HP Series 80
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Headquarters | Corvallis , United States |
| Products | Compact scientific desktop computers (HP-83, HP-85, HP-86, HP-87, HP-9915) |
| Parent | Hewlett-Packard |
The Hewlett-Packard Series 80 comprised a line of compact scientific desktop computers introduced in 1980, beginning with the HP-85, designed primarily for engineering and control applications. These units offered functionality comparable to the HP 9800 series but were packaged more compactly, integrating a display, storage, and printer, all at approximately half the price.
Features
Launched in January 1980 with a retail price of , the HP-85 integrated both the CPU and keyboard within a typewriter-style chassis. It operated on a ROM-based operating system and included 16 KB of dynamic RAM, a 5-inch CRT screen with a resolution of 256×192 pixels, a DC-100 cassette tape drive capable of storing 210 KB, and a thermal printer supporting both text and graphic output. Expansion options were available through four slots located at the rear for additional memory, ROM extensions, or peripheral interfaces such as RS-232 and GPIB. Hewlett-Packard’s Personal Computer Division based in Corvallis, Oregon was responsible for designing all hardware components, including the CPU and chipset.
Later additions to the Series 80 lineup featured models with external monitors, integrated communication ports, and configurations suitable for rack mounting.
These systems utilized HP’s proprietary Capricorn CPU clocked at , incorporating a 32 KB BASIC interpreter stored in ROM. Despite relatively modest processing speeds, programs saved on DC-100 tapes or external disk/tape drives effectively supported scientific and engineering software demands.
When compared with contemporaries like the Apple II and TRS-80, the Series 80 stood out for its advanced technical software capabilities. It provided floating-point calculations with precision up to 12 digits and an exponent range extending to ±499. The BASIC interpreter included extensive scientific functions such as trigonometric and logarithmic operations along with support for two-dimensional arrays. Additional ROM modules allowed enhanced features like matrix multiplication and inversion.
For higher-tier models like the HP-86 and HP-87, Hewlett-Packard offered an optional CP/M processor card powered by a Zilog Z80 CPU. This option anticipated HP’s subsequent adoption of CP/M as standard on the HP-125 running CP/M version 2.2.
Historical context
The late 1970s saw the emergence of affordable personal computers such as the Apple II and TRS-80. During this period, Steve Wozniak, then employed by HP, developed the Apple computer concept independently with the aim of creating a machine ready to execute BASIC upon startup. He proposed selling this design to HP; however, they declined the offer and allowed him to retain legal rights. Shortly thereafter, HP’s calculator division initiated an 8-bit computer project named Capricorn from which Wozniak was excluded. Eventually, market dominance shifted toward IBM PC compatible systems equipped with floppy disk operating systems and powered by the Intel 8088 processor following the introduction of the IBM PC.
Models
| Model | Year | Price | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP-85A | 1980 | $3,250 | Equipped with 16 K RAM and 32 K ROM; features a 5" CRT (32×16 text or 256×192 graphics); includes tape drive and printer |
| HP-83 | 1981 | $2,250 | Similar to HP-85 but lacks printer and tape drive |
| HP-86A | 1982 | $1,795 | Offers external composite monitor; excludes tape drive and printer; includes two interfaces for 9130 floppy drives; built-in Centronics printer port; contains 64 K RAM |
| HP-87 | 1982 | $2,495 | Features a 9" display (80×16 text or 256×128 graphics); no printer or tape drive; built-in HPIB interface; equipped with 32 K RAM |
| HP-85B | 1983 | $2,995 | Updated version of HP-85A; provides 64 K RAM split between program/variables (32 K) and RAM disk (32 K); includes built-in I/O, EDISK, and Mass Storage ROMs |
| HP-86B | 1983 | $1,595 | Revised HP-86 model; built-in HPIB replaces previous diskette and Centronics ports; expanded RAM to 128 K; comes with EDISK ROM |
| HP-87XM | 1983 | $2,995 | Enhanced HP-87 model; features built-in HPIB interface; contains 128 K RAM |
| HP-9915A/B | 1980 | $1,675 | Industrial rack-mount variant of HP-85A/B without display or keyboard; includes I/O ROM and Program Development ROM |
ROM extensions
Note: The HP-86/87 models utilized distinct ROMs (marked with yellow labels) compared to the 83/85 series (which featured white labels).
| 83/85 | 86/87 | Function | Explanation | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00085-15003 | 00087-15003 | I/O | Provides access to GPIB, serial, and parallel (GPIO) communication interfaces | 192 |
| 00085-15001 | built-in | Mass storage | Enables use of "Amigo" compatible diskette/disk drives via GPIB. Integrated into 85B and all 86/87 units. | 208 |
| 00085-15002 | 00087-15002 | Printer / plotter | Supports external printer and plotter devices (plotter support required on 86/87) | 240 |
| 00085-15005 | 00087-15005 | Advanced programming | Adds extended commands to Rocky Mountain BASIC | 232,231 |
| — | 00087-15012 | Electronic disk | Utilizes a portion of RAM as a disk drive, built into 85B and 86B models. | 209 |
| 00085-15004 | 00087-15004 | Matrix | Provides mathematical matrix functions including inversion for solving linear systems | 176 |
| — | 00087-15004 | Matrix 2 | Offers additional matrix operation capabilities | 177 |
| 00085-15007 | 00087-15007 | Assembler | Allows editing and assembling of Series 80 assembler source code | 40 |
| — | 00087-15011 | MIKSAM | Manages indexed file records efficiently | 14 |
| 00085-15013 | 00087-15013 | EMS | Extended Mass Storage, enables access to SS-80 compatible mass storage devices | 207 |
| 00085-60952 | 00087-60912 | Service - system | Diagnostic programs for maintenance and servicing tasks | 224 |
| Template:Dunno | 00087-60913 | Service - HPIB | Diagnostic utilities for service and maintenance related to HPIB interface | 225 |
| 98151A | — | Program development | Supports HP-9915 front panel or emulates it on an 83/85 model | 8 |
| — | AKSO-Sysext | Sysext | System extension enabling structured programming, self-modifying code, and low-level programming by Andre Koppel Software | 56 |
Hardware extensions
| 82936A | ROM cartridge bay accommodating up to six ROM cartridges (limited to one per device) |
| 82903A | 16 KB memory expansion module, designed exclusively for HP-85A (restricted to one per device). *Incompatible with HP-85B, risk of damage* |
| 82908A | 64 KB memory expansion module compatible with HP-85B or HP-86/87 models |
| 82909A | 128 KB memory expansion module suitable for HP-85B or HP-86/87 systems |
| 82900A | CP/M operating system package (exclusive to HP-86/87) featuring a Zilog Z80 CPU and 64 KB dedicated RAM |
| 82928A | Assembly development system monitor; enables setting breakpoints for debugging purposes |
| 82929A | Programmable ROM cartridge bay designed for standard EPROM chips |
Interfaces
The Series 80 interface modules incorporated a proprietary bus controller chip that connected an Intel 8049 microcontroller to the primary bus, delegating handshaking and interface management tasks to embedded firmware.
| 82937A | HP-IB Interface (GPIB, IEEE-488, IEC625 compliant) |
| 82938A | HP-IL Interface module |
| 82939A | RS-232 Serial communication interface |
| 82940A | GPIO interface featuring four 8-bit parallel ports |
| 82941A | Parallel BCD interface supporting 11 BCD digits plus sign |
| 82949A | Centronics parallel printer interface |
| 82950A | Modem supporting 110/300 bit/s speeds with Bell 103/113 standards |
| 82966A | Data Link Interface for connectivity with HP1000 and HP3000 host systems |
| 82967A | Speech synthesis module utilizing Texas Instruments TMS5220 chip with a vocabulary of 1500 words |
Notes
External links
- series80.org
- http://www.hpmuseum.org/hp85.htm
- HP Series 80 discussion and support group
- https://vintagecomputers.sdfeu.org/hp85/
- Repair guide for the HP-85 tape drive
- Series 80 software listings and files hosted by AKSO
- HP Series 80 Configuration Guide available at computercollector.com
- French user page Featuring HP86 peripherals, programming resources, file transfers, and photographs (in French)
- English user page Dedicated to the HP86 with photos, peripherals, programming information, and file transfer details
- Teardown video of the HP85 vintage computer
- Windows emulator for Series 80 and ROM/binary program disassembler