Product Code Database
Compucolor is a series of color introduced by Compucolor Corporation of Norcross, Georgia. It was the first color home computer system with built-in color graphics and Floppy disk data storage. It used the Intel 8080 CPU.
The first model was an upgrade kit for the company's color computer terminal, turning the Intecolor 8001 into the Compucolor 8001 by adding more RAM and a number of optional storage systems. Released in 1976, the 8001 was soon replaced by the Compucolor II in 1977, although shipments did not start until the next year. The Compucolor II was smaller, less expensive, and used the newly introduced 5.25-inch floppy disks instead of the former 8-inch models.
Compucolor opened its first retail computer store in Norcross, Georgia USA in 1979, aptly named the "Compucolor Computer Store." The store had limited success in the six months of operation, and the store concept was abandoned. By 1983, Compucolor was out of business.
Compucolor, and its forerunner, Intecolor, produced three computer designs (Intecolor 8001, Compucolor 8001 and Compucolor II) over the life of the parent company, Intelligent Systems Corporation. ISC formed in 1973 to produce color terminals.
It offered a graphics display with 192 x 160 resolution and 80 x 48 character text display (in single row height) or 80 x 24 character in (double height mode), in 8 primary RGB colors (see below).
Connectivity was limited to an RS232 port.
The following table shows the Intecolor / Compucolor 8001 character set:
| +Intecolor/Compucolor 8001 Character Set ! !0 !1 !2 !3 !4 !5 !6 !7 !8 !9 !A !B !C !D !E !F |
An optional "floppy tape" drive with two 8-track tape cartridges was available for storage, running at about 4,800 bit/s and storing up to 1 MB per tape. The tapes were physically identical to common 8-tracks, but had much less tape on them so they could loop around faster (8-track tapes cannot be rewound). The tape drive proved too slow to be practical, and after even relatively short periods of use the tape would stretch and be rendered useless.
In 1977 they released a floppy disk controller based on the Western Digital FD1771 to support IBM 3740-style 8-inch drives, and in 1978, another supporting 8-inch drives from Shugart and Siemens.
Unlike the 8001, the II booted into BASIC when started. Pressing dropped into the "File Control System" disk operating system, and pressing returns to BASIC.
Three available keyboards having 72 (standard), 101 (expanded), or 117 (deluxe) individual keys, attached to the computer with a 25-pin ribbon cable. The keys were full-travel "Cherry AG" type having gold cross-bar contacts with excellent feel and reliability. Key tops were engraved with special legends to help manage computer functions.
The Compucolor II used a custom designed 5.25" floppy disk drive, which was placed on the right side of the monitor cabinet. The design utilized a Serial port and was referred to as the "Compucolor Drive" or "CD". There were reliability issues with this design since any variance in motor spindle speed would cause difficulty reading or writing floppy media. Also there were a few electromagnetic issues within the cabinet space that interfered with the floppy recording and read process.
The disk operating system known as "File Control System" or "FCS" was designed in-house. In FCS, when a file was deleted, the individual file would be removed from the file list volume and the remaining data would be moved to fill sequential empty space, using the portion of display video RAM as a transfer buffer memory. In modern-day terms, files would be automatically defragmented to prevent cross-linked files.
There was also a groundswell of hobbyists and user groups who created software for sale or "shareware" among its groups.
The most important title for the Compucolor II was probably Star Trip, which mimicked the Star Trek genre. Another line of game software was also marketed widely and included titles such as Lightning Command, Target Omega, Freebooter and Bomb Squad.
Productivity software like word processors or programing language interpreters were also available.
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