VTech Creativision
The "CreatiVision" was introduced in 1981 by VTech (Video Technology Limited), a Hong Kong based company. The unit was actually a computer hybrid (a small trend in those days. See also APF Imagination Machine ) The following is an actual excerpt from a
VTech advertisement.
(c)CREATIVISION
The serious personal computer you've been waiting for!
At last! A total computer system. Right in your own home!
Start with a fully functional computer... for the low price of a video game set!
Most ordinary systems give you only a video game unit to start with. If you want to make it into a real computer, you have to buy quite a few more pieces of expensive hardware.
But CREATIVISION gives you a fully functional Personal Computer unit with built-in keyboard and built-in memory, capable of running software packages and of being programmed. And all for the price you'd pay for an ordinary video game set!
Appearance wise it was a typical console at heart, but by rotating the console's joysticks 90 degrees and then inserting them into two compartments
on top of the console you were given a makeshift keyboard. Throw in a BASIC program cart, and your console becomes a microcomputer. It could also be expanded with 'plug-compatible' hardware such as a cassette player, additional rubber keyboard, parallel I/O interface, floppy disk drive, modem (probably unreleased), generic Centronics printer, and one memory expansion module for use with the "Basic" language cartridge. Vtech truly attempted to capitalize on profits from both markets.
The VTech Creativision was distributed in Europe (Italy, Sweden and Germany for sure) and South Africa. However it was also marketed in other countries and called the "Dick Smith Wizzard", "FunVision Computer Video Games System" and "Hanimex Rameses".
The Wizzard may have been a licensed version for the Australian market since Dick Smith Industries maintained the VTech logo, but the others most likely were clones.
The FunVision had a slight alteration that made the carts and cartridge slot larger. This was most likely to prohibit buyers from using FunVision games on the other systems
(haha...lame / early try at region protection from imports), but some slight shaving on the sides proved the games were no different.
There have been 25 confirmed cartridge releases for the original Creativision, but the exact number cannot be confirmed with the possibility of the clones releasing there own titles. Not to mention unconfirmed Asian releases.
The VTech Creativision family died off with the inevitable ”Videogame Crash of 1984”, and the arrival of the Nintendo Entertainment System. However VTech was wise enough to spin off the Creativision technology into its “Laser” line of computer systems.
 FACT: A closer inspection shows that early releases of Creativision were labeled as
MK II Laser 500. Creativision was simply a repackaged computer in console clothing. Funny thing is although it was clearly a console, it was never advertised as one.
In order to make sure they had a following in both markets, VTech also introduced its Laser 2001 line of computers in 1984. The Laser 2001 was compatible with all Creativision expansion devices, and sported a cart slot for Creativision games. The “videogame crash” and the NES may have killed off consoles, but Creativision games lived on. Either VTech has friends in the “Psychic Friends” network, or they simply had brilliant business people.
|
