NAME  

MPF-1 A/B

MANUFACTURER  

Multitech

TYPE  

Home Computer

ORIGIN  

Taiwan

YEAR  

1981

BUILT IN LANGUAGE 

Machine code

KEYBOARD  

Hexadecimal calculator-type keyboard
36 keys including, 16 hexadecimal keys, 19 function keys, and one user-definable key

CPU  

Zilog Z80

SPEED  

1,79 MHz

CO-PROCESSOR  

8255 Programmable Peripheral Interface (used for keyboard scanning and control of seven-segment LED display)

RAM  

2 KB (up to 4 KB)

ROM  

2 KB (up to 8 KB)

TEXT MODES 

6 digits (Six digit half-inch seven-segment red LED display)

GRAPHIC MODES 

None

COLORS  

No (red ;-) )

SOUND  

Beeper

SIZE / WEIGHT 

1575 x 2230 x 160 mm / 1.41lb

I/O PORTS 

Z80 bus, PIO CPC I/O bus, cassette interface, EPROM slot

POWER SUPPLY 

The board operates from a single 5V power supply and has a current consumption of 500mA

PRICE  

MPF-1 - Micro-Professor: $149

 

Micro-Professor 1

MPF-1

 The MPF-1 (MicroProfessor 1) was a computer system specifically designed by Multitech (now known as Acer!) as a learning tool for use in the teaching of microprocessor, microelectronics, and control


technology. In the 80's it was sold as an Z80 CPU learning and initiation system, and believe it or not, it is still in production and sold by http://www.flite.co.uk/.

The capacities of the system were quite poor. The standard model could be programmed only in machine code through a small hexadecimal keyboard. When sold in it's original package it had the particularity to look like a book when closed.

There was an EPROM socket, which can be compared to a cartridge slot. A mini-Basic EPROM and some other utilities and languages were available as options.

There are in fact two models: MPF-1 (later called MPF-1A) and MPF-1B. The MPF-1(A) is machine code programmed only whereas the MPF-1B offers a really crude version of BASIC (one button = 1 command, as per the early TRS-80) in addition to the machine code capabilities.