FM Towns

FM Towns -The Japanese Multimedia PC

Fujitsu manufactured the FM Towns from 1989 to 1997. It was an innovative Japanese multimedia computer built around Intel x86 processors and featuring one of the world's first CD-ROM drives as standard. It stood out with advanced audio-visual capabilities reminiscent of arcade machines.

• Approximately 500,000 units were sold

• Original launch price: 338,000 yen (~$3,000 in 2023)

• "FM" stands for Fujitsu Micro

• Initially launched as a proprietary PC variant, it maintained partial compatibility with standard PCs

Predecessor: The Fujitsu FM R Series

Released in 1987, the FM R series was also based on Intel CPUs and ran MS-DOS v3.1, serving as a forerunner to the FM Towns.

FM Towns at a Glance

• Operating System: Towns OS (based on MS-DOS with Windows 3.0/3.1/95 support)

• CPU Range: From Intel 80386SX (16 MHz) to Pentium (Socket 5, 120 MHz)

• Memory: 1 MB to 6 MB RAM

• Multimedia: Among the first PCs with a built-in CD-ROM drive

• Audio: 8 Stereo PCM channels, microphone input, audio CD playback

• Graphics: 24-bit color: Up to 32,768 colors on screen from a 16.7 million color palette

• Expansion: PCMCIA card slot (memory, modems, printers, etc.)

Graphics & Color Modes

The FM Towns was ahead of its time graphically, supporting:

• 16 to 32,768 simultaneous colors

• Video modes: 320×200 up to 720×512 pixels

• Two graphic layers can be overlaid

• Supports dual graphics layers and up to 1,024 sprites (16×16 px)

• 640 KB total video RAM

Sound Hardware

The FM Towns delivered arcade-quality audio, utilizing the same Ricoh RF5c68 chip found in Sega’s System 18/32 arcade boards.

Chipset:

• Ricoh RF5c68 (PCM) – 8 channels at 19.6 kHz

• Yamaha YM2612 – 6 FM channels

Features:

• 8 PCM voices (8-bit to 10-bit depth)

• 6 FM synthesis channels via YM2612

• Audio CD support

• Microphone input for voice interaction

Operating System & Software Compatibility

• Towns OS was a custom GUI-based OS, combining MS-DOS and early Windows versions

• Capable of booting a full GUI directly from CD-ROM — a world first

• Supported PC business applications such as Lotus 1-2-3, dBASE III, and WordStar

• Some models offered compatibility with the earlier FM R series

• Linux was later ported (Debian, Gentoo)

FM Towns Models and Variants

FM Towns (Model 1 & Model 2)

• CPU: 80386SX @ 16 MHz

• RAM: 1–2 MB, expandable to 6 MB

• Single-speed CD-ROM drive, dual 3.5” floppy drives, PCMCIA slot

• Included mouse, gamepad, and microphone

Later Models

• Upgraded to 486DX4 (100 MHz) and Pentium (120 MHz) CPUs

• Improved RAM and multimedia features

FM Towns Marty (1993)

• A console version of the FM Towns

• Sold approximately 45,000 units

Legacy

The FM Towns is remembered as a pioneering multimedia platform. It combined PC functionality with console-grade graphics and sound during an era when most PCs lacked even basic multimedia support.

□ Fujitsu FM Towns

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Sources:

• https://www.fujitsu.com/
• Wikipedia.com
• https://monochromeeffect.org/JVCC/2019/07/26/towns-os/