History
The companies Dataindustrier AB (DIAB) and Scandia Metric started looking into creating a Swedish home computer after seeing the success of the Tandy TRS-80 in 1977. The project was initially named HD-80 (HD meaning Hemdator, the Swedish word for home computer).
The two companies felt they had the technical expertise to design the computer, but not the means of producing it in the quantities needed, so they pitched the idea to the TV manufacturer Luxor AB, which ended up not only helping with manufacturing the computer, but took a leading role in its development. Early models were tied to repurposed monochrome Luxor TV that both served as the monitor and provided power to the computer, while later models were sold with an external power supply and RF adapter allowing it to be connected to the household's existing TV.
The computer was released in August 1978, initially with Luxor selling the consumer version and Scandia Metric selling their version (re-branded Metric 65) to businesses.
Over the next year they started blaming each other for encroaching on each other's markets however, and went their separate ways - with Luxor released the business model ABC800, and Scandia Metric licensing the Compucorp 655 as their follow-up "Metric 85".
The primary market of the computer was Sweden, though the Hungarian company Budapesti Rádiótechnikai Gyár produced some under license as the BRG ABC 80.
As IBM PC gained popularity in the early 80s, Luxor unsuccessfully tried to market their ABC 800 line with the slogan "Who needs IBM compatibility?". Production ceased in 1986.
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