ICOM Microperipherals
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Predecessor | Peripheral Equipment Corporation (PEC) |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Fate | Acquired by Triumph-Adler, later by Scan-Optics |
| Successor | Triumph-Adler |
| Headquarters | Chatsworth, California (Peripherals division), Irvine, California (Computer division) , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Floppy disk drives, tape storage units, instrumentation control equipment, minicomputers, business computer systems |
| Parent | Triumph-Adler (later) |
Pertec Computer Corporation (PCC), originally known as Peripheral Equipment Corporation (PEC), was a company based in Chatsworth, California, that specialized in manufacturing computer peripheral devices such as floppy disk drives, tape storage units, and instrumentation control equipment.
The company’s primary offerings consisted of hard disk and tape drive units sold as OEM components to leading computer manufacturers including IBM, Siemens, and DEC. Pertec produced various models of seven- and nine-track half-inch tape drives featuring densities of 800 CPI (NRZI) and 1600 CPI (PE) using phase-encoding technology, which were commonly integrated as input/output peripherals within OEM product lines.
During the 1970s, Pertec broadened its operations into computer manufacturing through strategic acquisitions, concentrating on minicomputers designed for data processing tasks. This expansion resulted in the formation of two separate divisions: Pertec Peripherals Corporation (PPC) located in Chatsworth, and Pertec Computer Corporation (PCC) situated in Irvine, California.
Pertec and MITS
In 1976, Pertec purchased MITS, the producer of the MITS Altair computer, for $6.5 million. This acquisition was intended to gain access to Microsoft BASIC’s source code and licensing rights, although Pertec mistakenly assumed these rights were included. That same year, they also acquired iCOM Microperipherals, a manufacturer specializing in peripheral devices. These acquisitions aimed to transition Pertec’s target market from hobbyist users to small business clientele.
Following this expansion, the company rebranded itself from Pertec Corporation to Pertec Computer Corporation to better represent its evolving business focus.
Initially, Pertec enhanced the Altair microcomputer by pairing it with their proprietary disk drives. However, as the Intel 8080 CPU powering the Altair became obsolete, Pertec phased out both the Altair model and the MITS brand name.
In 1978, Pertec launched its own system—the PCC-2000—featuring a dual Intel 8085 microprocessor architecture, with one processor dedicated exclusively to I/O management. Designed for workgroup environments, it supported up to four RS-232-connected terminals alongside an internal console. The base configuration included two 8-inch floppy disk drives with 1.2 MB capacity each and could be expanded with up to two pairs of 14-inch disk drives providing a total of 22.4 MB storage—a considerable amount for that era. The system operated on the MTX multi-user operating system equipped with a BASIC interpreter similar to Business Basic and was compatible with MITS DOS or CP/M; in the United Kingdom, it ran BOS software. Despite its advanced capabilities, the PCC-2000’s high price limited its commercial adoption.
Pertec/MITS 300
The MITS 300 was Pertec’s inaugural product following its acquisition of MITS in 1977, offered in two variants: the 300/25 and the 300/55. Both models were integrated hardware-software business systems. The 300/25 utilized Pertec floppy disk drives, while the 300/55 incorporated a Pertec DC-3000 14-inch hard disk drive. This system combined a second-generation MITS Altair 8800 (or Altair 8800b) with a hard disk controller and MITS datakeeper storage solution.
With a price tag of $15,950, the fully equipped 300/55 included an Altair 8800b installed with 64 KB dynamic RAM, a CRT terminal, and accompanying desk furniture. It was designed for business applications such as word processing, inventory management, and accounting tasks. The system supported various MITS peripherals including the Altair Floppy Disk drive, Altair Line Printer, Teletypewriter, and Altair CRT terminal. The printer was a bidirectional Mits/Altair C-700 capable of printing at speeds of 60 characters per second and producing 26 lines per minute.
Although technologically advanced for its time, this system suffered from overheating issues which contributed to a limited operational lifespan.
Pertec PCC-2100
Pertec’s core computer offerings focused on key-to-disk minicomputer systems designed to serve as front-end data processors for platforms like the IBM 360/370 and comparable systems. This product series launched in the early 1970s with the Pertec PCC-2100 data entry system, which was a distinct evolution from the earlier PCC-2000 model. The PCC-2100 accommodated up to 16 coaxial terminals, paired with two D3000 disk drives and a single T1640 tape drive.
Pertec XL-40
Released in 1977, the Pertec XL-40 emerged as a more advanced and commercially successful follow-up to the PCC-2100. It utilized custom-built 16-bit processors composed of TI3000 or AMD2900 bit-slice components, offered memory capacity up to 512 KB, and incorporated dedicated master-capable DMA controllers for managing tape drives, floppy and fixed disks, printers, card readers, and terminals.
The XL-40’s top-end configurations were available in two variants. One configuration included four Pertec T1600/T1800 tape drives, two floppy disk drives (either IBM or Pertec models), and four D1400/D3400 fixed disks ranging from 4.4 to 17.6 MB (manufactured by Pertec or Kennedy). The alternative setup featured two high-capacity disk units with up to 70 MB storage (from Kennedy or NEC), a line printer connected through a long-line interface (such as DataProducts LP600/LP1200 or Printronix P300/P600), four coaxially linked station printers (Centronics), a Pertec card reader, four SDLC communication channels, and 30 proprietary coax terminals (Model 4141 or 4143).
Designed mainly for key-to-disk tasks that replaced IBM card punch machines and sophisticated key-to-tape systems from competitors like Mohawk Data Sciences and Singer, the XL-40 operated on a proprietary OS named XLOS. This operating system enabled indexed file handling suited for online transaction processing with integrated data journaling. Programming was facilitated either by defining input record formats with built-in validation or through a specialized COBOL dialect supporting IDX and SEQ file types.
System maintenance ran under a protected supervisor mode, featuring batch file capabilities for automation. XLOS provided an intuitive user experience through prompt-driven interactions accompanied by on-screen guidance and default options—demonstrating advanced usability for text-based interfaces at that time. In Europe, Triumph-Adler distributed the XL-40 under the TA1540 designation, initiating a collaboration that ultimately resulted in a corporate merger.
Pertec 3200
The last computer developed internally by Pertec was the Series 3200, based on the MC68000 processor. Its primary operating system was a proprietary multi-user, multitasking environment that also supported Unix compatibility. Triumph-Adler marketed this system in Europe as the MSX 3200, offering four variants: 3200, 3220, 3230, and 3240. The Series 3200 incorporated the key-to-disk functionality derived from the XL-40 and included a BASIC-driven database system resembling those found in MAI Basic Four or Pick OS environments. Third-party vendors frequently bundled these business database applications with the PCC 3200 to deliver customized solutions for small businesses covering functions such as accounts payable, payroll management, inventory control, sales tracking, tax processing, and more.
Ahead of its time technologically, the 3200 supported up to 32 users simultaneously via intelligent Z80-based terminals capable of running CP/M over high-speed coaxial connections. Later enhancements included an ISA bus to coax interface allowing personal computers to act as smart terminals or networked MS-DOS clients. Additionally, the Series 3200 marked Pertec’s initial adoption of the emerging "Winchester" standard for compact hard disk drives.
Eventual fate
Soon after the introduction of the 3200 model, Pertec Computer Corporation was acquired by Triumph-Adler, which is currently part of Kyocera. By February 1987, PCC changed ownership again, this time being purchased by Scan-Optics. As the industry transitioned from proprietary CPUs to Intel and Motorola processors, the cost of systems dropped significantly without a matching increase in market demand. This shift caused companies like PCC to either diminish in significance or be integrated into larger corporations.
Pertec’s PPC magnetic tape interface, developed in the early 1970s, became a widely accepted standard and continues to be utilized by tape drive manufacturers today. Similarly, the PERTEC disk interface gained broad adoption for pre-Winchester disk drives throughout the 1970s.
External links
- Pertec documentation at bitsavers.org
- Pertec at VirtualAltair
- A piece of Pertec history at VirtualAltair
- Articles with short description
- American companies established in 1967
- American companies disestablished in 1987
- Companies based in Los Angeles County, California
- Computer companies established in 1967
- Computer companies disestablished in 1987
- Defunct companies based in California
- Defunct computer companies of the United States
- Defunct computer hardware companies
- Defunct computer systems companies