The BSS 01 has been produced starting around 1980 in the former GDR by RFT. "BSS" does actually mean "BildSchirmSpiel", and can be translated as "Video Game".
The console changed its colour more than once (probably because of material shortage), and is based upon the GI AY-3-8500-7 chip. While many won’t consider this as being important, this is in fact an interesting detail, because it was usual in the GDR to simply copy the silicon, or try to emulate its behaviour with discrete circuits.
The main problem was - as with most electronic items - the price: it sold for about 500 East-German Marks. This was about half of the average wage, thus more than many could afford. This resulted in the fact that this unit was mostly used by educative institutions (e.g. "Pionierhaus" - "House of Pioneers").
A successor named "BSS 02", probably with colour output instead of B/W, was planned, but then discarded for the production of radio clocks.
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Text & info provided by Stefan Goehler
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NAME
BSS 01 (Bildschirmspiel 01)
MANUFACTURER
R.F.T.
ORIGIN
Germany
YEAR
1980
BUILT IN SOFTWARE / GAMES
Tennis, Fussball, Pelota, Squash, Handycap (when no selection button is being pressed)
CONTROLLERS
Two detachable paddles with knob, NO gun (though chip does support it)
CPU
General-Instruments AY-3-8500-7
SPEED
Power, Game selection, Difficulty selection, Reset, Ball controls
