website/content/museum/powertran-cybernetics-cortex.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
POWERTRAN CYBERNETICS CORTEX	Computers	Professional Computer	United Kingdom	1983	TMS 9995	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread links docs oc_id source CORTEX /media/museum/photos/powertran_cortex_1.jpg /companies/powertran-cybernetics POWERTRAN CYBERNETICS label value NAME CORTEX label value MANUFACTURER Powertran Cybernetics label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN United Kingdom label value YEAR 1983 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Power Basic and simple assembler/disassember. label value KEYBOARD Full-strok keyboard with numeric keypad label value CPU TMS 9995 (16 bit) label value SPEED 3 MHz (12 MHz crystal) label value RAM 64 KB label value VRAM 16 KB label value ROM 24 KB label value TEXT MODES 40 x 25 label value GRAPHIC MODES 256 x 192 label value COLORS 16 label value SOUND built in speaker with primitive sound function label value SIZE / WEIGHT Unknown label value I/O PORTS Serial RS-232C, Tape recorder port, optional Parallel printer card made by the Cortex User Group, Ebus extension bus that would take cards from the TI990 series minicomputer. label value BUILT IN MEDIA Optional 5.25'' FDD (worked off a TMS9909 FDC. The Basic included a 'Boot' command which would boot the disk.) label value OS No OS label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in PSU label value PRICE £249 + vat (later £199 + vat) for a kit of self assemby parts. Construction details in 'Electronics today international' magazine links docs 181 title url text www.powertrancortex.com http://www.powertrancortex.com/ Reference site title url text Web Wiz CAPTCHA http://www.webwizcaptcha.com FTP with useful files (emulator, roms, docs, etc.) title url cover text FULL 31-PAGE TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION /media/museum/docs/cortex.zip /media/museum/docs/couvs/powertran_cortex_techmanual_s1%5B1%5D.jpg [**FULL 31-PAGE TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION**](/media/museum/docs/cortex.zip)written by Powertran Cybernetics  type of document : ZIP\  source : [old-computers.com](/media/museum/docs/cortex.zip) title url cover text CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS AND COMPLETE DESCRIPTION. /media/museum/docs/cortex_diagram.pdf /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif [**CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS AND COMPLETE DESCRIPTION.**](/media/museum/docs/cortex_diagram.pdf)written by ETI electronic magazine  compiled/archived by Stuart Conner\  type of document : PDF 171 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608161006/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=171 2023-06-08

The information we have about this computer is sketchy.
O.S. was a powerful graphical BASIC interpreter modded from the TI basic.
Forth language was also available but not widely used.
Cortex had a mode to give 256 K RAM. ROM was copied into RAM at start-up and then swiched off allowing boot code and basic to be altered at start-up.

Cortex was followed by the Cortex II which was just a re cased version with same style as early apple/dragon 32 beige/yellow plastic sloping cases, but using same main board and disk drives.

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.