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.

[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