Hello from the USA!

[TinkersDam]

Hello everyone!

I am an old school hardware hacker turned EE hardware developer. My hobby is collecting and restoring vintage computers. I am an IBM guy at heart (and former employee), but I started collecting compact Macs about a year ago. I’ve only got one more Mac needed for the complete set, so I’m working on other machines. In addition to the Macs I’ve got an IBM XT (as well as a homebrew 8088 I use as a test bed), a MIB Coleco Adam, and several Commodore 64s including a Rev A with gold bar RAM. My experience with the Memotech is strictly limited to its appearance in the film Weird Science, which I’ve seen probably a hundred times. I’ve always wanted to get my hands on that computer but didn’t know what it was until recently. So I’m on the hunt for one, as well as an expansion unit. I’m also building up to acquiring an IMSAI 8080 (From the film Wargames) to replace the very realistic replica kit I have. I bought the kit with the hopes of yanking the modern stuff and turning it into an actual S-100 machine, but having the real deal would be preferable. I see that this board doesn’t see much traffic these days, but I hope to chat with some of you!

With love from America,

Matt

[1024MAK]

Hello Matt!

Welcome to our forum

The MTX500 and MTX512 models are rare outside of the U.K. and certain nearby European countries, so I wish you the best of luck finding one.

Mark

[Dave]

Hi Matt,

Welcome to the forum.

As Mark says, the MTX is not too common, even in the UK.
There was a US specific model, but it also sold in very small numbers.

Hopefully, you will get lucky finding one.

Regards
Dave

[TinkersDam]

Thank you both! I am aware of the rarity, especially of late. But my luck in finding vintage systems has been quite good lately. Recently I picked up both an Apple Lisa and a Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh both for fractions of what they go for. I also found a Drexel Mac in the wild and I’m in negotiations on an IMSAI 8080. Fingers crossed I happen upon an MTX.

[mimisiku]

Hi, I am living in Holland and got aquainted with computers in collage. They used an Exidy Sorcerer III. My father was technically educated and I picked things up while growing up. Helping him to assemble kits (Heathkit, Philips). I bought my first ‘computer’, a handheld Sharp PC-1211, followed by a Sinclair ZX-81,Spectrum 48K and in 1984 a Memotech FDX. By that time I was supporting a computer outlet doing some programming. As a ‘thank you’ I was offered this completely unknown Memotech FDX for an absolute ‘steal’. A deal I couldn’t refuse. The FDX was build like it could withstand WW3 with ease! Used it to program CP/M tools. Later my career ‘forced’ me to use 68000 and 80*86 computers. Got married, kids and home-tinkering went out the door. After a couple times moving house the FDX unit got lost!?! The boxed MTX-512 remained at was left in the attic for 25+ years! As a fresh retiree I dug it up from the attic to see if it still worked. It mostly did.. The screen output was terrible and the keyboard no longer worked. I finally found the 74LS244 to be broken and also recapped the entire board. It ran perfectly after this repair. Browsed the internet and found - to my amazement - that anno 2025 hardware was still being developed by the original designers. How exceptional is that? I couldn’t resist to buy an MFX board and now 41!! years later I am glancing at a MTX-512 SDX-ish computer running CP/M on a VGA monitor….. How cool is this! Now rekindeling my old-school Z80 programming skills…

[1024MAK]

Hello mimisiku!

Welcome to our forum

Glad you are having fun

Mark

[Dave]

The FDX was build like it could withstand WW3 with ease!

After a couple times moving house the FDX unit got lost!?!
I couldn’t resist to buy an MFX board and now 41!! years later I am glancing at a MTX-512 SDX-ish computer running CP/M on a VGA monitor….. How cool is this! Now rekindeling my old-school Z80 programming skills…

Shame about the FDX "getting lost" - very careless of you

Glad you're having fun with MFX though!

regards
Dave

[wyerd]

Hello everyone!

I am an old school hardware hacker turned EE hardware developer. My hobby is collecting and restoring vintage computers. I am an IBM guy at heart (and former employee), but I started collecting compact Macs about a year ago. I’ve only got one more Mac needed for the complete set, so I’m working on other machines. In addition to the Macs I’ve got an IBM XT (as well as a homebrew 8088 I use as a test bed), a MIB Coleco Adam, and several Commodore 64s including a Rev A with gold bar RAM. My experience with the Memotech is strictly limited to its appearance in the film Weird Science, which I’ve seen probably a hundred times. I’ve always wanted to get my hands on that computer but didn’t know what it was until recently. So I’m on the hunt for one, as well as an expansion unit. I’m also building up to acquiring an IMSAI 8080 (From the film Wargames) to replace the very realistic replica kit I have. I bought the kit with the hopes of yanking the modern stuff and turning it into an actual S-100 machine, but having the real deal would be preferable. I see that this board doesn’t see much traffic these days, but I hope to chat with some of you!

With love from America,

Matt

Hi Matt,

I'm a Brit living in Upstate NY. Which part of the US are you?

I was lucky enough to find a US spec MTX512 around 10 years ago, just after I moved here on eBay. Good luck finding one.

David.