The Original Computer Module

[+doctorclu]

The original computer module:

 

And people thought the Atari 800 was huge. Anyway, has anyone here seen one? What were they like? One thing I was curious about was how did the game system plug into the base? The prototype videos always show the system just being dropped in the top and turning on which I dont't see that happening.

 

And for those that like to do a bit of reproduction model work (like those that recreate the rare Atari 1450 XL computer) has anyone looked into making a reproduction of this design?

 

I am knocking it around since I think the keyboard and look would be better than the current ECS look and it would be great to fit the computer module, voice, and other things in that casing, but well, that thing has a huge footprint. But I guess with a LCD montior behind it taking little of the remaining space, maybe wouldnt't be too bad.

 

Would love to hear experiences of actually seeing one of these, and any production attempts.

 

 

 

[voltron]

I own one and a few other on here do as well. I heard Cmart has 900 of them in his Canadian Bunker.

[catsfolly]

What were they like? One thing I was curious about was how did the game system plug into the base? The prototype videos always show the system just being dropped in the top and turning on which I dont't see that happening.

 

There was a ribbon cable on the right inside of the base that had a connector that looked like a cartridge. This plugged into the cartridge port. There was also a place to plug the power cable inside, and a cable extender for the tv out. 5 screws held the master component in place.

 

For more details, check out the keyboard component manual:

 

 

http://papaintellivision.com/pdfs/CCF10212011_00001.pdf

[+doctorclu]

So for you all that have them, how functional are they? What all could they do and what problems do they have?

[+Lathe26]

I saw/touched a non-working one at PRGE... just before Cmart picked his property.

 

Replicating the functionality would be tricky. To start with, the tape drive is non-standard and it has a 6502 processor to handle much of the extra functionality which shares some memory accesses with the Intellivision's GI processor. Also, there are very few of these around (and fewer that even work) to see how they functioned. Not an impossible task, but difficult.

[+cmart604]

I saw/touched a non-working one at PRGE... just before Cmart picked his property.

 

Replicating the functionality would be tricky. To start with, the tape drive is non-standard and it has a 6502 processor to handle much of the extra functionality which shares some memory accesses with the Intellivision's GI processor. Also, there are very few of these around (and fewer that even work) to see how they functioned. Not an impossible task, but difficult.

Glad you got to touch my precious. (Waiting for Rev in 3,2,1.... )

 

There are a few working ones out there. I'm pretty sure Toby, Joe, Alex, and a couple of other folks here have working ones. I may one day fly mine to Pimpmaul as my carry on luggage.

[+save2600]

What a kick ass piece of hardware w/ a built-in tape drive to boot! Always thought the entire thing was sexy. Wish Mattel hadn't bothered with the Aquarius at all and stuck to the original computer module for the Inty.

[catsfolly]

I think the cassette drive was the "weakest link" of the system. It tended to break down in the long run.

 

When it worked the system was very nice. It could play an audio track while streaming data in from the data track of the cassette.

 

So "Mimi" your computer French teacher, would explain French while the screen illustrated her points. Then she would say a phrase, and the user would say the phrase (which the cassette player recorded). Then the computer would play back the teacher's voice and the user's voice, so they could compare the sound.

 

The Keyboard generated higher resolution graphics which mixed with the Intellivision graphics on screen.

 

The keyboard component memory could theoretically be expanded to 5 megabytes of ram (this number was like science fiction in 1980...)

 

Unfortunately when the keyboard component was designed the leading personal computer was the Apple II - so the designers used a similar approach - lots of off the shelf chips. By the time Mattel was ready to release it, other computers based on custom chips were getting cheaper and Mattel couldn't compete without a complete redesign...

 

At one point internally David Chandler showed a prototype keyboard component that looked more like an IBM PC - the keyboard was a separate unit connected to a box that held the electronics. But the company ultimately went with the ECS keyboard instead....

[+Lathe26]

I think the tape held 8 tracks with 4 tracks per side. On a single side, the tape had 1 play-only digital track, 1 play-only analog audio track, 1 play+record digital track, and 1 play+record analog audio track. That's if I recall correctly from the documents I've read.

 

As for the other keyboard prototypes, there were 2 different companies that Mattel was working on contracts with. Both had similar but slightly different hardware that was basically the Keyboard Component's parts inside of modified IntelliVoice plastics with a plug-in typing keyboard. In the end, neither came to fruition. You can find these buried on Papa Intellivision's www site.

[DZ-Jay]

The original computer module:

 

And people thought the Atari 800 was huge. Anyway, has anyone here seen one? What were they like? One thing I was curious about was how did the game system plug into the base? The prototype videos always show the system just being dropped in the top and turning on which I dont't see that happening.

 

And for those that like to do a bit of reproduction model work (like those that recreate the rare Atari 1450 XL computer) has anyone looked into making a reproduction of this design?

 

I am knocking it around since I think the keyboard and look would be better than the current ECS look and it would be great to fit the computer module, voice, and other things in that casing, but well, that thing has a huge footprint. But I guess with a LCD montior behind it taking little of the remaining space, maybe wouldnt't be too bad.

 

Would love to hear experiences of actually seeing one of these, and any production attempts.

 

 

 

 

You make fun of it, but you have to understand that the Keyboard Component was being designed in the 1970s, and it was a very ambitious project, not just your typical home computer. In retrospect, and being familiar with the microcomputers that were available at the time, most of the features they planned to include seemed like straight out of the future: a cassette tape that streamed audio that is synchronized synchronized with computer information and animation sequences on the screen, that allow user interaction, for all sorts of applications.

 

Like save2600, I always thought the Keyboard Component was sexy and futuristic, and I was extremely disappointed that when I finally got my "Intellivision computer module," it turned out to be the plain old stupid ECS.

 

-dZ.

Edited January 11, 2014 by DZ-Jay

[+doctorclu]

 

You make fun of it, but you have to understand that the Keyboard Component was being designed in the 1970s, and it was a very ambitious project, not just your typical home computer. In retrospect, and being familiar with the microcomputers that were available at the time, most of the features they planned to include seemed like straight out of the future: a cassette tape that streamed audio that is synchronized synchronized with computer information and animation sequences on the screen, that allow user interaction, for all sorts of applications.

 

Like save2600, I always thought the Keyboard Component was sexy and futuristic, and I was extremely disappointed that when I finally got my "Intellivision computer module," it turned out to be the plain old stupid ECS.

 

-dZ.

 

Well I make fun of it because it is endearing. I'm even asking about or considering a modeling attempt because I think it looks better than the ECS. The Atari 800 (also from 1979) is my favorite computer of all time, and this computer module and Intellivision would have been maybe two-three inches longer in the back than the 800 was. People called the 800 the "Hippo" machine back in the day after the XL and XE models came out in the years that followed with the much smaller foot print, so I can only imagine the same would have been said for the original computer module for the Intellivision.

 

And love a lot of the features that you mentioned. The cassette option of playing sound on one channel while loading on another channel was a feature the Atari 800 and it's line got to enjoy as well and was indeed cool.

Edited January 11, 2014 by doctorclu

[+intvsteve]

From the Intellivision Lives site, IIRC, some of these systems were used as development platforms, and they referred to them as 'blue whales', despite their color. I've been pining for one since I was a wee lad, and the parents did intend to get one. Alas it never happened and I'm too cheap to pry one out of the hands of the other hoarders.

Edited January 11, 2014 by intvsteve

[+doctorclu]

Blue Whales LOL... that is cool. I think it is also cool that they were powerful enough at the time to develop games for their own platform.

[JasonlikesINTV]

Blue Whales LOL... that is cool. I think it is also cool that they were powerful enough at the time to develop games for their own platform.

Is Blue Whale a nickname for the Keyboard Component?

[+intvsteve]

Correction: The dev systems were called Black Whales after modification. The original KC was called a Blue Whale.

 

http://intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/hardware/keyboard_tech.html

Edited January 12, 2014 by intvsteve

[JasonlikesINTV]

Ah, thanks Steve. I can't believe they didn't stick with Intelliputer.

 

On a side note, methinks a Blue Whale be on the horizon soon. Prepare ye harpoons

[+intvsteve]

Ah, thanks Steve. I can't believe they didn't stick with Intelliputer.

 

On a side note, methinks a Blue Whale be on the horizon soon. Prepare ye harpoons

Rattles tin cup, holding sign 'will make website for l00tz'

[+doctorclu]

Ah, thanks Steve. I can't believe they didn't stick with Intelliputer.

 

On a side note, methinks a Blue Whale be on the horizon soon. Prepare ye harpoons

 

Is this to say that there is a fan effort to make the Intelliputer or Blue Whale more available to the Intellivision fans?

[ckblackm]

That would be great.

[JasonlikesINTV]

 

Is this to say that there is a fan effort to make the Intelliputer or Blue Whale more available to the Intellivision fans?

Nope, a little bird told me one might surface for sale this year. We'll see.

 

A fan project could be cool, but I'm not sure if the finished product would be cost effective or marketable. I suppose if people are willing to pay $2000 for an orig broken one just to sit on a shelf, they may pay $400 for a new repro working one.

[+cmart604]

Nope, a little bird told me one might surface for sale this year. We'll see.

 

A fan project could be cool, but I'm not sure if the finished product would be cost effective or marketable. I suppose if people are willing to pay $2000 for an orig broken one just to sit on a shelf, they may pay $400 for a new repro working one.

Wait. What?

[Nibunnoichi]

I've never seen one "live"... and i'd love to own one since years, but i highly doubt it will ever happen.

[JasonlikesINTV]

I've already said too much....and I think I'm being followed...gotta go!

[BBWW]

I was hanging around the booth with a stack of 100 dollar bills in case you didn't call. LOL I was in line before Lathe26

Glad you got to touch my precious. (Waiting for Rev in 3,2,1.... )

There are a few working ones out there. I'm pretty sure Toby, Joe, Alex, and a couple of other folks here have working ones. I may one day fly mine to Pimpmaul as my carry on luggage.

[+cmart604]

Lol! Yep Toby was messaging me as I was supposed to come down to pick it up and it ended up being the weekend that I moved