NEC PC-8801
Encyclopedia
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".
The PC-8801BE was launched as a business computer in the UK with 8" floppy drives around 1982 but it was not as successful as the PC-8001 it was intended to replace.
Variations of the PC-8801 were also sold in the United States.
, 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.
A part of software corresponds to YM2608 and ADPCM. (ex: Snatcher
)
, 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 new editions 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.
Zilog Z80
The Zilog Z80 is an 8-bit microprocessor designed by Zilog and sold from July 1976 onwards. It was widely used both in desktop and embedded computer designs as well as for military purposes...
-based computer exclusively released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where it became very popular, by NEC Corporation in 1981. It was informally called the "PC-88".
The PC-8801BE was launched as a business computer in the UK with 8" floppy drives around 1982 but it was not as successful as the PC-8001 it was intended to replace.
Variations of the PC-8801 were also sold in the United States.
Model list
| Released Year | model name | model | CPU | RAM | VRAM | N mode | V1 mode | V2 mode | V3 mode | sound | ATARI Atari Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in... D-sub 9pin D-subminiature The D-subminiature or D-sub is a common type of electrical connector. They are named for their characteristic D-shaped metal shield. When they were introduced, D-subs were among the smaller connectors used on computer systems.... I/O port | FDD | CD-ROM | comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | PC-8801 | NEC µPD780 4 MHz | 64KB | 48KB | o | o | - | - | - | - | none | - | ||
| 1983 | PC-8801mkII | model10 | NEC µPD780 4 MHz | 64KB | 48KB | o | o | - | - | - | - | none | - | |
| model20 | 5.25" 2D x1 | |||||||||||||
| model30 | 5.25" 2D x2 | |||||||||||||
| 1985 | PC-8801mkII SR | model10 | NEC µPD780 4 MHz | 64KB | 48KB | o | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Yamaha YM2203 The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s... Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | none | - | The V2 mode that is necessary to play most PC-88 games is introduced. |
| model20 | 5.25" 2D x1 | |||||||||||||
| model30 | 5.25" 2D x2 | |||||||||||||
| PC-8801mkII TR | NEC µPD780 4 MHz | 64KB | 48KB | o | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Yamaha YM2203 The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s... Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2D x2 | - | PC-8801 mkII SR with 300 bit/s modem | ||
| PC-8801mkII FR | model10 | NEC µPD780 4 MHz | 64KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Yamaha YM2203 The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s... Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | none | - | Cost reduced version of PC-8801mkIISR | |
| model20 | 5.25" 2D x1 | |||||||||||||
| model30 | 5.25" 2D x2 | |||||||||||||
| PC-8801mkII MR | NEC µPD780 4 MHz | 192KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Yamaha YM2203 The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s... Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | FDD 2D->2HD | ||
| 1986 | PC-8801 FH | model10 | NEC µPD70008 8 MHz | 64KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Yamaha YM2203 The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s... Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | none | - | 88FR CPU upgrade |
| model20 | 5.25" 2D x1 | |||||||||||||
| model30 | 5.25" 2D x2 | |||||||||||||
| PC-8801 MH | NEC µPD70008 8 MHz | 192KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Yamaha YM2203 The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s... Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | 88MR CPU upgrade | ||
| 1987 | PC-88 VA | NEC V50 (µPD9002) NEC V20 The NEC V20 was a processor made by NEC that was a reverse-engineered, pin-compatible version of the Intel 8088 with an instruction set compatible with the Intel 80186... 8 MHz |
512KB | 256KB | - | o | o | o | FM(YM2203) Yamaha YM2203 The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s... Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | CPU upgrade (8bit->16bit) | |
| PC-8801 FA | NEC µPD70008 8 MHz | 64KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2608) Yamaha YM2608 thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203... Stereo Stereophonic sound The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective... + ADPCM Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2D x2 | - | sound card upgrade (88FR + sound board2(Yamaha YM2608)) | ||
| PC-8801 MA | NEC µPD70008 8 MHz | 192KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2608) Yamaha YM2608 thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203... Stereo Stereophonic sound The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective... + ADPCM Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | sound card upgrade (88MR + sound board2(Yamaha YM2608)) | ||
| 1988 | PC-88 VA2 | NEC V50 (µPD9002) NEC V20 The NEC V20 was a processor made by NEC that was a reverse-engineered, pin-compatible version of the Intel 8088 with an instruction set compatible with the Intel 80186... 8 MHz |
512KB | 256KB | - | o | o | o | FM(YM2608) Yamaha YM2608 thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203... Stereo Stereophonic sound The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective... + ADPCM Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | ||
| PC-88 VA3 | NEC V50 (µPD9002) NEC V20 The NEC V20 was a processor made by NEC that was a reverse-engineered, pin-compatible version of the Intel 8088 with an instruction set compatible with the Intel 80186... 8 MHz |
512KB | 256KB | - | o | o | o | FM(YM2608) Yamaha YM2608 thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203... Stereo Stereophonic sound The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective... + ADPCM Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2HD x2 / 3.5" 2TD x1 | - | add 2TD FDD | ||
| PC-8801 FE | NEC µPD70008 8 MHz | 64KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Yamaha YM2203 The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s... Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2D x2 | - | TV(NTSC) output (composit video), del external I/O | ||
| PC-8801 MA2 | NEC µPD70008 8 MHz | 192KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2608) Yamaha YM2608 thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203... Stereo Stereophonic sound The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective... +ADPCM Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2HD x2 | - | 88MA model change | ||
| 1989 | PC-8801 FE2 | NEC µPD70008 8 MHz | 64KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2203) Yamaha YM2203 The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s... Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
o | 5.25" 2D x2 | - | 88FE model change | |
| PC-8801 MC | model1 | NEC µPD70008 8 MHz | 192KB | 48KB | - | o | o | - | FM(YM2608) Yamaha YM2608 thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203... Stereo Stereophonic sound The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective... + ADPCM Mono Monaural Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path... |
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 resolutionDisplay resolution
The display resolution of a digital television or display device is the number of distinct pixels in each dimension that can be displayed. It can be an ambiguous term especially as the displayed resolution is controlled by all different factors in cathode ray tube , flat panel or projection...
, 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 SeriesPC-8000 SeriesThe PC-8000 series was a line of personal computers developed for the Japanese market by NEC.The PC-8001 model was also sold in the United States and in the UK as the PC-8001A.- PC-8001 :...
compatible 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
- PC-8801/PC8801mkII
- CPUCentral processing unitThe central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
: NEC PD780C-1 (Z80A-compatible) - Resolutions: ( N mode / V1 mode )
- MemoryComputer storageComputer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components and recording media that retain digital data. Data storage is one of the core functions and fundamental components of computers....
: 40+8+24 = 72 KBKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
ROMRead-only memoryRead-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
, 64+48 = 112 KB RAM - Sound: beepBeep (sound)A beep is a single tone onomatopoeia, generally made by a computer or a machine.-Use in computers:In some computer terminals, the ASCII character code 7, bell character, outputs an audible beep. The beep is also sometimes used to notify the user when the BIOS is not working or there is some other...
only
- CPU
- PC-8801mkIISR/TR/FR/MR
- CPUCentral processing unitThe central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
: NEC PD780C-1 (Z80A-compatible) - Resolutions: (SR) ( N mode / V1 mode / V2 mode ) or (TR/FR/MR) ( V1 mode / V2 mode )
- MemoryComputer storageComputer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components and recording media that retain digital data. Data storage is one of the core functions and fundamental components of computers....
: 40+8+24 = 72 KBKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
ROMRead-only memoryRead-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
, 64+48+4 = 116 KB RAM (MR = 244 KB) - Sound: beepBeep (sound)A beep is a single tone onomatopoeia, generally made by a computer or a machine.-Use in computers:In some computer terminals, the ASCII character code 7, bell character, outputs an audible beep. The beep is also sometimes used to notify the user when the BIOS is not working or there is some other...
+ YM2203Yamaha YM2203The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s...
( 3 FMFrequency modulationIn telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
channels, 3 SSGSSG- Organizations :* Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, within the United States Navy* Safesoft Global, former name of Seioglobal, a Chinese IT company* Särskilda Skyddsgruppen, a special forces unit of the Swedish Defence Forces...
) MonoMonauralMonaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
- CPU
- PC-8801FH/MH/FE/FE2
- CPUCentral processing unitThe central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
: µPD70008 (Z80H-compatible) - Resolutions: ( V1 mode / V2 mode )
- MemoryComputer storageComputer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components and recording media that retain digital data. Data storage is one of the core functions and fundamental components of computers....
: 40+8+24 = 72 KBKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
ROMRead-only memoryRead-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
, 64+48+4 = 116 KB RAM (MH = 244 KB) - Sound: beepBeep (sound)A beep is a single tone onomatopoeia, generally made by a computer or a machine.-Use in computers:In some computer terminals, the ASCII character code 7, bell character, outputs an audible beep. The beep is also sometimes used to notify the user when the BIOS is not working or there is some other...
+ YM2203Yamaha YM2203The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s...
( 3 FMFrequency modulationIn telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
channels, 3 SSGSSG- Organizations :* Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, within the United States Navy* Safesoft Global, former name of Seioglobal, a Chinese IT company* Särskilda Skyddsgruppen, a special forces unit of the Swedish Defence Forces...
) MonoMonauralMonaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
- CPU
- PC-8801FA/MA/MA2/MC
- CPUCentral processing unitThe central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
: µPD70008 (Z80H-compatible) - Resolutions: ( V1 mode / V2 mode )
- MemoryComputer storageComputer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components and recording media that retain digital data. Data storage is one of the core functions and fundamental components of computers....
: 40+8+24 = 72 KBKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
ROMRead-only memoryRead-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
, 64+48+4 = 116 KB RAM (MA/MA2/MC = 244 KB) - Sound: beepBeep (sound)A beep is a single tone onomatopoeia, generally made by a computer or a machine.-Use in computers:In some computer terminals, the ASCII character code 7, bell character, outputs an audible beep. The beep is also sometimes used to notify the user when the BIOS is not working or there is some other...
+ YM2608Yamaha YM2608thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203...
( 6 FMFrequency modulationIn telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
channels, 3 SSGSSG- Organizations :* Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, within the United States Navy* Safesoft Global, former name of Seioglobal, a Chinese IT company* Särskilda Skyddsgruppen, a special forces unit of the Swedish Defence Forces...
, 6 rhythms) StereoStereophonic soundThe term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
+ 1 ADPCM MonoMonauralMonaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
- CPU
- PC-88VA/VA2/VA3
- CPUCentral processing unitThe central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
: NEC V50 (µPD9002)NEC V20The NEC V20 was a processor made by NEC that was a reverse-engineered, pin-compatible version of the Intel 8088 with an instruction set compatible with the Intel 80186...
8 MHz - Resolutions: ( V1 mode / V2 mode / V3 mode )
- MemoryComputer storageComputer data storage, often called storage or memory, refers to computer components and recording media that retain digital data. Data storage is one of the core functions and fundamental components of computers....
: 40+8+24 = 72 KBKilobyteThe kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
ROMRead-only memoryRead-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
, 512+48+256 = 816 KB RAM - Sound: beepBeep (sound)A beep is a single tone onomatopoeia, generally made by a computer or a machine.-Use in computers:In some computer terminals, the ASCII character code 7, bell character, outputs an audible beep. The beep is also sometimes used to notify the user when the BIOS is not working or there is some other...
+ (VA)YM2203Yamaha YM2203The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s...
( 3 FMFrequency modulationIn telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
channels, 3 SSGSSG- Organizations :* Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, within the United States Navy* Safesoft Global, former name of Seioglobal, a Chinese IT company* Särskilda Skyddsgruppen, a special forces unit of the Swedish Defence Forces...
) MonoMonauralMonaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
or (VA2/VA3)YM2608Yamaha YM2608thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203...
( 6 FMFrequency modulationIn telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
channels, 3 SSGSSG- Organizations :* Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, within the United States Navy* Safesoft Global, former name of Seioglobal, a Chinese IT company* Särskilda Skyddsgruppen, a special forces unit of the Swedish Defence Forces...
, 6 rhythms) StereoStereophonic soundThe term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
+ 1 ADPCM MonoMonauralMonaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
- CPU
A part of software corresponds to YM2608 and ADPCM. (ex: Snatcher
Snatcher
is a cyberpunk-themed graphic adventure game produced by Konami, originally released in Japan for the NEC PC-8801 and MSX 2 computer platforms in 1988. It was followed by a CD-ROM-based remake released for the PC Engine video game console in 1992, which was subsequently ported and localized into...
)
Software
Companies that produced exclusive software for the NEC PC-8801 included EnixEnix
The was a Japanese company that produced video games, anime and manga. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975 as and renamed Enix in 1982...
, Square, Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
, Falcom
Falcom
is a Japanese computer game company. The company was founded in March 1981 by Masayuki Kato. Falcom has played a definite role in the growth and development of the Japanese personal computer software industry. The company released the first Japanese computer role-playing game in 1983 and followed...
, Bandai Soft
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
, Hal Laboratory
HAL Laboratory
is a Japanese video game developer that was founded on February 21, 1980. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Its name comes from the HAL 9000 computer in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The company is most famous for its character Kirby, the protagonist of the eponymous game series, as well as...
, ASCII
ASCII (company)
was a publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. It became a subsidiary of Kadokawa Group Holdings in 2004, and merged with another Kadokawa subsidiary MediaWorks on April 1, 2008, and became ASCII Media Works. The company published Monthly ASCII as the main publication...
, Pony
Pony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
, 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
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
, such as those produced by Game Arts
Game Arts
is a Japanese video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, they have since expanded their enterprise to produce for a number of game console and handheld systems...
, ELF
ELF Corporation
ELF Corporation is an eroge studio. One of its most popular games is Dōkyūsei, a pioneering dating sim, which has had a sequel, and been turned into video and TV series. The character design of the main villains from the -saku series is the company mascot...
, and Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
. Many popular series first appeared on the NEC PC-8801, including Snatcher
Snatcher
is a cyberpunk-themed graphic adventure game produced by Konami, originally released in Japan for the NEC PC-8801 and MSX 2 computer platforms in 1988. It was followed by a CD-ROM-based remake released for the PC Engine video game console in 1992, which was subsequently ported and localized into...
, Thexder
Thexder
is a classic action-arcade game from Game Arts, released on a number of platforms throughout the late 1980's and 1990.-Background:In the game, the player is a fighter robot, but is able to transform into a jet. Originally released in 1985 for the NEC PC-8801 platform in Japan, the game quickly...
, Dragon Slayer, RPG Maker, and Ys.
Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
licensed Hudson Soft
Hudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
to port some of Nintendo's Family Computer
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
games for the console, including Excitebike
Excitebike
is a motocross racing video game franchise made by Nintendo. It first debuted as a game for the Famicom in Japan in 1984 and as a launch title for the NES in 1985. It is the first game of the Excite series, succeeded by its direct sequel Excitebike 64, its spiritual successors Excite Truck and...
, Balloon Fight
Balloon Fight
is a 1984 video game developed by Nintendo. The arcade version was released in 1984 and the Nintendo Entertainment System version was released in 1986. The gameplay is similar to the arcade game Joust by Williams Electronics.-Gameplay:...
, Tennis
Tennis (video game)
Tennis is a sports game released in Japan for the Famicom in 1984, and in North America for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985. In North America, Tennis was one of 18 launch games for the NES.-Gameplay:...
, Donkey Kong 3
Donkey Kong 3
is the third video game in the original Donkey Kong series by Nintendo. Released near simultaneously for the Family Computer and arcade, and later released in America on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986. The game was re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in North America on July 14, 2008...
, Golf
Golf (video game)
Golf is a sports-simulation video game released in 1985 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was originally released in Japan in 1984 for the Nintendo Family Computer...
, and Ice Climber
Ice Climber
is a vertical platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for release on the Nintendo Famicom in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1985...
, as well as new editions of Mario Bros.
Mario Bros.
is an arcade game published and developed by Nintendo in 1983. It was developed by Shigeru Miyamoto. It has been commonly featured as a minigame in the Super Mario Advance series and other games...
called Mario Bros. Special and Punch Ball Mario Bros. and a unique Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
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
- A list of downloadable PC88 emulators