BSS 01

The BSS 01 is a dedicated first-generation home video game console that was released in 1980 or 1981 only in East Germany.

BSS 01

A BSS 01 with white housing, black paddles, and black buttons
Also known asBildschirmspiel 01
RFT TV-Spiel
TV-Spiel
ManufacturerVEB Halbleiterwerk Frankfurt (Oder)
TypeDedicated home video game console
GenerationFirst generation
Release dateNot clear; 1980 or 1981
LifespanNot clear; 1980–1984 or 1981–1984
Introductory priceNot clear; 500, 550 or 620 East German Mark
Discontinued1984
Units soldc. 1,000
Units shippedc. 1,000
SoundPlayed via an internal mono speaker
Controller input2 hardwired joystick-based game controllers
Power220 V, 2 W
Dimensions32.5 x 5.5 x 17.5 cm (w x h x d)
MassNot clear; 1.3 kg or 1.5 kg
PredecessorNone
SuccessorBSS 02 (planned; not released)

Etymology

The word BSS 01 is derived from the German word Bildschirmspiel 01,[1][2][3][4][5] meaning Screen Game 01[6] or Video Screen Game 01.[5] The console is also known as TV-Spiel or RFT TV-Spiel.[5] RFT stands for Rundfunk- und Fernmelde-Technik which is a manufacturers' association of various telecommunication companies in East Germany.

History

In the 1980s, video games in East Germany were to introduce children and young people to technology and show that the GDR was a progressive country.[4][5]

The BSS 01 was manufactured between 1979 and 1980 by the to the Kombinat Mikroelektronik Erfurt belonging VEB Halbleiterwerk Frankfurt (Oder).[1][7][8] It is the only video game console that was released in East Germany[9][10] and was sold from 1980[6][11][12][13] or 1981[9] to 1984 for 500,[6][12] 550[2][7][8][3][5][10] or 620[13] East German marks (this is about half of an average monthly income in East Germany at that time[5]). According to a 1984 catalog, the price of the console dropped to 330 East German marks in 1984.[3] The BSS 01 sold about 1,000 times,[14][12] about 800 units of them are black and about 200 units are white.

In the ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, you can play on an old chair in the style of the 1980s on a tube TV with the BSS 01.[10]

Successor

A successor of the BSS 01 named BSS 02, probably with color output instead of black-and-white, was planned, but then discarded for the production of radio clocks.[6][15][5] Whether prototypes, sketches etc. of the BSS 02 exist is unknown.

Technical specifications

The BSS 01 has a width of 32.5 cm, a height of 5.5 cm, a depth of 17.5 cm and a mass of 1.3[3] or 1.5[9] kg. It is based on the AY-3-8500-7 chipset from General Instrument.[5][6][8][9] The sound is played through an internal mono[16] speaker, rather than the TV set. The output was black-and-white via the TV's RF port on channel 3 (VHF).[9] Power was supplied to the BSS 01 via a power cord with 220 V and 2 W.[9]

Versions
A BSS 01 with black housing, black paddles, and orange buttons

There are different colored versions of the BSS 01. Depending on the material stock, the plastic colors of the console could differ slightly from each other,[7] for example, in the housing color (white or black), the paddles (white, gray or black) or used on the right buttons (yellow, orange or black). However, the buttons on the left side are always black and the on/off switch on the top right is always red.

Games

Due to the integrated AY-3-8500 chipset from General Instrument, the BSS 01 is able to play the following four games:[2][6]

The throw-in of the ball could be set to automatic or manual.[9] After the first player reaches 15 points, each of the games was over.[9]

Further reading

See also

References
  1. "Bildschirmspiel 01". mediengeschichten (in German). 12 July 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  2. "Spielkonsole "Bildschirmspiel 01"". DDR Museum (in German). 18 February 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  3. "Bildschirmspielgerät BSS01 Misc Halbleiterwerk Frankfurt /Od". radiomuseum.org. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  4. Bojaryn, Jan (27 March 2015). "BSS 01: Wie die DDR mit volkseigener Konsole den sozialistischen Nachwuchs erzog". Vice (in German). Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  5. "pongmuseum.com - and the ball was square... RFT - TV Spiel BSS 01 made in DDR - GDR". pongmuseum.com. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  6. "OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum". old-computers.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  7. "RFT Bildschirmspiel 01 – BSS01 – Retro-Konsolen.de" (in German). Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  8. "Vom Hörgerät zum Computerspiel | HNF Blog". blog.hnf.de. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  9. "www.robotrontechnik.de - Die Geschichte der Computertechnik der DDR". www.robotrontechnik.de. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  10. "Bildschirmspiel 01 | ZKM". zkm.de (in German). Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  11. Huberts, Christian (3 October 2016). "Poly-Play, BSS 01 & KC85-4 – Spielen für den Sozialismus". piqd.de (in German). Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  12. "Quiz: Erkennen Sie diese Retro-Konsolen?". t-online.de (in German). Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  13. Germany, Süddeutsche de GmbH, Munich. "Mit Pittiplatsch auf Pixelfang". Süddeutsche.de (in German). Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  14. robotron-net.de/images/sonst/BSS-01.pdf
  15. Huberts, Christian (3 October 2016). "Poly-Play, BSS 01 & KC85-4 – Spielen für den Sozialismus". piqd.de (in German). Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  16. "RFT BSS 01". www.heimcomputer.de. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
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