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The CP/M Kaypros and Versions
Last revision of this page: May 3, 2025
- How it all Began
- Kaypro Versions
- Kaypro Timeline
- Kaypro I
- Kaypro 1
- Kaycomp I - Prototype
- Kaycomp II - Osborne alike
- Kaycomp II → Kaypro II → Kaypro 2
- Kaypro 2/84
- Kaypro 2X
- New Kaypro 2
- Kaycomp III ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- Kaypro 4 ('83)
- Kaypro 4/84
- Kaypro 4E
- Kaypro 4X
- Kaypro 5 - The Unknown
- Kaypro 10
- Kaypro 12X
- Kaypro Robie
- Kaypro Business Line
- Sales Prices
- Downloads
- Information
- References
How it all Began
The Idea ...
... or how it all started with Andrew Kay and Bill McDonald.
And here from Nat Weiner's perspective (in 1984), but with the same outcome. He was financial analyst and attorney.
By 1981, in fact, Non-Linear had no net worth; while by August 31, 1982, the balance sheet showed a negative net worth of $468,000. In 1981, in obvious need of a new product, Non-Linear began developing what would become the Kaypro II computer. The very limited resources available (Andy Kay had to borrow money using personal real estate holdings as collateral) restricted funds for product development and for tooling up. (Even in fiscal 1982, the year in which most of the work on the Kaypro II was done, R & D expenditures totalled only $399,000, small industry standards.)
The temporary poverty may have been a blessing, for it forced the company to be resourceful. Lacking the funds to create a new product from scratch, Kaypro assembled a group of proven components that were functional, economical and readily available, and packaged them in a format that had already been tested and proven by Osborne, whose computer was selling well despite design flaws. To this was added a readily available operating system, CP/M, and, taking another leaf from the Osborne notebook, a bundle of software good enough to get a first-time buyer started. The price for this package was extremely attractive. Moreover, Kaypro didn't even have to do any marketing? Osborne was doing it for them. [95]
But it didn't work entirely without development work either. However, the development of the mainboard and BIOS was probably not that easy after all. Read on.
The Ferguson Big Board I
Rumors about the Kaycomp II and the Big Board I (by Jim Ferguson) I have read in two magazines so far. [80] David Thompson describes this in his December '83 issue of Micro Cornucopia. The title is: "Son of a Big Board."
In the meantime, Non Linear Systems, a small manufacturer of digital measuring devices, bought two big boards. And lo and behold, the KayComp computer soon appeared. [49]
During my video call with David Kay on 09/15/2022, David asked me quite beside if I knew the story about the Ferguson board and the BIOS, to which I replied in the negative.
And then David told me the real story behind the presentation of the first Kaycomp II (Osborne-like) at West Coast Computer Faire 7 (March 19-21, 1982, San Francisco). Few people were/are aware of this story, both then and now.
David Kay: "We went to the Marconi [correct location name? Should be the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium] center with this prototype ... which was ... I hate to admit but I am gonna tell you ... since so many years it doesn't matter any more. It [the prototype] had in it what we called the Ferguson board. One of the engineers found it. We couldn't come up with our own design quickly enough so we just put this in for the show." ... [81]
Yes, dear reader, you have read correctly. Just for the trade show NLS presented the Kaycomp II with the Big Board I (by Jim Ferguson) to the public. And only very few and very curious visitors noticed this, because they looked into the air vents with a small penlight! [81] No kidding!
NLS had not yet completely finished developing its own mainboard at that time. The company's own mainboard was finished in late spring 1982 (May or so). This was the 81-110 A board.
But there had been more problems. The name Kaycomp was not allowed to be used. NLS could have bought the name Kaycomp only for several million dollars. [79] That was out of the question. The Ferguson board was also not allowed to be used as part of the new computer; Jim Ferguson had forbidden its use. Only Xerox had the licence to use this board in the 820. [49]
And what was worst, NLS didn't even had its own BIOS for their board yet! A disaster, David told me. And then there were all the pre-orders (from the faire) for the Kaycomp II. But NLS could not sell a single one because there was no finished model.
And what does a clever businessman tell the public in such a situation? Tell people you want to improve the product. That still works today!
I [Andrew Kay] decided to hold up production for one month while we re-engineered the floppy controller logic to support the double-den-sity format instead of the single-density format. Our engineers said it was simple to implement. [113]
That's right, but it's only a small part the truth. Not only the floppy controller logic was re-engineered, but the complete mainboard. Cleverly done. Played the high stakes and ... won!
As David says to me: "This was a make and break situation for the company!" [81] Everything could have failed. But it did not as history told us.
This fact about the copied mainboard (81-110A) was also confirmed to me by a former employee. [108] But read on. Unfortunately, the same also applies to the ROM BIOS and the character ROM.
The Missing BIOS
David had requested quotes from several companies to create a new BIOS from scratch. All of them estimated the time required at 6 to 12 months. Impossible, a desaster! In this long period the project Kaypro would have died. Customers would never have waited that long for delivery. And then Gilbert Ohnysty (sounds like honesty) took the stage.
The name Gilbert Ohnysty sounds familiar? Ohnysty is the author of S-BASIC (Structured Basic), written under the company Topaz Programming. [50]
Gilbert Ohnysty graduated from UCSD (University of California, San Diego) and made David Kay an offer to program the BIOS from scratch within three weeks. No sooner said than done, the BIOS was ready after three weeks in a closed session. Of course there were still a few bugs to be worked out, but this was also done very soon. Long story short, the BIOS and therefore the mainboard were ready to run and the Kaypro II's were sold later like warm coockies (1982-1984)! Kaypro was now fully in business.
The same is true for the CHARACTER ROM. This was also copied! The original author was David Thompson, editor of Micro Cornucopia. [49, p42] David Thompson also was contributing editor of Kaypro's PROFILES magazine (October 1983).
The First Mainboard
As written above, the first Kaypro II mainboard was completed weeks after the presentation (at West Coast Computer Faire 7 ). It was designed by a young junior technician from NLS, because all senior engineers were working in the analog field at NLS. However, David Kay could not remember the name. [81]
The Naming
Kaycomp
Short form for Kay Computer. [79]
Kaypro
Short form for Kay Professional. [79]
The Numbering
Kaypro ... II -> (IV) 4 -> 5 -> (8) -> 10
You may have wondered why there is a number behind the Kaypro. Here are the authoritative explanations:
(1) In the early days, this was a reference to the diskette or hard disk storage capacity. II or 2 stands for 200 (191) KByte, 4 for 400 (390) KByte, 5 for 5 MByte and 10 for 10 MByte!
He [Andrew Kay] also offered a souped-up version of his II and beefed up his software. His Kaypro IV — the jump from II to IV [4] reflected the substitution of two 400K floppy disk drives for the II’s 200K ones — sold for $1,995. [77 p.34]
There is also the talk of a Kaypro 8 (in Micro Cornucopia). Of course, there is/was no such Kaypro. The Kaypro 8 is nothing else than a Kaypro with quad-density (QD, 800 KByte) floppy disk drives.
(2) Another explanation for the designation II has the Centre for Computing History based in Cambridge, United Kindom.
The first product, the Kaypro II [Kaycomp], carried the Roman-numeral designation because the most popular microcomputer at the time, other than the IBM PC, was the Apple II. [51]
(3) Inspiration from his son-in-law's Apple II.
He had seen how his son-in-law [Michael Batter] liked to use his Apple [II] both at home and at his office, even though the Apple [II] was a cumbersome assembly of three separate pieces of equipment (a keyboard, a monitor, and a disk drive) connected by wires, all of which had to be unplugged whenever the system was moved. It was clunky. But a complete microcomputer could be designed to fit into one compact box the size of a portable sewing machine, Kay reasoned. In the spring of 1981, he committed Non-Linear Systems to doing this, borrowing against his personal real estate holdings to finance the development. [61]
Kaypro Versions
Last revision of this chapter: October 16, 2024
ASSY, PCB, ROM
To get from the ASSY number to the PCB number just subtract one:==> go to references
81-181 - 1 = 81-180. It's mathematically incorrect, but it works! Exception 4X
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
----------------------------------------------
| last modified 12/02/2022 |
----------------------------------------------
Model CP/M ASSY ROM ROM
ver no. no. ver
----------------------------------------------
1 2.2UL 81-809 81-478-A 2.01 *14,16
----------------------------------------------
II 2.2F 81-111 81-149 none *15
II 2.2F 81-111 81-149-A none *15
II 2.2F 81-111 81-149-B none *15
II 2.2F 81-111 81-149-C *9,14,15
II 2.2F 81-241 81-232-A none *14
II+88 2.2F 81-241 81-232-A none
2 2.2F 81-241 81-232-A none *38
2+88 2.2F 81-241 81-232-A none
----------------------------------------------
2/84 2.2G 81-295 81-292-A none *14
----------------------------------------------
2X 2.2G 81-295 81-292-A none *11,14
2X 2.2H 81-295 81-292-A none *14
2X/MTC 2.2UL 81-581 81-478-A 2.01 *14,38
2X/MTC 2.2UL 81-581 81-478-B 2.02 *38
2X/MTC 2.2UL 81-581 81-478-C 2.03 *38
----------------------------------------------
NEW 2 2.2UL 81-295 81-478-A 2.01 *14,38
NEW 2 2.2UL 81-295 81-478-B 2.02 *38
NEW 2 2.2UL 81-295 81-478-C 2.03 *38
----------------------------------------------
4 2.2F 81-241 81-232-A none *6
4+88 2.2F 81-241 81-232-A none
----------------------------------------------
4/84 2.2G 81-185 81-292-A none *14
----------------------------------------------
4X 2.2G 81-298 81-326-E 1.7R *14,38
4X 2.2H 81-298 81-326-E 1.7R *14,38
----------------------------------------------
10 2.2D? 81-181 81-188-E 1.9 *38,ib
10 2.2D 81-181 81-188-N 1.9? *99,ib?
10 2.2F? 81-181 81-277-A 1.9E(F) *1
10 2.2F 81-181 81-302 1.9e *92
10 2.2G 81-181 81-302-C 1.9E *14,38
10 2.2H 81-181 81-302-C 1.9E *2,14
----------------------------------------------
10 81-583 81-302-C *58
10/MTC 2.2UL 81-583 81-478-A 2.01 *5,14
10/MTC 2.2UL 81-583 81-478-B 2.02 *38
10/MTC 2.2UL 81-583 81-478-C 2.03 *38
----------------------------------------------
12X 2.2? 81-471 81-___ _.__
----------------------------------------------
Robie 1.4 *65
Robie 2.2G 81-297 81-326-E 1.7R *13,38
Robie 2.2UL 81-297 81-478-A 2.01 *14,38
Robie 2.2UL 81-297 81-478-B 2.02 *38
Robie 2.2UL 81-297 81-478-C 2.03 *38
----------------------------------------------
88 = SWP CO-POWER-88 Board; DOS & CP/M-86
(available for Kaypro II, 2, 4, 4/84, 10)
UL = Universal; UNIVERSAL BIOS/ROM -> 81-478
MTC = modem & real time clock
none = No string can be identified in ROM.
* = see reference no
? = possibly not correct
___ = unknown
ib = with different interface board (between
J9 and hard disk controller)
Kaypro made two motherboards that support the hard drive interface. These were the 81-180 board (the Kaypro-10 board), and the 81-185 board (the 2/84, 4/84, 2X, Robie board). The 81-185 board has several different part numbers, depending on which machine it was installed in, whether or not it had the real-time clock installed, the modem installed, etc. The 81-185 board is also where the dreaded Universal ROM made it's appearance. Not to worry, the same board can also run the normal 81-302 ROM.
The 81-184/185/294/295/296/580/582 motherboards are all the SAME motherboards, and they all support the HD. The best of these to have is the 81-184/185, because it also includes the RTC and the modem. This motherboard is also known as the Universal Motherboard. [36]
If you have ever wondered where the ODD numbers come from, take a closer look at the "Kaypro Technical Manual" (1484-F, 1985) [14] on pages 6--1 to about 6--50. The schematic drawings of the mainboard (ASSY) always show the ODD numbers and the mainboard or PCB itself the EVEN one.
----------------------------------------------
| last modified 12/10/2022 |
----------------------------------------------
Model PCB UNIVERSAL
P/N BOARD
----------------------------------------------
1 81-184- yes
II 81-110 no
81-240 no
2/84 81-184- yes
2X 81-184- yes
NEW 2 81-184- yes
4 81-240 no
4/84 81-184-A/B yes
4X 81-184- yes
10 81-180-B no
81-180-C no
81-470 yes
12X 81-470 yes
Robie 81-184-A1 yes
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
| last modified 12/10/2022 |
----------------------------------------------
Model Monitor ROM
rev
----------------------------------------------
1 81-478-A
II 81-149-A/B/C 81-232-A
2/84 81-292-A
2X 81-292-A 81-478-A/B/C
NEW 2 81-478-A/B/C
4 81-232-A
4/84 81-292-A
4X 81-326-E
10 81-188-E 81-277-A 81-302-B/C
81-478-A/B/C
12X 81-478-A/B/C
Robie 81-326-E 81-478-A/B/C
----------------------------------------------
Model Character ROM
ver/rev
----------------------------------------------
1 81-235
II 81-146,-A Pro-8 GREEK or CLEAN
2/84 81-235
2X 81-235
NEW 2 81-235
4 81-146,-A Pro-8 GREEK or CLEAN
4/84 81-187 81-235
4X 81-235
10 81-187 81-278-A
81-235
12X 81-235
Robie 81-235
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
| last modified 10/24/2022 |
----------------------------------------------
| Kaypro Manual "C", Aug. 1984 |
----------------------------------------------
Model CP/M Kaypro Disk
ver P/N
----------------------------------------------
II 2.2F #0777
2/84 2.2G #2619
2X 2.2G #2470
4 2.2F #1475
4/84 2.2G #2622
4X 2.2G #2340
Robie 2.2G #2340
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
| last modified 10/24/2022 |
----------------------------------------------
CP/M Model
version
----------------------------------------------
2.2D 10/83
2.2E II, 4 (by Plu*Perfect)
2.2F II, 4(+88), 10/83
2.2G 2/84, 4/84, 2X, 4X, 10/83, Robie
2.2H 2X, 4X, 10, Robie
2.2UL 1, 2X/RTC, New 2, 10, 12X, Robie
----------------------------------------------
88 = DOS CO-POWER-88 Board
UL = Universal BIOS
RTC = real time clock
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
| last modified 05/02/2025 |
----------------------------------------------
| Cabinet part number (on the rear side) |
----------------------------------------------
Model P/N
----------------------------------------------
II none (< #076-500)
II 81-003
2/84 81-014
2X 81-014, 81-025, 81-033
NEW 2 81-031
4 81-004, 81-006
4/84 81-015
4X 81-015
10 81-005
12X 81-005?
Robie 81-012, 81-023
----------------------------------------------
P/N Model
----------------------------------------------
81-003 II
81-004 4
81-005 10
81-006 4
81-012 Robie ('83)
81-014 2/84, 2X(r1) *)
81-015 4/84, 4X
81-023 Robie ('85)
81-025 2X(r2)
81-031 NEW 2
81-033 2X(r3)
----------------------------------------------
*) cabinet has a round or octagonal fan cutout
----------------------------------------------
I think the next two clippings below are very important. First, they give general information about the numbering of the ASSYs. So far so good.
In detail I was puzzled by the fact that the Robie appears twice. In Manual F, on pages 6-44 to 6-49, a total of six schematic drawings are labeled ROBIE; the corresponding BOARD is labeled 81-184 A. I assume this is the '83 version of the Robie; my '83 Robie has the P/N 81-184-A1.
But, on pages 6-50 and following are the drawings for the UNIVERSAL BOARD. And the Robie appears here again. The associated P.C. BOARDs are listed as 81-184 REV. B or 81-470; the emphasis here is on the OR. I assume this is the '85 version of the Robie.
And now my personal hypotheses; only then does this information above make sense to me.
- There are two documented versions of the Robie. The initial design from 1983 and the improved design from 1985. This is fact. I have the initial version, the improved version is stored in the CHM; gift of Don Maslin!
- In the initial design from 1983, the PCB with the designation 81-184 REV A1 is installed; confirmed by picture, my Robie.
- In the subsequent Robie version, the PCB 81-184 REV B is fitted; not yet confirmed by picture.
- All other UNIVERSAL KAYPROs also use the PCB 81-184 REV B; not yet confirmed by picture.
- Except: The Kaypro 10 ('84) and 12X use the PCB 81-470; not yet confirmed by picture. The Kaypro 1 would also have to have P/N 81-470 because the board is identical to the Kaypro 10 ('84).
And here is another implicit confirmation of my hypothesis. The correct term, namely ASSY (assembly number) is used here too.
Kaypro II
Is it a real Kaypro II ...
... or Kaypro 4 in Drag?
The Kaypro 4 has a special feature. If you start it with a single-sided diskette, it behaves like a Kaypro II and cannot read double-sided diskettes. But if you start it with a double-sided disk, it can handle both formats. According to TCJ magazine [60], there are probably Kaypro II models that are labelled II on the outside but have a genuine Kaypro 4 mainboard inside. A K-4 in K-II clothing or a K-4 in drag.
Based on this information, I personally come to the conclusion that the 81-240 mainboard with the 81-232-A ROM (see above) is always a real Kaypro 4 mainboard. However, if it is installed in a Kaypro II cabinet with single-sided Tandon disk drives, it behaves exactly like a Kaypro II. From the outside, you cannot notice the difference.
CP/M Versions
2.2
The first CP/M version on the Kaypro II shows no additional letter. However, as far as I know, this is version 2.2F.
According to Micro Cornucopia #42, July-August 1988, page 84 there are different CP/M version for the Kaypro II. You can recognise the difference by the CP/M sign-on message. The message can be two-line or single-line.
This article discusses the two-line CP/M version in connection with the 256K mod. To what extent this old version can also cause problems otherwise, I can not say. The error lies here in the program MOVCPM. MOVCPM is used to create an image of CP/M that will run in a system with a specified amount of RAM.
2.2D
There is/was a CP/M 2.2D version for the Kaypro 10 ('83), see next. But this is the only hint I found to CP/M 2.2D.
;###############################################################
;## KAYPRO 10 CBIOS for CP/M 2.2 ##
;## Copyright (C) 1982 By Non-Linear Systems, Inc. ##
;## No warranty is made, expressed or implied. ##
;###############################################################
;## Last Update: 10/20/83 [01] ##
;###############################################################
;
;History:
; Add secondary xlate table and build in ability to have
; function keys.
; Steven R. Fabian
; Initialization of modem port on a cold boot.
; Steven R. Fabian
; Add Parallel port driver using a time delay.
; Steven R. Fabian
;****************************************************************
;* *
;* This BIOS can support versions D, F and G versions of the *
;* Kaypro 10 CP/M system, if the proper equates are set. Set *
;* one and only one of the following three equates to true; *
;* be sure the other two are false. *
;* *
versd equ false ; for version 2.2D *
versf equ false ; for version 2.2F *
versg equ true ; for version 2.2G *
;* *
;****************************************************************
2.2E
2.2F
The CP/M version 2.2F is basically used on all pre-84 Kaypro's (II/2, 4 and 10). Following a picture of a Kaypro 10 ('83).
2.2G
2.2H
There should be. I am currently unaware of any further details.
2.2M
This designation also appears once in a while in connection with the (M)icro Cornucopia ROM. This is probably where the letter M comes from. However, a CP/M 2.2M is explicitly not known to me. It is probably a magazine author's own creation.
2.2UL
The A and B versions of the 2.2UL ROM (81-478) have an intermittent bug wherein they set both the A and B drives to read-only status. The C version of the ROM solves this problem.
Kaypro Timeline
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The references (RefNo) should be correct,
but still need to be incorporated into the HTML concept.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Date RefNo.page Note(s)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------1953
__/53 (0018.____) Foundation of Non-Linear System (NLS)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------1982
Kc II 03/82 (0001.0010) Osborne-alike, fdfh
Kc II 06/82 (0037.0061) "Before production got under way June 15, ..."
K II 06/82 (0026.0001) v1, bcft, fdvt, fdfh
K 5 07/82 (0071.0009) announcement
K 5 08/82 (0012.0022) announcement
K II 10/82 (0012.0022) v2, bcft, fdvt, fdfh; announcement
K II 10/82 (0003.0059) v2, bcft, fdvt, fdfh; review
K II 11/82 (0036.____) v3, bcft, fdhz, fdfh; dealers info
K 5 12/82 (0013.0066) announcement date
----------------------------------------------------------------------------1983
K 10pre 03/83 (0014.0160) advertisement, fdhz, fdfh
K II 02/83 (0004.____) v3, bcbk, fdhz, fdfh; GER, announcement
K 2 ?09/83 (0005.____) v4, bcbk, fdhz, fdfh
K 10 06/83 (0006.0008) first dispatch, fdvt, fdhh
08/83 (0018.0018) Kaypro on NASDAQ (08/25/1983)
K 4 07/83 (0009.0002) fdfh
07/83 (0025.0068) Non-Linear Systems => Kaypro Corporation
09/83 (0010.0586) PRO/FILES announcement
K 4+ 11/83 (0007.0082) +8088 option, fdfh
K II+ 11/83 (0007.0082) +8088 option, v3, bcbk, fdhz, fdfh
Robie 12/83 (0016.0012) v1, '83 design, announcement
----------------------------------------------------------------------------1984
K 4/84 01/84 (0028.0002) Kaypro 4E, announcement
Robie 03/84 (0022.0017) v1, '83 design, on the market
Kaynet 05/84 (0024.____) GER, announcement
K 2X 05/84 (0030.0022) r1, with sticker (X), announcement at Comdex
K 4/84+ 06/84 (0033.0049) +8088 option
K 4/84 07/84 (0023.____) GER, announcement
K 2X 07/84 (0034.0111) r1 or r2?, announcement
K 4X 08/84 (0011.0098) announcement
K 12X 08/84 (0011.0099) announcement
K 2X 09/84 (0031.0022) + (0018.0004) r3, announcement
New 2 09/84 (0021.____) advertisement
----------------------------------------------------------------------------1985
K 10 03/85 (0029.0004) r2, '84, with MTC, announcement
Robie 03/85 (0029.0005) + (0035.0016) v2, '85, announcement
(2X 03/85 (0029.0004) r3, with MTC, announcement)
K 1 07/85 (0032.0010) announcement date
----------------------------------------------------------------------------1986
(K 1 02/86 (0020.0067) announcement date)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------1990
03/90 (0017.____) Kaypro files for bankruptcy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
K = Kaypro
Kc = Kaycomp
K 4E = this is a Kaypro 4/84
88 = DOS CO-POWER-88 Board
GER = Germany
v, r = version, revision
MTC = modem and time clock
bc = brightness controll
ft = front
bk = back
fd = floppy drive
vt = vertical
hz = horizontal
fh = full height
hh = half height
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RefNo Reference
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(0001) InfoWorld 12.04.1982
(0002) Byte Magazine Volume 07 Number 07 07.1982
(0003) Infoworld 18.10.1982
(0004) Computerwoche 03.04.1983
(0005) https://pcmuseum.tripod.com/kpro10.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(0006) InfoWorld 03.10.1983
(0007) Computerworld 07.11.1983
(0008) InfoWorld 23.05.1983
(0009) Kaypro Software Bulletin 07.1983
(0010) Byte Magazine Volume 08 Number 09 09.1993
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(0011) Computerworld 13.08.1984
(0012) InfoWorld 02.08.1982
(0013) Popular Computing 12.1982
(0014) Byte Magazine Volume 08 Number 03 03.1983
(0015) Micro Cornucopia #14 14.10.1984
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(0016) Computerworld 05.12.1983
(0017) Roanoke Times, San Diego 03.03.1990
(0018) Annual Report, Kaypro Corporation 1984
(0019) InfoWorld 16.07.1984
(0020) Computerworld 17.02.1986
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(0021) InfoWorld 22.10.1984
(0022) InfoWorld 24.12.1984
(0023) Computerwoche 27.07.1984
(0024) Computerwoche 11.05.1984
(0025) IEEE Spectrum 12.1983
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(0026) Computer Business News 07.1982
(0027) Kaypro Corporation, SEC, Form 10-K 13.12.1984
(0028) The Boston Kugel, boskug 01.1984
(0029) The Boston Kugel, boskug 03.1985
(0030) kugram Vol.2 No. 4 07.1984
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(0031) kugram Vol.2 No. 5 09.1984
(0032) kugram Vol.3 No. 4 07.1984
(0033) InfoWorld 04.06.1984
(0034) Computerworld 09.07.1984
(0035) InfoWorld 04.03.1985
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(0036) Kay Computers Dealers Newsgram 06.10.1982
(0037) San Diego, Evening Tribune 17.09.1982
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kaypro I
I have only read the designation Kaypro I (Roman I) once. Eric N. Berg published an article in November 1983 in the The New York Times about Kaypro and IBM.
The Kaypro I did not pass muster, but a second effort, the Kaypro II, matched the Osborne in concept and price - for $1,795 customers got the computer, keyboard and memory all in a single, portable package - and boasted some critical advantages. [82]
Kaypro 1
Side labeling: Kaypro 1
Back labeling: Kaypro 1
Keybord labeling: kaypro
Brightness control: back
Floppy orientation: vertical
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock no
Cooling fan: no, octagonal cutout
Mains cable: extern
Company name (back) Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-021
Or also as here as a modification with hard disk. The only strange thing is the back with the "hidden" cutout for the fan. However, something (a fan?) seems to be attached under the square cover plate because it protrudes (as you can see by the shadow).
Kaycomp I - Prototype or Misunderstanding
The question of whether there was a prototype other than the Kaycomp Osborne alike can probably not be answered definitively. My personal opinion is no. Of course there will have been various working prototypes, but for me the model shown at the trade fair in March 1982 is and remains the prototype. There was no Kaycomp I.
I still stand by my statement: There was no Kaycomp I. Why? Take a close look at the red underlined sentence above! What is described here? It is the Kaycomp II the Osborne alike model! The following model ("next unit deleloped"), the Kaycomp II (Kaypro alike) is described in the next chapter.
David Kay doesn't remember that there was a Kaycomp I before the Kaycomp II (Osborne alike). [79]
The following comparison of two Kaycomp II models shows the very first product photo on the left. On the right is the fair model. What immediately catches the eye are the different keyboards. However, the computers are (in my opinion) identical. I took a close look at both images in image processing.
The photo on the left is from the EE-Times of 15 March 1982, but the trade fair in San Francisco actually took place from 19 to 22 March. The right Kaycomp II was presented at this fair!
Kaycomp II - Osborne alike
Look here for more information on the Kaycomp.
Side labeling: Kaycomp II
Back labeling: ?none
Keybord labeling: Kaycomp II
Brightness control: front
Floppy orientation: vertical, left & right
Floppy drives: full-high, single-sided, single-density
Floppy labeling: ?
Interfaces back: 1x serial
Mainboard: Fergusson Big Board I
Modem: no
Real Time Clock: no
Cooling fan: yes
Ventilation slots: left, none
Ventilation slots: right, yes
Ventilation slots: rear, ?
Mains cable: ?fixed
Mains switch: ?Alco MLSA206N
Company name (back) ?Non-Linear Systems
Dimensions: 18 x 8 x 15,5 inch
? = not verified due to no information/pictures
As there are only ventilation slots on the right-hand side, the power supply unit was probably also located on the right. I do not know whether this model also has rear ventilation slots.
According to David Kay, the Osborne alike Kaycomp II was just a prototype and was never sold. [79] Why? Read the story about the BigBoard I.
... and when David [Kay] finally took a prototype up to a San Francisco computer fair held in March of 1982, their hunches were confirmed. [61]
According to InfoWorld magazine (December 26, 1983, page 85) NLS began designing its first portable computer the Kaycomp II in 1981. The very first product the Kaycomp II was presented to the public at the West Coast Computer Faire 7, March 19-21, 1982 in San Francisco, Civic Auditorium & Brooks Hall.
Downstairs, an Osborne look-alike called the Kaycomp II was drawing crowds. [86]
Below is the only colour image of the Kaycomp II known to me. In this unexposed image, you can see that the left side of the keyboard appears blue, just like the later Kaypro II. From black and white photography it is known that a blue sky always appears in light bright. In the (well exposed) b&w image, the keyboard and the wide side band have the same light/bright gray tone. Assumption: I conclude that this stripe or band is also blue. The lettering Kaykomp II on the side is white. White writing on blue gound.
The drive faceplates and the cabinet are (nearly) the same dark gray. David Kay told me that the ‘colour’ of the cabinet was like charcoal. [79]
Pay attention to the number field on the right-hand side of the keyboard (in both images)! According to the keyboard, the Kaycomp presented on the fair was the prototype 1.
At this point I would like to thank Claudio Grossi from Brisbane, Australia. He discovered the b&w picture on the internet and sent it to me. Best regards from Germany to Australia.
On the first day of the West Coast Computer Faire, several Osborne Computer Company emplyees gathered around the Non-Linear Systems booth, reading brochures and asking questions about the company's new Kaycomp II. [19]
Somebody whispered that an Osborne clone was lurking down by the concession area. [87]
Osborne took the occasion of the fair to announce its double-density upgrade for its machine. (The Kaycomp reads single-density disks in Xerox 820 format.) [19]
the reference is not correct
Furthermore, it is noticeable that this Kaycomp II model has a different connecting cable between the keyboard and the computer; a very short ribbon cable, not the later spiral cable.
This short connecting cable between keyboard and computer is mentioned by David Rothman in his book. [77, p.26] He explicitly uses the term prototype here. But, Rothman also uses the term prototype in connection with the term Kaypro I. But he also writes that the Kaypro I never existed. Remark: Correct is Kaycomp instead of Kaypro. From my personal conversation with David Kay and many other sources I therefore come to the conclusion that the Kaycomp I did not exist. The prototype was the Kaycomp II (Osborne alike) and was never sold on the market. The Kaycomp II (Osborne alike) could not even be sold because it did not yet have its own mainboard. As described, the Ferguson BigBoard I was installed here.
The prototype’s screen was between the disk drives, interfering with them, and another flaw became clear: the shortness of the cable between the keyboard and the main unit. Bill McDonald was worried. Suppose a customer crushed a finger while wrestling with the little cable? Why not hinge the keyboard to the twenty-pound console? And that’s how Non-Linear Systems indeed built the prototype. But McDonald still fretted that someone might undo the latches; and so, driven by fear of a lawsuit from a klutzy Kaypro owner, the engineers redesigned the computer to accommodate a coiled cord several feet long. [77, p.26]
However, according to Computerworld magazine (June 21, 1982, page 54), the Kaycomp II was not available until July. According to the annual report of 1984 the first computer - the Kaypro II - was first shipped in June 1982. [54]
Look at the storage capacity was 100,000 characters per disk, see next. With one character per byte this is 87 KByte. In other words these are only single-density drives. The Shugart SA400 for example has a formatted capacity between 80 and 90 KByte per disk (depending on the sector size)!
The following advertisement shows that this first model was actually offered for sale to the public. Of course, this does not mean that any were delivered or sold. This advertisement appeared in BYTE magazine in 1982 and early 1983. This first Osborne model was still being offered for sale in February '83, although the new Kaycomp II had been on the market since at least July '82 [21].
BYTE 08/1982/p490, 09/1982/p574, 10/1982/p509, 11/1982/p601, 12/1982/p584, 01/1983/p523, 02/1983/p513
Researching the Kaycomp II is a bit tedious and confusing. Single-Density vs. double density! Michael F. Wolff wrote [75], the Andrew Kay changed from single to double-density about May 1982, one month before shipping the first computer.
BYTE 11/1982/p204, 02/1983/p217
I [Rick Bartlett Gordon] was one of the engineers who worked for Kaypro from 1981 to 1989, and I made some history corrections. The Kaypro computer first started out in 1981 called, "Kaycomp", which many was sold, but at the start of 1982 I'm pretty sure that David Kay (Andy's son) came up with the name of Kaypro and convince Andy into renaming the computer to the new name. I don't believe that any "Kaycomp" computers reached the market at all. I was loaned one for a day: It had single-sided, single-density floppies, which provided no advantage over the Osborne I. [53]
Changing from Single to Double-Density
The recording density (FM vs. MFM) was a clear advantage in the early stages compared to the Osborne I (only single-density drives), which was launched a year earlier.
Michael F. Wolff: Encouraged by the sales of Osborne's computer, Kay increased the production schedule on the Kaypro II [Kaycomp II] four times during the first months of 1982. He was ready to ship 100 units in May but held off for a month so that the disk drives could be converted from single to double density. Then, in June 1982, he began selling the 26-pound Kaypro II [Kaycomp II], which was equal in price to the Osborne I ($1,795) [75]
Kaycomp II → Kaypro II → Kaypro 2
Why was the Kaycomp renamed Kaypro?
Meanwhile, Non-Linear-Systems, a small manufacturer of digital meters, purchased two Big Boards. Lo and behold there soon appeared the KayComp computer. They used that name until the original owner of "KayComp" found out about Non Linear. So, the name became Kaypro II. [49]
The Kaycomp - that was the original name before the Kays changed it because it resembled another computer firm’s - first went public at a San Francisco computer fair in March 1982. [77, p.27]
Regarding the name change, David Kay told me that at that time the right for the name "Kaycomp" was held by Amway, a company that still exists today. Amway wanted to sell the name for a few million dollars. As a result, the name was promptly changed to Kaypro. Kaypro stands for Kay Professional as David told me. [79]
This statement comes from David Kay, which he made to me personally in a video conference. However, it contradicts a newspaper article by Donald Coleman:
The first units were shipped under the name of Kaycomp II, but the product has bee renamed Kaypro II because of the protest of a Pasadena software manufacturer with the name K-Comp. [109]
The company named K-Comp, Inc. (registrated for: computer terminals and printers and computers) had the serial number 73313071, filed on Jun 3, 1981, registrated on Aug 17, 1982 and cancelled on Apr 4, 1989.
Could fit, Glendale is right next to Pasadena. Below is an advert for the company K-Comp. This and similar adverts were placed throughout 1982.
According to InfoWorld, the renaming from Kaycomp to Kaypro took place before Aug 2, 1982. The division at NLS that launched the Kaypro II was called Kaycomp Computers [22, p.22]
This Kaypro is the model with the most confusing names and designs. This '83 models can be recognized by the fact that they only have one serial and one parallel port on the mainboard. So if in doubt, always look at the rear side. The same facts (with the two ports) apply to the Kaypro 4 ('83)!
According to my research on the internet there are four variants of this Kaypro's. One of the main differences is the vertical (V) or horizontal (H) arrangement of the floppy disk drives! The dates are only approximations of when the model was announced or available on the market.
Why have I grouped these four models together? First, because these four Kaypro models are the first to have the typical later Kaypro design or layout: the screen on the left and the floppy drives (full-high, single-sided, 194 KBytes per drive) on the right. Second, because all models have only one parallel and one serial port. All four models date from 1982 and 1983.
1. (V) Kaycomp II (NLS) 06/1982
2. (V) Kaypro II (NLS) 07/1982
3. (H) Kaypro II (NLS) 11/1982
4. (H) Kaypro 2 (Kaypro) 08/1983
V = vertical drives
H = horizontal drives
1. (V) Kaycomp II (Kaypro alike by NLS)
Look here for more information on the Kaycomp.
According to my information the Kaycomp II was announced in the magazines and in the dealers news but it was actually not sold on the market because NLS did not have the naming rights (trademark). [79] But, ... a certain number must have been given away!
Side labeling: Kaycomp II
Back labeling: none
Keybord labeling: Kaycomp II
Brightness control: front
Floppy orientation: vertical
Floppy drives: full-high, single-sided, double density
Floppy labeling: DRIVE A, DRIVE B
Interfaces back: 1x serial, 1x parallel
Mainboard: 81-110-A
Modem: no
Real Time Clock (RTC) no
Cooling fan: no
Ventilation slots: left & right, 22 wide (each)
Ventilation slots: rear, 2x 12 wide
Mains cable: integrated
Mains switch: Alco MLSA206N (1)
Company name (back) Non-Linear Systems
Cabinet P/N: none
? = not verified due to no information/pictures
Serial number S/N (known to me):
- First: 002-749
- Last: 002-767 (sold on eBay, 12/02/2024)
Currently (December 2024) I am only aware of two Kaycomp II machines (based on photo evidence). These are serial numbers 2,749 and 2,767, but it is curious that a Kaypro II with the lower serial number 2,561 actually exists.
The new placement of the two floppy drives to the right of the screen was done because of the poor shielding of the floppy cable behind the CRT and because of the high voltage transformer right next to the (former) left floppy drive. This was confirmed to me by David Kay. It is also mentioned by David Rothman. [77] [79]
2. (V) Kaypro II (by NLS)
According to my information the Kaypro II was the very first computer really sold on the market (in June 1982). [83]
Just like the former Kaycomp but labeled Kaypro.
Side labeling: Kaypro II
Back labeling: ?
Keybord labeling: Kaypro II
Brightness control: front
Floppy orientation: vertical
Floppy drives: full-high, single-sided, double density
Floppy labeling: DRIVE A, DRIVE B
Interfaces back: 1x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock (RTC) no
Cooling fan: no
Ventilation slots: left, right, 22 wide (each)
Ventilation slots: ?rear, 2x 12 wide
Mains cable: ?
Company name (back) ?Non-Linear Systems
Cabinet P/N: none
? = not verified due to no information/pictures
Serial numbers (known to me):
- First: #002-561
- Last: #005-846
You can read a hardware review in "Popular Computing" from December 1982. Here the Kaypro 5 is also briefly described and illustrated. [39]
There is another detailed test in "Computer & Electronics" from June 1983. [56] According to [55] this Kaypro II has a 1791 floppy disk controller; not the 1793 like the later "II's"!
A very good review is in Microcomputing, 12/1982, page 66; see following picture.
According to Micro Cornucopia (Number 10, February 1983, page 26) drive B makes sometimes trouble.
What is striking about this Kaypro II (#003-309) is that it only has a "small" ON-OFF switch and the mains cable is "really" fixed. The later fixed models already have the cut-out, but which it is still screwed on with a plate (with a hole for the mains cable).
Furthermore, the mains power cable is located in a different place (directly below the switch). In all later models, it is located right/below of the external fuse.
According to my informations (pictures) the change from the small ON-OFF switch to the white bordered one must have taken place between serial #003-590 and #004-037.
The Lowest Confirmed Serial Numbers
What is the first serial number? It's not likely that the serial numbering started at zero. Why?
My Kaycomp II has the serial number 2,767 and the mainboard was quality-assured (QA) on June 30, 1982. As NLS did not deliver the first computers until June and the fiscal year 1982 ended on 31 August 1982, only about 1550 units could have been sold. Consequently, my device (from June 82) cannot be the 2,767th unit. For detailed information regarding the sold units see here.
And yes, the date on the mainboard does not clearly indicate the (unknown) manufacturing date of the computer. However, as demand shot through the roof after the trade fair, the finished components have certainly not been lying around anywhere for long. I therefore assume that my Kaycomp will have been delivered by mid-July 82 at the latest.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982 Notes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
01.01 - "Encouraged by the sales of Osborne's computer, Kay increased the
production schedule on the Kaypro II four times during the first
months of 1982." [75]
19.03 - 21.03 Anouncement of the Kaycomp II (Osborne alike) at 7th West Coast
Computer Fair, San Francisco, Civic Auditorium & Brooks Hall
Note: This demonstration model uses the Fergusson BBI and the
(later) Kaypro BIOS was not yet finished. However, from the
information available today (2025), it is not possible to say
conclusively whether the development of both components began
before the computer fair or afterwards.
12.04 "... the company is taking in $50,000 a day [37 units]
in orders and expects to begin deliveries on May 20." [19]
01.05 - 31.05 "He [Kay] was ready to ship 100 units in May but
held off for a month so that the disk drives could be converted
from single to double density." [75]
"The drives, originally single density and single sided, with
double density as an option, are now double density on the
standard model, ..." [74]
01.06 - Sales start of the Kaycomp/Kaypro II in June.
30.06 Kaycomp II (#2,767), 81-110-A (#1,353, 31 NLS, 6-30-82),
Kaypro II (#2,775), 81-110-A (#1,457, 29 NLS, 30JN82)
Note: Both, Kaycomp and Kaypro (# difference of 8) have a
MB of June 30, 1982 (QA label). The renaming from Kaycomp to
Kaypro must have taken place around this date, see next.
16.07 Kaypro II (#3,249), 81-110-A (#1,588, 29 NLS, 16JL82)
31.08 For the year ended August 31, 1982, net sales of microcomputers
[K II's] were $2,084,745 [40].
Note: At the known selling price to dealers of $1,346,
a maximum of 1,550 Kc/K II units were sold on this date.
- 31.12 According to InfoWorld the sales increased from 2,000 units
in 1982 to ... [12, p.86]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
002-561
Kaypro II
Daniel Daigle, British Columbia, Canada
002-775
Kaypro II
Frank Rahman, Illinois, USA
002-837
Kaypro II
NLS, The Kaypro II User's Guide, 1982
3. (H) Kaypro II (by NLS)
In the Micro Cornucopia magazine, this Kaypro II is also called "Kaypro II (pre 84)".
The main difference in this version is the horizontal arrangement of the two floppy drives. In the predecessor models, the arrangement was vertical. The change from vertical to horizontal drives was made in 11/1982 due to obtain the FCC approval but read below Radio Frequency Safety. The change was unfortunately connected with a heat problem.
In fact, Kaypro is now sorry that they went from the vertical drives to the horizontal stack because the change caused many heat problems. [45]
This is the well-known variant. But even of this variant, there are again sub-variants in terms of labeling and power cord connection.
Side labeling: Kaypro II
Back labeling: none, Kaypro or Kaypro II
Keybord labeling: Kaypro or Kaypro II
Brightness control: back, black & metal inlay
no brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: full-high, single-sided
Floppy labeling: DRIVE A, DRIVE B
Interfaces back: 1x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock: no
Cooling fan: no
Ventilation slots: left, right, 29 small (each)
Ventilation slots: rear, 2x 16 small
Mains cable: integrated or external
Company name (back): Non-Linear Systems
Cabinet P/N: 81-003
Add-On: SWP Plus 88 Board
Serial numbers S/N (known to me):
- First: #006-072
- Last: #102-817
According to my research, this version should have been released in April 1983 at the latest (German magazine Computerwoche, April 3, 1983).
White Bordered & Red ON/OFF Switch
The following is the serial number of (maybe) the "last" Kaypro II which can be shown to still havea white bordered ON/OFF switch.
Have a look at Franks Rahmans power switches collection on early Kaypros.
external fuse holder [Reference: unknown]
external fuse holder [Reference: unknown]
Radio Frequency Safety
Remarkable is also the fact that these first Kaypro II were not tested for radio frequency electromagnetic fields (FCC rules), see the large white label. The same facts apply to the first Kaypro 4 and Kaypro 10!
The FCC is required by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, among other things, to evaluate the effect of emissions from FCC-regulated transmitters on the quality of the human environment. Several organizations, such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE),and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) have issued recommendations for human exposure to RF electromagnetic fields. [57]
Portable Computer of the Year 1983
This version was also awarded "Portable Computer of the Year 1983" in Germany.
According to [43] there was a hardware upgrade ($239) for the two floppy drives (SS/DD -> DS/DD) in December 1983 at the latest; a new BIOS should also be included here! Also, you could buy a CPU upgrade to 5 MHz for $99. Have a look at here.
Kaypro II Plus 88
As with the Kaypro 4, there is also a factory version of the Kaypro II with the PLUS 88 board (from SWP Microcomputer Products, Dallas, TX). The PLUS 88 extension can run MS-DOS 1.25 and 2.1.
4. (H) Kaypro 2 (by Kaypro)
Side labeling: Kaypro 2
Back labeling: Kaypro 2
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: full-high, single-sided
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 1x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock: no
Cooling fan: no
Ventilation slots: left, right, 29 small (each)
Ventilation slots: rear, 2x 16 small
Mains cable: external
Company name (back) Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-003
Add-On: SWP Plus 88 board
Kaypro 11 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Incidentally, if you're wondering why Kaypro changed the name of the Kaypro II to Kaypro 2, a company spokesperson explained that it was because people kept asking to see a Kaypro eleven. [44]
This is not a joke. In BYTE Magazine, I found an ad for the Kaypro 11 three times.
Sales Figures
Estimating the sales figures for the K2 family (Kaycomp II, Kaypro II, Kaypro 2) is not that difficult, as in the relevant fiscal (fis) years 1982 and 1983 ‘almost’ only K2s were sold. The first Kaypro 10s were sold from June 1983 and are therefore included in the figures for three months. The fiscal year always begins/ends on 31 August.
The dealer retail price was $1,350, which is 25% of the final retail price of $1,795.
- fis 1982 (01.06.1982-31.08.1982): $2,084,745 / $1,350 = 1,544 units
- fis 1983 (01.09.1982-31.08.1983): $73,487,566 / $1,350 = 54,435 units
Note: NLS did not sell any computers before 1 June 1982!
Kaypro 2/84
Side labeling: Kaypro 2
Back labeling: Kaypro 2
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizonta
Floppy drives: half-high, single-sided
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock: no
Cooling fan: no, round or octagonal cutout available
Mains cable: external
Company name (back) Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-014
And even here, there are still two different cabinets, with round or octagonal cut-outs for the fan. Typical Kaypro, everything in stock was used. Just don't waste anything. Actually a good attitude in contrast to today's throwaway society.
I have many pictures of different Kaypro 2/84 in my collection, but the use of "round or octagonal" cabinets seems random.
Kaypro 2X
According to the magazine Computerworld (07/1984) [67] the Kaypro 2X comes with two double-sided, dual density 5.25" floppy disk drives. The Kaypro 2X was priced at $1,595, $300 more than for the Kaypro 2/84.
In the technical journals [67][68], the Kaypro 2X was only called an improved version of the Kaypro 2. Only the drives have been enhanced, no more and no less. There is definitly no mention of a modem or RTC. These really improvements just came later with the revision 3. You can read a review in the November 1984 issue of InfoWorld. [11]
That there are actually three revisions can also be seen from the different part numbers on the back.
Interesting in this context with the three different revisions is that the Kaypro 2X launch falls exactly in the time when the company stores the surplus stock in a circus tent and big trucks on its site. According to the New York Times [69], Kaypro had stocked up so much because the Kaypro 2 was selling like hot cakes. My guess is that there were simply too many old cabinets. So just make a virtue out of necessity, install two better drives and continue "selling warm cookies". Sounds plausible to me.
Revision 1
Side labeling: Kaypro 2
Back labeling: Kaypro 2 with sticker (X)
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: half-high, single-sided
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock: no
Cooling fan: no, round or octagonal cutout available
Mains cable: external
Company name (back) Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-014
The sticker (X) revision. This first revision - with the old blue cabinet - was still without a real-time clock (RTC), battery and modem. [14, 4-11].
As already said above this Kaypro 2X was nothing more than the old cabinet of a Kaypro 2/84 with better drives (SS -> DS) and the new UNIVERSAL BOARD. Simply stuck the sticker X for eXtended on the back, done.
As confirmation, here is a brief correspondence with Doug Miller from VCF.
Hello Doug, I have a question. You have a Kaypro 2X, the so-called sticker version. Does your mainboard also have a modem and the real time clock like the later 2X versions.
Hi Thomas, my original mainboard did not have the RTC, modem, or HDD parts populated (I later added the RTC myself for my CP/M 3 project). When the mainboard died (circa 1986/7), the replacement I got was fully populated.
And even here, there are still two different cabinets, with round or octagonal cut-outs for the fan. Typical Kaypro, everything in stock was used. Just don't waste anything. Actually a good attitude in contrast to today's throwaway society.
I have many pictures of different Kaypro 2X in my collection, but the use of "round or octagonal" cabinets seems random.
Revision 2
The revision 2 looks externally almost like the revision 3 - the dark one - but modem and RTC are missing too. A lot of pictures can be found here at the Time-Line Computer Archive.
Side labeling: Kaypro
Back labeling: Kaypro 2X
Front labeling: 2X
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock: no
Cooling fan: no, round cutout available
Mains cable: external
Company name: Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-025
Revision 3
Side labeling: Kaypro
Back labeling: Kaypro 2X
Front labeling: 2X
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: yes
Real Time Clock: yes
Cooling fan: no, round cutout available
Mains cable: external
Company name: Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-033
The 2X's equipment with different floppy drives: Epson above, Toshiba below.
New Kaypro 2
According to [kay84] page 4, the "New Kaypro 2" (not Kaypro New 2) is a low-priced single disk drive machine (of the 2X) designed for basic word processing.
Side labeling: ?Kaypro
Back labeling: ?Kaypro 2
Front labeling: 2
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drive: (one) half-high, double-sided
Floppy labeling: A, (B)
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: ?no
Real Time Clock: ?no
Cooling fan: no, round cutout available
Mains cable: external
Company name: Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: ?81-033
The following Kaypro is also a "New 2", but a second floppy drive was added later. The New 2 is nothing other than a 2X but with only one drive; the budget version.
Kaycomp III ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In the Australian magazine Your Computer I found another new number variant, the Kaycomp III. I just want to mention it here, but this Kaycomp never existed. Probably a self-creation of the author.
The first Kaypro with 390 KByte per drive was the Kaypro 4 ('83).
Kaypro 4 ('83)
Side labeling: Kaypro 4
Back labeling: Kaypro 4
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, with metal inlay,
no brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: full-high, double-sided
Floppy labeling: DRIVE A, DRIVE B
Interfaces back: 1x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock: no
Mains cable: external
Cooling fan: no
Company name: Non-Linear Systems or
Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-004 or 81-006
Add-On: SWP Plus 88 Board
The Kaypro 4 (from '83) is a Kaypro II with double-sided drives and was launched before July 1983, see *10).
Below you can see three (but four pictures) different cabinet versions of the Kaypro 4 ('83). Special is actually only the part number of the cabinet, there are both the 81-004 and the 81-006. Where the differences lie I could not yet figure out. This small but nice detail was pointed out to me by Frank Rahman from Springfield, Illinois, USA. Thank you Frank!
In the following picture, I am not sure if this is the original Kaypro 4 keyboard because it is black.
Kaypro 4 Plus 88
As with the Kaypro II, there is also a factory version of the Kaypro 4 ('83) with the PLUS 88 board (from SWP Microcomputer Products, Dallas, TX). The PLUS 88 extension can run MS-DOS 1.25 and 2.1.
The Kaypro 4 Plus 8, which is reviewed here [55], is a Kaypro 4 with factory-in-stalled 16-bit Intel 8088 co-procesor and an aditional 256 Kbytes of dynamic RAM.
For detailed info please have a look at the review in [55]. Here is only the conclusion there.
Note: A PLUS 88 version or the extension is also available for the later Kaypro 4/84.
What the Heck is a Kaypro IV?
The naming of the Kaypro 4 is also sometimes a bit confusing because the Roman numeral IV is also used for this Kaypro. This name confusion is unfortunately typical for Kaypro. Officially, the designation "Kaypro 4" is used in the official brochures and the like, but ... in some CP/M 2.2 versions for the Kaypro "4" the designation "IV" actually appears on the screen; confusing! See the next image.
But, the lettering on the side and the back always reads Kaypro 4, not IV!
If you read newspaper articles from the mid 1983's you will notice that often three models are mentioned in one context/sentence, namely: "Kaypro II, Kaypro 4 and Kaypro 10". All three are the so-called '83 models.
In Micro Cornucopia magazine, the term "pre-84" is also often used for these '83 models.
The official designation in the "Technical Manual" is always KAYPRO 4 and KAYPRO 4/84, see below.
I believe the label "IV" was created by someone to document that this model, like the Kaypro II, is from the same year 1983 to avoid confusion with the later Model Kaypro 4 from 1984. The only official model with Roman numerals is the Kaypro II which was referred to Kaycomp II at the very beginning.
Kaypro 4/84
Side labeling: Kaypro 4
Back labeling: Kaypro 4 or with 84 (sticker)
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: yes
Real Time Clock: yes
Cooling fan: yes
Mains cable: external
Company name. Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-015
Add-On: SWP Plus 88 Board
The round sticker ('84) was used up to approximately serial number 115-500/116-000. Somewhere in between, the change took place, i.e. no sticker was used anymore. This can be seen from my collection of pictures.
According to [rj84] page 15, 26 the Kaypro 4/84 is also known as the "Kaypro 4E", see next.
Kaypro 4E
Micro Cornucopia, #24, August 1985, page 32; an Advertising for the software "Rembrandt" for Kaypro. It is still somewhat unclear, however, because both the 4E and the 4/84 are mentioned here, see before.
According to BOSKUG the Kaypro 4E is really a Kaypro 4/84. The "E" may stand for "Enhanced". Later, the official designation was Kaypro 4/84.
Kaypro 4X
The cabinet of the Kaypro 4X looks basically the same as the Kaypro 4/84. Also, Kaypro has probably used the same sales trick as with the 2X. Take a model that is running well, make a few improvements and you can bring an innovation to the market. Only unfortunately, in this case, the improved drives ended up being a fiasco for Kaypro. That was already the case with the Robie. The Drivetec drives were innovative but not usable in everyday use.
However, there is one small special feature. Both the Kaypro 4 ('83) and the Kaypro 4/84 have KAYPRO 4 written on the side, while the Kaypro 4X only has KAYPRO.
Side labeling: Kaypro
Back labeling: Kaypro 4X (sticker)
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided, high density
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: yes
Real Time Clock: yes
Cooling fan: yes
Mains cable: external
Company name: Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-015
According to the magazine Computerworld (August 13, 1984, page 98) the Kaypro 4X (with RTC, modem) comes with two high-density 2.6 MByte 5.25" floppy disk drives. The Kaypro 4X is priced at $2,495.
Important note for collectors: The Kaypro 4x, 12X and Robie have Drivetec floppy drives for 2.6 MByte floppy disks. According to the Robie manual: "You should buy good-quality, high-density diskettes pre-formatted 17-sector 192 TPI. Specify Brown Disk UHR II or the Maxell equivalent. Each diskette is capable of holding 2.6 megabytes of information." Even if you were to buy non-formatted floppy disks (NOS), you cannot use them in this Pro's because they must be “factory“ pre-formatted. You can NOT format them yourself!
The Drivetec drives can read Kaypro II and 4 floppy formats but NOT write! [47] This one-way road may also have been a reason why the Robie, 4X and 12X failed to establish themselves in the market.
Kaypro 5 - The Unknown
Side labeling: Kaypro 5
Back labeling: ?
Keybord labeling: Kaypro 5
Brightness control: *1)
Floppy orientation: vertical
Floppy drive: full-high, single-sided
Floppy labeling: DRIVE A
Interfaces back: 1x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: ?no
Real Time Clock: ?no
Cooling fan: ?yes
Mains cable: ?external
Company name: Non-Linear Systems
? = not verified due to no information/pictures
*1) At the top right of the screen, you can clearly
see a white (unreadable) writing. The Kaypro II (vertical)
has "BRIGHTNESS" written here. However, the actual rotary
knob with the round shiny metal plate is not visible.
Possibly, this knob is completely black, as in the later models.
The Kaypro 5 was announced on July 26, 1982 and is the hard disk version of the Kaycomp/Kaypro II. [71] According to Erroll Foldes the Kaypro 5 was never produced. [103]
Although I [Peter McWilliams] wasn’t able to review it, Non-Linear Systems has just introduced the Kaypro 5. It’s identical to the II except for its single 5 1/4-inch floppy-disk drive and Winchester hard-disk drive. The Kaypro 5 is the first portable computer to use the 5 1/4-inch hard disks, which are proliferating as prices fall, and the drive adds a very respectable 5.5 megabytes of on-line storage to the Kaypro. The whole unit retails for $4,500. [39]
As stated above, the Kaypro 5 is "almost" identical to the Kaypro II. It's hard to tell from the picture, but the layout of the drives is like the first Kaypro II, and vertical. Instead of the (right) second floppy drive (B:), a hard disk is installed. However, you can clearly see the hard drive's LED on the right, the small rectangle with the white border.
The Kaypro 5 is based on the Kaypro II, but you can already see the layout of the Kaypro 10 on the keyboard. The number pad is no longer light blue but black. On the other hand, the actual case still looks very light to me. On the Kaypro 10, the case is much darker, a deep dark gray.
[bm83] page 181, 182
The name Kaypro 5 does not appear in the technical manuals "1484-C/D/E/F". Whether there are other technical manuals 1484-A and 1484-B is not known to me! Perhaps this is also the reason why the Kaypro 5 had disappeared from the "consciousness".
During my internet research, I had of course also posted an inquiry in the VCF forum. But I did not get any concrete answers there. Anyway, it doesn't matter now because the Kaypro 5 has come out of the dark again. My search was successful! The Internet doesn't forget anything, you just have to dig deep enough.
Kaypro 10
Basically, Kaypro has developed or launched three different variants of the Kaypro 10. Relatively unknown is the predecessor of the well known Kaypro 10 ('83), I have called this one Kaypro 10 (pre). And then there is the Kaypro 10 ('84) with the (minimally modified) UNIVERSAL BOARD.
I have already mentioned above that the Kaypro II (the mainboard) is almost a copy of the Big Board I. According to David Thompson of Micro C magazine, this applies partially to the Kaypro 10, although not to such an extreme.
I got my first good look at the insides of the Kaypro 10 during the SOG [1983]. There were a couple here, and they both ran like tops. Many of the visiting Big Board folks suspected that there might be more than casual similarity between the Kaypro 10 and the Big Board II. There is quite a bit of similarity but not nearly as much as between the Kaypro II and the BB I. [100]
(1) Kaypro 10 (pre)
Side labeling: Kaypro 10
Back labeling: ?Kaypro 10
Keybord labeling: Kaypro 10
Brightness control: back, black,
?with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: half-high, single-sided
Floppy labeling: C
Hard drive labeling: A - B 10 MEG
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: ?no
Real Time Clock: ?no
Cooling fan: yes
Mains cable: external
Company name: ?Non-Linear Systems
Cabinet P/N: 81-005
? = not verified due to no information/pictures
According to BYTE (March, 1983, page 160 [42]) the pre-Kaypro 10 was priced at $2,795 (DM7,111).
Below is an email from info-cpm that refers to this exact ad in the BYTE 03/1983.
Whether this first Kaypro 10 model was ever "sold" on the market is unknown to me. Maybe because there really exists a brochure.
(2) Kaypro 10 ('83)
In the Micro Cornucopia magazine, this Kaypro 10 is also called "Kaypro 10 (pre 84)".
Important: If you want to change the ROM to a KayPLUS or TurboROM please note that the early Kaypro 10 with 81-188 ROM does not work with TurboROM. If you have a Kaypro 10 with 81-302 ROM it does not work with KayPLUS.
According to InfoWorld (May 23, 1983, page 10) the Kaypro 10 was announced in November 1982.
According to InfoWorld (Oct 3, 1983, page 8) the Kaypro 10 was shipped in June 1983.
According to InfoWorld (Aug 15, 1983, page 26) the Kaypro 10 was priced at $2,795 (DM7,111).
According to InfoWorld magazine (03.10.1983/p.8 & 04.11.1983/p.34), Tandon was the first hard disk supplier for the Kaypro 10 and there were problems with the hard disk in the early days. At times, production had to be slowed down and a new EPROM kit was brought to market, which was supposed to fix 80% of the problems. In the course of these problems, a second hard disk supplier (Microscience) was integrated into the production of the Kaypro 10.
US Market
Side labeling: Kaypro 10
Back labeling: Kaypro 10
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Brightness control: back, black, no brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: vertical
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided
Floppy labeling: none
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock: no
Cooling fan: yes
Mains cable: external
Company name. Non-Linear Systems
Cabinet P/N: 81-005
European (EU) Market
Side labeling: Kaypro 10 or Kaypro
Back labeling: Kaypro 10
Keybord labeling: Kaypro
Front sticker: USE „SAFETY“ PROGRAM BEFORE SWITCHING OFF
(With German „quotation marks“.)
Brightness control: back, black, no brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: vertical
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided
Floppy labeling: none
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: no
Real Time Clock. no
Cooling fan: yes
Mains cable: external
Company name. Non-Linear Systems &
"Sticker" with Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-005
The Kaypro 10 had been on the market about five months when I wrote this review. The machine I reviewed (a late November 1983 model) was very different in both the software bundle and implementation of the operating system from what Kaypro was shipping in July of 1983. The software bundle had gone through several major changes, the BIOS (basic input/output system) was in revision "F;' and the monitor EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory) and the hard-disk interface board had each been changed. Several system utilities for use with the hard disk had been revised to work with the new EPROM and interface. [78]
(3) Kaypro 10 ('84)
USA Market
Side labeling: ?Kaypro 10
Back labeling: ?Kaypro 10
Keybord labeling: ?Kaypro
Brightness control: ?back, black,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: vertical
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided
Floppy labeling: none
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: yes
Real Time Clock: yes
Cooling fan: yes
Mains cable: external
Company name: ?Kaypro Corporation
Cabinet P/N: 81-005
? = not verified due to no information/pictures
Kaypro 12X
Forum request: I have never seen the Kaypro 12X on the Internet.
According to the magazine Computerworld (August 13, 1984, page 99) the Kaypro 12X comes with a 10 MByte hard disk drive and a 2.6 MByte 5.25" floppy disk drive. The hard disk reportedly can be backed up on three high-density floppy disks! The Kaypro 12X is priced at $3,295.
According to Micro Cornucopia (Number 20, October 1984, page 26) the Kaypro 12X is a Kaypro 10 (with "universal" '84 motherboard) with a Drivetec 320 floppy drive.
Important note for collectors: The Kaypro 4x, 12X and Robie have Drivetec floppy drives for 2.6 MByte floppy disks. According to the Robie manual: "You should buy good-quality, high-density diskettes pre-formatted 17-sector 192 TPI. Specify Brown Disk UHR II or the Maxell equivalent. Each diskette is capable of holding 2.6 megabytes of information." Even if you were to buy non-formatted floppy disks (NOS), you cannot use them in this Pro's because they must be “factory“ pre-formatted. You can NOT format them yourself!
The Drivetec drives can read Kaypro II and 4 floppy formats but NOT write! [47] This one-way road may also have been a reason why the Robie, 4X and 12X failed to establish themselves in the market.
Kaypro Robie
Last revision of this chapter: October 16, 2024
According to Computerworld magazine [64], the Robie was first presented to the public at COMDEX '83 in Las Vegas (Convention Center, Nov 28 - Dec 2, 1983). Sales were to start at the end of December 1983, at a price of less than $2,000.
In fact the Robie was not delivered until March 1984. However, production was already stopped in July 1984 due to reliability problems with the drives. [96]
Design Version `83
Side labeling: none
Back labeling: Kaypro Robie
Front labeling: Kaypro Robie (red)
Design: label on disk disk cabinet
Front surface: smooth
Keybord labeling: Kaypro Robie
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided, high-density
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: yes
Real Time Clock. yes
Cooling fan: yes
Mains cable: external
Company name: Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-012
Double and/or High-Density
Question? Were there possibly two different (floppy drive) models of the Robie, a DD and a HD version? The first time I became suspicious was when I saw the first press photo (see below) and the review of the COMDEX written by Daniel Janal.
The [Robie] system houses two 5.25-inch, double-density, double-sided disk drives with 394K formatted storage per diskette (for approximately an 800K capability) and 2K of ROM. [62]
A comparison to the Kaypro 4/84 appears twice in this article! If you look at the first press photo there were Tandon drives installed in a white Robie.
But only one week later in the Micro Marketworld (of December 12, 1983, page 76) it was written that the Robie has two 2.6M drives!
The New York Times published an article about Kaypro (KAYPRO'S BID TO REMAIN ON TOP) on November 27, 1983. One day before the COMDEX! This article also describes a lot about the competition with IBM.
At this time, sales of the IBM PC and XT were already in full swing. According to an article in the New York Times [104], the sales figures in 1982 were up to 200,000 units and for 1983 up to 500,000 were estimated! Maybe Kaypro wanted or needed to create a new buying impulse with the new drives. Who knows? Perhaps this was the reason for the change to the high-density floppy disk drives.
Double-Density for the European/German Market?
I am almost sure that Kaypro (later) produced two different Robie models of the '83 design version. One was the version with the new Drivetec high-density drives for the US market and a reduced version with the old double-density drives for the European (at least for the German) market.
And why am I so sure? Because I own such a German Robie (see below), which has normal double-density drives. Until now, I had always thought that the previous owner had simply exchanged the fault-prone Drivetec drives and replaced them with DD drives, but he definitely didn't! Why? Because my Robie does not have the required clock crystal (8 MHz) installed on the mainboard (at U53). U53 is absolutely necessary for the Drivetec drives! [98] The clock crystal was also not desoldered because otherwise there would be holes in the board. No, the clock crystal was never installed. My Robie mainboard is exactly the same as the Kaypro 4/84 (but without the 50pin connector).
Long story short: "No 8 MHz clock at U53, no Drivetec high-density floppy disk drives!"
Yes, the critic can of course now say that the previous owner completely replaced the old Robie mainboard with a Kaypro 4/84 mainboard. That would of course be possible in principle, but I don't think it's likely. There is a second Robie '83 on the Internet, which also has two double-density drives. And this one also has the same strange BIOS as mine. That would be a very big coincidence.
And then there is the problem with the extremely expensive high-density disks (see below), which could only have been bought from Kaypro dealers. But Germany never had this dealer system like in the USA. In Europe there were only three official Kaypro dealers!
Even normal double-density disks could only be bought in a few specialist stores in Germany in 1983/84. And they were still really expensive, as I can still remember from my time as a student. Diskettes only became inexpensive from 1986/87 onwards.
What else stands out? The retail price! On December 5, Janal wrote that the Robie would retail for less than $2,000 by the end of 1983. On December 26, however, he wrote (in InfoWorld) that the Robie would not be available until the first quarter of 1984 for $2,295. The kµgram even talked about a price of $2,495. [94] Why this big difference in time and price?
In the picture above, text and photo do not match. There are Tandon (390K) drives shown and not 2.6M Drivetec! According to the Kaypro Robie User's Guide the Robie came with two high-density 2.6 MByte 5.25" floppy disk drive (Drivetec 320 Superminifloppy).
These Drivetec drives can read Kaypro II and 4 floppy formats but not write! [47] This one-way road may also have been a reason why the Robie, 4X and 12X failed to establish themselves in the market. The floppy disks were also quite expensive.
[in 1984] Extra disks cost $16 each, which works out to $160 a box, compared with $30 a box for conventional disks. [105]
Important note for todays collectors. According to the Robie manual: "You should buy good-quality, high-density diskettes pre-formatted 17-sector 192 TPI. Specify Brown Disk UHR II or the Maxell equivalent. Each diskette is capable of holding 2.6 megabytes of information." Even if you were to buy new floppy disks nowadays, you cannot use them, because they must be factory pre-formatted. You can not pre-format them by yourself!
Why? In addition to the actual data tracks, half a track above and below them is embedded with theso-called BURST information for the servo (fine) stepper. This BURST information is continuously read and evaluated. If both signals are the same, the actual head is positioned exactly on the data track. If this is not the case, the fine stepper repositions the head. The BURST signals are therefore positioning signals for the head. Without these BURST signals, the disks are unusable. The HD drives can of course read and write the data, but they are not able to write the BURST information! And this is exactly what happens in the factory pre-formatting. [66]
Michael Robinson reports: I worked at Kaypro at the time. The big shortcoming of the Robie was the too-advanced (at the time) high-density drives. The drives would literally eat through very expensive pre-formatted proprietary floppy disks. After a long enough time in the drive, you could hold a floppy up to the light, and see through the directory track where the drive heads had scraped all the oxide off the mylar substrate. Eventually, this was tracked down to a manufacturing defect that left diamond dust on the heads during the polishing step, but by then the Robie was more or less doomed. The industrial design on the Robie was done by Janice Kay (one of the Kay clan), the architect (of sorts) who also designed the Kaypro lobby. [34]
Dave Domanski adds: Robie was definitely commercially available. I had it for sale in my computer store (Matrix Computers in Dearborn, Michigan) in the early 80s, seems to me it was prior to 1984 but perhaps that is about right. An ill-advised attempt by Non-Linear Systems (not Kaypro) to broaden into the desktop market, Robie was the only not-specifically-portable Kaypro, but like the others it ran CP/M on a Z80 family processor. This was, of course, at a time when IBM's PC and MS-DOS were steadily crushing all else before them. As you can tell from the picture it shared a lot of hardware with its "sewing machine case" Kaypro siblings. If I recall correctly it had a whopping 5 MB hard disk. I do remember that it was jet black, unlike your photo. It never sold well anywhere near as well as the portable Kaypros, I think mostly due to its freakish appearance. [34]
Allen Cobb's memories: I remember the Robie from a shop I worked at (WordMovers - Lawndale, Ca) while in school. Time frame was right about 1984, it had two high density 5.25 inch drives - I believe somewhere in the vicinity of 2 megs per drive with specially formatted floppies (supposedly available from your KayPro dealer). From what I remember, the Robie did not sell well at all (I never saw one move from the store that sold a high volume of Kaypro products). The only sound was a beep emanating from the keyboard. The Robie made a great paperweight. [34]
Please read page 26 of Micro Cornucopia, issue 20, October 1984. There you will find a lot of information about the Kaypro Robie.
My Robie with DD Floppy Disk Drives
At the end of June 2022, I was lucky enough to buy a Kaypro Robie off eBay Classifieds (Germany). The seller found the Robie in the bulky waste (Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg)!
And now, does the Robie work or not? Short answer, yes, everything is fine. The real-time clock also works, I could not test the modem yet. But everything is in order, here is my report.
Design Version `85
Side labeling: none
Back labeling: Kaypro Robie
Front labeling: Kaypro Robie
Design: label on CRT cabinet
Front surface: ribbed
Keybord labeling: Kaypro Robie
Brightness control: back, black, no metal inlay,
with brightness pictogram
Floppy orientation: horizontal
Floppy drives: half-high, double-sided, high-density
Floppy labeling: A, B
Interfaces back: 2x serial, 1x parallel
Modem: yes
Real Time Clock: yes
Cooling fan: yes
Mains cable: external
Company name: Kaypro Corporation & Kaypro Europe
Cabinet P/N: 81-023
Kaypro Business Line
Sales Prices
Historical exchange rates averaged over the year (US $ : German DM)
- 1983 - 1 : 2,55
- 1984 - 1 : 2,85
- 1985 - 2 : 2,94
- 1986 - 2 : 2,17
The subsequent price quotations in the ( ) are based on these averaged values and serve only as a guide. The prices in front of the ( ), on the other hand, are taken exactly from the newspaper reports.
Kaypro 1
According to Computerworld (Februar 17, 1986, page 67) the Kaypro 2X is replaced by the Kaypro 1 and cost $1,295 (DM2,810). Attention in the newspaper article is an error. The Kaypro 1 is the successor of the 2X and not vice versa!
Kaypro II
Richmond Kaypro Users Group Newsletter Article, by John W. Alwood, 3/4/86: ... Well, so much for whatever happened to my original Kaypro. As you can see, I have spent a lot of time and effort in an attempt to get the most out of what I already had. To me, this made a lot more sense than starting all over again with a different system, different software, etc. I guess if I added it all up, my hardware upgrades would cost as much as the original Kaypro II did ($1,800.00). Well, let's see:
$1800.00 Purchased Kaypro II (4/83)
$ 500.00 256K CoPower-88 Ramdisk (11/84)
$ 240.00 8MHz Advent TurboCard (1/85)
$ 600.00 Two Half-height Double-Sided Disk Drives (3/85)
$ 30.00 Micro Cornucopia Character ROM (1/86)
$ 95.00 Advent TurboROM (with '83 adapter) (2/86)
--------
$1465.00 Upgrade Total (as of 2/86)
According to the german magazine Computerwoche from April 3, 1983, the Kaypro II cost 6,350 DM ($2,490).
According to Computerworld (September 12, 1983, page 15) the Kaypro II cost $1,595 (4,067 DM).
According to Computerworld (November 7, 1983, page 82) the Kaypro II Plus 88 cost $2,000 (5,100 DM).
According to the german magazine Computerwoche from March 2, 1984, the Kaypro II cost 5,448 DM. That fits quite well. Assuming John W. Alwood (see above) bought his Kaypro II for $1,800 in 1984: 1,800 x 2.85 = 5,130 DM.
According to InfoWorld (20. Aug. 1984, page 20) NLS sold 42,000 units of the Kaypro II in fiscal year 1983.
Kaypro 2 (84)
According to the magazine Computerworld (Juli 9, 1984, page 10) the Kaypro 2 cost $1,295 (3,691 DM).
Kaypro 2X
According to the magazine Computerworld (Juli 9, 1984, page 10) the Kaypro 2X cost $1,595 (4,546 DM), $300 more than the Kaypro 2/84.
Kaypro 4 (83)
According to Computerworld (November 7, 1983, page 82) the Kaypro 4 Plus 88 cost $2,200 (5,610 DM)
According to the german magazine Computerwoche from Februar 3, 1984, the Kaypro 4 cost 6,448 DM ($2,262); before 6,898 DM ($2,420).
Kaypro 4X
According to Computerworld (August 13, 1984, page 98) the Kaypro 4X cost $2,495 (7,111 DM).
Kaypro 5
According to InfoWorld (August 2, 1982, page 22) the Kaypro 5 cost $4,485.
Kaypro 10
According to BYTE (March, 1983, page 160) the pre-Kaypro 10 cost $2,795 (7,111 DM).
According to InfoWorld (August 15, 1983, page 26) the Kaypro 10 came on the market and cost $2,795 (7,111 DM).
According to the german magazine Computerwoche from Februar 3, 1984, the Kaypro 10 cost 10,098 DM ($3,543); before 9,698 DM ($3,400).
Kaypro 12X
According to Computerworld (August 13, 1984, page 99) the Kaypro 12X cost $3,295 (9,391 DM).
Robie
According to Computerworld (December 5, 1983, page 12) the Robie cost less then $2,000 (5,100 DM).
Downloads 
Here you will find all my gathered downloads for the CP/M Kaypro's.
Information
Here you will find all my gathered information about the CP/M Kaypro's.
References
==> ROM and CP/M Versions and Revisions
- my Kaypro 10, GMv3.20K10F, German version
- ROM revision tested with my Kaypro 10/83
- Kaypro II: 81-110-n or 81-240n mainboard series
- https://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum/genres/cp-m-and-mp-m/35124-kaypro-10-problem?p=429766#post429766
- https://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum/genres/cp-m-and-mp-m/79723-kaypro-10-mts-kaypro-1-81-478-a-rom-reloading-issues-please-advise#post79723
- https://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum/genres/cp-m-and-mp-m/64156-kaypro-cp-m-versions#post64156
- https://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum/genres/cp-m-and-mp-m/1216669-upgrading-rom-in-a-kaypro-2-84#post1216669
- https://www.vcfed.org/forum/forum/genres/cp-m-and-mp-m/64156-kaypro-cp-m-versions?p=786215#post786215
- https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-01-26-keyboard-problem-on-kaypro.htm
- Kaypro Software Bulletin, 07.1983
- InfoWorld, 12. Nov 1984, page 52
- InfoWorld, 26. Dec 1983, page 57
- (↑) Kaypro Technical Manual (1484-D, 1984)
- (↑) Kaypro Technical Manual (1484-F, 1985)
- (↑) Micro Cornucopia, Number 17, Apr 1984, page 20
- (↑) Thomas Brase, https://retrocmp.de/kaypro/kay-p2_hrdw.htm#mb-k1
- (↑) Micro Cornucopia, Number 24, June-July 1985, page 33
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaypro#Kaypro_by_model_and_year
- (↑) InfoWorld, Apr 12, 1982, page 10
- (↑) BYTE, Jun 1982, page 16
- (↑) BYTE, Jul 1982, page 171
- (↑) InfoWorld, Aug 2, 1982, page 19, 22
- Terry Stewart - https://www.classic-computers.org.nz/blog/2010-09-06-kaypro-non-boot-issue.htm
- InfoWorld, Oc 18, 1982, page 60
- Kaypro II User's Guide, 1982
- CHIP 12/1983, page 42
- https://www.digibarn.com/collections/systems/kaypro-2X/index.html
- BYTE Sep 1983, pages 40-41
- BYTE Sep 1983, page 216
- InfoWorld, Aug 2, 1982, page 23
- InfoWorld, Oct 10, 1983, page 109
- Personal Computer World, 09/1983/p111
- Personal Computer World, 10/1983/p322
- (↑) Michael Robinson, https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp
- Personal Computer World, Jan 1984, page 347
- (↑) Marc Wilson, Newsgroup - Kaypro 4 ('84) Hardware, Feb 13, 1990, https://mdfs.net/Archive/info-cpm/1990/02/13/184752.htm
- Newsgroup: Kaypro II (alias Kaycomp II) (and a 5" winchester option), Jul 31, 1982
- The ROM revision string can be taken directly from the ROM with a HEX editor.
- Popular Computing, Dec 1982, page 67 ff.
- 1984 Annual Report, Kaypro Corporation
- (↑) BYTE, July 1982, page 454
- (↑) BYTE, Mar 1983, page 160
- (↑) BYTE, Dec 1983, page 621
- (↑) BYTE, Jul 1984, page 33
- (↑) BYTE, May 1983, page 566
- (↑) BYTE, Jan 1984, page 455
- (↑) Micro Cornucopia, #20, Oct 1984, page 26
- Kaypro Software Bulletin, July 1983, page 1
- (↑) Micro Cornucopia #15, Dec 1983, page 1
- (↑) Micro Cornucopia #14, Oct 1983, page 1
- (↑) Centre for Computing History, Cambridge, UK, http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/1612/Kaypro-II
- Smithsonian Institution (the “Smithsonian”) / https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1156670
- (↑) Rick Bartlett, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Kaypro#History
- (↑) Kaypro, Form 10K, Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 1984
- Computer & Electronic (Popular Electronics), March 1984, page 79ff
- Computer & Electronic (Popular Electronics), June 1983, page 57ff
- https://www.fcc.gov/general/radio-frequency-safety-0
- Member Sharkpuncher - http://forums.bannister.org
- Jim Forbes - Sierra Vista, Arizona, USA
- (↑) TCJ, The Computer Journal #60, Mar/Apr 1993, pages 36-37
- (↑) San Diego Reader, Jan 19, 1984, https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1984/jan/19/cover-little-computers-big-bucks
- (↑) Daniel Janal, Kaypro's new desktop targeted for the office. InfoWorld, Dec 5, 1983, page 27
- InfoWorld, Mar 4, 1985, page 15, 16
- (↑) Daniel Janal, Desktop Micro unveiled by Kaypro. Computerworld, Dec 5, 1983, page 12
- Robie ROM from Don Maslin collection
- (↑) Herb Thompson, Half-height minifloppy stores 3.3M bytes, MINI-MICRO SYSTEMS, Jul 20, 1983, page 219
- Computerworld, Jul 9, 1984, page 110
- InfoWorld, Jul 22, 1984, news page
- New York Times BUSINESS, KAYPRO PARTS MAY BE MISSING, Sep 13, 1984
- (↑) Popular Computing, Sep 1982, page 38
- Computer Business News, 26. Jul. 1982, page 9
- (↑) Industrial Research & Development, Jul. 1982, page 123
- (↑) Radio Electronics, Nov 1983, page 21
- (↑) Datamation, Jul 1982, page 12
- (↑) Michael F. Wolff, Riding the biggest wave, IEEE Spectrum, Dec 1984, page(s) 66-71, https://sci-hub.se/10.1109/MSPEC.1984.6370378
- Microcomputing, Dec. 1982, page 66
- (↑) David H. Rothman, The Silicon Jungle, Ballantine Books, Jul 1985
- (↑) BYTE May 1984, page 224
- (↑) My conversation (video call) with David Kay, Sep 6, 2022
- (↑) InfoWorld, Sep 5, 1983, page 32
- (↑) My conversation (video call) with David Kay, Sep 15, 2022
- (↑) Eric N. Berg, New York Times, KAYPRO'S BID TO REMAIN ON TOP, Nov 27, 1983
- Kaypro Corporation, securities and exchange commission, form 10-K, 08/31/1984, commission file number 0-11422
- https://trademarks.justia.com/owners/ohnysty-gilbert-277988/
- (↑) Kaypro Trademark details, https://trademarks.justia.com/733/77/kaypro-73377730.html
- (↑) Popular Computing, August 1982, page 23
- (↑) Personal Computer World (PWC), Jun 1982, page 114
- Your Computer, Sep 1982, page 22
- (↑) Micro Times, Sep 1985, page 24
- (↑) Profiles, Dec 1985, page 51
- (↑) Micro Cornucopia, Oct 1984, page 24
- (↑) John M Holmes JrFacebook, Kaypro User Group
- Time Line Computer Archive: https://t-lcarchive.org/kaypro-2x/
- (↑) kugram, Official Newsletter of the KAYPRO USERS' GROUP, vol.2, no. 1, page 28, 02/1984?
- (↑) Nat Weiner, The Boston Kugel, 03-04 & 05-06/1984
- (↑) Steven Burke, Kaypro Robie Called a Flop. Micro Marketworld, 09/17/1984, page 32
- (↑) Rudolf Brandstötter, aka [alker33], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Z8X2se_Fg
- (↑) Kaypro Technical Manual (1484-F, 1985), page 6-41, 6-50
- TCJ, The Computer Journal #59, Jan/Feb 1993, page 28
- Micro Cornucopia, Aug 1983, page 22
- (↑) eBay sales picture
- (↑) Images by David Grimshaw, Austin, Texas, USA
- Errol Foldes, Historically Brewed, #4, The Kaypro Korner - Part I, Mar/Apr 1994
- (↑) Andrew Pollack, New York Times, BIG I.B.M. HAS DONE IT AGAIN, Mar 27, 1983
- (↑) Walter Salm, Popular Mechanics, Superdensity Disks And Drives, Oct, 1984, Page 192
- (↑) By courtesy of Steven Stone, E-mail communication from Nov. 2022
- (↑) Dan W. Post and Bob McElwain, Interface Age, Prolific Portables, Oct 1982, page 34
- (↑) A former employee whose name does not wish to be mentioned here. He contacted me by email.
- (↑) San Diego - Evening Tribune, Sep 17, 1982, page 61
- (↑) https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=73313071&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch
- (↑) The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California), Oct 31, 1982, page 573
- (↑) Electronic Engineering Times, March 15, 1982; Frank Rahman digitized this image which comes from the possession of David Kay
- (↑) Computer Shopper, Aug 1989, page 412
My Series About the KAYPRO
--> Go to Part 1 : Versions
--> Go to Part 2 : Hardware
--> Go to Part 3 : 8K EPROM Modification
--> Go to Part 4 : Formatting a Hard Disk
--> Go to Part 5 : USER areas
--> Go to Part 6 : MASMENU - Master Menu
--> Go to Part 7 : Terminal
--> Go to Part 8 : KayPLUS ROM
--> Go to Part 9 : Advent TurboROM
--> Go to Part 10: Multicopy Plu*Perfect
--> Go to Part 11: Kaypro Family & Company
--> Go to Part 12: Kaypro Design Views
--> Go to Part 13: Micro Cornucopia
--> Go to Part 14: Repairing a Kaypro II
--> Go to Part 15: Kaypro Collections
--> Go to Part 16: Kaypro General
--> Go to Part 17: Kaypro Robie
--> Go to Part 18: MFM-Emulators
--> Go to Part 19: Roadrunner ROM
--> Go to Part 20: Software
--> Go to Part 21: FAQ
--> Go to Part 22: Kaypro Virtual
--> Go to Part 23: Formatting a Floppy Disk
--> Go to Part 24: ROM, EPROM
--> Go to Part 25: Kaycomp