website/content/museum/creative-technology-cubic-99.md

---
title: CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY CUBIC 99
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Portable
origins:
- Singapore
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- '6502'
params:
  name: CUBIC 99
  image: /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_system_3.jpg
  company: /companies/creative-technology
  company_name: CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: CUBIC 99
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Creative Technology
  - label: TYPE
    value: Portable
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Singapore
  - label: YEAR
    value: October 1984
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: Talking Basic interpreter (Apple ll compatible)
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-Stroke 68 keys with numeric keypad & function keys
  - label: CPU
    value: 6502 and Z80-A
  - label: SPEED
    value: unknown
  - label: RAM
    value: 64 KB expandable to 192 KB
  - label: VRAM
    value: 2 KB CMOS RAM
  - label: ROM
    value: 16 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40 or 80 col. x 24 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 40 x 40 or 280 x 192 pixels (2 to 18 Hi-Res. pages)
  - label: COLORS
    value: '16'
  - label: SOUND
    value: Speech synthetiser and tones generator
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: Unknown
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: RGB and Composite video, Microphone jack, serial and parallel interfaces, Light-pen
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: 2 x F.D. 5.25 inches - 40 tracks - 48 TPI - 160 KB
  - label: OS
    value: Apple ll and CP/M operating systems
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in 70 W P.S.U.
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Cubic 10 MB Winchester Hard-disk unit and Apple ll cards
  - label: PRICE
    value: Unknown
  tabs:
  - photos
  - hardware
  forum_thread: 579
  photos:
  - title: 'SYSTEM PICTURE #1'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_system_1.jpg
  - title: 'SYSTEM PICTURE #2'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_system_2.jpg
  - title: BACK SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Keyboard connector\
      **(2)** Composite B/W video chinch plug\
      **(3)** RGB video output connector\
      **(4)** Microphone jack for voice recording\
      **(5)** Parallel printer connector\
      **(6)** Light-pen connector\
      **(7)** Serial interface connector (mounted on serial card)
    image: /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_backside_1.jpg
  - title: INSIDE CUBIC 99
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** 64 KB RAM memory chips (8 x 4164)\
      **(2)** Serial interface card\
      **(3)** Chinese characters generator card\
      **(4)** 128 KB RAM optional card\
      **(5)** Floppy drives controller card\
      **(6)** Power supply\
      **(7)** fan
    image: /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_inside_1.jpg
  - title: CUBIC MOTHERBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Z80-A microprocessor\
      **(2)** 6502 microprocessor\
      **(3)** 64 KB RAM memory chips (8 x 4164)\
      **(4)** Two ROM chips holding the Talking Basic interpreter\
      **(5)** RAM expansion card specific slot\
      **(6)** Apple ll compatible slots\
      **(7)** Analog joysticks connector\
      **(8)** Parallel printer connector\
      **(9)** RGB video out connector\
      **(10)** Composite B/W video out connector\
      **(11)** Speech synthetiser ROM chip\
      **(12)** Keyboard connector
    image: /media/museum/photos/creative_cubic99_motherboard_1.jpg
  hardware:
  - title: CREATIVE SERIAL CARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/creative_cubic99_serialcard_1.jpg
  - title: CREATIVE CHINESE CHARS. GENERATOR
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/creative_cubic99_chinesecard_1.jpg
  - title: CREATIVE 128 KB RAM CARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/creative_cubic99_128kram_1.jpg
  - title: CREATIVE F.D. CONTROLLER CARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/creative_cubic99_fdcontroler_1.jpg
  oc_id: 590
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608215921/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=590
    date: '2023-06-08'
---

This computer, also known as *the Talking Computer*, was fully compatible with the [Apple II](/museum/apple-ii/) and the CP/M operating systems thanks to its dual processor motherboard (6502 and Z80). It was manufactured by the Creative Technology Cie. which will later become wide-world known for its Sound Blaster cards.

Cubic 99 also had a vocal synthesizer which allowed the user to record and to reproduce words in English or Chinese language. Several commands of the BASIC language also allowed the computer to say sentences entered as string variables. The sound was of poor quality, but it was the best in low-cost sound technology of the time.

Creative was a company based in Singapore. The graphic on the screen of the model shown is celebrating Singapore's 25th year of independence, which was in 1990.

Thanks to **Philip Hurst** for his help.

<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>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.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>