TV computer
The TV computer (TVC for short) from the Hungarian company Videoton (VT for short) was a small computer based on a Z80 CPU clocked at 3.125 MHz , which was bought in 1988 primarily by government agencies such as schools. The device was a licensed adaptation of the enterprise home computer , for which the rights were acquired and secured in 1984.
The housing design was similar to the other systems of its time, e.g. B. the C64 . The device was available in two basic versions with 32 or 64 kB RAM, as well as later as a bug-adjusted version, the TVC 64k +, which was prepared for operation with a floppy disk drive . Around 3000 of the first basic model were produced, and around 9000 of the second basic model.
All devices came with an HF modulator for output via a TV set as well as an RGB output, with which you can e.g. B. could control VGA monitors. With 16 kB video RAM, text modes with 64 × 24 characters with 8 × 10 pixels each or graphic modes with 128 × 240 pixels with 16 colors up to 512 × 240 pixels with 2 colors were possible. The operating system offered a graphic interface that permanently simulated a resolution of 1024 × 960 pixels.
The system design by connections for supplemented tape drive , Centronics - printer (such printers was offered by video sound itself), two joysticks , and various expansion ports of ROM modules and additional cards.
In the basic version the device was equipped with 20k ROM, which contained a TVC- BASIC V1.2 and an operating system. For the plus version, TVC BASIC V2.2 was included as well as an operating system called VT-DOS, which had an MS-DOS compatible instruction set and was able to use the FAT12 disk format for 360 to 720 kB formats. Complete compatibility with the PC format was not given due to the implementation of national special characters. Programs for IBM-compatible PCs could not be run in principle. About 40 to 50 programs of all kinds were offered as accessories via the national sales channels. One of the most popular and famous games was Hungaroring .
The device was produced over a period of around three years, after which the Commodore Plus4 was imported from western countries as an inexpensive replacement item because of the high prices and lack of efficiency .
For the device there are several system emulators of different technology and maturity, z. B. for the PC platform or for the Java VM.
Web links
- Documentation for the Videoton TV computer (English / Hungarian)