Misplaced Pages

VG5000μ

Developer	Philips
Manufacturer	Radiotechnique (RTS)
Type	Home computer
Generation	8-bit
Release date	France: 1 October 1984; 40 years ago (1984-10-01)
Lifespan	1984-1986
Introductory price	1990 FF
Discontinued	1986
Units sold	300000 in 1984
Operating system	VG5000 BASIC
CPU	Z80 @ 4 MHz
Memory	24 KB RAM, 18KB ROM
Removable storage	Cassette tape
Display	Semigraphics (equivalent resolution of 320x250), 8 colors
Graphics	Thomson EF9345
Sound	1 voice, 5 octave range
Language	Logo

The VG5000μ is a computer created by Philips in 1984. It was manufactured in Le Mans by Radiotechnique (RTS) and marketed under the Philips, Radiola and Schneider brands.

Not compatible with any other machines, it offered VG5000 BASIC (derived from Microsoft BASIC-80) as the operating system upon boot, with Logo available on cartridge.

Graphic ability was limited to a semigraphic symbol display, with the equivalent resolution of 320 x 250 pixels in 8 colors.

It had some hardware compatibility with the Philips VG 8000, such as power supply connectors, cassette player interface and cartridges.

History

Aimed at schools, it was unsuccessful and production ended in 1986. 300 000 units were sold in 1984 according to an internal Philips report, with 500 000 predicted for 1985. There are about forty games available for the system.

As of 2022, enthusiasts remain active in developing new homebrew software and emulators for the system.

Peripherals

Several peripherals were developed to support the VG5000μ operation:

• VY0030: cassette player
• VG5200: joystick interface
• VU0001: joystick (see Magnavox Odyssey 2)
• VU0011: RF modulator
• VU0022: power supply
• VG5216: 16KB RAM memory expansion with joystick and printer ports
• VU0031: 16KB RAM memory expansion
• VW0010: 40 column printer
• VW0020: 80 column printer
• VW0030: 80 column printer

Specifications

• 

  Zilog Z80A processor running at 4 MHz
• RAM: 24KB, including 16KB of system memory (expandable to 48KB) and 8KB of dedicated memory for the video processor
• ROM: 18KB, including 16KB containing the VG5000 BASIC (derived from Microsoft BASIC-80) and 2KB of character bitmaps built into the video processor
• Video processor: SGS Thomson EF9345P
• Graphics: semigraphics based on 8 × 10 pixel characters (equivalent to 320 × 250 pixels) in 8 colors
• Sound: 1 voice, 5 octave range
• Keyboard: Built-in 63 keys AZERTY keyboard with BASIC keywords
• Ports: DIN5 cassette player connector (1200/2400 baud), DIN8 SCART connector
• Expansion: 2×25 pins bus connector

List of video games

There are 33 commercial video games for Philips VG5000.

References

1. Gondicas, Piechaud (1985). "Philips - L'ordinateur de crise VG 5000". Science & Vie Micro (13): 56. Archived from the original on 2020-08-06.
2. Lilen, Henri (1984). "Le "VG 5000" PHILIPS, un familial français". Micro-Ordinateurs (27). Archived from the original on 2020-08-06.
3. ^ "Philips - VG5000". Doctsf Le Grand Livre de la TSF (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.
4. ^ "RADIOLA VG 5000". OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum.
5. NECK, Fabien (2018). "Philips - VG 5000". system-cfg - Collection d ordinateurs anciens et de consoles de jeux.
6. "Philips VG 5000". Le grenier informatique - Site sur la restauration et la collection des anciens ordinateurs. 2020-08-06. Archived from the original on 2020-08-06. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
7. "Ordinateur : Le Radiola VG 5000μ". Association MO5.COM. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
8. "Ordinateur : Le Schneider VG 5000μ". Association MO5.COM. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
9. Osmose (2020-05-17). "À la découverte du Philips VG5000μ". Queen Meka (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.
10. ^ Hoagie (2022). "MadeInFrance 11 : Micros & crocos, the French home computer market in the '80s". Abandonware France (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.
11. Éditions Atlas (1984). aBc informatique. p. 1229.
12. ^ "The VG5000μ page". vg5k.free.fr.
13. ^ "Philips VG5000". Silicium. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
14. "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2021-11-03. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
15. "Le VG 5000". ABC Informatique. No. 62. March 1985. pp. 1229–1231.
16. "PHILIPS VG 5000". OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum.
17. "Listing of all Philips VG5000 games". The Video Games Museum.
18. Turk182 (2022). "#Rétrogaming : tu te souviens… US Rallye sur VG5000". THM Magazine (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
19. "Philips VG5000". Universal Videogame List. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
20. "Liste de tous les jeux Philips VG5000". Le Musee des Jeux Video (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-24.
21. "Votre VG5000 n'est pas fragile". VG5000 Bazar. 2023. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
22. "Articles avec le tag " VG5000 "". Triceraprog La programmation depuis le Crétacé. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
23. Coulom, Daniel (2022). "Emulateur VG5000 DCVG5K". DCVG5K - Emulateur pour Windows du VG5000μ Philips/Radiola/Schneider. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
24. HERVIER, Carl (2014). "My VG5000 :-)". vg5000.free.fr. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
25. max, Sergio (2022-08-24). "logiciels développés cette année 2017 :: Vg5000". Sergio max. (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-13.
26. "Retro Programmers United for Obscure Systems - Philips VG5000 session". itch.io. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
27. "Materiel". La page des fans du VG5000µ. 2021-10-28. Archived from the original on 2021-10-28. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
28. "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
29. "The VG5000µ page". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
30. "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
31. "The VG5000µ page". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
32. "The VG5000µ page". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
33. "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
34. "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
35. "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
36. "La page des fans du VG5000µ". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
37. "The VG5000µ page". 2015-05-26. Archived from the original on 2015-05-26. Retrieved 2024-11-06.
38. ^ VG5000 Manuel de service (Service manual). Edition Service SA. 1984.
39. Hervier, Carl; Vanlierde, Stéphane (2023). "La page des fans du VG5000μ". vg5k.free.fr.
40. Arcadeitalia
41. VG5K

External links

• Old Computers:
• le greniers informatique
• French VG5000μ fan site
• Logiciels et développement 2017 (VG5000μ)
• My VG5000 - site dedicated to the VG5000 micro
• Emulation of VG5000
• The VG5000 shop
• pages dedicated to programming the VG5000

• Philips products
• Z80-based home computers
• Computer-related introductions in 1984