UK release of the Commodore 2000k TV game console - currently 'resting' after much abuse. Pics are here for restorers of this MPS7601 powered masterpiece and screen shots of all FOUR games coming soon!
Coming in a number of guises, this Acetronic / Radofin game is yet to emulated. Screenshots coming!
1977 - Little known 'Trafalagar' LCD wrist watch. British made, this version was released for the Queen's silver jubilee and sported a commemorative back pressing. The watch itself was back-illuminated by the use of the green radioactive gas, as employed by the equally controversial and eventually withdrawn first generation Trim Phone of the same period.
1975. This is Smith's Astral Digital Watch. Aimed unashamedly at only the male population, the SMD 2139 (£9.33) was marketed as being plain and simple to read. That was the problem - it wasn't. Two dials revolved and the time was read off in the centre. Trouble is, unless you know which way the dials are going you can be at least 55 minutes wrong!
Come on quick, what's the time, eh? eh? - Is it 11:00, 11:02, 11:58 ???????
1974 Rockwell '8R' (LEFT) portable 'pocket' calculator measuring 8" x 4" x 1". The 8-digit LED display ran off one of those huge 9v batteries which generally lasted around 4 hours, so failing this, the 8R could be run off the mains - which wasn't so portable. On the RIGHT is the 1973 'Rockwell 61R Advanced Slide Rule' which ran off the internal rechargeable NiCad batteries after being visited by the custom Rockwell charger.
The 61R could run while being charged or achieve 3 hours of portable calculation - but only after 5 hours of charging! In a period of 12 months from its release in late '73, this machine fell from over £80 to £35 as the technology became more affordable.
Padded PVC case for extra protection of the delicate electronics and a comprehensive instruction book. The manual itself has little gems like referring to the 'equals' key as the 'answer' key, the 'C' as a 'clear' key and informs the new user to "recharge the batteries when the display becomes dim" and how by "depressing any digit key causes it to appear on the display".
The Rockwell calculating device family circa 1975. The biggie in the centre is an adding machine aimed at the upcoming 'supermarkets'.
1976 - Binatone TV Master Mk6. The ultimate version of the classic B&W TV Pong game.
"Any size TV" the manual boasted - just tune the empty channel (ITV2 in those days), turn down the volume control and stick in a load of batteries - but don't play for over 2 hours or else the telly screen will melt! If your TV was a rental then there may be a charge for tuning it via the vertical hold and the always-tricky horizontal hold twist button while setting the 'correct brightness and contrast for the gun-sensor pick-up' the manual warns.
Football, tennis, squash, practice and even a moving gun-shoot and static gun-target was offered by the MK6. Automated or manual serve, adjustable bat size and rebound angle, variable game speeds and a 15 point maximum.... TV gaming had never been so much fun!
Gameplay itself was as addictive as ever but the console was far from easy to drive. The instructions tell of how the volume need not be utilised through the console but the 'start' button needed to be depressed at least half a second for it to register BUT never while there was a game in progress or if the score of the previous loser was under '3'. If by any chance a new ball failed to appear (as the instructions seemed to expect), it meant that "the IC has the wrong pulse" and the player must depress the START button for another 2 seconds minimum! What a palava.
Epoch's 'Galaxy II' (or Grandstand's Astro War in some countries) had "vivid automatic digital scoring" which went all the way up to 9,999pts! Then it inexplicably reset!
The 8" tall Galaxy II was the "ultra modern arcade experience" of 1980
"Attempt the exciting docking maneuver!"
