Talk:Coleco Adam

No mention of package contents
While the article frequently mentions the printer, it never explicitly says that the system sold as a bundle including the printer. 74.69.88.134 (talk) 15:21, 5 September 2017 (UTC)

80KB RAM? On a Z-80 Based System
Where they using some sort of bank selection technology? Z-80 based CPUs were 8 bit with 16-bit addressing (64KB direct address space, maximum). I would suggest that someone familiar with the details add them to this article since the vast majority of Z-80 based systems supported only 64KB or less of RAM (typically 48KB RAM and 16KB ROM, for example; or 64KB RAM with some "shadow-ROM" copied into it during system start using bank selection). JimD (talk) 20:26, 11 May 2010 (UTC)
 * I recall being told that the 80k number came from adding the 64k CPU to some 16k in the keyboard chip. My understanding (I'm not an expert on the subject) is that this didn't mean the software had access to the extra memory, it just means the sales job was easier. Does this seem plausible? rewinn (talk) 23:13, 17 August 2012 (UTC)
 * The 80 kB was made up of 64 kB from the main circuit board plus 16 kB in the ColecoVision unit which was supplied with the Adam.101.178.163.92 (talk) 04:28, 15 November 2017 (UTC)


 * The 80 KiB is from the 64 KiB of on-board memory along with the dedicated 16 KiB of VDP memory (graphics memory) that the TMS9918 needs. While this extra 16 KiB isn't "general purpose memory", it can be used to hold stuff that isn't displayed on-screen.  Albeit much slower than normal RAM.  Hence, it *DOES* have 80 KiB of RAM.  Also, the ADAM wasn't the first or only 8-bit computer to have more than the maximum of 64 KiB.  Other computers like the Apple IIe and Commodore 128 had 128 KiB as standard (well, additionally for the Apple IIe but very common). cbmeeks 18:51, 24 October 2019 (UTC) (cbmeeks)

Some other Quirks
Hi, big coleco fan here. I adjusted the article slightly:

Another odd quirk about the printer is that it operated like a type writer. The user would type a key, and it would appear on the paper.

That's because you are in the electronic typewriter program. Pushing Escape/WP takes you to the word processor, which functions a lot like a modern word processor. I mentioned the typewriter in the article.

And in the specs, the external expansion port on the side of the stand alone version was not mentioned. I'm not complenely positive it wasn't on the expansion though, as I've never owned one. (The inside of a standalone has a modified Colecovision circuit board, with the expansion slot, which is connected to the ADAM circuit board with a ribbon cable, which has the external port on it. And I really don't know how they got away with that...)

And, I didn't think it was neccessary to put in the article, but, I'd like to mention that the tape erasure issue also exists on some floppy drives of that era. Stray write signals from the heads will happen when they are powered up, but there is no mechanism to keep them away from the tape/disk to prevent this. (As with modern drives). Some of the tape drives in existance parked the tape over the leader when done, but this is not possible on the coleco. There still is that magnetic surge of course.

I'll probably continue improving this article. I also have a nice permanently connected and properly placed (on a bookshelf) ADAM in my room, should I post pictures of it? I see the picture on the article is the expansion module, and is not hooked up!

Phroziac 20:58, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC)


 * If it's a good picture, why not? More information about the item is better! rewinn 03:48, 17 July 2006 (UTC)


 * The photo of the bottom of the memory console adds no useful information. I think it should be deleted, but I didn't do so since I don't want to take away from the article without adding to it, but I think that photo is a waste of bandwidth on the page.  The other photos are great additions.  Dkraemer1 (talk) 20:40, 27 January 2008 (UTC)


 * About the tape/leader issue. IIRC, a "selling point" of the Digital Data Packs was supposed to be that their neutral position was in the center of the tape, with half of the tape on either side, instead of at one end of the tape. The idea was that it'd cut average access time in half, or something. It's one of those great ideas that didn't necessarily work; perhaps part of the problem was the stray erasure problem you mention? Also, the DDPs looked just enough like standard tape cassettes to invite price comparison, but were much more expensive. That only increased the annoyance when things didn't work, and was probably a bad marketing/design decision (one of many for Adam). I had a lot of fun with mine but hoo boy! did it tank in the marketplace! rewinn 23:11, 18 August 2006 (UTC)

Early Adam computers had numerous QC problems: tape drives snapping tapes, printer power supplies overheating, etc. Many early adapters returned theirs to the store. Does anyone have a ADAM today? Is it stable? :( Pelladon 23:49, 20 October 2005 (UTC)

I have an ADAM somewhere, did a motherboard swap with the ColecoVision Expansion Module 3 which I found at a liquidation shop many many years ago. Printer stopped printing but still passes power. Added 2nd DDP drive. Never got my hands on a disc drive. Lexor1969 (talk) 20:40, 16 December 2007 (UTC)

The Digital Datapack (DDP) had two format modes, one where the directory was stored in the middle of the tape, which worked quite well for "random access" simulation, and one where the tapes loaded from the beginning, useful for games. Also, I just added details about the DDP drive return problems. I personally caused a damaged drive by ejecting a moving tape and I suspect most of the returns were caused by users. Lexor1969 (talk) 20:40, 16 December 2007 (UTC)

Video processor
The TI-99/4A used the TMS9918A, not the TMS9918. There are significant differences between them. The TMS9918 was used in the TI-99/4 Home Computer. Since the A version is covered on the Texas_Instruments_TMS9918 page, the link could be fixed simply by removing the A in TI-99/4A. Or the link could be altered to add the A to the chip name.


 * Of course, on both the ColecoVision and ADAM it used the TMS9928A as it outputted composite video signals. WikiPro1981X (talk) 11:23, 29 January 2011 (UTC)

Donkey Kong for ADAM
As currently written, the article suggests that Coleco scrapped its port of Donkey Kong from the ColecoVision as a result of the CES flap. Yet, there certainly was a version of Donkey Kong released solely for the ADAM on DDP cassette. Something doesn't seem terribly right about this apocryphal account, what are its sources? D.brodale 03:22, 26 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Steve Kent's Ultimate History of Video Games goes in to good detail about it, as does David Scheff's well referenced Nintendo history book Game Over. The account is indeed accurate for what happened at that '83 Summer CES and the game was initially scrapped because Atari Inc. had the sole home computer rights.  The Donkey Kong Super Game datapack was a later release after Atari Inc. ceased to exist in the Summer of '84 (and its properties transfered to Atari Corp.), freeing up the obligation by Nintendo.  --Marty Goldberg 03:54, 3 August 2007 (UTC)


 * A greater level of detail ought to be applied to the article, then. The current writing leaves the port "on the floor" so to speak, with an open suggestion that it never saw public release. It also wouldn't hurt to insert above-mentioned references to support the whole. D.brodale 04:09, 3 August 2007 (UTC)


 * The same choice of words also applied to the Coleco Adam port on the main Donkey Kong Wikipedia article. I want to see that article corrected, too, please. WikiPro1981X (talk) 00:14, 6 October 2011 (UTC)

I agree. I just removed "and it was eventually scrapped". I own a copy of Super Donkey Kong for the ADAM. Lexor1969 (talk) 20:33, 16 December 2007 (UTC)


 * Someone better correct this article to indicate that the datapack version of Donkey Kong did exist. The prototype version that got Coleco into trouble with Atari was a cartridge-based port. However, even the Atari 8-bit computer version of the game was cartridge-based. WikiPro1981X (talk) 11:22, 29 January 2011 (UTC)

Coleco Scholarships
Did Coleco ever honor the $500 scholarships it offered to Adam customers?Sfa2000 (talk) 16:43, 13 December 2007 (UTC) No and yes., they were brought to court on it based on information I have. After checking for accuracy i may add it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Leeroyhim (talk • contribs) 22:27, 2 February 2014 (UTC)

ColecoVision Cartridge Backups Using CP/M
It turns out that ADAM's CP/M was pretty much useless, except where hackers are concerned. A Coleco-hired consultant (by the name of Steve Munnings if I recall) programmed a ColecoVision cartridge copier in CP/M. Plug in the cartridge, turn on the system, boot CP/M, and you could copy most cartridges to datapack or disc drive (if you were lucky enough to have one). You could then run the games without the cartridge from CP/M. Since CP/M was an 80-column operating system, the 36-column ADAM (its 40-column capable graphics chip was limited to 36 columns for overscanning televisions) made CP/M a nightmare to use with actual CP/M apps.

This ColecoVision "warez" scene was the only thing that gave ADAM owning kids any legitimacy with their Commodore 64 game-trading friends. Lexor1969 (talk) 20:40, 16 December 2007 (UTC)

Image Description
Anybody else think the description for that first image is confusing? There's not an ounce of punctuation in the thing. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.75.71.133 (talk) 22:35, 2 October 2008 (UTC)


 * I've made an attempt at rewording the caption to clarify what is shown. Perhaps it's a slight improvement over what came before. D. Brodale (talk) 22:54, 2 October 2008 (UTC)

Sales and Game list.
First, part of the article, pretty much all the sentences around the mention of the Adam selling around 500 and a few above that, don't seem to be sourced and I have not heard anything similar to it.

Second, there is not a game list of Adam only, compatible, or hybrid games. I was wondering if I should put the games on the same article page or because there are over 50, make a new article page?

Edit: There should be an automatic option for signs. Leeroyhim (talk) 22:28, 2 February 2014 (UTC)

Introduction has little to do with the machine.
I feel like the introduction of this article is not constructive. It says basically nothing about the machine or its development history, instead spending nearly all of it's wordage describing an event at CES that had almost nothing to do with the success or failure of the computer. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 23.31.175.241 (talk) 11:59, 12 May 2015 (UTC)

Multiple Processor Marketing
I remember plainy the television commercial was very effective, with the actor stating that unlike most computing home electronics, ADAM was actually a "real computer" and also, having four CPUs you could do something useful while the other processors are busy.

It would be nice if someone could describe a bit about the marketing and also the multi-processor capabilities. DouglasHeld (talk) 02:13, 9 May 2016 (UTC)

Serial port
It had nothing resembling an RS-232 serial port I take it? 57.135.233.22 (talk) 05:03, 8 July 2023 (UTC)