Coleco ADAM
SmartBASIC is an Applesoft work-alike.
Open the Coleco ADAM in Retro Bench- Year
- 1983
- CPU
- Z80A @ 3.58 MHz
- RAM
- 64 KB main (8 × 4164) + 16 KB VRAM (8 × 4116)
- ROM
- OS-7 BIOS, EOS and SmartWRITER ROMs in the memory console
- Video
- TMS9928A: 16 KB VRAM, 32 × 24 text
- Sound
- SN76489: 3 tones + noise
- OS
- EOS (SmartBASIC 1.0 / 2.0)
Chips
| Chip | Where | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Z80A CPU | Main CPU (8-bit, 40-DIP) | |
| TMS9918A / TMS9928A / TMS9929A video display processor | Video display processor (VDP) with its own 16 KB DRAM bus. Composite out on 9918A; Y, R-Y, B-Y on 9928A/9929A. | |
| SN76489 / SN94624 (TMS9919) sound generator | Three tone voices and one noise voice, written over an 8-bit data bus. | |
| 4164 DRAM 64K×1 | Main RAM (8 chips = 64 KB) | |
| 4116 DRAM 16K x 1 | Dynamic RAM, 16K x 1 (lower 16K on the Spectrum) | |
| MC6801 microcontroller | ADAMnet processors (single-chip mode, 1 MHz). Master and tape-drive 6801s on the Memory and I/O board; keyboard and printer each have their own. | |
| EOS / SmartWRITER ROM | EOS (Elementary Operating System) and the 32 KB SmartWRITER ROM on the Memory and I/O board. | |
| MIOC (Memory Input Output Controller) | Links the Z80 and the master 6801; selects the memory map; DRAM refresh and multiplex control. |
Ports and connectors
- Printer / power cable (J9), DE-9 on the memory console; the cable is wired into the printer
- ADAMnet jacks (J2, J8), 6P6C modular jacks (RJ12 style) UNVERIFIED
- SmartKeyboard cable, Coiled modular cable to an ADAMnet jack UNVERIFIED
- Cartridge slot, 30-contact card-edge socket UNVERIFIED
- Controller ports, DE-9, male on the console
- Expansion port (P1, right side), 60-contact male card edge on the memory console UNVERIFIED
- Expansion slot 1 (J7, left), Internal card-edge socket under the console lid UNVERIFIED
- Expansion slot 2 (J6, center), Internal card-edge socket under the console lid UNVERIFIED
- Expansion slot 3 (J5, right, memory), Internal card-edge socket under the console lid UNVERIFIED
- RF output, RCA phono jack UNVERIFIED
- Composite video output, RCA phono jack UNVERIFIED
- Data drive control (J10, internal), 9-pin header on the Memory and I/O board
- Data drive read/write (J11, internal), 8-pin header on the Memory and I/O board
Power rails
| Rail | Expect | Measure at |
|---|---|---|
| +5 V | About +5 V | 6801 pin 7 |
| +12 V L | About +12 V | 4116 pin 8 |
| +12 V I | 11.4–12.5 V | adam-printer-power pin 2 |
| -5 V | About -5 V | 4116 pin 1 |
Symptoms
- Dead machine, no power
- No boot: check Z80A, EOS ROM
- No tape, keyboard or printer: check 6801
- No picture: check TMS9918A, 4116
- No sound: check SN76489
- RAM errors: check 4164, 4116, MIOC
- Won't load EOS: check 4164, EOS ROM
- Data pack erased