HP 9800 Series Desktop Computers - Models

Models

Chronologically, the models of the family were:

• HP 9810A, a keystroke programmable computer with magnetic cards and LED display, introduced in 1971,
• HP 9820A, introduced in 1972, featured language later named high performance language (HPL),
• HP 9821A, similar to the HP 9820A, however, with a tape drive instead of using magnetic cards. Tapes created on the HP 9821A could be read by the HP 9830A.
• HP 9830A, introduced in 1972, was the top of the 9800 line; having BASIC interpreter in read-only memory (ROM).

All 98x0 and 9821 systems used the same I/O interfaces. A 400 line per minute 80-column thermal line printer was designed to fit on top of the 9820 and 9830.

The success of the HP9830 led to a next generation with faster logic:

• HP 9805A, the least expensive model using the same chassis as the HP46 (scientific) and HP81 (business) calculators. This was a Programmable Calculator and had plug-in personality modules.
• HP 9815A/S, The HP 9815A was HP's third generation high end RPN desktop. It was much smaller, lighter and less expensive than its predecessor. It provided only a single line display but replaced the earlier card drives with a tape drive.
• HP 9825A/B, featured HPL, a single-line display, and optional thermal printer,
• HP 9831, an HP9825 with BASIC instead of HPL,
• HP 9835, featured BASIC. There were two models, the A and B. The A had a CRT, and the B had a single-line display,
• HP 9845 introduced first as a monochrome (9845A/S), then a high-performance monochrome (9845B/T) and a high performance color (9845C/T) model. The 9845 came with one tape drive, and optional second tape drive and 80 column wide thermal printer.

All the 98x5, with the exception of the 9805, used DC200 cartridge tapes, instead of cassette tapes. The 9825, 9831, 9835, and 9845 all used the same I/O interfaces. the 9815 had a unique I/O interface.