website/content/museum/salora-fellow.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Salora Fellow	Computers	Home Computer	Finland	1984	Zilog Z80 A	name image company company_name specs tabs photos hardware screenshots emulators links docs comments related oc_id source Fellow /media/museum/photos/salora_fellow_system_s1.jpg /companies/salora Salora label value NAME Fellow label value MANUFACTURER Salora label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN Finland label value YEAR 1984 label value END OF PRODUCTION 1985 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE Microsoft Basic label value KEYBOARD QWERTY, 45 rubber keys\ Basic instructions and graphic symbols label value CPU Zilog Z80 A label value SPEED 3.58 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR Motorola 6847 (video processor) label value RAM 6 KB - Up to 64 KB with memory addons label value VRAM 2 KB label value ROM 16 KB label value TEXT MODES 32 x 16, 8 colors (Mode 0) label value GRAPHIC MODES 128 x 64, 4 colors (Mode 1) label value COLORS 8 label value SOUND 1 voice, 3 octaves label value SIZE / WEIGHT 29 x 17 x 4 cm / 800 gr label value I/O PORTS Tape-recorder (600 bauds)\ RF video out\ Composite video out (DIN)\ Memory upgrade port\ Expansion port label value POWER SUPPLY 10-12v, 800ma label value PRICE Unknown photos hardware software emulators links docs title subtitle text image LARGE VIEW /media/museum/photos/salora_fellow_system_s2.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/salora_fellow_keyboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image UNDERSIDE /media/museum/photos/salora_fellow_underside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image REAR CONNECTORS From left to right: • DC 9V jack, power is supplied by an external AC adaptor\ • Tape recorder jack\ • Composite video output\ • RAM expansion and printer slots\ • TV/RF video output. /media/museum/photos/salora_fellow_rearconn_s1.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE In this version, the manufacturing "quality" is same as the Laser 200; that means, really dreadful, the worst ever seen in the computing industry.\ The orange add-on card is the Secam/TV video card. /media/museum/photos/salora_fellow_inside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image THE BOX /media/museum/photos/salora_fellow_box_s1.jpg title subtitle text image USER'S MANUALS /media/museum/photos/salora_fellow_manuals_s1.jpg title subtitle text image LASER 16K RAM EXPANSION This thing fits in the memory expansion port and adds 16k RAM. It cost 590fr in 1984. /media/museum/hardware/vtehc_laser200_16k_cart.jpg title subtitle text image LASER LIGHT PEN Cool little light pen... But the only software using it was the on demo tape sold with it ! /media/museum/hardware/vtech_laser200_lpen.jpg title subtitle text image LASER JOYSTICK Nice shape. Two joysticks and their interface cost 320fr in 1984. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_laser200_jstck.jpg title subtitle text image DR-10 / DR-20 Tape-recorder A originally designed tape-recorder available for the whole Laser family.\ It cost 590fr in 1984.. The DR-10 and DR-20 tape-recorders seem identicals in all points. Apparently, the DR-20 was sold for Dick Smith models, and the DR-10 for Laser machines... /media/museum/hardware/vtech_200_dr10.jpg title subtitle text image DR-30 Tape-Recorder Another cool tape-recorder for the Laser serie.\ This one was also found for many other computers of that time. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_200_dr30.jpg title subtitle text image DD-20 5''1/4 Disk-drive A small 5"1/4 floppy disk drive for the Laser computers. But its capacity is a bit short with only 78k per formated disk. One disk drive and its controller cost 2380fr in 1984. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_dd20.jpg title subtitle text image DD-20 The inside /media/museum/hardware/vtech_dd20_2.jpg title subtitle text image PARALLEL PRINTER INTERFACE This enables the Laser computers to use ''parallel'' printers. /media/museum/hardware/vtech_vz300_printer-interface.jpg title subtitle text image TAPE RECORDER All these Salora peripherals were rabadged versions of the original Video Technology's. /media/museum/hardware/salora_fellow_cassettedrive_s1.jpg title subtitle text image 16 KB RAM MODULE /media/museum/hardware/salora_fellow_16kmodule_s1.jpg title subtitle text image 64 KB RAM MODULE /media/museum/hardware/salora_fellow_64kmodule_s1.jpg title subtitle text image PRINTER INTERFACE /media/museum/hardware/salora_fellow_printerinterf_s1.jpg title subtitle text image PRINTER - PLOTTER This printer uses the well known 4-colour / 4-pen mini printer-plotter mechanism one finds also in Sharp, Oric, Sega and numerous other brands. /media/museum/hardware/salora_fellow_printerplotter_s1.jpg title subtitle text image CIRCUS /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_circus.png title subtitle text image CRASH /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_crash.png title subtitle text image DAWN PATROL /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dawn.png title subtitle text image DEFENCE PENETRATOR /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_defpen.png title subtitle text image DIGOUT /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_digout.png title subtitle text image DRACULA'S CASTLE /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_dracula.gif title subtitle text image DUEL /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_duel2.png title subtitle text image GALAXON /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_galaxon.png title subtitle text image GHOST HUNTER /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ghosth.gif title subtitle text image HAMBURGER SAM /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hamsam.png title subtitle text image HOPPY /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_hoppy.gif title subtitle text image INVADERS /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_invaders.png title subtitle text image KAMIKAZE /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_kamikaze.png title subtitle text image LADDER CHALLENGE /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_ladder.png title subtitle text image LUNAR LANDER /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_llander.png title subtitle text image MISSILE ATTACK /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_missile.png title subtitle text image PENGUIN /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_penguin.png title subtitle text image SPACE RAM /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_spaceram.png title subtitle text image STAR BLASTER /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_starblst.png title subtitle text image VZ PANIK /media/museum/software/vtech_ss_vzpanik.png title url platform text VZEM http://www.powerup.com.au/~intertek/VZ200/vz.htm MS DOS The emulator is written in Borland C++. It emulates a VZ200/300 with 34k RAM title url platform text Emulator2001 http://www.gstsoftware.co.nz/ Windows The VZ-200 has been added to this multi-emulator title url platform text James's VZ 200 emulator http://www.geocities.com/EMUCOMPBOY/ Windows Emulator for the NTSC version of this computer title url platform text WinVZ http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/emulators/ Windows Play your VZ games in Windows title url platform text MESS Project http://www.mess.org/ Multiplatform Emulates a lot of systems for all platforms. title url text Planet VZ http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/laser/184/ Useful infos here... title url text Steve75 Laser 310 page http://utenti.lycos.it/STEVE75/laser.html Pictures, info, games, emulators and online manual. title url text The VZ200 http://vz200.tripod.com/ Growing website aimed at the new modern user. title url text Tricky's VZ200 page http://www.trickynz.com/VZ200.html Photos and downloadable docs title url text Video Technology official site http://www.vtech.com Nothing remains about the old computers... title url text VZ Alive http://vzalive.bangrocks.com/ Excellent site dedicated to the VZ computers title url text VZ Online http://www.vz200-online.de.vu/ a German VZ 200 homepage title url text VZ-200/VZ-300 http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Dunes/6771/vz/ Lots of information and links about the Dick Smith VZ series. title url text Yahoo Discussion Group - The VZ Color computer mailing list http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/vzemu/ Quite active discussion group title url cover text VZ-200 - GETTING STARTED MANUAL http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/archive/ /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_getting-started_cover.jpg [**VZ-200 - GETTING STARTED MANUAL**](http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/archive/)written by Tim Hartnell/ Neville Predebon / Dick Smith  compiled/archived by VZ-Alive\  type of document : HTML\  size : 357 KB\  source : [VZ-Alive](http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/) title url cover text VZ-200 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/archive/ /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200_technical-ref-manual_cover.jpg [**VZ-200 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL**](http://vzalive.bluebilby.com/archive/)written by Jamieson Rowe / Dick Smith  compiled/archived by VZ-Alive\  type of document : ZIP\  size : 22.6 KB\  source : [VZ-Alive](http://vzalive.bluebilby.com) title url cover text VZ200/300 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING FOR BEGINNERS http://vz200.tripod.com/index.html /media/museum/docs/couvs/vz200-300%20assembly%20language%20programming%20for%20beginners.jpg [**VZ200/300 ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE PROGRAMMING FOR BEGINNERS**](http://vz200.tripod.com/index.html)written by Steve Olney  compiled/archived by The VZ200\  type of document : PDF\  size : 6 MB\  source : [The VZ200](http://vz200.tripod.com/id4.html) **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** title url cover text USEFUL ROM SUBROUTINES FOR ASSEMBLY PROGRAMMING http://vz200.tripod.com /media/museum/docs/couvs/useful%20rom%20subroutines%20for%20assembly%20programming.jpg [**USEFUL ROM SUBROUTINES FOR ASSEMBLY PROGRAMMING**](http://vz200.tripod.com)written by Unknown  compiled/archived by The VZ200\  type of document : PDF\  size : 110 Ko\  source : [The VZ200](http://vz200.tripod.com) **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :** author date text Jouni Thursday 5th August 2021 I had this as a kid, mainly because it was a failure and was sold of cheap so we could afford it, all my friends had either Commadores or MSX-type machines, it was around 1983. It was crap, had to write all programs on Basic, the buttons stuck, no games where available, but I learned programming. author date text Jorg Monday 18th June 2012 Go Socialism! /museum/dick-smith-vz200 /museum/dick-smith-vz300 /museum/texet-tx-8000 /museum/video-technology-laser-200-210 /museum/video-technology-laser-310 1117 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20190403183610/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1117 2019-04-03

Salora Fellow was basically the same machine as the Video Technology Laser 200/210 just with a different case in colors that matches Salora's other electronics.

Salora is a Finnish televison manufacturer and they mainly sold this machine in Scandinavia, mostly in Finland. Technically they are the same as the Vtech machines and the machine still says Vtech Laser 200 when booted.

The machine sold reasonably well because of Salora's good reputation, but was soon crushed by bigger companies like Commodore and Spectravideo with their better machines. Lack of software was an important factor of course. The machine was also a bit out of date on arrival.

The machine wasn't really localized as the Scandinavian Ä,Ö and Å letter were missing from the keyboard. Adding them to the rubber keys must have been too difficult or expensive.

There were two known mainboard revisions:
• The one shown on the more-pictures section is identical with the original Laser 200 and very badly made with lots of wires, hot glue and a small sister board.
• The second one is of much better quality, as good as big company machines like Commodore, no sister board and only one long wire running through the whole board. There is also a switch on the underside of the machine to choose between color/black&white output. Maybe Salora got tired of fixing broken Fellow's and demanded better quality from Vtech?

Salora also distributed the Laser 2001 as the Manager. It was meant to be the high-end computer of Salora's computer range.

Thanks to Taneli Lukka from Finland for this information.