Floppy Days 160 - The KayPro, Part 4, with Matt Jones
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FloppyDays
Sponsors:
8-Bit ClassicsÂ
Arcade ShopperÂ
FutureVision ResearchÂ
Tuc's WorkbenchÂ
YouTube Channel: https://www.YouTube.com/@floppydayspodcastÂ
Hello, and welcome to episode 160 of the Floppy Days Podcast for February, 2026. I'm Randy Kindig, your host. We are currently covering computers introduced in the year 1982 and, to that end, we are at the tail end of a series of podcasts about the Kaypro line of computers. Kaypro had a rich and varied family of computers; certainly much more so than I ever realized. I was able to interview David Kay, son of the founder of KayPro, and president of the company for some time, in the first two episodes. Last month, Matthew Jones, an aficionado of the KayPro computers and owner of many of the models, helped me talk about KayPro history, tech specs, and more, through the topic of using the machine. This month Matt and I complete the KayPro series by starting with books and magazines and ending with current Web sites and a lot more content in between.
I will have a video version of this episode posted to the Floppy Days Podcast channel on YouTube (https://www.YouTube.com/@floppydayspodcast ) that will be available for everyone soon (after the early access period for Patreon supporters has expired). So, please consider becoming a subscriber on YouTube. Doing so helps support the podcast.
You will hear ads from some great vintage computer stores, themselves vintage computer fans, throughout the early part of this podcast. For all of these storefronts, when you place an order, please mention Floppy Days in the notes or comments of the order. Doing so will help support the podcast. Many thanks!!
New Acquisitions
Atari XF551 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_XF551Â
Upcoming Shows
Schedule Published on Floppy Days Website - https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSeLsg4hf5KZKtpxwUQgacCIsqeIdQeZniq3yE881wOCCYskpLVs5OO1PZLqRRF2t5fUUiaKByqQrgA/pubÂ
Indy Classic Computer and Video Game Expo - March 20-22 - Wyndham Indianapolis Airport Hotel, Indianapolis, IN - https://indyclassic.org/Â
Atari Invasion 2k26 (10th Anniversary) - March 21 - Maarssen, Netherlands - https://www.atari-invasion.nlÂ
VCF East - April 17-19 2026 - InfoAge Science and History Museums, Wall, NJ - https://vcfed.org/events/vintage-computer-festival-east/Â
Midwest Gaming Classic - April 24-26 - Baird Center, Milwaukee, WI - https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com/Â
The Annual "Last" Chicago CoCoFEST! - April 24-25, 2026 - Holiday Inn & Suites Chicago-Carol Stream (Wheaton), Carol Stream, Illinois - https://www.glensideccc.com/cocofest/Â
Commodore Los Angeles Super Show 2026 - April 25-26 - Burbank, CAÂ - http://www.portcommodore.com/classÂ
VCF Europe - May 1-3 - Munich, Germany - https://vcfe.org/E/Â
Vintage Computer Festival Pacific Northwest 2026 - May 2-3 - Tukwila Community Center, South Tukwila, WA -Â https://vcfpnw.orgÂ
VCF Southwest - May 29-31, 2026 - Westin Dallas Ft. Worth Airport - https://www.vcfsw.org/Â
Retrofest 2026 - May 30-31 - Steam Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon, UK - https://retrofest.uk/Â
Popular Magazines/Newsletters
Major September 1983 review in Byte - https://retrocmp.de/kaypro/1983_09_BYTE_08-09_Kaypro-II.pdfÂ
Heavily featured in Micro Cornucopia; curated Kaypro index here - https://retrocmp.de/kaypro/kay-p13_micro-c.htmÂ
First Osborne Group (FOG) - https://archive.org/details/foghornnewsletterÂ
Non-Linear Systems published Pro-Files, a Kaypro users magazine - https://archive.org/search?query=collection%3Akayproprofiles&sort=-publicdateÂ
Books
Chilton's Guide to Kaypro Repair and Maintenance by Gene Williams - https://amzn.to/4nQj6XVÂ
Basic Kaypro for Kids Paperback by W. H. Darnell (Author), P. J. Barton (Author) - https://amzn.to/465ofFsÂ
KayPro books at Amazon - https://amzn.to/4goRQgyÂ
Kaypro II User's Guide (getting started, bundled software) - https://messui.polygonal-moogle.com/comp/kaypro_um.pdfÂ
Dealer Quick Reference Manual - https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_kayproKaypManual1982_1562045/page/n2/mode/1upÂ
Using the Kaypro II personal computer by Lord, Kenniston W - https://archive.org/details/usingkayproiiper0000lordÂ
The instant expert's guide to the Kaypro II by Bennett, M. D - https://archive.org/details/instantexpertsgu0000bennÂ
KayPro Documentation, including KayPro Technical Manual - https://archive.org/details/the-kaypro-II-users-guide/1484-D_KayproTechnicalManual_Dec84/Â
Software
ROMs for KayPro - https://archive.org/details/KayproII_201809Â
TOSEC (The Old School Emulation Center) software collection at archive.org - https://archive.org/details/bitsavers_kayproKaypManual1982_1562045/page/n2/mode/1upÂ
Software images - https://mame.spludlow.co.uk/SoftwareLists.aspx?Exact=true&List=kayproÂ
Ads and Appearances
Starring the Computer - https://www.starringthecomputer.com/computer.html?c=185Â
Modern Upgrades
Floppy emulation: Gotek/FlashFloppy widely used on Kaypros - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF0L6XpRugoÂ
Hard drive emulation (FreHD): -Â https://www.google.com/search?q=FreHD+for+kayproÂ
Replacement ROMs: Advent TurboROM and KayPLUS:
ROM for emulators - https://mame.spludlow.co.uk/Machine.aspx?name=kayproiiÂ
buying TurboROM (eBay) - https://www.ebay.com/itm/326275234269 Â
Emulation
MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator):Â
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsFw9VejeS8&pp=ygUGa2F5cHJvÂ
https://forums.bannister.org/ubbthreads.php?Main=8530&Number=107854&ubb=showflatÂ
izkaypro - https://github.com/ivanizag/izkayproÂ
kobolt/kaytil - https://github.com/kobolt/kaytilÂ
Virtual KayPro Computer - http://sims.durgadas.com/kaypro/kaypro.htmlÂ
Buying One Today
replacement power supply - https://bonuslifecomputers.com/products/kaypro-meanwell-power-supply-mount?pr_prod_strat=e5_desc&pr_rec_id=8d24492dc&pr_rec_pid=8108848349374&pr_ref_pid=7736195809470&pr_seq=uniform&variant=44048046653630Â
Community
Facebook - Kaypro Computer Users group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/580355602847013/Â
Forums:
AtariAge - https://forums.atariage.com/search/?q=kaypro&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=116Â
VCFed Kaypro discussions (active repair/usage help) - http://vcfed.comÂ
Current Web Sites and Videos
Byte Magazine Sep. 1983 KayPro II Review - https://retrocmp.de/kaypro/1983_09_BYTE_08-09_Kaypro-II.pdfÂ
Bitsavers: Service guides, user/dealer manuals - https://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/kaypro/1484-E_KayproTechnicalManual_Ch1-15_Jun85.pdfÂ
retrocmp (Kaypro portal): Model/board variations, flyers, notes - https://retrocmp.de/kaypro/Â
OldSilicon - Overviews & photos - https://www.oldsilicon.com/kaypro-iiÂ
RetroArchive — disk images, TurboROMs, utilities and preservation images - http://www.retroarchive.org/Â
MESSUI (documented user manual scans) - http://messui.polygonal-moogle.comÂ
books, magazines, software - https://www.archive.orgÂ
Kaypro Computer Ad (1983) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uStyBfC1pYEÂ
KayPro II Tour - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoK0J69C80I by Scott Lawrence
I Hope My Modded Kaypro Doesn't Explode by Action Retro - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsFw9VejeS8&pp=ygUGa2F5cHJvÂ
Lazy Game Reviews - CP/M Vintage Goodies - Osborne 1 Computer & Kaypro IV - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLnTAYMMLOcÂ
Many videos at YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kaypro&sp=CAM%253DÂ
References
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KayproÂ
KayPro (CP/M) information at retrocmp.de - https://retrocmp.de/kaypro
KayPro Journal -Â http://kayprojournal.com