Sanyo PHC was a brand/prefix used by Sanyo on a number of early microcomputer models released by them during the late 1970s and the 1980s.
Early models in the line include the PHC-1000 and the PHC-10, PHC-20 and PHC-25 family.
Sanyo later used the PHC name on many of its MSX, [1] MSX2 [2] and MSX2+ compatible machines. [3]
The Sanyo PHC-1000 was released in 1979 [4] [5] and was marketed towards small businesses as well as the fields of education, hardware control and hobbyist use. [4]
It was an integrated unit, [6] featuring a built-in 12-inch CRT-based display (supporting 80 x 24 characters), cassette-based data recorder and a keyboard (including numeric keypad). [4] It was based around an Intel 8085A CPU and included 32 kB of RAM. [4]
The PHC-1000 was exhibited at the 1980 Microcomputer Show in Heiwajima, Tokyo. [7] [6]
The PHC-10, PHC-20 and PHC-25 are a group of low-end home computers announced simultaneously by Sanyo in mid-1982. [8] All shared the same basic dimensions (51 x 160 x 300 mm) [9] and similar styling.
Each model aimed at a distinct market segment, with the technical specification and price increasing from the low-end PHC-10 and the mid-range PHC-20, to the high-end PHC-25 model. [10] [8]
The PHC-10 is the lowest-priced and most basic model. It is a battery-operated training machine with an inbuilt single-line 16-character LCD display and a limited implementation of BASIC. [11] It lacks any external display support [12] [9] or the ability to load or save programs. [13] [9]
Examples of the PHC-10 are rare, although as of January 2025, there were at least two known to exist. [12]
The PHC-20 is an integer-only model which generates a monochrome-only display signal and was placed between the PHC-10 and PHC-25 in terms of capability and pricing. [10] It is based on a Z80A-compatible CPU and includes 4 kB of RAM. [10]
The PHC-25 was the highest-end model, based on a Z80A-compatible CPU with 16 kB of RAM and supporting colour graphics with various display modes.
In Japan, all three models were announced simultaneously in mid-1982 with the PHC-10 and 20 scheduled for release in May (at ¥24,800 and ¥47,800 respectively) and the PHC-25 to follow June (at ¥69,800). [8]
In France, both the PHC-20 and the PHC-25 were announced in late 1982 (alongside the PHC-8000) [14] for planned sale at 1500 F and 2200 F respectively. [15] L'Ordinateur individuel magazine considered the PHC-20 the less interesting of the two and observed that Sanyo France seemed "to be showing little enthusiasm for its distribution". [15] While it is not clear whether the launch of the PHC-20 went ahead in France, Sanyo sold and continued to promote the PHC-25 there until at least late 1983/early 1984. [16]
In the UK, it had been announced that all three would launch in January 1983, with prices set at £60 (PHC-10), £100 (PHC-20) and £150 (PHC-25). [17] They were all reviewed by Your Computer magazine in October 1982, [11] but a later issue noted they had all "disappeared again in November" [18] and there is no indication that they reached the UK market.
Sanyo had planned to market the PHC-20 and PHC-25 in the United States, and advance reports appeared in the press there. [19] However, they later reversed the decision in both cases- the PHC-20 was withdrawn before it reached dealer shelves [19] and they similarly decided against launching the PHC-25 there due to cutthroat competition in the low-end market. [20] (The PHC-10 was never intended for release in the US, although it had been exhibited at the January 1983 CES show with that proviso.) [21]
Sanyo later became a supporter of the MSX standard. It used the PHC name on a number of MSX (e.g. PHC-30N), [1] MSX2 (e.g. PHC-77) [2] and MSX2+-compatible machines (e.g. PHC-70FD). [3]
Other MSX-compatible models included the PHC-23, PHC-25SK, PHC-27, PHC-28, PHC-30, PHC-33, PHC-35J, PHC-50FD2, PHC-55FD2, PHC-70FD, PHC-70FD2 and PHC-77. [22] [23]
三洋電機のパソコン第1号機である「PHC-1000」。1979年に発売した8ビットパソコンで、CRT一体型となっていた
サン ヨー の パー ソナ ル ・ コ ンピュータ P HC- 1000 は グリ ー ン ・ デ ィ ス プレ イ , デジ タル ・ カ セッ ト な どの 入出 力 機能 を 一 体 化 し た も の で[Sanyo's personal computer PHC-1000 integrated input and output functions such as a green display and digital cassette player.]
サジ ュー の パーン ナル コシ ピュ デー み PHC- 1000 は デジ タル カセ ッ ト を 内 蔵 し て 出品 。 音 声 認識 装置 と し て 活[Sanyo's PHC-1000, a personal computer, was exhibited with a built-in digital cassette player. It was used as a voice recognition device.]
PHC-20, a 4K RAM. machine with no colour capability for about £100 [..] PHC-20 is Z-80A based with 8K of ROM and 4K RAM of which 3K is available to the user. [..] Although the PHC-20 is quite fast it is severely limited by an integer-only ROM. [..] [PHC-20 was reviewed alongside the lower-end] PHC-10 [and the] top of the range [colour-capable] PHC-25 for about £150.
PHC-10 is a battery-powered £60 ... training computer [with] single-line [16-character LCD,] no [TV output,] ... no potential for expansion [..] excellent...keyboard, but a maximium RAM of only 4K. [..] major draw-back is the 4K Tiny Basic. With less than 2K of user RAM, and a very limited range of commands, the PHC-10 would be restrictive even for a beginner. [..][..] can only handle integers [..] also produces [limited 'beep' sound]
[First two images show very yellowed PHC-10] What I wasn't expecting was no outputs at all. Not even a tape output. Or power input. You have one program, and it dies when your batteries die. [..] I did eventually get one in better condition. [Third image shows another PHC-10 with less yellowing than the first]
[Images of yellowed-with-age PHC-10 uploaded by author interspersed with text] [PHC-10] until recently, I had seen just two photos of and was convinced was never actually sold. [..] The rest disappeared into obscurity. Especially the Sanyos. [..] [On PHC-10...] There's not even the ability to save to tape.
La fin de l'année a vu l'arrivée sur le marché de la micro-informatique de nouveaux produits Sanyo. Déjà présentés, ils seront commercialisés en décembre ou au plus tard début janvier 83. Le PHC20 [..] Plus doué que son frère, le PHC 25 [..] Enfin, encore un portable, le PHC 8000 et son module d'extension, le PHC 8010.[The end of the year saw the arrival on the microcomputer market of new Sanyo products. Already presented, they will be marketed in December or at the latest at the beginning of January 83. The PHC20 [..] More gifted than its brother, the PHC 25 [..] Finally, another portable, the PHC 8000 and its expansion module, the PHC 8010.]
Les nouveaux Sanyo seraient arrivés dans le courant du mois de novembre. Ce sont notamment les modèles PHC 20 et 25. [PHC 20] coûte 1 500 FF ttc. Le PHC 25 [..] pour 2 200 FF tte. (Le modèle 20 est toutefois nettement moins intéressant que le PHC 25 vu la différence de pnx de 700 FF ttc, et Sanyo France semble manifester peu d'empressement pour sa diffusion.)[The new Sanyo models are expected to arrive during the month of November. These include the PHC 20 and 25 models. [PHC 20] costs 1,500 FF including tax. The PHC 25 [..] for 2,200 FF all together. (The 20 model is, however, significantly less interesting than the PHC 25 given the price difference of 700 FF including tax, and Sanyo France seems to be showing little enthusiasm for its distribution.)]
Sanyo will launch three new microcomputers in the UK in January 1983. [..] PHC-25 is the most advanced. It will be priced at £150. [..] PHC-20, to cost around £100 [..] PHC10, planned for £60
Remember Sanyo's enigmatic PHC range which appeared in October 1982 [issue in which PHC-10, 20 and 25 were reviewed] and disappeared again in November?
[Sanyo] had planned to market a home computer known as the PHC 20 series in the U.S., but pulled the machine out before it even hit the dealer shelves, according to Ron Milos, marketing manager for Sanyo. "We had a lot of trouble with that one," [..] there were already advance press reports [..] [It] was "nice," he reports, but not unique.
Another small machine we saw previously at CES is the Sanyo PHC-25. [..] We were told it would not be marketed in the U.S. because of the cutthroat price competition at that end of the market.
Three [Sanyo] models were shown [..] The PHC 10 [..] won't be released in this country [the United States], and no price was available. [..] The PHC 20 [costs] $99 [plus] a more expensive version, the PHC-25
!["[Image of PHC-30N with original MSX logo]"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230224060621/https://www.msx.org/wiki/images/c/ce/Phc30na.jpg){kind=link}
