The Video Game Console Library

	RCA Studio II
	DW FACTS by Dark Watcher
	Page content, development and design by Marriott_Guy

Developer	Manufacturer	Release Date	Country(s)	Initial Price	Model Number	Game Releases	Overall Rating
RCA	RCA	August, 1976	USA	$150 USD	18 V 100	17	3.0
Ratings	Reviews	Pictures\Media	Specs\Manuals	Games\Emulation	Models	Clones	Links

Ratings
Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release. Ratings based upon a 10 point scale (10 being excellent\very rare).
Console Design (appearance, functionality)	02
Console Durability (sturdy or frail and fragile)	06
Controllers (design, response, feel, use)	02
Graphics (graphical capability and presentation)	04
Audio (sound, music, speech, effects)	01
Media (game media format, design, durability)	07
Packaging (appeal, durability of packaging)	08
Game Library (quality, quantity of game library)	02
Innovations (technological industrial strides)	03
Gamer Value (good investment for the gamer?)	01
Collector Value (good collector investment?)	07
Games Rarity (general availability of games)	07
Console Rarity (general availability of a system)	06

Reviews

RCA Studio II

DW FACTS
- by Dark Watcher

RCA could not let the fact that they let the Odyssey slip through there fingers (Ralph Baer the designer of Odyssey approached RCA with the deal first), and into the hands of there TV rival Magnavox. RCA Studio II was their answer to the Magnavox Odyssey. Released in 1976 a few months after the release of the Fairchild Channel F, it would have been the first programmable console (Fairchild beat them to the release gate).

The console was doomed from the start. The lack of a color display and control paddles made the unit old and dated. With only 8 games released, the Studio II suffered the same fate as Channel F. Overshadowed and rendered obsolete by the Atari VCS / 2600.

FACT: The RCA Studio II actually had 13 games. Five games were built into the machine. This console was also one of the first to allow 16 directional control (why?).

Research has proven that RCA Studio II should have been a color console. A few games were designed for color, but the video output of the console was black & white. The research appears to have been proven true with a clone released in the UK called Sheen M1200. The Sheen M1200 was released in 1978, and produced PAL color with RCA Studio II games. Japan also made a color producing clone called the VISICOM Video Computer System. The lack of color on the RCA Studio II's release proves that the system was rushed to the market. Either that or RCA was looking for a cheaper way to manufacture the consoles.

HANDS ON REVIEW

Coming soon...

Pictures & Media

Various picture\media for this console. Click pictures to enlarge.

RCA Studio II - Back

System and Games (picture credits unknown)

RCA Studio II - Back

Specs & Manual

For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love.

Processor Type	Processor Speed	Other Processor Information	RAM \ Video RAM
RCA COSMAC 1802	1.78 MHz	CDP 1861 Video Display chipset	512 bytes \ None
Screen Resolution	Color Palette	Polygons \ Sprites	Audio
64 x 128 (max)	Black & White	N\A	Single channel Buzzer (internal)
Media Format	Media Capacity	Games Released	Other Supported Formats
Cartridge	Unknown	17 (5 built in the system)	None
Internal Storage	External\Removable Storage	Game Controllers	Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
2 KB	None	Keypad (10 keys per)	None
Controller Ports	Network Ports	Other Ports	Audio \ Video
None (built in the system)	None	None	RF Connection
Power Supply - External	Other Outputs	Other Details \ Notes
9V DC	None	Proprietary AV\Power switchbox is utilized.
Manuals
Not available. Can you help us out? You will receive full credit in addition to keeping the history of video gaming alive for all! Please contact me.

Games & Emulation

Games screen shots released for this system.

RCA Studio II games came in rather small boxes that were constructed of sturdy cardboard. A multifold direction manual accompanied the title. The cartridge itself was made with an extremely hard plastic casing and featured simple graphics that mimic the respective cover art.

The games did have a numbering system, but it seems that this was simply utilized to identify the part number. Games also organized into series. such as TV Arcade, TV Mystic and TV Schoolhouse. The series was identified above the game title on both the packaging as well as on the cartridge.

RCA Studio II Game Boxes

RCA Studio II Game Screen Shots

Addition

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Addition

Baseball

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Baseball

Blackjack

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Blackjack

Bowling

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Bowling

Doodle

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Doodle

Freeway

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Freeway

Gunfighter

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Gunfighter

Patterns

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Patterns

Space War

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Space Wars

Speedway

RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Speedway

Tennis \ Squash

$RCA Studio II - Screen Shot - Tennis \ Squash$

Third Party Emulators
Program	Website	Description
M.E.S.S.	http://www.mess.org/	Multi-Emulator Super System is a DOS based emulator capable of running many systems including this one. It has a Windows based GUI, and should be usable by most PC systems

Models

Additional authorized releases for this console.

Toshiba Visicom
Released : 1977
Region : Japan

Toshiba Visicom

Clones

Non-licensed releases (clones). Pictures courtesy of our good friend Adrian Scheel.

Mustang 9016
Released : 1979
Region : Germany

Conic M-1200 Colour MPT-02
Released : 1977
Region : Europe

Conic M-1200 Colour MPT-02

Soundic MPT-02 Victory
Released : 1978
Region : Australia

Soundic MPT-02 Victory

Academy Apollo 80
Released : 1979
Region : Great Britain

Hanimex MPT-02
Released : 1979
Region : France

Sheen M1200
Released : 19787
Region : Australia

Links

Highly recommended additional sites\resources for this system.

Name	Website	Description
iFixit - RCA Studio 2 Teardown	http://www.ifixit.com/.../RCA-Studio-II-Teardown/3527/1	Taking apart and analyzing the RCA Studio 2

visitors since 01-Apr-2008
Page last updated 11-Dec-2011

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