I have two SV 328 mark 2 main units (both CIB) and five SVI 328 mark 2 main units, seven power adapters, three expander SVI-605, Super Expander SV-601 (CIB), SV-806 80 Column Video Board, six tape drives SV-904, Philips CM 8524 monitor, four SV-802 Centronic interface, SV-205 Centronics cable (CIB), SV-803 16K ram expansion (CIB), SV-807 64K ram expansion, SV-805 RS 323 Interface (CIB), Floppy Disk Conroller SV-801, Printer SV-901, joystick SV-103, joystick SV318-101, two joystick SVI318-102, five joysticks QuickShotII QS-111, two Mini expander sv-602, Canon mouse, SVI 105 graphic table, two MSX game adapter SVI-606, Spectravideo robot arm SVI-2000, Spectravideo QuickShot I joystick and Game adapter SV-603.
type computer
country USA
year 1984
os SV Microsoft Basic 1.1, CP/M
cpu Zilog Z80 a
speed 3.6 MHz
ram 80 KB
vram 16 KB
rom 32 KB
graphic 256 x 192
colors 16
sound 3 channels, 8 octaves
ports centronics, rs232c, rgb, tape, joystick (2), cartridge, rf
The Spectravideo SV/SVI 328 Mark 2 — The Refined Pre-MSX Spectravideo
The Spectravideo SV/SVI 328 Mark 2, released in 1984, was a refined version of the original SV-328 — hardware improvements and bug fixes in a machine that maintained the pre-MSX Spectravideo architecture rather than adopting full MSX compliance. Despite sharing much of its hardware DNA with what would become the MSX standard, the SV-328 MkII used Spectravideo’s own SV Microsoft BASIC 1.1 and could also run CP/M, rather than the MSX BASIC that certified MSX machines required. This makes it a historically fascinating transitional machine — using the architecture that inspired MSX, but not itself an MSX computer.
Not MSX — But MSX’s Ancestor
The SV-328 MkII is often misidentified as an MSX machine because of its hardware similarities, but it is not MSX-compliant. The original SV-318 and SV-328 designs inspired the MSX standard specification, but the SV-328 MkII continued the pre-MSX Spectravideo line rather than adopting the formal MSX standard. Users could run MSX software through an optional MSX game adapter (SVI-606), but the machine itself ran Spectravideo’s own operating environment. This distinction is important for collectors and historians — the SV-328 MkII is the direct ancestor of MSX, not an MSX machine itself.
Impressive Specifications
The SV-328 MkII used a Zilog Z80A processor at 3.6 MHz with 80 KB of RAM, 16 KB of video RAM, and 32 KB of ROM — generous specifications for 1984. The display provided 256×192 pixels with 16 colours and 32 hardware sprites, while the three-channel AY-3-8910 sound chip across 8 octaves delivered excellent audio quality. The comprehensive port selection — Centronics, RS-232C, RGB, tape, two joysticks, cartridge, and RF — made it one of the most connected home computers of its era.
An Extraordinary Collection
The Computer Museum Ata holds a remarkable collection of SV-328 MkII hardware: two SV 328 mark 2 main units (both Complete In Box), five SVI 328 mark 2 main units, seven power adapters, three SVI-605 expanders, Super Expander SV-601 (CIB), SV-806 80 Column Video Board, six tape drives SV-904, Philips CM 8524 monitor, four SV-802 Centronics interfaces, SV-205 Centronics cable (CIB), SV-803 16K RAM expansion (CIB), SV-807 64K RAM expansion, SV-805 RS-232 Interface (CIB), Floppy Disk Controller SV-801, Printer SV-901, multiple joysticks, two MSX game adapters SVI-606, and the remarkable Spectravideo Robot Arm SVI-2000. This is one of the most comprehensive Spectravideo collections in existence.