Bandai RX-78

Bandai RX-78
ManufacturerBandai
TypeHome computer
Release dateJuly 1983 (1983-07)
Introductory price¥59,800 (Japan) [1]
MediaCartridges, Compact Cassette
Operating systemBS-BASIC
CPUSHARP LH0080A (Z80A) @ 4.1 MHz
Memory30KB RAM; 8KB ROM
Graphics192 × 184, 27 colors
SoundSN76489 (3× voices (4 octaves) with 1 noise generator)
Connectivity2× Joystick, 1× RF, 1× RCA, 2× ROM cartridge
Power10W
PredecessorBandai Arcadia
SuccessorPlaydia

The Bandai RX-78 is a Japanese 8-bit microcomputer manufactured by Bandai.[2][3][4][5] Its name comes from the RX-78-2 Gundam. It was released in July 1983,[6][1][7] and employed a SHARP LH0080A (Zilog Z80A clone) CPU. It ran at a clock speed of 4.1 MHz,[8][9] and shipped with 30 KB of RAM and 8KB of ROM.[10][9] It had two joystick ports in a proprietary format[11] using 8-pin DIN connectors.

The computer can generate 27 colors, created from 3 levels of intensity of each RGB channel, arranged into VRAM video planes,[12] with a maximum resolution of 192×184 pixels, and is capable of displaying 30 x 23 text characters using a 6x8 pixel font.[9] Sound was generated by the Texas Instruments SN76489 chip, providing 3 voices in four octaves and noise generator.[13] Software was available on cartridges[14] or cassettes.

The RX-78 had a release cost of 59,800 yen,[6][7] and was sold with a dozen of games and software, including a BASIC interpreter cartridge featuring a cassette tape interface .[1][9]

  1. ^ a b c "Bandai RX-78 Gundam Computer Games Preserved! – Gaming Alexandria". www.gamingalexandria.com.
  2. ^ "Bandai RX-78 Gundam Computer - Manual and Warranty Card Scans (600DPI) : Bandai : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive". July 1983.
  3. ^ "『パソコン博物館』:２．『高速３次元グラフィック』がキーワードの『ガンダムという名のパソコン』 ： ＲＸ－７８－ＧＵＮＤＡＭ （バンダイ：１９８３）". blog.livedoor.jp. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  4. ^ 株式会社インプレス (2019-10-29). "「ガンダム」の名を冠したパーソナルコンピュータ「RX-78 GUNDAM」". AKIBA PC Hotline! (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  5. ^ レトロゲーム専門ニュースサイト, ファミコンのネタ!!. "ガンダムがトラウマになった日、克服した日 【1/3】". famicoms.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  6. ^ a b "Bandai RX-78 Gundam - Computer - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  7. ^ a b "RX-78 GUNDAM | henly Museum | MUUSEO 487002". ミューゼオ(MUUSEO) (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  8. ^ "RX-78 Gundam Bandai Electronics (Japan)". 1000 BiT.
  9. ^ a b c d "Bandai RX-78 Gundam Computer - Manual and Warranty Card Scans (600DPI) : Bandai : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive". July 1983.
  10. ^ "Gundam RX-78". OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  11. ^ Blanchard, Jonn (October 15, 2018). "Bandai RX-78 Gundam Personal Computer Joystick Pinout".
  12. ^ "eRX-78 謎WIPページ". takeda-toshiya.my.coocan.jp.
  13. ^ "Platform Bandai RX 78 · z88dk/z88dk Wiki". GitHub. 14 December 2022.
  14. ^ Blanchard, Jonn (March 7, 2019). "RX-78 Cartridge Information".