The Intellivision was a revolutionary video game console developed and released by Mattel (the company probably best known for Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars) in 1979. It was the first 16 bit game console ever released and introduced a lot of new concepts and technologies: innovative game controllers, superior graphics and sound, game downloads, home computer extensions, a voice synthesis device and a synthesizer keyboard for example.
The CPU used in the Intellivision was a General Instruments CP1610, a general purpose microprocessor capable of supporting 16-bit addresses and 10-bit instructions. The US release used a CPU clock of 894,886.25 Hz while the european release used a 1 Mhz clock, due to the different NTSC / PAL specs, which means that games were running up to 10% faster on european consoles than on their US counterparts!
The CP1610 featured eight 16-bit registers - using a 16 bit CPU in a video game console was quite exceptional indeed. It had 1.2 kb of RAM (including 512 byte video memory) and 7 kb ROM (which included the "Executive ROM" - some kind of a mini-OS - and the "Graphics ROM" which included often used sprites for example). It's graphics performance was outstanding for the late 1970's, allowing a 160 x 196 pixel display using a 16 color palette (all colors could be used simultaneously), plus eight hardware supported sprites offering collision detection, mirroring and streching.
The game controllers were quite different too, as they featured a "disc" (somewhat similar to the Apple iPod clickwheel) instead of a joystick as well as a twelve-button numeric keypad. The disc was capable of 16 direction detection and games usually shipped with "overlay cards" that could be inserted into the controllers (in front of the numeric keypad - switching games required inserting a new cartridge AND flipping the overlay cards).
In 1980 the Intellivision became available in the entire US for US$299, the console was the first to pose a serious threat to Atari's dominance (Atari was the number one video game console producer back then). Mattel sold 175,000 consoles in 1980, with 19 availalble games. After Mattel realized that the game market offered good revenues, they launched their own software development group which became known as the "Blue Sky Rangers".
In 1981, Mattel launched a service that allowed to download games via cable TV. In 1982, Mattel sold 2 million consoles, more and more companies started developing software titles for the Intellivision.
The "Keyboard Component" should transform the console into a home computer, it was planned to include a MOS 6502 CPU (the one used by the C64 later on), 64K RAM and a built-in cassette tape drive. But during the process of developement many reliability problems occurred and the hardware was far too expensive. After repeated delays the Keyboard Component project was officially cancelled in 1982. Apparently about 4000 Keyboard Components had been shipped to selected customers for testing purposes, they are extremely rare today.
As Mattel managers had been aware of the Keyboard Component problems for a long time, they had launched a secondary project in mid 1981 that could replace the component in case of a complete failure. It was released as Entertainment Computer System (ECS), it featured a keyboard with a cassette recorder interface and included 2k of additional RAM. It lacked the originally planned 6502 CPU and the 64K RAM extension, but it was functionalm cost effective and was finally able to turn the Intellivison into a home computer.
Shortly after, Mattel introduced a 49-key Music Synthesizer keyboard which could turn the Intellivision/ECS combo into a multi-voice synthesizer. Unfortunately, the ECS received very little further marketing push and further hardware and software developments for the ECS were cancelled.
Intellivision was also the first game console to provide real-time human and robot voices during game play. The IntelliVoice module, which was required for using this feature, used an SP0256 Orator "voice chip" developed jointly by Mattel and General Instrument. But the IntelliVoice didn't sell as well as expected, and only a few games supporting it were ever released.
In 1983 Mattel also introduced the Intellivision II (which only introduced a revamped case) and the System Changer module (which allowed to play Atari 2600).
In 1983 and 1984 the video game market crashed. The new home computer systems became more and more popular and interest in classic game consoles vanished. Furthermore there was now a large number of video game consoles available, further subdividing the market. In 1983 Mattel Electronics posted a $300 million loss, in early 1984 the division was closed.
A liquidator purchased all rights, hardware and software sales continued until most of the inventory had been sold. Later on, Mattel Marketing executive Terry Valeski created INTV Corp. which sold the remaining stock via retail and mail order. They then introduced the INTV III, which was nothing but an Intellivison inside a new case, and continued developing a few games. The console was discontinued in 1991. More than 6 million Intellivision consoles were sold during 12 years, and a total of 125 games were available.
Keith Robinson, a former Mattel programmer, finally purchased the software rights, founded Intellivision Productions and released Intellivison emulators including the classic Intellivision games available for MacOS, Windows and modern-day consoles.
Intellivision: a Game Console Far Ahead of Its Time
When is PlayStation 3 Being Released?
Video game consoles are on the loose. Since the Magnavox Odyssey era, video gaming systems are evolving to become one of the most powerful machines in the entertainment industry that ever existed. From the simple animation and mono background game music during the Atari years, video game consoles nowadays will make you feel that you are the one fighting monsters, racing with other cars, or shooting the ball to the hoop right in front of your opponent because of advanced three-dimensional animation technology, thanks to game software developers.
Thus, do not be surprised if video game consoles are now on the transition to the so-called "seventh generation". Despite of the video game crash in 1977 wherein many game manufacturers abandoned the game console manufacturing industry due to unpopularity, ga ming firms who have left in the battlefield tried to win the hearts of the gaming public, especially the younger generation, by producing high-quality games compatible to their consoles. And with the success of these gaming firms, video game consoles stand to its popularity among gamers of varying age groups, which eventually paved the way to the birth of the seventh generation of video game consoles.
The seventh generation began by the introduction of Microsoft's Xbox 360 in November 2005, following the huge success of its predecessor, the Xbox. Since then, rival game console manufacturers began producing new genres of video game consoles, each one having unique characteristic from its rival consoles or predecessors alike. Thus, the generation is branded to be a "console war" in the history of interactive entertainment.
Following the success of Sony Corporation's PlayStation 1 and 2, they are determined to maintain their dominance in the game console market. Thus, in May 16, 2005 at the E3 Conference, Japan's leading electronic company, under its computer entertainment subsidiary, formally unveiled to the public the latest member of the PlayStation 3 series€the PlayStation 3 (PS3). It is expected to compete with its two rival game consoles, which are the Nintendo's Wii and the Xbox 360.
PlayStation 3 is scheduled to be released on the following launch dates:
€ The first release is scheduled in November 11, 2006 at Japan.
€ Six days after the Japan debut, PS3's launch date in Canada and Un ited States would be on November 17 of the same year.
€ On the other hand, the launch date of PS3 on Australasia and Europe is scheduled to be on March 2007, with the definite date pending on the decision of Sony Corporation.
On these launch dates, Sony has plans of releasing two different configurations for the PlayStation 3. The first one is known as the "premium version", where the video game console will come with a 60 GB internal hard drive with multiple flash memory card readers and Wi-Fi or wireless internet connectivity. The other is known as the "alternate configuration" in which the video game console will come in lower internal hard drive (20 GB to be exact) and without Wi-Fi connectivity and memory card reader features, though the hard drive of the alternate configuration can be upgraded and memory card sup port can be added through the use of adapters.
Despite of the different launch dates of PlayStation 3, it is expected to be a hit for countries where it would be initially released. Watch out for the launch dates mentioned above and experience the interactive entertainment courtesy of PlayStation 3.
Video game consoles are on the loose. Since the Magnavox Odyssey era, video gaming systems are evolving to become one of the most powerful machines in the entertainment industry that ever existed. From the simple animation and mono background game music during the Atari years, video game consoles nowadays will make you feel that you are the one fighting monsters, racing with other cars, or shooting the ball to the hoop right in front of your opponent because of advanced three-dimensional animation technology, thanks to game software developers.
Thus, do not be surprised if video game consoles are now on the transition to the so-called "seventh generation". Despite of the video game crash in 1977 wherein many game manufacturers abandoned the game console manufacturing industry due to unpopularity, gaming firms who have left in the battlefield tried to win the hearts of the gaming public, especially the younger generation, by producing high-quality games compatible to their consoles. And with the success of these gaming firms, video game consoles stand to its popularity among gamers of varying age groups, which eventually paved the way to the birth of the seventh generation of video game consoles.
The seventh generation began by the introduction of Microsoft's Xbox 360 in November 2005, following the h uge success of its predecessor, the Xbox. Since then, rival game console manufacturers began producing new genres of video game consoles, each one having unique characteristic from its rival consoles or predecessors alike. Thus, the generation is branded to be a "console war" in the history of interactive entertainment.
Following the success of Sony Corporation's PlayStation 1 and 2, they are determined to maintain their dominance in the game console market. Thus, in May 16, 2005 at the E3 Conference, Japan's leading electronic company, under its computer entertainment subsidiary, formally unveiled to the public the latest member of the PlayStation 3 series€the PlayStation 3 (PS3). It is expected to compete with its two rival game consoles, which are the Nintendo's Wii and the Xbox 360.
PlayStation 3 is scheduled to be released on the following launch dates:
€ The first release is scheduled in November 11, 2006 at Japan.
€ Six days after the Japan debut, PS3's launch date in Canada and United States would be on November 17 of the same year.
€ On the other hand, the launch date of PS3 on Australasia and Europe is scheduled to be on March 2007, with the definite date pending on the decision of Sony Corporation.
On these launch dates, Sony has plans of releasing two different configurations for the PlayStation 3. The first one is known as the "premium version", where the video game console will come with a 60 GB internal hard drive with multiple flash memory card readers and Wi-Fi or wireless internet connectivity. The other is known as the "alternate configuration" in which the video game console will come in lower internal hard drive (20 GB to be exact) and without Wi-Fi connectivity and memory card reader features, though the hard drive of the alternate configuration can be upgraded and memory card support can be added through the use of adapters.
Despite of the different launch dates of PlayStation 3, it is expected to be a hit for countries where it would be initially released. Watch out for the launch dates mentioned above and experience the interactive entertainment courtesy of PlayStation 3.
PlayStation 3 160 GB
Product Description
With the PlayStation 3 160GB system, you get free PlayStation Network membership, built-in Wi-Fi and 160GB of hard disk drive storage for games, music, videos and photos. And every PS3 system comes with a built-in Blu-ray player to give you pristine picture quality and the best high-definition viewing experience available. Whether it’s gaming, Blu-ray movies, music or online services, experience it all with the PlayStation 3 system.Recommended: