Rediscover the overlooked gem of home computing: the Vectrex, a device that you might have missed out on.
Sparking Speculation: The Mythical Vectrex Home Computer
Hey there! You're in for an interesting ride. Let's chat about the fascinating Vectrex console, a relic from the 80s that's earned a legendary status in the retrocomputing world. What made it unique? Well, unlike typical home systems, it boasted a vector display. Yep, it drew its graphics using an electron beam, unlike a standard TV screen that scans across a raster. As a result, it came equipped with its own CRT and a unique vertical screen form factor.
Now, for the juicy part. Some rumors floating around claimed that the Vectrex was more than just a games console. Enter [Intric8], the intrepid soul on a mission to find some truth to these whispers. After some sleuthing, they stumbled upon what we had all been eagerly waiting for - a hint of a possible home computer add-on for the Vectrex, hidden within an issue of Electronic Games magazine. The piece detailed the development of a keyboard, RAM and ROM expansion, and a wafer drive, which could have made the Vectrex as quirky as most of what the heavy hitters like Commodore and Sinclair had to offer.
But alas, the issue hasn't been pinned down, and after some browsing through archive.org, we're still scratching our heads. It's a royal pain that it's not specified which issue of the magazine contains the piece. While the details are scant, it's hard not to get excited about what this could mean. The 8-bit games industry was a fiercely competitive landscape during the run-up to the great console crash, and developers wouldn't hesitate to spin a yarn or two to grab some attention. We can't say for sure that the folks behind the Vectrex would have unveiled a home computer add-on if they could, but as teenagers, we fell for more than our fair share of such claims. We're still harboring a secret desire, but we can't help but feel like any proof may have evaporated into thin air.
By the way, if you're lucky enough to own a Vectrex, you've probably thought about boosting its potential. Guess what? It's possible to attach a light pen to it!
In the realm of potential enhancements for the Vectrex console, there's a tantalizing rumor about a home computer add-on that could have transformed this 80s relic into a jack-of-all-trades device akin to other heavy hitters like Commodore and Sinclair, if the rumors are to be believed. However, the issue of the magazine containing the details remains elusive, making it an intriguing, yet frustrating, mystery in the world of technology and gadgets.
