Philips Videopac G7000

Philips Videopac G7000
Manufacturer	Philips
Type	stationary game console
generation	second generation of consoles
	September 1982
	February 1979
	December 1978
Main processor	Intel 8048H
Graphics processor	Intel 8245
Storage media	Game modules
Controller	joystick
Online service	none
Units sold	unknown
Most successful game	unknown
predecessor	Magnavox Odyssey
successor	Philips G7400

The Philips Videopac Computer G7000 (short: Philips Videopac G7000 called, in the United States as Magnavox Odyssey 2 ( own notation : Magnavox Odyssey² ), in Brazil as Philips Odyssey in Japan as Odyssey2 ( Jap. :オデッセイ2 Hepburn : odessei2) marketed) is a stationary game console released in 1978 by the Dutch company Philips .

Technical specifications

The device includes an Intel 8048H - processor with a clock frequency of 5.91 MHz . 64 bytes of RAM are integrated in the processor , but half of it is used as a register and stack and therefore cannot be used as memory. There is also a 6810 RAM module with 128 bytes. A ROM of 1 KB is integrated in the processor . This contains program routines that are used by various games, for example the "SELECT GAME" display that occurs in almost all games. The resolution is 160 × 200 pixels with twelve possible colors, a sound channel (monophonic) is provided for the sound output.

A special feature of the device is the built-in membrane keyboard. The two joysticks used look like analog controllers, but they are ordinary digital 8-way control sticks with a fire button , as they were also used on the Atari 2600 . With some G7000 consoles the joysticks are permanently connected to the console, with other variants they are connected via plugs. There are G7000 consoles with an integrated power supply , as well as consoles with an external power supply. The G7000 console (except for the French version) does not have a power switch.

In addition to the console, the Philips G7200 contains a black and white monitor in the same housing.

The games are stored on plug - in modules called Videopac , which hold up to 8 KB and sometimes contain several games. Philips brought out around 60 modules, and other titles from third-party manufacturers such as Parker (in cooperation with Sega and Konami ), Imagic and Jopac. The Videopac modules could be safely pulled out of the console with one grip, without the console having to be switched off, as was usual with the competition. The modules were initially delivered in cardboard packaging, later in sturdy plastic boxes with a transparent front, behind which the game instructions also served as a cover.

variants

G7000 / 00: loose, silver joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 08: fixed, black joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 15: loose, silver joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 20: loose, black joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 21: fixed, black joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 22: fixed, black joysticks; internal power supply
G7000 / 30: loose, black (?) Joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 35: loose, black joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 36: fixed, black joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 37: fixed, black joysticks; internal power supply
G7000 / 49: fixed, black joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 53: loose, black joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 54: fixed, black joysticks; Plug-in power supply
G7000 / 75: loose, black (?) Joysticks; Plug-in power supply

history

A Magnavox Odyssey 2 with attached joysticks

The G7000 was marketed in America under the name Magnavox Odyssey (spelling: Magnavox Odyssey²) by the subsidiary Magnavox . It was sold particularly successfully in Europe. With module no. 9 the console could be programmed via an assembler , but the designed programs (up to 100 steps) could not be saved with it. This was only possible with the basic module C7420 (with its own CPU, ROM and RAM), which made the G7400 console a complete home computer . The basic programs could be saved here on a cassette recorder.

Many competing products, for example the Atari 2600 , were technically superior to the G7000 (higher resolution, polyphonic sounds, more colors). Attempts have been made to compensate for this disadvantage with new concepts such as combinations of board and video games and with learning programs. Some games are almost 1: 1 copies of successful Atari 2600 games, such as: B. 22 space monsters (on the Atari 2600: Space Invaders ), 38 supermampfer (on the Atari 2600: Pac-Man ), 33 art jumpers (on the Atari 2600: Circus Atari ), blowing up 29 dams (same game principle as in Breakout ) . Even today, individual programmers are still developing new games for this console (keyword: homebrew ).

Philips Videopac G7400

The successor Philips Videopac G7400 had an improved graphic display. Modules that can take advantage of these capabilities are called Videopac +. Some of these Videopac + modules are identical to normal Videopac modules with the exception of a background image, so they also work in the G7000, others only run on the G7400. These contain ROMs up to 16 KB. The power switch on the G7400 was, however, quite prone to failure.

This game console was not spared from the video game crash in 1983 either. The very powerful G7400 console could no longer be a great success. Some modules had already been developed, but were no longer published. They were later rediscovered by some Videopac fans and made available at least as binary ROM for the O2EM emulator.