website/content/museum/matra-max-90.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Matra MAX 90	Computers	Professional Computer	France	1984	Intel 8088	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos oc_id source MAX 90 /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_system_1.jpg /companies/matra Matra label value NAME MAX 90 label value MANUFACTURER Matra label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN France label value YEAR 1984 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Full stroke 92 keys with numeric keypad and arrow keys label value CPU Intel 8088 label value SPEED 8 Mhz label value CO-PROCESSOR Optional 8087 math coprocessor label value RAM 128 KB or 256 KB (up to 1 MB) label value ROM 2 Kb label value TEXT MODES 80 char X 24 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 640 x 288 dots with an optional graphic card label value COLORS Monochrome green label value SOUND Built-in speaker label value SIZE / WEIGHT 42 (W) x 51 (D) x 38 (H) cm label value I/O PORTS Parallel, 2 x Serial, Game port, 5 x 8-bit ISA extension slots. Optional network and high resolution cards. label value BUILT IN MEDIA 2 x 5''1/4 disk-drives (2,7Mb each) or 1 x 5''1/4 disk-drive and 5 Mb hard disk label value OS MS DOS, CP/M 86 in option label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in 65W switching power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS Printers, modem, graphic card label value PRICE Between 4500 and 7600 according to versions photos 936 title subtitle text image LARGE VIEW /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_system_2.jpg title subtitle text image TOP VIEW /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_topview_1.jpg title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE Nice profile, isn't it? /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_rightside_1.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT SIDE /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_leftside_1.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP The keyboard was made in Japan, by Cherry. /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_keybcloseup_1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR SIDE (1) Reset button\ (2) Serial/Modem connector\ (3) Serial/Terminal connector\ (4) Joystick connector\ (5) Network connector from the optional network card\ (6) Parallel printer connector\ (7) Video connector. The connector also supplies the power to the monitor. /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_rearside_2.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE **(1)** The keyboard comes from Cherry, in Japan\ **(2)** Two expansion cards are installed in this machine. The bottom one is a LAN card\ **(3)** The upper one is a 256 Kb RAM card\ **(4)** Fan\ **(5)** 65W switching power supply unit. Comes from Astek, Hong-Kong\ **(6)** Housing for dual 5.25" floppy drive units\ **(7)** Two holes allow the user to easily take off the upper part of the case. /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_inside_1.jpg title subtitle text image MAINBOARD The mainboard has a classic design with no custom chips. The majority of the components come from NEC. **(1)** This card supports 5 ISA slots. Extension cards are inserted horizontally.\ **(2)** Intel 8088 processor. A socket is available for an 8087 math coprocessor\ **(3)** 256 KB RAM chips in four banks of 64 KB (8 x 6164 chips + 1 parity chip). On this version, all the chips are soldered, some other versions of the board featured 128 KB of soldered chips and two additional banks of empty sockets for an optional 128 Kb of RAM /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_mainboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image FLOPPY DRIVES The very high-capacity floppy drives (2.7 Mb) are labelled BASF, but these models were manufactured in Japan, by Canon /media/museum/photos/matra_max90_fddrives.jpg 960 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20221205023353/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=960 2022-12-05

Like the MAX 20, the MAX 90 was derived from the AX 25, a computer designed by Axel, a small and innovative French company.

It was an almost PC-compatible system including some rare features at that time: 8 MHz 8088 processor, high resolution capability, and especially one or two 5.25" floppy disk drives of 2.7 MB capacity each. To our knowledge, it's the highest capacity ever seen for a 5.25" floppy drive unit.

A few thousand systems were sold to the French civil services, but this computer didn't become a success with private companies.

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.