The last of the Franklin ACE computers - the ACE 500.
The first Franklin computers, the 100 and 1000
were rip-offs of their Apple equivalent, and Franklin paid the price for it. They were sued by Apple
and forced to develop their own operating system rather than just copy someone elses.
The resultant LEGAL Franklin computer systems were the 2000 and 500,
which are still clones of similar Apple computer systems, but have no illegal code in them.
The ACE 500 is most similar to the Apple IIc, with characteristics such as a one-piece case with a handle,
an external power supply, and a built-in floppy drive on the right side of they system,
but they look quite different physically.
The Franklin ACE 500 has 256K of memory installed, with room to add an additional 256K for 512K total RAM.
Other options include a battery-backed clock and calendar.
There is space for internal power supply, but it is empty. There is a giant external one instead:
The power supply pin assignments are:
1) GND Sense
2) GND
3) GND
4) -12v (0.1A)
5) +12v (1.2A)
6) +5v (1.8A)
7) +5 Sense
The "RGB" switch above the keyboard is to choose the color of the text when using an RGB monitor.
Choices are white, blue, green and amber.
The bank of dipswitches one the back is to select the proper parameters for the RGB monitor.
1 - ???
2 - Horizontal Synch polarity for an IBM monitor - up is positive, down is negative.
3 - Vertical Synch polarity - up is positive, down is negative.
4 - Color palette - up is Apple, down is IBM.
5 - Monochrome Double High Resolution. Down selects the monochrome display when using double high res.
6 - Automatic line feed for the printer. Up sends an automatic line feed signal, down doesn't.
There is space for internal power supply, but it is empty. There is a giant external one instead:
