TASC (de Koning?)

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Reinfeld
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TASC (de Koning?)

Post by Reinfeld »

It didn't dawn on me until recently that the TASC systems (I do not own one, but I must admit I'm intrigued) come from de Koning's The King, the brain of the Chessmaster series.

I've always liked Chessmaster's style. I've got 3000 (my first software), 4000, 5000, 7000, 9000 and X. It remains my favorite interface - aimed at my sort, people who just like playing. Graphics are pleasing. Fritz has gotten better at catering to cavemen like me, but it's not arranged quite the way I like. Shredder and HIARCS are newer to me, discovered via searches for good phone apps. Shredder is better from a graphics standpoint, IMHO, but HIARCS is much stronger.
"You have, let us say, a promising politician, a rising artist that you wish to destroy. Dagger or bomb are archaic and unreliable - but teach him, inoculate him with chess."
– H.G. Wells
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Steve B
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Re: TASC (de Koning?)

Post by Steve B »

Reinfeld wrote:It didn't dawn on me until recently that the TASC systems (I do not own one, but I must admit I'm intrigued) come from de Koning's The King, the brain of the Chessmaster series.
That's right
Two versions of the King program were released in the Tasc
the 1993 King Version 2.2 and the 1995 King version 2.5

there were two versions of the Tasc unit released for sale as well
the commonly seen R30 running at 30 Mhz and the super rare R40 running at 40 Mhz
so there are 4 permutations of Tasc dedicated computers you can possibly own
there is about a 100 Elo difference between the R30 2.2 and the R40 2.5
the ratings for all four can be seen here:

http://www.schachcomputer.at/eloliste.htm

To further complicate matters..
there were two piece recognition boards released for the Tasc units
the Smart Board 20 with 64 Leds and the Smart Board 30 with 81 leds
here..the number of combinations is not so bad because the SB 20 is not compatible with the King version 2.2
so you can have an R30/40 V2.5 and use it in conjunction with either the SB20 or SB30
While an R30/40 V2.2 will only take the SB30

To Summarize every possible combination:
R40-V2.2-SB30
R40-V2.5-SB20
R40-V2.5-SB30
R30-V2.2-SB30
R30-V2.5-SB20
R30-V2.5-SB30

No Easy Tasc Regards
Steve
IanO
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Re: TASC (de Koning?)

Post by IanO »

Steve B wrote:
Reinfeld wrote:It didn't dawn on me until recently that the TASC systems (I do not own one, but I must admit I'm intrigued) come from de Koning's The King, the brain of the Chessmaster series.
That's right
Two versions of the King program were released in the Tasc
the 1993 King Version 2.2 and the 1995 King version 2.5

there were two versions of the Tasc unit released for sale as well
the commonly seen R30 running at 30 Mhz and the super rare R40 running at 40 Mhz
so there are 4 permutations of Tasc dedicated computers you can possibly own
there is about a 100 Elo difference between the R30 2.2 and the R40 2.5
the ratings for all four can be seen here:

http://www.schachcomputer.at/eloliste.htm

To further complicate matters..
there were two piece recognition boards released for the Tasc units
the Smart Board 20 with 64 Leds and the Smart Board 30 with 81 leds
here..the number of combinations is not so bad because the SB 20 is not compatible with the King version 2.2
so you can have an R30/40 V2.5 and use it in conjunction with either the SB20 or SB30
While an R30/40 V2.2 will only take the SB30

To Summarize every possible combination:
R40-V2.2-SB30
R40-V2.5-SB20
R40-V2.5-SB30
R30-V2.2-SB30
R30-V2.5-SB20
R30-V2.5-SB30

No Easy Tasc Regards
Steve
I never understood why TASC didn't license Schröder's world champion Gideon program for their dedicated units, just for the Chess Machine card. Anyone know the answer?
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Steve B
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Re: TASC (de Koning?)

Post by Steve B »

IanO wrote: I never understood why TASC didn't license Schröder's world champion Gideon program for their dedicated units, just for the Chess Machine card. Anyone know the answer?
Not sure of the dates involved but Tasc was forced to discontinue selling their dedicated units due to a patent infringement regarding the use of the piece recognition technology
this might be why they switched to the Chess Machine PC card thingy
not long after the loss of the patent case they went out of business
Not Certain Regards
Steve
Mike Watters
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Re: TASC (de Koning?)

Post by Mike Watters »

Steve B wrote: To further complicate matters..
there were two piece recognition boards released for the Tasc units
the Smart Board 20 with 64 Leds and the Smart Board 30 with 81 leds
here..the number of combinations is not so bad because the SB 20 is not compatible with the King version 2.2
so you can have an R30/40 V2.5 and use it in conjunction with either the SB20 or SB30
While an R30/40 V2.2 will only take the SB30

To Summarize every possible combination:
R40-V2.2-SB30
R40-V2.5-SB20
R40-V2.5-SB30
R30-V2.2-SB30
R30-V2.5-SB20
R30-V2.5-SB30

No Easy Tasc Regards
Steve
Steve

To even further complicate matters I recently tried to sort out the two Smartboard types and the two piece recognition circuit types and found some compatibility issues between them, and also V2.2.

See this thread - http://www.schachcomputer.info/forum/sh ... php?t=3679

Something to bear in mind if computer unit, pieces or board fail and you are thinking replacing them.

Not a Simple Tasc Regards
Mike
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Steve B
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Re: TASC (de Koning?)

Post by Steve B »

Mike Watters wrote:
Steve B wrote: To further complicate matters..
there were two piece recognition boards released for the Tasc units
the Smart Board 20 with 64 Leds and the Smart Board 30 with 81 leds
here..the number of combinations is not so bad because the SB 20 is not compatible with the King version 2.2
so you can have an R30/40 V2.5 and use it in conjunction with either the SB20 or SB30
While an R30/40 V2.2 will only take the SB30

To Summarize every possible combination:
R40-V2.2-SB30
R40-V2.5-SB20
R40-V2.5-SB30
R30-V2.2-SB30
R30-V2.5-SB20
R30-V2.5-SB30

No Easy Tasc Regards
Steve
Steve

To even further complicate matters I recently tried to sort out the two Smartboard types and the two piece recognition circuit types and found some compatibility issues between them, and also V2.2.

See this thread - http://www.schachcomputer.info/forum/sh ... php?t=3679

Something to bear in mind if computer unit, pieces or board fail and you are thinking replacing them.

Not a Simple Tasc Regards
Mike
Interesting Post Mike
Thanks
actually i have never come across any compatibility issues with the Tasc Pieces
but i cant say i have tried mixing and matching pieces and boards
like i do sometimes swap the boards and the units
will give that a whirl
Yet Another Tasc Regards
Steve
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