Z1013
| Manufacturer | VEB Robotron-Elektronik Riesa |
|---|---|
| Type | Personal Computer |
| Release date | Z1013.01: 1985 Z1013.12: 1985 Z1013.16: 1987 Z1013.64: 1988 |
| Introductory price | Z1013.01: 650 M Z1013.64: 936 M Z1013.64: 965 M |
| Discontinued | Z1013.01, Z1013.12: 1987 Z1013.16, Z1013.64: mid-1990 |
| Media | Compact Cassette |
| Operating system | Monitor 2.02 and A.2, Brosig Monitor optional |
| CPU | Z1013.01: U880 @ 1 MHz others 2 MHz |
| Memory | Z1013.01: 16 KB Z1013.12: 1 KB Z1013.16: 16 KB Z1013.64: 64 KB |
| Display | Text mode 32 × 32 |
| Sound | 1-bit |
| Platform | K1520 |
| Predecessor | – |
| Successor | – |
The MRB Z1013 (Mikrorechnerbausatz = mikrocomputer kit) was an East German Single-board computer produced by VEB Robotron Riesa which was primarily intended for private use and educational institutions. It was powered by a U880 processor (a Z80 clone) and sold together with a membrane (flat foil) keyboard. Initially, the kit was equipped with 16-KByte DRAM, which was later replaced by a 64-KByte version.
The kits first became available for sale in 1985 and were distributed in a unique way at the time. To purchase, buyers had to send a postcard to the Robotron shop in Erfurt and wait six to 12 months to pick the kits up personally. The package contained the assembled and tested motherboard, a membrane keyboard, various small parts and detailed technical documentation. This basic kit was shipped without a power supply or casing for the PCB. Most users tended to program the kit using the BASIC interpreter, which was loadable from a compact cassette or by using a ROM cartridge. The BASIC interpreter contained a common core binary, which was identical across home computer models. So the programs were widely compatible among different models of GDR-manufactured computers despite differences in capabilities.
Robotron was also the manufacturer of another line of computers, the Z9001, KC85/1 and KC87, which shared some of the same expansion modules – offering more options also for Z1013.
The system bus connector was based on the K1520 standard for 8-bit computers in the GDR. This conformity to one standard across computers, ranging from tank-sized mini computers to small home computers, allowed the reuse of hardware from minicomputers with the same bus interface. This meant that most of the hardware and binary code from one platform could be used across very different platforms and allowed the sharing of resources.
This groundbreaking standardization was due to the need for common standards and compatibility between computer users in the Eastern Block.
Opinion is divided over the widespread use and popularity of the MRB Z1013 in the GDR. With a total of 25,000 kits sold over its lifetime (from 1985 to mid-1990), it fared well in comparison to other models. However, some analysts put this success down to the relative ease of access to the kits compared to other computer offerings.
After all, the key point for the success was the simplistic makeup down to a bare minimum. It is still debatable if it repelled potential users or actually lead to a higher productions volume. Either which way, demand and production kept a kind of balance. To this extent, it was the only computer freely available for private purchase.
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