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The Action Max Console

Most video game consoles use either cartridges, or later optical disks like CD's DVDs and Blu-ray. The Action Max was a true odd-ball in this world. It was the only game system to run off of videotapes. To make things worse: You had to get yourself a seperate VCR to use this console.

The system used a small red sensor, that needed to be attached to the corner of the TV screen, which provided a reference point for the light gun that game with it.

The problem was of course that, since nothing was output to the screen, other than a pre-recorded videotape, no score was displayed and the player had no idea of a game-over until the tape reached the end. The games for this system all played in a similar fashion and after only five released the demand for the Action Max plummeted quickly.

Technical Details
Released 1983 Brand Pioneer Type Various Consoles Name Action Max CPU Class Z80 CPU Intel 8048 @5.91MHz Memory RAM: 6kB
ROM: 1kB
192B CPU RAM
Sound Chip Intel 8244 (PAL)/8245(NTSC) Sound 1 Channel, 8 sounds Display Chip Intel 8244 (PAL)/8245(NTSC) and EF9340 / EF9341 for new Video Modes Display 320x238 16 colors, 160x200 16 colors Best Color 16 colors Best Graphics 320x238 in 16 colors Sprites 4 8x8 single color user def sprites
12 8x8 ROM sprites
4 quad characters
Related Systems
 
Various 4th generation
 
Various Other Computers
 
Various Consoles
» 
Action  Max (1983)
 
Various Other Computers
 
Various Portable Computers
 
Various 5th Generation
Related Media
 
Z80 CPU
Collection of books on the Z80 8-bit CPU used in various home-computers
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