Lira 512 Explained

Lira 512
Manufacturer:EI Niš
Type:Personal Computer
Os:MS-DOS 3.21
Power:40W
Cpu:Intel 8088 @ 4.77 or 10 MHz
Memory:512 KB (expandable to 640 KB)
Storage:3-inch floppy disk drive
Display:composite video, RF and DE9 RGB output
Graphics:Hercules and CGA compatible adapter
Sound:Beeper
Compatibility:IBM PC XT compatible
Successor:Lira XT Tower, Lira AT, Lira 386

Lira 512 (also known as Lira XT) was an IBM PC XT compatible computer made by the Yugoslav (now Serbian) company EI Niš in the late 1980s.

It was first presented to the public in April 1988 at the “Kompjuter ‘88” computer show in Belgrade.[1] Soon after that, Lira 512 was also presented in Yugoslav computer press.[2] [3] [4] The main purpose of Lira 512 was to be used in computer classrooms.

What separates Lira 512 from most of the other XT compatibles is that keyboard is included just above in the same case (together with the 3.5’’ floppy drive), which made it similar in appearance to the original Atari ST or the Amiga 500.

Specifications

Lira 512 has the following technical specifications:[5]

Lira has two display adapters (monochrome Hercules compatible and color CGA compatible), where the active video adapter is chosen by the back-panel switch. A 40W power adapter is also installed in the same case.

Other Lira models

Lira XT Tower

Lira XT Tower was released about a year after the original Lira 512, because it was realized that the compact case limited hardware expansion. To address this issue, especially to allow for the installation of a hard disk, the case was changed to a slimline tower.[6]

Lira AT

The new Lira AT was released at about the same time as the Lira XT Tower, with a similar looking slimline tower case.[6] Lira AT was a IBM PC AT compatible, equipped with a 80286 CPU, 1MB of RAM, a EGA compatible video adapter, two 3.5" floppy drives and a 40MB hard disk.[7] Serial production of this model started in December 1989.[6]

Lira 386

The Lira 386, based on a 80386 CPU, was ready for production by 1990.[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: Kako smo se nadali…. Stančević. Tihomir. May 1988. Svet Kompjutera. 8–9. 4 November 2016. Serbo-Croatian.
  2. News: Kako LIRA svira. Stojičević. Dušan. July 1988. Svet Kompjutera. 11. 5 November 2016. Serbo-Croatian.
  3. News: Lira, PC kompatibilac iz Niša: "Vruće" programiranje kao muzika?. Redi. Ivan. September 1988. Moj Mikro. 5. 5 November 2016. Serbo-Croatian.
  4. News: Nešto staro sa šlagom. Gašić. Voja. February 1989. Računari. 10–11. 4 November 2016. Serbo-Croatian.
  5. Web site: Lira 512 . 2024-02-26 . starikompjuteri.nasaskola.rs.
  6. News: Nova Lira 386. Stojičević. Dušan. March 1990. Svet Kompjutera. 5. 9 November 2016. Serbo-Croatian.
  7. News: Nova Lira brzine vetra. Stojičević. Dušan. July 1989. Svet Kompjutera. 8–9. 9 November 2016. Serbo-Croatian.