Dina 2 in one

Dina 2 in one
Manufacturer: Bit Corporation
Variants: Telegames Personal Arcade

The DINA 2 in One, originally known as the Chuang Zao Zhe 50, is a video game console manufactured by Bit Corporation, a Taiwanese electronics company. It is a hybrid console with the ability to play ColecoVision and SG-1000 games. This hybrid was possible due to the fact that the ColecoVision and SG-1000 have nearly identical hardware; the two systems share the same CPU, VDP and sound chip.

History

The DINA was initially released in 1986. The system included a built-in ColecoVision game, Meteoric Shower.

In 1988, American video games company Telegames, supposedly with a license from Coleco, approached Bit Corporation with the proposition of selling the console under their name. Bit Corporation presumably agreed and the console was re-branded the Telegames Personal Arcade. For a period, only the box used the Telegames branding - the unit itself was still labeled as a DINA 2 in one.

It is not known whether Sega was aware that the Telegames Personal Arcade existed. The Telegames Personal Arcade did not openly advertise SG-1000 compatibility as the SG-1000 was never released in North America, and furthermore it was only available via mail order, so it is possible that it slipped by unnoticed.

The Telegames Personal Arcade was sold for US$40 but is now extremely rare, partly because of the small-scale distribution methods employed by Telegames, and partly due to a tornado which swept through Telegames' remaining stock in 1994.

Interestingly, Telegames released a ColecoVision game compilation for Windows in 1996 titled "Telegames Personal Arcade".

System Overview

The design of the DINA seems to be heavily inspired by the SG-1000 II. It uses gamepads similar to the SG-1000 II, with a D-pad and unlabled and buttons. The controllers also slide into the sides of the unit to save space. A numeric keypad exists on the front of the console itself for use with ColecoVision games, as well as a pause button for SG-1000 games. As expected, the pause button does not work with ColecoVision games and the keypad is incompatible with the SG-1000.

The vast majority of both ColecoVision and SG-1000 games are compatible, however there are some exceptions. ColecoVision games which require the keypad for actual gameplay are more difficult to play, and ColecoVision controllers are incompatible with the system. This also means that games which require the ColecoVision's Super Action Controllers or Expansion Module #2 cannot be played.

At the rear of the system is an expansion port, which is not compatible with ColecoVision or SG-1000 add-ons, such as the ColecoVision's Expansion Module #1 (which allows for the play of Atari 2600 games) or the SK-1100 keyboard. The system also lacks a switch for when both a ColecoVision and SG-1000 game are inserted. A small leaf switch was placed inside the SG-1000 slot in order for the system to differentiate which slot is being used.

The cheap price also leads to a cheaply made console. The VDP in particular is prone to overheating due to the lack of a heat sink, a required component for TMS9918-series VDPs. It is also a much lighter and smaller unit than either the ColecoVision or SG-1000 and is constructed out of low-quality plastic. The RF output (which is NTSC) is also very prone to interference and is tuned to channel 13 (channels 2-4 are used for RF output in North America); this can be remedied through an AV mod. The controllers are also of poor quality and have short, stiff cords.

Gallery

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  Chuang Zao Zhe 50, the original Taiwanese release of the DINA 2-in-1

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  DINA 2 in one console packaged in a Telegames Personal Arcade box

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  Underside of unit

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  Cartridge slot (left SG-1000, right ColecoVision)

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  Keypad for ColecoVision games

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  Pause button for SG-1000 games

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  Back of unit

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  Gamepads

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  Front of box (Telegames)

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  Back of box (Telegames)