website/content/museum/grundy-new-brain.md

---
title: GRUNDY NEW BRAIN
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- United Kingdom
years:
- '1980'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80 A
params:
  name: NEW BRAIN
  company: /companies/grundy
  company_name: GRUNDY
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: NEW BRAIN
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Grundy
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: United Kingdom
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1980'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Basic interpreter
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: QWERTY, calculator style, 62 keys
  - label: CPU
    value: Zilog Z80 A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 4 MHz
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: COP 240 (I/O)
  - label: RAM
    value: 32 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 29 KB (8 KB for Basic, 4 KB for graphics, 4 KB for OS/characters set/editor)
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 80 columns x 25-30 lines / 40 columns x 25-30 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: From 256 x 10 to 640 x 220 pixels
  - label: COLORS
    value: Monochrome
  - label: SOUND
    value: unknown
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Tape (two - 1200 bauds); RGB, UHF, RS232c (two - 9600 bauds, one was used as a printer one was cut down in lacking an 'in' line.), Z80 Bus
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: External power supply unit
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Expansion interface featuring 2 serial ports, 2 parallels, 1 DAC, 1 joystick port, and a light pen port.
  - label: PRICE
    value: $325 - £229
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - hardware
  - links
  photos:
  - title: THE FIRST NEWBRAIN
    subtitle: ''
    text: This is the first model of the Newbrain, without the 1 line display of the Newbrain AD.
    image: null
  - title: NEWBRAIN AD
    subtitle: ''
    text: Notice the 1 Line x 16 characters display.
    image: null
  - title: EXPANSION & CONNECTION SCHEME
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: null
  adverts:
  - title: 'NEWBURRY BROCHURE #1'
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      First Newburry brochure cover

      Courtesy of **www.oldcomputers.freeserve.co.uk**
    image: null
  - title: 'NEWBURRY BROCHURE #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      According to this brochure, Newbury had four models:

      Model M: Main Only\
      Model MB: Main and with Batteries and display\
      Model MD: Mains only with display\
      Model MBS: Main and with Batteries and display with special low power consumption.

      Courtesy of **www.oldcomputers.freeserve.co.uk**
    image: null
  - title: 'NEWBURRY BROCHURE #3'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Courtesy of **www.oldcomputers.freeserve.co.uk**
    image: null
  - title: NEWBRAIN BROCHURE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The first Newbrain brochure only offered two models:

      Model AD: with display\
      Model A: without Display

      Courtesy of **www.oldcomputers.freeserve.co.uk**
    image: null
  - title: ADVERT
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      New Brain complet package with FDD´s and peripherals... (the dot matrix printer was connected to the RS232 port)... The main box you see in the photo is the "school network controller" that permitted that "n" computers were plugged in as a network sharing one "5Mb hard drive"

      Thanks to Rui Santos for this picture
    image: null
  hardware:
  - title: DISK-DRIVE UNIT
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Under the Newbrain is also a neon-digit readout expansion (!).

      Thanks to [Allard's Computermuseum Groningen](http://members.tripod.lycos.nl/computermuseum/index.html)for this picture !
    image: null
  - title: BATTERY EXPANSION
    subtitle: ''
    text: Grundy's marketing literature showed the NewBrain being used on a train. This battery expansion allowed remote operation. It connected in series with the regular NewBrain power supply unit.
    image: null
  links:
  - title: Wikipedia
    url: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grundy_NewBrain
    text: Grundy Newbrain entry
  - title: www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk
    url: http://www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk/Museum/Grundy/gerald.php
    text: Very detailed info from an insider
  comments:
  - author: Niels Roskam (Australia)
    date: Monday 4th April 2016
    text: The first computer I got to play with in 1983 when doing high-school in the Netherlands. From learning to beginnings of BASIC to doing poke and peeks into video RAM to get some graphics moving...
  - author: Nick (United States)
    date: Tuesday 21st October 2014
    text: My first real computer!
  - author: Evert (NL)
    date: Sunday 28th October 2012
    text: |-
      In the details of the NewBrain it says that the machine has\
      a "calculatortype" keyboard. That is nonsense !!!!\
      Measure the keydistances !! They are the same as the "big"\
      keyboards sold today !!\
      Only the surface of the keys were a bit smaller.\
      A BIG advantage !!! You would not hit 2, 3, or 4 keys at the\
      same time !! I have never seen such a beautyfull and perfect\
      working keyboard !!
  - author: Scouter3d (Österreich)
    date: Tuesday 25th October 2011
    text: |-
      Finally i got my NewBrain working again! see the whole story here: http://www.8bit-homecomputermuseum.at/repair/newbrain/newbrain.html

      Greetings TOM:-)
  - author: Scouter3d (Österreich)
    date: Saturday 20th August 2011
    text: |-
      Hi, unfortunately my Newbrain is dead ... is there anyone who can help me /guide me in the repair process? I am an engineer and know a little bit about electronics, i have the shematics, i can use an oscilloscope and i can solder ... Any help is welcome!\
      Thanks TOM:-)
  - author: BER (lisbon)
    date: Wednesday 27th July 2011
    text: |-
      For infos etc. about Newbrain:\
      http://www.newbrain.info/\
      http://newbrain.hcc.nl/
  - author: ATV Shineray (Bulgaria)
    date: Thursday 30th September 2010
    text: I found a HQ picture http://tiny.cc/newbrain
  - author: Jon (UK)
    date: Monday 12th July 2010
    text: |-
      I still have LOADS of New Brain gear. It was a truely fantastic system. I have the Serial I/O V24 adapter - as far as I know never actually put into production! 8 V24 ports, parallel printer and parallel I/O. Another very special item is the Expansion Interface Module that included multiple parallel ports as well as analogue I/O and a very crude sound device port. I modified New Brains to use 3.5" fdd''s and added the missing ports to the EIM that were never installed in production. A Paris-based micro club added hi-res colour graphics and a standard bus-based expansion system.

      A great system!
  - author: maxim (Bulgaria)
    date: Saturday 18th October 2008
    text: I can sell you PRAVETZ 8c. Its a relic, one of the first computers. With monitor and 5 1/4 discet device. for only 300 euro
  - author: Stefano Bodrato (Italy)
    date: Tuesday 19th June 2007
    text: |-
      All, I've been fascinated by this machine, so, basing on the informations found on the dutch user group I've extended the Z88DK compiler to support it.\
      If you are willing to port small C programs to the Grundy Newbrain, give it a try: http://www.z88dk.org
  - author: Ben Jennings (Britian)
    date: Thursday 26th February 2004
    text: I have a Grundy new brain model AD but I don't have the wire that connects it to the tape recorder so I have to write programs down on paper it would be good if someone would post on this message board where to get one.
  - author: Martin Bensley (Hamburg, Germany)
    date: Saturday 1st November 2003
    text: Has anyone got a New Brain they would be willing to sell me. My father used to work for New Brain in Cambridge but a few years ago he threw away his New Brain by mistake - terrible I know but these things do happen. I would love to own a New Brain for old times sake. Can anyone help please, regards Martin Bensley, Hamburg Germany martinbensley@hotmail.com
  - author: infernokis (norway)
    date: Thursday 9th October 2003
    text: Grundy makes television-sets and tv-programs in the U.K
  - author: Dr. Ron Amir (Hebrew University, Jerusalem Israel)
    date: Monday 13rd January 2003
    text: I work with a newbrain computer (model AD) to command a stepper (micromanipulator). I have a mechanical problem with the stepper. No manufacturer name is written on the stepper. The only thing written is "west Germany". Does anybody know who should I contact regarding my stepper problem? Does Grundy, the company behind newbrain still exist?
  - author: Ronny Jacobs (Nederland, The Netherlands)
    date: Friday 29th November 2002
    text: |-
      I also have a New Brain computer, unfortunatly without a powersupply. It would be nice if someone\
      could mail me the voltages that this nice computer\
      needs te be reborn....
  - author: Voyager (Athens Greece)
    date: Thursday 30th May 2002
    text: Does anybody knows any links or FAQs on the Newbrain? Any emulators?
  - author: Pere Batlle i Izard (Mollet del Valles /Barcelona/Catalunya/Spain)
    date: Friday 3rd May 2002
    text: |-
      I've got one.\
      During the years I used I was the president in Spain of a Users club, we edited 2 numbers of our journal. I have some 5 1/4 disk and K7 with software and many documentation manuals
  - author: George (Athens/Greece)
    date: Saturday 20th April 2002
    text: Very nice micro. Does anyone knows if the 2MegaBytes memory expansion was ever released?
  - author: raf (Hellas (Greece))
    date: Friday 15th February 2002
    text: |-
      I've got one. Some guys gave it to me without understanding what exactly it is. Unfortunately i have no any documentation about it. The set contains the pc, 3 or 4 connecting cables, transformator. It seems that works.\
      If someone has some (electronic) documentation or instructions and feels to be a very kind person, please, send me something.\
      Thanks!
  oc_id: 176
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230320213423/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=176
    date: '2023-03-20'
---

"When the NewBrain was announced to the world, in 1980, the design concept was significantly in advance of anything that had been seen in the field of handheld computing." (Dick Pountain - *Personal Computer World*)

In fact, the company that created it, Newburry Labs, sold the desing to its current owner, Grundy Business Systems Ltd.\
It also seems that a small part of the original design came from Sinclair Radionics which designed later the [ZX-80](/museum/sinclair-zx-80/).

At one time, the NewBrain was in line to be the BBC computer, but design problems and the change in ownership caused the BBC to look elsewhere.

In 1982, the machine was advertised as a compact but powerful microcomputer with advanced hardware and software features.

The **NewBrain AD**, which contains a 1-line, 16-character fluorescent display, was complemented by a no-display cheaper version sold £30 less, the **NewBrain A**. There was no reset button and no ON/OFF switch either. A third model, called **Newbrain M** included a battery-backup option (and the LCD screen) so it can be used as a handheld computer.

An expansion interface was available, providing 2 serial ports, 2 parallels, 1 DAC, 1 joystick port, and a light pen port.\
A network was also available and allowed to connect 24 computers together through RS-232/V24 bidirectional serial ports.\
The New Brain used a special management memory system which allows to expand memory up to 2 Mb (IMPRESSIVE!).\
The character set contained 512 letters, numbers and graphics as well as VideoText symbols. The Character set was divided into two 256-character banks, only one of which could be selected at a time.\
An optional VideoText module enabled NewBrains owners to access British TeleText and Prestel services It could run under CP/M.