New member has question on my CC1 s/n's, one is #1171

Dick Schneiders · Post by **Dick Schneiders** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 5:20 pm

Hi,

I was a charter member of Ismenio Sousa's Chess Computers Org. and was a regular participant of his discussion forum until my major stroke in Feb. of 2006. After nearly ten years of Internet forum inactivity, this is my first posting, so please be gentile

.

I started collecting chess computers in the early 2000's, so only had a few good years before the stroke. I mostly concentrated on Fidelity, as that was the brand I bought in the 1980's. I have a small collection, two CC1's, two Phantoms one a 6126 eyeball, Avant Garde 2100, and about twenty or so lesser Fidelities. I also have a Mephisto Munchen S, Conchess Ambassador, Excalibur Grandmaster, and others. I haven't even looked at my collection, let alone played any games, for most of the past ten years, so I really don't remember exactly what I have. Playing chess is very frustrating for me now, as my short term memory is basically gone. I am mostly unable to formulate and then implement any cohesive strategy.

Anyway, last week I decided to check out Ismenio's site, and discovered that it is basically defunct, and he seems to be unreacheable. I then contacted Mike Watters, a former friend on the old forum, and he suggested I join up here.

Sorry for the long-winded intro, but I do have a question.

I have two Fidelity CC1's. One is a very early serial number of 1171. The other is number 16533. I have seen serial numbers approaching 30000. From what I can remember, the number of CC1's produced was only around 1,000. Has anyone figured out what system, if any, Fidelity was using to assign serial numbers? Since they weren't producing other chess computers yet, why so many numbers? Did their challenger backgammon or bridge or reversi, or whatever else, units use the same series of numbers? Still, 30,000 seems like too many.

Certainly not a very universal question, but it bothered me before the stroke and it is still bothering me now.

I have been reading a bunch of the old posts and I will be reading many more in an attempt to learn what I have missed in the past ten years.

Dick Schneiders

Post by **Steve B** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 5:26 pm

Hi Dick
glad to see you again after all of these years

Last time we spoke I was a moderator on the Talk Chess Forum(CCC)

as to your question...
nope ..to this day no one has figured out the serial numbers on the CC1
its possible that other Fidelity products shared serial number sequences with the CC1 but nothing is known for certain
Welcome Back Regards
Steve

Jose · Post by **Jose** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 6:37 pm

Hi Dick,
nice to hear from you again after so many years. I read many of your interesting threads in Ismenios Forum.
If i remember correct there were many threads about the Phantoms

Keep on.

Best José

Dick Schneiders · Post by **Dick Schneiders** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 7:35 pm

Jose wrote:Hi Dick,
nice to hear from you again after so many years. I read many of your interesting threads in Ismenios Forum.
If i remember correct there were many threads about the Phantoms

Keep on.

Best José

Yes, Jose, as I recall, Ismenio didn't have a 6126 Eyeball for quite some time, and I think I might have rubbed it into him a tiny bit

Thanks for the welcome,

Dick

Dick Schneiders · Post by **Dick Schneiders** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 7:50 pm

Steve B wrote:Hi Dick
glad to see you again after all of these years

Last time we spoke I was a moderator on the Talk Chess Forum(CCC)

as to your question...
nope ..to this day no one has figured out the serial numbers on the CC1
its possible that other Fidelity products shared serial number sequences with the CC1 but nothing is known for certain
Welcome Back Regards
Steve

Thanks, Steve, I am surprised that anyone would remember me, other than Mike, since I have been totally absent for so long.

Well, no one was able to shed any light on the CC1's ten years ago, so I suppose it's good to know that some things have remained the same.

I have been playing some Hiarcs app chess on my iPad, but that's been it, and that has only been the past few months. It is getting better, and I hope I can resume using some of my computers. At least they won't laugh at my "interesting" moves!

Is Ismenio incommunicado on all forums these days?

Dick

Post by **Steve B** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:01 pm

Dick Schneiders wrote: Thanks, Steve, I am surprised that anyone would remember me, other than Mike, since I have been totally absent for so long.

Is Ismenio incommunicado on all forums these days?

Dick

Havent seen or heard from Ismenio for many years
of course I remember you
I still have the word document schedule you sent me back in 2005 with a list of all of the computers in your collection
a very handsome collection
hopefully you still have them all and did not make the tragic mistake of selling any of them these past years

Reelin In The Years Regards
Steve

Dick Schneiders · Post by **Dick Schneiders** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:55 pm

of course I remember you
I still have the word document schedule you sent me back in 2005 with a list of all of the computers in your collection
a very handsome collection
hopefully you still have them all and did not make the tragic mistake of selling any of them these past years

Reelin In The Years Regards
Steve[/quote]

Maybe I should get that list from you so that I will know what I have!

No, nothing has been sold, unless my amazingly patient wife slipped some out without me knowing. I am very fortunate that I really have no pressing reason to sell anything, other than to relieve her of the ultimate burden. I have actually been considering slowly paring down the chess stuff, along with some of the dozens of guitars and ukuleles, and other items from my past interests.

I had at one time long ago been trying to acquire one example of every Fidelity chess computer made. Silly idea, especially now that I realize just how quickly priorities can be uprooted.

Time out of mind,

Dick

Mike Watters · Post by **Mike Watters** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:39 pm

Hi Dick

There you go. Unforgettable!

As Steve says the most likely explanation, so far, is that Fidelity numbered everything that came off the production lines in sequence, so CC1 numbers are mixed up with hearing aids, prosphetic limbs or whatever else Fidelity was manufacturing at the time. Perhaps you can say with reasonable confidence that the lower the serial number the earlier the item. So I reckon your SN 1171 is one of the earliest off the production line, and I have only seen reference to one SN lower. The fact that yours has the plastic pieces shown on the CC1 boxes and the manual with the blue highlights just emphasises it's an early one, and a bit special.

5b-5d Regards
Mike

Larry · Post by **Larry** » Thu Nov 05, 2015 10:46 pm

Dick Schneiders wrote: I have two Fidelity CC1's. One is a very early serial number of 1171. The other is number 16533. I have seen serial numbers approaching 30000. From what I can remember, the number of CC1's produced was only around 1,000. Has anyone figured out what system, if any, Fidelity was using to assign serial numbers? Since they weren't producing other chess computers yet, why so many numbers? Did their challenger backgammon or bridge or reversi, or whatever else, units use the same series of numbers? Still, 30,000 seems like too many.

Hi Dick, there was a list somewhere of the known CC1 owners worldwide,
complete with the serial numbers of each. I can't find it right now.
Over the years, oxidation sets in with the switch contacts, and a certain
control button will start to give trouble. After a while it will stop working
completely. I'm afraid it's going to happen to all CC1's in the years ahead.
The solution is to take the back off and gently rub away the oxidation
between the switch contacts, put it all back together and it is good to go
for another twenty or more years. But there's a problem in this. The
back of the CC1 is not screwed on, it is fixed with brads (small bullet
head nails). As well as that, the back plate is glued in place. This means
you more or less have to damage the back to get it off. I suspect that this
is the reason for some high serial number CC1's. An earlier owner had
to take the back of, and after damaging it, found his only option was to
come across a cheaper CC3 and get it's back off by destroying the whole
machine, leaving only the back plate intact. It's also pretty hard to get
the metal serial plate off without damaging it.
Someone did mention that Fidelity did also make unrelated stuff, eg,
prosthetic limbs, and it could be expected that the serial numbers were
all just allocated with disregard to what the product was.
Good to have you on the forum. Yours is one of the names on the list
I mentioned up top of this post.
L
PS On further looking, I found the list of CC1 owners:
http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/html/fid ... __cc1.html
scroll down.

spacious_mind · Post by **spacious_mind** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 1:25 am

Larry wrote:
PS On further looking, I found the list of CC1 owners:
http://www.chesscomputeruk.com/html/fid ... __cc1.html
scroll down.

I would bet that list is totally out of date now.

regards

Dick Schneiders · Post by **Dick Schneiders** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 1:59 am

Larry,

Thanks for that theory, but wouldn't that only be possible if the serial numbers of CC3's are in the same range as the upper numbers that are known for CC1's. I have a couple of CC3's, but they are in storage now and I don't know the serial numbers. I doubt that anyone has bothered to compile any CC3 serial number lists. If CC3's actually have serial numbers in the, say, 10,000 to 30,000 or more range, then you might have the answer. Also, did Fidelity change the serial numbers on those CC1's that were upgraded to CC3's?

Dick

Dick Schneiders · Post by **Dick Schneiders** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 2:34 am

Mike Watters wrote:Hi Dick

There you go. Unforgettable!

The fact that yours has the plastic pieces shown on the CC1 boxes and the manual with the blue highlights just emphasises it's an early one, and a bit special.

5b-5d Regards
Mike

Uh-oh, Mike, now you've done it! Everybody is going to want this CC1 and I'm going to be inundated with offers I can't refuse. 😉 Let's see, there is a lesser example, with those common wooden pieces, on eBay right now for only $2500, with a large serial number!

I need to drag these devices out of storage to make certain they still function.

Dick

blaubaer · Post by **blaubaer** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 5:51 am

Hi Dick,

Dick Schneiders wrote:I need to drag these devices out of storage to make certain they still function.

good luck!

Sympathetic Regards,
Michael

blaubaer · Post by **blaubaer** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 5:59 am

Hi Steve,

Steve B wrote: hopefully you still have them all and did not make the tragic mistake of selling any of them these past years

this is what I always pray...

I never will sell any chess computer off my collection - but, on the other hand - where will we buy the next chess computer for our collection if nobody will sell it any more??

A vicious circle - no escape...

Confused regards,
Michael

Post by **Steve B** » Fri Nov 06, 2015 9:12 am

blaubaer wrote:
I never will sell any chess computer off my collection - but, on the other hand - where will we buy the next chess computer for our collection if nobody will sell it any more??
A vicious circle - no escape...

There will always be old Schachcomputers for sale
while i agree with you 1000% that i will never sell mine..there is an entire legion of sellers who will have tons of computers for sale in the coming years..every make and model ever released for sale
for now they remain silent ..quietly waiting ..biding their time
these sellers are known as....

Widows Regards
Steve

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New member has question on my CC1 s/n's, one is #1171

New member has question on my CC1 s/n's, one is #1171

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Re: New member has question on my CC1 s/n's, one is #1171