Global InformationRobotron Z1013 information
 | |
 Z 1013 board with distinctive 16Kb RAM chips | |
| Manufacturer | VEB Robotron-Elektronik Riesa |
|---|---|
| Type | Single-board computer |
| Release date | Z 1013.01: 1985 Z 1013.12: 1985 Z 1013.16: 1987 Z 1013.64: 1988 |
| Lifespan | 5 years |
| Introductory price | Z 1013.01: 650 M Z 1013.16: 965 M |
| Discontinued | Z 1013.01, Z 1013.12: 1987 Z 1013.16, Z 1013.64: mid-1990 |
| Units sold | ~25.000[1]: 13 |
| Media | Compact cassette |
| Operating system | Z 1013.01, Z 1013.12: Monitor 2.02 (2 KB) Z 1013.16, Z 1013.64: Monitor A.2 (4 KB), optional: Brosig Monitor (4 KB), character ROM (2 KB) |
| CPU | Z 1013.01: U880 @ 1 MHz otherwise: 2 MHz |
| Memory | Z 1013.01: 16 KB DRAM Z 1013.12: 1 KB static RAM Z 1013.16: 16 KB DRAM Z 1013.64: 64 KB DRAM |
| Display | monochrome, text mode 32 × 32 characters, 1 KB static RAM |
| Connectivity |
|
| Power | 12 V AC, 50 Hz, 1 A |
| Dimensions | 21.5 cm × 23 cm (8.4 in × 9.1 in) |
| Mass | 1.3 kg |
The MRB Z 1013 (German: Mikrorechnerbausatz, lit. 'microcomputer kit') was an East German single-board computer produced by VEB Robotron Riesa, which was primarily intended for private use and educational institutions. It was powered by a U880 processor (a Z80 clone) and sold together with a membrane (flat foil) keyboard. Initially, the kit was equipped with 16 kilobytes of DRAM, which was later replaced by a 64 KB version.
The kits first became available for sale in 1985 and were distributed in a unique way at the time. To purchase it, buyers had to send a postcard to the Robotron shop in Erfurt and wait six to twelve months and then to pick the kits up in person. The package contained the assembled and tested motherboard, a membrane keyboard, various small parts and detailed technical documentation. This basic kit was shipped without power supply or casing for the PCB. Most users tended to program the kit using the BASIC interpreter, which was loadable from compact cassette or by using a ROM cartridge. The BASIC interpreter contained a common core binary, which was identical across home computer models. In consequence, programs were widely compatible among different models of GDR-manufactured computers despite differences in capabilities.
Robotron was also the manufacturer of another line of computers, the Z 9001, KC 85/1 and KC 87, which shared some of the same expansion modules – offering more options also for Z 1013.
The expansion connector was based on the K 1520 bus standard for 8-bit computers made in GDR. This conformity to one standard across computers, ranging from tank-sized minicomputers to small home computers, allowed for reuse of hardware from all computers with the same bus interface. This meant that most hardware and binary code from one platform could be used across very different platforms and allowed for the sharing of resources.
This groundbreaking standardization was due to the need for common standards and compatibility between computers in the Eastern Bloc.
Opinion is divided over the widespread use and popularity of the MRB Z 1013 in the GDR. With a total of 25.000 kits sold over its lifetime from 1985 to mid-1990,[1]: 13 it fared well in comparison to other models. However, some analysts[who?] put this success down to the relative ease of access to the kits compared to other computer offerings.
After all, key point for success was the simplistic makeup down to bare minimum. It is still debatable if it repelled potential users or actually lead to higher production volumes. Either way, demand and production kept kind of balance. To this extent, it was the only computer freely available for private purchase.[citation needed]
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
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