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Controller Layout:
(no labels)
2/fire
x1 x2 x3
1 x4 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
Del 0 Enter
===== Known Issues =====
Same as arcadia, additional keys supported. Notice that this system is a TESTDRIVER, i.e. it's not included in the pre-compiled MESS you find at mess.org -- http://www.mess.org/.
===== History and Trivia =====
Emerson Arcadia clone with different cartridge connector/pinout and 4 additional keys per controller. Driver sponsored by Ward Shrake, Stefan P.
The Palladium Video-Computer-Game is one of the many systems "software-compatible" with the Emerson Arcadia 2001.
Philips / Signetics developed a hardware platform to demonstrate the possibilities of their Signetics 2650 & 2636 chipsets. Somehow, this hardware was licenced (by Philips) to many third-companies around the world resulting in systems like the Interton VC-4000, Voltmace DataBase, Acetronic MPU-1000, ITMC MPT-05, etc.
Some times later, the hardware was improved, with the use of a Signetics 2637 instead of the 2636 (handling the audio & video). This resulted in a new wave of licenced systems, all based on the same hardware and playing the same games. The Emerson Arcadia 2001 was one of these systems.
These new systems, based on the 2650 & 2637 chipsets, are “software-compatible” with each others (but NOT compatible with systems of the Interton VC-4000 family). This means that the same code can work on all of them, and therefore that they all could play each other games if their cartridge slots were identical (which is not the case, resulting in the sub-groups listed below)
The Software library is not very impressive, but there are good reasons for that. First, some titles ar almost just direct ports from “Interton VC-4000 & compatible systems” group. Philips (remember, at the origin of this ystem) also had great plans for his new hardware platform. It released adaptations of famous Arcade classics (Pac-Man, Berzerk, Phoenix, etc.) but Atari sue them. Philips was then forced to deeply modify those games, resulting in poor adaptations… at least for the Arcadia 2001. In fact, outside US, other compatible systems sometimes had un-modified versions in their library (e.g. Robot Killer for the MPT-03).
The Palladium Video-Computer-Game was marketed at least in Germany. It is equiped with two detachable controllers made of a screwable analog joystick and a 16-button keypad (rubber buttons). Small plastic overlays were delivered with each game, explaining the different key functions when placed over the keypads (like with the Mattel Intellivision).
The Control panel is made of 4 buttons (Start, Reset, Selector A and B) and a power switch.
The Palladium Video-Computer-Game is not be confused with another Palladium cartridge model, the Tele-Cassetten-Game. The Mr Altus and Polybrain systems are however the same system marketed under different brands.
== Different Models ==
As previously mentioned, this hardware was sold from several firms with different names and slightly different cartridge connectors. Among the systems, belonging to the so-called "Arcadia 2001 console group", we can recognize 5 different families of consoles:
* Emerson consoles
* Advision: Advision Home Arcade (Fr)
* Bandai: Arcadia (Jp)
* Emerson: Arcadia 2001 (US), Arcadia (Au)
* GiG Electronics: Leonardo (It)
* Hanimex: HMG-2650 (De), HMG-2650 (Ca), Home Arcade Centre (UK)
* Intercord: Intercord XL 2000 System (De)
* Leisure-Dynamics: Leisure-Vision (Ca)
* Monaco Leisure: Tunix Home Arcade (NZ)
* Schmid: Schmid TVG-2000
* Tchibo: Tele-Fever (De? Sw?)
* Tele-Computer: Cosmos (Es)
* Tempest: Tempest Video Computer Game (Au)
* MPT-03 consoles
* Hanimex: Hanimex MPT-03
* ITMC: ITMC MPT-03
* Morning-Sun Commerce: Dynavision (Jp)
* P.I.C.: Ekusera (Jp)
* Poppy: Poppy MPT-03 Tele Computer Spiel (De)
* Prestige: Prestige Video Computer Game MPT-03 (Fr)
* Rowtron: Rowtron 2000 (Eu), Rowtron Video Computer Game MPT-03 (Eu)
* Soundic: Soundic MPT-03 (Eu)
* Tempest: MPT-03 (Au)
* Tobby: Tobby MPT-03 (?)
* Tryom: Tryom Video Game Center (US?)
* //Unknown//: Intelligent Game MPT-03 (US?)
* Orbit consoles
* Grandstand: Video Master (NZ)
* Orbit Electronics: UVI Compu-Game (NZ)
* Ormatu consoles
* Intervision: Intervision 2001 (Eu)
* Ormatu Electronics BV: Ormatu 2001 (Nl)
* Sheen: Sheen Home Video Centre 2001 (Au)
* Palladium consoles
* Mr. Altus: Tele Brain (De)
* Palladium: Palladium Telespiel (De), Palladium Video Computer Game (De)
* Polybrain: Polybrain Video Computer Game (De)
* Trakton: Trakton Computer Video Game (Au)
//(info on models from Digital Archaelogy -- http://www.digitpress.com/the_digs/arcadia/)//
===== Links =====
* Emerson Arcadia 2001 FAQ -- http://www.digitpress.com/faq/arc2001.txt
* Amigan Software / Arcadia 2001 Central (Huge Arcadia 2001 archive for download) -- http://amigan.classicgaming.gamespy.com/
* Emerson Arcadia 2001 Gaming Guide -- http://amigan.classicgaming.gamespy.com/gg/
* Obscure Pixels (Many interesting weird & obscure stuff, including Arcadia 2001 / Interton VC 4000 compatible systems) -- http://www.retrogames.co.nz/
* CVG at old-computers.com -- http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1223
===== Other Emulators =====
* 2001 (for DOS) -- http://users.aol.com/mk14emu/arcadia.htm
* Emulator2001 (for Windows) -- http://www.gstsoftware.co.nz/
* WinArcadia -- http://amigan.byethost33.com/