The Atari range of XL machines was quite popular in the eighties. The 600 XL was the low end computer in the range with only 16 k of memory. It runs a 6502C microprocessor at 1.79 MHz NTSC or 1.773 for PAL-systems. It has operating system and BASIC in a 24 k prom. I can display 40 x 24 characters or 320 x 192 pixels of graphics with 256 colors. On top of the keyboard are a slot for game cartridges or memory expansion module. My Atari is modified for the Swedish characters. For a big picture of the Atari 600XL click here!

Kindly donated by Anders Wahlbom

The Atari 520 ST was one of the first home computers with built in MIDI interface as standard which made it very popular among musicians. The 520ST came with 512 KB RAM, a + version had 1 MB. A Motorola MC68000 processor runs at 8 MHz. On the back are a lot of connectors: Modem, Printer, Hard disk, Floppy disk, RF TV signal, RGB-monitor, Built in power supply and two joysticks. On the left side the midi connectors and a cartridge slot. My Atari 520ST is made in Taiwan. Serial number A16BB4009068. For a big picture of the Atari 520ST click here!

Kindly donated by Ove Svensson

Commodore 64 is probably the worlds most sold home computer of all times. About 30 million units was produced! For the time it was introduced it had everything a young computer enthusiast could dream of. Whopping 64 kb of memory as standard, color graphics, sprites, sound, a decent keyboard, BASIC and a reasonable price. It become a fantastic success. Its predecessor, the also successful  VIC20, suddenly feels like a toy. A color TV should be used as a monitor and there was connectors for cassette recorder, 5¼" floppy disk drive (170 kb), printer, power supply, two joysticks and a cartridge slot for games and other expansions. See also the Commodore section in the office wing! See big picture of Commodore 64.

Kindly donated by Anders Wahlbom

Epson PX4+ (Japan 1985)

The Epson PX 4+ is a CP/M computer, successor to the HX-20 (from 1981), but is based on the PX-8. It has an virtual 80x25 LCD screen . The actual screen is 40x8. The display could be angled for best viewing. Incorporated to the right is also a small thermal printer. This slot could also be used for tape recorder or RAM expansion. The computer has a full size qwerty keyboard and a line of extra function keys above. An external power supply or 4 x AA-size standard cells keep the computer running. On the back are odd non standard connectors for RS232, serial printer and parallel printer. The 4+ model includes an 120 Kbyte RAM disk. Click here for a big picture of the Epson PX4+

This computer kindly donated by Pär Bertilsson

The IMSAI 8080 is one of the first home computers for hobby use. It was sold as a kit to build or as a ready to use unit. A similar computer, the Altair 8800, was released only months before the IMSAI. The IMSAI was however the most commercially successful of the two. The micro processor was of course an Intel 8080 running at 2 MHz, maximum 64 k memory could be used. The case includes a big power supply and a "motherboard" with S-100 slots. And of course the nice front panel with the big red and blue toggle switches that gives IMSAI the typical seventies look. If you have seen the classic computer movie WarGames (1983) this computer has an important part in that movie.

Click to se a big picture of AMSAI 8080!
Click here to go to my specail AMSAI 8080 page! IMSAI in the movie WarGames

Kindly donated by Tommy Petersson

"Your COMPUTER. With sound and music. For Family, Business, Educational and Entertainment". Z80A CPU at 3.25 MHz. 2 K RAM expandable to 16 or 32 K. 24 rows by 32 characters video. 22 graphic symbols available. Reverse video characters available. Built in cassette interface. Automatic repeat on space bar, insert, delete and cursor control keys. Programmable slow mode(!) and fast mode. 8 K basic in ROM. 42 rubber keys (ZX-81 look-alike). Made in Hong Kong circa 1982. Click here for a nice pic of the original package!

Kindly donated by Niklas Wallin

Oric-1 (1983)

With 48k RAM, 18k ROM and a 6502A processor the Oric-1 was a perfect hobby computer. A "near real" keyboard with 57 keys. It could display 8 foreground and 8 background colors at the same time, 32x24 Chars. Built in loudspeaker, storage on external cassette player.

Kindly donated by Harri Ahola

The 700 series from Sharp was equipped differently, the 721 had a cassette deck, MZ-731 had also a build in four color plotter. The 711 was the "naked" version without cassette deck and printer. It is a Z80A ( LH-0080) machine running at 4 MHz with 64 k RAM and 4 k ROM. No basic included. Text display is 40 x 24 characters 16 colors.

This computer kindly donated by Håkan Willhemsson

Sinclair ZX80 (UK 1980 - 1981)

The Sinclair ZX80 was a home computer brought to market in 1980 by Sinclair Research of Cambridge, England. It was notable for being the first computer available in the United Kingdom for under a hundred pounds (a price tag of £99.95, to be exact). It was available in kit form, where purchasers had to assemble and solder it together, and as a ready-built version at a slightly higher cost for those without the skill or inclination to build their own unit. The ZX80 was very popular straight away, and for some time there was a waiting list of several months for either version of the machine. The machine was designed around a Z80 central processing unit with a clock speed of 3.25 MHz and was equipped with 1 KB of static RAM and 4 KB of read-only memory containing the Sinclair BASIC programming language, editor, and operating system. The ZX80 was replaced by the ZX81 in 1981.
Thanks to Tomas Ohlson for the donation.

The Spectrum has eight colors, a built-in sound generator and loudspeaker, and the closest Sinclair Research has come to a "real" keyboard. Its specifications exceed those of the Model A BBC machine, and come close to the Model B in many areas. At just £125 for the 16K model, the Spectrum is the same price as a ZX-81 with 16K pack when first launched. With 48K the Spectrum costs £175.

Read more about my ZX Spectrum here

Sinclair QL (UK 1984 - 1986)

The QL was originally conceived in 1981 under the code-name ZX83, as a portable computer for business users, with a built-in flat-screen CRT and internal modem. As development progressed, and ZX83 became ZX84, it eventually became clear that the portability features were over-ambitious and the specification was reduced to a conventional desktop configuration.

Based on a Motorola 68008 processor clocked at 7.5 MHz, the QL included 128 KB of RAM (officially expandable to 640 KB) and could be connected to a monitor or TV for display. Two built-in Microdrive tape-loop cartridge drives (first seen as a peripheral for the ZX Spectrum) provided mass storage, in place of the more expensive floppy disk drives found on similar systems of the era. Interfaces included an expansion slot, ROM cartridge socket, dual RS-232 ports, proprietary QLAN local area network ports, dual joystick ports and an external Microdrive bus. Two video modes were available, 256×256 pixels with 8 RGB colors and per-pixel flashing, or 512×256 pixels with four colors (black, red, green and white). Both screen modes used a 32 KB frame buffer in main memory. The hardware was capable of switching between two different areas of memory for the frame buffer, thus allowing double buffering. However, this would have used 64 KB of the standard machine's 128 KB of RAM and there is no support for this feature in the QL's original firmware. The alternative and much improved operating system Minerva does provide full support for the second frame buffer. Click for big picture! Kindly donated by Anders Wahlbom

Sord Computer Corporation in Japan produced this Z80A based computer running at 3.58 MHz in 1982. I was equipped with 4 k RAM and 8 K ROM. Supplied with the computer was game pads and a power supply. This is very much a game computer. Underneath a flip top is a socket for game modules. On back are connections for printer, video and rf display, game pads, power, cassette recorder and sound device.

This computer kindly donated by Håkan Willhemsson

S

The Spectravideo had a Z80 CPU running at 3.6 MHz, 32 K RAM and 48 K BASIC ROM. This computer uses a external PAL-RF converter to be able to use a color television for displaying 40 x 25 characters in 16 colors. A real nice qwerty-keyboard with "real" keys and a cartridge slot on top. She Swedish version had a special cartridge for the national Swedish characters. A cassette deck is used for storage like most home computers at this time.

This computer kindly donated by Lennart Jonsson

Click here for a special page about the Spectravideo

Not easy to decide if I should put the Compis in the home or office wing. This Swedish computer was developed for schools only and not homes or offices. Well, I put it in the home wing! Can you believe that Swedish authorities started a project to develop a special computer for schools? A computer with a special operating system (CP/M-86) and a odd microprocessor (Intel 80186) and special variants of the programming languages Pascal and Comal never found outside schools! What where they thinking?

This computer kindly donated by Pär Bertilsson

Click here for my special page about the odd computer "Compis" (in Swedish language only, sorry...)

Texas Ti-99/4a (USA 1981 - 1983)

The TI99/4a, which ran on a 16 bit TMS-9900 CPU at  3.3 MHz. Memory: 16 k RAM - upgradeable to 48k 26k ROM. 48 key keyboard QWERTY style. Graphics: 40 column text mode 32 x 24 mixed text and graphics, max of 16 colors 256 x 192 bitmap mode. External PAL modulator for TV set.