FM-7

FM-7

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Manufacturer	Fujitsu
Type	Personal Computer
Release date	November 1982 (1982-11)
Introductory price	¥126000 (Japan)
Media	Cassette tape, 5¼-inch floppy disk
Operating system	Fujitsu Disk Basic , OS-9, FLEX
CPU	2x MBL 68B09 clocked at 2MHz
Memory	64KB RAM, 48KB VRAM, 48KB ROM
Display	8 colours at 640 x 200 pixel resolution, 262144 colours at 320 x 200 pixel resolution
Input	Keyboard, Joystick
Dimensions	43.2 x 28.5 x 10.2
Predecessor	FM-8
Successor	FM Towns
Related articles	TRS-80 Color Computer

The FM-7 ("Fujitsu Micro 7") is a home computer created by Fujitsu, first released in 1982, only sold in Japan. It is a stripped down version of their earlier FM-8; during development, the FM-7 was known as the "FM-8 Jr.".

Although it is known as a lower cost model, most notably removing its (expensive) bubble memory technology, the FM-7 was given a more advanced sound synthesizer, leading to a strong uptake among the hobbyist computer market in Japan and making it a more dominant system than the FM-8.

This model competed primarily with the NEC PC-8801 and Sharp X1 series of computers in the early 1980s. It was succeeded by the FM-77 series in 1984 (which were backwards compatible with the FM-7), and later the 32-bit FM Towns in 1989.

The FM-7 is 6809-based, similar to the TRS-80 Color Computer by Radio Shack; some software is compatible with both systems.

Hardware

• Two MC 68B09 CPUs @ 2 MHz: one main CPU and one graphics processor.
• Screen Resolution: 640×200, 8 colors OR 320×200, 262144 colors
• Memory: 40 KB ROM, 64 KB RAM
• Sound: 3-channel (AY-3-8910) PSG chip, built-in speaker mounted near the top of the unit.
• Interfaces: RS-232, monitor and Centronics ports, expansion slots.
• Storage: 5.25" floppy disk
• Operating system: OS-9, (compatible with Color Computer)
• Three slots for optional plug-in cards, including a Z-80 CPU and additional RS-232 ports.
• Full-size keyboard, with keys handling multiple functions (as many as 5, depending on what SHIFT/KANA/GRAPH/etc key is pressed).
• 10 Function Keys at the top, pre-programmed with shortcuts (LIST, etc.).
• Numeric keypad (on right) and cursor-control keys (upper-right).

F-BASIC

The included "F-BASIC" is an enhanced version of Microsoft's Color BASIC. F-BASIC's additions to the standard Microsoft CoCo BASIC include the Japanese character set (katakana, and a few kanji), block graphics, three-voice music, the ability to have graphics appear on the default text screen, and some neat commands such as being able to take any string and print it out in various sizes (from tiny to huge) and directions (forward, backward, up, down, etc.).

While there are a multitude of new commands on the FM-7 not found in Microsoft's CoCo BASIC, it is worth pointing out that the commands that ARE found in both machines operate in exactly the same fashion. Both Microsoft and Fujitsu share the copyright on the BASIC. There are also strings for TIME$ and DATE$, which access a temporary built-in internal clock, though if the power is turned off, the time and date are lost.

While the BASIC 'EDIT' command works the same as on the Radio Shack CoCo, the cursor position is important on the FM-7: there is a small keypad on the upper-right of the FM-7 with cursor-control keys (arrows, INSERT & DELETE), and wherever you decide to position the cursor, it will move it there, and affect whatever is underneath it.

Models

There were several models of the computer:

• 1982 — FM7: M68B09, RAM 64 kb, ROM 48 kb, vram 48 kb, 640×200, 8 colors
• 1984 — FM New7: M68B09 integrated memory and LSI chip (cheap production). The features are the same as the FM-7.
• 1984 — FM77: M68B09E, RAM 64 kb (max 256 kb), vram 48 kb
• 1985 — FM77L2, M68B09E
• 1985 — FM77L4, M68B09E
• 1985 — FM77AV: M68B09E, ram 128 kb (max 192 kb), rom 48 kb, vram 96 kb, 640×200 (8 colors), 320×200 (4096 colors), 4096 colors, 1 (AV-1) or 2 (AV-2) floppy 3.5-inch 320 kB
• 1986 — FM77AV20: M68B09E, like l'FM77AV but: floppy 640 kB
• 1986 — FM77AV40: M68B09E, like l'FM77AV20 but: ram 192kb (max 448 kb), vram 144 kb to support 320×200 (262144 colors)
• 1987 — FM77AV20EX: M68B09E, ram 128kb (max 192 kb), vram 96 kb, 640x400 ?
• 1987 — FM77AV40EX: M68B09E, ram 192kb (max 448 kb), vram 144 kb, 640x400 ?
• 1988 — FM77AV40SX: M68B09E, ram 192kb (max 448 kb), vram 144 kb

External links

• Fujitsu FM 7, OLD-COMPUTERS.COM Museum
• The Fujitsu FM-7, 8-Bit Computer Page, Larry's Homepage
• Oh!FM-7 museum