PC-8800 series

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The PC-8800 series (PC-8800シリーズ) is a range of Japanese home computers manufactured between 1981 and 1989 by NEC.

The PC-8800 series began with the launch of the PC-8801, and was initially marketed as a high-end home computer by the firm (a cheaper alternative being the PC-6000 series). It is the more logical successor to the PC-8000 series.

In October 1982 NEC launched the 16-bit PC-9800 series (beginning with the PC-9801), which over time became the new standard for higher-end computers offered by the company. The PC-8800 series continued to survive, however, becoming extremely popular as the price slowly fell.

During the first half of the 1980s, the PC-8800 series became one of the "big three" Japanese computers which dominated the market, sharing a platform with the Sharp X1 and its derivatives, and the FM-7 by Fujitsu. While many microcomputers were crushed by the rising MSX standard in 1983, the PC-8800 series continued to be supported until the early 1990s, where all Japanese computers were put under strain by the standards set by IBM PC compatibles.

Older PC-8800 series computers have an "N mode" video option, allowing for backwards compatibility with the PC-8000 series. This was removed with the PC-8801 mkII FR in November 1985.

Computers

Name	Date	Price	Processor	Clock Speed	RAM	Built-in 5¼ " FDD	Built-in CD-ROM	Video Modes	Sound
PC-8801	1981-11	¥228,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	No	No	N, V1	Beeper
PC-8801 mkII model 10	1983-11	¥168,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	No	No	N, V1	Beeper
PC-8801 mkII model 20	1983-11	¥225,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	1x 2DD	No	N, V1	Beeper
PC-8801 mkII model 30	1983-11	¥275,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	2x 2DD	No	N, V1	Beeper
PC-8801 mkII SR model 10	1985-01	¥168,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	No	No	N, V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 mkII SR model 20	1985-01	¥213,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	1x 2DD	No	N, V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 mkII SR model 30	1985-01	¥258,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	2x 2DD	No	N, V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 mkII TR	1985-09	¥288,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	2x 2DD	No	N, V1, V2
PC-8801 mkII FR model 10	1985-11	¥99,800	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	No	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 mkII FR model 20	1985-11	¥148,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	1x 2DD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 mkII FR model 30	1985-11	¥178,000	Z80A	4MHz	64kB	2x 2DD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 mkII MR	1985-11	¥238,000	Z80A	4MHz	192kB	2x 2HD	No	V1, V2
PC-8801 mkII MH	1986-10	¥208,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	192kB	2x 2HD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 FH model 10	1986-11	¥98,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	64kB	No	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 FH model 20	1986-11	¥138,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	64kB	1x 2DD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 FH model 30	1986-11	¥168,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	64kB	2x 2DD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 FH model 30 (black)	1986-11	¥168,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	64kB	2x 2DD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-88 VA	1987-03	¥298,000	V30	8MHz	512kB	2x 2HD	No	V1, V2, V3	FM, SSG
PC-8801 FA	1987-10	¥168,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	64kB	2x 2DD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG, ADPCM
PC-8801 MA	1987-10	¥198,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	192kB	2x 2HD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG, ADPCM
PC-88 VA2	1988-03	¥298,000	V30	8MHz	512kB	2x 2HD	No	V1, V2, V3	FM, SSG, ADPCM
PC-88 VA3	1988-03	¥398,000	V30	8MHz	512kB	2x 2HD (+ 3½-inch 1x 2TD)	No	V1, V2, V3	FM, SSG, ADPCM
PC-8801 FE	1988-10	¥129,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	64kB	2x 2DD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 MA2	1988-10	¥168,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	192kB	2x 2HD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG, ADPCM
PC-8801 FE2	1989-10	¥119,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	64kB	2x 2DD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG
PC-8801 MC model 1	1989-11	¥169,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	192kB	2x 2HD	No	V1, V2	FM, SSG, ADPCM
PC-8801 MC model 2	1989-11	¥199,000	Z80H	8/4MHz	192kB	2x 2HD	Yes	V1, V2	FM, SSG, ADPCM

Note: Floppy disk standards among NEC machines are both named and formatted slightly differently than Western counterparts:

• Double Density (2DD): 640kB
• High Density (2HD): 1.232MB
• Triple Density (2TD): 9.3MB

Graphics Modes

Four graphics modes exist for PC-8800 series hardware. No computer was equipped with all four, though every PC-8800 machine is guaranteed to have at least the V1 mode.

Name	Resolution	Available Colours	Palette
N	160x100	8	8
V1	640x200	8	8
	640x400	2	8
V2	640x200	8	512
	640x400	2	512
V3	640x200	65536	65,536
	640x400	256	65,536
	320x200	65536	65,536
	320x400	64	65,536

Promotional material

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  JP flyer (1981?)

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  JP flyer (1985?)

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  JP disk unit flyer (1987-06)

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  JP disk unit flyer (1989-01)

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  JP board & digitizer flyer (1989-03)

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  English brouchure