RCA Studio II GOLD MINE! An interview with the Studio 2 Production Manager!

[etxmato]

Hi All,

 

Here is a new Studio II chip 8 interpreter: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3880958/studio-chip8-revC.zip

Changes compared to rev B: fixed key routine Fx07 to also use keypad 2 keys 1 to 6 as keys A to F.

 

Also a new Emma 02 beta with the following main changes:

- Fixed hanging screens on OS X

- Added support for multi cart on the Victory

- Changed handling of multi cart ROM, now you need to select the multi cart ROM as CART and the ROM field should be the normal system ROM. This allows for the new option to disable / enable the system ROM while using the multi cart. This is needed for some games, like Star Wars on the Studio II and some Studio II games on the Victory.

- Added color RAM disabling at startup of the Victory until first write instruction into color RAM. This fixed coloring of B/W games when using the multi cart

 

Download:

windows 64 bit: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3880958/Emma%2002/Emma_02_x64_setup_v1.24.29.exe

windows 32 bit: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3880958/Emma%2002/Emma_02_setup_v1.24.29.exe

windows XP: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3880958/Emma%2002/Emma_02_xp_setup_v1.24.29.exe

OS X: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3880958/Emma%2002/emma02-1.24.29-osx.pkg

 

Cheers, Marcel.

[TLD1985]

Sadly sold but some very nice photos of the Mustang 9016 here: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Mustang-9016-Vintage-Telespiel-Computer-716590-59-Raritat-alt-/142273110723?clk_rvr_id=1171983092921&rmvSB=true

 

also watching these, interesting to see if they do sell for this ammount:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Star-Wars-Mpt-02-Soundic-Victory-rca-studio-II-2-clone-1ST-STAR-WARS-GAME-EVER-/201803278690?hash=item2efc69a962:g:3IwAAOSw44BYkjGy

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pinball-Mpt-02-Soundic-Victory-rca-studio-II-2-clone-sheen-conic-Hanimex-/201803666677?hash=item2efc6f94f5:g:zg8AAOSwA3dYkqdN

[+stupus]

Sadly sold but some very nice photos of the Mustang 9016 here: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Mustang-9016-Vintage-Telespiel-Computer-716590-59-Raritat-alt-/142273110723?clk_rvr_id=1171983092921&rmvSB=true

Not sad for me

 

 

also watching these, interesting to see if they do sell for this ammount: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Star-Wars-Mpt-02-Soundic-Victory-rca-studio-II-2-clone-1ST-STAR-WARS-GAME-EVER-/201803278690?hash=item2efc69a962:g:3IwAAOSw44BYkjGyhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pinball-Mpt-02-Soundic-Victory-rca-studio-II-2-clone-sheen-conic-Hanimex-/201803666677?hash=item2efc6f94f5:g:zg8AAOSwA3dYkqdN

Those are mine too haha

Happy to do much better with a friend price if anybody would like to buy any of them here at AA directly.

[Blazing Lazers]

Just a quick update on one research area: I plan to make a trip over to the Copyright Office soon since I'll have some time off. Anything in particular related to the Studio II I should look for?

[lazzeri]

Seeing Paul's amazing homebrews games gave me the idea to unpack my good old RCA Studio II and make a

first attemps to do a mod: Audio/Video output (like a Jakk TV Plug & Play).

 

First attemps is a succes...but the video output is a bit dark, i'll boost the signal in my second attemp.

So finally NO MORE %&%&? RF SWITCH BOX!!!!

 

If anyone wanna do this simple A/V mod, check out the PDF file from "ekeefe" which he done the

schematics all by himself. The Video output is already in the schematic but for the audio output, just

take the source on pin 3 of the LM555.

 

And as for the power supply, just cut the RF cable and plug a 9VDC/300ma power supply and voila!

You'll have a RCA Studio II with A/V output.

 

Check these pics:

 

 

 

 

--- Sly DC ---

 

Kind of a Necrobump, I guess...

 

I´ve managed to install FLiP´s video mod. Amazing, cristal-clear picture.

 

But I really don´t understand how to do the "Audio OUT". Since I´m a complete idiot with a soldering iron and there´s no pics in your post, would someone be kind enough to explain me how to do it?

 

Pretty pretty please?

 

Thank you!

[Hwlngmad]

Great stuff! All of this renewed interested in the Studio II makes me want to go our and try to acquire one. Definitely I appreciated the retrospective on the Studio II as it definitely is not a well known piece of video game history.

[Atari PAC-MAN Fan]

Wow! This is really cool. I once had no respect for the RCA Studio II, (Not to mention it has that weird switchbox like the Atari 5200.) but now, maybe I'll consider hunting one down.

[Blazing Lazers]

Nothing truly remarkable, but this listing has a serial number of 171646, the highest I've seen yet

 

http://m.ebay.com/itm/RCA-Studio-II-Home-TV-Programmer-Model-I8V100-W-RCA-Studio-II-TV-Selector-Switch-/122418246177?nav=SEARCH

[Blazing Lazers]

Just picked up a Studio II lot on Craigslist(!), nothing too spectacular in it, though this obviously later games ordering form is perhaps of interest, and further proof Bingo wasn't sold publicly:

[Blazing Lazers]

I recently bought another spare system, serial number 79639. Nothing too unusual, except for the back page of the manual, which indicates that all the games except Biorhythm are available, with more on the way. So, this would seem to indicate that Speedway and Gunfighter actually were available before Biorhythm, which would then be the last confirmed release? And this is from a manual that came with a system manufactured less than halfway into the main production run! Not really sure what to make of this, since it contradicts almost everything else we thought we knew.

[+stupus]

I finally got around to doing this today! Fingers crossed the dump is good!

 

[+stupus]

Sounds like the dumps are bad sadly.

I will post them here if anyone wants to mess with them or has any ideas.

 

Either the dumper doesn't work right for the visicom carts or possibly the carts bad. But I think that's unlikely.

 

Zip file contains 2 dumps of the same cart cas-160.

 

visicom.zip

[ranger_lennier]

Do you still have Baseball/Sumo Wrestling? It would be interesting to see if you could match the dump of that one.

[+stupus]

Yes, I do.

I figured that would be my next step as well to see if I can dump the previously dumped game to try and rule out if it's the dumper or the cartridge thats a problem.

[TLD1985]

I am no expert at such things but I'm guessing it's the dumper. Was viewing the dumps in a hex editor.. the dumps dont match.. they do have some parts that do..

 

 

stupid question.. have you checked to see if the pins are clean?

Edited June 21, 2017 by TLD1985

[CatPix]

I recently bought another spare system, serial number 79639. Nothing too unusual, except for the back page of the manual, which indicates that all the games except Biorhythm are available, with more on the way. So, this would seem to indicate that Speedway and Gunfighter actually were available before Biorhythm, which would then be the last confirmed release? And this is from a manual that came with a system manufactured less than halfway into the main production run! Not really sure what to make of this, since it contradicts almost everything else we thought we knew.

A supposition is that, given the little number of units made, RCA had printed a batch of "first edition" manuals, then updated them, but the manuals were placed randomly in the system boxes, so that explain your statement in bold. They might have wanted to restroy the manuals but given poor sales decided to not waste any more money

[HawkMines]

There's soo much information in this thread that there should be a whole RCA Studio II Subforum. Just putting it out there.

[BassGuitari]

There's soo much information in this thread that there should be a whole RCA Studio II Subforum. Just putting it out there.

This thread is the Studio II Subforum.

 

Or it would be, if it kept getting inundated with n00bs dropping in to post two or three times about how the Studio II is the worst system of all time.

[+Tarzilla]

I think we can leave the shell/label as original as possible, but have the PCB different enough to distinguish them either in color (the current set is red which was never used for real carts). We could also add some silkscreen message to indicate a repro on the part sticking out. That would make it harder to cheat while looking the part when it's in the console...

 

also: all the repro ideas are nice, but I guess there's a limited number of shells... Unless we find a new source (i.e. commission a new production run), there's not going to be more than a few dozen? It would be a shame to sacrifice working original carts for repros.

 

FliP

Hey, Flip, check your PMs

[Blazing Lazers]

A supposition is that, given the little number of units made, RCA had printed a batch of "first edition" manuals, then updated them, but the manuals were placed randomly in the system boxes, so that explain your statement in bold. They might have wanted to restroy the manuals but given poor sales decided to not waste any more money

I can't actually rule that out, or something similar. Fauxscot and his boss who ran the factory down in Swannanoa both mentioned that the paper stuff, such as boxes, labels, manuals, and such were printed elsewhere at different locations (which also explains how different copies of the same game have aged/faded differently). Given that the included inserts and brochures varied between earlier/later systems (see previous pages in this thread for examples) it's no surprise the manuals also appear to have been updated. Going by the part numbers and that it was also programmed in color for forward compatibility with the Studio III Biorhythm should logically be the last confirmed US retail release, but it's too common, and Speedway and Gunfighter too rare, for that to really be the case. That is was produced in sufficient quantities would indicate that it made it to production earlier than planned, or Speedway and Gunfighter were simply delayed for some reason. The lot this manual came from (from a local Craigslist pickup) included Biorhythm and every other game except for the Speedway and Gunfighter, I'm inclined to think that's the case.

[+Tarzilla]

Are there any Canadians here that have a naked multicart board that is cold and needs some armor?

 

 

If initial tests work and I get the acetone bath process down then we can figure out details like colors (no 70s beige that I can find)

 

 

 

[ekeefe]

Hello Tarzilla,

That looks real nice!

Are you going to share the gcode/stl files?

I would love to print one. I can test it with my multicart.

ED

[+Tarzilla]

Hello Tarzilla,

 

That looks real nice!

 

Are you going to share the gcode/stl files?

 

I would love to print one. I can test it with my multicart.

 

ED

Eventually, there are a few things I want to try first

[ekeefe]

Hello Tarzilla,

Please keep me in mind when you do.

Thank you in advance.

ED

[+stupus]

Here is a neat sight probably nobody else can provide.

It's a game from all 10 known rca s2 variants.

I have a cib copy for every system except for the mustang which I only have a loose specimen sadly.

If anyone can help change that please let me know.

Note there are 2 versions for the sheen. Different boxes, carts etc.

Strange enough they also made 2 clone versions of the arcadia 2001. Actually 3 if you count a 3rd box variation.

Also I have found an 11th rca s2 variant but it is just mpt02 cart/boxes with Italian manuals. So I didn't include it in this pic.

Also the mpt02 soundic and hanimex carts appear to be identical. The Hanimex manuals are just in french.

I have found 2 variant boxes to the mpt02 games. I don't know if 1 is for soundic and 1 for hanimex. For now I am assigning the much more uncommon one to the hanimex....but cant say that's correct or that they weren't interchangeable. Maybe a french collector could help shed some light?