The Memotech MTX500 and MTX512[1][2][3] are a range of 8-bit Zilog Z80A based home computers released by the British company Memotech in 1983 and sold mainly in the UK, France, Germany and Scandinavia. Originally a manufacturer of memory add-ons for Sinclair machines, Memotech developed their own competing computer when it was perceived the expansion pack business would no longer be viable.
The Memotech machines were technically similar to, although not compatible with, the MSX standard, making use of the same CPU and video chip. The machines were particularly distinguished from other microcomputers available at the time by the generous maximum memory ceiling. The 500 and 512 models could be expanded internally up to 512K, an unusually large amount of RAM in 1983 for a computer aimed at home use.
The MTX range saw the addition of the RS128 in 1984 which was a similar machine but with more memory. The machines achieved only modest sales, not assisted by the unfortunate timing of being released shortly before a period of reducing interest in UK home micro purchases through 1984, when a number of other British micro manufacturers entered financial difficulties. The MTX was selling into a highly competitive space, with the much cheaper Sinclair ZX Spectrum finding favour with home users, the BBC Micro conquering the education market and the IBM PC making inroads into becoming a standard for business.
The prospect of a very large contract with the Soviet Union was on the horizon by 1985 and a Russian version of the machine was designed, complete with a bright red case. This could have been the saviour of the range but ultimately the deal fell through and Memotech entered bankruptcy. The company was subsequently relaunched and the final version of the machine was the MTX512 Series 2 released in 1986, produced mainly as a way of using up stocks of parts before the business moved on to other ventures.[4]
The MTX512 (together with the FDX floppy drive peripheral) is remembered for an appearance in the 1985 comedy movie Weird Science where it had a central role in the plot, being used to conjure the character Lisa played by Kelly LeBrock.[5]
^"Advertisement: A world apart from the ordinary: Introducing the MT512". InfoWorld. June 18, 1984. p. 24.
^"MEMOTECH MTX 500 /512". OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum.
^"Introducing the MTX512 A world Apart from the Ordinary". Computing Now!. June 1984. p. 17.
^"30 years on: Remembering the Memotech MTX 500 • The Register". 2023-01-27. Archived from the original on 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
^"Starring the Computer - Memotech MTX 512 in Weird Science (1985)". 2023-06-01. Archived from the original on 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
less common standard feature when the Memotech was released. A novel proprietary programming language called MTX Noddy was available in ROM that was a...
transmission, a 4 or 5-speed manual transaxle Ford MTX-75 transmission, a 5-speed transmission MemotechMTX, a series of computers Maitotoxin, a biotoxin produced...
final MTX computer, the MTX512S2 being released late in 1986.[citation needed] Smith, Tony (28 June 2013). "30 years on: Remembering the MemotechMTX 500"...
Strathclyde in Glasgow. Sawyer began to write games in Z80 machine code on his MemotechMTX home computer- which possessed a built in assembler- and then later on...
ColecoVision – used the SN76489AN Geneve 9640 IBM PCjr – used the SN76489AN MemotechMTX Neo Geo Pocket Neo Geo Pocket Color - used a T6W28 SN76489-like clone...
TMS9918 and its variants were used in the ColecoVision, CreatiVision, MemotechMTX, MSX, NABU Personal Computer, SG-1000/SC-3000, Spectravideo SV-318, SV-328...
NewBrain ICL ICL 2900 Series ICL Series 39 One Per Desk Jupiter Ace MemotechMTX Nascom Nascom 1 Nascom 2 Plessey System 250 Raspberry Pi Research Machines...
8-bit computers, Lynx 48k, RML 380Z, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Amiga, Apple II, MemotechMTX, and Enterprise platforms and is best known for its successful text adventure...
which completely adhered to the MSX standard. The Sega SG-1000, the MemotechMTX, the Tatung Einstein, and the ColecoVision all have many similarities...
create the illusion of a seamless dialogue Noddy, an application for the MemotechMTX series of microcomputers Noddy suit, nickname for a type of NBC suit...
but was later also used in systems like the MSX (MSX-1), ColecoVision, MemotechMTX series, and for the Sega SG-1000 and SC-3000. The Master System uses...
American cargo airline Computing: FDX, an expansion pack for the 1980s MemotechMTX computer .fdx, the filename extension for Final Draft files Fetch-decode-execute...
were released for the Acorn Electron (1983), Commodore 64 (1984), and MemotechMTX (1984). It is the first in a trilogy of Micro Power games featuring the...
as they use the same video display generator with 16K of Video-RAM. The Memotech MTX500, MTX512A and RS128 machines all have the same video capabilities...
Electron) Felix in the Factory – a platform game (BBC, Electron, C64, MemotechMTX) Felix Meets the Evil Weevils – a platform game (BBC, Electron) Frenzy...
system. It was released for four fewer platforms, excluding the Lynx, MemotechMTX, Nascom and Oric-1 compared to the two previous releases. Another difference...
64, Camputers Lynx, Oric-1, Atari 8-bit computers as well as for the MemotechMTX, Amstrad CPC, Enterprise and MSX. It is noteworthy for including over...
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