--- title: Logabax PERSONA 1600 categories: - Computers types: - Professional Computer origins: - France years: - '1983' cpus: - Intel 8086 params: name: PERSONA 1600 image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_system_s1.jpg logo: /media/museum/logos/logabax_persona1600_logo_s1.gif company: /companies/logabax company_name: Logabax specs: - label: NAME value: PERSONA 1600 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Logabax - label: TYPE value: Professional Computer - label: ORIGIN value: France - label: YEAR value: '1983' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: MS-DOS and GW-Basic delivered on disks - label: KEYBOARD value: |- Separated full-stroke keyboard, 102 keys, numeric keypad, 18 function keys\ A standard IBM keyboard (83 keys) was also proposed - label: CPU value: Intel 8086 - label: SPEED value: 8 MHz - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: 8087 arithmetic co-processor optional - label: RAM value: 128 KB (up to 640 KB) - label: ROM value: 16 KB - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 / 80 columns x 25 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 320 x 200 (4 colors) / 640 x 200 (monochrome) / 640 x 400 (monochrome) - label: COLORS value: '16' - label: SOUND value: Tone Generator - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 38 (W) x 37 (D) x 16 (H) cm - label: I/O PORTS value: Parallel Centronics, RS232C - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: One or Two 5.25'' disk-drives (360k or 720k) - label: OS value: MS DOS 2.1, Concurrent CP/M 86, UCSD-P - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Built-in PSU, 135w - label: PERIPHERALS value: Hard-disk, IEEE 488, RS 422, RS 232, PC Net boards, IBM 3278 coaxial network board, mouse - label: PRICE value: |- 1 disk-drive system :3350 (France, 84)\ 2 disk-drives system : 3811 (France, 84)\ 128k, monochrome, 2 x drives 720k : 6015 (France, 85) tabs: - photos forum_thread: 166 photos: - title: DUAL FDD VERSION subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_front.jpg - title: 20 MB HDD VERSION subtitle: '' text: The keyboard design was slightly different from the FDD version, particularly the function keys. image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_system_s1.jpg - title: SIDE VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_sideview_s1.jpg - title: MAIN UNIT subtitle: '' text: On the HDD version a red plastic mask allowed to see the HDD leds (Power and Busy) by transparency. image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_mainunit_s1.jpg - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: 'User could choose between two keyboards: an IBM PC style one, or this Olivetti keyboard specially developed for the Persona 1600.' image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_keyboard_s1.jpg - title: BACK SIDE subtitle: '' text: The black plastic box holds a large aluminium fan. image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_backside_s1.jpg - title: BACK PANEL subtitle: '' text: |- On can spot the various connectors:\ • Power sockets and switchs\ • Keyboard (not compatible with standard PC keyboards)\ • Parallel and Serial\ • Video, located on the first expansion slot. image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_backpanel_s1.jpg - title: INSIDE THE HDD VERSION subtitle: '' text: |- In this version, it isn't possible to add any expansion card. Only to cards are available, video (left) and HDD controller.\ Stangely, the video card is used as a bridge between the mainboard located below the metal frame and the expansion slots card. Here a one-slot card is attached, it supports the HDD controller card.\ The hard disk drive is a 20 MB model made by Olivetti. image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_opened_s1.jpg - title: INSIDE THE FDD VERSION subtitle: '' text: This version features a 7-slot backplane connected to the video card. Green slots are used for specific Olivetti cards. A RAM expansion card is fitted in one of the slots. image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_opened.jpg - title: MAINBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- The components side faces the bottom of the case. **(1)** "Bridge" video card connectors\ **(2)** Optional HDD controller socket\ **(3)** Western Digital FDD controller\ **(4)** Optional 8087 math coprocessor socket\ **(5)** 8086 microprocessor\ **(6)** 512 KB optional chips (16 x 41256)\ **(7)** 128 KB base RAM (16 x 4164)\ **(8)** BIOS ROMs\ **(9)** CMOS and clock battery, Reset switch and beeper\ **(10)** Various NEC I/O chips\ **(11)** Keyboard ROM image: /media/museum/photos/logabax_persona1600_mainboard_s1.jpg oc_id: 154 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230529184854/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=154 date: '2023-05-29' --- This computer was built at Meaux (France, Paris area) by Logabax which was owned by Olivetti at 65%. It was in fact the international version of the [Olivetti M24](/museum/olivetti-m24/). This was a highly PC compatible system. It means that it was truely hardware and sotfware compatible with the IBM PC of the time. Back then, all "PC compatible" systems were not exactly 100% compatible... so it was a real marketing argument for the Persona 1600.\ There were two true tests to know if a system was really IBM PC compatible: Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the Persona 1600 was running both with no problem. But in addition to its good compatibility, the Persona 1600 was offering more than the IBM PC itself: built-in RS232c and Centronics interface, more complete keyboard, better graphic possibilities (640 x 400) and 7 free expansion slots (instead of 3 for the IBM PC). Even the CPU (8086) was faster than the 8088 used by the IBM PC. It was very well known in France because it was used as a server for Thomson TO7 and MO5 computer networks in schools (Nanoréseaux). It ran under MS-DOS 2.11 or CP/M 86.\ It was possible to connect an optional hard disk (from 10 to 50 Mb).\ The Persona 1600 was sold with a 12" green monochrom, or a 14" color monitor.