Hybrid Excel ?

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Larry
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Hybrid Excel ?

Post by Larry »

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/252038306913 ... EBIDX%3AIT

I contacted the seller and asked him to look at the underside of the game
Note this machine has the red lettering of the Mach2, and it seems to
be showing model# 6097. However it does seem to indicate an Excel68000
on the top panel. I can't figure it out. The owner's manual is model#6094.
He's being rather ambitious with his asking price, but strange prices
are being sought and paid in recent times.
L
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klute
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Re: Hybrid Excel ?

Post by klute »

Larry wrote:However it does seem to indicate an Excel68000 on the top panel.
I believe this is an "Excel 68000 Club" sold in the UK only but which otherwise is a totally standard Excel 68000 as the rest of the world knows it.

I think they contained the Excel 68000 "B" version program rather than the first slightly buggy "A" version program - it's not a "Mach" of any kind to the best of my knowledge.

UK collectors might be able to add more information or correct me if I'm mistaken.
The Klute offers you the white pieces and the advantage of the first move.
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spacious_mind
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Re: Hybrid Excel ?

Post by spacious_mind »

klute wrote:
Larry wrote:However it does seem to indicate an Excel68000 on the top panel.
I believe this is an "Excel 68000 Club" sold in the UK only but which otherwise is a totally standard Excel 68000 as the rest of the world knows it.

I think they contained the Excel 68000 "B" version program rather than the first slightly buggy "A" version program - it's not a "Mach" of any kind to the best of my knowledge.

UK collectors might be able to add more information or correct me if I'm mistaken.
Hi Cameron,

I am not so sure about that. Model 6097 is a Mach II. Also the "B" version is a Mach II.

There is a test that the seller could do:

[fen]1B1N4/p2n4/3P1P2/2nk1BP1/P7/N7/K3P2P/1Q6 w - - 0 0[/fen]

The different 68000 versions solved this in the following times.

◦Version A - Plays 1. e4? after 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
◦Version B - Plays correct move after 3 minutes and 35 seconds.
◦Version C1 - Plays correct move after 3 minutes and 24 seconds.
◦Version C2 - Plays correct move after 5 minutes and 3 seconds.
◦Version L.A. - Plays correct move after 5 minutes and 40 seconds.

Best regards
Nick
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klute
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Re: Hybrid Excel ?

Post by klute »

spacious_mind wrote:Model 6097 is a Mach II. Also the "B" version is a Mach II.

There is a test that the seller could do:

[fen]1B1N4/p2n4/3P1P2/2nk1BP1/P7/N7/K3P2P/1Q6 w - - 0 0[/fen]
What I mean is that there are two versions of the "bog standard" Model 6094 Excel 6800 - a (buggy) "A" version and a (fixed) "B" version.

The Model 6097 Mach II is a different animal and also had a (buggy) "A" version and a (fixed) "B" version.

In your test position, results should be as follows:

Model 6094 Excel 68000 "A" version - 2 min 45 sec (e2-e4)
Model 6094 Excel 68000 "B" version - 4 min 24 sec (Bxa7)
Model 6097 Mach II "A" version - 2 min 20 sec (e2-e4)
Model 6097 Mach II "B" version - 3 min 35 sec (Bxa7)
The Klute offers you the white pieces and the advantage of the first move.
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klute
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Re: Hybrid Excel ?

Post by klute »

spacious_mind wrote:There is a test that the seller could do
But whatever the machine is, yes, this is the position to test its identity.

For whatever reason, in the UK the "Club" nomenclature was used together with slightly different name plates - I'm sure a UK collector can expand on this.

I know there was a bog standard "Excel 68000 Club" (Model 6094) so I suppose there would have been a Mach II (Model 6097) with some kind of "Club" nomenclature and slightly different name plate as well.
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spacious_mind
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Re: Hybrid Excel ?

Post by spacious_mind »

klute wrote:
spacious_mind wrote:There is a test that the seller could do
But whatever the machine is, yes, this is the position to test its identity.

For whatever reason, in the UK the "Club" nomenclature was used together with slightly different name plates - I'm sure a UK collector can expand on this.

I know there was a bog standard "Excel 68000 Club" (Model 6094) so I suppose there would have been a Mach II (Model 6097) with some kind of "Club" nomenclature and slightly different name plate as well.
It is hard to say, I have never seen a Model 6097 Club in my searches, but that doesn't mean it didn't exist.

Regards
Nick
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klute
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Re: Hybrid Excel ?

Post by klute »

spacious_mind wrote:
klute wrote:It is hard to say, I have never seen a Model 6097 Club in my searches, but that doesn't mean it didn't exist
This is where a UK collector could probably shed some light on the "Club" nomenclature. In German forums the "Club" nomenclature also appears. In Australia (and the US as far as I know) the "Club" nomenclature was never used.

I suppose this "Club" nomenclature is just one of those things that has mildly intrigued me over the years.

The UK "Club" machines appear to have the different (and in my opinion more attractive) name plate. The German "Club" machines appear to have a standard name plate.

Mike Watter's timeline suggests the "Club" nomenclature was used in the UK only for the "A" and "B" versions of model 6094:

http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/html/timeline.html

So the eBay example could well be a Model 6097 (whether "A" or "B" we can't tell without testing) with the unique?! UK name plate. If it still had its box, that would likely make things clearer.
The Klute offers you the white pieces and the advantage of the first move.
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Bryan Whitby
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Post by Bryan Whitby »

Sorry can't help as I don't own one.
Bryan
Mike Watters
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Post by Mike Watters »

Hi Guys

I seem to remember another thread like this a few years ago. It made me put these photos on my website.

Image

Image

Which as far as I'm concerned are a Excel 68000 (Club) "B" (Bxa7 in 4 min 27 sec) and Excel Mach 2C LA (Bxa7 in 5 min 48 sec).

The Excel 68000 backplates could be unique to certain countries including the UK but they seem to be a cosmetic difference only. Both my machines were sold by Competence and the Mach 2C has the same colours and also the hand written "18/2" (batch number or date?) on the back as Larry's Ebay one. It also came with a 6094 manual rather than a 6097 one.

From my reading of 'Selective Search' News Sheet, Eric Hallsworth and Competence used Excel 68000 Club and Excel 68000 Master to distinguish between the original machines and what turned out to be the Excel Mach II, after it failed to get a USCF Master title at the US Open. In the States they may have started by calling the Excel 68000 the Club, but Eric Hallsworth just continued to do so throughout. Not that I know much about these models my guess is that the Excel 68000 with the Chess Challenger backplate is not really any different to the Excel 68000 'Club' with the Excel 68000 backplate.

I don't know whether to delete all references to 'Club' now?

All the best
Mike

see Eric's News Sheet editions 14, 16 and 17.
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

Mike Watters wrote:Hi Guys

It also came with a 6094 manual rather than a 6097 one.
Hi Mike

I am fairly certain there is only one manual which Fidelity released with all 4 Excel Mach versions(6094,6097,6098 and 6110)
the manual will mention model 6094 on the front page and no other model number


do you have an Excel Mach manual with any model number on the front page other then 6094?

Curious Regards
Steve
Mike Watters
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Post by Mike Watters »

No Steve. All three of my manuals say Model 6094 on the front cover.
Never thought about that before. Confusing for the buyers.

For another piece of strange Fidelity manual behaviour did you notice that Fidelity mixed up the model numbers on the manual for the Excellence Voice and Excel Display?


Detail more Novag's forte than Fidelity's excellence regards
Mike
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

Mike Watters wrote:
For another piece of strange Fidelity manual behaviour did you notice that Fidelity mixed up the model numbers on the manual for the Excellence Voice and Excel Display?
Hi Mike

actually I do recall that mix up
like this entire thread.. that was also the subject of a previous thread here
its funny how the same topics keep coming up over and over
the only thing that changes are the answers
:P


Russkie Chess Computers Regards
Steve
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