User:Vectrex

The Vectrex was the first and only home-based system to ever use a vector-based screen.
We have the Milton Bradley built version of the vectrex, from 1982. We also have another Milton Bradly system, the very first portable game system with replaceable game cartridges the MicroVision.

Vectrex (running "Scramble") and its smaller "brother" Macrovision brotherly together at RevSpace

Technical specifications Vectrex

Circuit board

• CPU: Motorola 6809 @ 1.5 MHz
• RAM: 1 kB (two 4-bit 2114 chips)
• ROM: 8 kB (one 8-bit 2363 chip)
• Cartridge : 32 kB
• MOS 6522 Versatile Interface Adapter (VIA)

Picture

• 5" Monochrome CRT
• 8-bit ADC with current output feeds two resettable integrators controlling x and Y of beam, for drawing vectors
• Z control for dimming CRT beam

Sound

• Sound: General Instrument AY-3-8912
• 3" electrodynamic paper cone speaker

Control

One or two analog controllers, each using an x-y analog (potentiometer) joystick, and four action buttons.
Connected to main system using a DB-9 connector on a curled cable.

Power

Mains powered.

Software

The game built into the Vectrex, MineStorm, would crash at level 13. However, on some machines the game would continue until the highest level.
The system has a slot on the right side for game cartrdges. It uses cartridges with a single ROM chip in them.
Different plastic colorized overlays that came with each game can be put in front of the CRT to add some colour.

We have:

• Clean Sweep
• Spike
• Solar quest (with color overlay)
• Scramble (with color overlay)

Technical specifications Microvision

CPU: Intel 8021/TI TMS1100 (on cartridge) Screen type and resolution: 16 × 16 pixel LCD Register width: 4 bit (TMS1100), 8 bit (8021) Processor speed: 100 kHz RAM (integrated into CPU): 64 bytes (TMS1100), 8 bytes (8021) ROM: 2K (TMS100), 1K (8021) Cartridge ROM: 2K (TMS 1100), 1K (8021) masked (integrated into CPU; each game's CPU was different)

Video

Video Display Processor: LCD Custom Driver (made by Hughes) (screen does not have "screen rot").

Sound

Piezo beeper

Control

Input: Twelve button keypad, one paddle

Power

Power requirements: One or two 9 volt batteries on earlier Microvision consoles, one 9 volt battery on later Microvision consoles Power Dissipation: 110 mW (TMS 1100), 1 W (8021)

Software

Software stored in the Microcontrollers mask ROM, uses the LCD and keyboard matrix of the main system. we have the basic three games that came with the Dutch release of the system:

• Vier op een rij
• BlockBuster
• Shooting Star

vectrexmuseum
List of Vectrex game
Microvision at wikipedia.nl