What a weird computer !! Though it has a lot of similarities with other computers of that time, it seems to be however an original Brazilian production, a kind of mix between several popular systems.
Its name MC-1000 is strangely close to MC-10 from Tandy. It uses the same video-controller (Motorola MC-6847) but Sound chipset (GI AY-3-8910) and CPU (Z80A) are different. The character set is almost identical, but keyboard layout and Basic statements are not the same (PLOT vs SET, LOAD vs CLOAD, HOME vs CLS, etc.)
Maybe the closest system would be the Samsung SPC-1000. It has the same CPU, Video processor and Sound processor ! But sadly nearly nothing is known about it... At first sight it doesn't look the same at all, but internaly there are very close.
Thanks to Cesar Cardoso for the following information :
BACKGROUND ON HISTORY: from 1976 to 1990-1992, Brazil had a market reserve policy on microcomputers and selected computing items, i.e. only Brazilian companies could manufacture these items. But most companies only copied foreign computers and only a small part of it created their own technology, like Scopus and a MS-DOS clone called SISNE.
This little monster was a genuine Brazilian computer! CCE was a electronics manufacturer known for their low prices and low quality products. They released Apple II and PC compatible machines, but developed their own computer, the MC-1000. Hardware-wise, it's close to a MSX, with some big project problems (the text mode, unsuitable for something more serious, and the printer port, which was external and sold separately).
The most heard word of this computer is "vaporware". CCE made a lot of them for this computer. The biggest of them all: disk drives. Hey, in 1985 disk drives was an essential peripheral of ANY computer - and CCE promised drives. Drives and CP/M - MC-1000 could have been a decent CP/M machine. They promised, promised... and never delivered. So people got tired of waiting and gave up on this computer.
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.
This crazy machine wasn´t equipped with a ON/OFF switch or anything that would allow you to turn it on or off. This operation had to be done by pulling in or out the energy plug from the case, or the whole external PSU from the wall....
Thursday 18th August 2005
Todor DeOliveira (Brazil)
I just released the first ever MC-1000 emulator. Get it here: http://www.700km.com.br/mundobizarro/brmc1000.php
Motorola MC 6847 (Graphics) + GI AY-3-8910 (Sound)
RAM
16 KB (expandable to 64 KB)
VRAM
6 KB
ROM
16 KB
TEXT MODES
32 x 16 (80 columns with an external add-on, really another Motorola graphic chip)
GRAPHIC MODES
128 x 96 (low resolution), 256 x 192 (hi resolution)
COLORS
4 on low resolution, 2 on hi resolution
SOUND
3 voices, 7 octaves + 1 noise channel
I/O PORTS
A expansion bus on the back to plug the RAM expansion, the printer port and, if it was delievered, the drive interface. It works like the Sinclair expansion buses. 2 x controller ports. Tape interface. Video output
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