website/content/museum/franklin-ace-1200.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Franklin ACE 1200	Computers	Home Computer	U.S.A.	1983	6502	name image logo company company_name specs tabs photos adverts comments oc_id source ACE 1200 /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_system_2.jpg /media/museum/logos/franklin_ace1200_logo.gif /companies/franklin Franklin label value NAME ACE 1200 label value MANUFACTURER Franklin label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1983 label value END OF PRODUCTION 1984 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Full Stroke 71 keys label value CPU 6502 label value SPEED 1.022 mHz label value CO-PROCESSOR None label value RAM 64 KB label value ROM 16 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-in speaker label value SIZE / WEIGHT 46 (W) x 50 (D) x 20.5 (H) cm. label value I/O PORTS Joystick, composite video, 8 Apple II compatible slots label value BUILT IN MEDIA 1 or 2 integrated 5.25 160 KB F.D. drives label value OS Apple II DOS (DOS-1) and CP/M label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in switching power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS Apple II extensions label value PRICE system+monitor = $1000.00 (1984, USA) photos adverts title subtitle text image WITH FRANKLIN MONITOR The Franklin monochrome monitor was actually a rebadged Zenith model. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_system_3.jpg title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_rightside_1.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSE-UP #1 /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_closeup_1.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSE-UP #2 /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_closeup_2.jpg title subtitle text image IN USE Boot-up screen after the Franklin DOS-1 (the same as the Apple DOS 3.1) have been loaded. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_inuse_1.jpg title subtitle text image BACK SIDE **(1)** Main board composite video jack\ **(2)** Parallel Centronics connector\ **(3)** Power plug and switch /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_back_1.jpg title subtitle text image MOTHERBOARD Looking at the Franklin motherboard which is quite similar to the Apple II's, one can easily understand that Apple took legal action against Franklin for counterfeiting. However, Franklin only was sentenced for ROM software counterfeiting. **(1)** Expansion slots\ **(2)** 6502 processor\ **(3)** 16 KB ROM area (white rectangle)\ **(4)** 64 KB RAM area\ **(5)** The character generator chip was replaced by an expanded C.G. board\ **(6)** Reset switch /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_mainboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_mainboard_2.jpg title subtitle text image EXPANSION CARDS These expansion cards were delivered into the Franklin 1200 basic version: **(1)** Parallel and serial I/O card\ **(2)** Graphic video card\ **(3)** Z80 card with 64 KB additional RAM, as well as a CP/M Operating System disk\ **(4)** Dual floppy disc controller /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_expboards_1.jpg title subtitle text image FLOPPY DRIVE The ACE-1200 was fitted with two 5.25" floppy drives made by Shuggart. This drive was a pure copy a the Apple Disc II drive. Same spiral whell **(1)** was used for head movement. /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_fddrive_1.jpg title subtitle text image MANUALS Set of software and manuals delivered with the computer. From left to right:\ - ACE Welcome Package, Office Management System\ - ACE Calc, Spreadsheet\ - ACE User Reference Manual\ - Wordstar, word processor /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace1200_manuals_1.jpg title subtitle text image U.S. AD (1983) /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace1200_pub_1.jpg author date text Aaron (USA) Monday 8th July 2019 I have a Franklin 1200 and it can put out color its not a monochrome system (the 1000 might have been) although the monitor that came with it is. It however has no graphical capability of its own. author date text Randy Fisher (USA) Wednesday 26th September 2007 i owned the franklin 1200 plus computer back in the day 1984 I paid $1000.00 for the computer part and the monitor and it came with software.. The computer was built like a tank. But, I remember it i as very hard to find a modem for the computer since. mine did not have a serial card at the time. I mostly used apple 2 software on my computer.. 646 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230331011924/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=646 2023-03-31

Like the ACE 1000 from wich it kept all its features, the Franklin ACE 1200 was completely compatible with the Apple II+.

It was equipped from factory line with a Z80 board, a floppy disk controller board, a 80 columns board and a serial / parallel board that gave it the ability to also run all the software for the CP/M operating system.

The box lid plugged the two floppy drives and the keyboard had typematic and lower case ability. The serial / parallel board experienced some compatibility flaws as printers connected to them weren't automaticaly recognized by Apple II management software.

Franklin machines ran FDOS - Franklin DOS, which was compatible with DOS 3 from Apple, but had a lot of cool features such as built-in RAM disk, disk caching, loadable device drivers, shortened commands, support for hard drives, etc.

In september 1983, Franklin lost a trial against Apple for counterfeiting ROM software from the Apple II and II+. Moreover the Apple IIe, launched a few time later with 2 special keys allowed to distinguish between true Apple and compatible machines. However, Franklin still produced Apple II and PC compatible computers (ACE-500, ACE-2000) for about two years before devoting them to pocket translators.

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.