just looked at this (and the post about the non working tape drive. I swear i have a keyboard for an Intellvision from when Sears closed um all out. I picked up a Intellvision II for $50 and a keyboard for it for $100 too along with some memory expansion and printer I think my tape recorder was a seperate unit not built into it.. But my memory makes me think mine was white with black (not matching the original brown and gold intellvision) behind the keys and had blue keys on it. I know its boxed up someplace in my pile of stuff. I know I hooked it all up at one time (but man that is at least 20+ years ago) but didnt really do anything with it as I had better computers.
What you're actually referring to is the ECS, or Enhanced Computer System, which was Mattel's SECOND computer add-on after the recall of the original Keyboard Component due to the high cost of production and other issues. Only around 4,000 Keyboard Components were made and most of those were recalled by Mattel, which probably leaves maybe a dozen Keyboard Components in the world, which is why they easily sell for over $3,000, even when they don't work. The ECS is far, far more common. In fact, I personally own at least three ECS add-ons. The only rare part of the ECS really is the piano keyboard add-on and to a far lesser degree the commercial games for it. Even so, the piano keyboard can generally be had for around $100 and the software for well under $100, and some even under $50.
All things considered, the Keyboard Component was a more powerful unit, offering more RAM, enhanced graphics and a better keyboard than the ECS. The ECS though is neat in its own way, though, as it adds two more controller ports and three more sound channels, bringing the total to six. The other way that the ECS is neat is that it's actually available to anyone who wants one, something that sadly can't be said for the Keyboard Component.
just looked at this (and the post about the non working tape drive. I swear i have a keyboard for an Intellvision from when Sears closed um all out. I picked up a Intellvision II for $50 and a keyboard for it for $100 too along with some memory expansion and printer I think my tape recorder was a seperate unit not built into it.. But my memory makes me think mine was white with black (not matching the original brown and gold intellvision) behind the keys and had blue keys on it. I know its boxed up someplace in my pile of stuff. I know I hooked it all up at one time (but man that is at least 20+ years ago) but didnt really do anything with it as I had better computers.
What you're actually referring to is the ECS, or Enhanced Computer System, which was Mattel's SECOND computer add-on after the recall of the original Keyboard Component due to the high cost of production and other issues. Only around 4,000 Keyboard Components were made and most of those were recalled by Mattel, which probably leaves maybe a dozen Keyboard Components in the world, which is why they easily sell for over $3,000, even when they don't work. The ECS is far, far more common. In fact, I personally own at least three ECS add-ons. The only rare part of the ECS really is the piano keyboard add-on and to a far lesser degree the commercial games for it. Even so, the piano keyboard can generally be had for around $100 and the software for well under $100, and some even under $50.
All things considered, the Keyboard Component was a more powerful unit, offering more RAM, enhanced graphics and a better keyboard than the ECS. The ECS though is neat in its own way, though, as it adds two more controller ports and three more sound channels, bringing the total to six. The other way that the ECS is neat is that it's actually available to anyone who wants one, something that sadly can't be said for the Keyboard Component.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.