On Mon, 14 Dec 1998, Richard A. Cini, Jr. wrote:
> Hello, all:
>
> While looking through 1984 Bytes. I came across an ad for the computer
> used in the bedroom scene in "Wierd Science". It's the Memotech MTX512. It's
> a sleek black unit and appears to be based on the Z80A.
>
> Does anyone know anything about these?
I know a little, though I've never seen one.
The University I go to has a book in its library, entitled "Memotech
Computing", by Ian Sinclair, Granada Publishing, 1984.
I copied as much "useful" information out of that as I could between
borrowing it and returning it. Mostly this includes the parts of the
BASIC that I found interesting, as well as some notes on the "Noddy" text
processing system.
I also found a comparison article in Popular Science entitled "PS
Showdown: 7 Top Home Computers", comparing the Apple //c, Atari 800XL,
Coleco Adam, Commodore 64, IBM PCjr, Memotech MTX512, and Radio Shack
Color Computer 2, in the limited domain of word processing. This is in
the November 1984 issue, pages 108-112, 115, 116, and 134. Not much info,
but at least there's an excellent photo of the MTX512 and the DMX80
printer (also black).
There was also some information on a web page at (hopefully this is
correct):
http://pcsupp1.cc.rl.ac.uk/home/chris/hchof/memotech.html
I have no idea if that page is still there. The address might even be
wrong because I think I grabbed it from a capture of a Lynx session (I
didn't have a graphical browser running on my Amiga yet).
Anyhoo... the basic info I've got is as follows:
MTX500 and MTX512 - personal computer
Processor: Z80A (4MHz)
RAM Min, Max: 32K (MTX500) or 64K (MTX512), expandable to 512K
Included ROM: BASIC, assembler/disassembler, terminal emulator,
"NODDY" text processing system
I/O Ports: cassette (standard phono)
Keyboard: typewriter-style
OS: CP/M option available
Display Type: composite monitor, television
Screen Size: 39? x 24 chars.
Graphics: 256 x 192 pixels, 16 colours, 32 single-colour
sprites, redefinable characters
Sound: 3 channels of sound, 1 noise generator
Dimensions:
Weight: "heavy"
Mass Storage
Included:
Power Supply: external brick
Peripherals: cassette
5.25" and 8" floppy drives
hard drive
DMX80 dot-matrix printer
Release date: 1984
Not a lot of info on the machine, but pretty good for something I'll
likely never see.
I have quite a bit of info on the BASIC, but it's in AmigaGuide format.
(I wish I still had the kind of free time that allowed me to fish out and
transcribe that info. <sigh>)
--
Doug Spence
ds_spenc_at_alcor.concordia.ca
http://alcor.concordia.ca/~ds_spenc/
Received on Tue Dec 15 1998 - 03:39:37 GMT