--- title: MICRONIQUE Victor / Hector 1 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - France years: - '1981' cpus: - Intel 8080 then Zilog Z80A params: name: Victor / Hector 1 image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_system_s1.jpg logo: /media/museum/logos/micronique_hector1_logo.gif company: /companies/micronique company_name: MICRONIQUE specs: - label: NAME value: Victor / Hector 1 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Micronique - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: France - label: YEAR value: '1981' - label: END OF PRODUCTION value: 1985 ? - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: |- None but Basic Level II & Level III, and EDU-Basic (french Basic) available on tape\ Then from 83 : Basic Level III built-in ROM - label: KEYBOARD value: |- Mechanical keyboard\ QWERTY and then AZERTY from fall 83 - label: CPU value: Intel 8080 then Zilog Z80A - label: SPEED value: 2 MHz (8080), 1.7 MHz (Z80) - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: T.I. sound generator (SN 76477N) - label: RAM value: 16 KB - label: ROM value: 2 KB (4 KB ?) - label: TEXT MODES value: 12 x 17 - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 112 x 78 in 4 colors - label: COLORS value: '8' - label: SOUND value: 1 voice, 4 octaves (Texas Instrument SN 76477N) - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 47 (W) x 26.5 (D) x 10.5 (H) cm - label: I/O PORTS value: |- 2 joystick sockets\ RGB video output - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: Tape recorder (1500 bauds) - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Built-in power supply - label: PERIPHERALS value: Joysticks - label: PRICE value: |- 450 (France, december 82)\ Family Box (2 joysticks + software) =532 (France, july 83) tabs: - photos - adverts - emulators - links forum_thread: 423 photos: - title: FIRST VICTOR subtitle: '' text: The new redesigned (compared to the original Victor Lambda) 16K model before it changed its name to Hector. The cassette drive holds the Victor Basic which had to be loaded as soon as the machine was shitched on. image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_system_s2.jpg - title: LEFT SIDE subtitle: '' text: Provision was made for a parallel printer connector which appeared with the second version of the motherboard. image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_leftside_s1.jpg - title: CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_closeup_s1.jpg - title: OPENED subtitle: '' text: The motherboard is enclosed with a thick shell of aluminum used as a cooler for the power regulators. image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_inside_s1.jpg - title: MAINBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- The first version of the main board still used an Intel 8080 processor. Later version used a Z80.\ Apart from the processor and the sound generator, all the other chips are standard logic I.C.s **(1)** 16 KB RAM memory chips (8 x 4116)\ **(2)** Keyboard connector\ **(3)** 2 Atari compatible joysticks connectors\ **(4)** Texas Instruments 76477 sound generator\ **(5)** Tape recorder and Reset connectors\ **(6)** Initial Program Loader (IPL) ROM which asks the user to load the Basic tape program as soon as the system is switched on\ **(7)** 8080 processor\ **(8)** Power transformer connector\ **(9)** RGB video connector image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_mainboard_s1.jpg - title: IN USE subtitle: '' text: When the Microsoft Basic was loaded, only 4698 bytes remained available for user's programs. Furthermore, this first version was very slow. image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_inuse_s1.jpg - title: FIRST HECTOR subtitle: '' text: In 83, Sirius was renamed Victor. Maybe fearing some problems, the french Victor was renamed Hector. The new version had a Z80 processor instead of the 8080. The Basic still wasn't in ROM, the tape recorder keys became black. image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_hector1_system_s1.jpg - title: '''BRONZE'' MODEL' subtitle: '' text: Around 1985, some models were produced with "bronze colored" cases... image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_bronzeversion_s1.jpg - title: USER MANUAL subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_manual_s1.jpg adverts: - title: FRENCH ADVERT subtitle: '' text: These in an advert from 84, for 3 models of Hectors (Hector 16k, Hector 2HR+ 48k & Hector HRX 64k). image: /media/museum/pubs/micronique_hector_pub_surdoue.gif emulators: - title: DCHector url: http://dchector.free.fr/ platform: Windows text: Excellent Interact/Hector emulator ! - title: MESS - Interact, Hector1, Victor, 2HR, 2HR+, HRX, MX40, MX80 url: HTTP://WWW.MESS.ORG/ platform: Multiplatform text: All machines are emulated since 0.136 and Disc2 until 0.141 by Yo_Fr links: - title: Hector - l'ordinateur français! url: http://hectorvictor.free.fr/ text: French website dedicated to Hector / Victor Lambda computers related: - /museum/micronique-hector-hrx - /museum/micronique-hector-mx - /museum/micronique-victor-hector-2hr-2hr - /museum/micronique-victor-lambda oc_id: 427 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20221205015044/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=427 date: '2022-12-05' --- These models are identical to the original [Victor Lambda](/museum/micronique-victor-lambda/) and are thus compatible with it. But when Micronique bought back the Victor Lambda to Interact, they modified it : they changed the CPU (Intel 8080A -> Z80A) and re-designed entirely the mother board and the overall conception. But these 16k models experienced a lot of little changements which lead into a certain confusion about the Hector / Victor family. First the Victor logo changed, then the name was changed to Hector (to avoid confusion with Victor Technology computers), then the keyboard became AZERTY and a last, the Basic was integrated in ROM. That's a lot for a unique machine ! And I don't speak here about the different versions of ROM.
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.