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".
Contents |
Model list
| Released Year | model name | model | CPU | RAM | VRAM | N mode | V1 mode | V2 mode | V3 mode | sound | ATARI D-sub 9pin I/O port | FDD | CD-ROM | comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | PC-8801 | NEC µPD780 4MHz | 64KB | none | o | o | - | - | - | - | none | - | ||
| 1983 | PC-8801mkII | model10 | NEC µPD780 4MHz | 64KB | none | o | o | - | - | - | - | none | - | |
| model20 | 5.25" 2D x1 | |||||||||||||
| model30 | 5.25" 2D x2 | |||||||||||||
| 1985 | PC-8801mkII SR | model10 | NEC µPD780 4MHz | 64KB | 4KB | o | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Mono | o | none | - | The V2 mode that is necessary to play the game of most PC-88 is installed. |
| model20 | 5.25" 2D x1 | |||||||||||||
| model30 | 5.25" 2D x2 | |||||||||||||
| PC-8801mkII TR | NEC µPD780 4MHz | 64KB | 4KB | o | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Mono | o | 5.25" 2D x2 | - | PC-8801 mkII SR with 300bps modem | ||
| PC-8801mkII FR | model10 | NEC µPD780 4MHz | 64KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Mono | o | none | - | Cost reduction version of PC-8801mkIISR | |
| model20 | 5.25" 2D x1 | |||||||||||||
| model30 | 5.25" 2D x2 | |||||||||||||
| PC-8801mkII MR | NEC µPD780 4MHz | 192KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Mono | o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | FDD 2D->2HD | ||
| 1986 | PC-8801 FH | model10 | NEC µPD70008 8MHz | 64KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Mono | o | none | - | 88FR CPU upgrade |
| model20 | 5.25" 2D x1 | |||||||||||||
| model30 | 5.25" 2D x2 | |||||||||||||
| PC-8801 MH | NEC µPD70008 8MHz | 192KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Mono | o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | 88MR CPU upgrade | ||
| 1987 | PC-88 VA | NEC V50 (µPD70216) 8MHz | 512KB | 256KB | - | o | o | o | FM(YM2203) Mono | o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | CPU upgrade (8bit->16bit) | |
| PC-8801 FA | NEC µPD70008 8MHz | 64KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2608) Stereo + ADPCM Mono | o | 5.25" 2D x2 | - | sound card upgrade (88FR + sound board2(Yamaha YM2608)) | ||
| PC-8801 MA | NEC µPD70008 8MHz | 192KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2608) Stereo + ADPCM Mono | o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | sound card upgrade (88MR + sound board2(Yamaha YM2608)) | ||
| 1988 | PC-88 VA2 | NEC V50 (µPD70216) 8MHz | 512KB | 256KB | - | o | o | o | FM(YM2608) Stereo + ADPCM Mono | o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | ||
| PC-88 VA3 | NEC V50 (µPD70216) 8MHz | 512KB | 256KB | - | o | o | o | FM(YM2608) Stereo + ADPCM Mono | o | 5.25" 2HD x2 / 3.5" 2TD x1 | - | add 2TD FDD | ||
| PC-8801 FE | NEC µPD70008 8MHz | 64KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Mono | o | 5.25" 2D x2 | - | TV(NTSC) output (composit video), del external I/O | ||
| PC-8801 MA2 | NEC µPD70008 8MHz | 192KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2608) Stereo +ADPCM Mono | o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | 88MA model change | ||
| 1989 | PC-8801 FE2 | NEC µPD70008 8MHz | 64KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Mono | o | 5.25" 2D x2 | - | 88FE model change | |
| PC-8801 MC | model1 | NEC µPD70008 8MHz | 192KB | 4KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2608) Stereo + ADPCM Mono | o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | (option) | ||
| model2 | 5.25" 2HD x2 | o | ||||||||||||
Hardware
For its time, the PC-8801SR (V2-mode) had a high display resolution, but could only display 8 out of 512 colors simultaneously. The 640 × 400 mode was monochrome only. Its sound-producing capabilities were also more advanced than other machines of the time.
- N mode: PC-8000_Series compatible graphic mode
- V1 mode: 640 × 200 8 colors, 640 × 400 2 colors, 320 × 200 256 colors, 320 × 400 64 colors
- V2 mode: 640 × 200 8 out of 512 colors, 640 × 400 2 out of 512 colors, 320 × 200 256 out of 512 colors, 320 × 400 64 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
- PC-8801/PC8001mkII
- PC-8801FH/MH/FE/FE2
- PC-8801FA/MA/MA2/MC
- PC-88VA/VA2/VA3
A part of software corresponds to YM2608 and ADPCM. (ex: Snatcher)
Software
Companies that produced exclusive software for the NEC PC-8801 included Enix, Square, Sega, Falcom, Bandai Soft, Hal Laboratory, ASCII, Pony, T&E Soft, Wolf Team, Dempa, Champion Soft, Starcraft, Micro Cabin, PSK and Bothtec. Certain games produced for the PC-8801 had a shared release with the MSX, such as those produced by Game Arts, ELF and Konami. Many popular series first appeared on the NEC PC-8801, including Snatcher, Thexder, Dragon Slayer, RPG Maker and Ys.
Nintendo licensed Hudson Soft to port some of Nintendo's Family Computer games for the console, including Excitebike, Balloon Fight, Tennis, Donkey Kong 3, Golf and Ice Climber, as well as ports of Mario Bros. called Mario Bros. Special and Punch Ball Mario Bros. and a unique Super Mario Bros. game for the computer, Super Mario Bros. Special.
The computer also had its own BASIC dialect, N88-BASIC.
External links
- System Information emulation site for retro Japanese computers
- OLD-COMPUTERS.COM: The Museum: NEC PC-8801
- NEC PC-8801 info page popular games, tags and developers at uvlist.net
- NEC PC-8801 MK I comercial on YouTube
- NEC PC-8801 MK II commercial on Youtube
- NEC PC-8801 MK II MR comercial on YouTube
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