Brand new INTV systems, can they be made?

[Zaxxon]

Does anyone here know if new INTV systems could be made today? Did the system use any proprietary parts that can no longer be found or is it common off the shelf parts like CV? Could a cheap remake like all those Famicom/TV Boy clones be made? I know about the new one but it can't run the original game code/carts.

[Zaxxon]

Does anyone here know if new INTV systems could be made today? Did the system use any proprietary parts that can no longer be found or is it common off the shelf parts like CV? Could a cheap remake like all those Famicom/TV Boy clones be made? I know about the new one but it can't run the original game code/carts.

[digitalpress]

I'm gonna pass this along to Keith Robinson who owns the rights to everything that IS Intellivision. Perhaps he'll respond here but if not I'll pass along anything he passes along to me.

[digitalpress]

I'm gonna pass this along to Keith Robinson who owns the rights to everything that IS Intellivision. Perhaps he'll respond here but if not I'll pass along anything he passes along to me.

[ghsqb]

You know Zaxxon, I have to admit, these recent queries you're making about INTV products has really caught my attention.

I really don't have the first inkling about how to make a game for the INTY, or a system, or cartridge cases or what not, but this talk has really piqued my interest.

I mentioned many times before, that the INTV will always be the system nearest and dearest to my heart.

Thats the one that "started it all" in my youth, and subsequently the one I am most fond of today.

I have been a little saddened to see a healthy homebrewing scene for CV and Atari, but little (except in ROM format) in the way of INTY.

I hope someone can pick up the ball and run with it. Maybe that someone is you?

[ghsqb]

You know Zaxxon, I have to admit, these recent queries you're making about INTV products has really caught my attention.

I really don't have the first inkling about how to make a game for the INTY, or a system, or cartridge cases or what not, but this talk has really piqued my interest.

I mentioned many times before, that the INTV will always be the system nearest and dearest to my heart.

Thats the one that "started it all" in my youth, and subsequently the one I am most fond of today.

I have been a little saddened to see a healthy homebrewing scene for CV and Atari, but little (except in ROM format) in the way of INTY.

I hope someone can pick up the ball and run with it. Maybe that someone is you?

[Zaxxon]

Well there's lots and lots of working Atari's and CV's out there while INTV's are dying left and right. I think that's part of the problem. Every INTV I've found in recent years was dead, flaky or died quickly.


I hope someone can pick up the ball and run with it. Maybe that someone is you?

You mean me become the Opcode of the INTV?

[Zaxxon]

Well there's lots and lots of working Atari's and CV's out there while INTV's are dying left and right. I think that's part of the problem. Every INTV I've found in recent years was dead, flaky or died quickly.


I hope someone can pick up the ball and run with it. Maybe that someone is you?

You mean me become the Opcode of the INTV?

[ghsqb]

I hope someone can pick up the ball and run with it. Maybe that someone is you?

You mean me become the Opcode of the INTV?

Doesn't that sound beautiful?
;)

[ghsqb]

I hope someone can pick up the ball and run with it. Maybe that someone is you?

You mean me become the Opcode of the INTV?

Doesn't that sound beautiful?
;)

[digitalpress]

Does anyone here know if new INTV systems could be made today? Did the system use any proprietary parts that can no longer be found or is it common off the shelf parts like CV? Could a cheap remake like all those Famicom/TV Boy clones be made? I know about the new one but it can't run the original game code/carts.

As promised, I forwarded this question to Keith Robinson at Intellivision Productions. This was his response:

"Joe:

The Intellivision was built around the General Instruments CP1610
microprocessor and its related chips. Although the CP1610 was available off
the shelf, it was not widely used. In fact, I've never heard of a commercial
product other than the Intellivision that used the 1610. So unlike 6502 or
Z80 chips which were and still are widely available, it's difficult to find
a 1610 and its related chips today...unless they were yanked out of an old
Intellivision!

A more practical solution would be to build a Pentium-based console that
could read the original cartridges and run them on Intellivision emulation
software. We've actually looked into manufacturing such a device, but the
costs to mass produce it have so far been prohibitive. Maybe someday...

On the legal side, the code in the Intellivision's Executive ROM (the
operating system) and Graphics ROM chips is copyrighted; selling a new
Intellivision console, whether chip- or emulator-based, would require a
license from Intellivision Productions, Inc. to include this software.

But if some hobbyist succeeds in building himself a 21st-century
Intellivision console, we'd love to see it!

Keith"

[digitalpress]

Does anyone here know if new INTV systems could be made today? Did the system use any proprietary parts that can no longer be found or is it common off the shelf parts like CV? Could a cheap remake like all those Famicom/TV Boy clones be made? I know about the new one but it can't run the original game code/carts.

As promised, I forwarded this question to Keith Robinson at Intellivision Productions. This was his response:

"Joe:

The Intellivision was built around the General Instruments CP1610
microprocessor and its related chips. Although the CP1610 was available off
the shelf, it was not widely used. In fact, I've never heard of a commercial
product other than the Intellivision that used the 1610. So unlike 6502 or
Z80 chips which were and still are widely available, it's difficult to find
a 1610 and its related chips today...unless they were yanked out of an old
Intellivision!

A more practical solution would be to build a Pentium-based console that
could read the original cartridges and run them on Intellivision emulation
software. We've actually looked into manufacturing such a device, but the
costs to mass produce it have so far been prohibitive. Maybe someday...

On the legal side, the code in the Intellivision's Executive ROM (the
operating system) and Graphics ROM chips is copyrighted; selling a new
Intellivision console, whether chip- or emulator-based, would require a
license from Intellivision Productions, Inc. to include this software.

But if some hobbyist succeeds in building himself a 21st-century
Intellivision console, we'd love to see it!

Keith"

[SoulBlazer]

Hum....why was the GI 1610 chosen by Mattel for their console, anyway?

[SoulBlazer]

Hum....why was the GI 1610 chosen by Mattel for their console, anyway?

[ghsqb]

According to info at www.intellivisionlives.com when Richard Chang from Mattel toys decided to explore the feasibility of a video game system, he enlisted the help of APh Technology Consultants.

They had a general concept in mind for their video game system, and while browsing a General Instruments catalogue, they found pretty much what they were looking for in there.

In the catalogue was a description of a video game system called the Gimini 6900, and it could be built with off the shelf GI chips.
(Featuring the GI 1610)

So this is what they went with.

During production, Texas Instruments actually approached Mattel, and tried to have TI chips replace the GI ones.
They even offered better pricing, but in the end Mattel stuck with GI, since switching would have caused a 6-9 month delay in production.
Furthermore, APh Technologys' Gelnn Hightower was steadfast that the TI chips were inferior to the GI ones.

If you're a fan of the Inty, I would suggest checking out the site above.
Many of the original Intellivision programmers (nicknamed the Blue Sky Rangers) got together again and are responsible for that site.
Great content, fun facts, and a retrotopia store are some of the highlights.

[ghsqb]

According to info at www.intellivisionlives.com when Richard Chang from Mattel toys decided to explore the feasibility of a video game system, he enlisted the help of APh Technology Consultants.

They had a general concept in mind for their video game system, and while browsing a General Instruments catalogue, they found pretty much what they were looking for in there.

In the catalogue was a description of a video game system called the Gimini 6900, and it could be built with off the shelf GI chips.
(Featuring the GI 1610)

So this is what they went with.

During production, Texas Instruments actually approached Mattel, and tried to have TI chips replace the GI ones.
They even offered better pricing, but in the end Mattel stuck with GI, since switching would have caused a 6-9 month delay in production.
Furthermore, APh Technologys' Gelnn Hightower was steadfast that the TI chips were inferior to the GI ones.

If you're a fan of the Inty, I would suggest checking out the site above.
Many of the original Intellivision programmers (nicknamed the Blue Sky Rangers) got together again and are responsible for that site.
Great content, fun facts, and a retrotopia store are some of the highlights.

[Lady Jaye]

You can also subscribe to a free email-based newsletter that they send on a monthly basis. The newsletter is great to keep up with what's new with the Blue Sky Rangers (not always in relation with the Intellivision... :) ) and there's usually a short mailbag feature answered by the programmer whose game was the focus of the question.

There's also a trivia question (sometimes tricky, sometimes easier). Everyone who submit the right answer is eligible to a draw of an Intellivision mug.

[Lady Jaye]

You can also subscribe to a free email-based newsletter that they send on a monthly basis. The newsletter is great to keep up with what's new with the Blue Sky Rangers (not always in relation with the Intellivision... :) ) and there's usually a short mailbag feature answered by the programmer whose game was the focus of the question.

There's also a trivia question (sometimes tricky, sometimes easier). Everyone who submit the right answer is eligible to a draw of an Intellivision mug.

[Jorpho]

Did this Gimini 6900 ever see the light of day? (Why "6900", anyway?)

[Jorpho]

Did this Gimini 6900 ever see the light of day? (Why "6900", anyway?)

[SoulBlazer]

Oh yeah, I know the site, I just always wondered why they went with a 'unproven' and unused microprocessor like that. Companies normaly stay away from stuff like that.

[SoulBlazer]

Oh yeah, I know the site, I just always wondered why they went with a 'unproven' and unused microprocessor like that. Companies normaly stay away from stuff like that.

[Ed Oscuro]

If you go with a relatively unused chip (that has some stock lying around) you might save big money. Companies usually try to get rid of unbought stock by lowering the price. That's my take on it, anyway--they may or may not have had enough stock that they were offering lowered prices, and I actually bet they just had samples at this point (would make sense, in that business, not to have stock lying around and to make everything to order).

[Ed Oscuro]

If you go with a relatively unused chip (that has some stock lying around) you might save big money. Companies usually try to get rid of unbought stock by lowering the price. That's my take on it, anyway--they may or may not have had enough stock that they were offering lowered prices, and I actually bet they just had samples at this point (would make sense, in that business, not to have stock lying around and to make everything to order).

[john_soper]

Oh yeah, I know the site, I just always wondered why they went with a 'unproven' and unused microprocessor like that. Companies normaly stay away from stuff like that.
Well, it was around the 1978 timeframe and everything was fairly new then (even the 6502 hadn't been around long).

[john_soper]

Oh yeah, I know the site, I just always wondered why they went with a 'unproven' and unused microprocessor like that. Companies normaly stay away from stuff like that.
Well, it was around the 1978 timeframe and everything was fairly new then (even the 6502 hadn't been around long).