The first model was an upgrade kit for the company's color computer terminal, turning the Intecolor 8001 into the Compucolor 8001 by adding more RAM and a number of optional storage systems.
Released some time in early 1976,[4] it consisted of a $1,395 kit based around a 19-inch RCA delta-gun CRT[6] and came with 4 kB of random-access memory (RAM).
The company did not begin selling the systems until the middle of 1978,[19] by which time the Apple II was widely available with similar specs at a lower price point.
The Compucolor II was based on the 8080 operating at 1.99 MHz clock rate and used a SMC CRT5027 video controller,[21][22][23][24] a Japanese-produced version of the Texas Instruments TMS 9927, programmed to provide a screen format of 32 lines with 64 characters per line (see Compucolor II character set).
[12][25] Three available keyboards having 72 (standard), 101 (expanded), or 117 (deluxe) individual keys, attached to the computer with a 25-pin ribbon cable.
The keys were full-travel "Cherry brand" type having gold cross-bar contacts with excellent feel and reliability.
The Compucolor II used a custom designed 51.2 KB 5.25" floppy disk drive, which was placed on the right side of the monitor cabinet.
There were reliability issues with this design since any variance in motor spindle speed would cause difficulty reading or writing floppy media.
[26] Over 20 software titles were officially released by Compucolor with custom 5-1/4" artwork title covers:[27][28][29][30] Air Raid,[31] Asteroids,[32] Backgammon,[33] Othello,[34][35][17] Blackjack,[36] Bounce,[37] Chess,[38] Cubic Tic Tac Toe,[39] Hangman,[40] Lunar Lander,[41] Maze Master,[42] Sharks,[43] Shoot,[44] Solitaire,[45] Star Trader,[46] Star Trip,[47] and Swarms.
Another line of game software was also marketed widely and included titles such as Lightning Command,[50] Target Omega,[51] Freebooter[52] and Bomb Squad.