1982
Dragon 32 launched
In August 1982, Dragon Data released the Dragon 32, a new British home computer designed to compete in the rapidly expanding personal-computer market. Produced by Dragon Data, a division of Welsh toy manufacturer Mettoy, the machine was designed in Cambridge and manufactured in South Wales. It entered the market only a few months after the launch of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and became one of its most significant British rivals.
The Dragon 32 was built around the Motorola 6809E processor running at approximately 0.9 MHz and came with 32K of RAM, a substantial amount for a home computer of the period. It included Microsoft Extended BASIC in ROM, colour graphics, sound, a full-size 53-key keyboard, two analogue joystick connections, a Centronics printer interface and a composite video output as well as an RF television connection. Its architecture was closely related to the Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer, although the Dragon was adapted for the British market.
The Dragon 32 initially proved popular and demand was strong enough for Dragon Data to expand production. At its peak, the company was producing thousands of machines each week. However, the Dragon faced increasingly strong competition from the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and other home computers, while limitations in its graphics capabilities made it less attractive for some games. Dragon Data subsequently developed the Dragon 64 and a range of peripherals, but the company eventually went into receivership in 1984.
The Dragon 32 was built around the Motorola 6809E processor running at approximately 0.9 MHz and came with 32K of RAM, a substantial amount for a home computer of the period. It included Microsoft Extended BASIC in ROM, colour graphics, sound, a full-size 53-key keyboard, two analogue joystick connections, a Centronics printer interface and a composite video output as well as an RF television connection. Its architecture was closely related to the Tandy TRS-80 Color Computer, although the Dragon was adapted for the British market.
The Dragon 32 initially proved popular and demand was strong enough for Dragon Data to expand production. At its peak, the company was producing thousands of machines each week. However, the Dragon faced increasingly strong competition from the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and other home computers, while limitations in its graphics capabilities made it less attractive for some games. Dragon Data subsequently developed the Dragon 64 and a range of peripherals, but the company eventually went into receivership in 1984.