website/content/museum/franklin-ace-1000.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Franklin ACE 1000	Computers	Home Computer	U.S.A.	1982	6502	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts oc_id source ACE 1000 /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_system_s1.jpg /companies/franklin Franklin label value NAME ACE 1000 label value MANUFACTURER Franklin label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1982 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Applesoft BASIC label value KEYBOARD Typewriter type - 71 keys with numeric keypad label value CPU 6502 label value SPEED 1.022 mHz label value RAM 64 KB label value ROM 12 KB label value TEXT MODES 40 x 24 label value GRAPHIC MODES 40 x 48 / 208 x 160 / 280 x 192 label value COLORS monochrome label value SOUND 1 voice - Built-n speaker label value SIZE / WEIGHT 45 (W) x 49.8 (D) x 11 (H) cm label value I/O PORTS Joystick, 8 Apple II compatible slots label value BUILT IN MEDIA None label value OS Apple DOS label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in switching PSU with cooling fan label value PERIPHERALS All the Apple II cards and peripherals label value PRICE $1,100 photos adverts 72 title subtitle text image ACE 1000 /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_system_s2.jpg title subtitle text image RUNNING SYSTEM ACE 1000 running one of the first Apple pinball version. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_running_s1.jpg title subtitle text image TOP VIEW /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_topview_s1.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT & RIGHT SIDES /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_leftrightsides_s1.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP The keyboard, made by Key Tronic, is of same quality as the Apple II's. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_keybcloseup_s1.jpg title subtitle text image OPENED An obvious family likeness with the original Apple II. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_opened_s1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR SIDE The basic system only offers no I/O connectors except a composite video jack. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_rearside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image MAINBOARD Quite the same picture as the ACE 1200 mainboard's as the basis hardware of both machine is basically the same. For more technical information, see the ACE 1200 mainboard. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_mainboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image PROCESSOR CLOSE-UP 6502 microprocessor and 12 KB EPROM bank. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_proccloseup_s1.jpg title subtitle text image ACE 10 FD UNIT A pure copy of the Apple Disk II /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_fdunit_s1.jpg title subtitle text image ACE-1000 BOX Notice the "with color" sticker, which indicates that a color add-on is included into the bundle, as the "original" ACE-1000 doesn't support color. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1000_box.jpg title subtitle text image ACE 100 ADVERT (1982) /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace100_pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image ACE 1000 ADVERT (1982) /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace1000_pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image ACE 1000 ADVERT(1982) #2 /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace1000_pub_2.jpg title subtitle text image APPLE TEMPTATION... Franklin dealer advert (1983) /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace1000_pub_3.jpg 56 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230419013929/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=56 2023-04-19

The Franklin ACE 1000 was launched in 1983. It was the successor of the ACE 100, released in 1981. The ACE 1000 had 48 KB RAM and allowed for a 16 KB Language card. It also supported lower-case letters, had a numeric keypad, and a larger case.

From the factory, the Ace-1000 did not support colours but there was a colour chip that could be added by the dealer for $50 (this dealer add-on was an attempt to protect themselves legally against lawsuits from Apple).

It was fully compatible with the Apple II and could use the same programs and cards. Unlike the Apple II, the Franklin didn't have tape recorder In/Out jacks but its power supply had an integrated cooling fan.

The makers of this computer would be sued in 1984 for violation of certain Apple trademarks, namely, the operating system. Apple would win the lawsuit, and Franklin would be forced out of the computer business.

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Matt Beechey recalls :
The most annoying thing about the design of this computer was it had a reset button under the front edge - I used to always lift my legs up onto the rest of the chair and hit the reset button with my knee after hours of unsaved typing!