website/content/museum/eaca-colour-genie-eg-2000.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Eaca COLOUR GENIE / EG-2000	Computers	Home Computer	Hong Kong	1982	Zilog Z80	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos hardware screenshots emulators oc_id source COLOUR GENIE / EG-2000 /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_system_s1.jpg /companies/eaca Eaca label value NAME COLOUR GENIE / EG-2000 label value MANUFACTURER Eaca label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Hong Kong label value YEAR 1982 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Microsoft BASIC label value KEYBOARD Typewriter style, 63 keys with 4 function keys label value CPU Zilog Z80 label value SPEED 2.2 MHz label value RAM 16 KB, 32 KB with memory expansion label value ROM 16 KB label value TEXT MODES 40 columns x 25 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES 160 x 102 dots label value COLORS 8 (text mode), 4 (graphic mode) label value SOUND 3 channels (AY-8910) label value SIZE / WEIGHT 43.5 (W) x 28 (D) x 8 (H) cm / label value I/O PORTS RS232, Joystick (2), Light Pen, RGB, Audio label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS Light-pen, parallel printer, floppy disc drives label value PRICE 1100 in 1982, about 350 in 1985 photos hardware software emulators 141 title subtitle text image LARGE VIEW /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_system_s2.jpg title subtitle text image EG-2000 WITH JOYSTICKS Joysticks were devilered by pair in a dedicated plastic case which was connected to the computer. /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_joystick_2.jpg title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE Parallel printer flat connector, light pen and Serial port DIN sockets. /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_rightside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR CONNECTORS From left to right:\ • Tape recorder DIN socket\ • 50-pin expansion connector mainly intended for the floppy drive unit\ • RF/TV aerial cable\ • Audio and composite video output jacks\ • Power switch and cable. /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_rearside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image TAPE GAUGE Only EACA computers offered this gauge which was very convenient to ensure a reliable file tranfer from the tape recorder. /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_gauge_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MODEL PLATE Usually, personal computers offered cheap plastic plate where was mentioned the model name. The EG-2000 metal plate is one of the nicer ever seen on a home computer. Characters are embossed and each character of the model name is painted in a different colour. /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_logo_s1.jpg title subtitle text image UNDERNEATH PLATE /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_label_s1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE #1 The Colour Genie was initially marketed as a 16 KB RAM model, and later with 32 KB, which explains the second 16 KB RAM card mounted above the first one. The card holding the Basic language ROM is also separated from the main board. This is probably due to the late choice of the Microsoft Basic version. **(1)** Video RAM card mounted vertically\ **(2)** RF/TV modulator\ **(3)** Second 16 KB RAM card\ **(4)** 16 KB ROM card (4 x 2732 EPROM chips) holding the Microsoft Basic interpreter\ **(5)** Z80 processor running at 2.2 MHz\ **(6)** AY-9810, three channel sound generator programmable chipset\ **(7)** Video 6845 chipset in charge of text and graphics display\ **(8)** Power supply unit /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_mainboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE #2 The three RAM and ROM add-on cards /media/museum/photos/eaca_eg2000_mainboard_s2.jpg title subtitle text image ORIGINAL JOYSTICK /media/museum/hardware/eaca_eg2000_joystick_1.jpg title subtitle text image ANDROMEDA /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_andromeda_ss.gif title subtitle text image ASTRAY /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_astray_ss.gif title subtitle text image ASTRONAUT A Jet-pac clone (Spectrum) /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_astronaut_ss.gif title subtitle text image BAENG BAENG /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_baeng-baeng_ss.gif title subtitle text image BALLOONS /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_balloons_ss.gif title subtitle text image CARGO Flying out of the mother ship /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cargo_ss.gif title subtitle text image CARGO Avoid the balloons ! /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cargo_ss2.gif title subtitle text image CARGO In the cave /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cargo_ss3.gif title subtitle text image CAVE MAN /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cave-man_ss.gif title subtitle text image CAVE MAN Exploring the cave /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_cave-man_ss2.gif title subtitle text image CHESS MACHINE /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_chess-machine_ss.gif title subtitle text image CHOPPER Excellent game ! Rescue the men with your helico. /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_chopper_ss.gif title subtitle text image CHOPPER Another level /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_chopper_ss2.gif title subtitle text image GORILLA Reach the top and avoid the falling balls /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_gorilla_ss.gif title subtitle text image TRITON BATTLE Scramble clone /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_triton-battle_ss.gif title subtitle text image U-BOOT Excellent conversion of this classic game /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_u-boot_ss.gif title subtitle text image ZALAGA /media/museum/software/eaca_colour-genie_zalaga_ss.gif title url platform text EACA EG 2000 Colour Genie emulator http://www.pullmoll.de/cgenie/cgeniee.htm MS DOS the Colour Genie emulator by Jürgen Buchmüller title url platform text MESS project http://mess.emuverse.com/ Windows A Colour Genie emulator is included into MESS 128 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230618222709/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=128 2023-06-18

The Colour Genie was the successor of the Genie 1, Genie 2 and Genie 3. It was intended to compete with the Tandy Color Computer although it was not at all compatible with its model (Z80 microprocessor instead of a Motorola 6809 in the CoCo)

The graphic resolution wasn't as good as the CoCo, furthermore it was not possible to mix characters and graphics.

However, the machine was reliable and solidly built. It featured a good mechanical keyboard and even a little level display located above the keyboard, which allowed to set the recording level of the tape recorder to improve reliability when writing onto a tape.