Entex Adventure Vision
Encyclopedia
The Adventure Vision is a self-contained (no external monitor is required) cartridge-based video game console
released by Entex Industries
in 1982. The Adventure Vision was Entex's second generation system. Their first console was the Entex Select-A-Game
, released a year earlier in 1981.
and two sets of four buttons, one on each side of the joystick, for ease of play by both left- and right-handed players.
One particular feature of the Adventure Vision is its "monitor." Rather than using an LCD
screen or an external television
set like other systems of the time, the Adventure Vision uses a single vertical line of 40 red LED
s combined with a spinning mirror inside the casing. This allows for a screen resolution of 150 x 40 pixel
s. Another product using this technique was produced by Nintendo
in the mid 1990s – the Virtual Boy
– another product which, while technically ahead of its time like the Adventure Vision, was doomed to failure in the open market.
The game cartridge
s can be stored in spaces on top of the case.
Drawbacks to the Adventure Vision are its monochrome
(red) screen as well as the mirror motor, which draws a great deal of power from the batteries
. The latter problem can be solved easily by the use of the built-in AC
adapter port.
Many casual fans dismiss the Adventure Vision as a failed handheld console
. In fact, it was a tabletop console that was much too large and fragile to be used effectively for handheld purposes.
Entex released four games for the Adventure Vision:
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
released by Entex Industries
Entex Industries
Entex Industries, Inc. was a toy and electronic game manufacturer based in Compton, California. The company was active during the 1970s and 1980s.-Background:...
in 1982. The Adventure Vision was Entex's second generation system. Their first console was the Entex Select-A-Game
Entex Select-A-Game
The Entex Select-a-game is a handheld game system released in 1981 by Entex Industries. Entex released six games for the system before they dropped support in 1982 in favor of the Entex Adventure Vision.-Hardware:...
, released a year earlier in 1981.
Background
Control is through a single multi-position joystickJoystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
and two sets of four buttons, one on each side of the joystick, for ease of play by both left- and right-handed players.
One particular feature of the Adventure Vision is its "monitor." Rather than using an LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
screen or an external television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
set like other systems of the time, the Adventure Vision uses a single vertical line of 40 red LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
s combined with a spinning mirror inside the casing. This allows for a screen resolution of 150 x 40 pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
s. Another product using this technique was produced by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
in the mid 1990s – the Virtual Boy
Virtual Boy
The was a video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was the first video game console that was supposed to be capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" out of the box. Whereas most video games use monocular cues to achieve the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional...
– another product which, while technically ahead of its time like the Adventure Vision, was doomed to failure in the open market.
The game cartridge
ROM cartridge
A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to as a cart, is a removable enclosure containing read-only memory devices designed to be connected to a computer or games console....
s can be stored in spaces on top of the case.
Drawbacks to the Adventure Vision are its monochrome
Monochrome
Monochrome describes paintings, drawings, design, or photographs in one color or shades of one color. A monochromatic object or image has colors in shades of limited colors or hues. Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale or black-and-white...
(red) screen as well as the mirror motor, which draws a great deal of power from the batteries
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
. The latter problem can be solved easily by the use of the built-in AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
adapter port.
Many casual fans dismiss the Adventure Vision as a failed handheld console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
. In fact, it was a tabletop console that was much too large and fragile to be used effectively for handheld purposes.
Entex released four games for the Adventure Vision:
- Defender, based on the Williams Electronics arcade game of the same name
- Super CobraSuper CobraSuper Cobra is a 1981 horizontally-scrolling shooter, arcade game. It was developed by Konami from the engine of the popular Scramble , and manufactured and distributed by Stern in the U.S..-Gameplay:...
, based on the KonamiKonamiis a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
arcade game of the same name - Turtles, based on the Konami arcade game of the same name (similar to Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
) - Space Force, a clone of AtariAtariAtari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
's Asteroids arcade game
Technical specifications
- CPU: Intel 8048Intel 8048The MCS-48 microcontroller series, Intel's first microcontroller, was originally released in 1976. Its first members were 8048, 8035 and 8748....
@ 733 kHzHertzThe hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications.... - Sound: National SemiconductorNational SemiconductorNational Semiconductor was an American semiconductor manufacturer, that specialized in analog devices and subsystems,formerly headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. The products of National Semiconductor included power management circuits, display drivers, audio and operational amplifiers,...
COP411L @ 52.6 kHz - RAM: 64 bytes (internal to 8048), 1K (on main PCBPrinted circuit boardA printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...
) - ROM: 1K (internal to 8048), 512 bytes (internal to COP411L), 4K (cartridge)
- Input: 4 direction joystick, 4 buttons duplicated on each side of the joystick
- Graphics: 150x40 monochrome pixels