Engineering:Coleco Telstar series
From HandWiki
Short description: Series of home video game consoles
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| Manufacturer | Coleco |
|---|---|
| Type | Series of dedicated home video game consoles |
| Generation | First |
| Lifespan | 1976-1978 |
| Units sold | > 1 million (Coleco Telstar model only) |
| Successor | ColecoVision |
The Coleco Telstar brand is a series of dedicated first-generation home video game consoles produced, released and marketed by Coleco from 1976 to 1978. Starting with Coleco Telstar Pong clone based video game console on General Instrument's AY-3-8500 chip in 1976,[1] there were 14 consoles released in the Coleco Telstar series. About one million units of the first model called Coleco Telstar were sold.[2]
The large product lineup and the impending fading out of the Pong machines led Coleco to face near-bankruptcy in 1980.[3]
Model comparison
| Console | Model and chip | Release date | Integrated games | Description | Size (height x wide x depth) | Cite | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coleco Telstar | No.6040, AY-3-8500 |
1976 |
|
Two fixed paddles. Games are Pong variants. | Unknown | [4] | 
|
| Coleco Telstar Classic | No.6045, AY-3-8500 |
1976 |
|
Two fixed paddles. Deluxe wood case. | Unknown | _2.jpg)
| |
| Coleco Telstar Deluxe (a.k.a. "Video World of Sports") |
model number unknown, AY-3-8500 | 1977 |
|
Two fixed paddles. Brown stand case with wood panel. Made for Canadian market with French and English text. | Unknown | No picture available | |
| Coleco Telstar Ranger | No.6046, AY-3-8500 |
1977 |
|
Black and white plastic case, includes Colt 45-style light gun and separate paddle controllers. Four ball games, two target games. Special features of the four ball games include automatic serve and variable paddle and speed control for three experience levels (beginner, intermediate, and professional). Uses six C batteries or an optional AC adapter, light gun requires one nine-volt battery. | 4 lb. 17.5×6×8 in. |
[5]:22 [6]:35 |
|
| Coleco Telstar Alpha | No.6030, AY-3-8500 |
1977 |
|
Black and white plastic case, fixed paddles. The games feature an automatic serve function and variable settings for three skill levels (beginner, intermediate, and pro). Uses six C batteries or optional 9 volt AC adapter. | 2.5 lb. 13.5×3.5×7.5 in. |
[5]:17 [6]:34 |
|
| Coleco Telstar Colormatic | No.6130, AY-3-8500 Texas Instruments SN76499N (color) |
1977 |
|
Black and white plastic case, detached wired paddles. Color graphics - each game is a different color. The games feature an automatic serve function and variable settings for three skill levels (beginner, intermediate, and professional). Uses six C batteries. | 2.5 lb. 13×6.5×7.5 in. |
[5]:18 | 
|
| Coleco Telstar Regent | No.6036, AY-3-8500 |
1977 |
|
Black and white plastic case, detached wired paddles. The games feature an automatic serve function and variable settings for three skill levels (beginner, intermediate, and professional). Uses six C batteries. | 2.5 lb. 13.5×4×8 in. |
[5]:18 | 
|
| Coleco Telstar Sportsman | model number unknown, AY-3-8500 | 1978 | Black and white plastic case, detached wired paddles, and light gun. | Unknown | No picture available | ||
| Coleco Telstar Combat! | No.6065, General Instrument AY-3-8700 Tank chip |
1977 |
|
Four fixed joysticks (two per player). Games are variations on Kee Games' Tank. Uses six C batteries or an optional AC adapter. | 5.5 lb. 15×8×10.5 in. |
[5]:23 [6]:37 |
|
| Coleco Telstar Colortron | No.6135, AY-3-8510 |
1978 |
|
In color, built in sound, fixed paddles. Games are Pong variants and feature variable settings for three skill levels (beginner, intermediate, and pro). Uses two nine-volt batteries or an optional AC adapter. | 1 lb. 2×11.25×4 in. |
[6]:34 |
|
| Coleco Telstar Marksman | No.6136, AY-3-8512 |
1978 |
|
In color, larger light gun with removable stock, fixed paddles. Four Pong variants and two gun games. Uses two nine-volt batteries or an optional AC adapter. | 1 lb. 2×11.25×5 in. |
[6]:36 | 
|
| Coleco Telstar Galaxy | model number unknown, AY-3-8600 (games) AY-3-8615 (color encoder) |
1977 | 48 variations of:
|
Separate joysticks and fixed paddles | Unknown | No picture available | |
| Coleco Telstar Gemini | model number unknown, MOS Technology MPS 7600-004 | 1977 |
|
In color, light gun, two flipper buttons on left and right sides of case, pinball launch button and field adjustment sliders on top, light gun. | Unknown | No picture available | |
| Coleco Telstar Arcade | model number 6175, MOS Technology MPS-7600 (each cart) | 1977 |
Others
|
Cartridge-based, triangular case includes light gun, steering wheel with gear shift, and paddles, one on each side. | 4 lb. 7.5×18×16 in. |
[5]:28 [6]:37–38 |
|
References
- ↑ "The Next Generation 1996 Lexicon A to Z: Coleco". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (15): 31. March 1996.
- ↑ Herman, Leonard (1997). Phoenix: the fall & rise of videogames (2nd ed.). Union, NJ: Rolenta Press. p. 20. ISBN 0-9643848-2-5. https://books.google.com/books?id=duITAQAAIAAJ. Retrieved 16 February 2012. "Like Pong, Telstar could only play video tennis but it retailed at an inexpensive $50 that made it attractive to most families that were on a budget. Coleco managed to sell over a million units that year."
- ↑ "Coleco Industries. -ColecoVision History.". http://www.colecovision.dk/history.htm.
- ↑ "Archived copy". http://colecomuseum.com/colecotelstar.php.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Kaplan, Deeny, ed (Winter 1978). "The Video Games". Video (Reese Communications) 1 (1): 17–30. ISSN 0147-8907.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Kaplan, Deeny, ed (Winter 1979). "Video Games". Video (Reese Communications) 2 (1): 33–42. ISSN 0147-8907.
External links
- The ColecoVision, with 1982 TV commercial
- Pong-Story: All Coleco Telstar systems, with photos
- Telstar and other systems
- The Dot Eaters entry on the history of Telstar and Coleco
- The COLECO Story by Ralph H. Baer
- Feature titled "THE MOST BIZARRE CONSOLE FLOPS IN GAMING HISTORY" by ADAM JAMES at SVG.com
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