VOLTMACE
Database Games-Computer

This obscure videogame system was made by Voltmace Baldock-based british
company. Voltmace came into being in 1977 as a pure sales/marketing
organisation - it offered sales facilities to companies who did not had
a product to sell. They were contracted by one of the early pioneers in
the video field to handle their product.

Shortly after this, Voltmace came in contact with Teleng who were
putting out one of the first programmable machines and there ensued a
short but profitable association during which Voltmace sold many of the
British Made game machines. But later Teleng's parent company decided to
close down the factory in Essex and gradually run down video game
production in UK.

Eventually, in 1980 Voltmace approached the Videomaster arm of the
Waddington's company with a view to marketing their Database game
machine - which was at the time being made in Hong Kong.

Their first season with the Database was quite successful and when, in
early 81 the chance came to purchase the machine in its entirely,
Voltmace jumped at the chance.

They could at last produce a British-made video games machine in their
Baldock factory and it was quickly arranged for all the tooling
machinery to be shipped over from Hong Kong - by June '81 all the
hardware needed was in Baldock and staff were recruited to start
production.

One of the drawbacks of the Database machine when it was being made in
Hong Kong was a certain reputation for unreliability. Voltmace tried to
resolve that by strict quality-control and good after-sales service. But
the Database didn't resist long enough against competitors like Atari,
Intellivision and Colecovision. And the '83 videogame industry crash
surely doomed the Voltmace adventure...

The other noteworthy Voltmace products were joysticks for popular
micro-computers, mainly BBC systems. There were in fact Database
controllers modified to be use with other systems.

In fact the Database, is software compatible with the Interton VC 4000 and
"clones". This doesn't mean that it can use the Interton cartridges, as
they won't fit, but the internal specs and software are the same. The
CPU is the 2650A from Signetics and the Video Controller is the 2636
from Signetics as well.

About 40 cartridges has been released for the Interton VC-4000, but only
29 were available for the Database...It seems that a converter was
available to play Interton cartridges on a Voltmace Database!
Surprisingly, original games for the Database were programmed by Derek
Andrews at the time : Leap-Frog, Crunch and a Defender clone (never
released). See Derek's interview for more information.

Like with all the systems of this "Interton family", there are two
controllers with 12 buttons keypad + 2 fire buttons + a joystick.
Controllers were designed to use informative plastic layers delivered
with each games, used to show the function of each key. The control
panel is composed of an ON/OFF switch and 3 buttons (Reset program,
Select Game, Start Game).

Thanks to David Elvin for most information.

NAME:                    Database Games-Computer
MANUFACTURER:            Voltmace
ORIGIN:                  United Kingdom
YEAR:                    1980
END OF PRODUCTION:       1983?
BUILT IN SOFTWARE/GAMES: None
CONTROLLERS:             Two controllers with 12 buttons, 2 fire buttons
                         and an analog joystick
CPU:                     Signetics 2650A
SPEED:                   unknown
CO-PROCESSOR:            Signetics 2636 (Video controller)
RAM:                     Unknown
GRAPHIC MODES:           Yes, 4 single colour sprites
COLORS:                  8 colours
SOUND:                   Single channel beeper
SIZE/WEIGHT:             Unknown
I/O PORTS:               Video output, Cartridge slot
MEDIA:                   Cartridges
NUMBER OF GAMES:         29
POWER SUPPLY:            External PSU
PRICE:                   Unknown

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