1292 Advanced Programmable Video System - MAME machine

Console published 48 years ago:

1292 Advanced Programmable Video System © 1976 Radofin.

The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System is a video game console.

TECHNICAL
CPU: 8-bit Signetics 2650AI (4.43MHz)
Audiovisual co-processor (video chipset, I/O Processor): Signetics 2636N (3.58MHz), addressing 32Kb of memory in 8Kb banks.
Data Memory: 43 bytes

Graphics:
Sprites: 4 single colour sprites (1 can be 8 colours)
1 Score line displaying 4 BCD digits
Background consisting of a series of alternating lines

Controllers:
2 × 12-button with 2-axis control stick
Power Supply: Input 250V, 50Hz; Output 9.5V, 0.4A & 15V, 0.11A

The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System included its power pack inside the console instead of an exterior power pack.

TRIVIA
The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System is part of a group of software-compatible consoles which include the Interton VC-4000 and the Voltmace Database.

The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System was first made by a European company called Radofin in 1976. The technology was licensed to other companies throughout the UK. Acetronic, Prinztronic, Fountain, Grandstand, Audiosonic, Hanimex and Lansay, each made consoles based on Radofin's console for different parts of the world. Some of these variations were identical to the original but with different logos, while others varied the external design completely.

The Interton VC 4000 was also released in Europe. The overall design and specs are similar to the 1292 APVS family, but it is unclear whether this unit was licensed by Radofin or developed before (as they claim). The console was supposedly developed by Interton in 1974, but released in 1978. Both Interton and Radofin were German based companies.

Another misconception is that these consoles are clones of the Emerson Arcadia 2001. The Emerson Arcadia 2001, released in 1982, used the same CPU as the 1292 APVS. The audio/visual co-processor in the Arcadia 2001 used a Signetics 2637N chipset while the 1292 APVS line incorporated a less powerful chipset, the Signetics 2636N, which is an earlier version of the 2637N. The architecture is also quite similar which begs the question. Is the Arcadia a modified 1292 APVS?

All the systems used 32-pin cartridges and 2 controllers (which are hard-wired to the system). These controllers had 12 buttons and a 2-axis analogue control. The pack-in games that came with most systems were Olympics and Invaders. It was possible to play carts on the various models with or without use of an adaptor. The numerous models also produced a large library of games.

Because of the similar architecture, it was believed that 1292 games could be played on the Emerson Arcadia with modifications. However thanks to hardware gurus and emulation it has been proven that it cannot be done.

CONTRIBUTE
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