website/content/museum/spectravideo-sv-328.md

---
title: Spectravideo SV 328
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1983'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80 A
params:
  name: SV 328
  image: /media/museum/photos/spectravideo_sv-328_1.jpg
  company: /companies/spectravideo
  company_name: Spectravideo
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: SV 328
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Spectravideo
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1983'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Microsoft BASIC interpreter
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-stroke keyboard with numeric keypad
  - label: CPU
    value: Zilog Z80 A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 3.6 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 64 KB (up to 256 KB)
  - label: VRAM
    value: 16 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 32 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40 chars x 24 lines (optional 80 x 24)
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 256 x 192 dots
  - label: COLORS
    value: '16'
  - label: SOUND
    value: Three channels, 8 octaves
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Centronics, RS232c, RGB, Tape (1800 bauds); Joystick (2), Cartridge
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: None
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in power supply unit
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: SVI-904 Data Cassette, SV-605B expansion box, Graphics Tablet, 80 columns card, modem and RS232 interfaces
  - label: PRICE
    value: 24.995 BF (Belgium, 1984)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - hardware
  - emulators
  - links
  forum_thread: 238
  photos:
  - title: SVI-328
    subtitle: ''
    text: 80k RAM = 64k RAM + 16k Video RAM (VRAM)
    image: /media/museum/photos/spectravideo_sv-328_2.jpg
  - title: 'SVI-328 #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: courtesy **www.zonadepruebas.com**
    image: /media/museum/photos/spectravideo_svi328_topview_1.jpg
  - title: REAR SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: courtesy **www.zonadepruebas.com**
    image: /media/museum/photos/spectravideo_svi328_rearview_1.jpg
  - title: BOTTOM SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: courtesy **www.zonadepruebas.com**
    image: /media/museum/photos/spectravideo_svi328_bottomview_1.jpg
  - title: INSIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: courtesy **www.zonadepruebas.com**
    image: /media/museum/photos/spectravideo_svi328_inside_1.jpg
  - title: USER MANUAL
    subtitle: ''
    text: courtesy **www.zonadepruebas.com**
    image: /media/museum/photos/spectravideo_svi328_usermanual_1.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: SV-318/328 ADVERT (FEB. 1984)
    subtitle: ''
    text: from New-Zealand Bits & Bytes magazine.
    image: null
  hardware:
  - title: SVI-777
    subtitle: External disk-drive
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/spectravideo_svi777-diskdrive_1.jpg
  - title: SVI-904
    subtitle: Tape recorder
    text: Courtesy **www.zonadepruebas.com**
    image: /media/museum/hardware/spectravideo_svi328_904taperecorder_1.jpg
  emulators:
  - title: SVI-318 / SVI-328 emulator
    url: http://www.acc.umu.se/~yarin/sviemu/
    platform: MS DOS
    text: ''
  - title: blueMSX
    url: HTTP://WWW.BLUEMSX.COM
    platform: Windows
    text: Excellent free MSX emulator that can reproduce MSX, MSX2, MSX2+, and Turbo-R. The emulator also supports the SVI318/328, and ColecoVision systems !
  links:
  - title: Roger's Spectravideo page
    url: http://www.samdal.com/spectravideo.htm
    text: The best site about Spectravideo. You want to go there !
  related:
  - /museum/spectravideo-sv-318
  oc_id: 228
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230601080728/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=228
    date: '2023-06-01'
---

The Spectravideo SV 328 was the ancestor of the Spectravideo [MSX SV-728](/museum/spectravideo-svi-728/) (it had the same case and almost all its features) and the successor of the [SV-318](/museum/spectravideo-sv-318/).

This computer wasn't a [MSX](/museum/msx-1/) machine, even though its hardware design was almost the same as MSX computers. Its Microsoft Extended Basic was also close to the MSX Basic but not fully compatible. The cartridge slot couldn't use MSX cartridges. However, Coleco cartridges could run thanks to an optional card.

The SV-328 ran CP/M 2.2 or 3.0 when connected to the 5.25" 360 KB floppy drive unit. Several well known CP/M software were adapted to the SV328; i.e. dBase II and WordStar.

Several expansion devices were developed for this computer. Among them, the SV-605B expansion box which offered a 10 MB hard disk, two 5.25" DSDD floppy drives, one Centronics port and six expansion slots.\
Some other peripherals were released: Graphic Tablet, 80-column card, 1200/75 modem card, RS232 interface.

---

More information from **Taneli Lukka** (Finland):\
There were two different versions of this computer. They could be identified by a very small red MK II-logo beside the SVI-328 logo on top of the machine. The older MK I version had no built in RF-modulator, it was a separate box that you had to connect to a DIN-socket on the back of the machine.\
The MK II model had the modulator built in and it also had RCA-jacks for composite video and sound output. A much simplified motherboard consisting of three small PCB's joined together by many cables was introduced to cut costs and the PCB quality was generally worse than on MK I machines.\
The older SVI-318 also got a similar treatment, but I don't know anything about the details. All I know is that its MK II version was quite rare in most countries because it was introduced when the machine was already pretty dead.

**Jules Allen** memories:\
The keyboards on these things were terrible! The action was like typing on a sponge. My guess is they had the same underpinnings as the 318 (equally bad) but with plastic keycaps on top.\
Rather than being a successor to the 318 it was positioned as a higher end machine. They were produced prior to MSX standard and MSX software wouldn't run on it. The machine looks a lot like the 318 without the expansion box that you have pictured here.

Spectravideo in Australia by **Mark Dodd**:\
The Spectravideo User Group Of Australia ran for many years and the SV318 and SV328 were very popular with hobbyists and professionals alike.\
Unfortunately some resellers advertised and sold the machine as MSX compatible or upgradeable.\
I appeared as an expert witness in several consumer complaint cases where the machine had to be replaced, free of charge, for the later MSX compliant models.\
When MSX took of the User Group supported bith the older SV models and all MSX machines form different manufacturers.\
Contrary to other postings, I loved the keyboard on these PCs!!