yann64andClaude Opus 5.5
b274874139
1,289 discussions, 9,527 archived comments; pages no longer carry the comments themselves. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com> Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
304 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
304 lines
13 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Interact Home Computer System
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categories:
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- Computers
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types:
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- Home Computer
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origins:
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- U.S.A.
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years:
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- '1979'
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cpus:
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- Intel 8080 A
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params:
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name: Home Computer System
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_system_s2.jpg
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company: /companies/interact
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company_name: Interact
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specs:
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- label: NAME
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value: Home Computer System
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- label: MANUFACTURER
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value: Interact
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- label: TYPE
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value: Home Computer
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- label: ORIGIN
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value: U.S.A.
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- label: YEAR
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value: '1979'
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- label: END OF PRODUCTION
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value: '1979'
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- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
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value: None (EDU-BASIC on cassette tape)
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- label: KEYBOARD
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value: QWERTY, chicklet keyboard 53 keys
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- label: CPU
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value: Intel 8080 A
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- label: SPEED
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value: 2 MHz
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- label: RAM
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value: 8 or 16 KB
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- label: ROM
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value: 2 KB
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- label: TEXT MODES
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value: 17 chars. x 12 lines
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- label: GRAPHIC MODES
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value: 112 x 78 in 4 colors
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- label: COLORS
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value: '8'
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- label: SOUND
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value: 1 voice, 4 octaves
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- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
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value: 46.3 (W) x 26.5 (D) x 10 (H) cm / 5.8 kg
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- label: I/O PORTS
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value: 2 joystick sockets, TV output
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- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
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value: Tape recorder (1200 bauds)
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- label: POWER SUPPLY
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value: External AC transformer
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- label: PERIPHERALS
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value: 32 KB RAM card, stringy floppy drive
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- label: PRICE
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value: 300$ (USA, 1980)
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tabs:
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- photos
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- adverts
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- hardware
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- software
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- emulators
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- links
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- docs
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forum_thread: 978
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photos:
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- title: LARGE VIEW
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_system_s3.jpg
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- title: RIGHT SIDE
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_system_s1.jpg
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- title: LEFT SIDE
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subtitle: ''
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text: Notice the external power transformer and the empty connector location. In fact the main board featured neither parallel nor serial port.
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_leftside_s1.jpg
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- title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP
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subtitle: ''
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text: The 'chicklet' keyboard was really impractical for intensive typing.
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_keyboard_s1.jpg
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- title: 'INSIDE #1'
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Thanks to its really efficient protection against magnetic shields, the Interact was FCC and UL approved.\
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**(1)** Keyboard connector\
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**(2)** Power supply connector\
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**(3)** Reset and power switch connector\
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**(4)** Cassette drive connector
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_inside_s1.jpg
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- title: 'INSIDE #2'
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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**(1)** Joystick DB9 connectors\
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**(2)** SN 76477 sound generator\
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**(3)** Intel 8080A processor\
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**(4)** 2 KB ROM chip. A second ROM socket is available\
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**(5)** RF TV modulator\
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**(6)** 16 KB RAM chips - 8 x Mostek 4115
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_inside_s2.jpg
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- title: 'INSIDE #3'
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subtitle: ''
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text: RAM chips close-up
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_inside_s3.jpg
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- title: ORIGINAL INTERACT MODEL
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subtitle: ''
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text: Thanks to [http://hectorvictor.free.fr/](http://hectorvictor.free.fr/) for this picture.
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_homecomputer_1.jpg
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- title: INTERACT LABEL
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subtitle: ''
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text: Thanks to [http://hectorvictor.free.fr/](http://hectorvictor.free.fr/) for this picture.
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_homecomputer_label_1.jpg
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- title: SOFTWARE CASSETTES
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subtitle: ''
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text: |-
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Original Interact and MicroVideo software cassettes.\
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Among the MicroVideo cassettes:\
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• EZEDIT program editor\
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• 16K diagnostic tape\
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• Microsoft 8K fast graphics BASIC\
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• Level II BASIC
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_cassettes_s1.jpg
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- title: ORIGINAL INTERACT PACKING
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_package_s1.jpg
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- title: THE BOX
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subtitle: ''
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text: ''
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_box_s1.jpg
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- title: MANUALS
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subtitle: ''
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text: Interact owner's guide and Microsoft 8K BASIC manual sold separately by MicroVideo.
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_model1_basicmanual_s1.jpg
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- title: KEYBOARD OVERLAY
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subtitle: ''
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text: This is the chicklet keyboard overlay used for the “Compute-A-Color” paint program.
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_computeacolor_overlay.jpg
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- title: MECHANICAL KEYBOARD
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subtitle: ''
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text: This is an original Interact with an optional mechanical keyboard from MicroVideo added later.
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image: /media/museum/photos/interact_computers_mech-keyboard.jpg
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adverts:
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- title: INTERACTION NEWSLETTER
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subtitle: ''
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text: Three issues of this 'Newsletter Detroit Interact Group' were published during the first semester of 1980
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image: /media/museum/pubs/interact_model1_fanzine_s1.jpg
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- title: SALES CATALOG
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subtitle: ''
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text: In this catalog, NEWMAN COMPUTER EXCHANGE from Ann Arbor sold various Interact packages, from $44.95 for an incomplete and inoperative 8K model, to $299.95 for a 16K system along with 30 software cassettes and a complete documentation including the service manuals set.
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image: /media/museum/pubs/interact_model1_brocker_s1.jpg
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- title: US ADVERT FROM PROTECTO
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subtitle: ''
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text: taken from Popular Science nov. 1980
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image: /media/museum/pubs/interact_computer_protecto-pub_nov1980.jpg
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hardware:
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- title: THIS IS IT
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subtitle: ''
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text: The numeric keypad was of course optional, and you had to modify/hack the Interact keyboard to connect it.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/interact_numkeypad_1.jpg
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- title: CONNECTOR
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subtitle: ''
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text: The numeric keypad was of course optional, and you had to modify/hack the Interact keyboard to connect it. This is the hacked connector.
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image: /media/museum/hardware/interact_numkeypad_2.jpg
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emulators:
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- title: DCHector
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url: http://dchector.free.fr/
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platform: Windows
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text: Excellent Interact/Hector emulator !
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- title: James the Animal Tamer's Interact Emulator
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url: http://www.geocities.com/emucompboy/
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platform: Windows
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text: James stroke again and developped a partially working Interact emulator
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links:
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- title: Hector! L'ordinateur personnel français
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url: http://hectorvictor.free.fr/
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text: French website dedicated to Hector / Victor Lambda computers
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docs:
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- title: BASICALLY SPEAKING
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url: /media/museum/docs/interact_basically_speaking.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact_basicaly-speaking.jpg
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text: |-
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[**BASICALLY SPEAKING**](/media/museum/docs/interact_basically_speaking.pdf)written by Micro Video
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compiled/archived by oldcomputers.net\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 9 Mb\
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source : [oldcomputers.net](http://oldcomputers.net/)
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- title: INTERACT SERVICE MANUAL
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url: /media/museum/docs/interact_service_manual.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact_service-manual.jpg
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text: |-
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[**INTERACT SERVICE MANUAL**](/media/museum/docs/interact_service_manual.pdf)written by Interact
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compiled/archived by oldcomputers.net\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 20 Mb\
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source : [oldcomputers.net](http://oldcomputers.net/)
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- title: INTERACT SCHEMATICS
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url: /media/museum/docs/interact-schematics.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact_computer_schematics_pdf-cover.jpg
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text: |-
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[**INTERACT SCHEMATICS**](/media/museum/docs/interact-schematics.pdf)written by Interact
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compiled/archived by Ed Anuff\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 29 MB
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- title: LEVEL II BASIC LANGUAGE
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url: /media/museum/docs/level_ii_basic.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact_basic-levelii.jpg
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text: |-
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[**LEVEL II BASIC LANGUAGE**](/media/museum/docs/level_ii_basic.pdf)written by Interact
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compiled/archived by oldcomputers.net\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 23 Mb\
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source : [oldcomputers.net](http://oldcomputers.net/)
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- title: INTERACT NETWORK NEWSLETTER - VOL.1 - N°1
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url: /media/museum/docs/interact_network_newsletter-vol%20i-1.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact-network-newsletter_vol1-1.jpg
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text: |-
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[**INTERACT NETWORK NEWSLETTER - VOL.1 - N°1**](/media/museum/docs/interact_network_newsletter-vol%20i-1.pdf)written by Micro Video Corporation
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compiled/archived by Olivier Boisseau (www.old-computers.com)\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 2,4 Mb\
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source : www.old-computers.com
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- title: INTERACT NETWORK NEWSLETTER - VOL.1 - N°2
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url: /media/museum/docs/interact_network_newsletter-vol%20i-2.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact_network-newsletter_1-2.jpg
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text: |-
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[**INTERACT NETWORK NEWSLETTER - VOL.1 - N°2**](/media/museum/docs/interact_network_newsletter-vol%20i-2.pdf)written by Micro Video Corporation
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compiled/archived by Olivier Boisseau (www.old-computers.com)\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 3,8 Mo\
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source : www.old-computers.com
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- title: MICRO VIDEO RAM PAGES - VOL.2 - N°1
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url: /media/museum/docs/microvideo%20ram%20pages%20-%20vol%20ii-1.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact_network-newsletter_2-1.jpg
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text: |-
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[**MICRO VIDEO RAM PAGES - VOL.2 - N°1**](/media/museum/docs/microvideo%20ram%20pages%20-%20vol%20ii-1.pdf)written by Micro Video Corporation
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compiled/archived by Olivier Boisseau (www.old-computers.com)\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 2,8 Mb\
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source : www.old-computers.com
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- title: MICRO VIDEO RAM PAGES - VOL.2 - N°2
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url: /media/museum/docs/microvideo%20ram%20pages%20-%20vol%20ii-2.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact_micro-video_ram-pages_vol2-2.jpg
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text: |-
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[**MICRO VIDEO RAM PAGES - VOL.2 - N°2**](/media/museum/docs/microvideo%20ram%20pages%20-%20vol%20ii-2.pdf)written by Micro Video Corporation
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compiled/archived by Olivier Boisseau (www.old-computers.com)\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 6 Mb\
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source : www.old-computers.com
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- title: MICRO VIDEO RAM PAGES - VOL.3 - N°1
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url: /media/museum/docs/microvideo%20ram%20pages%20-%20vol%20iii-1.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact_micro-video_ram-pages_vol3-1.jpg
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text: |-
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[**MICRO VIDEO RAM PAGES - VOL.3 - N°1**](/media/museum/docs/microvideo%20ram%20pages%20-%20vol%20iii-1.pdf)written by Micro Video Corporation
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compiled/archived by Olivier Boisseau (www.old-computers.com)\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 5,3 Mb\
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source : www.old-computers.com
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- title: MICRO VIDEO RAM PAGES - VOL.3 - N°2
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url: /media/museum/docs/microvideo%20ram%20pages%20-%20vol%20iii-2.pdf
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cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/interact_micro-video_ram-pages_vol3-2.jpg
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text: |-
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[**MICRO VIDEO RAM PAGES - VOL.3 - N°2**](/media/museum/docs/microvideo%20ram%20pages%20-%20vol%20iii-2.pdf)written by Micro Video Corporation
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compiled/archived by Olivier Boisseau (www.old-computers.com)\
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type of document : PDF\
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size : 5,2 Mb\
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source : www.old-computers.com
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software:
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- /software/breakthrough-also-known-as-le-mur-de-briques
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oc_id: 1004
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source:
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url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230401010105/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1004
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date: '2023-04-01'
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---
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The Interact computer had a very short life in USA. It had only just got in production when the Interact Co. of Ann Arbor MI, went bankrupt. Several thousand machines were produced though. Some of them were sold by Protecto Enterprizes of Barrington, IL, the liquidator, but the main part was sold by MicroVideo, also of Ann Arbor. Protecto bought lots of back-of-the-magazine ads for years, always printed with "WE LOVE OUR CUSTOMERS".
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The Interact shipped with 2 joysticks, a built-in tape recorder, a TV RF modulator and 2 KB of ROM. Everything, including BASIC, must be loaded from tape. A little trivia: The tape unit did include an erase head, but it was not connected! Tapes had to be erased on a regular cassette recorder before being reused. Another surprising feature is that the "1" key is after the "0" key at the far right of the keyboard. Thus the row is starting from 2 and finishing by 1... See explanation in the "Read more" page.
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MicroVideo supported the machine for two years, 1979-80, making some hardware expansions (32K RAM card and stringy floppy drive), replacing the original minimalist EDU-BASIC language with a Microsoft 8K graphic version, and even publishing 3 issues of 'Interaction', a newsletter of the Detroit Interact Group.
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The Interact computer finally vanished from the US market in late 1980. However, a French company bought the rights of the machine and started to sell the Interact under **Victor Lambda** name in French market. See the rest of the story [here](/museum/micronique-victor-lambda/).
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For five years, several improved sequels of the Interact, called **Hector**, were launched in France. The last version, the [Hector MX](/museum/micronique-hector-mx/), featured high resolution graphics and 4 built-in languages!
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**If you got tapes for the Interact or Victor Lambda (or Hector/Victor), please contact us. We are trying to save all programs released for this computer before there are lost forever.**
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