VTech Laser 128 Apple II clone
THe VTech Laser 128 was a straight up Apple II clone, released by VTech in 1986. Its performance is comparable to the Apple IIc or the Apple IIe. The machine has 128kByte of RAM and 128kByte of dedicated video RAM. The case was semi portable as it had a built in handle for transport. It came with a built-in 5.25" floppy disk drive, used the 65C02 CPU and supports all modes of Apple II graphics.
Unlike the Apple II, the Laser 128 had a numeric keypad, a centronics printer port and dedicated Video RAM.
The Laser 128 has a single expanslion slot for Apple II peripheral cards, which gives it better expansion capabilities than the Apple IIc. The slot also accomodates an expansion chassis that then gives two slots, compatible with slot 5 and slot 7 of the Apple IIe. The computer also has an internal RAM expansion slot, allowing for up to 1MB of additional RAM. Later models, the EX and the EX/2 came with the memory expansion already installed.
The Laser 128 came in a few configurations:
- Laser 128 - 1MHz CPU, 5.25" FDD, $479
- Laser 128EX - 3.6MHz CPU, 5.25" FDD, $499
- Laser 128EX/2 - 3.6MHz CPU, 3.5" FDD, $549
VTech had reverse engineered the Apple Monitor ROM using a clean room design, rather than copying it, and licensed an Applesoft BASIC compatible version from Microsoft. Apple tried to stop the Laser 128, but was unable to force the clone off the market like they had done with the clones from the Franklin Computer Corporation.
CPU View - MOS 6502
The 6502 is an 8-bit MicroProcessor designed by MOS Technology. The team was led by Chuck Peddle and had also worked on the Motorola 6800. The 6502 is a simplified, but faster and cheaper design than the 6800.
The 6502 was introduced in 1975 and was the cheapest microprocessor on the market. Together with the Zilog Z80, the 6502 helped start the home computer revolution of the 1980s. The 6502 was used in a wide range of devices: the Atari 2600, the 8-bit Atari home computers, the Apple II, the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Commodore 64, the BBC Micro and many others. All used the 6502 or a variation of it.
The 6502 is a 1MHz design, while the 6502A is designed for 2MHz. The 6502A is 100% compatible with the original 6502.
Commodore soon bought MOS Technology, but conitnued to sell the microprocessor to competitors and licensed the design to other manufacturers.
Source: WikiPedia - MOS Technology 6502
RAM max: 1MB
VRAM: 128kB Sound Chip u Sound unknown Display Chip none Display 560x384 in 16 colors Best Text 80x48 Best Color 16 colors Graphics 560x384 Sprites none System OS Applesoft BASIC Storage 5.25" Disk Drive Original Price $479