old-computers.com/website
1
0
Fork 0
Code Issues Pull Requests Actions Packages Projects Releases Wiki Activity
Files
7edf5ff4a974a1a256c16dc6d3fc3366c284d7e9
website/content/museum/mgt-miles-gordon-technology-sam-coupe.md
T
yann64andClaude Opus 5.5 b274874139 All machines linked to their forum thread (full comment import) 
1,289 discussions, 9,527 archived comments; pages no longer carry the comments themselves.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
2026-10-13 17:26:43 +02:00

299 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
Raw Blame History

This file contains invisible Unicode characters
This file contains invisible Unicode characters that are indistinguishable to humans but may be processed differently by a computer. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.
---
title: MGT (Miles Gordon Technology) Sam Coupé
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- United Kingdom
years:
- '1989'
cpus:
- Zilog Z80B
params:
name: Sam Coupé
image: /media/museum/photos/mgt_samcoupe_1.jpg
logo: /media/museum/logos/samcoupe_logo.gif
company: /companies/mgt-miles-gordon-technology
company_name: MGT (Miles Gordon Technology)
specs:
- label: NAME
value: Sam Coupé
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: MGT (Miles Gordon Technology)
- label: TYPE
value: Home Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: United Kingdom
- label: YEAR
value: December 1989
- label: END OF PRODUCTION
value: '1992'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: SamBasic
- label: KEYBOARD
value: Full-stroke keyboard, 72 keys, Reset button
- label: CPU
value: Zilog Z80B (fully compatible with i8080 and Z80)
- label: SPEED
value: |-
6MHz with screen off, 4.5 MHz with screen on\
can be slowed down to emulate ZX Spectrum
- label: CO-PROCESSOR
value: Motorola MC 1377P Video Chip, Philips SAA1099 soundchip, ASIC handling graphics
- label: RAM
value: 256 kb or 512 kb onboard (depending models), and up to 4Mb with external addons (4.5 Mb total)
- label: ROM
value: 32 kb (BASIC, BIOS & disk bootstrap)
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 32 x 24, 85 x 24
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: 256 x 192, 512 x 192
- label: COLORS
value: 128 colors
- label: SOUND
value: Philips SAA1099 soundchip, 6 channels stereo FM synthesis, 8 octaves, 2 noise generators, 2 envelope generators, DAC digital output , sample rate 15.6 kHz. Built-in MIDI interface (in, out, through)
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: 2.26 Kg
- label: I/O PORTS
value: RF video output (UHF, channel 36), RGB scart video output, serial / network socket, joystick connector (Atari standard), parallel interface, audio input, audio output
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
value: |-
one or two 3.5'' ultraslim Citizen Double Density Drives (800 kb)\
First models had no disk-drives
- label: OS
value: SamDOS, CP/M available
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: External PSU (5v)
tabs:
- photos
- hardware
- software
- emulators
- links
forum_thread: 539
photos:
- title: SAM COUPÉ ENHANCED USING QUAZAR HARDWARE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
This SAM Coupé (original model with no internal disk drive) was upgraded with the following extensions from Quazar (www.samcoupe.com): brand new internal disk drive, 256K RAM extension, ROM v3.0.
Thomas Conté
image: /media/museum/photos/mgt_samcoupe_quazar.jpg
- title: SAM COUPÉ
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mgt_samcoupe_2.jpg
- title: ONE DISK DRIVE MODEL
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mgt_samcoupe_1disk_2.jpg
- title: DOUBLE DISK DRIVE MODEL
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mgt_sam-coupe_3.jpg
- title: BOOTING
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mgt_sam-coupe_booting.jpg
- title: USER MANUAL
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mgt_samcoupe_manual_1.jpg
- title: BOX
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mgt_sam-coupe_box_2.jpg
- title: SAM REVIVAL MAGAZINES
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/mgt_sam-coupe_sam-revival-mags.jpg
hardware:
- title: 256 KB RAM EXPANSION
subtitle: ''
text: This upgrade will increase the RAM of very early 256K Sam Coupe's to the standard 512K. This memory expansion fits under the unscrewable panel on the base of the Sam, and can be easily fitted in minutes - all you will need is a posidrive or phillips screwdriver to remove the small panel and then plug this module to the connector inside.
image: /media/museum/hardware/mgt_sam-coupe_256kb_ram_expansion.jpg
- title: SAM POWER SUPPLY UNIT
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/mgt_samcoupe_powersup_1.jpg
- title: SAM BUS
subtitle: ''
text: |-
This odd looking piece of hardware gave the owner the ability to attach up to 4 devices to the SAM's euroconnector socket at the same time. It also had an internal clock, and when used with MasterDos, this gave the SAM the ability to date stamp all your files.
Having so many devices attached to your SAM could cause severe power drain, and so each item of SAM hardware was provided with a power consumption rating. I seem to remember that the normal SAM PSU was considered sufficient to power up to 20 'power points'.
Once you went over that threshold, the SAM would require further power input, and so a PSU input socket was also built in to the SAMBus. However, as far as I am aware, an actual PSU was never produced so the socket was redundant.
Text and picture kindly provided by Stewart Skardon from its [SamCoupé.co.uk](http://www.sskardon.fsnet.co.uk/) web site.
image: /media/museum/hardware/mgt_samcoupe_bus.jpg
- title: SAMDAC
subtitle: ''
text: |-
This marvellous piece of hardware gave the SAM superior sound for playing MOD files, using The SAM MOD player software, which was distributed with the SAMdac.
One end of the interface plugged in to the SAM's light pen / audio out socket, and the other plugged in to a printer port (if you had one!).
The SAM originally had 6 bit sound, through the SAMdac this was increased to 8bit. This device was later suceeded by The Quazar Surround, but the SAMdac still had the advantage of being small and easy to hide.
Text and picture kindly provided by Stewart Skardon from its [SamCoupé.co.uk](http://www.sskardon.fsnet.co.uk/) web site.
image: /media/museum/hardware/mgt_samcoupe_samdac.jpg
- title: SD IDE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
The piece of hardware that SAM users screamed out for since day one, the SD software IDE interface finally arrived on the scene in late 1995. At long last, the ability to store all of your SAM stuff on one drive. Snag - the interface worked well, but the DOS was very limited. Development on the software was pretty constant, until the arrival of the Atom, at which point the whole project was stopped.
Text and picture kindly provided by Stewart Skardon from its [SamCoupé.co.uk](http://www.sskardon.fsnet.co.uk/) web site.
image: /media/museum/hardware/mgt_samcoupe_ide.jpg
- title: SAM MOUSE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
The piece of SAM hardware that everybody wanted. The SAM Mouse was eagerly awaited, and the original SAMco units were finally released to the public in 1991. Packaged with the mouse was Flash, the original SAM art package, later to be replaced by the far superior SAMPaint.
West Coast Computers later re-launched the SAM mouse, as pictured. The new package included the mouse driver software, and Revelations excellent GUI - DRiVER.
Rivaled only by the Blue Alpha Joy mouse, the SAM Mouse was the true winner.
Text and picture kindly provided by Stewart Skardon from its [SamCoupé.co.uk](http://www.sskardon.fsnet.co.uk/) web site.
image: /media/museum/hardware/mgt_samcoupe_mouse.jpg
- title: QUAZAR SURROUND
subtitle: ''
text: |-
This serious piece of hardware gave the SAM the ability to support 16 bit sound. Connecting via the Euroconnector, this piece of hardware was a little difficult to use with a SAMbus.
The Quazar Surround has two output jacks for connecting two sets of speakers, and the results are pretty damn amazing. Also built in is an expansion connector for the additional sampler module. A damn site better than Blue Alpha's attempt, it was still necessary to have the Quazar Surround card plugged in to be able to hear the samples. Drat.
Text and picture kindly provided by Stewart Skardon from its [SamCoupé.co.uk](http://www.sskardon.fsnet.co.uk/) web site.
image: /media/museum/hardware/mgt_samcoupe_quazzarsourround.jpg
- title: SAM SOUND SAMPLER
subtitle: ''
text: |-
Possibly the worst piece of SAM Hardware ever. Playback was only possible with the sampler plugged in, and samples were of very poor quality. This particular sampler also caused a large amount of distortion to the television display.
The software that was supplied with the sampler was very crude, and the 'manual' was badly photocopied and held together by a single staple in the corner.
Text and picture kindly provided by Stewart Skardon from its [SamCoupé.co.uk](http://www.sskardon.fsnet.co.uk/) web site.
image: /media/museum/hardware/mgt_samcoupe_soundsampler.jpg
- title: SAM PARALLEL INTERFACE
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/mgt_samcoupe_parallelinterf_1.jpg
screenshots:
- title: BOOT SCREEN
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_boot_ss.jpg
- title: BATZ 'N BALLZ
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_batznballz_ss.jpg
- title: DEFENDER
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_defender_ss.jpg
- title: DEFENDERS OF THE EARTH
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_defendersoftheearth_ss.jpg
- title: FLASH
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_flash_ss.jpg
- title: ICE CHICKEN
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_icechicken_ss.jpg
- title: LEMMINGS
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_lemmings_ss.jpg
- title: MANIC MINER
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_manicminer_ss.jpg
- title: MNEMO DEMO 2
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_mnemo2demo_ss.jpg
- title: PAC MAN
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_pacman_ss.jpg
- title: PRINCE OF PERSIA
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_princeofpersia_ss.jpg
- title: SAM JUGGLER
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_samjuggler_ss.jpg
- title: SAM PAINT
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_sampaint_ss.jpg
- title: SPHERA
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_sphera_ss.jpg
- title: TETRIS
subtitle: ''
text: Thanks to [SimCoupé website](http://www.simcoupe.org/) for this screenshot
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_tetris_ss.jpg
- title: GAME BOXES
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/mgt_samcoupe_software_1.jpg
emulators:
- title: ASCD
url: http://aley.borec.cz/progs/#sam
platform: MS DOS
text: DOS emulator made by Aley Keprt
- title: SamCoupé
url: http://www.inf.upol.cz/~keprta/sam/samemu/welcome.html
platform: MS DOS
text: Another DOS emulator by Aley Keprt
- title: SimCoupé
url: http://www.simcoupe.org/
platform: Multiplatform
text: This nice emulators is available for Windows, DOS, Linux, BeOS and MacOS
links:
- title: Land of Pod - SamCoupé pages
url: http://www.podboy.demon.co.uk/coupe/index.htm
text: FRED magazines, many downloads and original documentation (PDF) !
- title: Sam Coupe Pro-Dos Resource Site
url: http://www.samcoupe-pro-dos.co.uk/
text: A large number of manuals as pdf, plus details of Sams CP/M 2.2 system
- title: Sam Coupé Scrapbook
url: http://www.samcoupescrapbook.co.uk/
text: The mother of all SAM sites. The original site. Full of useful stuff.
- title: Sam Coupé Webring
url: http://v.webring.com/hub?ring=samcoupe&list
text: The official webring
- title: SamCoupé.com
url: HTTP://WWW.SAMCOUPE.COM
text: The new home for up to the minute information and releases for the Sam Coupé.
- title: Spectrum Advanced Machine
url: http://sam.speccy.cz/
text: A lot of technical info !!
- title: The "Your Sinclair" Rock'n'Roll years
url: http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/index_sam.htm
text: Section dedicated to the SamCoupé with a lot of interesting articles
- title: World Of Sam
url: http://www.worldofsam.org/
text: Wiki with all information about the SAM
- title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
text: Archive dedicated to the Sam Coupé
oc_id: 545
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230604182600/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=545
date: '2023-06-04'
---
In the last quarter of 1989 M.G.T. launched the Sam Coupé. M.G.T. was already known in the [ZX Spectrum](/museum/sinclair-zx-spectrum/) world for a range of hardware that they sold. The Sam was their pride and joy, and unfortunately to be their downfall.
This was a time when the 16-bit machines, the [Atari ST](/museum/atari-520-st-st-stm/) and the [Amiga](/museum/commodore-amiga-500/), were really being to take off. Sales in computers such as the Spectrum was in rapid decline. The Sam was aimed to fill this gap, a powerful 8-bit machine with specs that in cases out performed those of the 16-bit machines, at an 8-bit price. It was hoped that current 8-bit owners, particularly Spectrum owners, would jump on the nicely priced Sam rather than a more expensive 16-bit machine.
<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>
Reference in New Issue View Git Blame Copy Permalink