1292 Advanced Programmable Video System

1292 Advanced Programmable Video System

An Acetronic MPU 1000 (right) and its controller
Manufacturer	Radofin and others
Type	Home video game console
Generation	Second generation
Release date	1979;46 years ago (1979)
Discontinued	1983
CPU	8-bit Signetics 2650AI @ 0.887 MHz
Memory	43 bytes
Removable storage	Cartridge 2k, 4k or 6k ROM, optional 1k RAM[ clarification needed ]
Graphics	Signetics 2636N @ 3.58 MHz
Controller input	2 × 12-button with 2-axis control stick
Power	Input 250 V, 50 Hz; Output 9.5 V, 0.4 A & 15 V, 0.11 A

The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System is a second-generation home video game console released by Hong Kong company Radofin in 1979. It is part of a group of software-compatible consoles which include the Interton VC 4000 and the Voltmace Database. The 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System included its power pack inside the console instead of an exterior power pack.

Specifications

PCB scan of the Acetronic MPU-1000

• CPU: 8-bit Signetics 2650AI at 0.887 MHz
• Programmable video interface: Signetics 2636N at 3.58 MHz. This chipset was less powerful than the later model Signetics 2637N used in the Arcadia 2001.
• Data Memory: 43 bytes

Graphics

• Sprites: 4 single colour sprites (1 can be 8 colours)
• 1 score line displaying 4 BCD digits
• Background consisting of a series of alternating lines

Misc

• The early games cartridges used a 2 KB ROM, later ones, such as Activision branded ones, up to 8 KB^{[ contradictory ]}
• Very basic arcade machine sound

User programming

An expensive £49 (equivalent to £288.01 in 2025 pounds ^[1] ) Hobby Module was available which gave 6.5 kilobits of user-programmable memory and had a 5-pin DIN socket to allow software to be saved to a cassette tape player. This converted the unit into halfway between a home computer and an ordinary gaming console.

The user had to be familiar with programming in Signetics 2650 assembly language and the unconventional ways and register architecture of the Signetics 2650 processor.

Released versions

The console was produced by different companies and sold with different names. Although all variants have identical computational hardware, changes to the dimensions of the cartridge slot on some variants result in cartridges not always being interchangeable between systems. The following is a table of the console variants grouped by cartridge compatibility.

Name	Brand / Manufacturer	Country	Compatibility family	Notes	Image
1292 Advanced Programmable Video System	Radofin / Radofin	Germany	1292 Advanced Programmable Video System	Released in 1979. Known also as "Radofin Programmierbares Video System". Has an external power supply.
1392 Advanced Programmable Video System		Europe		Released in 1979. Has an internal power supply.
HMG-1292 Advanced Programmable Video System	Hanimex / Radofin	Australia and New Zealand
HMG-1392 Advanced Programmable Video System		Australia and New Zealand
Force 2	Fountain / Radofin	Australia and New Zealand		Released in 1979.
1292 Advanced Programmable Video System		Australia and New Zealand		Released in 1979.
1392 Advanced Programmable Video System		Australia and New Zealand		Released in 1979. Has an internal power supply
Advanced Programmable Video System	Grandstand / Radofin
Lansay 1392	Lansay / Radofin	Europe		Released in 1979. Internal power supply.
PP-1292 Advanced Programmable Video System	Audiosonic / Radofin	Europe		Released in 1978.
PP-1392 Advanced Programmable Video System		Europe		Released in 1978. Has an internal power supply.
VC-6000	Prinztronic / Radofin	United Kingdom		Released in 1979.
MPU-1000	Acetronic / Radofin	United Kingdom		Released in 1979.
MPU-2000		United Kingdom		Released in 1979.
Database	Videomaster\Voltmace	United Kingdom	Database System
Television Computer System	Rowtron	United Kingdom	Television Computer System	Released in 1979.
Television Computer System	Teleng	United Kingdom		Released in 1979.
Jeu Video TV	Karvan	France	Video TV Game
OC-2000	Societe Occitane Electronique	France		Released in 1979.
Vidéo Ordinateur MPT-05	ITMC	France	MPT-05	Released in 1983.
Super Play Computer 4000	Grundig	Germany	Interton VC-4000
VC 4000	Interton	Europe		Released in 1978.
CX-3000 Data Bass Sistem	Palson	Spain
Tele Computer	Aureac	Spain		Palson CX-3000 clone.
Video Computer H-21	TRQ	Spain	Interton VC-4000 (partial)	TRQ carts fit and work on Interton consoles. Interton carts don't fit in TRQ consoles.

Games

Although, not much information is known about the release dates of the cartridges, the total number of the games should be 59 (33 games released by Radofin between 1977 and 1978, 19 games for the Interton VC 4000 and compatibles after 1978, and 7 more games released around 1980). ^[2]

Name	Size	Platform	Year
Air/Sea Attack / Air/Sea Battle	2K	Fountain #5 + Palson #9 + Interton #7
Arcade (Voltmace)/Pinball (Interton)	2K	Interton #23 + Voltmace #20
Backgammon	4K	Interton #36
Basic Maths (Fountain)/Mathematics 1 (Interton)	2K	Fountain #7 + Interton #5
Bat & Ball (Voltmace)/Olympics (Fountain)/Paddle Games (Interton/Palson)/Sportsworld (Rowtron)	2K	Fountain #1 + Interton #3 + Palson #1 + Rowtron #1 + Voltmace #3
Blackjack	2K	Fountain #3 + Interton #2
Bowling/Ninepins	2K	Interton #25
Boxing (Voltmace)/Boxing Match (Interton)/Prizefight (Fountain)	4K	Fountain #14 + Interton #18 + Voltmace #13
Brain Drain (Voltmace)/Codebreaker (Fountain)/Mastermind (Interton)	2K	Fountain #10 + Interton #16 + Voltmace #9
Capture (Fountain)/Reversi (Interton)	2K	Fountain #24 + Interton #21
Car Races	2K	Interton #1
Casino	2K	Interton #31
Challenge! (Acetronic)/Four in a Row (Interton)	2K	Acetronic #9 + Interton #15 + Voltmace #14
Chess	4K	Interton #13
Chess 2	6K	Interton #22
Circus	2K	Fountain #13 + Interton #17 + Voltmace #12
Cockpit	4K	Interton #28
Come Come	4K	Palson #16
Come-Frutas	4K	TRQ
Come-Frutas (alternate version)	4K	TRQ?
Cowboy	2K	Rowtron	1981
Crazy Crab	4K	Voltmace #29
Draughts	4K	Interton #26 + Voltmace #22
Electronic Pinball	2K	Fountain #25
Golf	4K	Fountain #19 + Interton #27
Grand Prix (Fountain)/Road Race (Voltmace)	2K	Fountain #2/Voltmace #4
Head On	2K	Fountain #20	1981
Hippodrome	2K	Interton #11
Hobby Module	2K	Radofin #16	1980
Horse Racing	2K	Fountain #12 + Voltmace #11
Hunting	2K	Interton #12
Hyperspace	2K	Interton #38
Invaders	2K	Fountain #27
Invaders	2K	Interton #32
Labyrinth	2K	Interton #9
Laser Attack	2K	Fountain #31	1981
Leapfrog	4K	Voltmace	1982
Math 2 (Fountain)/Mathematics 2 (Interton/Voltmace)	2K	Fountain #8 + Interton #6 + Voltmace #7
Melody/Simon (Interton)/Musical Games (Fountain)/Musical Memory (Voltmace)	2K	Fountain #17 + Interton #20 + Voltmace #21
Metropolis/Hangman	4K	Interton #29
Monster Munchers	2K	Rowtron
Motocross	4K	Interton #14
Munch & Crunch	4K	Voltmace #24	1982
Planet Defender	2K	Fountain #33	1982
Shoot Out	2K	Fountain #29	1981
Shooting Gallery	2K	Fountain #6 + Voltmace #8
Soccer	2K	Fountain #15
Soccer	2K	Interton #24
Solitaire	2K	Interton #30
Space War (Fountain)/Outer Space Combat (Interton)/Galactic Space Battles (Rowtron)	2K	Fountain #30 + Interton #19 + Rowtron
Spider's Web (Fountain)/Monster-Man (Interton)	4K	Fountain #22 + Interton #37
Super Invaders	2K	Interton #33
Super Knockout	2K	Fountain #26	1980
Super Maze (Fountain)/Maze (Palson/Voltmace)	2K	Fountain #11 + Palson #7 + Voltmace #10
Super-Space	4K	Interton #40
Tank Battle/Air Battle	2K	Interton #4
Tank/Plane Battle (Fountain)/Tank & Plane (Voltmace)	2K	Fountain #4 + Voltmace #5
Treasure Hunt (Fountain)/Memory 1/Flag Capture (Interton)	2K	Fountain #18 + Interton #8
Winter Sports	4K	Interton #10

References

1. "Inflation calculator". www.bankofengland.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
2. "INTERTON VC 4000 GAMING GUIDE". James Jacobs. 2021-09-01. Retrieved 2022-03-11.

External links

• IGDB.com entry & 1292 APVS games list (With accurate explanation for misconception of the earlier 1976 release)
• SHAMELESSLIFE wordpress blog entry for details for 1292 APVS & Interton VC 4000
• Video Game Console Library entry for the 1292 APVS / VC 4000 family
• Arcade Italia entry for MAME compatibility
• Museo del Videojuego Radofin 1292 and 1392 information and game list in Spanish