website/content/museum/radofin-electronics-limited-aquarius-2.md

title, categories, params

title	categories	params
Radofin Electronics Limited AQUARIUS 2	Computers	name image company company_name tabs forum_thread photos hardware emulators links related software oc_id source AQUARIUS 2 /media/museum/photos/mattel_aquariusii_system_s1.jpg /companies/radofin-electronics-limited Radofin Electronics Limited photos hardware software emulators links 89 title subtitle text image LARGE VIEW /media/museum/photos/mattel_aquariusii_system_s2.jpg title subtitle text image TOP VIEW /media/museum/photos/mattel_aquariusii_topview_s1.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT & RIGHT SIDES Notice the power and reset swithes on the right side. /media/museum/photos/mattel_aquariusii_sides_s1.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/mattel_aquariusii_keyboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR CONNECTORS **(1)** Expansion cartridges cover\ **(2)** TV aerial modulator's jack\ **(3)** Mattel printer jack\ **(4)** Tape recorder DIN socket\ **(5)** RGB cable and power plug. /media/museum/photos/mattel_aquariusii_rearside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE **(1)** Expansion cartridges connector\ **(2)** Z80 processor, here a NEC D780 version\ **(3)** 2K ROM chip holding various I/O routines\ **(4)** 8K BASIC ROM\ **(5)** Custom I/O and memory management chips, made by Ferranti and Hitachi\ **(6)** 4K RAM chips (2x4016)\ **(7)** 2K Character generator ROM\ **(8)** RGB video circuitry, may differ according to the country the machine was intended. /media/museum/photos/mattel_aquariusii_inside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image FROM MATTEL ELECTRONICS /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_datarecorder_1.jpg title subtitle text image RECORDER AND BOX /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_data-recorder.jpg title subtitle text image BOX /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_datarecorder_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image FROM MATTEL ELECTRONICS This device supplies 2 cartridges ports (which makes it possible to plug a RAM expansion cartridge and a program cartridge at the same time), two paddles and an enhanced sound chip (two supplementary voices). Promotional text on the box says:\ - Accepts memory cartridge to expand memory to 20 KB!\ - 2 separate ports: allows you to use a memory cartridge at the same time with a game or program cartridge!\ - Includes 2 hand controllers: 16 position disc and 6 action buttons!\ - adds two more sound channels for more exciting game play! /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_mini-expander.jpg title subtitle text image BOX /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_mini-expander_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image IN BOX /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_mini-expander_inbox.jpg title subtitle text image BOX Side /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_mini-expander_box-side.jpg title subtitle text image BOX - SIDE /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_mini-expander_box3.jpg title subtitle text image BOX rear /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_mini-expander_box-rear.jpg title subtitle text image MATTEL ELECTRONICS This 300 baud modem had to be connected to the cartridge connector. /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_modem_1.jpg title subtitle text image BOX "opens a whole new world of information and communications! Smart enough to be simple!" /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_modem_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image 4K & 16K RAM EXPANSIONS /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_ram_expansions.jpg title subtitle text image 4K RAM CARTRIDGE box /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_4k-ram_box_2.jpg title subtitle text image 16 KB RAM EXPANSION CARTRIDGE /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_16k-ram-expansion_2.jpg title subtitle text image 4K RAM box - side /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_4k-ram_box_side.jpg title subtitle text image 4K RAM box (rear) /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_4k-ram_box_rear.jpg title subtitle text image VALUE PACK The Aquarius Value Pack contained a 4 KB RAM expansion cartridge, Utopia and Snafu software.. /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_value-pack_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image 16 KB RAM EXPANSION CARTRIDGE Box /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_16k-ram-expansion_box.jpg title subtitle text image FROM MATTEL ELECTRONICS This is a small thermic printer which can print 80 characters per second onto 40 columns paper. Only Mattel printers can be connected to the Aquarius. /media/museum/hardware/mattel_aquarius_printer_1.jpg title subtitle text image TOP VIEW /media/museum/hardware/matell_aquarius_printer_top_1.jpg title url platform text AqEmu http://www.classicgaming.com/aqemu/aqemu.htm Windows Aquarius emulator for Windows title url platform text Virtual Aquarius http://www.geocities.com/emucompboy/ Windows Nice emulator by James the Animal Tamer title url text Blue Sky Rangers' site http://www.intellivisionlives.com/ Ancient INTV programmers unveil all the secrets of the Mattel Electronics products ! title url text Mattel Aquarius homecomputer http://www.vdsteenoven.com/aquarius/ History, Tech info, Sotware review & screenshots, Links, etc. title url text Mattel Aquarius Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mattelaquarius/ A place to discover, chat about, and just get general information on the Mattel Aquarius home computer. /museum/mattel-electronics-aquarius /software/night-stalker 74 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230131064823/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=74 2023-01-31

The Mattel Aquarius II had exactly the same characteristics as its predecessor, the Mattel Aquarius.

Its only enhancements were the RAM (20 KB instead of 4 KB) and the mechanical keyboard. In fact, the Aquarius II only had 4 KB of built-in RAM but was supplied with a 16 KB RAM cartridge extension.

Another difference is that the Aquarius II came with Extended Basic built-in.

Mattel gave up the computer market and sold all the rights and computer stocks to their manufacturer, Radofin, before the Aquarius II was even launched. All the Aquarius II were thus manufactured and sold by Radofin.

A special version of Logo, called Aquarius Logo was developped for this computer.

An Aquarius III was planed, but never saw the light.

---

Contributors: Jason L.