Matsushita JR series

The National JR series (including some models also sold as the Panasonic JR) was a line of 8-bit personal computers developed by Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd., a division of Matsushita Electric Industrial (now Panasonic). Based on the success of the Sharp MZ and NEC PC-8000 series, these computers aimed primarily at the home computer and educational markets during the early 1980s.

The JR series included four computer models: the JR-100,^[1] the JR-200,^[2][3] the JR-300^[4] and the JR-800.^[5] All four were sold under Matsushita's 'National' brand;^[6][7][8][9] the JR-100 and JR-200U were also sold elsewhere as 'Panasonic' (another Matsushita brand).^[10][11][12]

The JR series found a strong foothold in Japanese schools, particularly the JR-200, which became a standard machine for teaching programming in BASIC.

The National JR-100^[13] (sold in some markets as the Panasonic JR-100)^[10][11] was released on November 21, 1981, with a price of 54,800 yen.^[14] It was the cheapest domestically produced personal computer at the time of its release.

Like the Hitachi Basic Master and Sharp MZ-80, it was a low-performance, low-priced personal computer offering basic semi-graphic character based graphics, a monochrome display, and minimal sound ability. The CPU was an 8-bit Panasonic MN1800A NMOS microprocessor^[15] (compatible with the Motorola MC6802, a slightly improved version of the Motorola MC6800) running at a slow 0.89 MHz, and it came with 16 KB of RAM (expandable to 32 KB).^[16] Compared to the cheaper imported Sinclair ZX81 (38,700 yen), the larger RAM on the JR100 made it possible to create better programs.

The computer case is angular and cream-colored, measuring 296mm wide x 154mm deep x 45mm high, being extremely compact. The green keyboard was made of rubber due to its low price, and was mockingly called the "eraser keyboard". It had a shortcut key function, allowing users to enter commands in one go. There was no space bar at the bottom, and the right shift key was replaced with a space bar.

Specifications:

• CPU: MN1800A (MC6802 compatible)
• Clock speed: 890 kHz
• RAM: 16-32 KB
• ROM: 8 KB
• Graphics: Monochrome; 768 32 × 24 text characters; 3072 64 × 48 semi-graphic characters with 64 8 × 8 pixel matrix
• Sound: Internal speaker
• Connections: Monitor, Expansion, Tape (Frequency-shift keying encoding with 1200 Hz for space and 2400 Hz for mark; 600 baud)
• OS: JR-BASIC 1.0^[14]

The National JR-200^[7] (also sold as the Panasonic JR-200U variant in some countries)^[12] was released at the end of 1982 with a price of 79,800 yen. It was a higher-end model than the JR-100, but not compatible with this machine.

The JR-200^[2][3] is made of silver grey plastic, and has a black matte area around the chiclet keyboard area. It used the same MN1800A CPU as the previous model, but added a second processor, the 4-bit MN1544CJR,^[17] which is used for I/O and contains 128 bytes of RAM plus four kilobytes of ROM.

The computer received favorable reviews on its launch. Creative Computing wrote "The Panasonic JR-200 is one of the nicest new computers to make the scene in some time."^[18]

• CPU: MN1800A + MN1544
• Clock speed: 890 kHz
• RAM: 36 KB
• ROM: 16 KB
• Graphics: 8 colors (black, blue, red, magenta, green, cyan, yellow, white); 49152 256 × 192; 768 32 × 24 text characters; 3072 64 × 48 semi-graphic characters with 64 8 × 8 pixel matrix^[17]
• Sound: 3 voices, 5 octaves, square wave. Generated by the MN1271 sound, I/O and timer chip.^[19][17]
• Connections: Composite and RF video, expansion, tape (600/2400 baud), printer port, floppy drive, joystick
• OS: JR-BASIC 5.0

Versions of the JR-200 were developed for the North American and European markets and announced in January 1983:^[20]

• JR-200U: Designed for North American and European markets, with modified power supply and video output standards;
• JR-200UP: Included a built-in printer interface to meet business and educational needs.

The National JR-300,^[8][4] released in 1984 with a price of 159,000 yen, was completely redesigned in comparison with the earlier JR-100 and JR-200 models. The JR-300 was a hybrid 8/16-bit machine, having a Zilog Z80A CPU as well as a second MN1800A CPU to allow backwards compatibility with the JR-200.^[4]

It was advertised as "PC & TV 300" and came standard with a genlock function. A dedicated display (TH15-M300) was available for this. The size and design are similar to the Matsushita MSX machines with separate keyboard.

The JR-300 was primarily delivered to schools as an educational computer, and only a very limited number of machines were released to the general public.

• CPU: MN1800A + Z80A
• Clock speed: 4 MHz
• RAM: 82 KB
• ROM: 40 KB
• Graphics: 8 colors; 64000 320 × 200, 128000 640 × 200, 256000 640 × 400
• Sound: Yamaha 8910 (3 voices, 5 octaves)
• Connections: RGB, Composite and RF video, sound out, expansion, tape (600/2400 baud), printer port, floppy drive, joystick
• OS: JR-BASIC 5.0, Extended Basic

A handheld model called the National JR-800^[9] was launched in 1983 with a price of 128,000 yen,^[21] but it was not compatible with the previous JR computers.^[5] It was based around a Hitachi HD63A01V CPU^[22] (MC6801 compatible) running at 4.9152 MHz, with 16 KB of RAM, and featured a 12288 192 × 64 pixel LCD screen.^[23]

It was a B5 sized handheld computer, powered by four AA batteries or an AC adapter. A dedicated portable printer, the JR-P20, was also released.

• CPU: HD63A01V
• Clock speed: 4.9152 MHz
• RAM: 16 KB
• ROM: 16 KB
• Graphics: monochrome LCD, 256 32 × 8 characters; 12288 192 × 64 pixels
• Connections: tape, RS-232, printer, sound
• OS: BASIC

The table below shows the semigraphics character set available on the Matsushita JR series, as shown on the operations manual.^[24] Characters are rendered using modern equivalents, the exact hardware font it not simulated.

• JR-BASIC
• Panasonic JR-200
• Sharp MZ
• PC-8000 series

• The Pocket Computer Museum entry on the National JR-800 handheld computer
• BINARIUM museum entry on the Panasonic JR-100 (German language)

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