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Anybody here still enjoy those older dedicated chess computers?
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Nice Kiwimotard!
Chesty-Morgan:
Best site in Europe is the German one "/www.schach-computer.info/wiki" - translates well. Has details of all three versions of the Elite. There is also a Dutch site that has a downloadable-as-a-pdf English Manual if needed - try something like "http://www.zanchetta.net/"
Purchased a 44 year-old Fidelity Voice Sensory Chess Challenger in good working condition and complete with the original wooden pieces, mains adapter and a custom-made leather case (not the cheap & nasty plastic one that Fidelity originally provided). This is the rarer German-speaking version, as indicated by the lackadaisically applied paper sticker under the function keys - Fidelity were always a parsimonious company). It cost $1,000 when new, the equivalent of $3,800 in today's money.
For that you got Ron Nelson's strongest chess engine (which isn't saying much, it's still only around ELO 1,300 FIDE); it was also his last until 1997's Excalibur Grandmaster. It was slightly stronger than that of Fidelity's best-selling Chess Challenger 7 (the first chess computer I owned) and had an opening book of 1,000 half moves, compared to the 100 of the CC7 - or 64 different openings, which you could individually select.
For the time, it offers a few amenities then considered luxury: A pressure-sensitive board, 10 standard playing levels (including 2 tournament levels), a chess clock for both sides; you could turn off the machine's random move generator (which doesn't affect the playing strength much, since Fidelity computers only randomly chose another move if its evaluation was almost identical to the one considered the best), display the move currently under consideration by the machine, or play one of the 64 historic games permanently stored in the computer's memory (they're all listed and categorized in the manual). You could also connect it to the custom printer available as an extra to print out the game.
The computer voice announces its move before it is displayed on the machine's 64 field LEDs, as well as the opponent's moves. It also announces check and checkmate. The German voice has a few "speech impediments", most notably its inability to say "Rochade" correctly. It sounds more like "Onad". 
Perhaps the most notable added feature is its ability to think on the opponent's time (then called permanent brain, now "pondering"). The earlier Ron Nelson engines did not have that functionality.
Interesting! That is pretty sweet. I've never played any boards prior to 90's ones I have.
Jun 14, 2024
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#248
I love my old devices from the 80s. Not only in combination with the old modules, but also with the new ones. Here, for example, is my old Mephisto Munich with the Elfacun module. It's perfect for playing online on lichess.org and chess.com. An absolute pleasure... past meets present.
My new portable for work (to go with my other dedicated portables form the 90's - my Novag Sapphire I and my Saitek Travel Champion 2100)
its small but pretty sweet
Surprisingly Yes. I've been looking for one for awhile. Go QPR LOL
LilSprankles wrote:
I have one of these. It's kind of a novelty but cool.
What is that thing called? Saitek <something> chess?
It does look like a cool little novelty.
If you're talking about mine its a Novag Jade II. Its pretty cool. Not just a novelty. Listed at 2260 ELO.. definitely a great portable but plays a nice game at home.
This is the one I was asking about
That is cool. Never seen one in person. Hows it play?
I don't know, I was tryna ask Lil Sprankles but he posted years ago
Its rated pretty low ELO but would be fun to have...see them occassionally on ebay
Do you know what they are called specifically so I would know what to search for?
It is a 1992 SAITEK Calculator Chess model 118b…. Search SAITEK calculator chess spacious mind. His (spacious mind aka Nick) website has all the info and more. There are many older sites during the dedicated boards era in the 80s and 90s. Lots of stuff in the 2000’s talking about all the games from what I think is the golden era (but I lived it lol) on sites such as the Haircs forums where you can find out about most of these older dedicated games. You can find manuals for most older games on Alain Zanchetta’s site. I’m old school. Prolly why I love the hands on (like the older pegboards) and never liked the LED handhelds.
Oh wow that is the most information I have seen yet thank you. I am not at home right now but will sit down and give that a thorough read later today. Thanks again for that.