NAME  

SV 328

MANUFACTURER  

Spectravideo

TYPE  

Home Computer

ORIGIN  

U.S.A.

YEAR  

1983

BUILT IN LANGUAGE 

Microsoft BASIC interpreter

KEYBOARD  

Full-stroke keyboard with numeric keypad

CPU  

Zilog Z80 A

SPEED  

3.6 MHz

RAM  

64 KB (up to 256 KB)

VRAM  

16 KB

ROM  

32 KB

TEXT MODES 

40 chars x 24 lines (optional 80 x 24)

GRAPHIC MODES 

256 x 192 dots

COLORS  

16

SOUND  

Three channels, 8 octaves

I/O PORTS 

Centronics, RS232c, RGB, Tape (1800 bauds); Joystick (2), Cartridge

BUILT IN MEDIA 

None

POWER SUPPLY 

Built-in power supply unit

PERIPHERALS  

SVI-904 Data Cassette, SV-605B expansion box, Graphics Tablet, 80 columns card, modem and RS232 interfaces

PRICE  

Unknown

 

Spectravideo SV-328

SV-328

 The Spectravideo SV 328 is the ancestor of the Spectravideo MSX SV-728 (it has the same case and almost all its characteristics) and the successor of the SV-318.

This computer is not a MSX clone, even if its hardware characteristics are almost the same of the MSX computers. Its BASIC is not the MSX BASIC but the Microsoft Extended Basic. Its ROM cartridge can not use MSX ones but can use (with optional card) Coleco cartridges.


The Spectravideo can not use MSX DOS but runs under CP/M 2.2 or 3.0 when it uses its 5.25" floppy disk drive (360 KB). Several well-known CP/M softwares were adapted for the SV328 (dBase II or WordStar for example), but had few successes because it was very quickly replaced with its MSX version.

Several extension devices were developed for this computer. Among them, the SV-605B expansion box: it has 10 MB hard disk, two 5.25" DSDD floppy units, Centronics port, and 6 expansion slots. Some other peripherals were developed: a Graphics Tablet, an 80 columns card, a 1200/75 modem card, and an RS232 interface.