Difference between revisions of "IBM 5150"

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{{Infobox Machine
 
{{Infobox Machine
 
| name = IBM 5150/IBM PC
 
| name = IBM 5150/IBM PC
| manufacturer = [[IBM]]
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| manufacturer = [[International Business Machines]]
 
| image = IBM 5150.jpg
 
| image = IBM 5150.jpg
 
| caption = The IBM PC
 
| caption = The IBM PC
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}}
 
}}
  
The IBM 5150 was IBM's entry into the personal computer marketplace, the IBM PC. It was introduced in stores on 1981-08-12. The original configuration had a motherboard designed for up to 64KB of RAM, and a cassette tape drive, but could be expanded to include a diskette drive, and a hard disk. At the beginning they were advertised for around $1,600 for a unit with just 16KB of RAM and a keyboard[http://www.vintage-computer.com/ibm_pc.shtml]. Retail would be around $1,000 though[http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2013-July/106735.html], or maybe more likely in the $1,300 - $1,400 range[http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2013-July/106743.html]).  
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The IBM 5150 was [[International Business Machines|IBM]]'s entry into the [[personal computer]] marketplace, the IBM PC. It was introduced in stores on 1981-08-12.
  
In practice you would add a at least a video adapter, probably some RAM, and a floppy disk drive. Then the price would be quite different. Back then, both types of disk drives were of the 5 1/4" full height form factor. IBM made the PC an open standard, publishing not only schematics, but also including a BIOS listing in the technical reference.  When people wished to build clones of the IBM PC, IBM would license them for a 5% royalty fee, which not only made the PC a popular platform to clone, but also with the available schematics, allowed for everyone to be pin compatible with the ISA slots, creating a thriving hardware expansion business.
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The original configuration had a [[motherboard]] designed for up to 64KB of [[Dynamic RAM|RAM]], and a cassette tape drive, but could be expanded to include a [[Disk#Low-cost disks|diskette drive]], and a [[Disk#Recent developments|hard disk]].
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At the beginning they were advertised for around $1,600 for a unit with just 16KB of RAM and a keyboard[http://www.vintage-computer.com/ibm_pc.shtml]. Retail would be around $1,000 though[http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2013-July/106735.html], or maybe more likely in the $1,300 - $1,400 range[http://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctech/2013-July/106743.html]).
 +
 
 +
In practice you would add a at least a video adapter, probably some RAM, and a floppy disk drive. Then the price would be quite different. Back then, both types of disk drives were of the 5 1/4" full height form factor.
 +
 
 +
IBM made the PC an open standard, publishing not only schematics, but also including a BIOS listing in the technical reference.  When people wished to build clones of the IBM PC, IBM would license them for a 5% royalty fee, which not only made the PC a popular platform to clone, but also with the available schematics, allowed for everyone to be pin compatible with the ISA slots, creating a thriving hardware expansion business.
 +
 
 +
[[Image:IBM 5150 motherboard.jpg|thumb|left|400px|IBM PC Motherboard]]
  
 
The IBM PC included Microsoft BASIC in ROM, which allowed the PC to function like many of the computers of the time with a simple ROM BASIC.  With the addition of a disk drive, OS options included [[CP/M]] and [[MS-DOS]] at the time of sale.
 
The IBM PC included Microsoft BASIC in ROM, which allowed the PC to function like many of the computers of the time with a simple ROM BASIC.  With the addition of a disk drive, OS options included [[CP/M]] and [[MS-DOS]] at the time of sale.
  
 
The IBM PC, also established the 8 bit expansion slot, or [[ISA]] bus standard as it was later called.
 
The IBM PC, also established the 8 bit expansion slot, or [[ISA]] bus standard as it was later called.
 
[[Image:IBM 5150 motherboard.jpg|thumb|right|400px|IBM PC Motherboard]]
 
  
 
The PC was replaced by the wildly popular [[IBM 5160|IBM XT]].
 
The PC was replaced by the wildly popular [[IBM 5160|IBM XT]].

Revision as of 18:28, 11 November 2017


IBM 5150/IBM PC
IBM 5150.jpg
The IBM PC
Manufacturer: International Business Machines
Year Introduced: 1981
Word Size: 16 bit


The IBM 5150 was IBM's entry into the personal computer marketplace, the IBM PC. It was introduced in stores on 1981-08-12.

The original configuration had a motherboard designed for up to 64KB of RAM, and a cassette tape drive, but could be expanded to include a diskette drive, and a hard disk.

At the beginning they were advertised for around $1,600 for a unit with just 16KB of RAM and a keyboard[1]. Retail would be around $1,000 though[2], or maybe more likely in the $1,300 - $1,400 range[3]).

In practice you would add a at least a video adapter, probably some RAM, and a floppy disk drive. Then the price would be quite different. Back then, both types of disk drives were of the 5 1/4" full height form factor.

IBM made the PC an open standard, publishing not only schematics, but also including a BIOS listing in the technical reference. When people wished to build clones of the IBM PC, IBM would license them for a 5% royalty fee, which not only made the PC a popular platform to clone, but also with the available schematics, allowed for everyone to be pin compatible with the ISA slots, creating a thriving hardware expansion business.

IBM PC Motherboard

The IBM PC included Microsoft BASIC in ROM, which allowed the PC to function like many of the computers of the time with a simple ROM BASIC. With the addition of a disk drive, OS options included CP/M and MS-DOS at the time of sale.

The IBM PC, also established the 8 bit expansion slot, or ISA bus standard as it was later called.

The PC was replaced by the wildly popular IBM XT.

See also