--- title: Morrow Designs Micro Decision categories: - Computers types: - Professional Computer origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1982' cpus: - Z80-A params: name: Micro Decision image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_system_1b.jpg company: /companies/morrow-designs company_name: Morrow Designs specs: - label: NAME value: Micro Decision - label: MANUFACTURER value: Morrow Designs - label: TYPE value: Professional Computer - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: '1982' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: None - label: KEYBOARD value: Full-stroke keyboard - label: CPU value: Z80-A - label: SPEED value: 4 Mhz. - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: None - label: RAM value: 64 KB - label: ROM value: Unknown - label: TEXT MODES value: 80 chars. x 25 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: None - label: COLORS value: Monochrome - label: SOUND value: Beeper - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: Unknown - label: I/O PORTS value: 2 x serial ports - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: 1 or 2 x 200 KB 5.25 floppy disc drives - label: OS value: CP/M - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Integrated power supply unit - label: PRICE value: |- Complete system: $1790\ Computer alone with one drive: $1195\ Video terminal only: $595 tabs: - photos - adverts - docs forum_thread: 600 photos: - title: DUAL F.D. VERSION subtitle: '' text: All of these pictures are dedicated to **Michael Dolan** the owner of this system. image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_system_2.jpg - title: TOP VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_topview_1.jpg - title: KEYBOARD subtitle: '' text: The good quality keyboard is actually a part of the ADM-20 video terminal. image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_keyboard_1.jpg - title: REAR CONNECTORS subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** Auxiliary RS-232 connector\ **(2)** Expansion drives connector\ **(3)** Serial connection to the computer\ **(4)** Printer/Modem serial connector\ **(5)** Keyboard connector\ **(6)** Serial connection to the video terminal image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_back_1.jpg - title: INSIDE subtitle: '' text: |- No plastic parts inside the Micro Decision case.\ Notice the (japanese) switching power supply on the right which doesn't need fan. image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_inside_1.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- A very compact board compared with other systems of the time. **(1)** Terminal (left) and printer/modem (right) serial ports\ **(2)** Nec D765 floppy disc controller chip\ **(3)** Expansion drives connector\ **(4)** Power connectors\ **(5)** 64 KB RAM memory area (8 x 4164 chips)\ **(6-7)** Built-in floppy disc connectors\ **(8)** Z80A processors, here a Nec D780 version\ **(9)** 2716 (2 KB) Monitor ROM chip\ **(10)** Serial port controller 8251 chips\ **(11)** Serial port baud rate dip-switches adjustment. image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_mainboard_1.jpg - title: FLOPPY DISC DRIVE subtitle: '' text: The Micro Decision floppy drives was assembled by Morrow Designs although all the components (motors, I.C.) came from Japan. image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_fddrive_1.jpg - title: INSIDE THE TERMINAL subtitle: '' text: |- The video display and keyboard are actually a Lear Siegler ADM-20 serial video terminal. Notice the electronic card, a complete computer with microprocessor, ROM, RAM, two serial ports and keyboard DIN plug. image: /media/museum/photos/morrow_microdec_terminal_1.jpg adverts: - title: US ADVERT subtitle: '' text: Thanks to Dave Dunfield and his [website](http://parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/index.htm) for this advert image: /media/museum/pubs/morrow_decision_pub_2.gif - title: GERMAN ADVERT subtitle: '' text: The Micro Decision have been presented at the 1983 Hannover show. image: /media/museum/pubs/morrow_microdec_pub_1.jpg docs: - title: MICRO DECISION USER'S GUIDE url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_user-guide.jpg text: |- [**MICRO DECISION USER'S GUIDE**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Dr Lawrence J. Magid / Morrow Designs  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : PDF\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) - title: MICRO DECISION SERVICE GUIDE url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_service-guide.gif text: |- [**MICRO DECISION SERVICE GUIDE**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : PDF\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) - title: MICRO DECISION BOARD - REVISION 2.0 - TECHNICAL INFORMATION SUPPLEMENT url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_rev-board-2_technical-supplement.gif text: |- [**MICRO DECISION BOARD - REVISION 2.0 - TECHNICAL INFORMATION SUPPLEMENT**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : PDF\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) - title: MICRO DECISION SCHEMATIC DRAWINGS url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_schematic-drawings.gif text: |- [**MICRO DECISION SCHEMATIC DRAWINGS**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : ZIP\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) - title: MICRO DECISION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS BOOK url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_questions-and-answers-book.gif text: |- [**MICRO DECISION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS BOOK**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : PDF\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) - title: MDT20 TERMINAL REFERENCE MANUAL url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_mdt20-terminal-reference-manual.gif text: |- [**MDT20 TERMINAL REFERENCE MANUAL**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Morrow Designs  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : PDF\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) - title: SHUGART SA200 MINIFLOPPY DISKETTE STORAGE DEVICE - OEM MANUAL url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/morrow_micro-decision_sa200-mini-floppy_disk-storage-device.gif text: |- [**SHUGART SA200 MINIFLOPPY DISKETTE STORAGE DEVICE - OEM MANUAL**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/morrow/index.htm)written by Shugart  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : PDF\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) oc_id: 613 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230605031821/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=613 date: '2023-06-05' --- George Morrow, the Morrow Designs President, was one of the first engineers to design and market a memory board for the [Altair](/museum/mits-altair-8800/) computer. His company was first called "Morrow's Microstuff" and the cards were sold by mail order. Some time later, Morrow Designs began to design hard disks and computers. With this computer, G. Morrow tried to build a single-board Z-80 CP/M machine that looks like an [IBM PC](/museum/ibm-pc-model-5150/) but is one-third as expensive as it, and half the price of a comparable Apple system ([Apple III](/museum/apple-iii/)). The basic version included a serial video terminal and a 200 KB 5.25 floppy disk drive. However, the mainframe could be sold alone with one or two floppy disk drives. The Micro Decision also came with 5 MB, 10 MB or 40 MB Winchester hard drive installed. The MicroDecision line didn't have proper monitors or keyboards. The console shown here is actually a VT52-compatible terminal. Here are the diffent models marketed and their US price in 1983 : **Model MD1** : one SSSD disk drive (200 KB) = $1590\ **Model MD2** : two SSSD disk drives (400 KB total) + Personal PEARL DBMS = $1950\ **Model MD3** : two DSDD disk drives (768 KB total) + Personal PEARL DBMS + QUEST Bookkeeper = $2490 The Morrow MD-1 used the Pilot programming language for a Menu-Driven shell to make the computer more user friendly. Some of the later ones manufacturered also used CP/M 3.0. Like many CP/M computer manufacturers, Morrow Designs offered a complete software package with its system, including:\ \- **CP/M 2.2** operating system\ \- **WordStar** word processing from Micropro\ \- Microsoft **BASIC-80** programming language\ \- NorthStar compatible **BAZIC** language from Micro Mike's Inc.\ \- A spelling checker\ \- An electronic spreadsheet. --- **Contributors:** Gary Clouse, David Griffith
We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.