A 5120

This article is about the computer. For other uses, see A5120 (disambiguation).
A 5120
ManufacturerVEB Robotron
Release date
  • A5120: 1982 (1982) [1]
  • A5120.16: 1986 (1986)
Introductory price
  • A 5120: 27,000-40,000 marks
  • A 5120.16: 32,000-48,000 marks
Units shipped17,000 (A 5120 and A 5120.16)
Operating systemSCP (CP/M clone), UDOS (Z80-RIO clone)
CPU
Memory
  • A 5120: normally 16KB-64KB, more possible [1]
  • A 5120.16: 256KB
Storagetwo cassette drives, then later one 8" floppy drive, or up to three 5.25" floppy drives [1]
DisplayIntegrated monochrome monitor
PlatformK 1520 bus
SuccessorPC 1715

The A 5120 was an office computer produced by VEB Robotron in Karl-Marx-Stadt (now Chemnitz), East Germany starting in 1982.[1] The system featured an 8-bit microprocessor, the U880.[1] It was built for office work and had minimal graphics and sound capabilities. The price was between 27,000 and 40,000 East German marks (around 24,000-35,000 2016 US dollars) depending on equipment.

In 1986, a new version was produced, the A 5120.16. The system was identical to the A 5120, with the addition of two additional boards, one with a U8000 16-bit microprocessor (a Zilog Z8000 clone), and one with 256KB DRAM. The original 8-bit system functioned as an I/O subsystem. In this configuration it could run the relatively powerful MUTOS8000 (Unix System III derivative). The price of this model was between about 32,000 and 48,000 East German marks.

In total, about 17,000 A 5120 and A 5120.16 units were manufactured.[2]

In March 1983, a stamp was issued by the German Democratic Republic featuring the A 5120. 4.5 million copies were printed.[3]

An A 5120 was featured in the 2015 television show Deutschland 83 as an example of technological disparity between East and West Germany in the early 1980s.

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Robotron A5120". 8-bit Nirvana (in German). Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  2. ^ Preußler, Klaus; Weise, Klaus-Dieter (31 October 2008). "Zusammenstellung der im VEB Kombinat Robotron produzierten Erzeugnisse der Rechentechnik, Teil 1: Rechner und Rechnersysteme (S. 6/7)" (PDF) (in German). Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Stamp: Robotron microcomputer (Germany, Democratic Republic (DDR)) (Leipzig Spring Fair) Mi:DD 2780,Sn:DD 2329,Yt:DD 2425,AFA:DD 2469". colnect. Retrieved 28 March 2016.