website/content/museum/creative-technology-cubic-99.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY CUBIC 99	Computers	Portable	Singapore	1984	6502	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos hardware oc_id source CUBIC 99 /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_system_3.jpg /companies/creative-technology CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY label value NAME CUBIC 99 label value MANUFACTURER Creative Technology label value TYPE Portable label value ORIGIN Singapore label value YEAR October 1984 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Talking Basic interpreter (Apple ll compatible) label value KEYBOARD Full-Stroke 68 keys with numeric keypad & function keys label value CPU 6502 and Z80-A label value SPEED unknown label value RAM 64 KB expandable to 192 KB label value VRAM 2 KB CMOS RAM label value ROM 16 KB label value TEXT MODES 40 or 80 col. x 24 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 40 x 40 or 280 x 192 pixels (2 to 18 Hi-Res. pages) label value COLORS 16 label value SOUND Speech synthetiser and tones generator label value SIZE / WEIGHT Unknown label value I/O PORTS RGB and Composite video, Microphone jack, serial and parallel interfaces, Light-pen label value BUILT IN MEDIA 2 x F.D. 5.25 inches - 40 tracks - 48 TPI - 160 KB label value OS Apple ll and CP/M operating systems label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in 70 W P.S.U. label value PERIPHERALS Cubic 10 MB Winchester Hard-disk unit and Apple ll cards label value PRICE Unknown photos hardware 579 title subtitle text image SYSTEM PICTURE #1 /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_system_1.jpg title subtitle text image SYSTEM PICTURE #2 /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_system_2.jpg title subtitle text image BACK SIDE **(1)** Keyboard connector\ **(2)** Composite B/W video chinch plug\ **(3)** RGB video output connector\ **(4)** Microphone jack for voice recording\ **(5)** Parallel printer connector\ **(6)** Light-pen connector\ **(7)** Serial interface connector (mounted on serial card) /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_backside_1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE CUBIC 99 **(1)** 64 KB RAM memory chips (8 x 4164)\ **(2)** Serial interface card\ **(3)** Chinese characters generator card\ **(4)** 128 KB RAM optional card\ **(5)** Floppy drives controller card\ **(6)** Power supply\ **(7)** fan /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_inside_1.jpg title subtitle text image CUBIC MOTHERBOARD **(1)** Z80-A microprocessor\ **(2)** 6502 microprocessor\ **(3)** 64 KB RAM memory chips (8 x 4164)\ **(4)** Two ROM chips holding the Talking Basic interpreter\ **(5)** RAM expansion card specific slot\ **(6)** Apple ll compatible slots\ **(7)** Analog joysticks connector\ **(8)** Parallel printer connector\ **(9)** RGB video out connector\ **(10)** Composite B/W video out connector\ **(11)** Speech synthetiser ROM chip\ **(12)** Keyboard connector /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_motherboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image CREATIVE SERIAL CARD /media/museum/hardware/creative_cubic99_serialcard_1.jpg title subtitle text image CREATIVE CHINESE CHARS. GENERATOR /media/museum/hardware/creative_cubic99_chinesecard_1.jpg title subtitle text image CREATIVE 128 KB RAM CARD /media/museum/hardware/creative_cubic99_128kram_1.jpg title subtitle text image CREATIVE F.D. CONTROLLER CARD /media/museum/hardware/creative_cubic99_fdcontroler_1.jpg 590 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608215921/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=590 2023-06-08

This computer, also known as the Talking Computer, was fully compatible with the Apple II and the CP/M operating systems thanks to its dual processor motherboard (6502 and Z80). It was manufactured by the Creative Technology Cie. which will later become wide-world known for its Sound Blaster cards.

Cubic 99 also had a vocal synthesizer which allowed the user to record and to reproduce words in English or Chinese language. Several commands of the BASIC language also allowed the computer to say sentences entered as string variables. The sound was of poor quality, but it was the best in low-cost sound technology of the time.

Creative was a company based in Singapore. The graphic on the screen of the model shown is celebrating Singapore's 25th year of independence, which was in 1990.

Thanks to Philip Hurst for his help.

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.