Strange Intellivision console - Pics added!

[o2william]

Today while out thrifting, I came across an odd-looking Intellivision console. I've never seen one like this before, and a quick Google search didn't pull up anything. I didn't buy it so I can't provide any photos, but I'll describe it.

It was the same design as a model one console (definitely not an Intellivision II), however it was a light cream color -- a bit yellowish, but I couldn't tell if that was the console's real color or it had yellowed with age. No woodgrain strips anywhere, just solid plastic. It was definitely not a Sears Super Video Arcade; I own one of those so I know what they look like. It had a regular Intellivision logo on it. I think the controllers were detachable, but I can't remember for sure.

I almost bought it, but I wasn't sure if it was anything special so I passed. Now I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't go back and pick it up. It was $12.

[MegaDrive20XX]

sounds almost like a sears telegames console or a smaller verison of the INTV 2

[dojosky]

go back there and pick it up !!!!!!! $12 is a steal !!! i'd suggest asking retrogmr on this hes an intv expert and maybe other intv experts will chime in here and help ya out at first i thought it was the sears tele games arcade system then no thought maybe intv 2 but it isn't so i am out of guesses LOL so hope someone will chime in and help answering that question ...

[SoulBlazer]

Could it have been the Intelivision III, the revised Model 1 that INTV sold?

[wufners]

http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/hardware/index.html

Check out the pic at the bottom--the Tutorvision Educational Video Game System. That looks like what you were describing.

And if that is it . . . get yer buns back there and buy that sucker!!!

"In development 1988 - 1989; never released" --you could be lookin' at a proto!

More info on it, about 1/2 way down the page:

http://www.intellivisionlives.com/media/newsletters/news030715.html

[o2william]

Nope, it's not the Tutorvision. I've actually seen a proto of one of those in person so I would have recognized it!

Although it was similar in color to the Sears console, I don't remember it having any kind of woodgrain base. It's not an Intellivision III, and although the plastic was similar to that of the Intellivision II, it had a different design. After looking at photos online, I can tell it's not a Tandyvision or a Sylvania Intellivision either.

I'm starting to really wish I'd bought it... certainly would have if I didn't already own a perfectly good console. I figured it was one of the regular Intellivision variations until I got home and couldn't find any photos online. I may head back to the store tomorrow and see if they still have it.

[ddockery]

Similar to the INTV II... are you sure it's not just the ECS addon without the keyboard?

[Leo_A]

I'd second that suggestion of the ECS.

Did it look like this? (The thing in the upper right corner connected to the Intellivision II).

http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/media/media_pix/ecs.gif

Or maybe even the System Changer module?

[ianoid]

Come now, WHEN IN DOUBT, BUY IT! All you have is $12 to lose, and if you can test it out, you can recoup the cash selling a bare console tested.

I am shocked at how much that knowledgable people on these boards leave behind at really low price points! Perhaps I'm just more of a thrift gambler.

[sniperCCJVQ]

Come now, WHEN IN DOUBT, BUY IT! All you have is $12 to lose, and if you can test it out, you can recoup the cash selling a bare console tested.

I am shocked at how much that knowledgable people on these boards leave behind at really low price points! Perhaps I'm just more of a thrift gambler.

Post of week.

[o2william]

OK, quit yer naggin'... I went back today and bought it.

Top:
http://www.classicgaming.com/o2home/trade/intv_top.jpg

Bottom:
http://www.classicgaming.com/o2home/trade/intv_bottom.jpg

My digicam isn't the greatest, but the colors in these pics are pretty accurate. As you can see, it's basically an Intellivision I except for the color of the plastic, which is a uniform off-white throughout. The controllers are NOT detachable, despite what I thought in my earlier post. A copyright notice on the bottom says (C)MATTEL, INC. 1979 U.S.A.

Anybody ever see a console like this?



Come now, WHEN IN DOUBT, BUY IT!

Consider me properly chastised. I used to follow that rule every time. If I hadn't ended up with worthless junk so often, I would have this time too.

[Ed Oscuro]

Afraid I have to go with the guys saying that you should've picked it up the first time, O^2 William :)

Personally, I'd be thrilled to see an Inty of ANY stripe (with or without!) in the wild. Even an Atari 2600 would be a first for me (so far, I've found one lone VCS cartridge, a pretty bad Space Invaders which I picked up just so it could have a nice home...sweet of me I know ;P)

As for the pic...that plastic is semi-transparent? On the bottom it looks like I can see shielding underneath. That or a section got yellowed. Looks to me like the color of the console is supposed to be cream colored...that's not the right color for yellowing.

[omnedon]

Does it have the woodgrain stripes on the side?

I'm wondering if someone discoloured the brown/black plastic on purpose, if that is even possible?

'79 screams original Inty. Proto maybe? Weeeeeeerd.

[SoulBlazer]

I'm thinking this one of the original test run machines.

Mattel test markedt the system in some major cities in 1979 before going national with it in 1980.

Head over to the Blue Sky Rangers website. Look around there, and if you're still not sure, send them a e-mail with a question and the pics.

[SoulBlazer]

http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/hardware/intelli_tech.html

A picture of the original model, for compairson.

[christianscott27]

first the white 2600 and now this? thats a way cool intellivision, obviously a major score. if you're feeling brave it might be cool to open it up and get some pics of the guts. BTW does it work?

[icbrkr]

It's not a Fresno test run model, I somehow managed to get one of those - they look exactly the same as the production run.

[Ed Oscuro]

first the white 2600 and now this?
Going OT a bit, but you're referring to an eBay auction from a little while back? My impression was that the item wasn't really anything but a spraypainted VCS...was I wrong?

[o2william]

As for the pic...that plastic is semi-transparent? On the bottom it looks like I can see shielding underneath.

You have a sharp eye, sir. The plastic on the bottom is just transparent enough that you can see the shielding through it, which gives it a yellowish tint.


Does it have the woodgrain stripes on the side? I'm wondering if someone discoloured the brown/black plastic on purpose, if that is even possible?

No woodgrain. The controllers don't look discolored; I'm sure they were made from brown plastic. They look like regular Intellivision I controllers.

It does work. It brought up a normal looking title screen on Sub Hunt. It really seems like a garden variety Inty I except for the color of the plastic.

Couldn't find anything on the BSR site that looks quite like it. I'll send them an email later and see if they have any idea.

This turned up in Anaheim, California, BTW.

[SoulBlazer]

If it's not one of the original test run systems of 1979, then you very well may have a prototype system! :eek 2:

Assuming it has'nt been pained. ;)

But yeah, please do let us know what you hear back from the BSR people.

[Ed Oscuro]

If it's not one of the original test run systems of 1979, then you very well may have a prototype system! :eek 2:
So much for occam's razor! Well, yes, the system may well be pained, as I am at the suggestion it might be =P

Well. Good find, probably a rarity, but a prototype? Another reason why I think the community is fast and loose with their use of the term.

[Griking]

This may be a dumb question but when you say that the controllers are not detachable does that mean that you can't unplug them from the console or does than mean that you can't move them from where they currently are? Are there any controller wires at all? I thought that all INTV controllers had wires.

[Kepone]

You need to find out more. You could have something that's unusual, if not rare.

Damn. Why don't I ever find systems like this in the wild? :(

[Kilik Kurosawa]

great find I never get any good older systems

[o2william]

It hasn't been pained or painted, unless there's some kind of super-bonding plastic paint that blends in so perfectly you can't detect it. ;)


This may be a dumb question but when you say that the controllers are not detachable does that mean that you can't unplug them from the console or does than mean that you can't move them from where they currently are?

It means you can't unplug them. They can be lifted off the console and attach to it with a coiled cable just like a regular Intellivision I.

I just emailed Keith Robinson and will be sure to post his response here when I receive it. I imagine if anybody knows what it is, it'll be him.

As far as good finds go, this just goes to show you not to pass up those dingy, hole-in-the-wall thrifts. When I first found the white Intellivision, I also found and purchased an original model Sega CD there. (And to think, I'm supposed to be watching my money right now. LOL)

[Ed Oscuro]

It hasn't been pained or painted, unless there's some kind of super-bonding plastic paint that blends in so perfectly you can't detect it. ;)
Sold at hardware stores across the nation; it may be found alongside those dremels that leave a pleasant pebbled surface ;)

[SoulBlazer]

I suspose someone could have painted it, but why? Maybe there's something else that we're missing here. Be interesting to see the response.

[o2william]

Wow, that was fast! Here's Keith's response:


I've never seen a white Intellivision before. I suspect that this is an early prototype from when they were still deciding on the final colors. (Easy to paint a white console various color schemes.)

The color is close to that of the Tele-Games Super Video Arcade unit (the Sears version of Intellivision) -- possibly this was an early version of that unit to sell Sears on the idea of custom labeling the Intellivision (as Radio Shack and Sylvania did).

I imagine there were a few dozen of these units for testing and marketing that eventually some engineers/marketing personnel took home.

I'll ask some of the old Design & Development guys to see if they know anymore.


Looks like I may have stumbled onto something very special, indeed. :D If he hears anything more from the design guys, I'll keep you posted.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm rather stunned, but very happy for ya!

JONBAR POINT -

Non-internet-enabled O^2 William dies a sad, broken man, unaware that he had found one of the great rarities of all time and passed it by.

Roundtable-going O^ William finds the rarity and wins the game! The universe is saved. 3x points

[SoulBlazer]

To Ed: LOL

To O2William: Glad you got a response so fast! I've been going to the Blue Sky Rangers website for years -- the history and information on that site is amazing and it's a fun read.

You know, I actually THOUGHT that might be a Sears or Sylvania unit. ;) I just forgot to mention it.

Let us know if you hear anything else!

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Dandy!

I hereby propose we dub this unique unit the Albinovision.

[Ed Oscuro]

Sounds better than Albatrossvision, for sure LOL

[Emily]

WOW X_x Cool Find!
*kicks self for not going hunting in thrifts in a while*

[BenT]

I prefer the sound of "Williamvision."

[ianoid]

Amazing score. Clearly has some history, whether or not we can get an accurate rub on it. The BSR should help.

Oh, BTW, the white 2600 was deemed a scam over at Atari Age, and I tend to go with it. The guy was painting other systems. Maybe they were for the Overstock.com commercial where everything is white.

[christianscott27]

yeah i guess it was never truely certain what the white 2600 was although it did look painted, where this intv is clearly the real thing. i spent a good chunk of time last night going deep into the RGVC archives and theres nothing whatsoever about a creme/beige/white console ever being discovered. i think the real clincher has to be the Anaheim find, thats about 30 miles from Hawthorne - the birthplace of the intellivision!

if it could be opened up to take some hi-res pics of the guts it might reveal some really cool stuff.

[ddockery]

VERY cool find. The fact that it's similar in color lends itself well to this being a test unit for Sears too. The fact that the controllers don't match would be very odd if this were actually sold. Then again, those could always be replacement controllers as well.

[TheSmirk]

Very interesting find you have there....I too wonder if the internals would shine any light on the story behind this, do any of the BSR's have any old contacts from the manufacturing side of the intelli-lore, someone had to have made it salesman samples or no

[rbudrick]

Or, the Honkeykrackavision.

I'm white. I can say that. :P

-Rob

[-^Cro§Bow^-]

It couldn't have been painted. Because the bottom wouldn't be semi transparent then. Even if it had been painted white, that would then mean that the white was painted over transparent plastic!

I bet he finds out that this is in fact some proto case design that Sears might have requested to see about a different color scheme. The controllers weren't changed because more than likely this was something that was done for the sake of the console itself and time was probably short.

I too will be interested to hear what Keith says about this. Assuming there is anyone who still remembers the history of this particular unit.

Also, the insides will probably not look any different than that of a standard Intellivision model 1. Looks really cool though I have to admit...

:-P

[Ed Oscuro]

Or, the Honkeykrackavision.

I'm white. I can say that. :P
Since it was BenT that said "better than Abinovision," I was gonna say "Ben Testvision" or something of the sort. Now I guess I can't, really! Oh wait, there I go...oops LOL

[SoulBlazer]

I have to agree with the others -- in keeping with my last post and what Keith has suggested, this could have been a test unit to show off to Sears or another company.

It would be interesting to open it up and take pics of the inside, but it problay matches a 100 percent original Intelivision 1.

Is it worth anything? Perhaps, if you sell it to the right person. ;) Maybe Keith would buy it. :D

[Emily]

I would buy it!

[Sanriostar]

Hey Will?

Is it this?

http://www.tripoint.org/tutor/holding.jpg

the Tutorvision?

EDIT: read the rest of the thread. After seeing the pics, it's not.

[SoulBlazer]

What is that anyway?

And as long as this is bumped, did Keith ever get back to you?

[o2william]

What is that anyway?

Follow this link (http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/hardware/index.html) that wufners pointed out above. There's also some info on the online DP guide (search for "Tutorvision"). Apparently only two protos have surfaced. I got to see one of them at CinciClassic years ago, so I knew my discovery was something different from the beginning.


And as long as this is bumped, did Keith ever get back to you?

Nothing after his first response that I posted earlier in this thread. Maybe I'll have to send him another polite query...

[SoulBlazer]

Oh, that's actually one of the two know protos of the Tutorvision. The pic on the BKR website is not that clear. Who is the lucky owner of the proto in that pic and how did he get it?

Ask Keith if he wants to buy it from you. :P

[Cleatis]

Does it display "Mattel Electronics Presents" on the title screen?

[o2william]

Does it display "Mattel Electronics Presents" on the title screen?

Yes. There are no display differences (as compared to a regular Intellivision) that I could see.

[leonk]

bump.

any updates?

[v1rich]

Good thing it was still there when you went back LOL