Casio PV-1000
Type Console Developer Casio
Release Date 1983-Oct Region(s) Japan
Initial Price $139 USD Games Released 15
DW FACTS
     by Dark Watcher
Casio of Japan, known for their line of calculators, decided to cash in on the console videogame craze.  In 1983 Casio produced the PV-1000 console and the PV-2000 computer.  The PV-1000 was released in Japan October, 1983 for 14,800 Yen.  The system used a Zilog Z80 processor at 3.5Mhz and 4Kb of RAM, which unfortunately was outdated technology and was quickly rendered obsolete by newcomers like the Nintendo Famicom.  The console quickly disappeared from store shelves within a matter of a couple of months, but Casio was not yet ready to abandon their fledgling console.  They released the PV-2000 personal computer a couple of months later.  Some of the games released were ports of titles Casio published for the MSX computer.  A BASIC cart was also available for would be programmers, which little is known of the capability in this area.
HANDS ON REVIEW
     by Marriott_Guy
Casio of Japan, a successful electronics manufacturer, released first video game console, the Casio PV-1000 in October of 1983 for 14,8000 yen ($139 USD).  Debuting against the likes of the Sega SG-1000 and the Nintendo Famicom, this extremely rare and obscure system rapidly was an afterthought and not to be seen on video game store shelves shortly after its release.

The PV-1000 itself is not unattractive and the housing feels very well constructed utilizing thick, durable plastics.  Dark-teal in color and rectangular in shape, the soft, curved molding culminates with the game cartridge tier.  The front inputs are simple but elegant - two joystick ports are centered in the front of the unit face.  The back features the same no-nonsense approach with the power connection and RF connectors anchoring the far left and right.  The power toggle switch is located on the right side and there is a port on the left side of the system that resembles a PC connector of some sort (use unknown to me).  Overall, the PV-1000 design is sleek, unobtrusive and modern compared to its counterparts.
Powered by a Z80A micro-processor at 3.579 MHz with 2Kb of RAM, this engine was able to display games at a resolution of 256 x 192 pixels in 8 colors.  Games were released on cartridges approximately the size of Nintendo Famicom carts.  A total of 15 games were released for this system, mostly ports of earlier Casio releases for MSX compatible computers including Pooyan, Amidar, Tutankhamon and Dig-Dug.  Overall video quality is comparable to the ColecoVision.  Game control is driven through a solid joystick featuring one (1) fire button at the top of the it along with a 'start', 'select' and a large auxiliary button at its base (packed in with the system).  Casio also produced the PV-2000 in December 1983, which was a computer version of the PV-1000.  Both the PV-1000 and PV-2000 joysticks are compatible though the game cartridges are not.

Overall, the Casio PV-1000 was a below average system when it debuted and met its demise quickly.  This is an extremely rare item and only recommended for the ultra-serious console collector.  This console was released solely in Japan for a short period of time.  These systems are exceptionally pricey to acquired due to its limited run and short shelf life.  Be prepared to invest heavily if you do wish to pursue - games are just as scarce and pricey.
 
MODELS
     Officially licensed releases
Casio PV-1000

Casio PV-2000 (personal computer)
Above images courtesy of our good friend Eric at Japan-Games.com
CLONES
     Non-licensed hardware releases
No clones were released for this system.
 
CONSOLE RATINGS
     by Marriott_Guy
Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release.  A 10 point scale is utilized, with 10 being excellent.

CRITERIA RATING NOTES & COMMENTS
Console Design 08 I love the sleek, minimalistic look of the PV-1000.  This no-nonsense approach enables easy operation.  My only criticism may be the location of the two controller ports, which could have been spaced further apart.
Console Durability 08 With less bells and whistles to become damaged through time, the PV-1000 is a very hearty console.
Controllers 07 The joystick is well constructed, but the top joystick button may be a little difficult for some gamers to push due to the large size of the controller.
Graphics 05 Though graphically presented well, game play seems much slower when compared to comparable titles of the era.
Audio 03 The PV-1000 again falls short in this category, producing below average audio across three sound channels.
Media 07 Hard to go wrong with the cartridge, especially when it could hold 32K of programming data (which was not at all bad for that time period). 
Gamer Value 01 Even if the games and system were affordable, the gaming experience is less than  desirable compared to those already offered during this generation.
Collector Value 09 These systems are rare and extremely pricey.  Due to its limited run, these are highly desirable amongst collectors.  The packaging is rather fragile, so do not expect this aspect of the console to be pristine.

FORMAT, PACKAGING & GENERAL INFO
     Interesting facts on software for this system
Software for the Casio PV-1000 was distributed in the ROM cartridge format.
Sample Game Play
Casio PV-1000 Game Boxes
Casio PV-1000 Amida game boxCasio PV-1000 Dig-Dug game boxCasio PV-1000 Dirty Chameleon game boxCasio PV-1000 Fighting Bug game boxCasio PV-1000 Mahjong game boxCasio PV-1000 Naughty Boy game box
Casio PV-1000 Pachinko UFO game boxCasio PV-1000 Pooyan game boxCasio PV-1000 Space Panic game boxCasio PV-1000 Super Cobra game boxCasio PV-1000 Turpin game boxCasio PV-1000 Tutankham game boxCasio PV-1000 Warp & Warp game box
 
SCREENSHOTS
     Captured in-game images
Amidar
Dig-Dug
Dirty Chameleon
Excite Mahjong
Casio PV-1000 Mahjong screenshot
Fighting Bug
Naughty Boy
Pachinko UFO
Pooyan
Casio PV-1000 Pooyan screenshot
Space Panic
Casio PV-1000 Space Panic screenshot
Super Cobra
Casio PV-1000 Super Cobra screenshot
Turpin
Casio PV-1000 Turpin screenshot
Tutankham
Warp & Warp

 
EMULATION
     First and third party system emulators
MESS

MESS (Multi-Emulator Super System) is a DOS based emulator capable of running many
 systems including this one.  It has a Windows based GUI and is extremely user friendly.
 
SPECS & MANUALS
     For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love.
Processor Type  Processor Speed  Other Processor Information RAM \ Video RAM
Z80A Micro-Processor (D780C-1) 3.579 MHz D65010G031 (for video & sound) 4 KB \ 16 KB
Screen Resolution Color Palette Polygons \ Sprites Audio
256 x 192 8 colors 32 sprites 3 Channel
Media Format Media Capacity Games Released Other Supported Formats
Cartridge 32K 15 None
Internal Storage External \ Removable Storage Game Controllers Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
None None Joystick, Fire Button, Start\Select buttons, Aux button None
Controller Ports Network Ports Other Ports Audio \ Video
Two (2) None None RF
Power Supply - External Other Outputs  Other Details \ Notes
Input: AC 100V, 50\60Hz, 15VA
Output: DC 15V, 500mA
None Channel 1\2 Switch
Manuals
Casio PV-1000 Owners Manual - 0.84 MB

OTHER MEDIA
     Peripherals, Promotions, Commercials, Brochures, Etc.
Casio PV-2000 Television Commercial

Casio PV-1000 & PV-2000 Advertisements

 
DISCUSS
     Visitor insights and feedback
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