Sanyo MBC-885

[mikey99]

Looking for info on the Sanyo MBC-885. This is a 1980's desktop
XT clone very similar in layout to the IBM XT.

Does anyone have one of these or have any links to docs/info/pictures.
Google doesn't find much on this machine. Thanks.

 

[vwestlife]

I can't find much info on the MBC-885, but Sanyo's first PC was the MBC-550 -- not fully IBM compatible (like the Tandy 2000 and DEC Rainbow) and with many unusual features:

http://www.seasip.info/VintagePC/sanyo.html

I suppose by the time the MBC-885 was released, it had gained full IBM compatibility and hopefully better performance, compared to the MBC-550's underclocked 3.58 MHz 8088!

There was also the MBC-775, a self-contained "luggable" portable with a 9-inch color RGB monitor.

 

[mikey99]

I'm now the proud owner of a Sanyo MBC-885
I think this is a fairly uncommon system, haven't found much info
on these.

This is a switchable 4.77-> 8 Mhz 8088 XT clone with 8 slots.

The machine runs good, has an EGA card and a MF-100 card to give 640K
clock, parallel, serial. Came with a Mits 20MB MFM drive but
I removed that because its really noisy, may have a bad bearing. I may
add a Seagate 225 I have but for now its fine with just the one floppy.
Also the PS is rated at only 70W so I question whether its a good idea
to continue running a hard drive in here. One strange thing I noticed
is the PS connector on the MB has only 10 pins instead of the normal 12.


I took a couple of quick pictures tonight .....

 

[BertNZ]

Hi Mikey99

I'm from New Zealand and have acquired (don't remember how) a Sanyo memory expansion board/serial card. My card is referred to on this thread here: http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?36417-Help-with-RAM-serial-card.

It's a full length card with the code SPC-160A on it. I can't find any info on SPC-160A, but have (after considerable research) figured my card is out of an MBC-775 or an MBC-885 such as yours.

Basically what I'm after is a high-res pic of the memory board in your machine, so I can see if it is similar and if it is, determine how the DIP switches are set so it helps me with getting my card configured.

Would you mind pulling your card and taking a good hi-res photo of it please? Or if you happened to have a manual lying around that includes DIP switch settings that'd be advantageous as well.

Thanks in advance,
Bert

 

[mikey99]

Hi Bert, I'll try to take a few more pictures tomorrow. I found two pictures I had taken previously of the card installed in the PC.
I wasn't aware this was a Sanyo card, I thought it was a generic multi function card (MF-100). I'll check for any markings on the card to see
if it matches yours.

 

[mikey99]

I removed the memory card from my Sanyo MBC-885 and took a couple of pictures.
I don't think this card is made by Sanyo, I don't see the Sanyo name anywhere on
the card. It's an MF-100 which may be just a generic multi-function card.
Gotta love all those gold memory chips though

 

[mikey99]

There's a story about this MBC-885 I forgot to note.

Years ago I bought an 8088 motherboard + misc cards lot from an ebay seller for a $1 bid
I asked him for more info on the system and he told be he had parted out the system. He threw
the case away but was able to retrieve it from his recycle bin and sent it to me for shipping cost only !
Then I was able to reassemble the complete system. I never heard of the Sanyo PC systems back in the
day, but its a nice unit, with a switchable 4.77/8.00 MHZ 8088.

I've never seen another one of these or the MBC-775.

 

[Chuck(G)]

I've got a copy of the 885 user's manual--doesn't look like anything remarkable. It came from a user who was looking to move off his MBC-2000 to the 885 and run a package called "GOAL" (General O.A. Language) under emulation. I do have the GOAL and the 2000 manual as well. I also have the manual for the Sanyo CRX-1200 display.

 

[marcushg85]

Sorry to resurrect a dead thread but I'm looking for some information on the sanyo 885 as I have the motherboard and graphics card but don't really know the pin out for PSU (orange and purple cable?) or what connects to that side 4pin header that goes to the front panel. Then there's the dip switches and have no idea on how to set them up.