1989 SAM Coupé Review, Fix and Modern Mods

Join me on this retro journey where we explore the Miles Gordon Technology (MGT) SAM Coupé. We look inside, fix what we need to and showcase some fantastic peripherals, retro games and demos.
00:00 Introduction
00:32 Retro Relix Title
00:44 SAM Coupé rear port review
01:30 Internal SAM Floppy Drive
01:50 Motherboard Reveal
02:00 Motherboard Removal and Review
03:02 Memory Configuration
04:08 Motherboard and Connector Cleaning
04:20 Chassis Cleaning and Rubber Feet
04:44 Keyboard Removal and Clean
05:38 Power Supply and Video SCART
06:16 Power On Keyboard Test
06:36 Keyboard Membrane Montage
07:26 SAM Coupé Mascot
07:38 Start-up Montage
08:08 MGT Disk Interface Utility and Floppy Drive
08:36 Replacement Floppy Drive
09:10 Floppy Drive Test (Manic Miner)
09:30 Trinity Ethernet Interface, Trinity Boot ROM and Memory Upgrade
09:48 ROM replacement
10:00 Memory Upgrade
10:16 Trinity Case 3D Print Installation
10:30 SAMDisk Utility
11:24 Trinity Ethernet Interface Record Management (Splat!)
12:20 Connecting to the Internet (XOR)
12:54 Prince of Persia
13:20 Splat!
13:42 Manic Miner
14:06 Pac-Man Emulator
14:32 Bubble Ghost
14:58 SAM Juggler
15:12 Mnemotech Demo
15:28 ESI - The Lyra 3 Demo
16:06 The End
LINKS
ASIC:
www.worldofsam.org/products/asic
Game and Demo Downloads:
www.intensity.org.uk/samcoupe...
romhustler.org/roms/samcoupe
www.worldofsam.org/
Quazar Trinity Hardware:
www.samcoupe.com/#latestnews
SAM Emulation:
simonowen.com/simcoupe/
SAM Drive - The User's Guide:
www.worldofsam.org/system/fil...
SAM Coupé Drive Bay 3D Print Design:
www.thingiverse.com/thing:873336
SAM Coupé Specifications:
www.worldofsam.org/products/s...
SAMDisk:
simonowen.com/samdisk/
Trinity Case 3D Print Design:
www.thingiverse.com/thing:470...
VLSI Technology:
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLSI_...
Thumbnail background generated using hotpot.ai/art-generator
MUSIC CREDITS
Digital Voyage and Funky (Sting) by Twin Musicom. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
www.twinmusicom.org/
Retro by Wayne Jones.
Press Fuse and Straight Fuse by French Fuse
Developed on a Surface Pro 9 using PowerDirector 365 and Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8

[@spodule6000]

I saw this at a ZX Microfair and talked to either Miles or Gordon. Forgot which but he was very approachable and happy to chat. Very cool machine.

[@10p6]

Nice video. Unfortunately the Same was about 4 years to late to market.

[@TheBadFred]

It all hinges on content/software and the price.

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

Hi Everyone. This time Retro Relix reviews the 1989 SAM Coupé, we replace some faulty parts and tests some new modern mods. Enjoy, Mark.

[@AcornElectron]

The expandability of this was bloody amazing. The built in functionality (as simple as dedicated reset AND break buttons) was/is class.

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@AcornElectron Agreed. Wanted to go into more detail about that - but would have been a very long video 😳

[@tommykruesofficial]

God that is just a beautiful design. wish they still made computers like this.

[@markwrightrf]

I can remember the magazines of the day raving about this machine, which I surprised that Amstrad apparently no objection to. Sadly, I'd been an Amiga owner for more than a year by then. Too little, too late. Great to see it explored so thoroughly here. 🙂

[@federicocatelli8785]

@@markwrightrf you did a better choice 👍

[@maciek.zbagna]

I didn't know about this computer. It looks really cool. And it has quite a lot of potential, from what you can see.

[@kieranholland1048]

My first ever home computer! Takes me back.

[@michaelturner4457]

I remember the launch of the Sam Coupe. I went to one of the road shows that MGT was doing around the UK, and did speak to Alan Miles and Bruce Gordon in a hotel in Thornbury, where they were having the event. Didn't buy one though, as I'd already bought an Amiga 500 previously. At the time I couldn't see much future in the Coupe, given it was 8-bit and only compatible with 48k ZX Spectrum software. I knew of MGT previously in 80s, because I had one of their Disciple disk drives on my Speccy.

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@michaelturner4457 Yeah, I fortunately it was never going to compete against the Amiga.

[@LivyathanAD]

I love the design.

[@rafanowacki2260]

I live in Poland and in 1988 I bought an Atari 65XE with an XC12 tape recorder. In 1990 I already had an Amiga 500, so I didn't buy SAM Coupé. If it had appeared a few years earlier, it would have probably been a success, and in 1989 16-bit computers were already king.🎮🎮🕹🕹

[@simonoleary9264]

I had the MGT 3.5in floppy for my speccy, excellent bit of kit. I lusted after the SAM Coupe, but by the time it was actually available (and I could afford it), the Amiga 500 was just a better option.

[@techkev140]

Ahhhh! ... Wait, Sam Coupe. . . Brain recall says yes it existed, but no one outside of the press said anything about it. 80's flashback over. Amazing video, cannot believe how simple the mainboard layout is for this system. Know very little about it, shame it was not more widely known. Looks like an excellent system, with the obligatory odd keyboard layout especially on that righthand side. Looks intriguing.

[@sonic2000gr]

This was several years too late. At that time I was about to buy an Atari STE. But at least now we have the Spectrum Next as the logical continuation of the original ZX Spectrum.

[@mikepartin571]

Have never even heard of this thing before! I missed out on a lot of really cool bits being on this side of the pond. Thanks for creating and sharing, I learned about new things today!!

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@mikepartin571 I also missed the majority of the systems I review and restore 😳

[@mikepartin571]

@@RetroRelixRestorer well I'm glad your situation allows you to experience them and share it. Vicarious living is much better than none at all 😃

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@mikepartin571 My aim is to share the internal workings of these retro systems, not only with us now; but the next generation - who generally have little understanding or appreciation of this golden time in home computing history.

[@daveash9572]

Fascinating video. I read all about the Sam Coupe in your sinclair magazine way back when. I don't mean to criticise, but I think you might be using that rust converter wrong. If you read the instructions, it says that you apply the rust converter to the rusty metal, and you can then paint it after x time (this varies depending on brand). You didn't show any further painting of the rusted part after you applied the rust converter - that means your treated metal will not have anything on it to prevent it rusting in future (and it will). You need something to paint it with, even if only clear nail varnish, after the rust converter has done its job. Ask me how I know 😊 Keep making content like this. Loved it.

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@daveash9572 Yeah, fair point on the rust treatment - I’ll have another look at that. 👍

[@mrpositronia]

I remember feeling let down on release after hearing about it being the "16bit Spectrum we've all waited for" or something like that. Only to find it wasn't that at all. It looks nice though. :)

[@dreamvisionary]

I remember the Sam Coupé when it came out and thinking it looked like they had fitted the keyboard onto the bottom of the case😄

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@dreamvisionary Yeah, a fairly unique design. I heard the side of the case was based on a car - but not sure how true that is 🚙!

[@AK-vx4dy]

Case construction remainds me Elwro Junior 803... Nice video but I wanted more info about Sam features, graphic modes etc.

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@AK-vx4dy I know, but that would be a MASSIVE video; as most of this was cleaning and getting it working. Maybe I’ll do a part 2 👍

[@MrFiljac]

15:27 Marek Biliński "Dom w dolinie mgieł"

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

The Lyra 3 demo 👍

[@fattomandeibu]

Lack of hardware graphics acceleration meant it was never gonna be taken seriously in 1989. Single and flip screen games were pretty passe by this point, and "smooth scrolling" like a Spectrum game would get you laughed out of the room. Most kids would've rather opted for the cost reduced C64 because they'd take proper smooth scrolling over screen tearing and 8 pixels at a time or low framerate, which would be regarded as pure jank. That's if they didn't opt for a Sega Master System.

[@andrewf9041]

You lucky lucky lucky ba.......... I'd have given anything to have a Sam, except about up to a grand or so as they come up on Ebay!! :) Thanks.

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@andrewf9041 I’ve had it a few years now - before prices went too crazy 🤪

[@smallduck1001001]

You missed answering the obvious questions: who is Sam, and I get Coupé in relation to a car but what have to do with a home computer?

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@smallduck1001001 Surely SAM is that robot character 🤷‍♂️ Re Coupé, I’ve heard it was because the side profile was based on a car - but wasn’t sure enough to include….🤔

[@TechCowboy]

I thought the Sam Coupe was actually vapourware. I didn't know any were actually produced.

[@thewunderhase]

dis is fucking hot, except the old powersupply, good that it is changed

[@ZXSpectrum128K]

Mode 2 has 6kb pixels then a 2kb gap and then the 6kb attributes

[@ZXSpectrum128K]

What ram rom does trinity have?

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

I don’t believe it has any RAM/ROM given the onboard replacement Trinity ROM 3 🤷‍♂️

[@ZXSpectrum128K]

@@RetroRelixRestorer that's just to bootstrap the sd interface as d1

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@ZXSpectrum128KHaving looked here (www.samcoupe.com/hardtrin.htm), it appears to save network settings on an onboard 128K EEPROM.

[@ZXSpectrum128K]

@@RetroRelixRestorer what a pity he didn't include 128k of ram it would be full 6mhz ! Not 3mhz like the internal 512k

[@ZXSpectrum128K]

@RetroRelixRestorer The Dragon is built around the Motorola MC6809E processor running at 0.89 MHz. It was an advanced 8-bit CPU design, with limited 16-bit capabilities. It was possible to increase the speed of the computer by using POKE 65495,0 which accelerated the ROM-resident BASIC interpreter, but temporarily disabled proper functioning of the cassette/printer ports

[@PierceAndjelkovic]

> Where’s Miles? I think we moved on from miles to metres a long time ago.

[@kosmodromkk]

I don't know why you replaced that membarne for the keyboard - you only use 3/4 of the keyboard on the left side anyway

[@jediknight2350]

i think put a pi4 in there give it some turbo.

[@eiv-gaming]

Super interesting video but have you used AI for voice over? Really throws it off. If not, you must have a hell of a time passing capchas

[@federicocatelli8785]

Saw it once once or twice on TGM . Never saw one for real ...guess It never made past Dover😅.

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@federicocatelli8785 What is TGM🤔

[@federicocatelli8785]

@@RetroRelixRestorer A videogame magazine, of that era ,published by the same company of Zzap

[@federicocatelli8785]

TGM stands for The Games Machine it's main focus was 16 bits and later stuff but in its early days It would cover also 8 bits

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@federicocatelli8785 Ah right. Don’t recall seeing this mag 🤷‍♂️

[@federicocatelli8785]

@@RetroRelixRestorer In the Uk It had a pretty short life (87-90)...the one made in my country lasted decades

[@EgoChip]

You have a Haunted Hedges picture

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

@@EgoChip It was the first game I ever loaded 🤩

[@EgoChip]

@@RetroRelixRestorer Nice. I remember playing it when I was little but although it looked cool I struggled with it, and still do now. I think I did a video on it years back. The first game I ever played was Timeman One though.

[@mnewman7303]

It a lot like early Amiga software

[@osgeld]

euro connectors, they work great when soldered to a board, but my god I have banned them from being used when connected to a cable, they are more fragile than a dried egg shell

[@EivindFalken]

"carefully removing the original rom" the original rom:

[@rabscots910]

It was a suprise to see windows being used by such a creative channel :)

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

Sometimes, needs must 🤦‍♂️

[@ZXSpectrum128K]

Floppy drive doesn't have network controller that's the midi ports back machine

[@arostwocents]

You should have chapters. I want the review but not the repair and part replacing.

[@RetroRelixRestorer]

Chapters are in the Description.

[@magicstu]

When i frist saw this as a kid , I thought this was the most strangest uglyest, pointless computer I ever come across.

[@BAZFANSHOTHITSClassicTunes]

And you was right.

[@GrzegorzMatusinski]

You are not supposed to freeze these connectors ;) just give them a decent air blow with a can held upwards. Anyways thumbs up and a sub from me.