Fidelity+Electronics

was an American [|hearing-aid] manufacturing company, founded in 1959, and in March 1970 purchased by Sidney and Myron Samole. Among its other cutting-edge technology, Fidelity Electronics produced high-tech, bio-medical products, such as [|myo-electric] hands, prostheses that could actually be controlled by the brain impulses of amputees. Since 1976, Fidelity Electronics developed and produced dedicated chess computers. || toc =Photos= =History= Sidney Samole was the man who dreamed, patented and produced the first commercial chess computer. He closely cooperated with Ron Nelson and later with Dan and Kathe Spracklen. He was credited with inventing the first commercial electronic chess game in the 1970s after watching a [|Star Trek] episode. It seems that he actually had the idea but it was Ron Nelson who really created the machine, called Fidelity Chess Challenger 1. After building three working models and four non-working models, Sidney Samole decided to promote his new brainchild at [|Chicago's] [|Consumer Electronics Show] in [|January 1977]. Fidelity prospered. In fact, it seems that the success of the //Fidelity Chess Challenger 7// computer, which sold about 600,000 units was responsible for the move from [|Chicago], [|Illinois] to [|Miami] [|Florida] in January 1981. Fidelity also produced computerized [|Bridge], Checkers, and Othello games. Fidelity manufactured all its games in the US.
 * Home * Organizations * Fidelity Electronics**
 * [[image:Fidelity_logo.JPG link="http://www.schach-computer.info/wiki/index.php/Fidelity"]] ||~  || **Fidelity Electronics** (**Fidelity International Inc.**),
 * Fidelity Logo ||~  ||^   ||
 * [[image:NelsonEngineer.jpg width="626" link="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N05/859077348/sizes/z/in/photostream/"]] ||
 * Director of Engineering: Ron Nelson ||
 * ~ ||
 * [[image:SpracklensAppleICE.jpg link="http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N05/858218235/in/photostream"]] ||
 * Kathe and Dan Spracklen debugging Challenger with Apple II [|in-circuit emulator] ||

By 1989, a recession was in the wind, and Sidney Samole was sensitive to its warning breezes. He sold Fidelity Electronics at the top of its value to Hegener & Glaser. Sidney's son, Shane Samole, who already started Fidelity Canada in 1984 took a loan from his father and started Excalibur Electronics in 1992. Sidney Samole died on July 30, 2000.

=Achievements= Fidelity chess computers won the first four World Microcomputer Chess Championships: Chess Challenger won in London 1980, Fidelity X in Travemünde 1981, Elite A/S in Budapest 1983, and Elite X in Glasgow 1984. Moreover, they won the first four US Mikrocomputer Chess Championships, all held in [|Mobile, Alabama], in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988. A remarkable performance is its first place in the ACM 1988 Championship, tied with Deep Thought.

=People=

Programmers
Ron Nelson, Kathe and Dan Spracklen were Samole's protégés and "house" programmers. Nelson programs were all Intel 8080 or [|Zilog] Z80 based, while the Spracklens relied on [|MOS Technology] 6502 and later on Motorola 68000 and successors. Soon after Samole sold Fidelity to Hegener & Glaser, some more programmers were associated with Fidelity chess computers.


 * ~ Author ||~ List of computers ||
 * Kaare Danielsen || [|Danielsen, Kaare] ||
 * Frank Duason || ||
 * Ed English || ||
 * Richard Lang || [|Lang, Richard] ||
 * Ron Nelson || [|Nelson, Ron] ||
 * Frans Morsch || [|Morsch, Frans] ||
 * Eric van Riet Paap || [|Van Riet Paap, Eric] ||
 * Dan Spracklen || [|Spracklen, Dan & Kathe] ||
 * Kathe Spracklen || [|Spracklen, Dan & Kathe] ||
 * Mark Taylor || [|Taylor, Mark] ||

Misc

 * Boris Baczynskyj
 * Terry Everett
 * Tom Fürstenberg
 * Peter-Ingolf Gericke
 * Florian Glaser since 1989
 * Manfred Hegener since 1989
 * David Levy
 * Ron Nelson now Vice President - Engineering for Excalibur Electronics
 * Peter Reckwitz
 * Myron Samole
 * Shane Samole owner Excalibur Electronics
 * Sidney Samole

=Fidelity Computers= Fidelity had various brand names for their chess computers, most notably Chess Challenger. While competing at official tournaments, development- or experimental versions were called Fidelity X or Challenger X. To expand the list of fidelity computers, create a new engine page with the tag "[|fidelity]". > include component="pageList" hideInternal="true" tag="fidelity" limit="100"

=See also=
 * Chafitz
 * Excalibur Electronics
 * Fidelity Chessmaster 2100
 * Hegener & Glaser

=Publications=
 * [|Schachcomputer: Markt und Müll], [|Der Spiegel] 49/1979, December 03, 1979, (German) [|pdf]
 * [|Schachcomputer: Tricks und Trug], [|Der Spiegel] 50/1980, December 08, 1980, (German) [|pdf]
 * Göran Grottling (**1988**). //Thank you Mister Spock! Ein Interview mit Sid Samole.// Modul 4/88, pp. 36-38 (German), [|pdf] hosted by Hein Veldhuis
 * [|Lev Alburt] and [|Al Lawrence] (**2000**). //"How About a Nice Game of Chess?" - Any Time. Sidney Samole (1935-2000)//. [|Chess Café], October 17, 2000, [|pdf]

=Forum Posts= > [|Fidelity and Fast Hardware] by ChessChallenger, Hiarcs Forum, December 31, 2015
 * [|The Fidelity vs. ICD/Your Move Lawsuit... The Epic] by Steven Schwartz, CCC, October 19, 2000 » ICD Corporation
 * [|Ron Nelson] by ChessChallenger, Hiarcs Forum, December 23, 2015 » Sidney Samole

=External Links=

Fidelity

 * [|Fidelity Electronics] from [|chesscomputers.org]
 * [|Fidelity Electronic Chess Computers] from The Spacious Mind
 * [|Fidelity | Photo collection] by Chewbanta
 * [|Fidelity ..The Golden Years | Photo collection] by Chewbanta
 * [|Search Fidelity from the Mastering the Game exhibition and on-line collection] from The Computer History Museum
 * [|Fidelity] from [|Schachcomputer.info Wiki] (German)
 * [|Die Geschichte der Firma Fidelity - Teil 1] by Alwin Gruber, [|Schachcomputer.info Wiki] (German)
 * [|Die Geschichte der Firma Fidelity - Teil 2] by Alwin Gruber, [|Schachcomputer.info Wiki] (German)
 * [|Die Geschichte der Firma Fidelity - Teil 3] by Alwin Gruber, [|Schachcomputer.info Wiki] (German)
 * [|Die Geschichte der Firma Fidelity - Teil 4] by Alwin Gruber, [|Schachcomputer.info Wiki] (German)
 * [|Fidelity (disambiguation) from Wikipedia]

ICGA Tournaments

 * [|Fidelity's ICGA Tournaments]
 * [|Challenger's ICGA Tournaments]
 * [|Elite's ICGA Tournaments]
 * [|Sensory's ICGA Tournaments]
 * [|Elegance's ICGA Tournaments]
 * [|Private Line's ICGA Tournaments]

Chess Computers
[|Fidelity Chess Challenger (CC1)] [|Fidelity Chess Challenger 1] || Ron Nelson || 8080 ||  || [|Chess Challenger 3], [|CC1 vs CC3] || Ron Nelson || 8080, 2 MHz ||  || [|Fidelity Super 9] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 2 MHz ||  || [|Fidelity USCF Special Edition] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 2.5 MHz ||  || [|Fidelity Elite Champion] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 4 MHz || WMCCC 1981, 1st || [|Fidelity Prestige] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 4 MHz ||  || [|Fidelity Champion Septennial] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 3 MHz ||  || Ron Nelson, Danny Kopec || Z80, 16 x 68000 || ACM 1986, 7th || Danny Kopec || 68020 || ACM 1986, 10th || Ron Nelson || 68030 || ACM 1988, 2nd || [|Fidelity Chesster Phantom Eyeball] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 5Mhz 65C02, 3.6 MHz ||  || [|Fidelity Elite Premiere] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen, Richard Lang || 68000, 16 MHz ||  || [|Fidelity Elite Avant Garde V.11] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || [|68060], 75 MHz ||  ||
 * ~ Year ||~ Product Link(s) ||~ Author(s) ||~ Processor ||~ Tournaments ||
 * 1977 || [|Fidelity Chess Challenger 1]
 * || [|Fidelity Chess Challenger 3]
 * 1978 || [|Fidelity Chess Challenger 10] || Ron Nelson || Z80, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * 1979 || [|Fidelity Chess Challenger 7] || Ron Nelson || Z80 ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Chess Challenger Voice] || Ron Nelson || Z80, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * 1980 || [|Fidelity Sensory 8] || Ron Nelson || Z80, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Voice Sensory Chess Challenger] || Ron Nelson || Z80, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Decorator Challenger] || Ron Nelson || Z80, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * 1981 || [|Fidelity Chess Challenger Mini Sensory] || Ron Nelson || [|80C50], 6 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Champion Sensory Chess Challenger] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 2 MHz || WMCCC 1980, 1st ||
 * 1982 || [|Fidelity Super 9 Sensory Chess Challenger]
 * || [|Fidelity USCF Special Edition]
 * || [|Fidelity Elite Champion Sensory Chess Challenger]
 * || [|Fidelity Elegance] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 3, 3.6 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Prestige]
 * 1983 || [|Fidelity Playmatic S] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 3.1 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Elite A/S Budapest] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 3.2 MHz || WMCCC 1983, 1st ||
 * || [|Fidelity Poppy] || Ron Nelson || Z80, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * 1984 || [|Fidelity Elite A/S Glasgow] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 3.6, 4 MHz || WMCCC 1984, 1st ||
 * || [|Fidelity Sensory 12] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 3, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Septennial Chess Challenger]
 * || [|Fidelity Elite Privat] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 5 MHz ||  ||
 * 1985 || [|Fidelity Classic] || Ron Nelson || Z80, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Excellence] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 3, 4, 5 MHz ||  ||
 * 1986 || [|Fidelity Silver Bullet] || Ron Nelson || Z80 ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Elite Avant Garde] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 5 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Elite Avant Garde 2100] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 6 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Par Excellence] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 5 MHz ||  ||
 * || Chess Challenger X || Dan and Kathe Spracklen
 * || Fidelity X || Dan and Kathe Spracklen
 * 1987 || [|Fidelity The Gambit] || Ron Nelson || [|80C50], 6 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Gambit Voice] || Ron Nelson || Z80, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Excel 68000] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68000, 12 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Excel 68000 Mach II] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68000, 12 MHz ||  ||
 * 1988 || [|Fidelity Excel Display] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 3 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Designer 2000] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 3 MHz ||  ||
 * || Fidelity Phantom || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 5 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Designer 2100 Display] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 6502, 6 MHz ||  ||
 * || Chess Challenger X || Dan and Kathe Spracklen
 * || [|Fidelity Excel Mach III] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68000  ||   ||
 * 1989 || [|Fidelity Elite Avant Garde V2] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68000, 16 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Elite Avant Garde V6] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68020, 20 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Excel Mach IV] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen ||  68020, 20 MHz || Aegon 1989  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Elite Avant Garde V9] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68030, 32 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity X] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68030 || WCCC 1989, 6th ||
 * || [|Fidelity Chess Card] || David Levy, Mark Taylor || [|HMCS40], 0.5 MHz, 4 Bit ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Chess Pal] || David Levy, Mark Taylor || [|HMCS40], 0.6 MHz, 4 Bit ||  ||
 * 1990 || [|Fidelity Elite Avant Garde V10] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68040, 25 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Chesster Challenger], [|Kishon Chesster]
 * || [|Fidelity Designer 1500] || Ron Nelson || Z80, 4 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Designer 2265 Master] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68000, 16 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Marauder] || Eric van Riet Paap || [|M50743], 8 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Genesis] || Kaare Danielsen || 6301V, 7.2 MHz ||  ||
 * 1991 || [|Fidelity Tiny] || Eric van Riet Paap || [|M50743], 8 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Chess Challenger Micro] || David Levy, Mark Taylor || [|HMCS40], 0.6 MHz, 4 Bit ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Designer 2325 Master] || Dan and Kathe Spracklen || 68020, 20 MHz ||  ||
 * 1992 || [|Fidelity Travel Master] || Frans Morsch || H8/330, 10 MHz ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Eldorado] || Ron Nelson || [|80C49], 6 MHz, 8 Bit ||  ||
 * || [|Fidelity Elite Premiere]
 * 1994 || [|Fidelity Elite Avant Garde V11]

=References= =What links here?= include page="Fidelity Electronics" component="backlinks" limit="100"
 * Up one Level**