--- title: Franklin ACE 1000 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1982' cpus: - '6502' params: name: ACE 1000 image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_system_s1.jpg company: /companies/franklin company_name: Franklin specs: - label: NAME value: ACE 1000 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Franklin - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: '1982' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Applesoft BASIC - label: KEYBOARD value: Typewriter type - 71 keys with numeric keypad - label: CPU value: '6502' - label: SPEED value: 1.022 mHz - label: RAM value: 64 KB - label: ROM value: 12 KB - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 x 24 - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 40 x 48 / 208 x 160 / 280 x 192 - label: COLORS value: monochrome - label: SOUND value: 1 voice - Built-n speaker - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 45 (W) x 49.8 (D) x 11 (H) cm - label: I/O PORTS value: Joystick, 8 Apple II compatible slots - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: None - label: OS value: Apple DOS - label: POWER SUPPLY value: Built-in switching PSU with cooling fan - label: PERIPHERALS value: All the Apple II cards and peripherals - label: PRICE value: $1,100 tabs: - photos - adverts photos: - title: ACE 1000 subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_system_s2.jpg - title: RUNNING SYSTEM subtitle: '' text: ACE 1000 running one of the first Apple pinball version. image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_running_s1.jpg - title: TOP VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_topview_s1.jpg - title: LEFT & RIGHT SIDES subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_leftrightsides_s1.jpg - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: The keyboard, made by Key Tronic, is of same quality as the Apple II's. image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_keybcloseup_s1.jpg - title: OPENED subtitle: '' text: An obvious family likeness with the original Apple II. image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_opened_s1.jpg - title: REAR SIDE subtitle: '' text: The basic system only offers no I/O connectors except a composite video jack. image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_rearside_s1.jpg - title: MAINBOARD subtitle: '' text: Quite the same picture as the ACE 1200 mainboard's as the basis hardware of both machine is basically the same. For more technical information, see the ACE 1200 mainboard. image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_mainboard_s1.jpg - title: PROCESSOR CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: 6502 microprocessor and 12 KB EPROM bank. image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_proccloseup_s1.jpg - title: ACE 10 FD UNIT subtitle: '' text: A pure copy of the Apple Disk II image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_fdunit_s1.jpg - title: ACE-1000 BOX subtitle: '' text: Notice the "with color" sticker, which indicates that a color add-on is included into the bundle, as the "original" ACE-1000 doesn't support color. image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_box.jpg adverts: - title: ACE 100 ADVERT (1982) subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace100_pub_1.jpg - title: ACE 1000 ADVERT (1982) subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace1000_pub_1.jpg - title: 'ACE 1000 ADVERT(1982) #2' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace1000_pub_2.jpg - title: APPLE TEMPTATION... subtitle: '' text: Franklin dealer advert (1983) image: /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace1000_pub_3.jpg comments: - author: M Mittge (Chehalis, Washington) date: Wednesday 12th October 2011 text: |- My first computer. It got me through law school, 1984-1987. I digested and summarized my notes from classes on it each night, and ended up with about a 50 page synopsis of each class to study for finals. For final in Constitutional Law, prof assigned a paper on the morning of the final, and paper had to be done and delivered to him by 8 AM the next morning. I composed mine at the keyboard, and was done and in bed by 10. Roommate wrote his out, and he and his girlfriend started typing it at about 9 PM. Neither were very good typists. They finally got done about 3. He and I were both sold on those new-fangled computers at that point. The 80 column card was what made it so great. Apple, at that time, only showed 40 columns on the monitor, so 2 columns on the monitor equaled one column on paper- very confusing, especially for formatting titles, etc. Franklin actually showed only 70 columns (the other 10 were the margins on both sides). They did it by showing letters in graphics- very strange looking little letters, but once you got used to it, they were fine. What you saw was what you got on paper. - author: Jeff Ferrel (Carson City, NV USA) date: Thursday 13rd January 2011 text: |- I think the name of the ''Z'' game you are thinking of was Zork.. they had a Zork I, II, and III. Franklin Ace 1000''s also came standard with an 80 column card... - author: Jeremy (Indiana) date: Monday 15th October 2007 text: |- This was the first computer that my parents ever bought. My grandfather got my dad the hookup on it. My grandfather also did some soldering magic and also hookedup a hard drive and added a speech card as well. My friend and I would call McDonald's and prank them with the Stephen Hawking-type voice that it made. I sure miss Miner 2049r. There was another game that began with a Z as well. I don't remember what it was called but it was fun. Oh Yeah, I remember hitting that orange reset button under the front side with my toe a couple times as well (I'd tip the seat back and put my foot up on the edge of the desk). Nothing like having to recreate a 5 page report when you don't know how to type :\\ Other than that though it was a great computer! - author: R Granback (San Diego, CA) date: Friday 12th October 2007 text: I had one and the dealer misrepresented it as color ready when I had to buy the chip separately. I never had any compatibility issues which is understandable as its bios was copied directly from the Apple (bios disassembly revealed Apple Computer still present within the code). Although larger than the Apple \]\[ it had a handy rock solid case that served as a monitor stand. Its slots were completely apple compatible and I added an apple language card which which provided additional ram for use with MS Basic. Unfortunately mine died when a rented duplex formed a roof leak directly above where the computer sat causing the mainboard and hardware to rust. oc_id: 56 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230419013929/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=56 date: '2023-04-19' --- The Franklin ACE 1000 was launched in 1983. It was the successor of the [ACE 100](/museum/franklin-ace-100/), released in 1981. The ACE 1000 had 48 KB RAM and allowed for a 16 KB Language card. It also supported lower-case letters, had a numeric keypad, and a larger case. From the factory, the Ace-1000 did not support colours but there was a colour chip that could be added by the dealer for $50 (this dealer add-on was an attempt to protect themselves legally against lawsuits from Apple). It was fully compatible with the [Apple II](/museum/apple-ii/) and could use the same programs and cards. Unlike the Apple II, the Franklin didn't have tape recorder In/Out jacks but its power supply had an integrated cooling fan. The makers of this computer would be sued in 1984 for violation of certain Apple trademarks, namely, the operating system. Apple would win the lawsuit, and Franklin would be forced out of the computer business. --- **Matt Beechey** recalls :\ The most annoying thing about the design of this computer was it had a reset button under the front edge - I used to always lift my legs up onto the rest of the chair and hit the reset button with my knee after hours of unsaved typing!