Holland Bingo!

wasn't easier to just mount the program ROM inside the computer, since the computer itself was adapted for it?

maybe... I guess we'll never know now.

what's the device called? Do we have a record of it?

There is a MSX logo on the machine !!!

Oh dear... This one popping up again after years...

Ok, let's put it this way... During the years I've done a lot of work to preserve MSX history. This device does not belong to that category and if I could select, it would not even exist in this galaxy... Yet it does, and I can't help it.

Yes, I must say I've seen it... Just a normal 8020 with keyboard horribly butchered, but yet the software is even worse, totally extra awful... and I really mean extra awful... I mean, "go rather to play your Spectravideo Noughts & Crosses instead"-quality awful...

The only "interesting" thing missing from Wiki is that I think there was a huge 7-segment display attached to the printer port... but I have not seen one and I have no way to prove to my theory other than speculation and my long time ago burned code review made for personal purposes.

Sorry for even jumping in.

To me it looks that these machines were just produced as normal VG8020’s for Philips. Some company in the Netherlands bought them and made the modifications (removed most keys and sticked a plate over the hole that was created. So it is not a special machine, just a normal MSX modified for a special usecase. The keys were probably removed to prevent people asking too many questions. Most people playing BINGO weren’t the youngest, imagine being born in the 1900-1920 range snd playing BINGO in the mid 1980’s on something you could not have imagined when you were young…

I strongly believe "Gorgane" still has it... and now that I try to remember I believe the company at least had some roots on Norway... Oh, I hate everything that this represents, but I must say that after these years I would be little interested to see what is inside the cartridge... I can tell there is more than just a ROM, but I believe rest of it is just some extra complicated random number generator, maybe RTC or so... Not 100% sure though... IIRC you can't take a look inside without visible damage.

It has been dumped and I have even the BASIC listing!

That's why I've mentioned "ROM dumps made but machine not emulated because the cartridge contains extra hardware." in the Wiki.

Re-read NYRIKKI explanations!

Well, I think the wiki describes the machine better now. Do you agree mr. NYYRIKKI?

Almost the same name:
https://www.largestcompanies.com/company/Jotun-AS-103002
https://www.sintef.no/projectweb/byefouling/consortium/jotun...

The A/S part can be omitted (see the logo) - A/S = Anonimt samfunn (Société Anonyme in French = public limited company (PLC) - while Ltd in English is actually the equivalent of "société à responsabilité limitée (Sarl)" in France)

Also better to use "Jotan" ! (no capital letters)

About the software, the screenshot shows a company called Reveal Software as developer. The cartridge shell is indeed the same as Micro Technology used (and it is even printed on the case), but my guess is they just bought some shells from MT or possibly MT produced the carts for Reveal.

Be careful not make the shortcut that a lot of people do. The screenshot shows that the game has copyrighted by Reveal Automation. This does not mean that it developed the game or that it is the distributor. For example, there are many games on MSX copyrighted by Sega, Taito, etc but developed and distribued by other compagnies and even by freelance developpers. Another example: Konami has developed some games that she did not distribute herself.

It looks hilarious, but also like a waste of a perfectly fine computer.

Some noteworthy text strings from the ROM:

 B190 - Bingo 1-90 - 15/5/87
,"1":
,"2":
,"":
,"5":
,"6":
,"7":
,"8":
,"":
"":R$
"1":S$
 BL(
 BC(
 BS(
JAAR
 ON KEY GOSUB 940
 KEY(1) ON
"STOP" 
"STOP" 
"  Ticket:                ";
,"      HELP-INFORMATION"
,"       ================"
,"":
,"":
," SPACE Generate Number"
," F1    Check a winning ticket"
," F2    Check generated numbers"
," F3    Help-information"
," F5    Game over (start new one)"
," F6    Game in one line   (sF1)"
," F7    Game in two lines  (sF2)"
," F8    Game in three lines(sF3)"
,"":
,"":
,"":
,"":
," Press F3"
,"MSX-I  HOLLAND-BINGO 1-90"
,"(C) 1987 REVEAL Automation BV"
,"Ver. 1.03b Juni 1987"
,"Serial ";:
"######";(JAAR
,"Selftest ...";
,"Ok"
,"Failed":
,"Press SPACE"
,"  F5   ";:
," continue"
,"  SPACE";:
," start new game"

There are 3 more or less vague hints that this software is written in the Netherlands:
1. The strongest: "BV" behind the company name points to a Dutch company ("Besloten Vennootschap")
2. "JAAR" is the Dutch word for 'year'. But this could be coincidence, I'm not sure why it is in the text.
3. "HOLLAND" Bingo

Seems like ok to me.

It is part of the serial number (711111 - 11111 + 16bit constant from ROM) routine:

0x9654 > 1890 PRESET(20,40):PRINT#1,"Ver. 1.03b Juni 1987"
0x967c > 1895 PRESET(20,50):PRINT#1,"Serial ";:PRINT#1,USING"######";(JAAR+BK)
0x96b0 > 1896 PRESET(20,80):PRINT#1,"Selftest ...";