website/content/museum/franklin-ace-1000.md

---
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
  forum_thread: 72
  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
  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!