Olivetti M24 8086 - An Epic Computer from 1983 - Episode 1

Back on the bench, is another Olivetti M24 that is in need of a good cleaning and a trip to the glass blaster as it’s a bit rusty. Olivetti launched the design of the M24 in 1983. This was based around the Intel 8086 which ran at a respectable 8 MHz. On many levels, the Olivetti computer was ahead of its time not only in the design but also in its hardware. Its graphics capability was quite odd, as it had an enhanced CGA video card which in addition to the standard 320 x 200 also supported 640 x 400 x 2/16-colors (It required a proprietary dual-sync monitor). The keyboard connector was also different from the IBM PC/XT, in that, it used a 9-pin D-sub instead of a round DIN. Olivetti began as an Italian typewriter manufacturer in 1908, debuting its first model, the Olivetti M1 in 1911. The company was famous for its industrial design and went on to produce a range of personal computers. “A dream seems like a dream until you start working on it, then it can become somethin