Mera Elzab terminal board
This mainboard looks like a "newer generation" Mera
terminal mainboard, but has a few things different than in typical unit.
I have no idea what it was made for, as it has connectors not seen in
these terminals. There are keyboard and printer connectors, serial port
and CRT connector, like in all newer (one-board) Mera-Elzab terminals.
But there are a few other connectors which aren't frequently seen here.
First, is the LED connector, the same as in "independent monitors". But
these one-board devices were usually "dumb terminals" called "dependent
monitors". Another one is labeled "Podstawa" which means "Base". It
was used to manipulate brightness/contrast in older terminals - in newer
ones it was done right from CRT circuits, not through the mainboard or,
in earlier units, by connector on solder side - wires won't fit between
smaller new-generation chassis and mainboard. Maybe it was mounted in
place of system bus board in older-generation chassis?.
To say more, Mera units were usually based on Z80 CPUs. This mainboard
is based on 8080 CPU, made by Polish CEMI, and has a picture generator
based on character ROM from CEMI too.
Power connector set is typical. It uses +35V to run CRT, and symmetrical
5 and 12V.
Manufacturer: | Mera-Elzab | |
Model | ?? | |
Year: | 198? | |
CPU: | 8080 (CEMI MCY7880) | |
Memory: | 2KB (+512B?) | |
Display: | CRT | |
Keyboard: | Unknown, parallel connection. | |
Main port: | Serial port (Ground, Rx and Tx only) | |
Additional ports: | "Base" Connector Keyboard connector (parallel) Printer port LED/speaker connector CRT display connector Power connector set (+35V, +5V,-12V, -5V, ?+12V?)
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Peripherals in collection: |
The unit has 8080 CPU and 8228 bus controller. There's 8255 parallel interface to handle keyboard and 8251 serial interface to handle printer. Character generator is made around MCY7304 character ROM. Glue logic is made with Polish, Soviet or East German components. There are only few western logic chips. 4 2114 Memory chips are western too.
On the solder side there are many modifications with thin wires. It seems that someone tried to make this terminal do something other than it was made for.