZilog Z80-based 8-bithome computersreleased byNippon Electric Company(NEC) in 1981 and primarily sold inJapan.

The PC-8800 series sold extremely well and became one of the four major Japanese home computers of the 1980s, along with theFujitsu FM-7,Sharp X1and theMSXcomputers. It was later eclipsed by NEC's 16-bitPC-9800 series,although it still maintained strong sales up until the early 90s.

NEC's American subsidiary, NEC Home Electronics (USA), marketed variations of the PC-8800 in theUnited States^[1]^[2]andCanada.

History

Nippon Electric's Microcomputer Sales Section of the Electronic Device Sales Division launched thePC-8001in September 1979, and by 1981 it consisted of 40% of the Japanese personal computer market.^[3]In April 1981, Nippon Electric decided to expand personal computer lines into three groups: New Nippon Electric, Information Processing Group and Electronic Devices Group, with each specializing in a particular series. The Microcomputer Sales Section was reformed to the Microcomputer and Application Division in June 1980, and was renamed to the Personal Computer Division in April 1981. At that time, Japanese personal computers were mostly used by hobbyists. The division introduced thePC-8801in November 1981 and intended to expand the personal computer market into the business world.^[4]

ThePC-8801was capable of displayingKanjicharacters via an optional KanjiROMboard. Various companies released Japaneseword processorsoftware for the machine, such as My Letter(マイレター),Writing(Văn bút,Bunpitsu),andYūkara(ユーカラ).NEC themselves released Nihongo Word Processor(Nhật bổn ngữ ワードプロセッサ)which was a rebranded version of Yukara, but it was not a success.^[5]In addition to office software, companies likeEnixandKoeireleased many popular games for the system, establishing the PC-8801 as a strong gaming platform.^[6]By November 1983, thePC-8801had shipped 170,000 units.^[7]The PC-8801's direct successor, thePC-8801mkII,came with aJIS level 1 kanjifont ROM, a smaller case and keyboard, and, in the models 20 and 30, one or two internal 51⁄4-inch 2Dfloppy diskdrives. This set of PC-8800 computers sold more units than the PC-9800 series at that time.^[8]

By December 1983, NEC had multiple personal computer lines coming out from different divisions. NEC's Information Processing group had the PC-9800 series, and NEC Home Electronics had thePC-6000 series.To avoid competing with itself, NEC decided to consolidate their personal computer business into two divisions; the NEC Home Electronics division dealt with the 8-bit home computer line, and the Information Processing group dealt with the 16-bit personal computer line. The Electronic Device Sales division spun off personal computer business into NEC Home Electronics.^[4]

In March 1985, NEC Home Electronics introduced thePC-8801mkIISR,which had improved graphics and sound capabilities.^[6]A cost-reduced version, thePC-8801mkIIFR,shipped 60,000 units for half a year.^[9]Although the PC-9801VM shipments surpassed it,^[8]the PC-8800 series was still popular as a Japanese PC game platform until the early 1990s.^[10]

Hardware

Graphics

Throughout the lifetime of the PC-8800, there were four different graphics modes. They are as follows:

N mode:PC-8000 seriescompatible graphic mode
V1 mode: 640 × 200 8 colors, 640 × 400 2 colors
V2 mode: 640 × 200 8 out of 512 colors, 640 × 400 2 out of 512 colors
V3 mode: 640 × 200: 65536 colors, 640 × 400: 256 out of 65536 colors, 320 × 200: 65536 colors, 320 × 400: 64 out of 65536 colors

No entry in the PC-8800 series was capable of displaying all four modes.

Sound

The early computers in the PC-8800 series use a simple internal speaker, like theApple IIandIBM PC,capable of generating beeps and clicks. Later models addedFM-synthesischips for much more elaborate audio.

Software

Companies that produced exclusive software for the NEC PC-8801 includedEnix,Square,Sega,Nihon Falcom,Bandai,HAL Laboratory,ASCII,Pony Canyon,Technology and Entertainment Software,Wolf Team,Dempa, Champion Soft, Starcraft,Micro Cabin,PSK, andBothtec.Certain games produced for the PC-8801 had a shared release with theMSX,such as those produced byGame Arts,ELF Corporation,andKonami.Many popular series first appeared on the NEC PC-8801, includingSnatcher,Thexder,Dragon Slayer,RPG Maker,Sokoban,andYs.

NintendolicensedHudson Softto port some of Nintendo'sFamily Computergames for the platform, includingExcitebike,Balloon Fight,Tennis,Golf,andIce Climber,as well as new editions ofMario Bros.calledMario Bros. SpecialandPunch Ball Mario Bros.,a semi-sequel toDonkey Kong 3titledDonkey Kong 3: Dai Gyakushū.

The computer also had its ownBASICdialect, N88-BASIC.

Model list

Release year	Model name	Model	CPU	RAM	VRAM	N mode	V1 mode	V2 mode	V3 mode	Sound	Atari D-sub 9-pinI/O port	FDD	CD-ROM	Operating system	Comment
1981	PC-8801		NECμPD780C-14 MHz	64 KB	48 KB	Yes	Yes	No	No	Internal beeper like in the IBM PC	No	No	No	NEC N-88 BASIC	4 expansion board slot.
1983	PC-8801mkII	model 10	NECμPD780C-14 MHz	64 KB	48 KB	Yes	Yes	No	No	Beeper andYM2149F(optional, through beeper)^{[verification needed]}	No	No	No
		model 20										1× 5.25 "2D
		model 30										2× 5.25 "2D
1985	PC-8801mkII SR	model 10	NECμPD780C-14 MHz	64 KB	48 KB	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2203)Mono	Yes	No	No		The V2 mode that is necessary to play most PC-88 games is introduced. With D-sub 9pin Atari joystick port.
		model 20										1× 5.25 "2D
		model 30										2× 5.25 "2D
	PC-8801mkII TR		NECμPD780C-14 MHz	64 KB	48 KB	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2203)Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2D	No		PC-8801 mkII SR with 300 bit/s modem
	PC-8801mkII FR	model 10	NECμPD780C-14 MHz	64 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2203)Mono	Yes	No	No		Cost-reduced version of PC-8801mkIISR
		model 20										1× 5.25 "2D
		model 30										2× 5.25 "2D
	PC-8801mkII MR		NECμPD780C-14 MHz	192 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2203)Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2HD	No		FDD 2D->2HD
1986	PC-8801 FH	model 10	NEC μPD700088 MHz	64 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2203)Mono	Yes	No	No		88FR CPU upgrade. model30 ( B ) is black color model.
		model 20										1× 5.25 "2D
		model 30										2× 5.25 "2D
	PC-8801 MH		NEC μPD700088 MHz	192 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2203)Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2HD	No		88MR CPU upgrade
1987	PC-88 VA		NEC μPD90028 MHz	512 KB	256 KB	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	FM (YM2203)Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2HD	No		CPU upgrade (8-bit to 16-bit)
	PC-8801 FA		NEC μPD700088 MHz	64 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2608)Stereo+ADPCM Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2D	No		sound card upgrade (88FH + sound board2(Yamaha YM2608))
	PC-8801 MA		NEC μPD700088 MHz	192 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2608)Stereo+ADPCM Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2HD	No		sound card upgrade (88MH + sound board2(Yamaha YM2608))
1988	PC-88 VA2		NEC μPD90028 MHz	512 KB	256 KB	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	FM (YM2608)Stereo+ADPCM Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2HD	No
	PC-88 VA3		NEC μPD90028 MHz	512 KB	256 KB	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	FM (YM2608)Stereo+ADPCM Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2HD / 1× 3.5" 2TD	No		add 2TD FDD
	PC-8801 FE		NEC μPD700088 MHz	64 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2203)Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2D	No		TV(NTSC) output (composite video), del external I/O
	PC-8801 MA2		NEC μPD700088 MHz	192 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2608)Stereo+ADPCM Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2HD	No		88MA model change
1989	PC-8801 FE2		NEC μPD700088 MHz	64 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2203)Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2D	No		88FE model change
	PC-8801 MC	model 1	NEC μPD700088 MHz	192 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2608)Stereo+ADPCM Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2HD	Optional
	PC-8801 MC	model 2	NEC μPD700088 MHz	192 KB	48 KB	No	Yes	Yes	No	FM (YM2608)Stereo+ADPCM Mono	Yes	2× 5.25 "2HD	Yes

References

^"New Products".InfoWorld.May 1984. p. 52.RetrievedJune 20,2013.
^Ahl, David H. (November 1983)."NEC PC-8800 personal computer system (evaluation)".Creative Computing.Vol. 9, no. 11. p. 28.RetrievedJune 20,2013.
^パソコン đại đồ giam tối tân ・ nhân khí パソコン mục đích biệt toàn カタログ(in Japanese).Kodansha.1981. pp. 30–31.ISBN 4-06-141673-1.
^^a ^bNhật bổn điện khí xã sử biên toản thất (2001-12-25).Nhật bổn điện khí chu thức hội xã bách niên sử.NEC.pp. 652–660.
^Phiến bối, hiếu phu; bình xuyên, kính tử (1988). "Nhật bổn ngữ ワードプロセッサの lịch sử".パソコン kinh dị の10 niên sử —その đản sinh から cận vị lai まで(in Japanese).Kodansha.pp. 55–85.ISBN 4-06-132721-6.
^^a ^bTây thôn, chính nhân (1988). "ゲームの tiến hóa とヒット thương phẩm の nguyên を tham る". In コンピュータ・ニュース xã (ed.).100 vạn nhân の mê を giải くザ・PCの hệ phổ(in Japanese). コンピュータ・ニュース xã. pp. 150–153.ISBN 4-8061-0316-0.
^"ASCII EXPRESS: NEC, パーソナルコンピュータ2 cơ chủng を phát mại".ASCII(in Japanese).8(1).ASCII.1984.ISSN 0287-9506.
^^a ^bコンピュータ・ニュース xã, ed. (1988). "パソコン cơ chủng biệt シェア変 thiên".100 vạn nhân の mê を giải くザ・PCの hệ phổ(in Japanese). コンピュータ・ニュース xã. pp. 128–129.ISBN 4-8061-0316-0.
^"Nhật điện, 8バットパソコン hảo điều — tân モデル đầu nhập thành công.".Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun(in Japanese).Nihon Keizai Shimbun.1986-03-10. p. 5.
^A bộ, quảng thụ (2004). "PC-9801 hồn の danh tác ゲームの lữ".Tô るPC-9801 vân thuyết vĩnh cửu bảo tồn bản đệ 1 đạn(in Japanese).ASCII.pp. 121–125.ISBN 4-7561-4419-5.

External links

[1](Translated)
System Informationemulation site for retro Japanese computers
OLD-COMPUTERS.COM: The Museum: NEC PC-8801
NEC PC-8801 info pagepopular games, tags and developers at uvlist.net
NEC PC-8801 MK II commercial on YouTube
NEC PC-8801MA FA commercial on YouTube
A list of downloadable PC88 emulators

Preceded by NEC PC-8001 NEC PC-6001 NEC PC-6601	NEC Personal Computers	Succeeded by NEC PC-9801

[Info_World,_May_1984-1] "New Products".InfoWorld.May 1984. p. 52.RetrievedJune 20,2013.

[Creative_Computing,_Nov_1983-2] Ahl, David H. (November 1983)."NEC PC-8800 personal computer system (evaluation)".Creative Computing.Vol. 9, no. 11. p. 28.RetrievedJune 20,2013.

[3] パソコン đại đồ giam tối tân ・ nhân khí パソコン mục đích biệt toàn カタログ(in Japanese).Kodansha.1981. pp. 30–31.ISBN 4-06-141673-1.

[:0-4] Nhật bổn điện khí xã sử biên toản thất (2001-12-25).Nhật bổn điện khí chu thức hội xã bách niên sử.NEC.pp. 652–660.

[5] Phiến bối, hiếu phu; bình xuyên, kính tử (1988). "Nhật bổn ngữ ワードプロセッサの lịch sử".パソコン kinh dị の10 niên sử —その đản sinh から cận vị lai まで(in Japanese).Kodansha.pp. 55–85.ISBN 4-06-132721-6.

[nishimura_1988-6] Tây thôn, chính nhân (1988). "ゲームの tiến hóa とヒット thương phẩm の nguyên を tham る". In コンピュータ・ニュース xã (ed.).100 vạn nhân の mê を giải くザ・PCの hệ phổ(in Japanese). コンピュータ・ニュース xã. pp. 150–153.ISBN 4-8061-0316-0.

[7] "ASCII EXPRESS: NEC, パーソナルコンピュータ2 cơ chủng を phát mại".ASCII(in Japanese).8(1).ASCII.1984.ISSN 0287-9506.

[salesdata_1988-8] コンピュータ・ニュース xã, ed. (1988). "パソコン cơ chủng biệt シェア変 thiên".100 vạn nhân の mê を giải くザ・PCの hệ phổ(in Japanese). コンピュータ・ニュース xã. pp. 128–129.ISBN 4-8061-0316-0.

[9] "Nhật điện, 8バットパソコン hảo điều — tân モデル đầu nhập thành công.".Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun(in Japanese).Nihon Keizai Shimbun.1986-03-10. p. 5.

[10] A bộ, quảng thụ (2004). "PC-9801 hồn の danh tác ゲームの lữ".Tô るPC-9801 vân thuyết vĩnh cửu bảo tồn bản đệ 1 đạn(in Japanese).ASCII.pp. 121–125.ISBN 4-7561-4419-5.

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