Almost ten years after having conceived the Micral, world first commercial microprocessor based computer, André Thi T. Truong, joined the young Normerel Company managed by his old friend Jean René Tissot.
In a short time, he designed the OPlite, first computer Normerel would produce.
The Oplite was a PC compatible system featuring some innovative concepts. The case held a dual floppy disk drive and a removable 9-inch display. Standard connectors allowed an external colour TV set, a RGB or composite monitor to be used. The case also provided room for four long expansion cards.
To reach a high level of sales, Normerel joined together with Rank Xerox. The OPlite was thus sold in the large French 'Xerox Store's network alongside Apple, Toshiba and other well-known brands.
Later, Normerel would sell several PC and AT compatible systems. They made a joint-venture with ADDX Systèmes and formed ADDX-Normerel.
In 1989, the company which lost a lot of money, was bought by SMT-Goupil. Finally, Normerel closed its doors in July 1998, the same year as SMT.
Please consider donating your old computer / videogame system to Old-Computers.com or one of our partners from anywhere in the world (Europe, America, Asia, etc.).
In a desperate attempt to find new markets, Normerel started a line of TVs - I remember seeing them at a computer show but never in any shop...
Wednesday 14th March 2007
Grosminet750 (France)
NAME
OPlite
MANUFACTURER
Normerel
TYPE
Professional Computer
ORIGIN
France
YEAR
1983
BUILT IN LANGUAGE
None
KEYBOARD
Standard 83-key PC-type with 10 function keys and Numeric keypad
CPU
Intel 8088
SPEED
4.77 MHz
CO-PROCESSOR
Motorola 6845 CRT controller
RAM
256 KB
VRAM
16 KB
ROM
10 KB (8 KB BIOS, 2 KB Char. Generator)
TEXT MODES
40 ot 80 columns x 25 lines
GRAPHIC MODES
CGA - 640 x 200 dots
COLORS
16
SOUND
Beeper
SIZE / WEIGHT
52 (W) x 38 (D) x 26 (H) cm
I/O PORTS
RGB, video composite, SCART, FDD controller, Parallel, Serial,4 expansion slots
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