Engineering:CCE MC-1000

From HandWiki
MC-1000 Color Computer
ManufacturerCCE (Indústria e Comércio de Componentes Eletrônicos)
TypeHome computer
Release date1985
Introductory priceCr$ 1.1 million
Discontinued1986
MediaCassette tape
Operating systemBASIC
CPUZilog Z80A @ 3.57 MHz
Memory16 KB RAM (expandable to 64 KB)
Display32×16 text in 8 colors; 128×64, 128×96, 128×192, 256×192 graphics with 2 background and 3 foreground colors
GraphicsMC6847
SoundAY-3-8910
InputKeyboard

The MC-1000 Color Computer[1] was a home computer produced in Brazil by CCE (Indústria e Comércio de Componentes Eletrônicos)[2][1] and released in February 1985.[3][4][5][6]

The machine shares some hardware heritage with the GEM 1000/Charlemagne 999 and the Rabbit RX83.[7][8][9][10] Like the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, BASIC commands were typed by pressing a single key.

It was not popular due to outdated technical specifications and lack of compatibility with established 8-bit systems of the time.[11]

History

The GEM 1000 Junior Computer, also known as Charlemagne 999 in Belgium and sold by Vidéo Direct International (VDI),[7][12] was a low cost toy home computer for children from 5 years upwards, produced by Taiwan based Gem International Corporation and introduced in 1983.[13] It was part of a family consisting of the GEM-2000 Family Mini-Computer, GEM-3000 Family Super Computer and the GEM-4000 Professional Computer.[14][15]

The GEM 1000 had 16 KB of RAM. BASIC commands were typed by pressing a single key using a dialect similar to Applesoft BASIC.[13] The Charlemagne 999 used French instead of English keywords.[7]

The Rabbit RX83, produced by Rabbit Computers of Hong Kong had 2 KB of RAM, limiting the display to 32×16 characters in 8 colors or 128×64 graphics with 2 background and 3 foreground colors. It was launched at the 1983 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show with a price of just US$99.[16][17][18]

The MC-1000 Color Computer was similar to these machines but released years later in 1985,[13][9][10][19] when the Brazilian market was already saturated with cheap machines offering similar features. As such, it did not attract much attention even though it was touted as a "Brazilian computer".

The fact that it was not a clone of popular 8-bit systems (like the Apple, TRS-80 or the Sinclair Spectrum) did not contribute to its popularity.[11] In addition to poor design and having a chiclet keyboard, the MC-1000 had only 16 KB of RAM which was small by the standards of the time.

The machine was commercialized up to 1986.[10]

Technical specifications

  • CPU: Zilog Z80A, 3.57 MHz[2]
  • Memory: 16 KB RAM expandable to 64 KB; 8 KB ROM; up-to 6 KB VRAM[2]
  • Keyboard: 50-key rubber Chiclet keyboard
  • Display: Motorola MC6847[20] (32×16 text in 8 colors; 128×64, 128×96, 128×192, 256×192 graphics with 2 background and 3 foreground colors)
  • Sound: AY-3-8910[20] (3 voices and white noise)
  • Ports: cassette recorder interface (1200 bit/s), TV output connector, joystick

Emulation

Like similar early home computers, the MC-1000 Color Computer can be emulated on modern machines.[21][22]

Video games

10 games are known to exist for CCE MC-1000, all released in Brazil.[23]

  • Aventura
  • Batalha Aeronaval
  • Batalha de Matemática
  • Guerra de Robos
  • Invasores do Espaço
  • Jipe de Guerra
  • Jogo da Forca I
  • Jogo da Forca II
  • Jogo de Memória
  • Othello

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 MC1000 Manual de Instruções e BASIC. CCE - Divisão de Informática LTDA.. 1985. https://sites.google.com/site/ccemc1000/manual-do-basic. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "MC-1000". https://www.1000bit.it/scheda.asp?id=1417. 
  3. ↑ "CCE lança mais um microcomputador doméstico". Folha de São Paulo (Caderno de Informática): pp. 31. October 31, 1984. http://acervo.folha.com.br/fsp/1984/10/31/2//4219772. 
  4. ↑ "Micro CCE nas lojas". Folha de S.Paulo (Caderno de Informática). March 6, 1985. http://acervo.folha.com.br/fsp/1985/03/06/2//4107283. 
  5. ↑ da Costa, Emerson José Silveira. "CCE MC1000". https://sites.google.com/site/ccemc1000. Retrieved 2016-03-05. 
  6. ↑ "CCE a Todo Vapor". Revista Micro Sistemas: pp. 25. March 25, 1985. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/d9PVLdO2SPkjB6vF7fDLULDmqjrApzYCE9bB6B7vHzMGqBfw3PJfawHxF10XnS5yOeQo5Yc9sTm7DXIrFmD9stDqIcvrrM7zJeRSTQBEe2QHz73SIFvEMyGDNuHRjfhN8w=w1280. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Silicium : Avis de recherche 1". http://silicium.org/oldskool/wanted.htm. 
  8. ↑ Rabbit Computer (1983) (in English). Rabbit Computer RX83 Flyer from Summer 1983 CES. http://archive.org/details/RabbitComputerRX83FlyerfromSummer1983CES. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "MC 1000 CCE". https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=331. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "CCE". Revista Micro Sistemas: pp. 33. August 1986. https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/sXDuc8mdMmS_pyCDw4cPGjx6lk4V6GLST6V1e1DTAufc3W4p1G6Ekgy6PmgiwIUuMELkppgDsPztW_uTaHAU1x6bHv7MM7_6GCsYF7eXSZd1kuIOzWRfUojypCO9WKZn3A=w1280. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "CCE MC 1000–1985". GamePlayerSpecial. http://gameplayerspecial.com/2012/07/09/cce-mc-1000-1985/. Retrieved 2013-12-27. 
  12. ↑ "Charlemagne". Vidéo7. August 1983. https://oldskool.silicium.org/images/wanted/charlemagnepub.jpg. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "GEM 1000 Junior Computer / Charlemagne 999". Old computers. http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=420. Retrieved 2013-12-27. 
  14. ↑ "Computer Models Database". http://www.epocalc.net/php/liste_models.php?nom=O&nocomp=pc. 
  15. ↑ "Le docteur grant, un janus Belge...". Votre Ordinateur (4): pp. 86. March 1984. https://archive.org/details/VotreOrdinateur04/page/n85/mode/1up. 
  16. ↑ Ahl, David H. (September 1983). "1983 Summer Consumer Electronics Show". Creative Computing 9 (9): pp. 202. https://archive.org/details/creativecomputing-1983-09/page/n205/mode/1up. 
  17. ↑ Rabbit Computer (1983) (in English). Rabbit Computer RX83 Flyer from Summer 1983 CES. https://archive.org/details/RabbitComputerRX83FlyerfromSummer1983CES. 
  18. ↑ Garroch, Ken (March 1983). "Wrap-Bit RUN". Personal Computer News: pp. 20, 21, 23. https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews058-21Apr1984/page/n21/mode/1up. 
  19. ↑ Diário Oficial da União de 9 de fevereiro de 1984. February 9, 1984. pp. Seção I 2005. https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Isnv7gNxyRhQTQEIycsSVBoFhChtc2oY-xdl6vysNiptc1X-ALKwOvBCtX8LqurebVK989tuScRldRUdzgAUzZGAav9PCzSiWel9Sw7lVqnXWzoXKdR6-T8gg8vWeWuUQQ=w1280. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Hardware". https://sites.google.com/site/ccemc1000/hardware. 
  21. ↑ "BrMC-1000: an MC-1000 emulator in Java by Ricardo Bittencourt". http://www.ricbit.com/mundobizarro/brmc1000.php. 
  22. ↑ "jsMC1000 - JavaScript CCE MC-1000 emulator". http://ensjo.net/mc-1000/jsmc1000/. 
  23. ↑ "CCE MC-1000 cassettes". https://www.arcade-history.com/index.php?page=database&listtypes=471&position=1&pirate=0&demo=0&export=1&reissue=1&mamed=1&nongame=0. 



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Engineering:CCE_MC-1000&oldid=3913541"