Robik

The Robik is a monoblock computer in the keyboard formfactor, with an external power supply block, permanently connected by wire.{{Cite journal |last=Demidenko |first=Gennadiy |date=May 2024 |title=Історія та статистика побутового комп'ютера "Робік" |trans-title=The History and Statistic of the Robik home computer |url=https://cherkasy-city.itch.io/legends-of-bytes-10 |url-status=live |format=PDF |journal=Legends of Bytes |language=uk |location=Cherkasy |publisher=G. Demidenko |issue=10 |pages=30–101 |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/legends_of_bytes/LegendsOfBytesIssue10 |archive-date=20 May 2024}}{{Cite web |title=The Robik 48k ZX Spectrum clone. A lovely gift from The Ukraine | date=11 January 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiyYY9pdXCc |via=www.youtube.com}}{{Cite web |last=arn |first=lift |title=Sinclair Clones – Robik |url=http://www.interface1.net/zx/clones/robik.html |website=Sinclair Nostalgia Products}}{{Cite web |title=Robik Robik |url=https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=3&c=776 |website=www.old-computers.com}}{{Cite web |last=Walgenbach |first=Stefan |title=Robik |url=http://www.homecomputer.de/pages/f_info.html?Robik.html |website=HCM: The Home Computer Museum}}{{Cite web |title=The Computers That Came In From The Cold (Part 2) |url=https://programming.wmlcloud.com/enterprise/19902.aspx |website=Programing4Us}}{{Cite web |last=Brain |first=Dmitry |title=Робик |url=https://it8bit.club/museum/robik |website=It8bit Club}}{{Cite web |title=Robik |url=https://www.museo-computer.it/en/computers-2/selto-rotor/robik/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Hal's Friends}}{{Cite web |last=МАСТЕР |first=СВОЙ |title=Компьютеры / Computers |url=https://svoymaster.kz/%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%bc%d0%bf%d1%8c%d1%8e%d1%82%d0%b5%d1%80%d1%8b/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=Виртуальный Музей Компьютеров, Кассет и Магнитол |language=ru-RU}}{{Cite web |title=The Computers That Came In From The Cold (Part 2) – Programing4Us – Enterprise |url=https://programming.wmlcloud.com/enterprise/19902.aspx |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=programming.wmlcloud.com |quote=There was the Baltic, the Kvorum, the Leningrad, the Magik, the Master, the Robik, the.... Oh, alright, far too many to mention.}}

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).

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.

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 {{Keypress|RES}} ("Reset" keys), {{Keypress|DEL}} ("Delete"), {{Keypress|EXIT}}, {{Keypress|ENTER}};
• Full English/Russian (QWERTY/ЙЦУКЕН) keyboard;
• Two {{Keypress|SHIFT}}, and in some variants;
• {{Keypress|,}} and {{Keypress|.}} stop keys;
• {{Key|⌖}} ("Fire" key), {{Keypress|MF}} ("Multifunctional" key, in some variants changed to third one {{Keypress|SHIFT}}), {{Keypress|Space}};
• {{Keypress|C}} ("CAPS C") and {{Keypress|L}} ("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

The keyboard buttons are based on the PKM 1B ({{Langx|ru|links=no|lit=magnetic keyboard switch|ПКМ 1Б}}{{Cite web |title=Електромеханічний завод "Магніт": ПКМ 1Б ("PKM 1B") |url=https://telcontar.net/KBK/Magnit/#PKM_1B |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=telcontar.net |quote=ПКМ 1Б ("PKM 1B") is type of fairly low profile reed switch, whose design may have been inspired by RAFI's keyboard switches (especially as the keycap mount is very similar).}}) reed switches, instead of copper or iron contact plates.{{Cite web |title=Reed switch vs. Hall effect sensor |url=https://www.yoctopuce.com/EN/article/reed-switch-vs-hall-effect-sensor |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=www.yoctopuce.com}}File:PKM 1B and Cherry MX switches.jpg switches|320x320px]]Initially, the PKM 1B switches produced by the {{abbr|{{#switch:{{{lk|}}}|yes|#default=EMZ}}|Electromechanical Plant}} "{{Interlanguage link|Kaniv electromechanical plant|lt=Magnit|uk|Канівський електромеханічний завод}}" (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.

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{{Cite web |title=Robik |url=http://www.silicium.org/oldskool/est/urss/robik.htm |website=Silicium}} 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.

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.{{Cite web |last=Slabihoud |first=Stephan |title=Sinclair – Nachbauten/Modelle |url=https://8bit-museum.de/heimcomputer-2/sinclair/sinclair-modellenachbauten/ |website=8Bit-Museum.de}}

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 {{Keypress|RES}} buttons.

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

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.

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

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

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"

{{External media|image1=[https://apostrophe.ua/uploads/image/afbc6591743dcab7db31fd36bd70340b.jpg Robik] in the {{Interlanguage link|Software and Computer Museum|||uk|Музею програмного забезпечення та комп'ютерів}}|image2=[http://homecomputer.de/images/machines/Robik_Large.jpg Robik] in The Home Computer Museum|image3=[https://svoymaster.kz/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/P80807-172713.jpg Robik] in the Ust'-Kamenogorsk Computer Museum|image4=[https://speccy.info/w/images/f/ff/Robik_BASIC48.gif Startup screen] (Robik screeshot)|image5=[https://st.violity.com/auction/big/auctions/15/88/69/9/158869940.jpg SELTO logo] (on the case bottom side)|image6=[https://st.violity.com/auction/big/auctions/10/64/63/0/106463090.jpg NPO "Rotor" logo] (on the case bottom side)}}

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

• {{Interlanguage link|Software and Computer Museum|uk|Музей програмного забезпечення та комп'ютерів}}, Kyiv and Kharkiv (Ukraine){{Cite web |date=26 February 2019 |title=Комп'ютерний музей на Саксаганського |trans-title=Computer museum on the Saksaganskyi street |url=https://piktor.org.ua/snc_museum |access-date=15 September 2024 |website=piktor.org.ua |place=Kyiv}}{{Cite web |date=25 March 2019 |title=Музей комп'ютерів |trans-title=Computer museum |url=http://glazamiobektiva.com.ua/muze%D1%97-kiyeva/muzej-kompyuteriv.html |access-date= |website=glazamiobektiva.com.ua |place=Kyiv |language= |quote=Черкаський Робік. |trans-quote=Robik from Cherkasy.}}{{Cite web|url=https://apostrophe.ua/ua/news/society/kiev/2017-12-21/ot-drevnosti-do-nashih-dney-opublikovanyi-eksklyuzivnyie-foto-otkryitiya-v-kieve-muzeya-kompyuterov/116539|title=Від "старовини" до наших днів: опубліковані ексклюзивні фото відкриття в Києві музею комп'ютерів|website=Апостроф|language=uk|access-date=2024-09-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://kh.vgorode.ua/news/sobytyia/347555-Sega-y-robyk-v-landau-tsentre-otkrylas-vystavka-kompuiterov-80-kh|title=Sega и "Робик": в "Ландау Центре" открылась выставка компьютеров 80-х|website=kh.vgorode.ua|language=ru|access-date=2024-09-15}}
• Museum of Computer Technology of the University of Lviv (Ukraine){{Cite web|url=http://museums.lnu.edu.ua/computer-tecnologies/|title=Музей комп'ютерних технологій|website=museums.lnu.edu.ua|publisher=ЛНУ імені Івана Франка|language=uk|access-date=2024-09-15}}{{Cite web |date=4 September 2024 |title=Робік — український домашній комп'ютер, сумісний з ZX Spectrum 48K. |trans-title=Robik — a Ukrainian home computer, compatible with the ZX Spectrum 48K. |url=https://www.facebook.com/MCTLNU/photos/a.425535149586315/953735876766237 |access-date= |website=Museum of Computer Technology |publisher=University of Lviv |type=Photo |via=Facebook}}
• The It8bit.Club {{Interlanguage link|Museum of Retro Computers (Mariupol)|lt=Museum of Retro Computers|uk|Музей ретрокомп'ютерів (Маріуполь)}}, Mariupol (Ukraine).{{Cite web |last=Черепанов |first=Дмитро |title=Робик |url=https://it8bit.club/uk/museum/robik |access-date=15 September 2024 |website={{Interlanguage link|Retro Computers Museum (Mariupol)|||uk|Музей ретрокомп'ютерів (Маріуполь)}} |language=}} Museum was fully destroyed in March 2022, in a result of shelling by Russians during the Battle of Mariupol{{Cite web|url=https://playua.net/u-mariupoli-vnaslidok-bombarduvannya-rosijskymy-vijskamy-znyshheno-muzej-retro-kompyuteriv-ta-konsolej/|title=У Маріуполі внаслідок бомбардування російьскими військами знищено музей ретро-комп'ютерів та консолей|date=26 March 2022|website=PlayUA|language=|access-date=2024-09-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.silicon.co.uk/e-innovation/science/retro-computing-museum-destroyed-by-russian-bombing-449374|title=Retro Computing Museum Destroyed By Bombing|last=Jowitt|first=Tom|date=29 March 2022|website=silicon.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2024-09-15}} (website continue to exists as a virtual museum now)
• Ust'-Kamenogorsk Computer Museum (Kazakhstan){{Cite web|url=https://svoymaster.kz/%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BF%D1%8C%D1%8E%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%8B/|title=Компьютеры / Computers|website=svoymaster.kz|language=ru|access-date=}}
• The Peek & Poke Computer Museum, Rijeka (Croatia){{Cite web|url=http://www.retro.co.za/blog/?p=5472|title=Peek & Poke|last=Wouter|website=retro.co.za|language=en-US|access-date=2024-09-15}}
• Le musée de l'informatique Silicium, Corbarieu (France){{Cite web|url=https://oldskool.silicium.org/est/urss/robik.htm|title=Robik|website=oldskool.silicium.org|access-date=2024-09-16}}
• Kompjutry.cz, moving computer museum (Czechia){{Cite web|url=http://www.kompjutry.cz/soubory/pocitacezahranicni_html/robik.html|title=Robik|website=www.kompjutry.cz|language=cs|access-date=}}
• The Home Computer Museum, Oberhausen (Germany){{Cite web|url=http://homecomputer.de/pages/f_info.html?Robik.html|title=Robik|website=homecomputer.de|language=en|access-date=2024-09-15}}
• The Number Crunchers Homecomputer Museum (Germany){{Cite web|url=https://8bit-museum.de/heimcomputer-2/sinclair/sinclair-modellenachbauten/|title=Sinclair – Nachbauten/Modelle – 8Bit-Museum.de|website=8bit-museum.de|access-date=2024-09-16|quote=1991 Robik [...] RGB/HERCULES/EGA-Video.}}
• The Freeman PC Museum, Long Beach (California, USA){{Cite web|url=http://www.thepcmuseum.net/details.php?RECORD_KEY(museum)=id&id(museum)=153|title=Robik ZX Spectrum|website=www.thepcmuseum.net|access-date=2024-09-15}}
• Rhode Island Computer Museum, Warwick (Rhode Island, USA){{Cite web|url=https://www.ricomputermuseum.org/Home/what-s-on|title=What's On|website=www.ricomputermuseum.org|language=uk|access-date=2024-09-15}}
• Arcade Vintage Museum ({{Langx|es|link=no|Museo del Videojuego Arcade Vintage}}), Ibi (Spain){{Cite web|url=https://museoarcadevintage.com/en/retrocomputers/|title=RetroComputers – Arcade Vintage Museum|language=en-GB|access-date=2024-09-15}}
• Reale-Rydell Computer Museum, virtual museum{{Cite web|url=http://www.minotaurz.com/compmuse/museum/directory.html|title=Museum Directory|website=www.minotaurz.com|access-date=2024-09-15}}
• Hal's friends Computer Museum, virtual museum (Italy){{Cite web|url=https://www.museo-computer.it/en/computers/selto-rotor/robik/|title=Robik|website=Hal's Friends|language=en-US|access-date=2024-09-15}}
• Osmibitóve muzeum, virtual museum (Chechia){{Cite web|url=http://www.osmibitovemuzeum.cz/sssr/robik.html|title=Sovětský Svaz – Robik|website=www.osmibitovemuzeum.cz|access-date=2024-09-16}}
• The Clueless Engineer, vlogger (Australia)The Clueless Engineer. {{YouTube|playlist=PL5pwokf56wMIPfONRLKOUzLvYgw_Rf-PX|title=Робик (Robik)}} (Плейлист)
• Personal Computer Museum, Ontario (Canada){{Cite web |date= |title=Our Computer |url=http://www.pcmuseum.ca/computerDetails.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502200828/http://www.pcmuseum.ca/computerDetails.asp |archive-date=2 May 2020 |access-date= |website=Personal Computer Museum |language=en}}

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.

• 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:{{Blockquote|text=[Proposing] a software for computers the «Robik», the «Master» and others. (the Spectrum)|author=Tel.**-**-**|source=[https://img.1kr.ua/docs_files/13792798/4f5344cd/131280_24c1c498eac9aa02fbe6076d88029c0d05aa728002e71601b7d96a0bec21d3e1_docs.pdf Ярмарка (Специальный выпуск)]. (PDF) — Криворожские Ведомости, 22 May 1993. — 20(76)/9: 1.|title=ПРОПОНУЮТЬ}}
• 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.

• List of ZX Spectrum clones

• Documents from the NPO «Rotor» archives, published in the «Legends of Bytes», Issue 10 (2024).{{Cite journal |last=Деміденко |first=Геннадій |date=May 2024 |title=Історія та статистика побутового комп'ютера "Робік" |url=https://cherkasy-city.itch.io/legends-of-bytes-10 |format=PDF |journal=Legends of Bytes |location=Черкаси |publisher=Г. Деміденко |issue=10 |pages=30–101 |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/legends_of_bytes/LegendsOfBytesIssue10 |archive-date=20 May 2024}}
• {{Cite journal |last=Demidenko |first=Gennadiy |date=May 2024 |title=Історія та статистика побутового комп'ютера "Робік" |url=https://cherkasy-city.itch.io/legends-of-bytes-10 |url-status=live |format=PDF |journal=Legends of Bytes |language=uk |location=Cherkasy |publisher=G. Demidenko |issue=10 |pages=30–101 |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/legends_of_bytes/LegendsOfBytesIssue10 |archive-date=20 May 2024 |trans-title=The History and Statistic of the Robik home computer}}
• {{Cite book |url=https://speccy.info/w/images/7/77/Robik_Manual.pdf |title=Устройство арифметико-логическое РОБИК |trans-title=Arithmetic Logic Unit "Robik" |year=1992 |publisher=NPO Rotor |location=Cherkasy |language=ru |type=Usage Manual |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/robik-manual |archive-date=24 April 2020}}
• [https://speccy.info/w/images/2/23/Robik_Schematic.djvu АЛП "Робик"] [ALP "Robik"] (Circuit diagram) (DjVu)
• {{Cite book|title=Увлекательньіе игрьі на бьітовом компьютере|trans-title=Enjoying Games on Home Computer|last1=Боровик|first1=О.С.|last2=Парфенов|first2=А.В.|last3=Сьірямкин|first3=В.И.|year=1992|editor-last=Сьірямкин|editor-first=В.И.|publisher=МГП "РАСКО"|location=Томск|pages=20|language=ru|isbn=5-256-00987-7|quote=Начат вьіпуск нескольких серийньіх моделей "Магик", "Компаньон", "Робик" и др.|trans-quote=Started the serial production of the few models of the "Magik", "Companion", "Robik" and others.}}
• {{Cite journal|date=29 November 1997|title=схема 4 мб "SPECTRUM"!! Модернизация компьютера "РОБИК"|trans-title=shematic 4 MB "SPECTRUM"!! Modernizing the "ROBIK" computer|url=http://zxpress.ru/article.php?id=11291|format=ZIP|journal=Faultless|language=ru|issue=8|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190911031922/https://vtrd.in/press/faultles/FAULTL8.ZIP|archive-date=11 September 2019}}
• {{Cite web|url=http://polbox.com/r/rules/zxland/robik.html|title=ROBIK — ZX Spectrum born again?!|last=Z.M.|website=polbox.com|language=en|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/19981203145813/http://polbox.com/r/rules/zxland/robik.html|archive-date=3 December 1998|quote=There was a copy (not only one...) of ZX Spectrum designed in the Czerkasy city. It was called 'Robik'.}}
• {{Cite journal|date=30 September 2009|title=Los clones del ZX Spectrum|trans-title=Клони ZX Spectrum|url=https://microhobby.speccy.cz/zxsf/revistas/zxsf/zxsf-09.pdf|journal=ZX Spectrum Files|language=pt|issue=9|last=Cazorla|first=Emilio Florido|pages=16–24|publication-place=Sevilla}}
• {{Cite journal|date=|title=Send in the clones: A comprehensive guide to all Speccy clones|trans-title=|url=http://trd.speccy.cz/press/alchnews/AlchNews33.pdf|journal=Z88 USER & AlchNews|language=en|issue=7 & 33|last=|first=|pages=22–29}}
• {{Cite web|url=https://mokosiy.medium.com/my-story-of-robik-dc4e0fe7a846|title=My story of Robik|last=Mokosiy|first=Vitaliy|date=14 September 2018|website=Medium|language=en}}
• {{Cite web|url=https://village-radiolab.com/computers/zx-spectrum/pal-coder/|title=PAL-Coder на CXA1645M. Подключаем клон ZX-Spectrum к телевизору|last=|first=|date=22 August 2022|website=village-radiolab.com|language=ru|trans-title=PAL-Coder using CXA1645M. Connecting ZX-Spectrum clone to TV}}

• The Clueless Engineer. {{YouTube|playlist=PL5pwokf56wMIPfONRLKOUzLvYgw_Rf-PX|title=Робик (Robik)}}
• Bazza H. {{YouTube|oiyYY9pdXCc|The Robik 48k ZX Spectrum clone. A lovely gift from The Ukraine}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://speccy.info/w/images/d/d5/Robik_Basic48.rom Robik_Basic48.rom] (firmware ROM for the Robik) at the SpecciWiki.info
• [https://amiga.nsk.ru/robik/Robik_Tape.zip Robik_Tape.zip] (TAP files of the original software cassette tape) at the Amiga.nsk.ru
• Robik (keyboard layout, RAW data) for the ''[https://www.keyboard-layout-editor.com/ Keyboard Layout Editor]{{hidden begin}}[{c:"#757575",a:7,f:4},"RES",{c:"#cccccc",a:4,f:5},"!\n1","@\n2","#\n3","$\n4","%\n5\n\n\n<","&\n6\n\n\n⌃","'\n7\n\n\n⌄","(\n8\n\n\n>",")\n9","—\n0",{a:7,f:9},".",{c:"#757575",f:4},"DEL"],

{{hidden end}}''

• [https://speccy.info/Робик Robik] at the SpecciWiki.info
• [https://www.sinclaircollection.site/?page_id=490 Robik] at the SinclairCollection.site
• [https://amiga.nsk.ru/robik Robik] at the Amiga.nsk.ru
• [https://it8bit.club/uk/museum/robik Robik] at the It8bit.club
• [http://www.homecomputer.de/pages/MachineInfo/Robik.html Robik] at the HomeComputer.de
• [http://www.leningrad.su/museum/show_calc.php?n=319 Robik] at the Leningrad.su
• [http://www.interface1.net/zx/clones/robik.html Robik] at the Interface1.net
• [http://witchcraft.org.ua/mnuspeccy/16-robik Robik] at the Witchcraft.org.ua ({{Archive.is|url=https://archive.today/20130419090304/http://witchcraft.org.ua/mnuspeccy/16-robik|date=19 April 2013}})
• [https://speccy.info/Witchcraft_Creative_Group Witchcraft Creative Group] at the SpecciWiki.info

{{Sinclair computers and clones}}

Category:ZX Spectrum clones

Category:Soviet computer systems