Introducing the KD 700 - the most advanced microcomputer available today

It's perhaps something of a stretch to claim that yet another Z80, CP/M system was the most advanced available, but here it is, apparently: the Karadawn KD 700, first launched towards the end of 1981.

Looking a little like Intertec's [#SuperBrain], it did up the spec a little by coming with twin [!Z80|Z80A] 4MHz processors, and also offered a mathematical and Greek character set as an option, perhaps positioning it at the scientific end of the market.

It also seemed to be going after the CAD/CAM market with optional high-resolution video, bit-addressable graphics and a light-pen attachment.

Storage was also fairly generous, offering mixed 8" and 5¼" floppies, as well as up to four externally-connected 66MB hard disks, for a decent-at-the-time total of over 260MB of disk space.

Provenance is a little difficult, as Karadawn Ltd is another company that has disappeared without trace. 

The advert claims that it was somehow manufactured by Karadawn Ltd - a UK company - in Santa Cruz, California, but that probably implies that it was actually an OEM micro.

Anyway, it retailed for £2,750 plus VAT, or around [[3162|1982]] in [[now]], but was also available for lease at "approximately £20 per week", or [[20|1982]] now.

It did seem to at least have several distributors, including [@U-Micro], a company which would become famous for its high-end [!68000]-based machines.

[picture: Karadawn_interlink_prac_may82.webp|A pair of adverts from May 1982's PRAC showing Karadawn's new Interlink and Interbus systems]

Karadawn was back in the spring of 1982 with a couple of new systems that looked very much like [@Shelton]'s Sig/Net.

The first was the stand-alone Interlink, which was a Z80-based CP/M machine that came with additional software for mainframe connections. It retailed for £3,500 plus VAT, which is about [[4000|1982]] in [[now]].

The second was the multi-tasking, multi-user Interbus, which was an S-100-based system that required a plug-in CPU and memory board for each user on the system, which would connect to "most terminals".

This cost £3,750, or about [[4312|1982]] now, but that included a terminal. Price per additional user was a "mere" £2,000 plus VAT, which is about [[2300|1982]] now.

[picture: Karadawn_components_prac_may82.webp|Karadawn's alternative to Gemini's Multiboard system, as well as a DIY multi-user option. From PRAC, May 1982]

Karadawn was also selling its own S-100 boards, in a similar way to [@Gemini Micro]'s Multiboard setup, from which it was possible to build your own micro.

First up was the KD-80 S-100-based CPU board - complete with a floppy-disk controller, Z80 processor and a 2K ROM monitor - which was apparently a "real flyer" and retailed for £495 plus VAT, which is about [[570|1982]] in [[now]].

Intended to go with this was the KD-64 S-100 64K memory board, which together would provide most of what was required to build a complete micro. The KD-64 sold for £450 plus VAT, or £520 ([[520|1982]]), although there was also a bundle offer to buy both for £895, a saving of £50.

Finally, it was even possible to build your own budget multi-user system, with the KD-17716 board coming with its own Z80A processor, 64K memory and printer ports for £985 ([[1132|1982]]).

This would require a "mainframe" S-100 motherboard and power supply for £550 ([[632|1982]]) and an operating system of CP/M 2.2, MP/M 2.0 and CP/NET for another £475 plus VAT, or about [[546|1982]] now.

That gives a total cost - host CPU and memory, mainframe and S-100 motherboard, two "slave" Z80 cards, 8" Tandon floppy disk drive, operating system and two £525 terminals - of about £5,100 plus VAT, or around [[5865|1982]] now. 

That's not actually that bad, when compared to the similar two-user [=clenlo_ace_prac_feb82|Clenlo Ace], available for £6,580 plus VAT - that's around [[7566|1982]] now.