| ADAM |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam.jpg |
/companies/coleco |
Coleco |
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| MANUFACTURER |
Coleco |
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| TYPE |
Home Computer |
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| ORIGIN |
U.S.A. |
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| YEAR |
June 1983 |
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| END OF PRODUCTION |
1985 |
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| BUILT IN LANGUAGE |
SmartWriter wordprocessor, Smart BASIC delivered on data-pack |
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| KEYBOARD |
Full-stroke keyboard with separated arrow keys, ten command keys and six programmable function keys. 75 keys |
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| CPU |
Zilog Z80 A |
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| CO-PROCESSOR |
6801 Master-microcomputer |
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| RAM |
64 kb (25 kb available with Smart Basic), upgradable to 144 kb |
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| TEXT MODES |
40 x 24 / 36 x 24 |
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| GRAPHIC MODES |
256 x 192 |
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| SOUND |
3 voices, 5 octaves |
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| I/O PORTS |
Cartridge slot (complete system only), RGB video out, 2 x Joystick sockets, expansion port, 2 x ADAMNET port (serial port used to connect printer, digital tapes and keyboard), 3 x card connectors inside the case |
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| BUILT IN MEDIA |
1 - Digital data pack reader (real to real magnetic tape encased in a Lexan cassette), 256 KB. There is a room for an optional second one |
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| OS |
EOS (Elementary Operating System) / OS-7 |
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| POWER SUPPLY |
Built-in the printer ! |
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| PERIPHERALS |
Second digital data-pack drive, 5''1/4 disk-drive, modem, 64k RAM expansion |
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| PRICE |
$700 (USA, 1983)\
$300 (USA, 1985)\
$100 (USA, 1987)\
1510 (France, 1984)\
915 (France, 1985) |
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| COMPLETE UNIT |
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The memory unit was available in two versions : the complete Adam memory unit and the Expansion Module #3. This expansion module was meant for people already owning a Colecovision system. So part of the hardware is not in the module but in the Colecovision... In fact the Expansion module #3 uses the hardware of the Colecovision system !
The unit pictured here is the complete memory unit. We recognize it by its cartridge slot, necessary as there is no Colecovision system attached to this configuration. In fact the Colecovision system is literally built-in this complete unit. |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_main-deck_1.jpg |
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| ADAM PROTOTYPE |
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When presented for the first time at the Chicago's Consumer Electronics Show in june 83, the Adam looked like this...
It's nearly identical to the final project, except for the digital tape drives which look more like the Exatron stringy-floppies than the digital data-packs finally adopted... Here the tapes seem to be loaded horizontaly into the drives. |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_prototype_1.jpg |
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| EXPANSION MODULE #3 |
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This is the expansion module #3, aimed for the people who already have a Colecovision system. Without the Colecovision, this version of Adam can't work ! It needs the hardware of the Colecovision.
The system looks like the complete version but its right part is shorter and there's no cartridge slot as the Colecovision provides one. The Colecovision plugs at the back of the main unit as shown on this picture. |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_module3_2.jpg |
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| MODULE #3 REAR |
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This picture shows well how the Colecovision system is attached to the back of the expansion module #3. |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_module3_rear.jpg |
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| COMPLETE MODULE #3 |
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This is the complete configuration of the expansion module #3, except that there's normaly the Colecovision system attached to the back of the Adam unit...
The black controller comes from the Colecovision and no "white" Adam specific controllers are sold with the Expansion Module #3, as the Colecovision provides already two of these... |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_module3_1.jpg |
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| MODULE #3 IN ACTION |
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A beautiful french woman using the built-in wordprocessor software of the Adam (expansion module #3 version).
In some countries, like in France for example, only the Expansion module #3 was available. Thus people wanting to buy an Adam, HAD to buy a Colecovision if they hadn't already one... This didn't help the sales at all ! |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_module3_in-use.jpg |
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| MODULE #3 PROTOTYPE |
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When presented for the first time at the Chicago's Consumer Electronics Show in june 83, the expansion module #3 looked like this...
It's nearly identical to the final project, except for the digital tape drives which look more like the Exatron stringy-floppies than the digital data-packs finally adopted... Here the tapes seem to be loaded horizontaly into the drives. |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_module3_prototype.jpg |
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| KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP |
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It's a quite complete keyboard with 6 function keys, arrows keypad and numerous editing keys. |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_keyboard_1.jpg |
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| PRINTER |
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ADAM technical says :
*The printer is a letter-quality, bi-directional, daisy wheel printer. Paper feeds into the printer through a friction-feed mechanism that accommodates single sheets of paper up to 9-1/2 inches wide. With the addition of an optional tractor-feed mechanism, the printer also accommodates continuous, "fan-fold" paper. Pitch is 10 characters to the inch, and printing speed is 10 characters per second. The printer contains two printed circuit boards, one for the printer and one for the power supply.*
*The printer houses two printed circuit boards: the Printer Board and the Linear Power Supply Board. The Printer Board includes a 6801 microcomputer and parallel drivers that control the printer's electro-mechanical devices. The electro-mechanical devices include the daisy wheel motor, the carriage motor, the platen advance mechanism, the print solenoid, and the ribbon solenoid. The Linear Power Supply Board includes regulators, rectifiers, and a transformer.*
*The printer 6801 communicates with the Master 6801 on the Memory and I/O Board via AdamNet to receive data to be printed, controls the motions of the printer's mechanical parts, and ensures that the printer performs the optimum number of motions simultaneously.*
*Within the printer 6801 RAM is a 16-character buffer for data being sent to the printer over AdamNet. The buffer ensures that time is not lost between characters being printed, and maximizes printing speed.*
*The printer 6801 responds to some ASCII control codes, including carriage return, line feed, backspace, escape, shift-out, and shift-in. Shift-out causes the printer 6801 to reverse its left and right directions, allowing printing from right to left.*
*The printer 6801 controls the printer's electro-mechanical devices. It also ensures that lateral carriage motion, rotation of the daisy wheel, and stepping of the platen can be activated simultaneously.* |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_printer_1.jpg |
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| SYSTEM EXPLAINED |
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This is the expansion module #3. This Adam model can not work without the Colecovision game system.
**(1)** The separate keyboard is undoubtly an advantage very few home computers offered. It is complete and of good quality. The 6 function keys have their actions re-defined for each software used (with the built-in wordprocessor for example).\
**(2)** The joystick attached to the right of the keyboard is also a good idea. The control stick is small but efficient with all games.\
**(3)** The standard joystick offers two shooting buttons (same function).\
**(4)** The joystick's keys act as a numeric keypad and can be used in every Adam software.\
**(5)** This plastic part helps to make the joystick a true keyboard extension.\
**(6)** Reset button used to reboot the complete system (console + computer).\
**(7)** Connecting the ColecoVision console with the Adam computer does not prevent from playing with the great choice of available game cartridges.\
**(8)** This expansion port is used to connect the ColecoVision game system and the Adam computer.\
**(9)** Keyboard connector.\
**(10)** Housing for an optional second tape unit. The standard version of the Adam version is sold with only one tape unit.\
**(11)** It looks like a standard cassette, but is a specially preformatted, thus costing much more... This means that standard cassettes can't be used.\
**(12)** This is a smart tape recorder, much faster than a normal one and completely controled by the system for file management.\
**(13)** Connector for the Adam printer which also provides power supply. Thus, the printer must always be turned on, even if it is not used.\
**(14)** The Colecovision is fixed to the Adam through a fragile plastic plate. It is not recommended to move the whole unit too often.\
**(15)** Some logical functions of the ColecoVision console are used by the Adam module which hold the Z80 microprocessor and the memory.\
**(16)** Joysticks housing. |
/media/museum/photos/s_colecoadam_inside.jpg |
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| BOX |
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This is the box of the complete system. It comes with joysticks as opposed to the Expansion Module #3 which doesn't. |
/media/museum/photos/coleco_adam_box_1.jpg |
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| FRENCH ADVERT#1 |
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"I did click"
Cool french young boy, proud of its brand new Adam. Only the expansion module #3 version was available in France... |
/media/museum/pubs/coleco_adam_pub-clic.jpg |
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| FRENCH ADVERT#2 |
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This is another french advert, not from CBS, but from an independant store "le jeu electronique".
Only the expansion module #3 was available in France and people had to buy a Colecovision if they wanted to have an Adam ! |
/media/museum/pubs/coleco_adam_pub_2.jpg |
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| 5" 1/4 DISK DRIVE UNIT |
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/media/museum/hardware/coleco_adam_diskdrive.jpg |
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| 3.25'' DISK-DRIVE |
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Yes, it's really a **3.25"** disk drive with 3.25" diskettes, a new format created by Dysan to replace the 5.25" format. Sadly, this format never became a standard and was quickly forgotten.
About this prototype, **Doug Rosenvinge** says:
My drive is a working prototype and not a production unit.\
The drive case replaces the memory console cover. The drive connects to the Adamnet port and uses a 3 pin power supply of the type used for some of Coleco's accessories. I have also seen a version of the drive that fits in the memory console itself in the larger bay in place of a tape drive. That version uses the same plugs as the tape drive for its signal and power.
The reason this drive is so large is that it's logic board is wire-wrapped and is next to the drive in the case.
Of interest is the way the disk is inserted. It slides in onto a built in tray that can be pushed in and locked in place by pushing down lightly on the tray. The total movement is about 1/2". To take the disk out just push the tray in and up and out pops the disk. Rather neat.
Off hand I can't remember the full storage capacity, but it was compatible with the tape drive although I think you could reset the capacity in the directory and get a couple more blocks of storage. Of course if you did store more than it would not be 100% the same as a tape. |
/media/museum/hardware/coleco_adam_ddrive_1.jpg |
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| ADAMLINK MODEM |
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This 300-Baud modem mainly allowed the Adam to be connected to Compuserve. Several versions of the AdamLink software were released. |
/media/museum/hardware/coleco_adam_adamlink.jpg |
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| ADAM CALC |
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ADAM Calc was written by Lazer MicroSystems, which was also responsible for SmartBasic. Obviously, they did a better job on ADAMCalc than was done on SmartBasic. The spreadsheet was easy to understand and use for small boards. |
/media/museum/software/coleco_adam_softcalc.jpg |
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| Official Coleco Adam annual AdamCon news source: AdamCon.org |
http://www.adamcon.org/ |
The title says it all... |
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| James Tamer (Greater Pasadena California USA) |
Thursday 2nd March 2006 |
Most hyped home computer ever, oh my. The folks who brought you the Cabbage Patch Kids were now bringing you... a useful home computer system! One big box held everything. The big selling point was that it came with a printer -- and the whole shebang would cost $600 -- this at a time when printers alone were more expensive than that. Much more. Especially daisy wheel "full letter quality" printers. Yike.\
Okay. Well, the price changed to $700 by the time it was released... and the complaints rolled in. The first complaint was that the printer was of low quality and not durable. After a little while, it would start printing letters on a slant. Wow. So, you had to send the printer in for a repair... and in the meantime, you couldn't use your computer system because the power supply was in the printer! Sucked! Also, the system box would give off a nice big magnetic pulse when it was powered up, so if you happened to have your BASIC tape in the drive or sitting on top of the console, it might get corrupted. Sucked! Oh well. There were a few games that came out for the Adam, and you could buy blank tapes too, and it'd play colecovision cartridges. Eventually a disk drive was introduced... but by then it was too late. The home computer format war had split into Commodore 64 / Apple IIe / Atari 800XL. Your local retailer wasn't interested in giving over shelf space to anything else (well, until the Atari ST and Amiga 1000 arrived, and plenty of retailers ignored those two). |
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| Marat Fayzullin (USA) |
Wednesday 24th June 2020 |
Hello, All!
I''ve just released the free ColEm 5.1 for Windows and Linux, with the source code for those interested in porting ColEm to other platforms:
http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/ $ homepage\
http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/ColEm51-Windows-bin.zip $ free Windows version\
http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/ColEm51-Ubuntu-x86-bin.tgz $ free Linux version\
http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/ColEm51-Source.zip $ portable source code
This release adds configurable global color palette (via ColEm.pal file) and fixes state saving, loading, and rewind for Adam software. I have also added support for more Adam-specific keys. Please note that since Coleco Adam emulation is very new, it may have bugs. If you encounter any problems, or any Adam software that does not run, please, report it here:
https://groups.google.com/forum/$!forum/emul8
ALL CHANGES:\
* Added Coleco Adam state saving, loading, and rewinding.\
* Added support for more Coleco Adam keys (see documentation).\
* Disabled loading disks or tapes with no Adam firmware ROMs.\
* Added support for default palette file named ColEm.pal.\
* Now able to supply .PAL filename to -palette parameter.\
* Changing palette in Windows no longer resets emulation.
Enjoy! |
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| Garage Research (USA) |
Monday 8th June 2020 |
I''ve just released the free ColEm 5.0 for Windows and Linux, with the source code for those interested in porting ColEm to other platforms:
http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/ $ homepage\
http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/ColEm50-Windows-bin.zip $ free Windows version\
http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/ColEm50-Ubuntu-x86-bin.tgz $ free Linux version\
http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/ColEm50-Source.zip $ portable source code
This release adds the complete Coleco Adam emulation, including keyboard, printer, disk, and tape drives. Both .DSK and .DDP file types are now supported. There are multiple new menu and command line options for working with printers, disks, and tapes. Please note that since Coleco Adam emulation is very new, it may have bugs. If you encounter any problems, or any Adam software that does not run, please, report it here.
Recent ColEm releases also added support for 2kB SRAM found in the Lord Of The Dungeon game, Super Game Module (SGM) emulation, AY8910 PSG, 24c08 and 24c256 EEPROM emulation, and other modern features important to the homebrew community. See below for all the changes in the latest release.
ALL CHANGES:\
* Coleco Adam emulation is now operational, with keyboard, printer, disk, and tape drives. Use -adam command line or "Hardware $ Adam" menu to enable. Requires EOS.ROM and WRITER.ROM files.\
* Emulator will load .DSK files into disk drive A: and enable Adam mode.\
* Emulator will load .DDP files into tape drive A: and enable Adam mode.\
* Printer output can be sent to a file with -printer option.\
* Adam disk drives can also be loaded with -disk* options.\
* Adam tape drives can also be loaded with -tape* options.\
* Windows version has got full support for Adam-specific media images and hardware.\
* Added "File $ Save Printer Output" menu to ColEm-Windows.\
* Added "Hardware $ Disk Drives" menu to ColEm-Windows.\
* Added "Hardware $ Tape Drives" menu to ColEm-Windows.
Enjoy! |
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| Milli V |
Saturday 6th August 2016 |
Visit our store for coloeco adam software and hardware. We sell refurbished systems too! |
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| Benster (USA) |
Friday 20th July 2012 |
I was married to my 1st wife when her parents bought us one of these for Christmas our 1st year of marriage. I comtained the Z80 processor that was in my 1st computer that I built while living in England. Back then the Sinclair ZX81 was a kit you could buy in basement computer shops around Norwhich England, I bet I spent 1000.00 US building and adding on to it..anyway the Adam was our 3 rd PC in 1983 and helped paved the way to the home PCs, 8086,80888,286,386,286,586 up to todays multi processor systems I now have. It also helped to launch my career in IT which I hope to retire from in a few years. |
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| Joe B. (US) |
Saturday 15th January 2011 |
I was an original ADAM owner way back when and although I jumped in and out several times, I still have an ADAM setup right next to my PC. Please check out my web page at www.sacnews.net/adamcomputer. There is a section there with PDFs of old ADAM Newsletters, including a complete set of NIAD Newsletters. The site itself contains HTML copies of an old ADAM Newsletter called Expandable Computer News. |
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| Whooter (United States) |
Thursday 9th December 2010 |
Still have all my Adam stuff and it works great. |
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| David (US) |
Wednesday 24th November 2010 |
I was a hardcore 8-9 year old doing some fairly legit programming on the old Apple II in the early 80s.....
I vividly remember my parents getting one of these Adam things to score the free $500 scholarship before my bro went off to college. I don''t think we ever got Buck Rodgers to work and the whole computer was just an amazing piece of garbage. I remember sitting with my Dad trying to get the tape drive to work for hours and hours....
Good memories.... |
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| Julie (USA) |
Wednesday 11th August 2010 |
I still have mine. Haven''t used it in ages. When I upgraded to a PC, it just got packed away and forgotten about. It was a great machine. I found it the other day while cleaning out my garage. Still trying to find the Buck Rogers tape though. Never did figure out how to play the game, but used the system for my small business. Served a great purpose for a long time. Now, I think it''s time to part ways. |
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| Steve (USA) |
Friday 4th June 2010 |
I bought the second generation of the Coleco Adam in 1984 at Sears for $800. It came with a printer, cpu, single tape drive, the Colecovision game module, two game controllers, 1 program tape, Basic, two blank tapes for storing data, one game tape, Buck Rogers - Planet of Zoom, and one Colecovision Game Cartridge, Donkey Kong!!. I also added a second tape drive which made storing data much easier, and added a memory module which maxed out the memory to 80kb with the Colecovision plugged in too. The built-in word processor was pretty basic, but It worked well and was useful for my needs at the time. Typing papers. I had to send it away one time for repair only, otherwise it worked great the entire time I had it. I used that machine from 1984 when I bought it until 1992, when I bought my first PC. I sold the entire package for $55.00. I wish I still had it. |
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| Ben (USA) |
Thursday 28th December 2006 |
I don't know a lot about the specs and the tech stuff but i had one of these when i was a kid and it was old then, i loved it i had tons of game for probaly at least 60, had some cave man games and trolls, it took sega cartridges, and i rember buck rogers on the cassete tapes , and the newest thing we had for it was the big 5" somthing floopy. the graphics seemed way ahead of there time on par with a 286 atleast and the sound was quite good, coming from some one who had a 386 with just the pc speaker 16 colour! |
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| Bill Schoonmaker (USA) |
Wednesday 22nd March 2006 |
I owned the coleco Adam computer and I remember that it came with a game called Buck Rogers on the data pack format. The tape would spin back and forth and take an extremely long time to load but the game had features that the regular colecovision version did not have. I did a lot with the included basic language and even tried to "port" some crude games over to it with minimal success. |
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| Katy (USA) |
Thursday 14th April 2005 |
Thank you so much Oliver. I will give that a try.\
Katy |
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| Katy (USA) |
Tuesday 12th April 2005 |
Does anyone remember the game "War Games" for the Adam? Does anyone know if it is available in a modern format?\
Owned one in 84 or 85 but can't remember how much. Maybe $200. It was new, so not sure if the price is right. Wrote my first book using the Adam. Lost it all in a fire. |
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| frial (us) |
Thursday 7th April 2005 |
the power supply for these was in the *printer* so if that's gone your sol |
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| jacob katz ( ) |
Thursday 20th January 2005 |
some people would accedently leave their boot-up tapes on the consle, and the machine created a magnetic field that would erase the tapes. the company did not manufacture parts outside of the consule: so if this happened, you would be stuck |
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| Elesias (France) |
Thursday 23rd December 2004 |
By any chance, can someone tell me the specifications of the Disk Drive PSU please ?
Thanks a lot ! |
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| Elesias (Aix en Provence (FRANCE)) |
Tuesday 8th April 2003 |
My expansion module #3 doesn't seem to work : everything is plugged, but I turn the Adam on, nothing but a blank screen. Nothing else ;-(
Can anyone help or give me a piece of advice in order to solve the problem ?\
Thanks. |
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| Wayne Moore (Levittown, PA) |
Thursday 20th March 2003 |
I remember buying mine at Canadian Tire for $1000 |
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| Adam Moreau (Thunder Bay, ONT, CA) |
Tuesday 18th June 2002 |
I bought a used ADAM at a local second hand store, for approx $50 CND. It (the ADAM) was sold to me (Adam Moreau) from the salesperson (Adam S.) when we noitced the connection between names. It worked fine, and I still use it to play games, and for SmartBASIC, of course! |
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| djdave717 (Harrisburg PA) |
Wednesday 17th April 2002 |
Check eBay ... they usually have the best selection! Most of the "dealers" that still sell Adam computers and accessories are ridiculously overpriced. If you don't see what you like, wait a week, more will come ... |
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| Paige (Wa) |
Wednesday 10th April 2002 |
How do I get one/another one.\
I had one back in 1986.
Thank you,\
Paige |
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| djdave717 (Harrisburg PA) |
Tuesday 29th January 2002 |
Why use Perl when you have SmartBASIC? |
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yann64andClaude Opus 5.5
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