1292 Advanced Programmable Video System

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1292 Advanced Programmable Video System
Acetronic-MPU-1000.jpg
The Acetronic MPU 1000
Manufacturer Radofin
Generation Second generation
Release date 1978
Media type ROM cartridge
Input controller 2 controller ports

The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System was first made by a British company called Radofin in 1976, although the machine was officially released in 1978. The technology was licensed from 1976 to other companies throughout the UK. Acetronic, Prinztronic, Fountain, Grandstand, Audiosonic, Hanimex and Lansay, each made consoles based on Radofin's console for different parts of the world.  Some of these variations were identical to the original but with different logos, while others varied the external design completely.

Technical specifications[edit]

The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System is part of a group of consoles that all use a Signetics 2650A CPU inside (the same processor used in the Emerson Arcadia 2001). This group of consoles is believed to have started with the Interton VC-4000 (produced as early as 1974, but sold in 1978), because out of the group, this console has the largest amount of games. The games on the 1292 are also similar to the games on the Interton VC-4000 (some have same titles and numbers).

Consoles are directly compatible with the other consoles in its sub-group, i.e. the cartridge sizes are the same. It is quite possible (in some cases, depending on which machine is being used) that games can be played on another sub-group's console, but a converter would be needed.

The only restriction preventing playing one system's games on another system within a different sub-group would be the cartridge size and only the cartridge size.

  • CPU: 8-bit Signetics 2650AI at 4.43 MHz
  • Audiovisual co-processor (video chipset, I/O processor): Signetics 2636N at 3.58 MHz, addressing 32Kb of memory in 8Kb banks. This chipset was less powerful than the later model Signetics 2637N used in the Arcadia 2001
  • Data memory: 43 bytes
  • Controllers: 2 x 12-button with 2-axis control stick
  • Power supply: Input 250V, 50 Hz; Output 9.5V, 0.4A & 15V, 0.11A (note that the 1392 and MPU-2000 systems have the power pack inside the console rather than an exterior power pack)
  • The early games cartridges used a 2Kb ROM, (later ones such as Activision branded ones, up to 8Kb)
  • Very basic arcade machine sound

1292 / 1392 Advanced Programming Video System (APVS) family[edit]

  • Radofin 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System (known as "Radofin Programmierbares Video System" in Germany) (1976)
  • Radofin 1392 Advanced Programmable Video System (1976)
  • Hanimex HMG-1292 Advanced Programmable Video System
  • Hanimex HMG-1392 Advanced Programmable Video System
  • Fountain Force 2
  • Fountain 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System
  • Fountain 1392 Advanced Programmable Video System
  • Grandstand Advanced Programmable Video System
  • Lansay 1392
  • Audiosonic PP-1292 Advanced Programmable Video System
  • Audiosonic PP-1392 Advanced Programmable Video System
  • Prinztronic VC-6000 (1977)
  • Prinztronic Tournament
  • Acetronic MPU-1000 (1979)
  • Acetronic MPU-2000 (1979)

All of these systems use a Radofin XM-2050-# PCB inside (the # varies from system to system. The Hanimex HMG-1292 uses an XM-2050-F circuit board and both the Audiosonic PP-1292 and Acetonic MPU-1000 use an XM- 2050-0 circuit board).

The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System uses 32-pin cartridges (16 pins on either side). The system comes with 2 controllers, which are hard-wired to the system. These controllers have 12 buttons and a 2- axis analogue control stick (look similar to ColecoVision, Intellivision, etc). The pack-in games that came with most systems were "Olympics" and "Invaders".