website/content/museum/visual-technology-visual-1050.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
VISUAL TECHNOLOGY Visual 1050	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	1984	Z80-A	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts links docs oc_id source Visual 1050 /media/museum/photos/visualtech_visual1050_system_1.jpg /companies/visual-technology VISUAL TECHNOLOGY label value NAME Visual 1050 label value MANUFACTURER Visual Technology label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1984 label value END OF PRODUCTION 1987? label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Keytronic full stroke 93-key with numeric key pad & 17 function keys label value CPU Z80-A label value SPEED 4 MHz. label value CO-PROCESSOR 6502 (Graphic video management) label value RAM 128KB (bank-switched) label value VRAM 320Kb (32Kb x 10) label value ROM 8 KB label value TEXT MODES 80 chars. x 25 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 640 x 300 dots label value COLORS Monochrome label value SOUND No sound label value SIZE / WEIGHT CPU - 5'' (H) x 17'' (W) x 17'' (D) / CPU 15 lbs, Monitor 10 lbs label value I/O PORTS video terminal, Serial, Parallel, Winchester HD label value BUILT IN MEDIA 2 x 400KB, 5.25'', SSDD, 96tpi floppy disk drives (TEAC FD-55E)\ Optional 10Mb external Winchester hard disk drive. label value OS Digital Research (DR) CP/M Plus (CP/M, Version 3) label value POWER SUPPLY 75 watt, switching power supply unit label value PRICE $2700 photos adverts links docs 823 title subtitle text image SYSTEM /media/museum/photos/visualtech_visual1050_system_2.jpg title subtitle text image BACK SIDE **(1)** Parallel printer connector\ **(2)** Serial connector\ **(3)** Winchester hard disk drive connector\ **(4)** Video terminal connector /media/museum/photos/visualtech_visual1050_back_1.jpg title subtitle text image US ADVERT (APRIL 1984) Thanks to Dave Dunfield for the picture /media/museum/pubs/visual1050_pub_1.jpg title url text Visual Technology Visual 1050 http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/index.html Richard Bramante's page where he collected lots of information on this system title url cover text THE VISUAL 1050 USER'S GUIDE http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/ /media/museum/docs/couvs/visual-1050_user-guide.jpg [**THE VISUAL 1050 USER'S GUIDE**](http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/)written by Visual Technology Incorporated  compiled/archived by Richard Bramante\  type of document : PDF\  size : 6.9 MB\  source : [Visual Technology Visual 1050 info page](http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/) title url cover text V1050 PERSONAL COMPUTER MAINTENANCE MANUAL http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/ /media/museum/docs/couvs/visual-1050_maintanance-manual.jpg [**V1050 PERSONAL COMPUTER MAINTENANCE MANUAL**](http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/)written by Visual Technology Incorporated  compiled/archived by Richard Bramante\  type of document : PDF\  size : 1 MB\  source : [Visual Technology Visual 1050 info page](http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/) title url cover text 1050 PROGRAMMER'S TECHNICAL DOCUMENT VERSION 1.0 http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/ /media/museum/docs/couvs/visual-1050_programmers-tech-doc.jpg [**1050 PROGRAMMER'S TECHNICAL DOCUMENT VERSION 1.0**](http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/)written by Visual Technology Incorporated  compiled/archived by Richard Bramante\  type of document : PDF\  size : 1.6 MB\  source : [Visual Technology Visual 1050 info page](http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/) title url cover text VISUAL 1050 SCHEMATICS http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/ /media/museum/docs/couvs/visual-1050_schematics.jpg [**VISUAL 1050 SCHEMATICS**](http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/)written by Visual Technology Incorporated  compiled/archived by Richard Bramante\  type of document : PDF\  size : 1.1 MB\  source : [Visual Technology Visual 1050 info page](http://www.metabarn.com/v1050/) 842 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230201165415/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=842 2023-02-01

The Visual 1050. Entered into the PC battles mid-80s from the now defunct Visual Technology company (most famous for video terminals at the time).

This CP/M based machine was tailored to Wordstar with a specialized keyboard featuring all the wordstar function keys.
Graphic capabilities were managed by a second 6502 processor.

It was delivered with a set of Digital Research software, including CP/M, C-BASIC compiler, DR-GSX (graphic extensions), as well as WordStar (Word processor), Mailmerge (address database), Multiplan (spreadsheet) and TTY-1050 (communications)

John Citron remembers:
I worked for Visual from 1980-1987. From 1983 to 1987, I was a hardware technician with them and serviced many of these machines. In addition to the expansion ports on the outside, there is also a riser header for a, never implemented, optional memory expansion card. The 9" green monitor was manufactured in Taiwan by ADI and it, along with the keyboard, eventually became the main components for their V-50/55 and V-60/65 line of video terminals.

In addition to coming with a huge bundle of applications, the system was also able to read CP/M disks from many of the competitive machines in its day. By running a special utility, one could load in programs and data from Osborne, DEC VT-180, DEC Rainbow, and others.

Overall, the system was great in its day and I eventually owned one for a number of years. The video was crisp and the Keytronic keyboard was comfortable to use. The only complaint that I ever had was the noise. The system was very loud due to the empty case and the noisy fan and floppy drives.

Thanks to Richard Bramante for information and pictures.

We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.