Following a surprise announcement at a Bemaga live event a month or two ago, Dempa Shimbunsha's finally shared the first real details on the PasocomMini PC-8801mkⅡSR, the third in a series of miniaturised, emulator-based reproductions of vintage Japanese computers that follows the PasocomMini MZ80C (2017) & PasocomMini PC-8001 (2019)—this product line was originally conceived and spearheaded by HAL Laboratory as a vanity project of sorts for then-president Satoshi Mitsuhara, went on hiatus when they retired and has now returned as a Dempa production, once again spearheaded by Mitsuhara.
Here are the basic specs:
- 99.5mm x 85.7mm x 31.0mm (1/4 scale)
- exterior created by model kit company Aoshima Bunka Kyozai; it's specifically modelled on the model 30 variant, and can insert/eject mini floppies, will be able to be displayed vertically, retains the coiled cable between body & keyboard, etc
- video out via HDMI; USB 3.0 Type-A & USB 2.0 Type-B inputs for keyboard etc; headphone jack; micro-SD reader; power via USB-C (no serial connection support)
- also includes working in-unit speakers, unlike the mini PC-8001
- the emulator is modelled on standard mkIISR spec (ie not the 8Mhz processor speed of the later FH model)
- includes N88-BASIC Ver.2.0, which is presented with enhancements like being able to display a BASIC command glossary and the ability to import code from text files, for those who want to copy/OCR their old Bemaga programs or whatever
- the emulator will incorporate Sound Board II functionality for enhanced audio
- "over 10" built-in games, with the ability to load others from SD (previous models added more official games with updates)
- they will also be selling a replica keyboard and monitor, details TBC
- out spring 2025, ¥30,000+tax (so 33k-ish)
Unlike all the recent "mini" console/arcade plug-and-plays, the PasocomMini series isn't game-centric and doesn't purport to offer an extensive or carefully-curated library of games, or present itself as a starter kit for any particular platform... but they also don't go all-out in attempting to replicate all the weirdo use purposes of the original hardware a la X68000Z, either, and as the hardware they're mimicking becomes more and more sophisticated, I expect that even the modest existing audience for these things will be expecting more from them in terms of functionality, library, etc (I'm seeing some immediate grumbling about the lack of serial functionality, even).
I wish we could get something high quality and semi-official like this that was geared towards DOS and maybe installing up to Windows 98 (or even XP). I know there have been boutique projects and limited runs and one-offs, even just straight up plans to build one out of parts yourself, but I mean something that takes a little less elbow grease than sourcing parts lists and 3D printing your own shells/etc.
Give me a cute little box for $70 that can run the original 1998 edition of Half-Life, plus Jazz Jackrabbit 1, Oregon Trail, Duke 3D and, I dunno, Unreal Tournament or something
I've always pondered if something using a low end Intel Atom could work with older workloads like that 🤔
