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---
title: Thomson MO 6
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- France
years:
- '1986'
cpus:
- Motorola MC 6809e
params:
name: MO 6
company: /companies/thomson
company_name: Thomson
specs:
- label: NAME
value: MO 6
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Thomson
- label: TYPE
value: Home Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: France
- label: YEAR
value: Unknown 1986
- label: END OF PRODUCTION
value: Unknown
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: 2 Microsoft BASIC interpreters - MO5 compatible and BASIC 128
- label: KEYBOARD
value: Full stroke 69 key with 5 function keys and arrow keys
- label: CPU
value: Motorola MC 6809e
- label: SPEED
value: 1 MHz
- label: CO-PROCESSOR
value: Custom Thomson gate array chip
- label: RAM
value: 128 KB
- label: VRAM
value: Unknown
- label: ROM
value: 64 KB
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 40 or 80 chars x 25 lines
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: 8 modes, from 160 x 200 to 640 x 200 dots
- label: COLORS
value: from 2 to 16 among 4096
- label: SOUND
value: 3 channels, 7 octaves
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: 36 (W) x 31(D) x 8.5 (H) cm
- label: I/O PORTS
value: Light Pen, Joystick, Mouse, Centronics, Cartridge, External Audio, Bus, RGB
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
value: Tape recorder
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: Built-in power supply unit
- label: PERIPHERALS
value: 3.5'' floppy disc drive
- label: PRICE
value: Unknown
tabs:
- photos
- hardware
- software
- emulators
- links
- videos
photos:
- title: MAINBOARD
subtitle: ''
text: |-
(1) Two ROM chips holding two versions of Microsoft BASIC\
(2) ROM cartridges connector\
(3) TV aerial modulator\
(4) I/O are managed by Two 6821P PIA chips\
(5) EF-9369P graphics video chip\
(6) Keyboard connectors\
(7) Four 41464 (64 cells x 4 bits) chips hold 128 Kb of RAM\
(8) Custom gate array chip made by Texas Instruments\
(9) Motorola 6809EP processor\
(10) Power supply unit
image: null
- title: BOX
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to Yoann Riou for this picture
image: null
- title: BOX - REAR
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to Yoann Riou for this picture
image: null
hardware:
- title: 5.25'' DISK DRIVE
subtitle: 320 KB model
text: This 5.25'' disk-drive offers a 320 KB capacity (40 tracks > 16 sectors > 256 bytes) and a built-in controller.
image: /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_diskdrive_2.jpg
- title: DISK CONTROLLER
subtitle: CD 90-351
text: 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.
image: /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_disk-interface.jpg
- title: JOYSTICK MODULE
subtitle: ''
text: Dual Atari compatible joysticks module
image: /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to9_joymodule_1.jpg
- title: MUSIC & GAME MODULE
subtitle: CM 90-112
text: 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...
image: /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_joy-interface.jpg
- title: 'MUSIC & GAME MODULE #2'
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/thomson_mo5_musicetjeu_s1.jpg
- title: ORDI 94
subtitle: Joystick Interface
text: 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.
image: /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_joy-atari.jpg
- title: PRINTER PR-90 080
subtitle: ''
text: 80 columns dot-matrix printer which was a rebadged version of the Seikosha GP-80
image: /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to7_imp_pr90-080.jpg
- title: PRINTER PR-90 600
subtitle: ''
text: 80-column 9-pin dot matrix printer. A rebadged version of the Seikosha SP-1000 with graphics capabilities
image: /media/museum/hardware/thomson_to9_imppr90_600_1.jpg
screenshots:
- title: MO6 CREATORS
subtitle: easter egg !
text: You can display this picture by pressing keys M, 0 and 6 simultaneously, while you're on the boot screen ! These guys are said to be the MO6 creators.
image: null
emulators:
- title: DCMO5
url: http://dcmo5.free.fr/
platform: Windows
text: Thomson MO5 emulator for PC
- title: DCMO5 Gamer Edition
url: HTTP://DCMO5.FREE.FR
platform: Windows
text: Easy to use emulator, to run MO5 games without knowing MO5 commands
- title: DCMO6
url: http://dcmo6.free.fr/
platform: Windows
text: Thomson MO5NR, Thomson MO6 and Olivetti Prodest PC128 emulator for PC
- title: DCMOTO
url: http://dcmoto.free.fr/
platform: Windows
text: 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: DCTO7 and DCTO8
url: http://dcto7.free.fr/
platform: Windows
text: Thomson T9000, TO7/70, TO8, TO8D emulator for Windows
- title: TODC
url: http://www.jplang.fr.st/
platform: Other platform
text: No, you are not dreaming. This is a TO-7/70 emulator for the Dreamcast game system !
links:
- title: AmiTO8
url: http://membres.lycos.fr/amito8/data/Accueil.html
text: Amiga / Thomson dedicated site. Some original stuff there!
- title: Christophe's Lair
url: http://lair.thomsonistes.org/
text: Lot of stuff here, a must see site (french)
- title: Collection Thomson
url: http://gfournier.free.fr/
text: Another great site with tons of documentation
- title: DCMOTO
url: http://dcmoto.free.fr/
text: Excellent site !! Home of the DCMOTO emulator. Lot od documentations and software to download. A must see !
- title: Forum Thomson
url: http://forumthomson2001.free.fr/forum01.htm
text: Get in contact with other Thomson fans (in french)
- title: MOTO, le site Des micros Thomsons
url: http://www.multimania.com/tonews/
text: Some info about the Thomson computers (french)
- title: Nostalgies Thomsonistes
url: http://nostalgies.thomsonistes.org/
text: Excellent site dedicated to Thomson computers (french)
- title: Thomatoes
url: http://wiki.forler.ch
text: Thomson Wiki
- title: www.logicielsmoto.com
url: http://www.logicielsmoto.com/home.php
text: Fantastic site! Very big software library and much more!
videos:
- title: MO5 french TV commercial
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPr7NeqMobc
text: 'Length: 31 s'
related:
- /museum/olivetti-prodest-pc-128
- /museum/thomson-mo-5
- /museum/thomson-mo5-e
- /museum/thomson-mo5-nr
- /museum/thomson-to-7
- /museum/thomson-to-7-70
- /museum/thomson-to-8-to-8d
- /museum/thomson-to-9
- /museum/thomson-to-9-plus
oc_id: 167
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230604043152/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=167
date: '2023-06-04'
---
The Thomson MO 6 was the successor of the [Thomson MO 5](/museum/thomson-mo-5/). This machine was widely used in French schools. It was compatible with the MO 5 and the other members of its family ([TO 7](/museum/thomson-to-7/), [TO 8](/museum/thomson-to-8-to-8d/), [TO 9](/museum/thomson-to-9/) and [TO 9 plus](/museum/thomson-to-9-plus/)).
It has two versions of BASIC on ROM, one to be compatible with MO5 and BASIC 128 (both made by Microsoft). Almost all memory (101 KB) was accessible with BASIC thanks to a transparent 16 KB bank switching mechanism. An optional 3.5" floppy disk drive (640 KB) was available.
It had a short life because soon after it was launched, the [TO 8](/museum/thomson-to-8-to-8d/) came and challenged to it.
The MO5 was also sold in Italy by Olivetti under the name [Prodest PC-128](/museum/olivetti-prodest-pc-128/)