A computer with a truly oversize chassis peeped through 1984 British computer magazines .

The oriental (Taiwanese) name was a fantasy of very innovative technologies (but it was made in Telford, near Birmingham).
Instead the Tatung Einstein TC-01 " danced only one summer " (or a little more): it was not very successful despite some very interesting features.

The panorama was already overcrowded, the 8 bits based on Z80 and the Tatung has technical characteristics already very similar to those of MSX (shortly thereafter ...):
- Z80 processor at 4 MHz,
- 64 KB of RAM and 16 KB of VRam,
- 256 x 192 graphics in 16 colors,
- audio based on the omnipresent AY-3-8910.

In fact, although not compatible with MSX it is a ' quasi-MSX ' decidedly different from the other home computers of the time.
Also because it was not a home computer!

The initial positioning was that of small business computer also by virtue of some interesting features:
- single or double 3 "floppy (where the other home computers lived on audio cassettes), although not very reliable,
- a VERA keyboard and still solid and well configured,
- a very robust chassis with an indestructible war power supply ...
- optional 80-column (mono) video card (a must for the business user),
- mono and dedicated color monitors,
- serial, parallel ports, etc ...

 

I found numerous references on the true use of Einstein: as a computer for real geeks and enthusiasts and, not least, as a development system for other computers (Sinclair ZX Spectrum in particular), thanks to the stability of the power supply, serial ports and to the system bus that allowed unlikely interface with the target computer (ZX Spectrum, again).

Some, also report using 3.5 "drives (a first system hack), for the study of copy protection systems ... for Atari ST!
The key lies in the architecture of the system and the MOS (Machine Operating System) that actually started the computer: neither DOS nor Basic (as usual, at the time), a System Monitor that allowed the main operations starting (from disk) and that constituted the obligatory initial step.

Numerous programming languages ​​are available, starting from the Basic XTal, very complete, to BBC Basic (exactly that of BBC Micro), but also Fortran and Pascal as well as obviously to Assembler, Disassembler and Debugger.
The operating system, XTal / DOS was compatible with the CP / M (at the time widespread but already in decline).

One of the most interesting peripherals is certainly the Speculator : a low-cost external box (£ 49.99) that allowed the most complete ZX Spectrum emulation, including the LOAD / SAVE from cassettes.

An expanded version, revised and corrected, named Einstein 256 (from the amount in KBytes of RAM memory) was released after just over a year and had even less luck, effectively decreeing the end of this computer adventure.

Incredible as it may seem, this computer can count on a small number of enthusiasts who still keep the spirit alive and exchange the (little) software making the community of users still alive.
I emphasize that, through the excellent MESS, you can emulate it on PC / Mac: for anyone who wants to try it in person ...

Sources: Wikipedia , Old-Computers-com , Tatung Einstein Reborn .

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