Nascom

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Nascom 1 and 2 were kits for single-board computers , which were offered in 1977 and 1979 by the English company Nascom Microcomputers .

The computers were based on the Zilog Z80 processor and offered a keyboard and a display interface (video out with 16 lines with 48 columns each). In addition to a serial interface that could save data on tape according to the Kansas City Standard (KCS), there was also a Z80 PIO with two parallel interfaces with 8 bits each.

The Nascom Microcomputers was sold to Lucas Logic in 1981 after financial difficulties . Parallel to their work, a group led by Nascom founder John Marshall founded the Gemini Microcomputers (also Gemini Company / Microvalue ).

The predecessor of the successful Turbo Pascal compiler and the integrated development environment (IDE) for CP / M and MS-DOS were developed and sold for the Nascom under the name Blue Label Software Pascal .

The MESS emulator system simulates Nascom computers on modern hardware.

Features of the Nascom 1 (1977)

NASCOM 1 in a wooden box
  • CPU: Zilog Z80 with 1 or 2 MHz clock frequency. (8-bit processor).
  • RAM: 1 kB, expandable by 16 kB on external memory card.
  • VRAM: 1 kB ( screen memory for 48 characters on 16 lines).
  • ROM: 1 or 2 kB.
  • Permanent storage: cassette interface with 244 baud .
  • I / O: RS-232 , RF-out, video-out with TTY and PIO connection.
  • Programming: Z80 machine code or Microsoft BASIC .

Features of the Nascom 2 (1979)

NASCOM 2
  • CPU: Zilog Z80 A with 2 or 4 MHz clock frequency. (8-bit processor).
  • RAM: 10 kB, expandable to 32 kB.
  • ROM: 10 kB including 8 kB Microsoft BASIC .
  • Permanent storage: Cassette interface with 300/1200 baud according to the Kansas City standard.
  • I / O: RS-232 , RF-out, video-out with TTY and PIO connection. Expandable with an additional I / O board.
  • Programming: Z80 machine code or Microsoft BASIC .

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