Exploring the Comet Notebook: 1997 computer... thing

What a Well Down video! And I gotta say I LOVE these strange computers. It's weird that it has so little but still "runs" some form of DOS.

Zem Hysong

The version of Tetris on there looks identical to the version that was on the Brother Word Processor we used to have in the early 90s, before we got an actual PC

Dizzy

This is reminiscent of those edutainment computers with the monochrome screens. They had all kinds of...well, edutainment games, obviously. Kinda wish I still had mine, it'd be fun to go back and play around with it some more.

Tim

Well "down" video!

Mukul Kewalramani

Nice video! From what I could gathered online, it appears that Comet is actually a Chinese electronic dictionary manufacturer based in Dongguan, Guangdong, China. The Notebook featured in the video was probably one of their earlier products in the late 90s or the early 2000s. The unused connector on the logic board is probably for attaching new dictionary modules (Their newer products still have similar functionalities, as shown on this website: <a href="http://item.jd.com/997887.html)." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://item.jd.com/997887.html).</a> However, since the Comet Notebook was marketed towards the Turkish market, this function was removed. Unfortunately Comet's website is gone for good and the only website I could find was this absolutely outdated website from decades ago (<a href="http://dgcomet.diytrade.com/sdp/391442/2/pl-2037193/0/%E4%BA%A7%E5%93%81%E7%9B%AE%E5%BD%95.html)." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://dgcomet.diytrade.com/sdp/391442/2/pl-2037193/0/%E4%BA%A7%E5%93%81%E7%9B%AE%E5%BD%95.html).</a> Sadly, their product catalog did not include the Comet Notebook. I will do more digging on those Chinese websites and I will let you know if I found anything :)

"Derp". Clint! You're killing me!! XD

Carey Brown

Your winner!

Gary Leigh

I was very disappointed that the communication program wasn't a terminal. It would be interesting to see this connect to a BBS. lol

I say you just “byte the bullet” and change your channel’s name to Lazy Gadget Reviews. Not as catchy but more accurate. :)

Joon Choi

The tune is 'It's a Small World After All'. I remember hearing it as a kid at a Disney ice show that my mum took me to many many moons ago. Really interesting video. Great to see such an obscure bit of tech.

Bryndal Dwyre

Random Question: What software and format do you use to backup multisession cd games?

Garoninja

Considering when it came out, it might very well be based on one of the original, terrible NOACs. At the time they were spread out across 3 chips or 3 glop tops, such as this one. That slot might be for a ROM cart insertion, such as small little games. Without actually taking one and burning off the glop top and inspecting the chip underneath with my microscope, I can't be too sure, but if we're looking at a country like Turkey circa 1997, that's in the perfect spot for such a chip arrangement to be in that time period. Not good enough to work like an actual NES, but good enough to build your own little pocket organizer. Looking into it, it's likely either that or a spread-out SOC style Z80. I'd bet money on it being either of those.

avfusion

Most likely! I was thinking it might be a spot for a ROM cart for other software, judging by the spot on the main board behind the plastic

LGR

I hope I can get the serial connection working to see if anything else can be added to it, but yeah I have my doubts. Gotta love super simple machines like this.

LGR

Yep it makes perfect sense, just takes a minute to get used to :)

LGR

Glad you enjoy it!

LGR

I'm guessing that the front bay is probably a vestigial one from another model that would use it and since this one doesn't have that functionality it was cheaper to simply close the compartment than to fabricate an entirely new cover. Who knows what use could it have, though. An expansion port?

Pablo Rodriguez

Neat machine. I'm sure it was probably cheap and that was it's main selling point. It sort of reminds me of the V-Tech I.Q. computer that I reviewed not too long ago. Basically just a bunch of crappy built in software and no way to run 3rd party stuff or make your own.

The 8-Bit Guy

You know, having to press a direction twice (once for facing a direction and another one for moving) rather than instantly moving is actually an important benefit for a Sokoban game. You certainly want to avoid unwanted moves as much as possible.

Pablo Rodriguez

Thanks for the video! I always love seeing weird hardware stuff!

Christian Fuchs

Ah, that'd make sense. I've always played the DOS versions by Spectrum Holobyte, couldn't remember if it had those modes

LGR

Far as I can tell it's never been dumped. Is it a risky/destructive process?

LGR

Interesting how all the game titles have a pair of six-sided stars on them. As for the Tetris thing, since it's copying Nintendo's stuff right down to the names, the Type A and B are probably just like in the NES version of Tetris, where Type A is all about making a high score and Type B is about clearing a specific number of lines with or without extra blocks scattered at the start.

Kris Asick

The SOP chip soldered to the board is a 4mbit flash memory IC (512kB). If this has never been dumped before it would be interesting to see the contents. Send me a PM if you need it dumped.

Steven Tucker

Yeah, the addition of programs like a spreadsheet editor, rolodex, and currency/metric conversion software lead me to believe it was geared (at least in part) towards adults or business users. Odd thing indeed!

LGR

This makes me feel like it's a kids' "learning to computer" machine, but designed to look like a real laptop. Like a Leap Frog trying to pass as something adults would use. Very strange with the Star of David all over the games section. Last tidbit: looks like the one exposed chip is RAM for the battery backed storage. So, no telling what this thing really is.

JennaKay

Heh well, it's not big enough to actually hold the 4 AAs that it needs to work so that seems unlikely

LGR

Oh whoops, I thought I checked the comments before posting about the song, but just noticed the first one. Sorry!

Skoddie

The song is "It's a Small World After All" :P I'm wondering if the original mouse could be stored in that little bay, but that would be awfully small.

Skoddie

My theory about the little open door thing is that it was a slot designed to hold spare batteries? But that might be a stretch

Terry Lee

That would be a lot of pins for a battery, yeah. Still, hard to tell since it's just an empty plastic compartment.

LGR

Shades of Big Rigs Over the Road Racing! :D

Nicholas Wilson

At least that actually ran MS-DOS :)

LGR

Nope, it's not the right port gender. Atari/Commodore/Sega controllers use a female DE-9 connection on the end, which does not connect to this one since it is also female. The male 9-pin port is the Comet serial port, but it doesn't work with a serial mouse in my experimentation and is seemingly only for use with the serial transfer program.

LGR

Sort of reminds me of my elderly Atari Portfolio, only bigger and not as good? :)

Nicholas Wilson

Well down! Conglaturations! You're winner!

moosemaimer

It kind of seems like that bay could be for a rechargeable battery. but I cant imagine it would need that many pins

That mouseport is the old standard Atari port that a lot of old systems used. You reviewed an Amiga 500 way back when. That mouse has the right connector. Do you still have it lying around? Could just try an old Sega controller in there and see what happens as well I guess.

Ahh, so it is, thanks!

LGR

Mostly, but its layout is indeed unique to the Comet. Specifically its usage of the function+numlock for the fourth function on various keys. And in the top-right you get things like insert/delete that have been moved and characters like the apostrophe and comma have been switched.

LGR

“You’re learning to type on this specific Comet keyboard”. That looks like a standard Turkish keyboard layout, though there are a couple of different ones. <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTY" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTY</a>

Bastien Nocera

It's the Small World song.

Kijikun