Telmac 1800

The Telmac 1800^[1] is an early microcomputer that was delivered in kit form.^[2] It was introduced in 1977 by Telercas Oy,^[3][4][5] the Finnish importer of RCA microchips. Most of the 2,000 kits manufactured over four years^[5] were bought by electronics enthusiasts^[1] in Finland, Sweden and Norway.

Telmac 1800

Type	Home computer, Computer kit
Release date	1977; 48 years ago (1977)
Units sold	2000
Media	Compact Cassette
CPU	RCA 1802 (COSMAC) microprocessor CPU
Memory	2 kB RAM, expandable to 4 kB
Display	64×128 pixels display resolution
Graphics	RCA CDP1861
Sound	fixed frequency tone
Successor	Telmac TMC-600 / Telmac TMC-2000

Telmac 1800 Microcomputer

Telmac 1800 Microcomputer

An expansion board, OSCOM, later became available, and included an alphanumeric video display, and up to 12 kB of memory. A 4 kB Tiny BASIC could be run on this configuration.^[6]

The first-ever commercial video game to be developed in Finland, Chesmac, was developed by Raimo Suonio on a Telmac 1800 computer in 1979.^[7]

The Telmac 1800 was followed by the Oscom Nano and the Telmac 2000.

Major features

• RCA 1802 (COSMAC) microprocessor CPU @ 1.75 MHz^[3][4]
• Cassette tape interface^[4]
• 2 kB RAM, expandable to 4 kB^[3][4]
• RCA CDP1861 'Pixie' video chip, 64×128 pixels display resolution^[1][3][4]
• Sound limited to a fixed frequency tone ^[3][4]
• Able to run a CHIP-8 interpreter^[8]