Stéphane from France (MTX500)

[Dave]

you’re right, it seems my french Keyboard has 3 keys with the typical french “à”, “é” and “è” character that the belgian hasn’t !

I am really surprised that there were different keyboards for France and Belgium. Is written French in France really different to the way that it is written in Belgium?

I think it just more likely that Memotech were not entirely consistent when making up the keyboards, perhaps due to short supply of keycaps as they started to run out of money

[stansteph54]

put 64122 in brackets, i.e., PRINT PEEK (64122)

whooops what for a newbie I am !

So, here is the answer : 0

6AA10E83-EBBD-42FF-A29C-2976EFDB0275.jpeg (6.37 MiB) Viewed 26597 times

[gunrock]

I think it just more likely that Memotech were not entirely consistent when making up the keyboards, perhaps due to short supply of keycaps as they started to run out of money

Yeah, but they would have to have a ROM that supports it, right?

I do know what you mean though, Dave, look at this keyboard:

20231021_193144.jpg (227.19 KiB) Viewed 26596 times

What's that over the "3" key? Total UK layout, bar that key, must have been whatever was in the parts bin?

[gunrock]

So you have 32k as expected, Stéphane. The clean up looks great, what a machine!

[gunrock]

you’re right, it seems my french Keyboard has 3 keys with the typical french “à”, “é” and “è” character that the belgian hasn’t !

Actually, the keys on the Belgian keyboard are there, but in different locations on the keyboard. Stéphane Schmitt, kindly gave us a close up:

1697885752194.jpg (818.53 KiB) Viewed 26589 times

Same accented letter keys, different locations. Amazing!

I have the feeling that Memotech made the localisation much harder than it had to be! Or maybe like the Danish/Norwegian key differences, perhaps Belgian and French users expected those keys in different positions?

[Martin A]

I did check the motherboard version as you requested and the result is : « Params » so ???

3A7EDA2F-50C0-4961-A379-952B9175EA6C.jpeg

put 64122 in brackets, i.e., PRINT PEEK (64122)

Sorry, us old folk forget things when we start messaging late at night (ie after 6pm)

[stansteph54]

Thanks to you all for your comment and feedback,

no problem @Martin, we found the mistake and now we have your answer : result was 0

I agree the difference between French and Belgian Azerty is strange.
I will double check that the keycaps are right related to the key pressed.. maybe Stephane Schmitt could proceed the same ?
To me, my keyboard looks more usual/ more similar to AZERTY keyboard with the accented letter close to the M, before the return on the second line of keys and the dots etc close to/after the N on the 3rd line of lettered keys

[Dave]

It would also be helpful to know if any labels that might be on the piggy-back ROMs look similar

[gunrock]

Yes, Stéphane, if you are happy opening the machine, could we have a couple of fairly hi-res pictures, please?

[stansteph54]

Sure, I will do some when I open the machine.

I also read some pages of the very amazing website of Dave and found another french collector and web friend Gilles Bronchain may have a MTX512. I will check his keyboard configuration.

I also understood by the way that the DIN plug I have on the right side too should be the out of an internal french rvb scart adding card inside the machine.

I’m very happy being part of your family with this original 32k 500 version, I guess they shouldn’t be so much sold back in the day here in France.