slydc

Humm...then who is the guy standing on your right ? because Dan was between Al and Curt table (in that peticular corner). After Curt, it was your table and on the other side of Al, it was Tom Zjaba. I can remember names but i still don't remember the Bingo game or simply i never paid attention to Studio II stuffs back then...scrap! (like in the latest Transformer TV serie).

Seems that the "Bingo" mystery will be going on if Matt (aka Tempest) can't remember the guy how he looks like (the guy that's bending/ out of focus in this picture in the right corner beside you Matt): which is in fact Dan McIntyre. The guy with the black t-shirt standing on your right, is it Curt Vendel (?). If you can recall his face and look through here: http://web.archive.org/web/20011031044247/http://www.phillyclassic.com/pc2k1/ Maybe we'll have better chance to find Dan if we can put a face on his name. As for me, i'm out of options to find this guy. Maybe other RCA employes from Deptford, NJ could know about Bingo ? The problem is to find people who did worked back in 1977-78...sigh! --- Sly DC ---

Sorry about this Tempest, thought that you were talking about Al. Here's two pictures i have in my database: Don't remeber where i got them but these are genuine. So the Demo cart does really exists. Same as the test cart but never saw a picture of that cart as to date. --- Sly DC ---

Hi ranger_lennier, Yes, i still have all 33 pictures on my hard drive (and backups) with also all three web pages with small picture descriptions. But i don't have any picture(s) where we can see a RCA Studio II displayed and ready to play. I remember that only Al had Studio II stuffs and the Philly was intended in a very small room at the Sheraton Suites hotel near the airport (was my 1st Philly i attended with some CCJVQ fellows). The room was so small that on Saturday, it was so jammed-packed that i mostly spent time near the bar just beside the room. What i remember was that i brought from Al an Atari Stunt Cycle SC-450 (complete), a Tron joystick for the Atari 2600 some a vendor and a complete Spider-Man for the Sega 32X for $10 from a guy which he's holding a DP guide beside his girlfriend. That guy was cursing after he checked the value for the 32X Spider-man in the guide...lol! I also remember meeting Al and his wife, John Dondzilla also with his wife, Roloff De Jeu, Sean Kelly, Ianoid and Matt. I did met Joe Santulli and John Hardie in a previous NAVA meeting (in Feb.1999). Al would be the guy to ask about Bingo. He listed it in the RED DP Guide as a "RARE 9" and $50 value (that's back in 2002). Here's the complete description in the guide: Bingo - RCA - $50/R9 TV Casino Series. Includes 20 bingo cards & 150 marker chips. Comes in a larger box than the normal miniscule RCA game boxes. #18V601 So there you have it, the comlete list of Bingo and also the model number. Knowing Al, he wouldn't put all this if he personnaly didn't had it or seen it with his own eyes. --- Sly DC ---

Well...i'll be damned...If Matt (aka Tempest) can confirm that the guy in the "DSCF0035.JPG" is the guy who had the Bingo game than his name is Al Backiel (of Digital Press). He's the one who did the section of the RCA Studio II in the Digital Press guides, and which, i helped Al with the foreign/clones stuffs for the guide. Al sold me an Atari Stunt Cycle boxed at the Philly 2001 (which you can see me also in the same picture, the guy with the grey shirt with US flag motifs) which he didn't had the manual with it. 2-3 hours later, his wife gave me the manual since Al went to his house to gave me the manual. Such a nce guy! I don't remember seeing the Bingo game BUT...i do remember discussing with Al about the RCA Studio II stuffs and he told me he was keeping everything since he was doing the DP guide section. Last time i heard about Al, he did a review about Ms.Space Fury which i contributed with Daniel Bienvenu (Newcoleco) and Joe Santulli (the head huncho of DP). Now who has the e-mail adress of Al ? --- Sly DC ---

Finally discovered about this mysterious game system after 12 years! The picture was taken from the Creative Computer Sept/Oct.1978 issue (page 39) and is called the "Victory-3" by Accurate Electronics Industry Ltd. (aka Conic) which was showned at the 1978 CES (June 11-14 in Chicago, IL). This prototype did indeed had color and the sound comes out the tv (and not from the system itself like the RCA Studio II). Just another note about the sound, same goes to all European clone. The sounds comes from the CDP1864 and not from a LM555 like in the Studio II. The "Victory-3" name was inspired from two different names actually: the "Victory" part was reused for the Soundic Victory game system and the "3" comes from the Studio III (the Studio II color prototype). So this picture would be a prototype of the Studio III in a way but the Victory-3 was a PAL system (not NTSC). To achive exactly a Studio III (3), you would need a Studio II (2) and mod it with a CDP1862 plus a VP-595 Simple Sound board and also a extra 1k RAM for the Color (VRAM), which this would make a NTSC version of an European clone. What is weird is that history was repeated with the the Magnavox Odyssey 3 prototype, which finally became the Philips Videopac+ (G7400 and other clones) in Europe. ---Sly DC ---

On Wiki ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCA_Studio_II ) just before the contents, here's what someone wrote: There was a prototype, called simply RCA Studio. It was a test system comprising a box with exposed circuit boards. RCA executives, including then CFO Ray Easter, were lent the prototype to try at home and give feed back. The "Studio II" was the end product and first commercially available. If we could find "Ray Easter" and ask him, now we would now for sure if a RCA Studio 1 really existed. But another prototype that Joseph A. Weisbecker did worked on was the RCA Studio III. This one had color but eventually was never released in the USA due to poor sales of the S2. At least the Studio III did came out but only in Japan (Toshiba Visicom) and all the clones released in Europe/Australia. Here's a picture of a prototype i have on my HD for 12 years now: This picture comes from a Creative Computing magazine between 1977 to 1980 that someone i known did scan this but never told me which number of the magazine it comes from (does somebody knows ?) Looking at the cartridge, it looks like a Conic or Sheen cartridge or maybe an MPT-02 one. This picture may be a prototype of an European clone or maybe the Studio III ? Until someone can find the picture and article in question, this is left unanswered... ---Sly DC ---

Seeing Paul's amazing homebrews games gave me the idea to unpack my good old RCA Studio II and make a first attemps to do a mod: Audio/Video output (like a Jakk TV Plug & Play). First attemps is a succes...but the video output is a bit dark, i'll boost the signal in my second attemp. So finally NO MORE %&%&? RF SWITCH BOX!!!! If anyone wanna do this simple A/V mod, check out the PDF file from "ekeefe" which he done the schematics all by himself. The Video output is already in the schematic but for the audio output, just take the source on pin 3 of the LM555. And as for the power supply, just cut the RF cable and plug a 9VDC/300ma power supply and voila! You'll have a RCA Studio II with A/V output. Check these pics: --- Sly DC ---

OMG!! I am sssoooo FUDGING impressed! And only in 1.7K...that's unbeleivable! Same goes as all your others homebrews. Seems like you did the same thing as all the European Studio II clones BIOS, the Blackjack game is also mapped to $C00-$FFF. Do you have other Studio II brews up your sleeve ? So major kudos to all your Studio II brews and your Unisonic Champion 2711 emulator. --- Sly DC ---

Ask my friend and you'll shall receive (better later than never )! Here's all the Dedicated Pong console (so far) that i know which have the robot (AI) option: Alcatel Visiomat 11 Atari Super Pong Pro-AM (C-200) [Yes! Try to find this little sucker!] Binatone TV Gaming Unit 01/4990 Coleco Telstar Galaxy Entex Gameroom Tele-Pong (model 3047) [the easiest to find in this list] Epoch Electrotennis [only If you're very rich and lucky!!!] Executive Games Television Tennis 035 First Dimension 3000W [the second easiest to find in this list] Pizon Bros Visiomat 11 Pizon Bros Visiomatic 101 Rollet International Ltd. Jeux Vidéo Rollet International Ltd. Robot OC 5000 Rollet Robot (4302) S.O.E. Match Robot S.O.E. OC 5000 (robot/with pistol) Universal Research Laboratories Video Action VA2 Universal Research Laboratories Video Action 3 VA3 There are others but i have to verify to be sure. Like the Sears Tele-Games Speedway (S-100), the variable knob is missing (1 to 10 difficulty) and also missing the switch for human or robot so you can't play versus the robot. Oh and you can play the fourth game if you pull out the cover, you can't access the fourth game (Tennis) because of the cover. [Easter Egg HERE!!] @njb12287: I already sent the Dedicated Pong console with Robots to Adrian about a year ago. Seems he didn't had the time to put it on his web site.

@Atari Rescue Group: King Point did made one in fact, it's called the "Kings Point TG-6000". One person sold one on Ebay a couple of years ago but i don't have any details or picture(s) of this beast. That's all i know so far... @njb12287: Adrian doesn't have this one listed on his web site. Oh and BTW, sorry if i didn't replied to your last e-mail, been so much busy, especially this time of year. And i still didn't forgot about your 2nd Odyssey adapter, i have all the parts right on my desk. Will reply soon! --- Sly DC ---

Hi Folks! I finally updated the Unisonic Champion 2711 FAQ (after 15 months). Here's what's added: - Specifications updated - Instruction book completely scanned (in 5 parts or full) - Casino TV Games (sold in Japan) - All the scans from intvnut (thanks again!) - added 3 more unreleased games - and so on... Go read it here: http://www.ccjvq.com/slydc/index/faq/2711/index.htm --- Sly DC ---

@Harmik: Well i don't have pretty much informations about the Intellivision, anything i have is already in the Unisonic Champion 2711 FAQ. But i strongly suggest that you visit the web site of intvnut which he has scans of the Gimini Deluxe 8900 Programmable Game System (aka Intellivision). @Minuous: I would love to help you out about the CR861 but everyhing i know is already written on this topic. The only person that may help you out would be the Father of Videogames, none other that Ralph H. Baer. He tested out this chip in September 1977. Maybe he has datasheets of the CR861. If he does, please let us know!! (i would die a happy man! LOL!)

Salut! Je parle Québéçois (Canadien-Français) MDR!!! Il n'y a pas juste des Français sur le forum d'Atari Age, il y a aussi des Québéçois comme Newcoleco, Maxime Beauvais, Lady Jaye, et j'en passe. @ Rhod: comment va René Spérenza et la bande de Silicium ? Et Philippe Dubois de MO5.com ? Je n'ai pas de nouvelles d'eux depuis quelques années, surtout depuis je suis papa de deux enfants. @ PitfallHarry2600: Si jamais tu cherche des forums en Français, je te recommende le forum de Silicium: www.silicium.org/forum (en France) et celui du CCJVQ: www.ccjvq.com (au Québec). Salut bien! --- Sly DC ---

Hi again Joe, Great! So in the next version of the FAQ (this month), you'll see your name in the credits. I have a GI databook called "Microelectronics Data Catalog" published in 1982. It features the CP1610, the 8900 Programmable Game System (which became the Mattel Intellivision) and dedicated game chip AY-3-8500-1 and the 8600 Series TV Games (better known as the Soundic SD-050/SD-070 and SD-090 and a multitude of cartridge dedicated chip systems) [AY-3-8603, AY-3-8605, AY-3-8606, AY-3-8607, AY-3-8610 and AY-3-8765]. But there no reference to the 8950 Challenger/Mid-Range system. Seems that even the 8950 Challenger/Mid-Range is obscure informations. --- Sly DC ---

Hi pboland, My avatar comes from your picture actually! You posted the picture in this thread: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/117540-atari-tank-ii-odyssey-5000-pics/page__p__1420423__hl__Odyssey%205000__fromsearch__1#entry1420423 I've rendered the screenshot and made it my avatar, hope you don't mind! As for the Odyssey 5000, here's what i know: It had x2 dedicated chips inside, one made by National Semiconductors called the MM57106 and another one by Signetics called the CR861 (aka MUGS-1). The MM57106 has 7 games in color which with variations, gave a total of 23 games. This chip has never been released here in the U.S. but was released in Japan and in Europe (called the MM57186). Philips used the MM57186 in their Odyssey 2100 (color display) and Videojeu N30 (black & white display). As for the CR861, it only had two games (x1 helicopter game and x1 tank game), which the tank game is featured in your picture you scanned from a unknown magazine (would appreciate to know which magazine you've find the picture ). So the Odyssey 5000 had 9 games but with variations totaled 25 games all in color. Also, Ralph H. Baer worked on the Odyssey 5000 between the 8 & 9th of September 1977. He was later informed (September 19th 1977) that Magnavox management finally decided to proceed with the Intel 8048 processor (the CPU of the Odyssey 2) and scrap the Odyssey 5000. For the helicopter game, you can see a screenshot in the book "Video Games" by Len Buckwalter (page 84 - Fig. 8-3 "Battling Helicopters"). It is still unknown if the Signetics CR861 still exists somewhere but they did manufactured a bunch of them. Oh and if you didn't know this, Signetics was brought by Philips in 1975 and Magnavox was owned by Philips. So here you have it, that's all the information i have regarding the Magnavox Odyssey 5000. P.S. What i would give to see the CR861 in action!! Sigh... --- Sly DC ---

No problem and thanks in advanced! --- Sly DC ---

Hi Joe, Thank you so much for all those scans and accepted that i can update the FAQ, but do you want your real name written or do you want me to write "intvnut" for the credits ? And thanks for sharing the story on how you've obtained your photocopies. Always fascinates me to learn whom was involved in all sorts of video game projects. And it will be very usefull, to everyone and to the MESS team so that they can easier do a AY-3-8800 (aka AY-3-8950) driver since i've lended to them a Champion 2711 to be digitally preserved. Thanks again! --- Sly DC ---

Hi Eduardo, I've contacted Fernando about the Champion 2711 on Ebay to ask him the serial number since i'm trying to keep track of all known Champion 2711 serials and owners so far. He also told me about the others he found and that he reserved one especially for you. Great to known a future Champion 2711 owner! I don't want the one on Ebay or the rest since Fernando sold me seven Champion 2711, have plenty of them. Onced you've gotten your Champion 2711, could you tell me the serial number of yours please? P.S. if any person is interested in owning a Champion 2711, Fernando has on on Ebay right now: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 280557390809 --- Sly DC ---

@revolutionika: Well almost, all carts and built-in games are generally card games except the bingo and backgammon games and cartridge Pac-05 which are mathematical questions (sort of edutainment). The Champion 2711 could be programmed for other social games. @intvnut: indeed! Unisonic did a GIC-based system but the AY-3-8950 was changed to a AY-3-8800 before releasing the system. But the AY-3-8950 has the same pinout for the AY-3-8800. And it's my turn to say "WOW"! In which General Instrument book did you scanned the pages in PNG files ? This is the first time that the Gimini Mid-Range is called the "Challenger" and the Gimini Full-Range is called the "Deluxe". Can you tell me the printing date of the book to see which one of the one you scanned and the GI Games 1978 catalog was first printed ? Also, can i use you PNG files to update the Champion 2711 FAQ ? I'll give you the deserved credit. @edintv: You know Fernando and saw the Champion 2711 at his house ? So i must be a real lucky bastard to have gotten it! Fernando told me how he found it (and the others). I was totally freaking out when i saw it on Ebay and weld so loud when i won the auction that my neibords heard me! LOL!!! Been looking for one for more than 7 years and Fernando had one boxed with all carts! Couldn't beleived it. Did you thought that the console was a Pong system when you was it ?

Hi Folks, After a few years without updating or doing new FAQs, i finally made a brand new one. The first version was in PFD version but since the second vesion of the Unisonic Champion 2711 FAQ is way bigger, change the format from PFD to HTML web site. Why do i call it the "little brother" of the Intellivision ? Well because it has the same CPU (CP1610) of the Intellivision. I invite you to read everything about the Unisonic Champion 2711 here: http://www.ccjvq.com/slydc/2711/index.htm Good reading! --- Sly DC ---

oUps! Goofed up! The Telematch de Panoramic isn't from Brazil but from Argentina. Double DOH!!!

Hi endrien, Would say around $30 but depends if it's in great condition (system and box). There a 2 or 3 Ebay sellers that are asking freaking crazy prices for pong systems. About 70% of all pong systems released worldwide has a AY-3-8500 chip inside them and the Telstar you're asking has one in it. So don't expect to get a fortune for it but you can have a good price if it's in great condition. --- Sly DC ---

Hi again! I known Ianoid for more than a decade now and we recently made some great trades! I just checked your Odyssey collection and i must say it's fantastic! Be very proud of your collection. (i'm drooling here...) You can add a 6th blue card since i have one with both manuals of the games but the one i have doesn't have holes in it. Got it with a Odyssey in the briefcase plus with the rifle gun found near the capital in the province of Quebec by a friend in 1999. Still have everything since then and i just tested it last month (was wayyy deep in storage). I've asked you if you knew Inaoid becase i was wondering if it was you who sent a scan to Ianoid of the video output schematic done by M.Baer himself for the Odyssey 1. If it is you, then i thanking you directly since i asked Ianoid to thank the person who sent the video output scan. Also, are you going to get a Telematch de Panoramic J-5 ? It's the Brazilian clone of the Odyssey 1 but it doesn't take "jumper" carts, you select 5 games (hence the J-5 for Jogos-5) by push buttons and it has a unique game of Soccer with 2 walls with goals (holes). There's some from time to time that pops-up on Mercado Brazil for less than $100 and costs about $30 to ship by EMS. Got one from a friend in Uruguay and took only 9 days to get it. I don't really collect all systems, games and accessories. Just got another Odyssey from Ianoid so that i can modify it with an video output and i also have about 10 others mods i have in mind like putting sound(s), built-in overlays (no more sticking the overlays!), etc...when i've finished with the Odyssey, it will become a Super Mega Odyssey...LOL!!! I'll post every mods on my web site after they are all finished (and working too) one day. Again, x2 for your marvelous collection (man...my shirt is all wet of drooling)! --- Sly DC ---

Hi njb12287, I have a question to ask you: Do you know Ianoid ? Because your avatar tells me that you're a Magnavox Odyssey 1 collector. I'm i right ? --- Sly DC ---