The mysterious big white "Sharp C1 TV"

[dado2095]

Hello everyone!  

This is my first topic since I've been in the forum, and i wanna use it to possibly gather some information on the Sharp 19C-C1F!

I've seen Sharp C1 TV's popping up for sale occasionally, one time I even seen the keyboard peripheral up for sale; but in all this years I have never seen this particular model for sale or in any other occasion! The only pieces of media that i found that testify its existence are three old low res photos (probably taken from a catalog) and the commercial for this TV with the big yellow bird mascot (it's somewhere on Youtube). Same thing with the storage cabinet under it (available for both versions of the TV by looking at the photos).

Does anyone have any more information on this model? Does anyone know someone who owns it in a collection? Has anyone ever seen this model, in person or not, apart from these photos? Why this big white model is so elusive?

Thanks in advance!

[dado2095]

I've seen the controllers for this before, but never the actual white tv. Interesting find.

Lucky you! I've never even seen parts of this TV (like the little hinged door that covers the expansion port), let alone the controllers!

P.S. Looking in the japanese speaking internet a new photo surfaced, probably coming from the same brochure with the photo of all the models  together. Very similar to the first one, nothing special

[dado2095]

I can do better! I just found a scan of the entire brochure on this site!

http://ratscats.client.jp/s-c1.html

The keyboard I've seen had it's box, it was very simple with black graphics stamped on natural brown cardoard. Maybe it was an add on that you can buy not from a brick and mortar store, but only directly from Sharp? It was probably a short lived product, since I presume the C1 can use the normal famicom BASIC perfecly. Also, I wonder if the keyboard too was mulicolor, to match the various TV models. I'v only seen it in silver.

[dado2095]

Thanks!

I really hope that more information will come up! With this site, which was a real stroke of luck, I think I found everything possible (for one with a knowledge of the japanese language equal to zero like me  )

Who knows, maybe sharp has one of every model, hidden an underground bunker 
Post Merge: December 09, 2018, 05:41:27 am
If i recall correctly, the Sharp Junior Graphics is built in the TV itself, jointly with another program or two. the Playbox Basic cart is probably more advanced and have more funcions compared to a normal Famicom BASIC black cart (maybe it's more similar to the Basc V3?)

But I can't be sure, i've never seen the cart in action... 

[P]

Judging by the fact that the Playbox BASIC prototype ROM that floats around on the internet has NS-HuBASIC version 0.0 it sounds like Playbox BASIC predates Family BASIC. Family BASIC also has the biorythm board replaced by a message board and the biorythm programming is put into a new fortune telling thing. I haven't seen a non-prototype version of the Playbox BASIC ROM, but it probably has NS-HuBASIC version 1.0 judging by the screenshots, same as early Family BASIC carts.
Playbox BASIC has quicker menus (the computer is a bit less talkative) and the biorythm board, but other than that it's almost identical to Family BASIC v1.

The keyboard is most likely identical with a Family BASIC keyboard function-wise (at least the Famibe keyboard is fully compatible with the prototype, I've tried it on my Everdrive and keyboard).

I haven't seen the built-in ROM with "JR Graphic" and "TV Note" on the internet, but I remember LET saying he played them on his Everdrive. I'd really like to know what the ROM images are called, because I still can't find them.

[dado2095]

Very interesting informations! Thanks a lot P! 

I wonder, has anyone ever tried to contact Sharp directly about these products? I tried to find an e-Mail or something but it seems that Sharp doesn't have one simply dedicated to general inquiry, only for industry related businnes and such.

[dado2095]

That's the commercial I was talking about, with that Muppet looking bird! too bad it's a very static commercial and you can't see nothing except the front of the TV, but it's better than nothing! Thank you for retrieving it from the internet  

What a shame that Sharp don't respond on Twitter, it could have been a good opportunity  

[L___E___T]

I haven't seen the built-in ROM with "JR Graphic" and "TV Note" on the internet, but I remember LET saying he played them on his Everdrive. I'd really like to know what the ROM images are called, because I still can't find them.

I'm without a decent computer at the moment but I'll try and find that ROM and share it / the name here.

It's public domain but I couldn't recall where I got it from now, that was many years ago, I've moved house three times since then!