Personal Electronics Buyers Guide By Charles J. Sippl and Roger J. Sippl Copyright 1979 Bally/Astrocade related excerpts from Pages 91-103 From Page 91: Bally - The Bally Professional Arcade (see Figure 3-17) contains one of the most powerful microcomputers in the field, the Zilog Z-80. Its inventors maintain that some day you will find yourself talking to your TV set. Of course, you may be doing that now, but with the Arcade, the set will talk back to you! Because of its great capability, the Arcade not only converts your TV into a source of entertainment, it will also help you in your home finances, business, education, and even the arts. Further, its programmability means it will not become outdated because the plentiful software will be kept compatible, according to the manufacturers. From Page 98-100 Bally The Bally Home Library Computer (Figure 3-18), an upgrade from the Arcade version, is perhaps the best example of the crossover. Originally marketed as the game that becomes "fun and brains," this simple upgrade to a full capability computer is in itself an explanation of the crossing-over from games to computers. The Bally unit, with its powerful Z-80 microprocessor, has a 4K RAM and an 8K ROM with three built-in games. It also has built-in calculator routines that display themselves on the owner's TV from the ten-memory calculator. Extras consist of a multi-color pen, a music-synthesizer, add-on board, two information-filing systems (one for insurance purposes, the other for phone numbers), a modem as an interface allowing Bally owners to communicate and exchange data, 16K RAM memory expansion, and a high-speed printer. Initial cassettes include baseball and paddle game ROMs and Math Table/Math Bingo ROM, each for about $20 to $25. These and others to come can be adjusted to each player's ability, thereby permitting parents to play against children at respective levels. The pistol grip pointer (cursor control) allows users to move a square on the TV screen to the correct answer; scoring is constantly displayed. Using the baseball game, players watch walks, balls, even the pitcher covering first base when a ball is hit to right field- much like the real game. When the players run out to their positions, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" plays. Users can draw directly on the TV screen with an electronic wand in thirty-two different colors and in eight shades of each color. They can also compose, record, and play back music on an electronic synthesizer. They can store their personal records. They can play chess on the phone with other players, watching the moves on the TV. These are indeed computer capabilities. The aggressive JS&A National Sales Group had heavily advertised this computer in Scientific American, Popular Electronics, and many other journals and periodicals. Bally promises continuing support with peripherals and added programming assistance for games and computer development. The company states that entry cassettes and other computer-like accessories are on the way. From Page 102 Description of Figure 3-17 Bally's Professional Arcade features a sophisticated microprocessor unit with a four-function, ten-memory printing calculator, a full screen display, scroll button and entry correction. Hand controls are provided for one to four players. Easily attached to any TV set, it has a built-in, automatic shut-off switch to prevent burning the screen in case it is accidentally left on. The local Bally service agent has an external test computer that will display problems with defective cartridges. Checkmate and Gunfight, two built-in games, are played in full color on a color TV, and each game has its own distinctive music and sound effects. Characters are capable of 360 degrees motion. Scores and playing times can be programmed. Gunfight characters can hide behind movable cacti. Strains of "Taps" and the "Funeral March" are played. Baseball teams run on and off the field with life-like running motions. Optional cassettes are available with from two to four games on each Videocade (b). The Bally Action/Skill, Sports, Educational, and Strategy Series offer a variety of programming fun and learning. The Arcade, with certain modifications, can also be programmed to take on home-use chores, such as checkbook balancing or other business matters. And Bally also has, since early 1978, a TINY BASIC cartridge for teaching this language, thus transforming the Arcade into a fully programmable home computer. From Page 102 Description from Figure 3-18 The Bally Home Library Computer is a "smart" computer. With thirty-four integrated circuits as an internal library, it performs such tasks as the timing of games, or programs, making sound effects, computing mathematical and engineering problems, creating TV art and music, and accepting typewritten entries.