Subject: Nostalgia!


I stopped by the library to find some information on the TMS 
9918 VDP that's used in the ADAM and stumbled across this. I 
also found an informative article on how to program 68701 
microcontrollers as well.

This is from the Sept '83 issue of Popular Science:
regarding the summer CES '83...

"Adam was the sensation of the show. It attracted attention
because it offers a complete system at a price far below any-
thing available until now. The system includes a computer with 
80k of memory, full-size keyboard with word-processing function
keys, high-speed data recorder, and, most surprising, a letter-
quality printer. The package also includes BASIC, a word-pro-
cessor program, and a game. The price: $600.00 for everything. 
All that's needed is your home TV." 


We all know this information. Down the aisle from Coleco though
was Atari, peddling a "similar" system for $600.00

 "It's a public-relations coup, nothing more," a rather upset
anonymous spokesman for Atari retorted, referring to the over-
whelming attention Adam has been paid. "Did you get a chance to 
even touch Adam? Have you spoken to anyone who has? How good 
is its software? You've got to look at a competitor with respect,
but we have three systems now-ready to go-at a comparable price."


(Now, I'll interrupt here and say that this seems an awful lot
like the pot calling the kettle black...considering that the 
ADAM already had a tremendous amount of software available for 
it in the form of ColecoVision cartridges...which we know are 
high-quality software programs, and outnumber those available 
for Atari's own rival 5200 SuperSystem. Just thought I'd throw 
that one in there. :)


Now, here's what Atari's idea of a "comparable price" was...

"The system includes Atari's 600XL computer, AtariWriter word-
processing software in a plug-in cartridge, a book on how to 
write, paper, and a letter-quality printer that types at 20 cps.
(that's twice as fast as the Adam's printer.) To complete the 
system, you'll have to add a disc drive or cassette recorder-
to save or retrieve your text- and a TV."

Okay, so Atari's idea of comparable in price to the ADAM was to
give you a system that had only 16k of memory, NO STORAGE 
CAPABILITY (at least at the $600.00 price tag) and a printer 
that's twice as fast. This is actually quite typical of Atari 
back in those days.




What I find extremely interesting about the article is the
contradictory specs found throughout that are different than 
the production model Adam...for example: They show a picture of 
the Expansion Module #3 (the ColecoVision upgrade) and it 
doesn't have the typical DDP drives in it. Instead it looks as 
though you would insert cassettes the same way you would in a 
car. The unit is also physically smaller...about the same
depth as the ColecoVision. In addition, the following statements
were made in the article:
"Each cassette holds up to 500,000 bytes of data and can transfer
data at about 19.2K baud."

We know now that the Adam DDPs can hold only 256k, rather than
500k, and are substantially faster than 19.2k bps.
' "...That makes it CP/M compatible," said Kahn. To actually use
CP/M, however, you'll have to add a CP/M option, disc drives, and 
an 80-column display board that will be available soon." '
Very interesting, that...about the 80-column display board.
Hmmm....
"Most of the electronics for the Adam system is contained in the
main console, including the main power supply, which also powers 
the printer."
We know that this is not true now. :) The PS of course is housed
in the printer.
They also mention a release date 60 days past the publish date of
the article (Sept '83), which would place the release in November.
November articles reveal that the release date was pushed past the
Christmas '83 season.

Oh yes. I think that the DDP's are not what we were supposed to
get as well. While Coleco was working on the Adam, they were also
developing a device known as the Super Game Module. Now, essent-
ially the Super Game Module was supposed to be a memory upgrade 
and a drive for larger games than would fit economically on a 
cartridge (the unit is about the size of Expansion module #1...
the 2600 adapter). Pilot games for it included Zaxxon, Super 
Buck Rogers, and Super Donkey Kong. Sound familiar?  However, the 
Super Game Module was not designed to use the familiar DDPs. 
Instead it was to use what was called a 'Wafertape' drive, which 
holds approximately 160k per tape, and is housed in a cassette 
which is physically about the same dimensions as a 3.5" floppy 
disc (though a bit deeper). This was never produced however, 
from what I've seen it appears that the agreement between 
Coleco and the company that manufactured these Wafertape 
drives broke down, and likely Coleco didn't want to give
CV owners a choice between a cheaper Super Game module and the
relatively more expensive Expansion Module #3. At about this
time, TI  was also supposed to get the Wafertape drive as well, 
they called it WaftertapeTM, and information about it can be 
seen on the back of the beige console's box...however, again I 
don't think this was produced. At any rate, I think Wafertape 
would explain the 3.5" disk drive-like slot on the front of the 
pictured Expansion Module #3. This is mostly speculation on my 
part, but I do think it fits the scenario very well.

Anyways, the article I found rather interesting, and I thought I
would share it. :)

*Geoff Oltmans*

http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/geoff


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