Twin Famicom
Encyclopedia
The was produced by Sharp Corporation
in 1986, and was only released in Japan. It is a licensed Nintendo
product, and is basically the Family Computer
(Famicom) and the Family Computer Disk System (FDS) which have been combined into a single piece of hardware.
.
The system does not allow both slots to be used at the same time. The switch that changes the mode from disk to cassette works in a manner in which choosing to use the cassette slot will block the disk drive, and vice versa. However, in some systems, only the cassette slot will be blocked, but it is impossible to change to cassette mode while the disk is being read.
can be attached. There also is a second port of a slightly different shape for connecting another Famicom via the black RAM unit that comes with the standard Famicom Disk System. This allows another standalone Famicom to use the disk drive on the Twin Famicom.
Another unique trait of this console is its color. Whereas most Famicom units come in the familiar red and white color combination, the Twin Famicom was sold in two colors: red with black highlights (AN-500R), and black with red highlights (AN-500B). There is also a re-released version with a slightly different case design, turbo controllers, and different color schemes, black with green highlights (AN-505-BK) and red with blue/grey highlights (AN-505-RD).
Sharp Corporation
is a Japanese multinational corporation that designs and manufactures electronic products. Headquartered in Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan, Sharp employs more than 55,580 people worldwide as of June 2011. The company was founded in September 1912 and takes its name from one of its founder's first...
in 1986, and was only released in Japan. It is a licensed 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....
product, and is basically the Family Computer
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(Famicom) and the Family Computer Disk System (FDS) which have been combined into a single piece of hardware.
Overview
The basic parts of the Twin Famicom include a 60-pin slot for Famicom cartridges, a slot for Disk System's Disk Cards, a switch located right below the cartridge slot which allows the player to choose between "" or "", the power button, the reset button, and the eject buttons. FDS disks can be removed using the yellow button below the disk slot. The mechanism that it uses is similar to ones that are used in modern-day floppy disk drives. The eject button for cartridges is located between the power and reset buttons. It usually causes the cartridge to "pop" out of the slot, much like the way bread slices do when coming out of a pop-up toasterToaster
The toaster is typically a small electric kitchen appliance designed to toast multiple types of bread products. A typical modern two-slice toaster draws anywhere between 600 and 1200 W and makes toast in 1 to 3 minutes...
.
The system does not allow both slots to be used at the same time. The switch that changes the mode from disk to cassette works in a manner in which choosing to use the cassette slot will block the disk drive, and vice versa. However, in some systems, only the cassette slot will be blocked, but it is impossible to change to cassette mode while the disk is being read.
Specs
- Main Processors: 6502 modified at 1.79 MHz
- RAM: 2 KB work RAM, 2 KB video RAM, 32 KB extra work RAM in FDS mode, 8 KB extra video RAM in FDS mode
- ROM: Game Paks and FDS BIOS
- Audio: 5 voice, two channels square wave, one channel triangle, one channel noise, one channel PCM
- Graphics: 256x240 pixels, 64 sprites, display 25 colors out of 53
Unique features
Besides the very fact that it has put together two pieces of video game hardware into a single package, the Twin Famicom comes with some extra features. It has a port (like the Famicom) that allows games like Moero TwinBee to support more than the usual two players and to which the matching version of the NES ZapperNES Zapper
The NES Zapper, also known as the Beam Gun in Japan, is an electronic light gun accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Japanese Famicom. It was released in Japan for the Famicom on and alongside the launch of the NES in North America in October 1985...
can be attached. There also is a second port of a slightly different shape for connecting another Famicom via the black RAM unit that comes with the standard Famicom Disk System. This allows another standalone Famicom to use the disk drive on the Twin Famicom.
Another unique trait of this console is its color. Whereas most Famicom units come in the familiar red and white color combination, the Twin Famicom was sold in two colors: red with black highlights (AN-500R), and black with red highlights (AN-500B). There is also a re-released version with a slightly different case design, turbo controllers, and different color schemes, black with green highlights (AN-505-BK) and red with blue/grey highlights (AN-505-RD).
See also
- Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
- C1 NES TV
- Famicom TitlerFamicom TitlerThe is a Nintendo-licensed Famicom-compatible device produced by Sharp Corporation in 1989. The console was released exclusively in Japan at a retail price of 43,000 yen. The system was the only consumer-level Famicom to internally generate RGB video, the only Famicom system with S-Video output,...
- SF-1 SNES TVSF-1 SNES TVThe is a television produced by Sharp Corporation with a built-in licensed Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Released only to Japanese markets, the unit retailed in 1990 as a next generation sequel to the 1983 C1 NES TV also manufactured by Sharp and licensed by Nintendo...