website/content/museum/microdigital-tk-85.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Microdigital TK-85	Computers	Home Computer	Brazil	1983	Zilog Z80 A	name image company company_name specs tabs photos adverts hardware docs comments oc_id source TK-85 /media/museum/photos/microdigital_tk85_system_s2.jpg /companies/microdigital Microdigital label value NAME TK-85 label value MANUFACTURER Microdigital label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Brazil label value YEAR 1983 label value END OF PRODUCTION Unknown label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Improved version of the ZX81 Basic label value KEYBOARD 40-key QWERTY rubber keyboard with up to 5 function per key label value CPU Zilog Z80 A label value SPEED 3.25 MHz label value RAM 16 KB up to 48 KB label value ROM 10 KB label value TEXT MODES 32 columns x 24 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 64 x 44 dots label value COLORS Monochrome label value SIZE / WEIGHT 23 (W) x 14 (D) x 3 (H) cm / 500g label value I/O PORTS Expansion port, Tape-recorder, RF video out, Joystick label value BUILT IN MEDIA None label value PERIPHERALS Microdigital printer, all ZX81 peripherals label value PRICE Unknown photos adverts hardware docs title subtitle text image LARGE VIEW /media/museum/photos/microdigital_tk85_largesystem_s2.jpg title subtitle text image SIDE VIEW /media/museum/photos/microdigital_tk85_system_s3.jpg title subtitle text image TOP VIEW The case and keyboard design are very similar to the Sinclair Spectrum's. /media/museum/photos/microdigital_tk85_topview_s1.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/microdigital_tk85_keyboardcloseup_s1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR SIDE /media/museum/photos/microdigital_tk85_rear_s1.jpg title subtitle text image POWER SUPPLY UNIT /media/museum/photos/microdigital_tk85_powersupply_s1.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT #1 From the magazine 'Micro Sistemas' of March 1983 Thanks to **www.mci.org.br** /media/museum/pubs/microdigital_tk85_pub_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MICRODIGITAL JOYSTICKS /media/museum/hardware/microdigital_tk85_joysticks_s1.jpg title url cover text MICRODIGITAL TK-85 BASIC MANUAL (PORTUGUESE) http://www.datacassete.com.br/uploads/manuais/zx81/tk85.pdf /media/museum/docs/couvs/tk85%20basic%20manual.jpg [**MICRODIGITAL TK-85 BASIC MANUAL (PORTUGUESE)**](http://www.datacassete.com.br/uploads/manuais/zx81/tk85.pdf)written by Microdigital  compiled/archived by www.datacassete.com.br\  type of document : PDF\  size : 19.6 MB\  source : [www.datacassete.com.br](http://www.datacassete.com.br) **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** author date text Carlos Deabreu (usa) Thursday 4th June 2015 I Still have one with a thermal printer old K7 player and small black $ white tv. author date text YERZMYEY/HOOY-PROGRAM (PL) Sunday 2nd September 2012 It''s a really beautiful desing.\ A cool clone of ZX81. author date text Rey D (USA) Friday 3rd September 2010 This was my first computer!!!! My dad bought it for me when I turned 16 (I was living in Argentina at the time). I learned how to program in Basic on this little computer. Great memories! :) author date text Cleidson A. Peixoto (Brazil) Wednesday 28th April 2010 Mr. Carlos, Yes, it is right - the TK 85 haven''t a PSG. But it came prepared to allocate one - There is a space for the same PSG from the MSX (The AY), and there is a memory adress that is never used - This adress can be used to control the PSG. author date text Carlos Cristo (Campinas - Brazil) Wednesday 31st March 2010 Good to see it again..!!\ The information is correct, but this part\ "and the built-in three-voice sound generator. " is not.\ It never had three-voice sound generator... even Tk-90x (the zx-spectrum clone) had... only MSX series had this.. : ) author date text Jerónimo Milea (Argentina) Friday 14th March 2008 It was my first computer too ^_^ it brings me very nice memories :) author date text Xavier Garreau (La Rochelle, FRANCE) Thursday 10th November 2005 I wrote my first programs on this computer. Nice to see it again :) author date text Rodrigo Quinteiro (Sao Paulo - Brazil) Saturday 8th January 2005 The TK85 was my 1st computer. All that I learnt in BASIC I need to thanks to this small computer. I still having the TK85 at home, but the keyboard is not working anymore. 976 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608085718/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=976 2023-06-08

After the TK80, TK82 and TK83 the TK85 was the last ZX-81 compatible machine Microdigital produced.

However it wasn't only a simple copy of the ZX-81 but featured several useful enhancements. Its rubber keyboard and case were similar to the Spectrum's and were much more pactical for intensive use. The 10 KB ROM held an improved version of the Sinclair's Basic with strings management and editing facility, as well as some primitive graphic commands.

Several additional routines allowed to record tape programs up to 4200 bits per second, manage a joystick interface and the built-in three-voice sound generator.

Thanks to the TK85, Microdigital started to lead the Brazilian home computer market, front of Sinclair and its US branch, Timex.

Thanks to Joao Roberto for most of the pictures and information.