|
A new in the box MATTEL AQUARIUS 2
When the Keyboard Component project was canceled, Mattel searched in a hurry to produce a small and cheap computer. They contacted Radofin Electronics Far East, based in Honk-Kong, who was manufacturing most of the Intellivision products. Radofin had just developped a line of three Z80 based computers. Mattel decided to sell the two first under their brand. The Aquarius 1 and 2 were born.
The Mattel Aquarius uses a special version of the Microsoft Basic. When it is used with basic, only 1.7 KB are available.
There were no redefinable characters, but 256 predefined were available : 128 ASCII (numerals, upper and lower case alphabet, punctuation, symbols) and 128 graphic patterns. That was the only "graphical" features of the Aquarius !
Unfortunately the specifications were so poor for a 1983 computer, that the Aquarius "1" litteraly bombed. Three months after its release, Mattel decided to cancel the project and to sell back the rights and stocks to Radofin.
Radofin continued to sell Aquarius 1 & 2 under its own name, but without success...
Cool addons were developped for the Aquarius, but never made it to the shelves (apparently). There were a Master Expansion Module equiped with disk-drives and expansion slots for future addons. It even offered the CP/M compatibility !
Another sympathetic extension was the Home Computer System Command Console which allowed the Aquarius to directly control up to 255 electric devices. But when the computers is used with this extension, it can't be used for anything else !
There were also a Modem planned and Mattel even announced network services for games and programs downloads...
NAME AQUARIUS
MANUFACTURER Mattel Electronics
TYPE Home Computer
ORIGIN U.S.A.
YEAR 1983
BUILT IN LANGUAGE Specific Microsoft Basic interpreter
KEYBOARD Rubber type. 49 keys
CPU Zilog Z80A
SPEED 3.5 mHz
RAM 4 kb (up to 16 kb), 1,7k free for user
ROM 8 kb
TEXT MODES 40 x 25
GRAPHIC MODES 80 x 72, 320 x 192
COLORS 16
SOUND 1 voice
SIZE / WEIGHT 34,5(W) x 15(D) x 5,5(H) cm.
I/O PORTS Tape, Printer, Bus
POWER SUPPLY External power supply (12v)
PERIPHERALS Thermic printer and plotter (1200 bauds)
Tape-recorder (600 bauds)
Mini-expander addon
RAM expansions (4k & 16k)
Master expansion module & disk-drives (vaporware)
Home Computer System
__________________
LEATHER, LATEX and LACE "SSC"
"Nothing That Gives Pleasure is Bad"
Quality is for those who know
what they want and are at peace with what they have.
"S/M is about emotion; the erotic tension between my impulse toward something and my resistance against it."-- Virginia Barker
|