 Sanyo MBC-555 on display at the Living Computer Museum | |
| Developer | Sanyo |
|---|---|
| Type | Personal computer |
| Release date | 1982 |
| Lifespan | 6 Years |
| Introductory price | <$1000 |
| Discontinued | 1988 |
| Units sold | 10,000+ |
| Operating system | MS-DOS |
| CPU | Intel 8088 at 3.58 MHz |
| Memory | 128 KB |
| Display | RGB Color Monitor CRT 70; 640x200 with 8 colors |
| Graphics | RGB graphics adapter |
| Sound | Buzzer (single buzztone sound, fixed duration) |
| Input | Keyboard |
| Connectivity | 1 parallel port |
| Power | 120 V AC (North American model) |
| Dimensions | 380 x 112 x 360 mm |
| Predecessor | MBC-1000 |
The Sanyo MBC-550 is a small and inexpensive personal computer in "pizza-box" style, featuring an Intel 8088 microprocessor and running a version of MS-DOS. Sold by Sanyo, it was the least expensive early IBM PC compatible[1] and followed Sanyo's MBC-1000 line of CP/M computers.[2]
The MBC-550 has much better video display possibilities than the CGA card (8 colors at 640x200 resolution, vs CGA's 4 colors at 320x200 or 2 colors at 640x200). Still, it is not completely compatible with the IBM PC.
The computer lacks a standard BIOS, having only a minimal bootloader in ROM that accesses hardware directly to load a RAM-based BIOS.[3] The diskette format (FM rather than MFM) used is not completely compatible with the IBM PC, but special software on an original PC or PC/XT (but not PC/AT) can read and write the diskettes, and software expecting a standard 18.2 Hz clock interrupt has to be rewritten.
The MBC-550 was also the computer for NRI training. Starting by building the computer, the NRI promised you would be "qualified to service and repair virtually every major brand of computer".[4] NRI was advertised in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science throughout 1985.[5]
The MBC-550 is less PC compatible than the IBM PCjr. Its inability to use much PC software was a significant disadvantage; [1] InfoWorld reported in August 1985 that Sanyo "has initiated a campaign to sell off" MBC-550 inventory. The company's newer computers were, an executive claimed, 99% PC compatible.[6]
