Epson PX-8

Donor: Jim Doles
Location: Williamsburg, VA

Why are CP/M machines just so cool? This is the Epson PX-8. It has a great little 80 column by 8 line screen, a great keyboard, a built-in modem, and WordStar in ROM. But so do alot of other older laptops. What makes this guy special is the built-in micro-cassette drive. Not only can you save programs with it, you can play back audio tapes through the laptop. Or combine programs and audio data in a custom application, a talking alarm, for example.

It also has a nice protection system. The screen folds down to cover the micro-cassette drive, and a separate cover slides over the keyboard. A metal carrying handle slides out of the front.

An add-on module, the Multi Unit 64, screws onto the bottom, providing additional memory, PROM sockets, and a better tilt to the keyboard.

Surprisingly, the internal, rechargeable battery still holds a charge. Not for a real long time, but for more than just a few minutes.

• System with cassette door open
• Close-up of the keyboard, notice the nice color-coding, micro-cassette drive is right above the keyboard
• Close-up of the screen
• Backplate, audio and barcode connectors on the left, serial in the middle, power on the right and phone jacks along the bottom
• Bottom, showing the attached Multi Unit 64
• All closed up
• Handle extended and ready for travel

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