website/content/museum/hitachi-mb-6880-basic-master-and-basic-master-level-2.md

---
title: Hitachi MB-6880 / Basic Master and Basic Master Level 2
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- Japan
years:
- '1978'
cpus:
- Motorola 6800
params:
  name: MB-6880 / Basic Master and Basic Master Level 2
  image: /media/museum/photos/hitachi_basicmaster-level2_1.jpg
  company: /companies/hitachi
  company_name: Hitachi
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: MB-6880 / Basic Master and Basic Master Level 2
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Hitachi
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Japan
  - label: YEAR
    value: 1978 / 1979
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: QWERTY full-stroke keyboard. JIS standard. 56 keys.
  - label: CPU
    value: Motorola 6800 (HD 46800)
  - label: SPEED
    value: 750 Khz.
  - label: RAM
    value: |-
      Basic Master : 4k\
      Basic Master Level 2 : 8k
  - label: ROM
    value: 16 kb
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 32 x 24
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 32 x 24 (8x8 dots characters)
  - label: COLORS
    value: Black & White
  - label: SOUND
    value: Speeaker (5bit D/A converter)
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 42.5 × 28.5 × 8 cm / 4kg
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Tape (300 bauds) , Audio out
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: Optional Digital Tapes
  - label: OS
    value: Built-in Basic
  - label: PRICE
    value: |-
      Basic Master :118000 yens\
      Basic Master Level 2 : 228000 yens
  tabs:
  - photos
  - links
  photos:
  - title: THE BASIC MASTER LEVEL 2
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      This machine was also labeled as the Hitachi MB-6880 L2.

      Thanks to the [Electric Brain Museum](http://www.tk.airnet.ne.jp/mit/mitland/Musium/musium.html) for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/hitachi_basicmaster-level2_2.jpg
  - title: MB-6881
    subtitle: ''
    text: The MB-6881 is the Basic Master Level 2 MK 2! But what is the difference between the MB-6880 and MB-6881? Please help...
    image: /media/museum/photos/hitachi_basic-master_mb6881.jpg
  - title: 'MB-6881 #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/hitachi_basic-master_mb6881_2.jpg
  links:
  - title: Electric Brain Museum
    url: http://www.tk.airnet.ne.jp/mit/mitland/Musium/HITACHI/BMaster.html
    text: Some useful infos here (Japanese)
  comments:
  - author: Hisayuki Nomura (Japan)
    date: Thursday 10th December 2020
    text: (I''ll write this as a message because "Add Info" does not work) MB6880 , formal name was "Basic Master" but it called as "Basic Master Level 1" after MB-6880L2 , "Basic Master Level 2" was released. Basic Master Level 1 was shipped with 4KB RAM with Level 1 BASIC language that only integer value supported. Basic Master Level 2 was shipped with 8KB RAM with Level 2 BASIC that support floating value. These product line made great success at the beginning of Japanese microcomputer market. By the success of BasicMaster , the three company - Hitachi , NEC and Sharp - was called "The Big Three". Hitachi continued to release variation of Basic Master Level2 series such as MB6881(Basic Master Level II 2) , MB6885 (Basic Master Jr) . However "Basic Master Level 2" series was lack of Hi-resolution graphics or Kanji characters. Hitachi''s microcomputer continue declined until Basic Master Level 3 released.
  - author: Zelda Hyrule
    date: Monday 1st June 2009
    text: I love this machine I still own one at this day. But it died yesterday!!!!
  - author: Mickey Malone (Finland)
    date: Monday 1st June 2009
    text: I owned one of these 17 years ago when I was 40.
  - author: Masaru Takechi (Tokyo, Japan)
    date: Friday 25th October 2002
    text: Once I was an owner of this computer. I remember that clock speed of this computer is 750KHz. (below MHz, wow.) Double-edged clock mechanism of Motorola's 6800 brought good performance to this computer. Program exectuion speed was close to 2MHz Z80 Machine, such as Sharp's MZ-80K.
  oc_id: 1
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230327131414/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1
    date: '2023-03-27'
---

This early japanese computer seems quite strong with its metal case. The machine has a very sober look. The keyboard is minimalist too, no CTRL or ESC keys...

There is apparently no graphical high-resolution but the computer offers 253 predefined characters including graphic symbols.

The power switch is placed on the front case just above the keyboard.

The MB6880 formal name was "Basic Master" but it was called as "Basic Master Level 1" after MB-6880L2 "Basic Master Level 2" was released.

Basic Master Level 1 was shipped with 4KB RAM with Level 1 BASIC language that only integer value supported.

Basic Master Level 2 was shipped with 8KB RAM with Level 2 BASIC that support floating value.

These product line made great success at the beginning of Japanese microcomputer market. By the success of Basic Master serie, the three company - Hitachi, NEC and Sharp -were called "The Big Three".

Hitachi continued to release variation of Basic Master Level2 series such as MB6881(Basic Master Level II 2) and the MB6885 (Basic Master Jr).

However "Basic Master Level 2" series lacked Hi-resolution graphics or Kanji characters. Hitachi's microcomputer continued to decline until Basic Master Level 3 was released.

Thanks to Hisayuki Nomura for the info