Mattel Aquarius
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| Manufacturer | Mattel Electronics |
|---|---|
| Type | Home computer |
| Release date | June 1983 |
| Introductory price | 160 US$ (today $490) |
| Discontinued | October 1983[1] |
| Media | Cassette tape, ROM Cartridge |
| Operating system | Microsoft BASIC |
| CPU | Zilog Z80A @ 3.5 MHz |
| Memory | 4KB RAM (expandable to 36KB), 8KB ROM |
| Display | 80x72 semigraphics in 16 colors (40x24 character text, 8x8 pixel font) |
| Graphics | TEA1002 colour encoder |
| Sound | One voice |
| Input | Keyboard |
| Predecessor | Intellivision |
| Successor | Aquarius II, Aquarius+ |
Aquarius is a home computer designed by Radofin and released by Mattel Electronics in 1983. Based on the Zilog Z80 microprocessor, the system has a rubber chiclet keyboard, 4K of RAM, and a subset of Microsoft BASIC in ROM. It connects to a television set for audiovisual output, and uses a cassette tape recorder for secondary data storage. A limited number of peripherals, such as a 40-column thermal printer, a 4-color printer/plotter, and a 300 baud modem, were released. The Aquarius was discontinued in October 1983, only a few months after it was launched.
Development
[edit]
Looking to compete in the home computer market, Mattel Electronics turned to Radofin, the Hong Kong based manufacturer of their Intellivision consoles.[2][3] Radofin had designed two computer systems. Internally they were known as "Checkers" and the more sophisticated "Chess". Mattel contracted for these to become the Aquarius and Aquarius II, respectively.[4]
Aquarius was announced in 1982 and finally released in June 1983, at a price of $160. Production ceased four months later because of poor sales. Mattel paid Radofin to take back the marketing rights. Four other companies: CEZAR Industries, CRIMAC, New Era Incentives, and Bentley Industries also marketed the unit and accessories.
The Aquarius was often bundled with the Mini-Expander peripheral, which added game pads, an additional cartridge port for memory expansion, and the General Instrument AY-3-8910 sound chip. Other peripherals were the Data recorder, 40 column thermal printer, 4K and 16K RAM carts. Less common first party peripherals include a 300 baud cartridge modem, 32k RAM cart, 4 color plotter, and Quick Disk drive.
Reception
[edit]
Although less expensive than the TI-99/4A and VIC-20, the Aquarius had comparatively weak graphics and limited memory.[5] Internally, Mattel programmers adopted Bob Del Principe's mock slogan, "Aquarius -a system for the seventies".[6] Of the 32 software titles Mattel announced for the unit, only 21 were released, most of which were ports of Intellivision games. Because of the hardware limitations of the Aquarius, the quality of many games suffered. There was such a lack of programmable graphics that Mattel added a special character set (see Character set section), so the games could at least use semigraphics.
As a magazine of the time put it, "The Aquarius suffered one of the shortest lifespans of any computer—it was discontinued by Mattel almost as soon as it hit store shelves, a victim of the 1983 home computer price wars."[7] Just after the release of the Aquarius, Mattel announced plans for the Aquarius II, and there is evidence that the Aquarius II reached the market in small numbers,[4][8] but was also not a commercial success.
A few emulators for the system exist, along with modern homebrew games.[9][10]
Technical specifications
[edit]
- CPU: Zilog Z80 @ 3.5 MHz
- Memory: 4K RAM, expandable to 36K RAM; 8K ROM
- Keyboard: 48-key rubber chiclet keyboard
- Display: 80x72 semigraphics (40x24 text characters - with a 25th "zero" row at top - with a size of 8x8 pixels, equivalent to 320 x 192 pixels) in 16 colors (TEA1002 colour encoder)
- Sound: One voice, expandable to four voices
- Ports: Television, cartridge/expansion, tape recorder, printer
- PSU: Non-removable external power supply hard-wired into case providing 8.8 / 16 / -19 VDC
Peripherals
[edit]Despite its relatively short time on the market, Mattel Electronics and Radofin managed to have most of the announced peripherals available within a month or so of the release of the system. Some products never materialized beyond prototype phase, and some were available only in specific markets. Beginning in 2016, new user-designed peripherals began to show up, mostly on eBay or on vintage computer forums such as AtariAge.
| Name | Product Type | Year | Creator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Expander | System expander | 1983 | Mattel/Radofin | Included two Hand Controllers, with slots for RAM and ROM cartridges. Difficult to find outside of North America |
| Data Recorder | Serial storage device | 1983 | Mattel/Radofin | Included data cable and sample software cassette |
| Thermal Printer | Serial printer | 1983 | Mattel/Radofin | Included printer cable and roll of thermal paper |
| Color Printer | Serial plotter | 1984 | Mattel/Radofin | Included printer cable, roll of paper, and spare pens. Unit was a rebrand of a similar Tandy/RS printer |
| Modem | Cartridge-based 300 Baud Modem | 1984 | Mattel/Radofin | Included phone cables and software on cassette |
| 4k RAM | RAM cartridge | 1983 | Mattel/Radofin | Expanded available RAM to about 6k |
| Quick Disk | Disk-based storage | 1984? | Mattel/Radofin? | Released only as a prototype unit[11] |
| 32k RAM | RAM cartridge | 2015 | Jay Snellen, III | Expanded available RAM to about 34k |
| Micro Expander | System Expander | 2016 | Bruce Abbot | Included 32k RAM, custom ROM with USB BASIC, USB interface, AY-3-8910 PSG, and 3.5mm audio out |
| Aquarius MX | System Expander | 2022 | Harrington, Mack, Kaylor, et al. | Included 32k RAM, custom ROM with MX BASIC 2.0, USB interface, AY-3-8910 PSG, and DB9 hand controller ports[12] |
Interfacing
[edit]The Aquarius manual did not contain details of any of the ports available. The cassette port, although using the same 5-Pin DIN 41524 connector as the TRS-80, did not have the same pin out and thus was incompatible with readily available cables for the TRS-80, even though they physically fit the sockets on both the computer and cassette player. The Aquarius branded cassette deck came with the appropriate cable.[13]
The cassette port a 5-pin female DIN 41524 connector
| Pin | Function Aquarius | Function TRS-80 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MIC | REMote |
| 2 | Common Ground | Common Ground |
| 3 | EAR | REMote |
| 4 | Not used | EAR |
| 5 | Not used | MIC |
The MIC and EAR connections from the Aquarius each go to the tip/center of one of the two mini-plugs being attached to the recorder; Ground goes to the base/outside of both mini-plugs.[13]
The printer interface is a mini-stereo socket with 3 lines, the same as on the Mattel Entertainment Computer System. The Aquarius printers came with their own cables. The interface conforms to RS-232 serial signal standards (+12VDC/-12VDC), with the knowledge of the pinout it is possible to interface printers with a corresponding RS-232 interface.[13] The serial is fixed to 1200 baud 8N2 and provided both carriage return and line feed commands to the printer, thus the printer needed to be set to not auto feed with carriage return.[13]
Pin out for the connector on the Aquarius:
| Aquarius | Function |
|---|---|
| Tip | Data Out (TxD) |
| Ring | Printer Busy/Ready (DSR) |
| Sleeve | Ground (GND) |
Typical serial printers had DB-25 interfaces; some had DE-9 interfaces; and, some Radio Shack (RS) printers had round 4-pin female DIN connector serial interfaces (with the pin sockets numbered left-to-right: 4, 3, 2, 1). The proper cable for connecting such a printer is as follows:[13]
MINI-STEREO PLUG DB-25 DE-9 RS FUNCTION
Tip/Center of Plug Pin 3 Pin 2 Pin 4 Data to Printer Middle of Plug Pin 20 Pin 4 Pin 2 Printer Busy/Ready Base/Outside Pin 7 Pin 5 Pin 3 Signal Ground
Character set
[edit]The following table shows the Mattel Aquarius character set.[14][15][16] Each character is shown with a potential Unicode equivalent if available.
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
| 0x | £ | ½ | ¼ | ¾ | ÷ | © | → | ← | ↑ | ↓ | ↗ | ↙ | ↘ | ↖ | � | � |
| 1x | � | � | ▮ | � | � | � | � | � | � | � | ▗ | ▝ | ▖ | ▘ | ▚ | ▄ |
| 2x | SP | ! | " | # | $ | % | & | ' | ( | ) | * | + | , | - | . | / |
| 3x | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | : | ; | < | = | > | ? |
| 4x | @ | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O |
| 5x | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | [ | \ | ] | ^ | _ |
| 6x | ` | a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o |
| 7x | p | q | r | s | t | u | v | w | x | y | z | { | | | } | ~ | █ |
| 8x | ▇ | ▏ | � | � | 🮏 | 🮌 | ▒ | ● | ▂ | ▆ | ♠ | � | � | � | ▶ | ▲ |
| 9x | ▁ | ▉ | � | � | 🮎 | 🮍 | ⬤ | ▎ | ▍ | ▌ | � | � | � | � | ◀ | ▼ |
| Ax | NBSP | 
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| Cx | ◢ | ◣ | � | ▊ | ▪ | ♦ | · | � | ┼ | � | ╱ | � | ┴ | ├ | ┐ | └ |
| Dx | � | � | � | � | ♥ | ♣ | │ | � | ╳ | � | ╲ | � | ┬ | ┤ | ┌ | ┘ |
| Ex | 
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| Fx | 
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█ |
� No Unicode equivalent
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Software list
[edit]Published for this system.[17][18]
† ROM Cartridge
| Commercial software | Publisher | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin † | Mattel Electronics | 1983 |
| Aliens | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| Aquapack 1 (Snake, Breakout, Moon Shuttle) | Apocalypse Software | ???? |
| Astrosmash † | Mattel Electronics, Radofin Electronics | 1983 |
| Battle Zone | Add On Electronics | 1984 |
| Biorhythms † | Mattel Electronics | 1983 |
| Bounder | Add On Electronics | 1984 |
| Breakout | Add On Electronics | 1984 |
| Burger Time † | Mattel Electronics, Radofin Electronics | 1983 |
| Chess (Dick Smith Electronics) | Dick Smith Electronics | 1983 |
| Chess (Mattel)† | Mattel Electronics | 1983 |
| Chuckman | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| D-Fenders | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| Deathrace | Apocalypse Software | ???? |
| Demo Cassette (Stalactites, Macho-Man, Torment, Cute Cubes, Alien Quest, Mad Mould) | Radofin Electronics | 1983 |
| Diamond Mine | Add On Electronics | 1984 |
| Disco Fever | Add On Electronics | 1984 |
| Ed-On | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| Extended Microsoft Basic (Mattel)† | Mattel Electronics | 1983 |
| FileForm † | Mattel Electronics | 1983 |
| FinForm † | Mattel Electronics. Radofin Electronics | 1983 |
| First Adventure | Digital Output | 1984 |
| Games Pack 1 (Stalactites, Macho-Man, Othello, Mutants) | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| Games Pack 2 (Bounder, Local Bomber, Breakout, Night Driver) | Custom Cables International | 1984 |
| Games Pack 3 (Metior, Sheepdog, Mastermind, Depthcharge) | Custom Cables International | 1984 |
| Games Pack 4 (Painter, Pontoon, Grand Prix, Alien Storm) | Custom Cables International | 1984 |
| GamesTape (Dodge It, Trojan Dragon, Death Trap, Tablets of Hippocrates) | Fawkes Computing | 1984 |
| Gamespack 1 (Snake, Masterguess, Symon, Bomber, Hi-Lo) | Processor Software | 1984 |
| Gamespack 2 (Collector, Blocked!, Rocket Run, Minefield, Air-Defence) | Processor Software | 1984 |
| Ghost Hunter | Dick Smith Electronics | ???? |
| Grid Bug | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| Hopper | Microdeal | 1984 |
| Invaders | Dick Smith Electronics | 1984 |
| Kronos Europea Cassette (Gamble, Gunfight, Mad Mould, Outline) | Radofin Electronics | 1984 |
| Logo † | Mattel Electronics | 1983 |
| Maths Armada | Dick Smith Electronics | 1984 |
| Mazantics | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| Melody Chase † | Mattel Electronics | 1983 |
| Millypede | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| Mower Man | Add On Electronics | 1984 |
| N-Vaders | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| Night Stalker † | Mattel Electronics, Radofin Electronics | 1983 |
| Outpack 1 (Snake, Masterguess, Symon, Bomber, Hi-Lo) | Digital Output | 1984 |
| Outpack 2 (Collector, Blocked, Rocket Run, Minefield, Air-Defence) | Digital Output | 1984 |
| Outpack 3 (Gunfight, Gambler, Moonlander, Tracker, Nim) | Digital Output | 1984 |
| Outpack 4 (Super Slot, Golf, Invasion, Killer Sub, Survival) | Digital Output | 1984 |
| Outpack 5 (Timetrap, Gro-Worm, Wampus Gold, Bumpers, Space Shoot) | Digital Output | 1984 |
| Pac Mr | Add On Electronics | 1983 |
| Pack 1 (Bombardier, Fruit Machine, Hang Man, Alien Descent, Escape) | Mercury House | ???? |
| Pack 2 (Dungeon Adventure, U-Boat, Golf, Star Catcher, Moonraker) | Mercury House | ???? |
| Phrogger | Add On Electronics | 1984 |
| Postman Pot | Add On Electronics | 1984 |
| Rally Driver | Micro Mart Software | 1984 |
| Read It | Dick Smith Electronics | 1984 |
| Scramble | Micro Mart Software | 1984 |
| Snafu † | Mattel Electronics, Radofin Electronics | 1983 |
| Space Ram | Dick Smith Electronics | 1984 |
| Space Speller † | Mattel Electronics | 1983 |
| Tracker | Digital Output | ???? |
| Tron: Deadly Discs † | Mattel Electronics, Radofin Electronics | 1983 |
| Utopia † | Mattel Electronics, Radofin Electronics | 1983 |
| Zero In † | Mattel Electronics | 1983 |
| Zorgon's Kingdom | Romik Software | 1984 |
| Homebrew games | Publisher/Developer | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| AlphaMix | Oasis | |
| Aquariworm | Cronosoft / Roy Templeman | 2020 |
| Bomb Catcher II | Cronosoft / Roy Templeman | 2021 |
| Astro Covoy | Cronosoft / Roy Templeman | 2024 |
| Crossword Computer | Oasis | |
| Doomsday Defender | Cronosoft / Roy Templeman | 2022 |
| Electric Organ | Oasis | |
| Fall of the Eastern Blocks | Leinen, Jason J. | 1999 |
| Flying | Oasis | |
| Football | D.A. Spencer | |
| Fruit Machine | D.A. Spencer | |
| Gunnery | Oasis | |
| Mastercode | Oasis | |
| Pontoon | D.A. Spencer | |
| Rollerball | D.A. Spencer | |
| Sketch | Oasis | |
| Ski | D.A. Spencer | |
| Solitaire | Oasis | |
| Space Collision | D.A. Spencer | |
| Spacepits | D.A. Spencer | |
| Strikeforce | D.A. Spencer | |
| Symmetry | Oasis | |
| Turmoil 2022 | 8-Bit Milli Games | 2022[19] |
| Warp Factor | Cronosoft / Roy Templeman | 2023 |
| Grid Trap | Cronosoft / Roy Templeman | 2024 |
| Paqu Deluxe | Cronosoft / Roy Templeman | 2024 |
| 10 Liner - Invader | Roy Templeman | 2019 |
| 10 Liner - Cave Navigator | Roy Templeman | 2021 |
| 10 Liner - Attack of the ROM Robots | Roy Templeman | 2022 |
| 10 Liner - AstroRun | Roy Templeman | 2023 |
| 10 Liner - Paqu | Roy Templeman | 2024 |
References
[edit]- ^ Page 49, InfoWorld, 23 Jan 1984, ...John Allen, president of The Lisp Company...announcing TLC Logo, which could run on the Mattel Aquarius...Today, the Mattel Aquarius is virtually off the market...
- ^ "Mattel Aquarius computer". oldcomputers.net. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ "Player 3 Stage 3: Contender to the Throne". The Dot Eaters. 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-09.
- ^ a b "RADOFIN ELECTRONICS LIMITED AQUARIUS 2". OLD-COMPUTERS.COM. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20.
- ^ "Mattel Aquarius". Computing History. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ Klooster, Erik. "Mattel Aquarius - home computer with the shortest career". HISTORY OF HOME AND GAME COMPUTERS. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
Besides that, the Mini Expander was equipped with the same sound chip (AY-3-8914) as the Intellivision. But that didn't appeal to the programmers: they almost considered it as a punishment to develop a game for the Aquarius. Programmer Bob Del Principe even invented this cynical slogan: 'Aquarius - system for the seventies!'
- ^ "Mattel Aquarius Benchmark". COMPUTE!. No. 59. April 1985. p. 18.
- ^ "Mattel Aquarius : Le chant du cygne". ColecORIC. 2007-03-11. Archived from the original on 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ "Mattel - Aquarius Emulators". Zophar's Domain. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ Steenoven. "Mattel Aquarius Games: Turmoil 2022". Mattel Aquarius Home Computer. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ Spiranto (September 14, 2010). "Mattel Aquarius QD Disk Drive". YouTube. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ Harrington, Sean P. (October 14, 2022). "Aquarius MX". Get Your 8-Bit On!. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Horvat; Parrish (May 6, 2001). "Mattel Aquarius FAQ". ArchiveKontek.net. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ "Mattel Aquarius Homecomputer system". Mattel Aquarius Home Computer.
- ^ L2/19-025: Proposal to add characters from legacy computers and teletext to the UCS (PDF). International Organization for Standardization. 2019-01-04. p. 20.
- ^ Sources for L2/19-025 (PDF). Unicode. 2019-01-04.
- ^ "Mattel Aquarius". Universal Videogame List. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ "Mattel Aquarius Tape Software". Mattel Aquarius Home Computer. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
- ^ Hicks, William (April 1, 2022). "Turmoil 2022 Aquarius". Retrieved December 2, 2023.
External links
[edit]
- Sample videos of most Mattel Aquarius programs
- Mattel Aquarius Software Collection playable for free in the browser at the Internet Archive
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