What a weird system ! After their Combat Lunaire, Stellar Electronique announced a brand new and revolutionary system : Micromat, also named "micro-ordinateur de jeux, fonctions universelles", i.e. "gaming micro-computer, universal fonctions". What a program ! It seems to be an original mix between a check board gaming system, a micro-computer and a video-game system !!
The system uses almost the same plastic case as the Combat Lunaire system, though it is black here. There is a check board built-in the case used to play checkerboard games like tic-tac-toe, checkers, chess, etc. All moves of a game session can be saved on tape, and reloaded to finish it !
But games can also be loaded from cartridge, tape and even vinyl records ! The system can be connected to a TV to play video games, though there is a built-in display (8 digits, 14 segments)... There are sound features but specs are unknown.
Interaction is made through a knob and fire switch (button?) built-in the part of the system. There is also a 18 keys keypad next to the checkboard. Games listed in the press release were : tic-tac-toe, checker, chess, bridge, lunar landing, star war, chess, go... The system is described as "the first universal mini-computer of great power mainly aimed at games".
It is not clear if this system was ever released, but it was for sure a very original and interesting object !
We need more info about this console ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system,
please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.
Please consider donating your old computer / videogame system to Old-Computers.com or one of our partners from anywhere in the world (Europe, America, Asia, etc.).
Did you find the information of this micro computer in the magazine "Le Haut Parleur no.1642 - Mars 1979", because in issue No.1643 on page 143, they wrote that they talked about the Stellar in their previous issue (March 15, 1979) and it uses a Z80 as a "uP" (microprocessor).
If anyone has a scan or a copy of this particular magazine, please post a link for pictures/scans. Thanks! $)
