Note: In France we had an additional problem in that our TVs were [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SECAM SECAM] only in the 80s. A monitor was required for foreign computers like the C64 PAL that didn't output RGB. TVs only became PAL/SECAM compatible in the 90s.
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== Late to the market ==
Amstrad jumped into the microcomputer market in 1984, just in time to shake things up.
By the end of 1985, all the big names were already established in both 8-bit and the newer 16-bit systems, leaving no room for newcomers.
From there, it turned into a survival game, with the weaker players getting pushed out. After that, no new companies managed to break into the market.
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