View Full Version : Anyone here own an AVS (NES forerunner)?
debuted at the CES in 1984.
Featuring a keyboard, remote control, Zapper and 'games'?
Withdrawn after non-success, surely some units must be out there?
ig88vsbobafett
10-15-2006, 07:49 PM
Im pretty sure what you are talking about is in New Yorks Nintendos World Store
Captain Wrong
10-15-2006, 08:14 PM
Im pretty sure what you are talking about is in New Yorks Nintendos World Store
That's the only one I've ever seen.
Maybe there were just mock-ups:
Book: Game Over, page 161:
The AVS was to debut at the Jan 1984 CES. James, Arakawa, Lincoln, Phillips took along AVS demos, brochures, etc.
page 162: The AVS looked impressive, Phillips demonstrated the games, but nobody was interested.
They tried again in June, but also unsuccessful and soon the AVS was dumped.
rbudrick
10-16-2006, 10:17 AM
There was probably a small handful of mockups made, but the one in NY is the only one known outside of Nintendo execs.
-Rob
TheRedEye
10-16-2006, 01:02 PM
debuted at the CES in 1984.
Featuring a keyboard, remote control, Zapper and 'games'?
Withdrawn after non-success, surely some units must be out there?
What is your source for "withdrawn after non-success?"
klausien
10-16-2006, 06:16 PM
There was probably a small handful of mockups made, but the one in NY is the only one known outside of Nintendo execs.
-Rob
And, they don't even have the system there, only the peripherals and a tape drive.
The AVS was probably locked up in Nintendo R&D like the color Virtual Boy and all the other legendary prototype hardware that we all just know exists. If there was ever a Willy Wonka's Candy Factory, NCL R&D is absolutely it.
the AVS debuted at the January 1985 CES. Because no retailers placed orders at CES they decided to "redo" the AVS and from that we got the NES. Thank the lord!
slapdash
10-16-2006, 09:20 PM
the AVS debuted at the January 1985 CES. Because no retailers placed orders at CES they decided to "redo" the AVS and from that we got the NES. Thank the lord!
I don't know... I rather liked the look of the AVS better than the NES we got.
So debuted in 1985, that means the book Game Over is wrong?
As for 'withdrawn after non-success' source:
Page 162: It was clear that Arakawa had misjudged his ability to overcome skepticism......No one would touch it (the AVS). Back to the drawing board....everything was tossed.
page 163: James and Barr worked on a new design, high-tech grey, but boxier (NES)
This all supposed happened in 1984.
Because at the June 1985 CES, the NES debuted (Game Over page 163), reaction was a bit better, but still orders didn't come flooding in. (One eight year old kid commented: This (the NES) is shit...He'll eat his owrds two years later!!!) Arakawa was thinking of giving up.
This all supposed happened in 1984.
Because at the June 1985 CES, the NES debuted (Game Over page 163), reaction was a bit better, but still orders didn't come flooding in. (One eight year old kid commented: This (the NES) is shit...He'll eat his owrds two years later!!!) Arakawa was thinking of giving up.
I got the January 85 CES date from the Ultimate History of Videogames. Anyone care to chime in? I'd like to know which date is accurate.
TheRedEye
10-17-2006, 04:27 PM
So debuted in 1985, that means the book Game Over is wrong?
As for 'withdrawn after non-success' source:
Page 162: It was clear that Arakawa had misjudged his ability to overcome skepticism......No one would touch it (the AVS). Back to the drawing board....everything was tossed.
page 163: James and Barr worked on a new design, high-tech grey, but boxier (NES)
Hm, I guess from your wording I assumed you thought that the unit actually shipped to stores, and consumers didn't buy it. This is untrue, the AVS never went into production at all, "no one would touch it" is referring to distributors and retailers.
No, I'm not talking about shops, all this was supposed to happened at the Jan and June 1984 CES (according to the Game Over book).
So I suppose no-one here has one (AVS)