Sony HB-55
 | |
| HB-55P, the European version (MSX Resource Center wiki photograph; no freely licensed photograph of an HB-55 was found) | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sony |
| Type | MSX home computer |
| Released | October 1983 (Japan); 1984 (Europe)[1] |
| Intro price | ¥54,800 (Japan); ƒ899 (Netherlands)[1] |
| CPU | Z80A (NEC µPD780C-1 or Sharp LH0080A), 3.579545 MHz[2][3] |
| Memory | 16 KB[1][2] |
| Storage | MSX cartridges, cassette, HBI-55 data cartridge |
| Display | TMS9918ANL (HB-55); TMS9929A (HB-55P); 16 KB video RAM[1] |
| Sound | AY-3-8910A or YM2149F PSG[1] |
| ROM | 32 KB MSX-BASIC plus the Personal Databank (8 KB on the HB-55, 16 KB on the HB-55P)[1] |
| Power | Internal mains supply[4] |
| Dimensions | 405 × 67 × 245 mm (HB-55P)[2] |
| Weight | About 3.5 kg (HB-55P)[2] |
| OS / Firmware | — |
| Model no. | HB-55, HB-55P |
The Sony HB-55 was Sony's first MSX home computer, sold in Japan from October 1983 and in Europe from 1984 as the HB-55P. HB stands for "Hit Bit", and the machine carries an "It's a Sony" logo. It has a low-cost keyboard. To distinguish it from competing MSX machines, Sony built in a Personal Databank program that saves to cassette or to the HBI-55 data cartridge.[1] It has 16 KB of RAM. Sony's service manual covers the HB-55P together with the HB-75P and HB-75B, which have 64 KB.[2]
The Japanese HB-55 has one cartridge slot and an expansion bus that can be converted to take a second cartridge; the HB-55P has two cartridge slots in their place.[1] On the HB-55P, Sony supplied a receptacle that has to be fitted to cartridge slot B before that slot is used.[5]
Models
[edit | edit source]| Model | Market | Cartridge slots | Video chip | Firmware ROM | Video and audio out | Colours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB-55 | Japan | One, plus expansion bus | TMS9918ANL | 8 KB | RF, composite video and audio | Red or grey |
| HB-55P | Europe | Two | TMS9929A | 16 KB | RF, 6-pin DIN | Grey |
[1] The Japanese HB-55 came with an HBI-55 data cartridge, and its Databank saves only to that cartridge.[6] The HB-55P's English Databank adds Transfer and Copy, and can save small BASIC programs to the HBI-55 with SAVE"CAT:" and LOAD"CAT:".[7]
Hardware
[edit | edit source]
The HB-55P has no MSX-Engine. Its main board carries separate chips:[3]
- IC41: Sharp LH0080A or NEC µPD780C-1 CPU
- IC2: TMS9929ANL video chip
- IC3 to IC6, IC9 to IC12, IC58 to IC61 and IC65 to IC68: sixteen 4116-type dynamic RAMs (MCM4116BP20 or µPD416C-2), holding the 16 KB of video memory and the 16 KB of main memory
- IC42: MSM38256-70RS MSX-BASIC ROM
- IC44: MSM38128A-77RS Personal Databank ROM
- IC48: AY-3-8910 or YM2149 PSG
- IC16: µPD8255AC-5 PPI
The 4116-type RAMs need +12 V, +5 V and −5 V; Sony's IC table lists +12 V on pin 8, +5 V on pin 9, ground on pin 16 and −5 V on pin 1 of each.[3] The HB-75P and HB-75B use MSM3764 RAMs on +5 V only in the same main memory positions.[3]
The power supply is inside the case. A fuse board holds the mains fuse and power switch, and a separate power board, with 5 V and 12 V regulator boards on it, makes +5 V with an SI-3052V, +12 V with an SI-3122V and −12 V with an NJM79L12.[4] In the photograph of an HB-55P above, the power board sits on a bracket over the main board, which is marked 1-613-622-12.[8] The Japanese HB-55's main board is a different board, marked 1-611-737-13.[9]
Personal Databank and disk drives
[edit | edit source]The Databank firmware starts at power-on. With a disk drive connected it is skipped. With both a disk drive and an S-RAM cartridge such as the HBI-55 fitted, the menu appears but the disk drive is disabled, and the MSX Resource Center knows of no workaround.[1] The later Sony HB-101 and Sony HB-201 changed the firmware so that it works with a disk drive.[10]
Documentation
[edit | edit source]- Sony HB-55P, HB-75P and HB-75B Service Manual: Sony's 78-page service manual covering the HB-55P with the HB-75P and HB-75B.
- Sony's HB-55P/75P/75B operating instructions and Personal Data Bank manuals in Spanish, Dutch, Swedish and Italian, and a Japanese HB-55 sales leaflet, are on the Internet Archive.[1]
Repair guides
[edit | edit source]- Sony HB-55 General Maintenance
- Sony HB-55 Troubleshooting Guide
- Sony HB-55 Capacitor Replacement Guide
Related pages
[edit | edit source]- Sony HB-75, the 64 KB model in the same service manual
- Sony HB-101 and Sony HB-201
- Sony HB-501
- Sony HB-10
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Sony HB-55, MSX Resource Center wiki—link(accessed 2026-10-21) Series page: Sony's first MSX computer; HB-55 (Japan, 100 V, red or grey, one cartridge slot and an expansion bus) and HB-55P (Europe, grey, two cartridge slots); built-in Personal Databank and the HBI-55 data cartridge; October 1983 and 1984; ¥54,800 and ƒ899; 16 KB RAM in slot 0; TMS9918ANL or TMS9929A; AY-3-8910A or YM2149F; NEC D780C-1; firmware 8 KB (HB-55) or 16 KB (HB-55P); slot maps; disk drive behaviour; links to the service manual and manuals.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Sony, HB-55P/75P/75B Service Manual (File:Sony HB-55P HB-75P HB-75B Service Manual.pdf), specifications, page 1-1: Z-80A at 3.579545 MHz; HB-55P 16 KB RAM, expandable to 32 KB or 64 KB with the HBM-16 or HBM-64; ROM 48 KB (MSX-BASIC 32 KB, utility program 16 KB); TMS9929ANL; 73 keys on the HB-55P; 220 V for the HB-55P and HB-75P, 240 V for the HB-75B; 24 W; 405 × 67 × 245 mm; about 3.5 kg; accessories include the receptacle for cartridge slot B.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Sony, HB-55P/75P/75B service manual (File:Sony HB-55P HB-75P HB-75B Service Manual.pdf), IC supply table printed beside the main board schematic (PDF page 52): IC2 TMS9929ANL; IC3 to IC6 and IC9 to IC12 MCM4116BP20 or µPD416C-2; IC41 LH0080A or µPD780C-1; IC42 MSM38256-70RS; IC44 MSM38128A-77RS; IC48 AY-3-8910 or YM2149; IC16 µPD8255AC-5; main RAM IC58 to IC61 and IC65 to IC68, µPD416C-2 on the HB-55P and MSM3764-15RS on the HB-75P and HB-75B; supply pins for each.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sony, HB-55P/75P/75B service manual (File:Sony HB-55P HB-75P HB-75B Service Manual.pdf), fuse, LED, power, transformer, 5 V and 12 V boards: schematic on pages 5-23 and 5-24 and parts list on page 7-14.
- ↑ Sony, HB-55P/75P/75B service manual (File:Sony HB-55P HB-75P HB-75B Service Manual.pdf), page 1-2, location and function of parts and controls: cartridge slot B needs its receptacle installed before use; the RGB connector is not fitted to the HB-55P; the drawing on that page shows the HB-75P.
- ↑ Sony HB-55, MSX Resource Center wiki—link(accessed 2026-10-21) Japanese model: HBI-55 included; ¥54,800; firmware with Address, Schedule, Memo and BASIC, saving only to the HBI-55; asks for the cartridge if it is missing; no SAVE"CAT:" and LOAD"CAT:".
- ↑ Sony HB-55P, MSX Resource Center wiki—link(accessed 2026-10-21) European model: ƒ899; English firmware with Address, Schedule, Memo, Transfer or Copy, and BASIC; SAVE"CAT:" and LOAD"CAT:"; at least 32 KB of extra RAM needed for the BASIC + DATA CARTRIDGE option; Sony's HBM-64 expansion.
- ↑ File:Sony HB-55P inside.jpg, photograph uploaded to the MSX Resource Center wiki by Mars2000you on 25 December 2022: main board marked 1-613-622-12 with MCM4116BP15 RAMs; power board on a bracket above it.
- ↑ File:Sony HB-55 (Japanese) main board.jpg, photograph uploaded to the MSX Resource Center wiki by Mars2000you on 3 August 2016: board marked 1-611-737-13.
- ↑ Sony HB-101, MSX Resource Center wiki—link(accessed 2026-10-21) Unlike the firmware of the HB-55 and HB-75, adding a disk drive does not disable the HB-101's Personal Databank.
_main_board.jpg){kind=link}