The KC85/1 was originally introduced as the HC-9001, "HC" meaning "Home Computer". But as the industry demand for computers was so high, they even used these home computers, so the name was changed to KC85/1, "KC" standing for "KleinComputer", which could be translated to "Small Computer".
The machine had very limited graphical capabilities with 128 pre-defined graphic and 96 text symbols in text mode (8x8 pixels size). The BASIC language needs to be loaded from cassette every time you needed it (or you could also get it as an optional ROM Module). It has got an awful keyboard (3 x 10 mm plastic keys), which was quite a pain to type with for a long time.
There was probably no real reason to prefer it from the other available models, except its low price, compared to its bigger and more featured brothers.
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Info kindly provided by Stefan Goehler.
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I remember this particular computer very well, as it was my first computer and I learned how to program BASIC and Assembler on it. The keyboard surely was a pain in the ass, not so much because of its form factor but rather because a lot of force was necessary to press down a key. Good training for a guitar-player like me, but horrible in general.
Its former name was actually "Z 9001", not "HC9001", see here for an example: http://www.homecomputermuseum.de/comp/detail/111.jpg.
Friday 19th December 2008
Ron (Germany)
Wow, who the hell would think designing a keyboard like that would be a "good" thing!?!?! Shoot some engineers :)
Friday 16th November 2007
Josh Carlson (Gadsden, AL, USA)
NAME
KC 85/1 - Z 9001
MANUFACTURER
Robotron
TYPE
Home Computer
ORIGIN
Germany
YEAR
1984
END OF PRODUCTION
1987
BUILT IN LANGUAGE
KC 85/1 OS, HC OS
KEYBOARD
QWERTZ-Layout, 65 keys. VERY hard to type with
CPU
U880 D (Z80 clone)
SPEED
1,75 Mhz
RAM
17 KB (16 KB free), expandable to 64 KB max.
VRAM
2 KB
ROM
6 KB (4 KB OS + 2 KB character map)
TEXT MODES
40x24 characters (switchable to 40x20)
GRAPHIC MODES
Graphics only possible with 128 pre-defined graphic and 96 text symbols in text mode (8x8 pixels size)
B/W TV output through HF-modulator, Tape interface (DIN), I/0 connector (DIN), 2 Joysticks connectors, 4 module slots After RGB-Upgrade: 1 connector for 2 Joysticks, 1 connector for RGB color output
BUILT IN MEDIA
none; external cassette player required (connected via DIN connector)
OS
KC 85/1 OS, HC OS
POWER SUPPLY
ca. 25 W
PERIPHERALS
Color upgrade, Sound module, Basic on ROM, 16 KB RAM modules, 10 KB module with room for self-programmed ROM’s, ADC module, DAC module
