TriStar TV-Game Programmable

[roverman]

Hi, new here, found this place while looking for info on a system named TriStar. Any information I could get on this would be really appreciated.

Pics can be found here: http://pikebeasts.fateback.com/images/tristar/tri.html

[v1rich]

looks really old

[roverman]

I guess it does, I'd like to know how old it really is.

[slip81]

I can't find anything on that system, I searched google and yahoo for about half hour and came up with zilch. My guess is that it looks like an Atari clone. And it probably dates for the late 70's early 80's

[SegaAges]

if you have an atari, just for kicks, see if an atari cart will fit in there

[Gamereviewgod]

Huh. One would guess a pong machine, but there's a cart slot. that doesn't make a lick of sense.

[Pantechnicon]

It's not an Atari clone. First, that cart slot (?) is nothing like a 2600 slot. Secondly, the functions of those toggle switched are nothing like those on a VCS. I concede, however, that its aesthetic is definitely influenced by the 2600 (just look at that joystick).

Looks like some sort of pong machine to me.The battery compartment and the external volume switch are common components of a pong. That bank of orange buttons probably allows for speed and other play variations (hence the machine is "programmable"). Are there any other markings near those orange buttons besides the numbers?

It's that cart slot that's really got me curious :?

[max 330 mega]

the cartridge slot looks like it could fit sega genesis carts ..... !? could it possibly take atari 5200 games?

[Jred]

Joystick does say "Serve/Fire" So maybe an onboard pong system with card slot for other games. Just a guess though, I couldn't find a thing about it either.

[rbudrick]

Huh. One would guess a pong machine, but there's a cart slot. that doesn't make a lick of sense.

Well there are some pongs that take carts. The telesports IV, for example.

-Rob

[roverman]

Wow, thanks to all of you for replying. I did some surgery on the machine, but the only thing with a label was the speaker, named "CONIC".

I bought this game along with a "MARK 57253" machine, they use the same joysticks (atleast I think so, I have no games for the TriStar so I can't test it).

The TriStar does not have any onboard game, I've tried to start it, but the screen just flickers a bit when i start it.

I have pics of the MARK system, the cart for it is to big for the TriStar, but you could think it would match when looking at it.
http://pikebeasts.fateback.com/images/mark/mark.html

[rbudrick]

Hmmm...36 pins...how many was the VCS?

Bah, doesn't matter, I really doubt it is a VCS clone. On top of that, there is a serve button to set auto or manua, it looks like...that's a somewhat common pong machine feature.

-Rob

[roverman]

*Bump*
Noticed that the wasn't to many views after I sent my last reply.
I believe this is in fact a pong machine but that it requires a cart anyway...
Well, anyways there's some more pics in my other reply...

[rbudrick]

What an ODD cartridge! Knobs and shit on it...

And even stranger...digital (I think) joysticks for a pong system....odd indeed.

-Rob

[TheRedEye]

My best guess is that this is a videogame system.

[slapdash]

Wow, thanks to all of you for replying. I did some surgery on the machine, but the only thing with a label was the speaker, named "CONIC".

I bought this game along with a "MARK 57253" machine, they use the same joysticks (atleast I think so, I have no games for the TriStar so I can't test it).

The TriStar does not have any onboard game, I've tried to start it, but the screen just flickers a bit when i start it.

I have pics of the MARK system, the cart for it is to big for the TriStar, but you could think it would match when looking at it.
http://pikebeasts.fateback.com/images/mark/mark.html

Yeah, both of these systems are probably pretty much the same inside, and the carts -- if not for the size & shape -- might very well be interchangeable. There are DOZENS of these systems, and though most fall into a few cart-style variants, there are always more and more to show up.

Basically, these are "shell" systems for cartridges that have chips by General Instruments that have a specific set of games on them. There are 7 common chips, a couple of rare ones, and even a couple of super-rare gambling type games. Typically with these systems you'll never have more than 7 cartridges for them, as they only tend to have the 7 common chips, and in fact often only 5 are actually released, depending on the system.

Ways of identifying these things? The 10 buttons is a big giveaway, and a cart called "Supersport" or some such is also an almost dead giveaway.

Any interest in selling these? I wouldn't pay much, but I'm just freakish enough to give more of these damn things a home... Lord knows you can never have enough of these silly things...

[squirrelnut]

Found you some info!

The tristar isnt a tristar its a haminex

http://www.pong-story.com/sd_other.htm

look towards the middle of the page its the same thing... cept different badging

The full name of it is Hanimex SD 070

But thats the europe version. Maybe if they bought it over to the u.s. it got renamed tristar?

EDIT: another link for more pictures of it atleast

http://www.system-cfg.com/pages/hanimex_sd070.html

This is the cart that goes into that slot.

http://www.pong-story.com/pics/pc-50x/pc-501_2.jpg

[Ed Oscuro]

Hanimex is a German company...this wouldn't be at all related to their computer that plays Coleco carts, I'd assume.

[j_eits]

I have seen an auction of a Tristar here:

http://www.tradera.com/auction/aid_9367255

Have there been any clones of the cartridge pong consoles in North-America? I thought tis was a European thing. I have about 20 of these consoles with about 70 games and that is very far away from having them all.

[Gamemaster_ca_2003]

Humm I think it is a PC 50X Machine here is a page with several of them


http://hawanja.com/pc_50x.htm

[coojam]

OMG this is exactly what I bought yesterday! What I want to know is: How rare is it? How much is it worth? How hard are other games to find?
I have Supersportic, Car race GP, Moto, and Brick game.
Also it wont tune in properly, I'll get a good picture but when I hit the button to store it t goes back a feww bits of a frequency and stores a lame black and white picture thats not very good. I think my TV is too new.
Please answer my questions
Thanks Jamie

[squirrelnut]

OMG this is exactly what I bought yesterday! What I want to know is: How rare is it? How much is it worth? How hard are other games to find?
I have Supersportic, Car race GP, Moto, and Brick game.
Also it wont tune in properly, I'll get a good picture but when I hit the button to store it t goes back a feww bits of a frequency and stores a lame black and white picture thats not very good. I think my TV is too new.
Please answer my questions
Thanks Jamie

Wow I made one of my first posts in this thread. Anyways, I don't think its that valuable per se. Its true value is what someone is willing to spend on it. Since it is just a pong clone (and theres about 1.3x10^23 varients of them out there) I would say it is not worth that much. But don't take it from me, I am not a collector in that area. That was just an educated guess.

[christianscott27]

i got me one of those beasts on my trip to new zealand, they seem fairly common overseas. whats cool about it, not that playing it is cool, is that some of the carts actually have adjustable dials right on them. i dunno why but it seems cool that you can change the bat size right on the cart. my carts look just like the ones pictured but my system is almost totally different. its that fine line between pong and channel F .

[GobopopRevisited]

Sorta off Topic: didn't Coleco make a "plug and play" system called Tri-Star as well? Probably just mixed names up... I remember seeing it with some Light-Gun (I'm assuming) device.

[j_eits]

some of the carts actually have adjustable dials right on them. i dunno why but it seems cool that you can change the bat size right on the cart.

Are you sure that you can change the bat size on the cart? I thought you can adjust the bat position on the screen.

By the way, the Coleco console is called Telestar.

[coojam]

Hey christianscott27 I'm actually from New Zealand. They guy charged me $30.00 NZ ($21.14 US or 11.2070 Pounds sterling) Yeah I got ripped off. that was what he said it was and I'd never heared of one before so I accepted. I'm not very good at bartering anyway.
So the system is quite common over here eh?
Can anyone help me with my Tunig Problen. Could the TV being to new be the cause, I'm using a PAL TV would that make a difference?

[j_eits]

They guy charged me $30.00 NZ ($21.14 US or 11.2070 Pounds sterling) Yeah I got ripped off.

I think the price is okay for the console with three games.


Could the TV being to new be the cause, I'm using a PAL TV would that make a difference?

I had a lot of trouble with my TV too, but I've an old TV for my old consoles now and no problems anymore. The best thing is when you can tune your TV manual, the automatic tuning causes ofen problems.
Most of this consoles use the PAL standart, so that can't be the problem.

[christianscott27]

Are you sure that you can change the bat size on the cart? I thought you can adjust the bat position on the screen.

well lets see on my "supersportic" cart the pots say "bat adjust" and then on "superbwipeout" they say "paddle position" - one for left and one for right. i think you're correct.



Hey christianscott27 I'm actually from New Zealand. They guy charged me $30.00 NZ ($21.14 US or 11.2070 Pounds sterling) Yeah I got ripped off. that was what he said it was and I'd never heared of one before so I accepted. I'm not very good at bartering anyway.
So the system is quite common over here eh?
Can anyone help me with my Tunig Problen. Could the TV being to new be the cause, I'm using a PAL TV would that make a difference?

i picked mine up in a pre-arranged swap with a wellington collector, he gave me the impression that they were pretty common and came under a variety of names. i gave him an intellivision with a handful of games. i'm actually more impressed with the fountain game system i got there, i think its related to arcadia family of chips. as for tuning, heres whats on the bottom of my no-brand unit "625b PALsystem VHF channel 3".

i also got a kingsway 2600 clone, a TVboy, a heap of master system carts and other goodies over there. loved the otaro flea market and that berzerk bros shop in wellington.

[rbudrick]

They guy charged me $30.00 NZ ($21.14 US or 11.2070 Pounds sterling) Yeah I got ripped off.

I think the price is okay for the console with three games.


Could the TV being to new be the cause, I'm using a PAL TV would that make a difference?

I had a lot of trouble with my TV too, but I've an old TV for my old consoles now and no problems anymore. The best thing is when you can tune your TV manual, the automatic tuning causes ofen problems.
Most of this consoles use the PAL standart, so that can't be the problem.

Yeah, I'd say it's a pretty good deal. Not a rip off at all.


TheRedEye Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 4:27 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My best guess is that this is a videogame system.

Case closed! Thanks, Frank! Can someone lock this thread now? LOL LOL

-Rob

[coojam]

Thanks guys. I just figured I got ripped of because I didn't even try to barter with him.
As for the TV being too new, I thought that that was probably what the problem was. The instruction book says tune it into channel 1. Would this make a difference. We have Sky tuned into channel 1 soi I tried tuning the Hanimex into channel 3. Maybe they mean something else? Also I've manual tuned everything on my TV. I wonder If I try ZAuto tuning if it might have the reverse effect and gety me a good picture.
I miss my old Condor 14 Inch TV. But it broke so I had to toss it :(