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History of video games/Platforms/Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000

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  • The Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000
    The Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000

History

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The small city of Bryan, Ohio - the provenance of the Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000.

Background

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Ohio Art is a company based in Bryan, a small community in northwest Ohio.[1] The company had begun to experiement with an electronic Etch-A-Sketch when they released the original Etch-A-Skech animator, a device capable of 12 frames of animations, in 1986.[2][3] The system retailed for $139.99 and cartridges cost $29.99.[4] It's important to note that the original Etch-A-Sketch animator was essentially a digital version of the analog Etch-A-Sketch,[5] and as purely an art and animation device it did not play games.

Development

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Development of the Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000 began in 1987.[6] In 1988 Ohio Art received a patent for the original Etch-A-Sketch Animator.[7][8]

Launch

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Its mother is a computer. Its father is a toy
—Marketing slogan, Philadelphia Inquirer[9]

The Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000 launched in 1988.[6][10]

Legacy

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The Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000 was not a success and production ended by 1990.[11]

A TV plug and play system, the Etch-A-Sketch ETO was launched in 2004 for $35.[12] The Ohio Art Company would later work on a different system, the K-Magic

Technology

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Compute

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The Etch-A-Sketch Animator was advertised as having "196K memory", as well as having "30 functions".[4]

22 images could be stored in the Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000, and 99 animation frames using those pictures could be saved.[13] A memory cartridge was available to expand storage.[14][15]

Hardware

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The Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000 has a black and white LCD with a resolution of 60 pixels by 40 pixels.[16]

The Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000 has a touch pad and stylus.[14][17]

The Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000 uses six AA batteries.[14]

The system was protected by a styrofoam shell while in its box.[18][14]

The system was made in the USA with some parts sourced from Hong Kong and Japan.[19]

Original Etch-A-Sketch Animator Specs

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The original Etch-A-Sketch Animator has a 4-bit Sanyo LC6523 microcontroller, two kilobytes of RAM, and an LCD screen with a resolution of 40 by 30 pixels.[20]

Game Library

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Three games were released for the Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000.[21]

  • Putt-Nuts - 18 hole Mini golf game.[21][6] Has a two player mode.[22]
  • Flyby - Flight simulator.[23][6] Todd Marshall worked on this game.[24]
  • Overdrive - Racing game.[6]
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    The Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000
  •  
    A racing game cartridge for the Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000.
  •  
    The original 1986 Etch-A-Sketch Animator.

External Resources

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Wikipedia has related information at Etch A Sketch

References

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  1. ↑ "History of Ohio Art Company Metal Lithography Ohio Art Company". Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  2. ↑ "Disappointing Gifts, 1986 Edition: The Etch A Sketch Animator". TechCrunch. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  3. ↑ "Significant dates in Etch A Sketch history". The Blade. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  4. ↑ Belkin, Lisa (25 December 1986). "FOR ONCE, A CALM TOY SEASON (Published 1986)". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/25/business/for-once-a-calm-toy-season.html. 
  5. ↑ a b c d e "Etch A Sketch invented by Arthur Granjean in year 1959". targetstudy.com. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  6. ↑ "Etch A Sketch!". hlflegal.com. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Electronic sketching device". 13 December 1985. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "ELECTRIFYING GIFTS & GIZMOS: FOR KIDS, TOYS THAT TEACH" (in en). search.proquest.com (Philadelphia Inquirer). November 24, 1988. https://search.proquest.com/docview/1833082226?pq-origsite=summon. Retrieved 19 November 2020. 
  9. ↑ "A Revival for Makers of Classic Toys (Published 1988)". The New York Times. 9 March 1988. https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/09/business/a-revival-for-makers-of-classic-toys.html. 
  10. ↑ "History of The Ohio Art Company – FundingUniverse". www.fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  11. ↑ Zipern, Andrew (12 August 2004). "NEWS WATCH: TOYS; A Classic Pad Goes Digital, But Is It Shakable? (Published 2004)". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  12. ↑ "Etch-A-Sketch Animator ilovethe80s.com". ilovethe80s.com. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  13. ↑ a b c d "A closer look at the Ohio Art Etch A Sketch Animator 2000 Family Entertainment System". Imgur. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  14. ↑ "BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Gadget Show closes at - ProQuest". search.proquest.com. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "English: My Etch A Sketch Animator 2000". 21 January 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  16. ↑ "Unique Etch A Sketch Animator 2000 Game System Review Gamester 81". Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  17. ↑ "The Etch A Sketch Animator 2000 Ohio Art Rare-with Box And Original Pen #1936265130". Worthpoint. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  18. ↑ "Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000 and "Overdrive" - Unboxing, Gameplay, & Review". Retrieved 16 November 2020. {{cite web}}: Text "Retro Game Living Room" ignored (help)
  19. ↑ "Etch-A-Sketch Animator: Demo and Repair". Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  20. ↑ a b "Review and full play through of Putt-Nuts for Etch-A-Sketch Animator 2000". Retrieved 16 November 2020. {{cite web}}: Text "Retro Game Living Room" ignored (help)
  21. ↑ "Unique Etch A Sketch Animator 2000 Game System Review Gamester 81". Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  22. ↑ "video game: Flyby - The Ohio Art Company". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  23. ↑ "Atari Compendium". www.ataricompendium.com. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
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