--- title: Eaca COLOUR GENIE / EG-2000 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - Hong Kong years: - '1982' cpus: - Zilog Z80 params: name: COLOUR GENIE / EG-2000 image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_system_s1.jpg company: /companies/eaca company_name: Eaca specs: - label: NAME value: COLOUR GENIE / EG-2000 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Eaca - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: Hong Kong - label: YEAR value: '1982' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Microsoft BASIC - label: KEYBOARD value: Typewriter style, 63 keys with 4 function keys - label: CPU value: Zilog Z80 - label: SPEED value: 2.2 MHz - label: RAM value: 16 KB, 32 KB with memory expansion - label: ROM value: 16 KB - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 columns x 25 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 160 x 102 dots - label: COLORS value: 8 (text mode), 4 (graphic mode) - label: SOUND value: 3 channels (AY-8910) - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 43.5 (W) x 28 (D) x 8 (H) cm / - label: I/O PORTS value: RS232, Joystick (2), Light Pen, RGB, Audio - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Built-in power supply unit - label: PERIPHERALS value: Light-pen, parallel printer, floppy disc drives - label: PRICE value: 1100 in 1982, about 350 in 1985 tabs: - photos - hardware - software - emulators photos: - title: LARGE VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_system_s2.jpg - title: EG-2000 WITH JOYSTICKS subtitle: '' text: Joysticks were devilered by pair in a dedicated plastic case which was connected to the computer. image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_joystick_2.jpg - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: Parallel printer flat connector, light pen and Serial port DIN sockets. image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_rightside_s1.jpg - title: REAR CONNECTORS subtitle: '' text: |- From left to right:\ • Tape recorder DIN socket\ • 50-pin expansion connector mainly intended for the floppy drive unit\ • RF/TV aerial cable\ • Audio and composite video output jacks\ • Power switch and cable. image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_rearside_s1.jpg - title: TAPE GAUGE subtitle: '' text: Only EACA computers offered this gauge which was very convenient to ensure a reliable file tranfer from the tape recorder. image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_gauge_s1.jpg - title: MODEL PLATE subtitle: '' text: Usually, personal computers offered cheap plastic plate where was mentioned the model name. The EG-2000 metal plate is one of the nicer ever seen on a home computer. Characters are embossed and each character of the model name is painted in a different colour. image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_logo_s1.jpg - title: UNDERNEATH PLATE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_label_s1.jpg - title: 'INSIDE #1' subtitle: '' text: |- The Colour Genie was initially marketed as a 16 KB RAM model, and later with 32 KB, which explains the second 16 KB RAM card mounted above the first one. The card holding the Basic language ROM is also separated from the main board. This is probably due to the late choice of the Microsoft Basic version. **(1)** Video RAM card mounted vertically\ **(2)** RF/TV modulator\ **(3)** Second 16 KB RAM card\ **(4)** 16 KB ROM card (4 x 2732 EPROM chips) holding the Microsoft Basic interpreter\ **(5)** Z80 processor running at 2.2 MHz\ **(6)** AY-9810, three channel sound generator programmable chipset\ **(7)** Video 6845 chipset in charge of text and graphics display\ **(8)** Power supply unit image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_mainboard_s1.jpg - title: 'INSIDE #2' subtitle: '' text: The three RAM and ROM add-on cards image: /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_mainboard_s2.jpg hardware: - title: ORIGINAL JOYSTICK subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/hardware/eaca_eg2000_joystick_1.jpg screenshots: - title: ANDROMEDA subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_andromeda_ss.gif - title: ASTRAY subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_astray_ss.gif - title: ASTRONAUT subtitle: A Jet-pac clone (Spectrum) text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_astronaut_ss.gif - title: BAENG BAENG subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_baeng-baeng_ss.gif - title: BALLOONS subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_balloons_ss.gif - title: CARGO subtitle: Flying out of the mother ship text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cargo_ss.gif - title: CARGO subtitle: Avoid the balloons ! text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cargo_ss2.gif - title: CARGO subtitle: In the cave text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cargo_ss3.gif - title: CAVE MAN subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cave-man_ss.gif - title: CAVE MAN subtitle: Exploring the cave text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cave-man_ss2.gif - title: CHESS MACHINE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_chess-machine_ss.gif - title: CHOPPER subtitle: Excellent game ! Rescue the men with your helico. text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_chopper_ss.gif - title: CHOPPER subtitle: Another level text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_chopper_ss2.gif - title: GORILLA subtitle: Reach the top and avoid the falling balls text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_gorilla_ss.gif - title: TRITON BATTLE subtitle: Scramble clone text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_triton-battle_ss.gif - title: U-BOOT subtitle: Excellent conversion of this classic game text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_u-boot_ss.gif - title: ZALAGA subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_zalaga_ss.gif emulators: - title: EACA EG 2000 Colour Genie emulator url: http://www.pullmoll.de/cgenie/cgeniee.htm platform: MS DOS text: the Colour Genie emulator by Jürgen Buchmüller - title: MESS project url: http://mess.emuverse.com/ platform: Windows text: A Colour Genie emulator is included into MESS comments: - author: OFER (Israel) date: Saturday 25th May 2019 text: |- I used to own the colour genie back in the 80''s and had a 16K RAM extension. I lost my original genie long ago but recently I acquired (ebay) one (no RAM extension).\ I am looking to get extension or build one.\ If any one can help with technical information it will be great.\ Note that I do have the Colour_Genie_Technical_Manual_1984_Lowe_Electronics\ File but the information do not have complete electric diagram. - author: john date: Thursday 16th November 2017 text: It was the colour version of the VideoGenie/System 80 which were compatible with the TRS-80. It was never intended to compete with the CoCo, which wasn''t very successful anyway. - author: Jason (London - UK) date: Saturday 26th May 2012 text: |- This was the first computer I ever bought with my own money. I bought it as a package with a rtty decoder and software. I wish I still had that setup. btw, the first computer that the family had was a Video Genie Model 1. My cousin had a TRS-80 and we were going to get one of those but my dad saw an ad for the Video Genie and decided it was better value. - author: Rick Hamilton (Uk) date: Sunday 2nd January 2011 text: Yes that was it. It was distributed by the Colour Genie user mag Gum boot, at about the end of the era. Im afraid my genies and source tapes all ended up in a skip when I moved to America. :-( - author: Reality Check (uk) date: Sunday 5th December 2010 text: Rick, that would be Jet Set Billy. I think i still have one of these in storage with about 100 games, might have to dig it and and see if it will boot up again. - author: Rick Hamilton (UK) date: Monday 11th October 2010 text: I wrote a number of games for the Colour Genie, A10 Bomber, Geniepede, Martian Rescue, and a Jet Set Willy look-a-like (I cant remember the name now). At the time the EG2000 had a very good spec compared to other systems + it had a real keyboard. - author: Meier Gerd (Germany) date: Tuesday 15th April 2008 text: |- I found an old cassette from 1984 with programs for\ the colour genie. I loaded them to my PC and they\ are working with colour emu 3.0. If you are interessted I can send them to you. - author: Rajkumar Madhuram (USA) date: Thursday 7th August 2003 text: Color Genie was the first computer that I owned, I think around 1988/89. I was coveting for a ZX spectrum, but my dad bought me a Color Genie instead. It was one of the best things that happened to me. I still can remember how happy I was when I got that machine home. It had 32K RAM with around 4K for BASIC and a few K for video. Even then, it had some excellent games. I quickly learned to program in BASIC & Z-80 Assembly. It basically helped start my career in computing! - author: johnsonlam (Hong Kong) date: Thursday 20th March 2003 text: Almost 18 years ago I own a Color Genie, it's fun to play some BASIC games on it, the cassette signalling design is the best I've ever seen, a number of 4 asterisk on the top left corner flashing, telling you to adjust the volume level. I love this computer but since it's a Hong Kong product (oh ... I'm a Hong Kong Citizen!), don't have much game supporting it (some TRS-80 can run). It fade out and I trade to others. - author: Street J (Estonia) date: Friday 24th January 2003 text: |- I found it from the back of our physics class. I'll try to hook it up to my TV. I have never used this kind of machine, except a ZX Spectrum, at my friends in 1987. Now it's good time for nostalgie. If there's more information anywhere about the Colour Genie EG-2000 then send the URL or something to my e-mail. Thanx oc_id: 128 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230618222709/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=128 date: '2023-06-18' --- The Colour Genie was the successor of the [Genie 1](/museum/eaca-video-genie-1-eg-3003/), Genie 2 and [Genie 3](/museum/eaca-video-genie-iii-eg-3200/). It was intended to compete with the Tandy [Color Computer](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-color-computer/) although it was not at all compatible with its model (Z80 microprocessor instead of a Motorola 6809 in the CoCo) The graphic resolution wasn't as good as the CoCo, furthermore it was not possible to mix characters and graphics. However, the machine was reliable and solidly built. It featured a good mechanical keyboard and even a little level display located above the keyboard, which allowed to set the recording level of the tape recorder to improve reliability when writing onto a tape.