Engineering:Olivetti M19
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| Manufacturer | Olivetti |
|---|---|
| Type | Personal computer |
| Release date | 1986 |
| Operating system | MS-DOS 2.11 / 3.1, Concurrent DOS and UCSD p-System |
| CPU | 8088 @ 4.77 or 8 MHz |
| Memory | 256–640 KB |
| Graphics | Plantronics Colorplus |
The Olivetti M19 is a personal computer made in 1986 by the Italian company Olivetti. It has an 8088 at 4.77 or 8 MHz and 256–640 KB of RAM.[1] The BIOS is Revision Diagnostics 3.71. In the UK, it was sold by Acorn Computers as the Acorn M19,[2] with additional software also available via Acorn.[3]
The machine came with three operating systems: MS-DOS 2.11 / 3.1, Concurrent DOS and UCSD p-System.[1] It is capable of displaying graphics in standard CGA or Plantronics Colorplus mode (320x200 pixel with 16 colors and 640x200 with 4 colors).[1]
The M19 was sold with two floppy disk drives (360 KB format). A hard drive option was made available later, in the form of a 5 MB (later 10 MB) hard drive in an add-on case (aka "sidecar") attached to the left hand side of the computer by four machine screws.
Paul Maynes, a technician at HBH Computers (one of Olivetti's dealerships in Durban) designed, and SA Signals Manufacturing (also of Durban) produced a bus extension card with a 90-degree bend (purportedly a world-first) that could accommodate a Seagate hard drive controller card. This allowed the second floppy drive to be removed and a 20 MB (later 40 MB) full-height hard drive installed in its place.
Olivetti M19 with external I/O box attached
Olivetti M19 rear view
Inside of the computer, with two 5 1⁄4-inch disk drives
Mainboard. An AMD P8259A Programmable Interrupt Controller is visible, together with a NEC V20 (µPD70108) main processor (instead of an Intel 8088)
See also
- Olivetti M24
- Plantronics Colorplus
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.sba.unipi.it/sites/default/files/10.pdf
- ↑ Acorn Personal Computer M19. Acorn Computers Limited. July 1986. http://www.4corn.co.uk/archive/docs/AMPAPP/150/APP086%20(1st%20ed)%20-%20Acorn%20Personal%20Computer%20M19%20(1986)-opt.pdf. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ↑ Acorn Personal Computer M19 Software Price List. Acorn Computers Limited. July 1986. http://chrisacorns.computinghistory.org.uk/docs/Acorn/Brochures/Acorn_APP92_M19SoftwarePricelist_July1986.pdf. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
External links
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