Maxx Steele

Years produced: 1984 - 1985
Company: Ideal
Company info
Units made: 5000
Original price: 599.99
current value:

Capabilities

General Information
Base Vocabulary: approximately 140 words or word particles Music Range: Two octaves (chromatic scale) Serial Port on Controller Expansion Interface Port on Maxx (in chest compartment) Range of Operating Temperatures: 50 to 90 degrees F Fuse: #3AG 5 amp fast blow fuse USER-PROGRAMMABLE MEMORY Program steps: 255 Music: 127 notes Speech: 16 sentences of 15 words (maximum) each Maximum Continuous Speech: 478 words

From the Box:

Music, with a keyboard that provides a 2-Octave Chromatic scale. Teach him a tune and he'll perform it from memory.

Robot talk. Maxx knows 125 words. He's helpful; he tells you how to use him. Or, program a phrase by punching in the words and he'll recite from memory.

Rechargeable. Built-in rechargeable battery pack means no expensive batteries to buy. He charges while you sleep and, when Maxx needs a charge, he'll ask for it! Rechargeable battery pack is not included. Charger is included. Battery pack is a standard battery that Radio Shack or any other electronic stores sell.

Programming is easy. Three operating modes-- remote control, teaching, and programming.

An excerpt from Mint Vintage Toys

He was the toy every kid wanted for Christmas in 1984 and was displayed like a God in a plexiglass barricade at Toys R' Us for his upcoming release, which only made you want him even more. He could do everything. He carried sodas, played games. You could even teach him to sing Hey Jude, if you had the time and a ton of patience. He was just awesome, and very easily broken. Criticized for being made of easily breakable plastic and faulty wiring which failed in almost every one, though awesome, poor MAXX met his demise after only 5000 units made.

I'm not sure what happened to all of the MAXX robots that were ever sold. I think most kids played MAXX until he was broken and then he was thrown away or sold in garage sales and just kinda dissappeared off the map. Though production died, his spirit lived on and Maxx is now one of the most sought after toys of the 80's, and even though he had his problems (who doesn't?), he's still considered one of the top 10 robots of the 80's. The problem with trying to add him to your collection of mint 80's toys is, any of the very few times that he's ever surfaced on the internet or shown up on Ebay, he is in unworking conditon, so no one knows if the mother board got soaked in soda, or if he fell down a stair or two and ripped out wires, or knocked out his speaker.

Features:

Battery
10 Volt Gates

Charger:

120 VAC, 60Hz. Output: 20 VAC, 14 va

CPU
Microprocessor: 65C02 (CMOS) Custom version just for Maxx

Memory

Internal Memory: 2K RAM (CMOS), 8K ROM

Control
RF remote with 25 Multi-function keys

Range: approximately 25', depending on local conditions

Frequency: 27.095 Mhz (orange) Power: 300mw