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Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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---
title: Franklin ACE 500
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1983'
cpus:
- MOS 65C02
params:
name: ACE 500
image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace500_system_2.jpg
company: /companies/franklin
company_name: Franklin
specs:
- label: NAME
value: ACE 500
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Franklin
- label: TYPE
value: Professional Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: U.S.A.
- label: YEAR
value: '1983'
- label: END OF PRODUCTION
value: '1983'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: Applesoft BASIC
- label: KEYBOARD
value: Full stroke 90 keys with function keys and numeric keypad
- label: CPU
value: MOS 65C02
- label: SPEED
value: Unknown
- label: RAM
value: 256 KB expandable to 512 KB on board
- label: ROM
value: Unknown
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 40 / 80 chars. x 24 lines (monochrome)
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: 'All of the Apple IIc modes: 40 x 48 (16 col) / 80 x 48 (16 col) / 280 x 192 (6 col) / 140 x 192 (16 col) / 560 x 192 (mono)'
- label: COLORS
value: 16 maximum
- label: SOUND
value: Built-in speaker
- label: I/O PORTS
value: Parallel, Serial, NTSC RGB and composite video, joystick, mouse
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
value: Built-in 5.25
- label: OS
value: Apple DOS 3.X
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: Built-in power supply unit
- label: PRICE
value: Unknown
tabs:
- photos
- docs
photos:
- title: FRONT VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace500_system_1.jpg
- title: CLOSE-UP
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace500_fdcloseup_1.jpg
- title: BACK SIDE
subtitle: ''
text: |-
**(1)** Serial port DIN plug\
**(2)** Configuration switches\
**(3)** Parallel DB25 connector\
**(4)** External drive unit DB15 connector\
**(5)** Mouse and Joystick DB9 connector\
**(6)** RGB video out DB9 connector\
**(7)** Monochrome composite video out RCA jack\
**(8)** DC power plug. An external AC adaptor provides power.
image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace500_back_1.jpg
docs:
- title: OWNER'S REFERENCE MANUAL
url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/home.htm
cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/franklin_ace500_doc-manual.jpg
text: |-
[**OWNER'S REFERENCE MANUAL**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/home.htm)written by Franklin
 type of document : PDF\
 size : 11,7 MB\
 source : [www.apple-iigs.info](http://www.apple-iigs.info/)
**... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :**
comments:
- author: Ray McAnally (USA)
date: Thursday 17th February 2011
text: The ACE 500 was a clone of the Apple //c with some interesting exras. You could use either a Composite input monitor like the Apple //c used or you could use a IBM style CGA monitor. When either monitor was in text mode, you could $ the text color on the screen (green, amber or paper white) The unit shipped in configurations of either 256k or 512k versus the 128k of the Apple //c. This allowed memory resident programs such as Appleworks to be loaded entirely into memory and still provide desk space for large documents as well as switching between documents. The keyboard are is larger with an included 10 key keypad as well as function keys that could be set to perform word processor functions in Appleworks. These functions were available on the Apple by memorizing special key combinations. The Franklin did them automaticly. Having used both machines as well as several others from both Apple and Franklin, I can state that the functionality as well as the build quality of the Franklins
were superior to Apple. Apple had some nicer designs, but they could have taken a page from the Franklin play book.
- author: MooglyGuy (USA)
date: Saturday 30th October 2004
text: Regarding the ACE500, I once picked up two or three of them that a computer repair shop was throwing out. They all worked great, and were sturdy machines - I once dropped one several feet and it still worked fine! It's worth noting, however, that the machine isn't exactly like an Apple //c as it's heavier than one, deeper than one. A better gauge would be that it's a couple inches wider and deeper than the Commodore 128. Also, the picture of the connectors is obviously of a version that I did not have - the ones I had had a standard three-pronged AC cable jack where the AC adaptor input is located in the picture.
oc_id: 793
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230129164849/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=793
date: '2023-01-29'
---
The Franklin ACE 500 was a 100% Apple IIe and Apple IIc compatible computer with a built-in 5.25" disk drive and 256 KB of RAM.
It looked pretty much like a black //c, featured all of the standard Apple ports and a better keyboard with a numeric keypad. It was also very similar to the [Laser 128](/museum/video-technology-laser-128-128ex-128ex2/) in design and features.
The ACE 500 was the last Apple II compatible Franklin manufactured. Its capabilities and abilities were identical to the Ace 2000 series. The Company was sued in 1982 by Apple for copyright and patent infringement and ceased making computers in August 1983.
<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>