I have the main and power adapter.
type computer
country UK
year 1983
os Basic
cpu Zilog Z80
speed 4 MHz
ram 32 KB
rom 24 KB
graphic 256 x 192, 32 sprites
colors 16
sound 3 voices, 6 octaves
ports casette, parallel, joystic (2), audio output, composite, cartridge, parallel
The Memotech MTX 500 — The Quality British Home Computer
Released in 1983 by Oxford-based Memotech Ltd, the MTX 500 was one of the most technically accomplished British home computers of its era — a machine that prioritised build quality, expandability, and programming capability over cost-cutting. Using a Zilog Z80A processor at 4 MHz with 32 KB of RAM, a Texas Instruments TMS9929 video processor, and a full-travel keyboard widely praised as the finest on any contemporary British home computer, the MTX 500 offered genuine quality at a price that attracted serious computing enthusiasts.
Memotech’s Philosophy
Memotech had established itself selling memory expansion products for the ZX80 and ZX81 before developing its own computer. The MTX’s full-travel keyboard — a deliberate contrast to the membrane keyboards of the ZX81 and rubber keys of the early Spectrum — reflected Memotech’s belief that a computer for serious use needed a serious keyboard. The machine’s expansion bus and range of peripherals including dot matrix printer and floppy disk system further demonstrated this professional orientation.
Commercial Disappointment
Despite its technical quality, the MTX 500 failed commercially — a victim of the same dynamics that defeated other high-quality competitors to the Sinclair Spectrum and Commodore 64. Price, software availability, and marketing reach proved more important than engineering quality in the home computer market. Memotech filed for receivership in 1985, and the MTX became one of the ”what might have been” machines of British computing history.