Microdigital Eletrônica Ltda. was an influential
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
ian
computer company in the 1980s, based in
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
.
History
Established in 1981 by the brothers George and Tomas Kovari (whose initials were the TK of the
domestic computers line made by the company), its first product was the ''TK80'', a clone of the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
microcomputer
Sinclair ZX80
The Sinclair ZX80 is a home computer launched on 29 January 1980 by Science of Cambridge Ltd. (later to be better known as Sinclair Research). It is notable for being one of the first computers available in the United Kingdom for less than a h ...
.
The company reached its height around 1985, with the launching of the
TK90X
The TK90X was the first Brazilian ZX Spectrum clone made in 1985 by Microdigital Electrônica, a company located in São Paulo, Brazil, that had manufactured some ZX81 clones (TK82C, TK83 and TK85) and ZX80 clones (TK80, TK82) before.
Technic ...
(clone of the
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer.
Referred to during development as the ''ZX81 Colou ...
)
and the ''TK-2000 II'', a
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
partially compatible (at
Applesoft BASIC
Applesoft BASIC is a dialect of Microsoft BASIC, developed by Marc McDonald and Ric Weiland, supplied with the Apple II series of computers. It supersedes Integer BASIC and is the BASIC in ROM in all Apple II series computers after the origina ...
level) with the
Apple II+. At this time, it had approximately 400 employees in three plants (two in
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
and one in the
Zona Franca de
Manaus) and more than 700 peddlers spread for all
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
.
Although the logo of the company is identical to the earlier Microdigital Ltd of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
the company is not related.
Line of products
A not extensive list of Microdigital's products:
Home computers
* TK80 (1981)
* TK82 (1981)
*
TK82C
TK82C was a Sinclair ZX81 clone made by Microdigital Eletronica, Microdigital Eletrônica Ltda., a computer company located in Brazil.
General information
The TK82C had the Zilog Z80, Zilog Z80A processor running at 3.25 MHz, 2 kiloby ...
(1981)
* TK83 (1982)
*
TK85
The TK85 was a ZX81 clone made by Microdigital Eletrônica, a computer company located in Brazil. It came with 16 or 48 KB RAM, and had a ZX Spectrum–style case, similar to a '' Timex Sinclair 1500''.
Unlike the ZX81, the TK85 used discr ...
(1983)
*
TKS800 (1984 - ''
vapourware'')
*
TK90X
The TK90X was the first Brazilian ZX Spectrum clone made in 1985 by Microdigital Electrônica, a company located in São Paulo, Brazil, that had manufactured some ZX81 clones (TK82C, TK83 and TK85) and ZX80 clones (TK80, TK82) before.
Technic ...
(1985)
*
TK95
The TK 95 microcomputer was a 1986 ZX Spectrum clone by Microdigital Eletrônica, a company located at São Paulo, Brazil. It was an evolution of the TK90X introduced the previous year.
The case was redesigned (copied from the Commodore Plus/ ...
(1986)
Personal computers
* TK 2000 (1984)
* TK-3000 IIe (1986)
* TK-3000 IIe Compact (1987)
* TK EXTended (1987)
* LT 1600 D (?)
* TK Portable (?)
Peripherals
* TK Printer (''
vapourware'')
Video-games
* Onyx (1984)- Colecovision clone, never launched
* Onyx Jr (1985)
Software
Microdigital sold software (almost always pirate copies of foreign programs) through its subsidiary, ''Microsoft''.
Others
* Microdigital Rhythmic 2 Portable Keyboard
References
External links
*
Microdigitalby Chema Matas i
MicroHobby.com*
Electronics companies of Brazil
Defunct computer companies of Brazil
Defunct manufacturing companies of Brazil
Manufacturing companies based in São Paulo
{{Brazil-company-stub