VTech CreatiVision

The CreatiVision LogoframelessA CreatiVision main unitManufacturerVTechTypeHome video game console/Home computerGenerationSecond generationRelease date1982; 43 years ago (1982) (Hong Kong)DiscontinuedEarly 1986CPURockwell 6502 @ 2 MHzMemory1 KB of RAM, 16 KB of VRAMStorageCassette tapesRemovable storageROM cartridgesGraphicsTexas Instruments TMS 9918/9929SoundTI SN76489Controller inputJoystick/membrane keypad controllers, keyboardSuccessorVTech Socrates
The VTech CreatiVision is a hybrid video game console released by VTech in 1982 during the second generation of video games It cost $295 in Australia. The hybrid console was similar to computers such as the APF Imagination Machine, the older VideoBrain Family Computer, and to a lesser extent the Intellivision games console and Coleco Adam computer, all of which anticipated the trend of video game consoles becoming more like low-end computers. It was discontinued in 1986.

 History of The CreatiVision 
The CreatiVision was distributed in many countries, which it was sold by different names including most German-speaking countries like West Germany, Austria and Switzerland and also Italy, South Africa, in Israel as the Educat 2000 name, as well as in Australia and New Zealand as The Dick Smith Wizzard name when it was distributed by Dick Smith Electronics. Other regional names for the CreatiVision include the FunVision Computer Video Games System, Hanimex Rameses (both released in Australia and New Zealand but by Hanimex) and VZ 2000 (planned for release in France). All CreatiVision and similar clones were designed for use with PAL standard television sets, except the Japanese CreatiVision (distributed by Cheryco) which was NTSC. The CreatiVision is nowadays much sought after by collectors. 

The CreatiVision console sports an 8-bit MOS Technology 6502 clone/Rockwell 6502 CPU at a speed of 2 MHz, 1KB of RAM and 16KB of Video RAM, and has a graphics resolution of 256 × 192 with 16 colors and 32 sprites. The console has two integrated joystick keypad controllers (much like the ColecoVision) which, when set in a special storing compartment on top of the console, can be used as a computer keyboard. The CreatiVision has interfaces for a cassette player, an extra keyboard, parallel I/O interface, floppy disk drive and modem (likely unreleased) and one memory expansion module for use with the Basic language cartridge. Any Centronics-compatible printer can be connected to the I/O module if present.

The CreatiVision was discontinued in 1986.

 Laser 2001  
A computer was produced by VTech in 1984-1986, based on CreatiVision hardware and compatible with most of its games: Laser 2001, which is also sold in West Germany and was brought to France.
It was also available in Finland through Salora, with the name of Salora Manager. The Manager had a Finnish keyboard layout and character set).

In some countrys, the console and the console games were distributed by different companies, such as Cheryco in Japan, and/or Hanimex in Australia. VTech reissued several previous existing games in 1985.

There were 18 titles released for the console

Additionally, there were 41 games for Dick Smith Wizzard console, all released by Dick Smith Electronics. Giving a total of 59 titles for the CreatiVision

References

Category:Video game consoles
Category:1982 establishments in Asia
Category:1980s establishments in China
Category:1986 disestablishments