Robik

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title: "Robik" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["zx-spectrum-clones", "soviet-computer-systems"] description: "ZX Spectrum clone" topic_path: "general/zx-spectrum-clones" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robik" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary ZX Spectrum clone ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox computer"]

Field	Value
image	Robik (computer).png
type	Home computer
manufacturer	NPO "Rotor", SELTO-Micron-Service, SELTO-Complect
release_date
cpu	Z80A clone
memory	48KB
os	Sinclair BASIC
display	Analog RGB or digital TTL monitors; 256×192
aka	Арифметико-Логическое Устройство «Робик»
compatibility	ZX Spectrum
sound	Beeper
logo	Robik_computer_logo.svg
logo_caption	Robic logo
discontinued
price	$420 / Rbls 760
(WSP: Rbls 649)
units_shipped	73 904
power	20 VA (9V)
memory_card	Cassette tape or diskette
input	Kempston Joysticks
currentfw	V03
dimensions	420×170×66mm
weight	1.9 kg (+external power supply up to 0.5 kg)
marketing_target	business, schools, entertainment, home computer
language	English, Russian
generation	4th
family	ZX Spectrum 48K
developer	NPO "Rotor"
::

| image = Robik (computer).png | type = Home computer | manufacturer = NPO "Rotor", SELTO-Micron-Service, SELTO-Complect | release_date = | cpu = Z80A clone | memory = 48KB | os = Sinclair BASIC | display = Analog RGB or digital TTL monitors; 256×192 | units_sold = | predecessor = | aka = Арифметико-Логическое Устройство «Робик» | compatibility = ZX Spectrum | graphics = | sound = Beeper | logo = Robik_computer_logo.svg | logo_caption = Robic logo | discontinued = | price = $420 / Rbls 760 (WSP: Rbls 649) | units_shipped = 73 904 | power = 20 VA (9V) | memory_card = Cassette tape or diskette | input = Kempston Joysticks | currentfw = V03 | dimensions = 420×170×66mm | weight = 1.9 kg (+external power supply up to 0.5 kg) | marketing_target = business, schools, entertainment, home computer | language = English, Russian | generation = 4th | family = ZX Spectrum 48K | developer = NPO "Rotor" | caption = ALU Robik () was a Soviet and Ukrainian ZX Spectrum clone produced between July 1989 and January 1998 by the NPO "Rotor" in Cherkasy. Over 70 000 was produced, while few millions was planned.

Specification

The Robik is a monoblock computer in the keyboard formfactor, with an external power supply block, permanently connected by wire.

Older cases produced by the SELTO, and newer produced by the NPO "Rotor" (on the back side of keyboard case there is a logo of manufacturer).

Motherboard

It came in four versions, with only minor changes made for Russian internationalization and localization. The hardware remained largely unchanged, but cheaper parts were used for each version. The fourth version had the new addition of a single integrated circuit. This version did not sell well because by then the main market for the Robik was hardware enthusiasts and this design did not allow for modifications.

Robik had two EPROM chips. There are two languages in the M2764AF-1 chip from ST, which can be switched by shortcut keys.

Keyboard

The computer came with 55 keys,. It had the possibility to switch between Latin and Russian fonts.

• A total of 55 keys in the main group:
  • Two ("Reset" keys), ("Delete"), , ;
  • Full English/Russian (QWERTY/ЙЦУКЕН) keyboard;
  • Two , and in some variants;
  • and stop keys;
  • ("Fire" key), ("Multifunctional" key, in some variants changed to third one ), ;
  • ("CAPS C") and ("CAPS L") keys.
• Four keys in a separate group (on the right, next to main group) — cursor keys (together with "Fire" key it also worked as a joystick).

The letters on switches caps were written using laser beam technology, as a result labels represented as outlined symbols (in the last version stamp printing used for place labels as filled symbols instead). [[File:Robik computer keyboard.png|center|thumb|The Robik keyboard layout variants|320x320px]]

PKM 1B

The keyboard buttons are based on the PKM 1B () reed switches, instead of copper or iron contact plates.[[File:PKM 1B and Cherry MX switches.jpg|center|thumb|PKM 1B (on the left) next to [[Cherry AG#Cherry MX|Cherry MX]] switches|320x320px]]Initially, the PKM 1B switches produced by the EMZ "" (Ukraine) was used, but original production of switches discontinued during the production of the Robik, and the NPO "Rotor" launched its own production line for the PKM 1B switches instead.

Peripherals

The Robik had four ports on the back side: ВИДЕО ("Video"), RGB, JS-K, ◯_◯ ("Tape"). It had no edge connector and video output was analog RGB on a 5-pin DIN or digital TTL on an 8-pin DIN.

Inside the case there was a male 64-pin connector that could be mapped to the standard edge connector.

Display

The Robick supports to be connected to either monochrome MDA/Hercules or color EGA monitor (via ВИДЕО out), or color TV (via RGB out). For the RGB out, there are adjusters for each of color channel (R, G and B), as well as overall color invertor toggle – all are accessible via the marked access holles on the bottom side of computer.

There was no composite video and all I/O ports were 5- and 7-pin DINs.

When writing, the screen memory to the TV/monitor screen did not begin from the top left of the border, but instead began from border right under paper. This meant that most multicolor effects and some games did not work correctly. Errors in the ROM have been fixed and Cyrillic letters were also inserted.

The keyboard matrix was extended from five keys in eight rows to five keys in nine rows to allow for more buttons. A reset could be performed by pressing two buttons.

Sound

NPO "Rotor" produced an external music sound device for the Robik.

External storage

Robik has no internal mass storage and uses cassette tapes as an external storage.

It requires to connect cassette deck via ◯_◯ ("Tape") port, for read and write data.

There was also an external floppy disk drive produced for the Robik by NPO "Rotor", to use diskettes instead of tapes.

Joystick

There is the JS-K port for connecting joysticks via Kempston Interface.

Printer

Printer has been developed for the Robik by NPO "Rotor".

Software

The Robik distribution includes a cassette tape with seven programs:

1. "BASICTEST" (computer testing and debugging application)
2. "DEVPAC" (compiler/decompiler/debugger)
3. "RED" (text editor)
4. "KRACOUT" (video game)
5. "ART-STUDIO" (raster image editor)
6. "IS CHESS-48" (chess video game)
7. "BAT"

Legacy

There is a number of the Robik computers stored in various museums and private collections around the world:

• , Kyiv and Kharkiv (Ukraine)
• Museum of Computer Technology of the University of Lviv (Ukraine)
• The It8bit.Club , Mariupol (Ukraine). Museum was fully destroyed in March 2022, in a result of shelling by Russians during the Battle of Mariupol (website continue to exists as a virtual museum now)
• Ust'-Kamenogorsk Computer Museum (Kazakhstan)
• The Peek & Poke Computer Museum, Rijeka (Croatia)
• Le musée de l'informatique Silicium, Corbarieu (France)
• Kompjutry.cz, moving computer museum (Czechia)
• The Home Computer Museum, Oberhausen (Germany)
• The Number Crunchers Homecomputer Museum (Germany)
• The Freeman PC Museum, Long Beach (California, USA)
• Rhode Island Computer Museum, Warwick (Rhode Island, USA)
• Arcade Vintage Museum (), Ibi (Spain)
• Reale-Rydell Computer Museum, virtual museum
• Hal's friends Computer Museum, virtual museum (Italy)
• Osmibitóve muzeum, virtual museum (Chechia)
• The Clueless Engineer, vlogger (Australia)
• Personal Computer Museum, Ontario (Canada)

У 2017, the "LandauCenter" at the National University of Kharkiv organized an exhibition of the 1980s computers. Exposition included the Robik from the Software and Computer Museum collection.

Since the end of production, there are a lot of the Robik computers present on the secondary market.

Facts

• On 22 May 1993, on the cover of the printed addition to one of the local magazines in Kryvyi Rih (Ukraine) was placed the next classified advert:
• Local schools was gifted with hundreds of the Robik computers by NPO "Rotor" for free.
• The hardware contained about three to four grams of gold and almost eighteen grams of silver, and some of other rare metals are present in various electronic components used in the Robik. As a result, many of the Robik computers have been dismantled for recovery of the costly parts.

Publications

• Documents from the NPO «Rotor» archives, published in the «Legends of Bytes», Issue 10 (2024).
• АЛП "Робик" [ALP "Robik"] (Circuit diagram) (DjVu)

Video

• The Clueless Engineer.
• Bazza H.

References

References

1. Demidenko, Gennadiy. (May 2024). "Історія та статистика побутового комп'ютера "Робік"". G. Demidenko.
2. (11 January 2021). "The Robik 48k ZX Spectrum clone. A lovely gift from The Ukraine".
3. arn, lift. "Sinclair Clones – Robik".
4. "Robik Robik".
5. Walgenbach, Stefan. "Robik".
6. "The Computers That Came In From The Cold (Part 2)".
7. Brain, Dmitry. "Робик".
8. "Robik".
9. МАСТЕР, СВОЙ. "Компьютеры / Computers".
10. "The Computers That Came In From The Cold (Part 2) – Programing4Us – Enterprise".
11. "Електромеханічний завод "Магніт": ПКМ 1Б ("PKM 1B")".
12. "Reed switch vs. Hall effect sensor".
13. "Robik".
14. Slabihoud, Stephan. "Sinclair – Nachbauten/Modelle".
15. (26 February 2019). "Комп'ютерний музей на Саксаганського".
16. (25 March 2019). "Музей комп'ютерів".
17. "Від "старовини" до наших днів: опубліковані ексклюзивні фото відкриття в Києві музею комп'ютерів".
18. "Sega и "Робик": в "Ландау Центре" открылась выставка компьютеров 80-х".
19. "Музей комп'ютерних технологій". [[ЛНУ імені Івана Франка]].
20. (4 September 2024). "Робік — український домашній комп'ютер, сумісний з ZX Spectrum 48K.". [[University of Lviv]].
21. Черепанов, Дмитро. "Робик".
22. (26 March 2022). "У Маріуполі внаслідок бомбардування російьскими військами знищено музей ретро-комп'ютерів та консолей".
23. Jowitt, Tom. (29 March 2022). "Retro Computing Museum Destroyed By Bombing".
24. "Компьютеры / Computers".
25. Wouter. "Peek & Poke".
26. "Robik".
27. "Robik".
28. "Robik".
29. "Sinclair – Nachbauten/Modelle – 8Bit-Museum.de".
30. "Robik ZX Spectrum".
31. "What's On".
32. "RetroComputers – Arcade Vintage Museum".
33. "Museum Directory".
34. "Robik".
35. "Sovětský Svaz – Robik".
36. "Робик (Robik)".
37. "Our Computer".
38. Деміденко, Геннадій. (May 2024). "Історія та статистика побутового комп'ютера "Робік"". Г. Деміденко.

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