website/content/museum/hitachi-mb-16000.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Hitachi MB-16000	Computers	Home Computer	Japan	1982	Intel 8088	name image company company_name specs forum_thread oc_id source MB-16000 /media/museum/photos/hitachi_16000_1.jpg /companies/hitachi Hitachi label value NAME MB-16000 label value MANUFACTURER Hitachi label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Japan label value YEAR 1982 label value KEYBOARD Full stroke 90 keys with numeric keypad and 11 function keys label value CPU Intel 8088 label value SPEED 4 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR Optional 8087 math coprocessor label value RAM 128 KB (up to 384 KB) label value VRAM 192 KB label value ROM 16 KB label value TEXT MODES 40 or 80 chars x 25 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 640 x 400 / 320 x 200 / 640 x 200 / 320 x 400 label value COLORS 16 label value SOUND Beeper label value SIZE / WEIGHT 49 (W) x 25 (D) x 30.5 (H) cm (system unit) label value I/O PORTS RS232c, Centronics, RGB, Disk, Light Pen, 8 bit slots (5) label value BUILT IN MEDIA Two 5.25'' DS/DD floppy discs label value OS MS DOS label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS 5 expansion slots, 8'' floppy drives, 10 MB hard disc label value PRICE £1695 (U.K., 1984) 150 138 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230415205058/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=138 2023-04-15

Hitachi, along with Sharp and Canon, were among the Japanese video manufacturers who have decided to diversify into computers. They brought with them a strong reputation for reliability and value for money.

The Hitachi MB-16000 was one of the first Japanese IBM PC compatibles.It was certainly well equipped and was able to compete at the highest level of PC and compatible systems of the time. It came complete with a colour monitor.

One of its interesting characteristics was its "enhanced" graphic mode: it was primary designed to be a CAD computer. A colour and monochrome version existed.

It ran MS-DOS. It was possible to connect an optional 10 Mb hard disk and a 256 Kb RAMdisk card was designed especially for this computer.

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Dennis adds:
However, it was unable to run any standard PC applications which required graphics. A UK club was formed to sleuth out any such programs which it could manage. By the end of 1986 the "sure to be a great success " "best value on the market" (as the 1984 reviewers said) was dead and gone under the onslaught of IBM PC's and Apples, to say nothing of Atari and partners!