Panasonic JD-850M

(Note: Click on the image for a larger view. I also describe this machine in a YouTube video)

Even prior to the popularity of the IBM-PC (which in New Zealand didn't really didn't start to dominate until around 1983-1984), some manufacturers were already making serious microcomputers for medium to small businesses. These machines had 64k of RAM and typically ran CP/M with dual floppy disk drives. Japanese electronic firms in particular seemed to be active in this market and found export sales both in New Zealand, Australia and elsewhere. These Japanese 8-bit machines tended to be expensive but high quality. The Panasonic JD-850M is one such example.

This 1982 model, powered by an 8085A CPU, is top of the range. Storage is via two 8-inch double-density double-sided floppy disk drives giving about 1Mb of storage each. This would have been a huge amount of floppy disk storage in the day. Three DB-25 serial ports are included around the back plus an IEEE-488. A detachable keyboard, common on desktop computers post-IBM-PC, was listed as a "feature" in the sales brochure!

The computer is incredibly heavy, due to the steel case. I haven't weighed it but it would be well over 20kg. It oozes high quality engineering. The large green screen is crisp and stable, and the keyboard responsive and good to use. A quiet fan can be heard working inside the case when the unit is switched on.

The machine came to me in near museum-quality condition with 46 8-inch disks. The software reflected its primary purpose i.e. keeping client records and accounts. A text-only business machine like the JD-850M was not for games but I was pleased to find a copy of Colossal Cave Adventure on the System disk!

While not a classic computer in its own right, this model is representative of a short-lived class of high quality "pre-PC-compatible" desktop business computers released by Japanese companies in the early 1980s. This is why I'm going to keep it as a formal resident in my rest home for retired computers!

Update: The Panasonic JD850M was passed onto a new owner on 3rd April, 2022. I'll miss it, but not its weight!

Want to know more about this micro? Google is your friend.

This page last edited 11th April, 2018