website/content/museum/sord-m-5.md

---
title: Sord M 5
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Japan
years:
- '1982'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80A
params:
  name: M 5
  image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_system_s1.jpg
  company: /companies/sord
  company_name: Sord
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: M 5
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Sord
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Japan
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1982'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Basic-G, Basic-I and Basic-F delivered on cartridges
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: |-
      Calculator type, 55 keys. Upper/lower case letters, 64 graphic symbols, 28 Basic statements\
      FUNC, CTRL, SHIFT (x 2), RETURN, SPACE, RESET
  - label: CPU
    value: Zilog Z80A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 3.58 MHz
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: Z80A-CTC (timer), TMS 9929 (video processor), SN76489AN (Sound Generator)
  - label: RAM
    value: 4 KB (up to 36 KB)
  - label: VRAM
    value: 16 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 8 KB (up to 28 KB)
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: '40 x 24 (characters matrix: 6 x 8 pixels)'
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 32 x 24 (character matrix 8x8), 64 x 48 (character matrix 4x4), 256 x 192 (full graphic)
  - label: COLORS
    value: '16'
  - label: SOUND
    value: 'SN76489AN: 3 voices (6 octaves), 1 noise channel, 7 special sounds'
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: |-
      10.5'' (wide) x 7.25'' (deep) x 1.5'' (high)\
      262 x 185 x 36 mm\
      800 gr
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: RF TV output, video & audio outputs, Joystick (2), Cartridge slot, Tape interface (2000 baud), Centronics (printer)
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Big external PSU (1 Kg!) > +5 V/900 mA, +12 V/250 mA, -12 V/250 mA
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Cartridge multiplexer (EC-5), 32 KB RAM expansion (EM-5), joysticks (JS-5), joypads (JP-5), expansion box (EB-5), thermal printer (PT-5), Parallel I/O cartridge (PI-5), Serial interface cartridge (SI-5), Floppy disk drive (FD-5)
  - label: PRICE
    value: 49800 yens - £149
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - hardware
  - software
  - emulators
  - links
  forum_thread: 227
  photos:
  - title: ORIGINAL VERSION
    subtitle: ''
    text: Original Sord version sold virtually only in Japan.
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_keyboard_1.jpg
  - title: SORD M5 COMPLETE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Complete system with catridges and documentation

      Thanks to Daniel Lazárik for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_complete_1.jpg
  - title: SORD M5 PRO
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The M5 Pro had a NTSC video ouput, a parallel interface, 20 KB RAM and a built-in power supply unit.

      Does someone has more info about this "M5 Pro"?
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5pro.jpg
  - title: TAKARA GAME PERSONAL COMPUTER M5
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      This is the Takara Game Personal Computer M5, in fact a Sord M5 marketed by another company (?)

      Thanks to [Saiey web site](http://www.tk.airnet.ne.jp/saiey/compimg/) for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_takara-game-m5.jpg
  - title: 'CGL M5 #1'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Computer Games Limited (CGL), a British company based in London, rebadged and sold the M5 in the UK and some other European countries.
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_system_s2.jpg
  - title: 'CGL M5 #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: The panel is opened unveiling the cartridge port and some instructions printed on the panel itself. A Basic-I cartridge is inserted into the slot.
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_withbasiccart_s1.jpg
  - title: BROWN AND BLUE KEYBOARDS
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_2keyboards_s1.jpg
  - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP
    subtitle: ''
    text: 'The magazine tests of the time were unanimous: the M5 rubber keyboard was one of the most convenient of this computers category.'
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_keybcloseup_s1.jpg
  - title: KEYBOARD PARTS
    subtitle: ''
    text: The keyboard is composed of a rubber membram set on a printed circuit. When a key is pressed a smal conducting disc located below each key set up a link between two lines of the circuit.
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_keyboard_s1.jpg
  - title: REAR CONNECTORS
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Power DIN socket. An external unit supplies the DC power\
      **(2)** Tape recorder DIN socket\
      **(3)** Parallel printer connector\
      **(4-5)** Game controllers Mini-DIN sockets\
      **(6)** Sound output jack\
      **(7)** Composite video output\
      **(8)** TV-RF modulator output
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_rearside_1.jpg
  - title: THE MAINBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      A serious study and reliable design, as in all Sord computers

      **(1)** Sync signal generator for video output\
      **(2)** TV aerial modulator (dated 6/12/83!)\
      **(3)** Keyboard connectors\
      **(4)** Relay for the tape recorder remote control\
      **(5)** ROM cartridges connector, mainly intended for the BASIC cartridges\
      **(6)** 8 KB ROM chip holding Input / Output routines\
      **(7)** Custom Sord chipset in charge of memory management and various I/O\
      **(8)** Z80A microprocessor, here a Sharp version\
      **(9)** 4 KB user RAM chips (2xTMM2016)\
      **(10)** 16 KB video RAM (8x4116)\
      **(11)** Texas Instruments TMM9929 video controller.
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_mainboard_s1.jpg
  - title: CGL MANUALS
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_manuals_s1.jpg
  - title: ORIGINAL ACCESSORIES
    subtitle: ''
    text: 'A disc digital joystick and a Basic-I cartridge (I for Integer Basic) were delivered with the M5. Two other Basic cartridges were proposed as optional extras: Basic-G with graphic commands and Basic-F with floating point calculations.'
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_joybasic_1.jpg
  - title: SORD BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5_box_closed.jpg
  - title: TAKARA BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5-takara_box.jpg
  - title: CGL BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/sord_m5-cgl_box.jpg
  - title: 'CGL BOX #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/cgl_m5_box_2.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: M5 JAPANESE ADVERT
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [The collection of historic PC leaflets](http://web.kyoto-inet.or.jp/people/s-oga/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/pubs/sord_m5_japanese-pub.jpg
  - title: M5 PRO & M5 JR JAPANESE ADVERT
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to [Pugly](http://www.pugly.juice.or.jp/pugly/oldpc/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/pubs/sord_m5pro_japanese-pub.jpg
  - title: FROM WALKMAN TO M5
    subtitle: ''
    text: This US dealer advert says that the designer of the M5, Toshiaki Kamijo was before the Walkman inventor in Sony CIE.
    image: /media/museum/pubs/sord_m5_pub_3.jpg
  hardware:
  - title: EM-5
    subtitle: 32 KB RAM memory expansion
    text: Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5_em-5.jpg
  - title: EC-5
    subtitle: Cartridge multiplexer
    text: Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5%2Bec-5.jpg
  - title: EC-5
    subtitle: Cartridge multiplexer
    text: Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: null
  - title: JOYPADS
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Two joypads like this were sold with each M5.

      They consist of a multi-directional disc and one fire button.
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5-cgl_joystick_1.jpg
  - title: JP-5
    subtitle: Joypads
    text: Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5_jp5-joypads.jpg
  - title: JS-5
    subtitle: Joysticks
    text: Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5_js5-joysticks.jpg
  - title: FD-5
    subtitle: 3'' floppy disk drive
    text: Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5_fd-5.jpg
  - title: PI-5
    subtitle: Parallel Interface
    text: |-
      The PI-5 was used to connect expansions through a parallel port. The FD-5 floppy disk unit was connected this way.

      Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5_pi-5.jpg
  - title: EB-5
    subtitle: Expansion Box
    text: |-
      The EB-5 allowed to plugs up to 3 cartridges simultaneously. For example, you could work with the BASIC-F cartridge, the EM-5 memory expansion, and the PI-5 Parallel Interface connected to the FD-5 Floppy Disk unit. Great!

      Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5_eb-5.jpg
  - title: COMPLETE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      This pictures shows a Sord M5 with the EB-5 Expansion Box pluged in the cartridge slot. A PI-5 Parallel Interface cartridge is used to connect the FD-5 Floppy Disk unit.

      Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5_complete.jpg
  - title: PT-5
    subtitle: Printer
    text: Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5_pt-5.jpg
  - title: DR-5
    subtitle: Data Recorder
    text: Thanks to [MUDr. Jan P. Naidr](http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/) for this picture!
    image: /media/museum/hardware/sord_m5_dr5_1.jpg
  screenshots:
  - title: HEAVY BOXING
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_boxing_ss.jpg
  - title: COBRA
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_cobra_ss.jpg
  - title: DRAGONS
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_dragons_ss.jpg
  - title: FRUIT SEARCH
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_fruit-search_ss.jpg
  - title: GUTTANG GOTTONG
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_guttang-gottong_ss.jpg
  - title: POOYAN
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_pooyan_ss.jpg
  - title: STEP UP
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_stepup_ss.jpg
  - title: TANK BATALLION
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_tankbatallion_ss.jpg
  - title: TENNIS
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_tennis_ss.jpg
  - title: WONDER HOLE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_wonderhole_ss.jpg
  - title: WORD MAZE
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_wordmaze_ss.jpg
  - title: SOME SOFTWARE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Pooyan, Heavy Boxing, Step Up, Wheels and misc. stuff.
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5-cgl_software_1.jpg
  - title: BOSCONIAN
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_bosconian_cart.jpg
  - title: DIG DUG
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/software/sord_m5_digdug_cart.jpg
  emulators:
  - title: SORDEMU
    url: http://www.emulatronia.com/ordenado.htm
    platform: MS DOS
    text: DOS emulator
  - title: Emu5
    url: http://www1.interq.or.jp/t-takeda/m5/index.html
    platform: Windows
    text: Emu5 is SORD m5 emulator for Win32
  - title: MESS
    url: http://www.mess.org
    platform: Windows
    text: MESS emulates the Sord M5
  links:
  - title: Sord M5 cassettes for download
    url: http://users.skynet.be/firefly/sordm5/index.htm
    text: Several games for download to use with MESS emulator
  - title: Sord M5 home page
    url: http://falabella.lf2.cuni.cz/~naidr/sord/
    text: Excellent dedicated site (in Czech)
  - title: Sord M5 Nostalgie
    url: http://sord-m5.zde.cz/
    text: Dedicated site with nice pictures and a lot of useful and technical info (in Czech)
  - title: Your Computer review
    url: http://www.gondolin.org.uk/hchof/reviews/yc-sordm5.html
    text: This Sord M5 is dated from 1982
  oc_id: 217
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608163421/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=217
    date: '2023-06-08'
---

The SORD M5 had no really great success outside Japan (and later Czechoslovakia) but had lot of interesting characteristics, very close to MSX computers released soon after.

Its design was quite original. The machine xas quite small. The two-tone grey plastic casing opened to reveal a bright yellow back, which housed the ROM cartridge slot. The keyboard was similar to the rubber matting of the Spectrum, but felt markedly better. Most keys had a Basic keyword on them in small light-grey letters (available by holding down the function key as an other key is pressed). There was no full-size space-bar.

There was only 4K of internal RAM, but memory expansions were available. The joysticks simply plugged into tiny DIN sockets, and there was a port for a Centronics printer. The power supply was external and rather cumbersome.

It used a dedicated video chip (Texas Instrument 9918, 9928 or 9929, depending on the model) and had the same video characteristics as the [MSX computers](/museum/msx-1/) (same graphic resolution, same number of colors, same number of sprites, etc.) but didn't belong to this family. The M-5 had 32 graphics symbols in ROM and could handle up to 32 sprites. Its sound chip was the Texas Instruments TI 76489, which wasn't MSX compliant. It had three independent sound channels which could produce a variety of music and synthesised sounds. The sound was sent through the TV speaker.

Several cartidge based languages were available: the Basic-I (very simple version for beginners, delivered with the system), the Basic-G (with lot of graphic commands) and the Basic-F (for mathematic and scientific applications). The M-5 supported Inp and Out in Basic to control Z-80A ports, but had no obvious connector to the external world other than the ROM cartridge slot into which the Basic cartridge had to be be inserted.

One year later the **M5 Pro** and **M5 Jr** were released with a built-in power supply unit (and more RAM?).

**Jan P. Naidr** reports:\
The Sord M5 was popular in Czechoslovakia because it was the first home computer on the common market. The other computers like Sinclair Spectrum have been imported individually from abroad. But you must understand the statement "common market". That was not common for everybody in the communist period. The name of the shop selling Sord was TUZEX. There was possible to pay only by dollars or any other hard currency or buy Tuzex Crowns (special voucher), which you could receive changing dollars in the bank. The solution for common people was to by Tuzex Crowns on the black market. 1 Tuzex Crown for 5 Czech Crowns. We are so happy the old times have gone.

**Jules Allen** (UK) adds:\
These machines were also available in the UK as Sord had a fairly decent presence in the business market. Sord's 'killer app' was PIPS III, essentially a programmable spreadsheet, and with a nod to this the M5 had a cartridge for a low end version called FALC. It didn't run PIPS formulas exactly so it wasn't a great deal of use.\
The versions of BASIC were partially incompatible with each other which of course makes technical sense. But it didn't really help the cause and diluted the machine's appeal to hobbyists.\
There were several game cartridges available as well. I can't remember if it came with the game controller or if they were an option. But they were pretty basic: They looked like an original iPod at first blush. There was a large, round 4-way pad in the center of the thing and a bright yellow button towards the top left. They sort of sucked to be honest!