website/content/museum/micronique-victor-hector-1.md

---
title: MICRONIQUE Victor / Hector 1
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- France
years:
- '1981'
cpus:
- Intel 8080 then Zilog Z80A
params:
  name: Victor / Hector 1
  image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_system_s1.jpg
  logo: /media/museum/logos/micronique_hector1_logo.gif
  company: /companies/micronique
  company_name: MICRONIQUE
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Victor / Hector 1
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Micronique
  - label: TYPE
    value: Home Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: France
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1981'
  - label: END OF PRODUCTION
    value: 1985 ?
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: |-
      None but Basic Level II & Level III, and EDU-Basic (french Basic) available on tape\
      Then from 83 : Basic Level III built-in ROM
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: |-
      Mechanical keyboard\
      QWERTY and then AZERTY from fall 83
  - label: CPU
    value: Intel 8080 then Zilog Z80A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 2 MHz (8080), 1.7 MHz (Z80)
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: T.I. sound generator (SN 76477N)
  - label: RAM
    value: 16 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 2 KB (4 KB ?)
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 12 x 17
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 112 x 78 in 4 colors
  - label: COLORS
    value: '8'
  - label: SOUND
    value: 1 voice, 4 octaves (Texas Instrument SN 76477N)
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 47 (W) x 26.5 (D) x 10.5 (H) cm
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: |-
      2 joystick sockets\
      RGB video output
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: Tape recorder (1500 bauds)
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in power supply
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Joysticks
  - label: PRICE
    value: |-
      450 (France, december 82)\
      Family Box (2 joysticks + software) =532 (France, july 83)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - emulators
  - links
  photos:
  - title: FIRST VICTOR
    subtitle: ''
    text: The new redesigned (compared to the original Victor Lambda) 16K model before it changed its name to Hector. The cassette drive holds the Victor Basic which had to be loaded as soon as the machine was shitched on.
    image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_system_s2.jpg
  - title: LEFT SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Provision was made for a parallel printer connector which appeared with the second version of the motherboard.
    image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_leftside_s1.jpg
  - title: CLOSE-UP
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_closeup_s1.jpg
  - title: OPENED
    subtitle: ''
    text: The motherboard is enclosed with a thick shell of aluminum used as a cooler for the power regulators.
    image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_inside_s1.jpg
  - title: MAINBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The first version of the main board still used an Intel 8080 processor. Later version used a Z80.\
      Apart from the processor and the sound generator, all the other chips are standard logic I.C.s

      **(1)** 16 KB RAM memory chips (8 x 4116)\
      **(2)** Keyboard connector\
      **(3)** 2 Atari compatible joysticks connectors\
      **(4)** Texas Instruments 76477 sound generator\
      **(5)** Tape recorder and Reset connectors\
      **(6)** Initial Program Loader (IPL) ROM which asks the user to load the Basic tape program as soon as the system is switched on\
      **(7)** 8080 processor\
      **(8)** Power transformer connector\
      **(9)** RGB video connector
    image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_mainboard_s1.jpg
  - title: IN USE
    subtitle: ''
    text: When the Microsoft Basic was loaded, only 4698 bytes remained available for user's programs. Furthermore, this first version was very slow.
    image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_inuse_s1.jpg
  - title: FIRST HECTOR
    subtitle: ''
    text: In 83, Sirius was renamed Victor. Maybe fearing some problems, the french Victor was renamed Hector. The new version had a Z80 processor instead of the 8080. The Basic still wasn't in ROM, the tape recorder keys became black.
    image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_hector1_system_s1.jpg
  - title: '''BRONZE'' MODEL'
    subtitle: ''
    text: Around 1985, some models were produced with "bronze colored" cases...
    image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_bronzeversion_s1.jpg
  - title: USER MANUAL
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/micronique_victor1_manual_s1.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: FRENCH ADVERT
    subtitle: ''
    text: These in an advert from 84, for 3 models of Hectors (Hector 16k, Hector 2HR+ 48k & Hector HRX 64k).
    image: /media/museum/pubs/micronique_hector_pub_surdoue.gif
  emulators:
  - title: DCHector
    url: http://dchector.free.fr/
    platform: Windows
    text: Excellent Interact/Hector emulator !
  - title: MESS - Interact, Hector1, Victor, 2HR, 2HR+, HRX, MX40, MX80
    url: HTTP://WWW.MESS.ORG/
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: All machines are emulated since 0.136 and Disc2 until 0.141 by Yo_Fr
  links:
  - title: Hector - l'ordinateur français!
    url: http://hectorvictor.free.fr/
    text: French website dedicated to Hector / Victor Lambda computers
  related:
  - /museum/micronique-hector-hrx
  - /museum/micronique-hector-mx
  - /museum/micronique-victor-hector-2hr-2hr
  - /museum/micronique-victor-lambda
  oc_id: 427
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20221205015044/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=427
    date: '2022-12-05'
---

These models are identical to the original [Victor Lambda](/museum/micronique-victor-lambda/) and are thus compatible with it.

But when Micronique bought back the Victor Lambda to Interact, they modified it : they changed the CPU (Intel 8080A -> Z80A) and re-designed entirely the mother board and the overall conception.

But these 16k models experienced a lot of little changements which lead into a certain confusion about the Hector / Victor family. First the Victor logo changed, then the name was changed to Hector (to avoid confusion with Victor Technology computers), then the keyboard became AZERTY and a last, the Basic was integrated in ROM. That's a lot for a unique machine ! And I don't speak here about the different versions of ROM.

<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>