# Visicom Video Computer System Model COM-100 > RCA Studio II clone **Wikidata**: [Q70094339](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q70094339) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/visicom-video-computer-system-model-com-100 ## Summary The Visicom Video Computer System Model COM-100 is a home video game console manufactured by Toshiba and released in 1978. It is a hardware clone of the RCA Studio II and belongs to the second generation of video game consoles. The system utilizes the RCA 1802 8-bit microprocessor. ## Key Facts - **Manufacturer:** Toshiba - **Release Year:** 1978 - **Classification:** Home video game console; part of the second generation of video game consoles. - **Architecture:** Based on the RCA Studio II; utilizes the RCA 1802 8-bit CMOS microprocessor. - **CPU Speed:** 1.76 (unit implied MHz based on context) - **Also Known As:** Visicom COM-100, Visicom 100 - **Entity Type:** Video game console model - **Source Documentation:** Described by *The Video Game Kraken* and listed in the *Old-Computers.com* museum (ID: 1313). ## FAQs ### Q: Is the Visicom COM-100 a unique console design? A: No, it is explicitly classified as a clone of the RCA Studio II, meaning it replicates the hardware and functionality of the original RCA console rather than introducing a new architecture. ### Q: Who manufactured the Visicom COM-100? A: The Visicom COM-100 was manufactured by Toshiba, a Japanese multinational electronics conglomerate headquartered in Minato, Japan. ### Q: What processor does the Visicom Video Computer System use? A: The system is powered by the RCA 1802, an 8-bit CMOS microprocessor running at a speed of 1.76. ## Why It Matters The Visicom Video Computer System Model COM-100 represents a specific historical phase in the electronics industry where established consumer electronics manufacturers adopted early video game architectures through cloning or licensing. While the second generation of video game consoles is often dominated by narratives surrounding Atari or Mattel, the Visicom highlights the role of Toshiba—a major Japanese conglomerate founded in 1875—in the early home gaming market. Its existence underscores the global reach of the RCA Studio II architecture. While the original RCA Studio II is often remembered for its limitations, the fact that Toshiba utilized its design (specifically the RCA 1802 processor) for the Visicom COM-100 demonstrates the transferability of early microprocessor technology. Furthermore, the device serves as a case study in the "console wars" era preceding the North American video game crash, illustrating how Western technology was adapted and sold by Eastern manufacturers. For historians and collectors, the Visicom COM-100 is a tangible link between the American origins of 8-bit home computing and the Japanese manufacturing prowess that would soon come to dominate the industry. ## Notable For - **Being an RCA Studio II Clone:** It is a direct hardware replica of the RCA Studio II, one of the early cartridge-based consoles. - **Toshiba Manufacturing:** It is a rare example of a video game console produced by Toshiba during the 1970s. - **Specific CPU Architecture:** It utilizes the RCA 1802 (CDP 1802), a notable 8-bit CMOS microprocessor used in various early computing and space applications. - **Second Generation Status:** It is a distinct member of the second generation of video game consoles (1976–1992). ## Body ### Hardware and Specifications The Visicom Video Computer System Model COM-100 is built around the **RCA 1802** 8-bit CMOS microprocessor. This CPU choice aligns it directly with the architecture of the RCA Studio II. According to technical records, the processor in the Visicom operates at a clock rate of **1.76**. As a home video game console, it falls under the subclass of electronic devices designed primarily for playing video games on a television set. ### Development and History Released in **1978**, the Visicom COM-100 was produced by **Toshiba** (Toshiba Corporation). Toshiba, a major player in the global electronics industry headquartered in Minato, Japan, entered the gaming sphere with this device during the late 1970s. The console is essentially a rebadged or cloned version of the **RCA Studio II**, which was originally released by RCA in 1977. The system is identified in historical archives under several aliases, including the **Visicom COM-100** and **Visicom 100**. It is categorized within the **second generation of video game consoles**, a era characterized by the move from dedicated Pong consoles to systems based on microprocessors and interchangeable ROM cartridges (though the Studio II and its clones utilized built-in games and keypads more prominently than later cartridge systems). ### External Identification The console has been preserved in digital records through specific identifiers: - **Old-Computers.com ID:** 1313 - **The Spriters Resource Platform ID:** visicom_com_100 - **Wikidata Description:** RCA Studio II clone ## References 1. [Source](https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1313&st=2) 2. [Source](https://videogamekraken.com/visicom-c-100-by-toshiba)