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Expansion Module No. 3
The CBS ColecoVision console expands into
a powerful Family Computer System by the addition of Expansion Module No.
3. The CBS
ColecoVision Family Computer System is designed to think like the user,
not like a computer.
So it is designed provide all family members with easy to use programmes
as well as excellent games and most
importantly, built-in Word processing for letter and report writing.
Here are some of the outstanding features
which the CBS ColecoVision, Family Computer System revolutionary:
A Complete Family Computer
What you get with CBS ColecoVision is a
complete Family Computer System.
Look at these features:
75 key sculptured, stepped keyboard.
Memory Module which has an in built Word processing programme, which can
stor the equivalent of 250 pages of text.
80 column letter quality printer for use in word processing, or as an
electric typewriter.
Powerful Home Computer:
By linking with the 16K byte Ram of the
CBS ColecoVision game console.
The Family Computer System has 80K bytes
of fully accessible Ram memory which makes it many times mor powerful than
most popular home computers,
and sufficient for all your home computing and entertaiment needs.
The interactive microprocessors in each of
the Modules enable high speed efficiency in all computer operations.
An Easy To use Family Computer
System The
CBS ColecoVision Family System is easy to use which makes it suitable for
everyone.
Special keyboard keys and the built-in Word processing programme make
learning so easy that the user could prepare, edit and print a letter
within a few hours.
Detailed instruction books are not necessary
as the computer guides you, step by step.
A Danish Magasin Alt om Data, wrote:
"Gambling on a high level".
Adam's time in paradise
is over. Wednesday the 2. January 1985 announce the founder, Coleco now Hasbro, and
Infogrames a totally stop for
the "family system Adam".
But believe it or not, Coleco could be found on the CES-show with a big
place and a lot of advert in all local magazins.
Coleco presented for the first time Adam at the summer CES-Show in 1983, the system was
planned for a Danish release, but it never
arrived into Denmark.
The system should came complete with a Keyboard, Desktop, 1 Cassette-data station
and a big Software package.
ADAM has a buildt in
text editor and a type wheel printer.
Alltogether for a price on $ 599,-.
On reason of this aggressive price calculated many experts that, Adam
quikly vill overtake worldwide.
But like before, costummers have to wait in long time, before Adam
arrived -and that for a $ 100,- more.
In 1984 has Adam a slow sale, and what do the desperate ? Coleco affort
its costumers money !.
Before christmas 1984 came Coleco with an offer, where the buyers in the next
year would receive a check on $ 125,- All in all $ 500,- for progresive education.
But it do not help, and nor a "last moment offer" about you could get a free Cabbage Patch Kids doll
if you buing an Adam.
Cabbage Patch Kids could in US geting in many variations suchs like Cowboys,
Clovns as well as Twins.
Coleco burn their fingers a lot with ADAM.
First was it the name ADAM, a Califirnia Computer manufacter called
Logical Business Machines said they already own the rights to the name of
Coleco's new home computer.
Coleco said they had no discussions with Logical about the
conflict, and Coleco had not received any communications from LBM.
In 1983 calculated Coleco with a sale on around a ½ million units, but with
the end of the year was there only
afforded around 100.000 units.
All together has Coleco lost between around 200 and 300
million of Danish crowns Kr.
Coleco Adam had also a
big error on their ADAM Computer, over 60% have to go back to Coleco for
failure in the hardware.
After the bankrupt goes a lot to Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers.
Telegames and e-Coleco bought also a few rights.
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Let us look in the huge case
to see what's inside:
As you can see, ColecoVision are included in the Memory console.
Much much better!, and note that! The Memory console has the AV Out.
And what could that
ADAM computer ?.
Let us look at some data from 1984...
The Stand-alone
Memory Console.
Z80A, 8 bit CPU,
80K RAM, coulds expand up to 64K, / 256K RAM. 144K / 336K RAM,
32K ROM
16 bit adress,
16 colors, resolution: 256 x 192
Text on screen: 36 characters on 24 lines, 80 characters with monitor.
3 soundchannels -5 oktav and 1 white noise.
4 Parallel BUS ports -3 intern og 1 extern.
1 x Digital Cassette Drive, 1 activ and 1 passive, the prototype with 2 x Super high speed Wafer Drive.
ADAM NET Port for accessories.
RF, and AV Out.
CP/M Compatible.
Colecovision has on the
presentation in 84' ADAM as Expantions module #3.
The memory console had to use Colecovision as a necessity.
Coleco Industries relaunced quickly a new model, where Colecovision was
build in the Memory console.
To late seen for the designers, but you get of with a depth table.
The Daisy Wheel Printer.
10,5 stroke pr. second,
Ca. 120 words on a minute. Wrote in both directions. Friction Feed Standard.
Was launched with 2 Typewheels, namely Daisy Wheel and the font
Pica 10. Also 1
black ribbon was included.
The printer itself was a very strong machine, it was fabricated in the
land of Ireland.
Note: The power supply are placed in the Printer.
Keyboard.
With build in Microprocessor.
Qwerty Standard.
10 commando keys.
6 Smartkeys.
UnDo key.
Fittings Included.
Basic cassette.
Super Buck Rogers game cassette.
SmartWriter textedit.
1 empty digital cassette.
Pica 10 & Daisy Wheel typewheels.
1 black ribbon.
Instruction in Basic & SmartWriter.
More Encyclopedia (Manuals).
Arialsplitter.
Various cables and
2 white Coleco-controllers.
 
ADAM Memory console, all prototypes only for demostration.
Proto #2 - Proto #1 - Proto #3
Prototype #3 is closest to the final design for the tape drive system.
ADAM none working prototype # 2.
Super High Speed Wafer Tape Drive,
prototype.
A kind of stand alone, but needs to be connected to the ColecoVision
expansions-port.
But the time was
already running out for Coleco Adam,
only 2 years on the market.
None Adam computer was sold here in Denmark, it was a land of Apple
II,
Commodore, Spectrum, Oric and Amstrad which was the favorite brands.
CBS Electronics in Vanløse, Denmark did the sale and marketing, try to do some
commercials for Adam, but ADAM was a kind of clumsy.
In the mid 80s, was almost all home computers small, and had built all the
electronics underneath the keyboard.
Coleco started as an leather factory,
became later a Toy factory, and lost everything with the American video game chrashes in the mid 80's.
Sony (Columbia) made later a CPM "Hit Bit" -With a lot better
design.
Technical is it a Coleco/ADAM (MSX). A further development of MSX
with smooth control and more memory.
Did you know that: CBS - Columbia Broadcast System, was the distributor of ColecoVision in Europe.
CBS is a part of SONY (Columbia).
Sony made after their MSX adventure the game console Playstation 1, as there
are millions out there.
Playstation was a
cooperation together with
Nintendo, but Sony took over, and Nintendo started their own console.
So after the U.S. game crash in the mid-80s, was it Nintendo NES 8 bit.
who took over where Coleco left off.
From 1985 until 1995, (2003 for Japan) sold Nintendo Intertainment System
over 61.9 million consoles worldwide.
So who say the overcrowded market for games would crash, it was certainly
not for the Japanese.
Updates will continuously
be corrected.
Last updated:
February
11, 2023.
August 26, 2020.
May 08. 2015. |
