Acetronic MPU2000 (and others)

[PhilD]

Hi there,

I'm Phil, newly registered with a love of retro gaming.

 

When I was a very young kid back in the 80s, we had an Acetronic MPU2000 with a few games. Invaders has forever been embedded into my brain and memory!

Since recently finding out what the console was earlier this year, I managed to track one down on eBay, though it is a bit flaky. I am on the lookout for a better example if one ever comes up!

I've been collecting games for it since.

I've attached a photo of the collection so far.

 

Is there anyone on here who knows about these systems, the games and the rarity of each one?

Also, if anyone has any boxed games for sale to fill any of the gaps in my collection, I'd love to hear from you!

I'm not selling, I'd just love to complete the collection if I can, but I'm struggling to find any others.

I missed out on a game called Spiders Web recently.

I bid hard. But not hard enough as it went for over £80, which did surprise me. So I suppose there must be some love for this system out there.

 

In addition to the Acetronic, I have the following set up in my man cave:

Atari 2600

Sega Master System

Sega Mega Drive

NES

N64

PS2.

 

It's becoming a bit of an obsession! 

 

Cheers

Phil

 

 

[Mikebloke]

Sorry but I recently sold all my games of the system, I had everything but the hobby module for programming.

 

Like any of the lower game library consoles, the commons are dirt cheap as everyone who wants them already has them. The rarer ones will be bidded on as the chances of popping up is rare. 

 

I would say you have most of the better games already, the math games while rare-ish are not fun.

 

I have considered trying to code my own games for the system, but don't think I got as far as anything compiling yet. There is a few homebrew for the system such as a cannonbalt clone and a flappy bird game but not much else.

 

Someone did a post awhile back (on this forum, that was probably years ago!) on an interview with a guy related to the business side of things and how the system was franchised which led to the different names and box sizes, but generally acetronic, prinztronic, hannimex, fountain games (Australian? They had smaller boxes) and I think there was one more common company name. In some cases the boxes were literally the same with a sticker over the logo.

 

There is a small but dedicated following for the system, at one point I was in contact with a number of other collectors, but we are all quite insular and introverted so I don't think I've ever met three people in a room including myself - virtual or otherwise with an interest in the system (aside from this forum of course!).

 

In the end I sold some of my collection back to the person I bought mine from, things can be circular in that way.

[PhilD]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the message.

 

This console has such great childhood memories for me. I feel like I owe it to my younger self to complete the game collection. 

 

I did see Spiders Web come up, which I gave up bidding on when it went over £80.

Just also landed a copy of Math 2 today... Complete with instructions and overlays.

I can't say I'm looking forward to playing it, but it's nice to have in the library.

 

The homebrew games you mention sounds interesting. How would I go about getting a copy?

 

I genuinely didn't think anyone else on the planet was interested in these old games, so it's kind of nice to know that I'm not alone.

 

I really want a boxed MPU2000 in good condition. I keep looking out, but no luck so far.

 

Due to the history of this console for me and life at the time, I'm eager to learn as much as possible. It's such a lovely thing.

 

Do you know if "skill cycle" will play on the MPU2000?

 

Cheers

Phil

 

 

[Maceyl]

Hi Phil

I'm glad there are others who appreciate this system.  I got introduced to the system around Christmas 1980, sold most of the games about 4 years later for pennies then brought another off Ebay in 2004 and have been collecting ever since. It took 15 years to find a perfect example of Hobby Module........

Good reference point.

http://old.pong.at/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_24&products_id=2080

Will send over a list of the rarer games/varients.

Lee

[PhilD]

1 hour ago, Maceyl said:

Hi Phil

I'm glad there are others who appreciate this system.  I got introduced to the system around Christmas 1980, sold most of the games about 4 years later for pennies then brought another off Ebay in 2004 and have been collecting ever since. It took 15 years to find a perfect example of Hobby Module........

Good reference point.

http://old.pong.at/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21_24&products_id=2080

Will send over a list of the rarer games/varients.

Lee

Thanks Lee.

I think it was 1986/87 for me.

My uncle brought it over and I remember my mother's brother's and sisters all playing invaders, huddled around the TV.

The noise, the graphics, I found it all so exciting as a little boy.

 

I had no idea what the system was and had done loads of internet searching to try and identify it.

In the end I gave up. Joined a Facebook group and drew a picture of the controller and asked for help identifying, based off my drawing.

They very quickly identified the console and after having the name of it. I couldn't believe my eyes. 

So happy to have this back.

Playing air sea attack, invaders and shooting gallery, the memories that came back blew my mind. 😆

 

The link you shared doesn't seem to work?

[Maceyl]

Hi Phil 

OK i will check it, sometimes takes a few seconds to go in but normally works.

Lee

 

[Maceyl]

Hi Phil

 

Check out Atari Game Box Protectors for 2600 5200 7800 Strong 0.5mm PLASTIC DISPLAY CASE on eBay!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325290056580?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=lSN5oV3gTkS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=8p8InhiXRiy&var=514174129504&widget_ver=artemis&media=EMAIL

 

Lee

[PhilD]

Thank you Lee.

The link for the old pong catalogue is now working. Some really interesting information in there. Though was surprised to learn that shootout is meant to have controller overlays. I'm not entirely sure what they would be for.

 

I tried to access the forum linked within that page but my computer blocks it. That's unfortunate.

 

The Atari box protectors, that's great information. I will look at getting some of those.

 

[Mikebloke]

On 5/25/2024 at 7:23 PM, PhilD said:

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the message

 

I did see Spiders Web come up, which I gave up bidding on when it went over £80.

 

The homebrew games you mention sounds interesting. How would I go about getting a copy?

 

I genuinely didn't think anyone else on the planet was interested in these old games, so it's kind of nice to know that I'm not alone.

 

I really want a boxed MPU2000 in good condition. I keep looking out, but no luck so far.

 

Do you know if "skill cycle" will play on the MPU2000?

 

Cheers

Phil

 

 

Hi Phil, spiders web was very rare, when I was trying to buy it I think it came up a few times on eBay before I won a copy, I think maybe 4 times in something like 8 years. It is the long game for completing the collection! I think I've seen hobby module come up about 3 times in about 15 years and two of them were cart only.

 

Loading homebrew there is two ways really, a pre flashed rom through the "dragon adapter" with all the games including a few that wasn't directly released on the system but is hardware compatible, think one is a skiing game. It comes with a physical switch on the cart to choose games.

 

The other is the backbit system, it's also an adapter like system as the dragon one, but is a microSD card one where you can copy rom files over like other romcarts. This means you can update it with anything new that comes out. I haven't tried it yet but I do have it, my intention was once I got something to work I would test on a real console.

 

Boxed versions of the console do come up from time to time, getting rarer of course but I had a couple and I replaced my tatty box with a nicer box version a few years ago. The 2000 version is definitely better and more durable than the 1000.

 

In regards to skill cycle, I think you are referring to the PC 50x system, the carts are occasionally listed as compatible with the MPU, which makes no sense. PC 50x cartridges are entire motherboards, using technology not much different to the Magnavox Odyssey system, the cartridge has all the hardware needed to play a game, while 1292 cartridges such as the MPU 1000/2000 are traditional rom chips, with a couple having extra ram.

 

I have never been tempted to try a PC 50x cartridge in a 1292 system, so can't say for sure it won't work, but it doesn't make any sense that it would, it would be like putting a cd into a sega master system.

 

Sorry for the late reply, hope that helps!

 

 

[PhilD]

On 6/17/2024 at 7:34 AM, Mikebloke said:

Hi Phil, spiders web was very rare, when I was trying to buy it I think it came up a few times on eBay before I won a copy, I think maybe 4 times in something like 8 years. It is the long game for completing the collection! I think I've seen hobby module come up about 3 times in about 15 years and two of them were cart only.

 

Loading homebrew there is two ways really, a pre flashed rom through the "dragon adapter" with all the games including a few that wasn't directly released on the system but is hardware compatible, think one is a skiing game. It comes with a physical switch on the cart to choose games.

 

The other is the backbit system, it's also an adapter like system as the dragon one, but is a microSD card one where you can copy rom files over like other romcarts. This means you can update it with anything new that comes out. I haven't tried it yet but I do have it, my intention was once I got something to work I would test on a real console.

 

Boxed versions of the console do come up from time to time, getting rarer of course but I had a couple and I replaced my tatty box with a nicer box version a few years ago. The 2000 version is definitely better and more durable than the 1000.

 

In regards to skill cycle, I think you are referring to the PC 50x system, the carts are occasionally listed as compatible with the MPU, which makes no sense. PC 50x cartridges are entire motherboards, using technology not much different to the Magnavox Odyssey system, the cartridge has all the hardware needed to play a game, while 1292 cartridges such as the MPU 1000/2000 are traditional rom chips, with a couple having extra ram.

 

I have never been tempted to try a PC 50x cartridge in a 1292 system, so can't say for sure it won't work, but it doesn't make any sense that it would, it would be like putting a cd into a sega master system.

 

Sorry for the late reply, hope that helps!

 

 

Hi Mike,

Sorry for slow reply.

 

Thanks very much for the information.

Finding this console again, after nearly four decades means so much to me. I dread to think how many hours I've lost to space invaders.

I only remember having a few games, other than invaders, I didn't know what they were called. But having bought a lot of cartridges since finding the console earlier this year, I simply cannot put into words the feeling I got when the game loaded and came onto the TV. Totally priceless.

(It turns out, the games, other than Invaders were Air/Sea attack and shooting gallery. Invaders definitely holds the best memories though.)

 

Spiders Web... I was gutted to miss that.

I bid up to £80, which I thought was outrageous. But I was wrong.

 

I'm still missing a good number of games. But I think they are all the ones that are incredibly difficult to find.

 

I'm trying hard to find a nice, boxed MPU2000. But no luck.

I do, however have an incredibly nice, boxed MPU1000. It really does look like it was used once and repacked. It even has the polythene bags on the controllers.

It's too nice to use. I tested it. But repacked it. 

It's interesting that you say the MPU2000 is better made. I thought the MPU1000 felt more robust. Maybe that's just how it looks.

 

I do have a question about the MPU2000...

Was there ever a released console with no branding on the controllers, but, the console was badged as MPU2000?

I just don't recall the controllers having anything written on them, but I do remember the logo on the console. (I was about 4...)

 

Thanks for the confirmation regarding skill cycle. I'll not bother grabbing a copy!

Edited July 3 by PhilD

[Mikebloke]

On 7/3/2024 at 9:58 PM, PhilD said:

I do have a question about the MPU2000...

Was there ever a released console with no branding on the controllers, but, the console was badged as MPU2000?

I just don't recall the controllers having anything written on them, but I do remember the logo on the console. (I was about 4...)

I would have to check mine, but I'm pretty sure the MPU2000 was only acetronic branding, with text on the controllers. The MPU1000 style had a number of franchises, and they seemed to pick and choose which ones they put a logo or text on the controllers.

[PhilD]

22 hours ago, Mikebloke said:

I would have to check mine, but I'm pretty sure the MPU2000 was only acetronic branding, with text on the controllers. The MPU1000 style had a number of franchises, and they seemed to pick and choose which ones they put a logo or text on the controllers.

Thanks Mike.

I've seen the Radofin branded console and the handsets had no branding. Maybe at the end of the production run they did away with the branding on the controllers. Who knows.

 

[Maceyl]

Hi Phil, i looked at my consoles and, my Acetronic MPU 2000 only has the Acetronic logo on the handsets, same as the Prinztronic. Radofin & Fountain are both blank and all my MPU 1000 handsets have the brand & model number and I have loads of old MPU 1000 Handsets.

Hows the collection coming along? 

[PhilD]

On 7/13/2024 at 9:23 AM, Maceyl said:

Hi Phil, i looked at my consoles and, my Acetronic MPU 2000 only has the Acetronic logo on the handsets, same as the Prinztronic. Radofin & Fountain are both blank and all my MPU 1000 handsets have the brand & model number and I have loads of old MPU 1000 Handsets.

Hows the collection coming along? 

Hi Lee,

Thanks for your message and confirmation.

 

The collection, it's stalled a bit on the game's front. Still keeping a close watch on eBay, etc.

I do check once or twice a day. 😆

I have just bought an MPU2000 complete with a slightly tatty box. It's untested. But will be nice to have a boxed version. The console itself looks tidy enough, though I do have some concern about the condition of the wires coming out of the back of the console. I only noticed after having purchased, but hopefully I'll find out on Friday. Fingers crossed it's a good one.

[CatPix]

I guess I can share pics of my French model :

The box is pretty okay for the time. The bottom is all blank, and the missing side bear the same sticker in French than the one pictured.

Translation :

"Microprocessor-based programmable colour TV-game

It allows you to play an infinite number of exciting games, thanks to numerous cassettes available in option.

This tele-game is provided with a 60 games cassette."

and one interesting mention being the importer : ITMC

ITMC was a French company who apparently imported Pong games and a few exotic machines, then, they got involved with Yeno. They probably createdd Yeno but I cant be sure.

What I know is that the postal adress for Yeno France was ITMC.

And yes that is the Yeno that imported the Sega SC3000 computer and the Yeno Super Cassette Vision in France.

This may explay why the box and games are almost devoid of the Radofin brand. Its possible that ITMC tried to slap their brand on it and Radofin refused, and they ended up as making neither brand prominent?

Most generic labeling ever.

 

Europlug and French standard connector. It looks replaced, but I already saw that kind of connector, the reason being that France metricated the connector for TV, being slighly thinner, and most importers just hand-replaced them.

I couldnt really get a clear picture, but the plug was made by Hitachi, interestly enough.

I could coment on the quality, but I think its worth noting that the manual has a typo on the second word of the whole thing, then a missing letter in the second word of the second paragraph. Great.