Diablo 68000 - Chess Computer

Novag Industries Limited; Hong Kong

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  • Year
  • 1991 ?
  • Category
  • Signal Processing and Computing
  • Radiomuseum.org ID
  • 371864

 Technical Specifications

  • Number of Transistors
  • Semiconductors present.
  • Semiconductors
  • Main principle
  • DSP, Digital Signal Processor
  • Wave bands
  • - without
  • Power type and voltage
  • Powered by external power supply or a main unit. / AC: 8.5 Volt
  • Loudspeaker
  • - - No sound reproduction output.
  • Material
  • Wooden case
  • from Radiomuseum.org
  • Model: Diablo 68000 - Chess Computer - Novag Industries Limited; Hong
  • Shape
  • Tablemodel, with any shape - general.
  • Dimensions (WHD)
  • 490 x 400 x 55 mm / 19.3 x 15.7 x 2.2 inch
  • Notes

  • Diablo 68000 - Chess Computer

    Introduced in late 1991, the Diablo 68000 represented Novag's top-tier flagship desktop chess computer, marking programmer David Kittinger’s successful transition of his chess engine onto 16-bit Motorola hardware.

    Hardware Twins: The Diablo 68000 shared identical internal circuit architecture and program code with its plastic-housed companion model, the Novag Scorpio 68000. While the Scorpio catered to a mid-range market, the Diablo was housed in a luxury hand-crafted wooden cabinet with automatic magnetic reed-switch sensory board technology.
    Market Context: Positioned directly against the Mephisto Exclusive Dallas 68000, the Diablo offered advanced features such as selective search levels, transposition hash tables, and an RS-232 serial link to output games to a personal computer. Due to the high price point (£599) and the shift toward PC-based software in the early 1990s, the Diablo had relatively low production numbers, making it a sought-after unit among electronic chess collectors today.

    Technical Specifications

    • Main Processor / Microcontroller: Motorola 68000 (16-bit CISC CPU running at 16 MHz)
    • Programmer / Software: David Kittinger
    • Memory Architecture:
      • ROM:  96 kB (contains chess engine and opening book)
      • RAM:  80 kB total (including  allocated for transposition hash tables)
    • Opening Book:  > 32,000 ply variations (up to 60 ply deep) + 1,500 user-programmable book moves
    • Playing Performance: Rated approx. 2002 ELO (SSDF / USCF)
    • Chessboard & Input: Auto-sensory wooden board ( 32 x 32 cm playing area) with LED indicators on each square
    • Display / Interface: Multi-digit LCD display for move evaluation, depth search, move clock, and principle variation output
    • External Connectivity: Serial RS-232 interface port (selectable 1200 or 9600 baud) for connection to external PCs/terminals
    • Power Supply: External 8.5V AC adapter (, Novag Model 8220)
    • Housing / Cabinet: Premium wooden cabinet with hand-carved magnetic wooden chess pieces (King height: 7.8 cm)
  • Author
  • Model page created by Gary Cowans. See "Data change" for further contributors.

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