Panasonic JR-200U rare vintage computer review

[@jameshost6343]

I did not have one of these back in the day, and did not know they existed until they started showing up on eBay in the early 2000s. The RGB video did not artifact. It's an RGBI and plugged into a CGA-style monitor. I had an RCA TV circa 2002 that had this style of input. The RUB OUT key that so many commentors are ROFLing over was a standard key on the ASR-33 teletype that was pretty common back in the 1970s. Rubber keyboard: it's kind of funny that today's laptops have rubber keyboards that are a lot like this. Okay, not so funny. I have a better USB keyboard plugged into my laptop precisely because the built-in keyboard sucks. The Japanese version of the demo tape wasn't the same as the American version. It had "I've Been Working on the Railroad" instead of "Lover's Concerto." I saw a KZbin video of that. I don't know if it's still up. If you look in the computer's manual, you see locomotive-related graphics examples. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqeXYYp6o7ekhas The BASIC is not quite Microsoft BASIC. You have to type a space in some places that you wouldn't have to in Microsoft BASIC. It's annoying, if you're more accustomed to CoCo or Commodore. I hooked up my JR-200U to my PC's audio out. Using the sound output from a modern computer instead of the Panasonic high speed cassette player works, but you have to turn off all the "spatialization" and bias adjust and other processing that Windows and audio drivers like to mess up sound with. There's no hi-res graphics mode, and no sprites. You have quarter-character-block color graphics, and you can also have modified character definitions. TMQ and Datamost did a lot with those modified character definitions. It looks like Instant Software ported some TRS-80 programs using mostly BASIC and the quarter-character blocks. I think the Disney titles were done by TMQ. There are emulators for these computers. Most of the tapes have been digitized and can be downloaded... somewhere. TMQ tapes did something strange while loading, and some of these will not work with the emulators, but do work with the actual computer hardware.

[@und4287]

Fun fact: the ZX 80/81 also said RUBOUT on the delete key.

[@danieldaniels7571]

Modified character definition is how graphics had to be done on the TI-99/4a

[@ropersonline]

"You have quarter-character-block color graphics, and you can also have modified character definitions." That's what I figured once I saw the lo-rez graphics at 16:15 vs the hi-rez graphics at 17:15, with the latter exhibiting decidedly non-smooth character-by-character movement effects. Actually, if this had come out two years earlier they would have been positioned quite well with that, since the PC's CGA or MDA had no redefinable characters. However, by 1982 the C64 was already out and it had a redefinable character set plus other tricks up its sleeve.

[@glottis5]

the infinity symbol is supposed to show how long it takes for the games to load

[@roachtoasties]

Just like Windows 10.

[@arick99]

just crazy every time I see old computers and how far tech has come!

[@TheRealE1337ist]

I've a Bachelor's in Computer Science and even I don't know what "performance of triad chords related to the display" means.

[@plateshutoverlock]

I'm guessing "triad chords" refered to the three RGB subpixels that made up a pixel on a CRT display. On most computer monitors and some televisions, these subpixels were arranged in a triangle.

[@crangusomangus8493]

Recently found one of these in my Grandfathers shop, still in the box and has a few cassettes with it

[@LEVELMotorsports]

This was my first computer. I've been looking for one for a long time. There was also a Jr BASIC spiral bound programing book that was available for it that taught you how to program BASIC on it... how to use the graphics mode, the sound (very limited) and to program for the joystick port.

[@TFTDSGuy]

There's something beautiful about the way that rendition of A Lovers Concerto sounds on this machine.

[@paunchstevenson]

...which is based on "Minuet in G Major", written in the early 1700s and formerly attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach.

[@Quebecoisegal]

@@paunchstevenson Certainly very JS Bach like.

[@compufood]

Is there a chance you could record the tapes digitally and upload them somewhere? I'm sure there are people out there with this machine that don't have any software to run on them. I've run into that problem before with some of the more obscure computers I own, like the Toshiba PASOPIA PA7010. All I've got for that thing is a crappy demonstration tape...

[@VideoGameSmash12]

9:46 - "A Touch-Typing Tutorial. Yeah, on a keyboard like this, I don't think so." I don't know why, but I found this part hilarious.

[@philipsoderberg6857]

I like your quirky old home computers. Thanks for showing them.

[@chrysanth.5700]

I do too. I wasn't able to get into this one for some reason, but normally I enjoy his looks at old laptops and whatnot too. Maybe this is a tad too old for me though.

[@urdnal]

The sounds this thing produces are amazing. Never heard anything like it.

[@shaddoty]

It sounds similar to a Sega Master System to me

[@sttubz]

I first saw this computer in a Price is Right episode, so I decided to look it up to see what the heck it was. I had no idea you could transfer data off of cassette tapes. Pretty wacky.

[@mytosismisco554]

My dad bought me one sometime in the late 80's and it was a delight. not amazing but usable and definitely took me into the 90's of computing. love him for it!

[@StevenSmyth]

I managed to get a new old stock Panasonic RQ-8300 datasette from eBay today for an extremely low price. It’s smaller than I expected and it’s marketed as the “Cassette Program Recorder”. The instructions have a whole section on using this recorder with a computer but it doesn’t call out the JR-200U by name. Your cassette unit is the Panasonic RR-830 transcriber. It has variable speed playback while maintaining the tape’s pitch. It comes with a foot pedal and they are pricey. I worked at a medical legal firm as a report editor and our transcriptionists used these to type up reports from doctors. I should think the JR-200U sends a signal down the cable to the deck to let it know its transmitting in 2400 bps. I’d like to get one of these computers but the two listed on eBay currently don’t come with cables or software.

[@MacXpert74]

I like how you description says "The computer which couldn't keep up with Commodore." They used to have this song in the Commodore 64 commercial: "Are you keeping up with the Commodore..." :)

[@t0nito]

As you were showing your software tapes, I just realized how much the late 70's/early 80's were so obcessed with spaceships and aliens!

[@chookwangzhee1889]

1:20 National and Panasonic are both under the same company, matsushita.Just that national was mostly used for home appliances, Panasonic for audio visual equipment until the mid 2000s when everything became Panasonic along with the change in the name of matsushita to Panasonic.Only in America did they call everything Panasonic in the beginning.

[@bidyoddities]

Matsushita Electric planned to use the "National" name in the US but they learned that companies such as National Radio and National Semiconductor already existed so they had a Plan B which to use the "Panasonic" name which eventually became unified in 2003 then its corporate name was changed in 2008. In some cases like in Asia Pacific regions, National was used for the white line of appliances and Panasonic/Quasar/Technics for the brown line of appliances.

[@danieldaniels7571]

You left out Technics

[@uxwbill]

I like the case design and keyboard coloring...that's about it. I never knew of anyone who had one of these.

[@s4ndwichMakeR]

Whoa, I always thought that is an MSX machine, but turns out, this is a rather exotic architecture. I wonder if the demoscene got ahold of this.

[@BilisNegra]

So did I. Maybe because most major japanese electronics manufacturers chose the MSX architecture to get into the 8-bit home computer market. It was developed there after all. And, well, Panasonic itself did have a MSX lineup of computers.

[@jaredtalks9158]

I'd like to see that medieval ruler game. Seems pretty interesting.

[@AshtonCoolman]

I have a newfound appreciation for floppy disks after watching this.

[@MrSEA-ok2ll]

It is amazing as how powerful the Atari 800 was released in 1979 compared to many others...great video thank you.

[@eskwadrat]

No, it wasn't more powerful.

[@Hamboarding]

Thanks for all the great videos VWestlife and also thanks for speaking so clearly and a bit slower than most, it's awesome for non native speakers like myself. Also I get to know a lot of new vocabulary from your videos! Thanks a lot and kepp on making these awesome viseos!

[@SuperMoleRetro]

I collect old computers and I have never heard Panasonic made a computer. Very interesting.

[@markkureunanen2997]

Plenty of MSX models using at least two brands.

[@InsanePsychoRabbit]

In reference to Jack Tramiel's comments, I think the Japanese got the last laugh about making it in the computer business. A number of major Japanese companies (e.g. Panasonic, Toshiba, Sony, Hitachi, NEC) still make computers and/or computer components/accessories in some form or another to this day, whereas Jack's Commodore and Jack's Atari are _long_ dead.

[@jjprulz]

Maybe, but they didn't get to define the dominant standards for computer architecture (the PC, Mac, etc.), and they never got good at software. So, in actuality, Japan became an also-ran in the world of computing (except for some supercomputers). They manufactured computers and computer parts, but they didn't _rule_ the industry like most people thought they would do back then. Even their IC industry (which was very strong back in the day) is largely irrelevant today. Also, most of the computers from Asia that were sold in the US were built by companies in other countries, like Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, etc.

[@Longlius]

Fast forward to 2024: - Panasonic: dead in the PC market outside of their toughbook line - Toshiba: completely jettisoned its PC division - Sony: VAIO also jettisoned and dead - Hitachi: left consumer PCs in 2007 - NEC: Lost their hold on the Japanese market thanks to cheaper PC compatibles coming out of Taiwan running Windows (which solved the multibyte character problem), now makes only a small number of lackluster business machines But really, you'd be hard-pressed to find any computer manufacturer from back then still in business. The only one I can really think of is Apple.

[@Evan420]

Never knew that Panasonic ever made a computer! Neat! Reminds me of the Sinclair Spectrum

[@ct6502-c7w]

That's actually not too bad for the time period. And as far as having to load from tapes go, it seems like pretty much every early personal computer at that time used a tape interface, with disk drives being a very expensive optional accessory.

[@kbhasi]

28:33 Interestingly enough, some of the civilian Toughbooks like the ones shown in those adverts, were sold under the "Let's note" product line in Japan.

[@MadameSomnambule]

The graphics on this machine are giving off some early PC-88 vibes, especially with the demo and the color palette

[@tiramika]

that demo is absolutely charming, it is *the* cutest thing ever.

[@oldtwins]

Neat system. Shows how a computer is just an empty shell when there's little to no software available for it. Commodore 64 could easily have been a victim if Jack Tramiel didn't play his cards right.

[@CB3ROB-CyberBunker]

Full documentation of the hardware is requirement 1. Then either having enough units out there to make it worthwile to port to it. The software will come by itself if both conditions are met. Ofcourse being a company that understands computers and doesnt consider their computers a temporary thing while normally selling washingmachines and tvs helps in getting developers to trust they wont pull it off the shelve the next day too. For panasonic philips and sony and such.. There never was much trust, they sold tons of badly documented different and incompatible products and always somewhere at the back of their dealer catalogs. Developers prefer companies that understand platform compatibility and userbase. And which are not better known for their lightbulbs.

[@luisluiscunha]

Albeit a beautiful one, sometimes...

[@BenjitheRabbit]

the song at 16:14 is Minuet in G by Beethoven

[@BenjitheRabbit]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIS7g32tqNV6i5I

[@luisluiscunha]

That is a beauty... A pre-MSX 8 bit Panasonic. And very well designed. Congratulations

[@dysfunctionalwombat]

Do you still have the TI99/4A I have since got one Amazing keyboard Well, not the layout

[@vwestlife]

Yes.

[@Musicradio77Network]

Never seen this computer before. This was similar to Mattel's Aquarius computer which was the one that I used to have since I was a kid. It came out the same year as the Aquarius which was 1983, and this was the same year that the "Video Game Crash" was in full swing. Atari made the 5200 and that was a failure, and so was this and the Mattel's Aquarius. Aquarius has many of the accessories like the little printer, a data cassette recorder, and an expansion port for the games including many of the titles for the Aquarius including a port of an Intellivision game called "Snafu" which was the only game I had since as a kid. Panasonic never made another computer again, but it was not until the early 1990's when Panasonic made a video game console called the 3DO, the first 32-bit video game console that includes a CD-ROM player and a series of CD games, including the worst game ever produced was "Plumbers Don't Wear Ties", and it was a bad game with just slideshows on the storyline and it has nothing to do with the game. By the mid to late 90's, Panasonic discontinued the 3DO, because it never had any competition from Nintendo and Sega.

[@livesimplyandhumbly]

As a kid I found starting from the mid 80's that home computers became immensely more practical. I had the IBM PC and the Apple //c and a U.S. Robotics 9600 modem. Loved connecting them to mini and mainframe computers. Local calls were free so no toll. IBM, DEC, SGI ...

[@mahmahmahmuh]

The keyboard looks very much like the one on the Sega SC-3000, but there are small differences. It might be the same supplier of keyboard?

[@jessragan6714]

Thanks for sharing! I actually saw one of these at a pawn shop in my home town about seventeen years ago. I was tempted to pick it up but had no idea of its capabilities or compatibility with other formats. I guess the answers were "minimal" and "none."

[@robertkilbourne323]

Not bad sound, sure beats the ol' PC speaker.

[@BertGrink]

Indeed, i found the sound quality quite enjoyable :)

[@sirmugman]

loving the "light" reading at the side of the box lol all for this one machine a whole shelf of books!

[@dominikschutz6300]

Hello there, could you record the software to mp3 or wav and upload it please?

[@VectrexRoli]

RAMROM Patrol! :-D Cool name for a game!

[@jeremytravis360]

When I worked in the Hi Fi trade, a lot of reps from the well known Japanese companies came forward with these computers. They sold it as the new standard in computing but they didn't sell.

[@ClevelandStorms]

I love the front covers of the old Panasonic user manuals. I want to find the font that they used

[@vwestlife]

The Panasonic logo is in Helvetica.

[@ClevelandStorms]

Sweet thanks

[@maxcypond]

Seeing this makes me happy my first computer was a Apple IIc.

[@megabojan1993]

23:08 That dying sound is hilarious :))))))))

[@filipmac1545]

thanks for replying to all my questions and comments

[@inphanta]

I’d never heard of this one until today. It reminds me of a cross between the Oric-1 and VIC-20. I’d love to see what the demoscene could get out of this. An interesting curio.

[@robertdutcher8081]

Very cool. Never seen this in real life, but would pick one up if I did. Thanks for sharing.

[@MidwestComputerMuseum]

Thanks for sharing this computer with us! I've never seen or heard of the JR-200U.

[@senorverde09]

For some reason this reminds me of a Tandy CoCo. Not only does it use a Motorola 6800 series processor the video chip is similar to the MC6847, or at least an enhanced clone found in the PC-6001 mk II.

[@eriksojka8358]

I never knew about this computer. thanks for posting it!!!

[@Pyridox]

Wow, brings back memories of the early to mid 80's.

[@sentimentalmariner590]

I always wanted a company to make modern keyboard computers. They are so cool looking.

[@miked4377]

i like the computer hardware videos you do the best...i do like this computer and you have alot of software for it which is rare . please do more of these kevin..

[@russredfern167]

What do think of Texas Instruments ti 99 gaming features?

[@vwestlife]

I already did a video about the TI-99/4A.

[@PADARM]

ah, 80s nostalgia, love it. I had the TK-83

[@villehalonen6523]

haha. my first computer. actually still works. never had the heart to get rid of it. amiga 1200 i gave away to an amiga enthusiastic friend of mine, but this ill keep... cant believe its 40 years! :D

[@mercuryvapoury]

Anyone know the name of that music at 15:15 - 15:42 ? We used to have a doorbell that played it...

[@JonGuidry]

I just got one of these. No cables, and only one cassette. Do you have the WAV files of the tapes anywhere? How about info on the cables and pinouts? Thanks!

[@mikebell2112]

A lot of the RAM in a Commodore 64 is there but inaccessible from BASIC. Due to the 6510 only being able to address 64K, a lot of that RAM is "underneath" the BASIC and Kernal ROM's. You would need to switch those off in order to read the RAM underneath.

[@thinkbolt]

I'm really curious about that TRAPIT game. Can't find any info on it.

[@WaybackTECH]

I like the color of the keyboard. I am curious if one of those car cassette to aux adapters could be used in one of these cassette players to transfer archived .wav recorded software/games using a modern computer's sound card.

[@SproutyPottedPlant]

Sure can! A smartphone with an app or some mp3s makes a great cassette deck for some of these old computers.

[@theLuigiFan0007Productions]

@WaybackTECH You wouldn't even need the adaptor. Just get the right audio cable.

[@TheRailroad99]

have you tried loading the tapes with a better tape deck? maybe you can get some of them to read this way. Would be interested in the other programs.

[@liamdancer8531]

Is there anything good about the sinclair zx-81, pros and cons? Ive got one with all the software and cables in a drawer somewhere.....

[@dave4shmups]

Awesome video! Phaser Patrol definitely reminds me of Activision's Laser Blast for the 2600. What model of Sony Handy Cam is that? It looks really cool!

[@vwestlife]

It's a DCR-PC55.

[@AiOinc1]

I need to see Mars Cars at least once. Any idea if you'd be able to upload recordings of the tapes somewhere so we can experiment with them?

[@belstar1128]

Nice i can barley find any decent info about this thing thanks for the video

[@napomania]

does someone know what is that piece of music at 15.55? i don't know if it's a medley or a unique composition. but that piece it remember me my infancies..

[@GeoNeilUK]

Well, the chiclet keyboard was less of an issue in the UK than they were in the USA, but the graphics were very rudimentary, blockier than the Spectrum and the ORIC, less colourful than the Commodore 64 or the Amstrad CPC. Nice sound chip on it though, but it's about on a par with a Mattel Aquarius with extra RAM. I'm actually surprised this wasn't an MSX computer, though the BASIC commands on the keys had me thinking it might have been a Japanese Spectrum clone.

[@seditiouswalrus]

Around 17:30 I zoned back to the movie "electric dreams".

[@RPKGameVids]

I love the look of those rubber keys.

[@damusicianstrikesback5337]

The melody @ 17:21 sounds like the 1965 song "Lovers Concerto" by the Toys.

[@vwestlife]

Yes, that's it!

[@Gerardus1970]

It's Lover's Concerto by Bach.

[@jeffreyhickman3871]

It took me a couple of minutes to decipher the tune on here. It's "A Lover's Concerto", by The Toys". Your friend, Jeff 🧸.

[@kristina80ification]

Interesting, I hadn't heard of this one myself and I consider myself well versed in the world of japanese home computers.

[@Mr1p0d]

The soundchip maybe could be a AY-38910 by just guessing on the number of channels and the octaves, I'm not too sure but it sounds like one of those Also by 1985, many Japanese computer manufactures switched to the MSX standard while others like Sharp and NEC decided to built their own custom computers, for example the x68000 series (Sharp) and the not IBM compatible PC-98 series (NEC) that did use some propietary interfaces but used a PC processor Propietary interfaces and pinouts are another reason why sometimes computers from the era couldn't compete with others in both countries and also depended on what the user was focused on the time :3 And the processor of the computer of the video maybe is a lower end version of the 6809 and by watching the BASIC commands is sure that the BASIC interpreter is based on MS-BASIC

[@vwestlife]

It's actually the clock and I/O chip that produces the sound: www.kameli.net/marq/?page_id=1270

[@Mr1p0d]

Interesting but is quite strange, so the I/O chip is three things in one, during the early 80's that was quite rare to see it implemented on a computer unless there was another one that used a chip similar to that one :3 (Also reminded me of another case with the IWM used on the Apple II series computers)

[@farhanatashiga3721]

why do people debate the pronouncements of zx so much that most KZbinr just called the specky Sinclair spectrum?

[@vwestlife]

I call it a pile of rubbish.

[@farhanatashiga3721]

VWestlife I guess saying zee-x is as hazardous as criticize linux?

[@EgoShredder]

It kickstarted the whole English computing boom of the early 1980s, more so than even the BBC Micro which was too expensive for most home computer owners. Also the ZX Spectrum had a very respectable specification for 1982, and despite the infamous colour clash flaw it had a good resolution and reasonable colour palette. The sound was weak but was improved in later incarnations of this model. The amount of RAM was competitive too, with most computers only having 32KB compared with 48KB on the Spectrum. There was a very extensive and healthy amount of third-party expansion hardware add-ons, which meant you could do just about anything and also improve upon the weaknesses of the system. In short the ZX Spectrum was a legendary and brilliant micro computer!

[@KurisuYamato]

Because people are pedantic and downright petty as shit - they would rather make an issue over the pronunciation they choose and militantly defend it rather than just accept other pronunciations existing. I would mention another word that demonstrates this issue perfectly, but I don't feel like making an easy way for people to start shit in the comment thread we're in... it's already bad enough this is KZbin.

[@kristina80ification]

" Also the ZX Spectrum had a very respectable specification for 1982" No it didn't, and if I remember right Clive Sinclair himself even stated as much, saying that he didn't want to create a powerful computer but a simple computer. Also, being important and good are two different things.

[@SuPerbMusiCFan]

This sure is a nice PanSonic.

[@cvbabc]

The "rub out" key is great, for example, if you type the number "one" by mistake you can, rub one out....

[@Animated__Freak]

That dead rubber keyboard, I've never typed on one but just looking at them brings pain to my finger as the thought of typing out a document on it. It also brings out some curiosity so I still want to try typing on them. I've been wanting a old computer running Basic for a while now. Don't know witch one to buy.

[@MilliVee1966]

I purchased one back in 1988 from a pawn shop for $100 - lost it in a move somewhere. I have a search saved on ebay and am waiting for one to show up cheap - till then I play with another orphan, the Coleco Adam

[@timwilliscroft9615]

The keyboard is nearly identical to the SEGA SC-3000, in a different colourway.

[@infinitecanadian]

Bright colors! R.I.P. monitor users...

[@geotechmore8855]

Looks like a nice computer that I would have liked back then 😃 I owned an Odyssey 2 computer as my first computer and then a Commodore 64 😃

[@j.jester7821]

Vintage? I am still using this computer to surf the internet now. har har har. I love old stuff like this. I have a couple very old consumer computers. very useless but fun to power up and play with occastionally. Technology history.

[@JaysonElliot]

I have one of these, but no software for it. Would you be willing to make copies of any of yours? Happy to trade for other vintage software I have if there's anything you're looking for.

[@twocvbloke]

17:21 - Reminds me of a scene in that dodgy 80s film Electric Dreams, about a computer that develops AI, and it duets with a neighbour with a slightly faster tempo version of that piece of music... :P

[@KarenMattio]

What additional cable did you have to buy?

[@LuckyPotatoKat]

'Everybody Love Raymond' does computer reviews, lol I love your content man, keep it up!

[@letsseewherethisgoes]

Sound reminds me of about halfway between the Tandy 3-voice and the CMS

[@chookwangzhee1889]

what is the music played at the 18 minute mark?

[@vwestlife]

"A Lover's Concerto"

[@jeffpeterson7022]

@@vwestlife it's a really good rendition of it, too. I recognized it immediately.

[@Wok_Agenda]

It is a Panasonic so it will work forever

[@MartinWillett]

You can see why computers didn't take off in a big way back then. What would that thing do for me?

[@ms-ex8em]

Hello can you help are you a programmer?? I typed in write on from dragon user it won’t work however please help

[@JacobTechShit]

are you eventually going to make a video on that all in one crt computer case you picked up a while back? should i stay tuned for it?!

[@tostoday]

Maybe you should open your own museum :)

[@dfjelddalen]

Very handsome machine. Impressive patience required though.

[@BigGfromSA]

Great looking computer. Awesome.

[@haxxy40]

You forgot to say if 2400 baud works with your tape recorder

[@vwestlife]

Keep watching. It worked on some of the tapes but not all of them.

[@rolandmetivier4437]

Nice PWM tones at 23:10. It may be based off the AY tone generator silicon possibly, or it could be made from scratch with that tone generator in mind. This computer seems lost in time so I actually am not sure.