Decmate-I (VT278-AC)

DECmate was the name of a series of PDP-8-compatible computers produced by the Digital Equipment Corporation in the late 1970s and early 1980s. All of the models used an Intersil 6100 or Harris 6120 microprocessor which emulated the 12-bit DEC PDP-8 CPU. They were text-only and used the OS/78 or OS/278 operating systems, which were extensions of OS/8 for the PDP-8. Aimed at the word processing market, they typically ran the WPS-8 word-processing program. Later models optionally had Intel 8080 or Z80 microprocessors which allowed them to run CP/M. The range was a development of the VT78 which was introduced in July 1977.

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Category: DEC
Make: Digital Equipment Corporation
Year: 1980
OS: OS\278
Status: Working
Hardware: Terminal
Battery: Not applicable
Barcode: 32775905804554
Date Tested: 2020-01-01
Inventory #: X0041
Donor: Robert Ferguson
Notes: s/n WF10324

Detachable VT100 keyboard

Missing disk drive(s). Originally supplied with a pair of RX02 floppy
drives, or optionally with an RL02 hard disk.

Uneven yellowing to plastic case, but in generally good condition. Perhaps missing part of rear cover.

Boots to setup mode; passes all applicable self-tests, works correctly in local mode.

Without drive(s), ROM monitor only. With an original or emulated drive, it would be possible to run either the Decmate word processing software or (with work) a full OS-8 environment.

Page last modified: 2021-10-07 13:42:51