Robotron KC 87
The Robotron KC 87, fully known as the Kleincomputer robotron KC 87, was an 8-bit home computer released in 1987 and produced in East Germany by the VEB Robotron-Meßelektronik "Otto Schön" Dresden, part of the Kombinat Robotron. The first model in the series, the Robotron Z 9001, was introduced in 1984 and renamed Robotron KC 85/1 in 1985. Despite similar names, the Robotron home computers were not directly related to the KC 85 series produced by the VEB Mikroelektronik "Wilhelm Pieck" Mühlhausen.
The Robotron KC series used an U880 microprocessor, a clone of the Zilog Z80, which was clocked at 2.5 MHz. The keyboard was integrated into every machine. Software could be loaded from cassette tapes; a separate cassette deck was needed for doing so. All models featured module slots for up to four expansion modules, which allowed to expand the hardware, such as by upgrading the RAM or allowing to connect the KC to a printer, but also included applications and programming languages. The KC 87 had the BASIC interpreter in ROM, while in case of the earlier models, the user had to load it from tape or to use a BASIC expansion module. In addition to the home computers, Robotron also offered cassette tapes with applications and games, modules, and other equipment. However, the availability of the Robotron KC series for private customers was very limited. The computers were mostly used at educational institutions, organizations, and enterprises. Therefore, the extracurricular use of home computers was often allowed for students at institutions and organizations.
