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Info for p2000t


====== Philips P2000T & P2000M (1980) ======




===== Features =====

* CPU: Z80 2.5 MHz
* Co-Processor: None
* RAM: 16 KB to 48 KB
* VRAM: 1 [T] or 2 [M] KB
* ROM: 4 KB + 16 KB in ROM cartridges
* Text Modes: 40 [T] or 80 [M] columns x 24 lines
* Graphic Modes: None
* Colors: 7
* Sound: Built-in beeper - 1 channel
* I/O Ports: TV aerial, RGB, Serial [T], Monochrome composite video, Serial, FDD interface [M]
* Keyboard: Typewriter type - 74 keys with numeric keypad
* Built In Media: Mini cassette drive (42 KB)
* OS: Philips JWSDOS, CP/M with extra card
* Peripherals: Various interfaces through the Bus slot



===== History and Trivia =====

The P2000 desktop series was the first Philips attempt to penetrate the home computer market. It was released in March 1980 in two version, the P2000M and the P2000T.

The main difference lied in the video interface. The T version, aimed at home and educational use, could be connected to either a standard TV set or a special RGB monitor. The M version, more professional, had an additional 80-column card allowing to connect a monochrome composite monitor. This version shipped with a monitor cabinet also housing a dual 5.25" floppy drive.

The P2000 was a robust and well conceived machine. There was no built-in language but only a 4 KB ROM holding system basic and I/O routines. Two cartridges slots allowed to add ROM programs (slot 1) or interface cards (slot 2) like a modem or a parallel printer interface.

Programs and data could be stored through the built-in mini cassette drive which was seen by the user as a floppy drive with automatic search for a program (CLOAD command) or free space (CSAVE). A command also allowed to display the directory of a cassette tape.

The P2000 didn't meet a great success in Europe, except in the Netherlands, its country of origin (although the machine was made in Austria) where the very active Philips user group provided lots of original software and hardware extensions like CP/M or disk drive controller cards. The P2000 was also widely used in Dutch and German schools.

//(info from old-computers.com)//



===== Links =====

* P2000 at old-computers.com -- http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1042




Generated on Sun Jul 19 10:17:28 2009