Just got me a Pecom 64

[Zeela]

I just got me a Pecom 64...
A nice little computer from Yugoslavia (or rather Serbia nowadays).
It has the same processor as the COMX-35, a 1802...
That and that it has almost the same hardware and a very similar BASIC, makes them at least partially compatible.

It was made for use in the schools. And it's a bit rare, at least outside Yugoslavia and the other countries that once was part of Yugoslavia.

 

[Bill_Loguidice]

Never heard of it. It has a very interesting design, very compact for having a full stroke keyboard. What would you roughly equate its capabilities to in terms of more common classic systems?

 

[carlsson]

The RCA 1802 was also used in the kit computer Cosmac Elf. However I don't know if there was a Basic for that one, or just programmed in machine code. Zeela's comment about the two Basic dialects (COMX and Pecom) being very alike makes me wonder if it was a 3rd party developed Basic interpreter both manufacturers ended up using.

The COMX Basic is known to be terribly slow. Since I own the actual computer (and so does Zeela), I got to benchmark it myself to acknowledge its slowness. I don't know how well written 1802 machine code compares to other CPUs though. For games, perhaps the best known system is the early console RCA Studio II.

 

[Zeela]

Carlsson: The Comx-35 and the Pecom 64 must have gotten their BASIC from the same developer. According to the author of the 1802-emulator they have the same bugs...

These machines have a very similar BASIC, including similar bugs! Type in ‘65535’ in either of them and they will both hang and the screen will get messed up! ... I also managed to get a COMX basic game (Trainspotting) running on the PECOM with a few small changes. Last the COMX game: ‘Space Invaders’ also exists on the Pecom and is called: ‘Osvajaci Svemira’; these games are not exactly the same but definitely based on the same code.

Bill: The Pecom is obviuosly quite similar to the COMX-35... But I'd say that capacitywise it's in the same league as the more common Mattel Aquarius and perhaps the Timex Sinclair 1500...

 

[etxmato]

Hi All,

Cool forum, I just registered!

I'm the author of the 1802-emulator mentioned by Zeela; btw the emu is renamed to 'Emma 02'.

Also my web site http://www.emma02.hobby-site.com/index_basic.html describes some more details about the COMX and Pecom BASIC. I found out that the original BASIC was written by Ron Cenker for Quest Electronics. Quest developed the 1802 based Quest Super Elf on which this BASIC was running called Super Basic. Quest released multiple version from 1.x upto 5.x! I'm working with Paul Messinger who worked for Quest to 'restore' (save from tapes) at least the 3.0 and 5.0 Super BASIC versions and make them available including manuals as well some stuff that was never formally released.

The COMX, Pecom and also the Telmac (TMC 600 which was an 1802 machine from Finland) BASICs where all similar and based on the Super Basic from Ron.

There was also a Pecom 32 which I guess had a similar (or the same) BASIC, still haven't found a ROM dump of the 32 otherwise I could add emulation to Emma 02. The others I have all emulated.

Cheers, Marcel.