Robotron 1715 3005

Robotron 1715

The Robotron 1715 was a professional microcomputer produced in the late 1980s by VEB Kombinat Robotron, the state-owned electronics conglomerate of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It represents the final generation of office and industrial computer systems developed in East Germany before reunification.

Technically, the 1715 featured an 8-bit microprocessor, the U880, a clone of the Zilog Z80, manufactured by VEB Mikroelektronik "Karl Marx" Erfurt (MME). It was typically paired with monochrome monitors. The graphics subsystem was part of the main board circuitry and relied on a Intel 8275 compatible CRT controller with a portion of main memory used as video memory.

A second U880-series processor was used inside the keyboard, together with a small firmware ROM to decode the keyboard matrix and transmit the keycode via a serial link to the main board.

In 1987, a new version was produced, the PC 1715W (1715M in the Soviet Union). The system was identical to the PC 1715, except the processor was clocked at 4 MHz and the machine had 256KB DRAM.

In total, about 93,000 PC 1715 and PC 1715W units were manufactured. An estimated 50,000 of those were exported to the Soviet Union.

The Robotron 1715 was primarily deployed in administration, engineering offices, research institutions, and state enterprises. It was used for tasks such as word processing, data management, accounting, and technical documentation. Like many GDR computers, it emphasized robustness and long service life rather than cutting-edge performance.

In the West, at the time, the 1715 would've been less than a bargain basement machine, it would've been comparable to a cheap home computer if even that. In the West, the 80386 PCs were launched the previous year (June 1986). In the GDR on the other hand, these weren't for sale at all to the consumer at any price, these machines were available only to state-owned enterprises and government agencies, as well as universities and technical colleges. The majority of the production was exported to the Soviet Union.

Specifications:
CPU: MME U880D 8-bit microprocessor
Clock Frequency: 2.5 MHz
Memory: 64 KB RAM, 2 KB ROM
Display: monochrome (green), 64x16 or 80x24 characters, Intel P8275 CRT controller
Floppy Disk Drive Unit: 2 x 5,25´´
External Dimensions (Main Unit): 500 (W) x 140 (H) x 400 (D) mm
Weight: 12,8 kg (main unit, monitor and keyboard)

Year of manufacture: 1986

Serial №: 3005

Manufacturer:
	VEB Robotron-Büromaschinenwerk Sömmerda Sömmerda, East Germany