---
title: Applied Technologies Microbee 128
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Australia
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- Z80A
params:
  name: Microbee 128
  image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_system_s1.jpg
  company: /companies/applied-technologies
  company_name: Applied Technologies
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Microbee 128
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Applied Technologies
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Australia
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1984'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: None
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: QWERTY 64-key full-stroke keyboard with arrow keys
  - label: CPU
    value: Z80A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 3.375 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 128 KB
  - label: VRAM
    value: 16 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 4 KB BIOS + 4 KB FDD controller
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 64 x 16 (Microbee BASIC) - 80 x 24 (CP/M
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 512 x 256 (2 colours), 128 x 48 (16 colours)
  - label: COLORS
    value: '16'
  - label: SOUND
    value: Built-in 1 canal loudspeaker
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 35.5 (W) x 23 (D) x 5.5 (H) cm
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Power/Video/tape, Expansion/drive Interface, Serial ,Parallel, RGB, Optional user ports
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: Dual 5.25''Single Sided Drives (386 KB) or 3.5'' DS/SD (776 KB)
  - label: OS
    value: CP/M 2.2
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Switching PSU built-in the FDD unit
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: EPROM programmer
  - label: PRICE
    value: Unknown
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - hardware
  - connectors
  - software
  - emulators
  - links
  forum_thread: 457
  photos:
  - title: FRONT VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: The Premium machines often had key switch problems. Several keys of this machine had to be repaired.
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_frontview_s1.jpg
  - title: TOP VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_topview_s1.jpg
  - title: LEFT & RIGHT SIDES
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_bothsides_s1.jpg
  - title: 'WITH FDD UNIT #1'
    subtitle: ''
    text: This FDD unit version holds two 776 KB 3.5" double sized single density floppy-disk drives.
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_withfdunit_s1.jpg
  - title: 'WITH FDD UNIT #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: This version uses two 386 KB 5.25" 360 KB double sided single density drives.
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_fdunit5_s1.jpg
  - title: RUNNING SYSTEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: The Microbee is running the Microbee demonstration disk.
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_demoscreenshot_s1.jpg
  - title: REAR SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Multi-function DIN socket used to supply power from the FD unit, also for composite B/W video and tape recorder outputs. The second DIN hole isn't used\
      **(2)** Expansion connector used to connect de floppy-disk drives\
      **(3)** Serial DB25 connector\
      **(4)** I/O DB15 connector\
      **(5)** RGB video output connector, compatible with colour CGA monitors.
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_rearside_s1.jpg
  - title: MAINBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The mainboard is normally covered by the piggyback RAM card. Keyboard's keys are soldered upon the mainboard.\
      **(1)** 6545 video chipset. First IBM PC video cards used the same chipset\
      **(2)** Z80A PIO used for various I/O. Here a Sharp LH0081A version\
      **(3)** Nec D780C, one of the numerous Z80 clones of the Z80 CPU\
      **(4)** 4 KB BIOS ROM\
      **(5)** 16 KB Video RAM (2x3264 chips)
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_inside_s1.jpg
  - title: RAM CARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** RAM management ROM\
      **(2)** 128 KB RAM chips (16x4164)\
      **(3)** Western Digital floppy drives controller\
      **(4)** Provision is made for two user ports chips.
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_inside_s2.jpg
  - title: MANUALS
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_manuals_s1.jpg
  - title: BOXES
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/microbee_premium_boxes_s1.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: AUSTRALIAN ADVERT (1987)
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to John Kahler for this picture
    image: /media/museum/pubs/microbee_pub_aus_1.jpg
  hardware:
  - title: FDD UNIT & MODEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/applied_microbee_fddmodem_1.jpg
  - title: BEEMODEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/microbee_premium_beemodem_s1.jpg
  connectors:
  - title: PARALLEL PRINTER CONNECTION
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/connectors/microbee32_parallel-port.jpg
  - title: SERIAL PRINTER CONNECTION
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/connectors/microbee32_serial-printer-port.jpg
  screenshots:
  - title: THE SHELL
    subtitle: ''
    text: A shell was available to perform easy file management under CP/M.
    image: /media/museum/software/microbee_premium_cpmshell_ss_s1.jpg
  - title: SWORD QUEST
    subtitle: An adventure game
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/microbee_128_ss_swordquest.jpg
  - title: VIPER
    subtitle: Action game
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/microbee_128_ss_viper.jpg
  emulators:
  - title: Picomozzi
    url: http://www2.ee.mu.oz.au/pgrad/apsh/microbee/
    platform: Windows
    text: Picomozzy is a Microbee 32 KB emulator for DOS or Windows.
  - title: MESS Emulator
    url: http://www.mess.org/
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: Emulates some Microbee computers !
  - title: NanoWasp
    url: http://NANOWASP.SOURCEFORGE.NET/
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: A MicroBee 128k Disk System emulator for Windows & Unix
  - title: uBee512
    url: http://freshmeat.net/projects/ubee512
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: An emulator for the Microbee Z80 Premium/Standard FDD and ROM based microcomputers.
  links:
  - title: Microbee Archive
    url: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~mikeleys/microbee.html
    text: Essential site to understand it all
  - title: MicroBee Homepage
    url: http://www.mdstud.chalmers.se/~md6cbm/bee/
    text: Short page with few software to download
  - title: Microbee Microcomputer Micro-FAQ
    url: http://www.microbee-faq.in-tl.net/
    text: very informative FAQ
  - title: Microbee official homepage
    url: http://www.microbeetechnology.com.au/
    text: Since march 2012, Microbee is relaunching a new model !
  - title: The Bee Board
    url: http://microbee.no-ip.com/beeboard/
    text: Forum and documentation repository for Microbee
  related:
  - /museum/applied-technologies-microbee-32
  oc_id: 462
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230529195009/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=462
    date: '2023-05-29'
---

The Microbee computers were popular in Australia where they equipped many schools. But these computers also sold well in Scandinavia or Sweden for example.

The Microbee 128 and its extended version, the Premium series, were housed in the same case as the Microbee 32 but had four additional cursor keys. they shipped with a 5.25" or 3.5" single or double disk drives unit.

Both 128 and Premium versions boasted improved graphics over the earlier machines, colour as standard and many other detailed improvements. They ran CP/M operating system. The Premium had an IBM CGA compatible video interface and dual density floppy drives, offering 776 KB capacity instead of 386 KB for the 128. a 10 MB hard disk was also available.