Ritam Master Monty Plays Scrabble (Blue Case) (1987, LCD,
4 C Batteries, Model# ??)
CPU: Z-80 Microprocessor
Programmed by: Robert Walls (according to the Main System ROM)
Extra downloads: ROM images of Master
Monty Main System ROM (27C256 EPROM)
Expansion Module #1 / Expansion
Module #2 (Both 27128 EPROMS)
Ritam's second-generation Scrabble computer that allows you play a game of Scrabble by yourself (or you can play with up to 3 players). Has a built-in 24,000 vocabulary (double the built-in capacity of the previous version), which is expandable to 56,000 by way of 2 expansion modules each containing 16,000 more obscure words (the modules are the same for either Monty or Master Monty), and has a more advanced Scrabble program for more complex (and difficult) gameplay. You can use the included 'score cards' (which look like little Scrabble boards), or you can use a real Scrabble board and tiles to play. The ROM images of the System ROM and both expansion modules are available above for download. You can burn them to the appropriate EPROM and install them in your game (but you still need the plastic adapter for the expansion modules unless you want to replace the sockets with normal chip sockets or solder the EPROMs directly to the main board). The links go directly to the binary files, so you might have to do a right-click/save-as. (Also note, Monty and Master Monty apparently originally came with a little pen.)
Master Monty was available in two forms: one is a direct conversion of an existing Monty (so it looks the same from the outside), and the blue one pictured here. Both of these versions were hand-upgraded by adding chips and wires to the inside of the game (this is why I've included circuit board pictures here so you can see the difference).
Here you see the 'true' Master Monty and it's box (which is
still just a Monty box with a sticker added):
Here you can see the hand-made modifications to the board. It's hard to see,
but just below
the Main System ROM there's a chip that's been added by gluing it upside-down
to the circuit
board, and then soldering all the blue wires to it's leads. Again, the 5 large
chips/sockets are:
Z80 CPU / 2K Static RAM / Main System ROM / ROM socket #1 & #2 for expansion
modules.
The Main System ROM for Master Monty is actually a 27C256 EPROM.
(These modifications are exactly the same as the Monty Conversion version of
Master Monty.)
Do I have this? Yes, boxed.