The VG5000μ is a computer created by Philips in 1984.[1][2][3] It was manufactured in Le Mans by Radiotechnique (RTS)[4] and marketed under the Philips,[5][6] Radiola[7] and Schneider[8] brands.[4][9]
 | |
| Developer | Philips |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Radiotechnique (RTS) |
| Type | Home computer |
| Generation | 8-bit |
| Release date | France: 1 October 1984 |
| Lifespan | 1984-1986 |
| Introductory price | 1990 FF |
| Discontinued | 1986 |
| Units sold | 300000 in 1984 |
| Operating system | VG5000 BASIC |
| CPU | Z80 @ 4 MHz |
| Memory | 24 KB RAM, 18KB ROM |
| Removable storage | Cassette tape |
| Display | Semigraphics (equivalent resolution of 320x250), 8 colors |
| Graphics | Thomson EF9345 |
| Sound | 1 voice, 5 octave range |
| Language | Logo |
Not compatible with any other machines, it offered VG5000 BASIC (derived from Microsoft BASIC-80) as the operating system upon boot, with Logo available on cartridge.[10][11]
Graphic ability was limited to a semigraphic symbol display, with the equivalent resolution of 320 x 250 pixels in 8 colors.[12][13]
It had some hardware compatibility with the Philips VG 8000, such as power supply connectors, cassette player interface and cartridges. [14]
History
editAimed at schools,[15] it was unsuccessful and production ended in 1986.[16] 300 000 units were sold in 1984 according to an internal Philips report, with 500 000 predicted for 1985.[13] There are about forty games available for the system.[17][18][19][20]
As of 2022, enthusiasts remain active in developing new homebrew software and emulators for the system.[21][22][23][24][25][26]
Peripherals
editSeveral peripherals were developed to support the VG5000μ operation:[27]
- VY0030: cassette player[28]
- VG5200: joystick interface[29]
- VU0001: joystick[30]
- VU0011: RF modulator[31]
- VU0022: power supply[32]
- VG5216: 16KB RAM memory expansion with joystick and printer ports[33]
- VU0031: 16KB RAM memory expansion[34]
- VW0010: 40 column printer[35]
- VW0020: 80 column printer[36]
- VW0030: 80 column printer[37]
Specifications
editBoot screen with VG5000 BASIC - RAM: 24KB, including 16KB of system memory (expandable to 48KB) and 8KB of dedicated memory for the video processor[13]
- ROM: 18KB,[13] including 16KB containing the VG5000 BASIC (derived from Microsoft BASIC-80)[10] and 2KB of character bitmaps built into the video processor
- Video processor: SGS Thomson EF9345P[39][38]
- Graphics: semigraphics based on 8 × 10 pixel characters (equivalent to 320 × 250 pixels) in 8 colors[12][13]
- Sound: 1 voice, 5 octave range
- Keyboard: Built-in 63 keys AZERTY keyboard with BASIC keywords[38]
- Ports: DIN5 cassette player connector (1200/2400 baud),[3][38] DIN8 SCART connector[3][38]
- Expansion: 2×25 pins bus connector[3][38]
List of video games
editThere are 33 commercial video games for Philips VG5000.[40][41]
| Title | Release year | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Backgammon | 1984 | Philips |
| Bris de Glace | 1984 | Philips |
| Citadelle | 1984 | Philips |
| Divertissements | 1984 | Philips |
| Football | 1984 | Philips |
| Glouton | 1984 | Philips |
| Hélicoptère | 1984 | Philips |
| La Carotte Malicieuse | 1985 | VIFI-Nathan |
| La Moto Infernale | 1984 | Philips |
| La Pierre Philosophale Chapter 1 - La Pierre Philosophale | 198? | Elite Diffusion |
| La Pierre Philosophale Chapter 2 - La Clef de l'Ile | 198? | Elite Diffusion |
| La Pierre Philosophale Chapter 3 - La Porte du Jardin des Hesperides | 198? | Elite Diffusion |
| La Pierre Philosophale Chapter 4 - La Porte des Gnomes | 198? | Elite Diffusion |
| La Pierre Philosophale Chapter 5 - La Porte des Pieuvres | 198? | Elite Diffusion |
| La Pierre Philosophale Chapter 6 - La Porte du Harpie | 198? | Elite Diffusion |
| La Pierre Philosophale Chapter 7 - La Porte du Gouffre | 198? | Elite Diffusion |
| L'abeille | 1984 | Philips |
| Le Fou Volant | 1984 | Philips |
| Le Labyrinthe et la Princesse | 1985 | Edisoft, Loriciels |
| Le monstre | 1984 | Philips |
| Mes Premiers Mots Croises Vol. 1 - Francais-Vocabulaire | 1985 | VIFI-Nathan |
| Mes Premiers Mots Croises Vol. 2 - Francais-Vocabulaire | 1985 | VIFI-Nathan |
| Micros Jeux Cocktails de Jeux | 1985 | VIFI-Nathan |
| Mission Omega | 1984 | Philips |
| Monkey Academy | 1984 | Philips |
| Objectif Delta | 1984 | Philips |
| Preterite Star | 1985 | Belin |
| Reversis | 1984 | Philips |
| Simulateur de Vol | 1984 | Philips |
| Staroc | 1984 | Philips |
| Tortues | 1984 | Philips |
| US Rallye | 1984 | Philips |
| Viking | 1984 | Philips |
References
edit- ^ Gondicas, Piechaud (1985). "Philips - L'ordinateur de crise VG 5000". Science & Vie Micro (13): 56. Archived from the original on 2020-08-06.
- ^ Lilen, Henri (1984). "Le "VG 5000" PHILIPS, un familial français". Micro-Ordinateurs (27). Archived from the original on 2020-08-06.
- ^ a b c d "Philips - VG5000". Doctsf Le Grand Livre de la TSF (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ a b "RADIOLA VG 5000". OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum.
- ^ NECK, Fabien (2018). "Philips - VG 5000". system-cfg - Collection d ordinateurs anciens et de consoles de jeux.
- ^ "Philips VG 5000". Le grenier informatique - Site sur la restauration et la collection des anciens ordinateurs. 2020-08-06. Archived from the original on 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
- ^ "Ordinateur : Le Radiola VG 5000μ". Association MO5.COM. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ "Ordinateur : Le Schneider VG 5000μ". Association MO5.COM. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ Osmose (2020-05-17). "À la découverte du Philips VG5000μ". Queen Meka (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ a b Hoagie (2022). "MadeInFrance 11 : Micros & crocos, the French home computer market in the '80s". Abandonware France (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ Éditions Atlas (1984). aBc informatique. p. 1229.
- ^ a b "The VG5000μ page". vg5k.free.fr.
- ^ a b c d e "Philips VG5000". Silicium. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2021-11-03. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "Le VG 5000". ABC Informatique. No. 62. March 1985. pp. 1229–1231.
- ^ "PHILIPS VG 5000". OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum.
- ^ "Listing of all Philips VG5000 games". The Video Games Museum.
- ^ Turk182 (2022). "#Rétrogaming : tu te souviens… US Rallye sur VG5000". THM Magazine (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Philips VG5000". Universal Videogame List. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ "Liste de tous les jeux Philips VG5000". Le Musee des Jeux Video (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ "Votre VG5000 n'est pas fragile". VG5000 Bazar. 2023. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
- ^ "Articles avec le tag " VG5000 "". Triceraprog La programmation depuis le Crétacé. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
- ^ Coulom, Daniel (2022). "Emulateur VG5000 DCVG5K". DCVG5K - Emulateur pour Windows du VG5000μ Philips/Radiola/Schneider. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
- ^ HERVIER, Carl (2014). "My VG5000 :-)". vg5000.free.fr. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
- ^ max, Sergio (2022-08-24). "logiciels développés cette année 2017 :: Vg5000". Sergio max. (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-13.
- ^ "Retro Programmers United for Obscure Systems - Philips VG5000 session". itch.io. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
- ^ "Materiel". La page des fans du VG5000µ. 2021-10-28. Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "The VG5000µ page". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "The VG5000µ page". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "The VG5000µ page". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ "The VG5000µ page". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
- ^ a b c d e f VG5000 Manuel de service (Service manual). Edition Service SA. 1984.
- ^ Hervier, Carl; Vanlierde, Stéphane (2023). "La page des fans du VG5000μ". vg5k.free.fr.
- ^ Arcadeitalia
- ^ VG5K