Enterprise (home computer)
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The Enterprise was a Zilog Z80 based home computer that first appeared in 1985 . Two variants were produced: the Enterprise 64 with 64 KByte RAM and the Enterprise 128 with 128 KByte. There were two coprocessors in the device for the sound (audio chip Dave ) and the graphics (video chip Nick ). Both chips were named after their designers Nick Toop and Dave Woodfield .
The computer had a Z80 CPU with 4 MHz, 64 KByte or 128 KByte RAM and 48 KByte ROM , in which the EXOS operating system and the programming language BASIC were accommodated. A word processing program was also built into the ROM . The case of the computer was unique in its own way, as it contained both the keyboard with programmable function keys and a small joystick .
IS-BASIC
In contrast to most other home computers of the time, the enterprise computers contain neither BASIC nor any other programming language in their internal ROM. Its BASIC interpreter was delivered on a 16k plug-in module and the language can be changed by switching the module, a principle similar to that of Acorn's BBC Micro .
IS-Basic (derived from the name of the manufacturer Intelligent Software Ltd ) adheres to the ANSI BASIC standard. It is a fully structured language whose broad set of control structures includes multiline IF ... THEN ... ELSE, SELECT ... CASE, DO ... LOOP with WHILE and UNTIL conditions. The WHILE condition is at the beginning and the UNTIL condition at the end of the Do loop and offers the option of exiting a loop with the EXIT LOOP statement. Procedures and functions can have reference and value parameters as well as local variables. Errors and other exceptions are handled with exception handlers.
IS-Basic has the unique ability to hold several programs in memory at the same time. Each program has a separate set of global variables and line numbers, but the CHAIN statement allows one program to be called from another and parameters passed between them. Peripheral devices can be controlled directly from BASIC, so there is seldom the need to use POKE and PEEK instructions. IS-Basic has the usual commands for drawing points, lines, circles and ellipses as well as for filling in areas and supports turtle graphics in the style of logo drawings. Sound commands can be queued and executed in the background while the program continues to run.
The basic principle has also been called lengthy, e.g. For example, the command to clear the screen was usually abbreviated to CLS; on the Enterprise, the command was CLEAR SCREEN without an abbreviation option .
Sales variants
In Germany , the computer was sold under the name Mephisto PHC 64 by the company Hegener + Glaser from 1985, which had previously successfully sold electronic chess computers in the German market. The device was sold in May 1985 at a price of DM 1,198.00 (including VAT). A total of around 80,000 devices have been sold.
In Hungary , the Videoton company had a license from 1984 and created a version of the device adapted to the national circumstances, which was produced for about three years from 1988 under the name TV Computer . The series comprised two basic models and a revised version, but all in all just came into the 5-digit number range.
Technical specifications
- Processor: Zilog Z80A, 4 MHz
- Main memory: 48 KByte ROM (with "Exos" operating system) 64 or 128 KByte RAM, expandable to 4 MByte; CP / M compatible
- Graphics resolution: up to 672 × 256 (interlaced 672 × 512), text: up to 84 × 28 (interlaced 84 × 56), 256 colors, 16 graphic modes; "Nick" video chip
- Music: 8 octaves, 4 tone generators, stereo capable; "Dave" audio chip
- Interfaces: Centronics , serial RS232 / RS423 , two joystick, two cassette recorder connections, module slot, 64-pin expansion port
- Size: 394 by 265 by 35 millimeters
- Keyboard (Mephisto PHC 64): DIN keyboard with 69 keys, eight of which are freely programmable function keys, built-in joystick
