website/content/museum/thomson-to-7-70.md

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Thomson TO 7 / 70	Computers	name company company_name tabs photos adverts hardware screenshots emulators links videos comments related oc_id source TO 7 / 70 /companies/thomson Thomson photos adverts hardware software emulators links videos title subtitle text image TO-7/70 null title subtitle text image FRONT The cartridge trap door is opened null title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE null title subtitle text image REAR From left to right : - Power on/off button\ - Power cord\ - 12v external power supply (for tape recorder)\ - Expansion slots null title subtitle text image REAR #2 Power on/off button, power cord and external power supply connector for tape recorder (12v) null title subtitle text image REAR #3 From left to right : memory expansion port and three expansion ports... null title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP null title subtitle text image INTEGRATED LIGHT-PEN null title subtitle text image LEFT SIDE Here can be seen the tape-recorder connector null title subtitle text image CARTRIDGE SLOT The cartridge trap door has now a lock system to prevent intenpestive openings when not supposed to, as it was common with the TO-7 null title subtitle text image RESET BUTTON null title subtitle text image PERITEK KEYBOARD As with the original TO-7 and its poor keyboard, Peritek, a french company, proposed a mechanical keyboard to install on top of the rubber one of the TO-7/70. It had great success until Thomson decided, at last, to release its new TO-7/70 with a native mechanical keyboard... The picture shows first version of the TO-7/70 with a Peritek keyboard mounted. null title subtitle text image SECOND MODEL A second model was marketed later with a better keyboard null title subtitle text image MECHANICAL KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP null title subtitle text image TWO MODELS null title subtitle text image SYNOPTIC DIAGRAM This chart is showing the main expansions and connections available. null title subtitle text image MAIN COMPUTER FEATURES **1** - Light pen\ **2** - Light pen storage compartment\ **3** - MEMO7 cartridge slot trap door\ **4** - push button used to open the trap door\ **5** - trap door locking switch device\ **6** - keyboard\ **7** - Power LED\ **8** - lower case mode LED\ **9** - RESET button null title subtitle text image REAR COMPONENTS **10** - tape-recorder connector (DIN)\ **11** - SCART A/V connector\ **12** - 3 expansion slots\ **13** - memory specific expansion slot\ **14** - 12v output for tape-recorder or video modulator\ **15** - power on/off switch null title subtitle text image CREATIVITY BUILT-IN This is a French advert from december 1985 for a special christmas pack : TO-7/70 + Microsoft Basic level 5 + tape recorder + Colorpaint + Basic initiation cube for "only" 3990 FF. "All the world in a present" null title subtitle text image ARABIC MODEL In late 1988, bilingual (arab / french) versions of the TO-7/70 were sold for peanuts. These models could display latin and arabic characters. The keyboard was also bilingual, as well as the Basic ! null title subtitle text image EQUIPED FOR COMPETITION French advert (december 1984) null title subtitle text image I LEARN AT SCHOOL French advert for the new model, dated april 1986. "I learn at school, I rock at home" null title subtitle text image PROMOTIONAL LEAFLET cover null title subtitle text image PROMO PIC #1 null title subtitle text image PROMO PIC #2 TO-7/70 playing AIRBUS, a flight sim... null title subtitle text image PROMO PIC #3 This promotional picture was used to emphasize the programming assets of the TO-7/70 : Microsoft Basic v5, Microsoft assembler and SOLI Logo. They want to make us believe that architects used TO-7/70 ! As usual there are no cables shown... The arm looks weird, lifeless... did they cut it to take the picture more easily ?! or is the woman completely laid down on the table ? null title subtitle text image PROMO PIC #4 This guy is so good as running his budget that he has become rich and bought himself a TO-7/70 ! Or did he get rich since he bought its TO-7/70 ? Anyway he is now smoking cigars and reads stock market newspapers... great null title subtitle text image PROMO PIC #5 This picture was used to promote the educative potential of the TO-7/70. This poor student is studying economic politics... As usual, no cables are shown... the tape recorder is thus useless... Will someone tell him ? null title subtitle text image PROMO PIC #6 Thanks to its optional modem, the TO-7/70 could be connected to the Teletel communication network. This skilled photograph is browsing the Liberation (popular french newspaper) site. But there are still no cables shown here ! How the whole system is running ?! null title subtitle text image MAGAZINE COVER The TO-7/70 made the cover of french magazine Micro7 on february 1985. null title subtitle text image EXPANSION DIAGRAM null title subtitle text image 5.25'' DISK DRIVE 320 KB model This 5.25'' disk-drive offers a 320 KB capacity (40 tracks > 16 sectors > 256 bytes) and a built-in controller. /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_diskdrive_2.jpg title subtitle text image DISK CONTROLLER CD 90-351 This interface was used to connect a disk drive or a Quick Disc Drive (QDD) to a TO-7, TO-7/70, MO5 or MO6. /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_disk-interface.jpg title subtitle text image JOYSTICK MODULE Dual Atari compatible joysticks module /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to9_joymodule_1.jpg title subtitle text image MUSIC & GAME MODULE CM 90-112 This module offers two joystick connectors (Videopac joysticks can be used) and adds three channels to the TO-7 or MO-5 (resulting in a total of 4 voices). Sadly, these new sound features were scarcely used in games... /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_joy-interface.jpg title subtitle text image MUSIC & GAME MODULE #2 /media/museum/hardware/thomson_mo5_musicetjeu_s1.jpg title subtitle text image ORDI 94 Joystick Interface This interface enables Atari joysticks to be used with TO-7, TO-7/70 and MO5. It was sold by Ordivisuel under the name Ordi 94. /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_joy-atari.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT Though the TO-7/70 keyboard was better than the TO-7 one, it was still quite irritating to work with. Third party company Peritek met a great success selling its replacement mechanical keyboard for the TO-7 and TO-7/70. The installation was quite simple : just fasten it on top of the original keyboard. null title subtitle text image PRINTER PR-90 080 80 columns dot-matrix printer which was a rebadged version of the Seikosha GP-80 /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_imp_pr90-080.jpg title subtitle text image PRINTER PR-90 600 80-column 9-pin dot matrix printer. A rebadged version of the Seikosha SP-1000 with graphics capabilities /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to9_imppr90_600_1.jpg title subtitle text image SCREENSHOT null title subtitle text image SCREENSHOT With Basic 128 cartridge inserted null title subtitle text image SCREENSHOT null title subtitle text image TITLE SCREEN null title subtitle text image SCREENSHOT null title subtitle text image SCREENSHOT null title url platform text DCMO5 http://dcmo5.free.fr/ Windows Thomson MO5 emulator for PC title url platform text DCMO5 Gamer Edition HTTP://DCMO5.FREE.FR Windows Easy to use emulator, to run MO5 games without knowing MO5 commands title url platform text DCMO6 http://dcmo6.free.fr/ Windows Thomson MO5NR, Thomson MO6 and Olivetti Prodest PC128 emulator for PC title url platform text DCMOTO http://dcmoto.free.fr/ Windows Universal 8-bit Thomson emulator for Windows. Emulates Thomson MO5, MO5E, MO5NR, MO6, T9000, TO7/70, TO8, TO8D, TO9, TO9+ and Olivetti Prodest PC128 ! title url platform text DCTO7 and DCTO8 http://dcto7.free.fr/ Windows Thomson T9000, TO7/70, TO8, TO8D emulator for Windows title url platform text TODC http://www.jplang.fr.st/ Other platform No, you are not dreaming. This is a TO-7/70 emulator for the Dreamcast game system ! title url text AmiTO8 http://membres.lycos.fr/amito8/data/Accueil.html Amiga / Thomson dedicated site. Some original stuff there! title url text Christophe's Lair http://lair.thomsonistes.org/ Lot of stuff here, a must see site (french) title url text Collection Thomson http://gfournier.free.fr/ Another great site with tons of documentation title url text DCMOTO http://dcmoto.free.fr/ Excellent site !! Home of the DCMOTO emulator. Lot od documentations and software to download. A must see ! title url text Forum Thomson http://forumthomson2001.free.fr/forum01.htm Get in contact with other Thomson fans (in french) title url text MOTO, le site Des micros Thomsons http://www.multimania.com/tonews/ Some info about the Thomson computers (french) title url text Nostalgies Thomsonistes http://nostalgies.thomsonistes.org/ Excellent site dedicated to Thomson computers (french) title url text Thomatoes http://wiki.forler.ch Thomson Wiki title url text www.logicielsmoto.com http://www.logicielsmoto.com/home.php Fantastic site! Very big software library and much more! title url text MO5 french TV commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPr7NeqMobc Length: 31 s author date text AndiP Sunday 15th May 2011 Hello,\ I search the manuals for the TO7-70 to download in german or english. Thanks Andreas /museum/olivetti-prodest-pc-128 /museum/thomson-mo-5 /museum/thomson-mo-6 /museum/thomson-mo5-e /museum/thomson-mo5-nr /museum/thomson-to-7 /museum/thomson-to-8-to-8d /museum/thomson-to-9 /museum/thomson-to-9-plus 643 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230601001853/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=643 2023-06-01

The TO-7/70 was presented alongside the MO5, in march 1984. While the MO-5 represents a small break into the TO-7 philosophy, the TO-7/70 follows and enhances the TO-7 features.

The case of the TO-7/70 is almost the same as the TO-7 one : roughly triangular with sharp edges. The keyboard, though made of rubber keys, is an improvement over the flat membrane keyboard of the TO-7. The keyboard layout is AZERTY which is normal as the TO-7/70 is a french system. Accentuated letters can directly be accessed by pressing the ACC key, followed by the desired key (6 for é, 7 for è, 8 for ù, 9 for ç and 0 for à). There are also four arrow keys, INS to insert a space, EFF to delete the pointed character, STOP to pause a program, CNT to resume a program stoped and RAZ (remise à zéro) to clear the screen.

The light-pen introduced on the TO-7 has been improved on TO-7/70. While its resolution was only 40x200 on the TO-7 (one eighth of the horizontal range), it can now access every point of the screen, that is to say 320 x 200 pixels.

The expansion possibilities of the TO-7/70 are the same as the TO-7 : 3 expansion connectors for printers, disk-drives, game extension, etc. and 1 memory expansion slot. There is also still a tape-recorder intreface.

The main improvements over the TO-7 are :
- better integration of the components on the main-board
- a better keyboard (hmmmm, so they say)
- more RAM (48 KB, instead of 22 KB)
- a switch to lock the cartridge trap door, since it used to open randomly on the TO-7, rebooting the system and thus loosing all work in progress
- more colours (16 instead of 8)
- better light-pen precision
- the infamous heat-sink at the back of the TO-7 has disapeared !

The TO-7 is upward compatible with the TO-7/70, i.e. software developped for the TO-7 can be used by the TO-7/70, but not the contrary... It also means that the MEMO7 cartridge format is still the same.

AS for the MO-5, the TO-7/70 was quite popular in schools, as Thomson was the main supplier of the French National Education for the "Informatique Pour Tous" Plan. TO-7/70 (and MO5) were mainly used as terminals for the famous "Nanoréseau", an educational network, often piloted by a Logabax Persona 1600.

A second model with better mechanical keyboard was released some months later, for christmas 1985 (see more pictures section). In fact this model was first sold as an exportation model along with the MO5E. They were both presented at the "Hannover Messe" (Germany) in april 1985. That explains why some rumours talked about a TO-7/70E model, but it was never called like this. It was exactly the same model sold later in France.

The TO-7/70 was finally replaced by the TO-8 and TO-8D in 1986.