****************
NON-ATARI  ITEMS
****************

APF MP-1000/MP-1000 Console (1980)
A short-lived game machine that was the hub of the 
first expandable computer system called "Imagination 
Machine."

Coleco Frogger Tabletop machine
One of the early Vacuum Flourescent Display (VFD) games that 
set the standard for handhelds in the early 80's.  Coleco 
also released Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian and 
Zaxxon in tabletop format.

Coleco Telstar Arcade
Not to be mistaken with the Coleco Telstar (a dedicated 
early Pong machine), the Telstar Arcade was a color game
console designed by Ralph Baer of Odyssey 1 fame.

Entex Adventurevision 
Perhaps the weirdest handheld ever designed, this rare system 
uses LED's that are shown onto a spinning mirror to display 
the game screens.  The Adventurevision takes cartridges, but 
only 4 games were released for the system.

Entex Select-A-Game 
This handheld uses Vacuum Flourescent Display in a different 
way.  The unit itself doesn't contain a game.  The games were 
cartridges that when plugged into the unit, provided 
"different" games.  Only 8 games were released for the system:  
Baseball 4, Basketball 3, Battleship, Football 4, Pac-Man 2, 
Pinball, Turtles and Space Invaders, which was packed with 
the system.

Magnavox Odyssey (1972)
THE very first home game system, released in 1972 and designed 
by Ralph Baer of Sanders and Associates. Although the coin-op 
game Computer Space was first to hit the market, it was Baer 
who first designed a videogame that was commercially feasible, 
and he was subsequently awarded numerous videogame-related 
patents which Magnavox vigorously pursued (and made plenty of 
money doing it.)  The games for the Odyssey were in black and 
white but much like the Vectrex, one could place colored 
plastic overlays on the TV screen for an enhanced visual effect.

Mattel Auto Race (1976)
Designed when Michael Katz (later of Coleco and Sega fame) 
had an idea for a new technology, this handheld can be credited 
as the first LED based handheld.  It was followed by the hugely 
popular Baseball, Football and Football 2.

Milton Bradley Microvision 
The very first cartridge-based handheld machine that is similar 
to the Nintendo Game Boy in more ways than one.  Although it 
seemed like an idea ahead of its time, the system with a 2" 
monochrome LCD display never quite hit the big time. The design 
of this system led to a severe problem with screen rot, which 
rendered many systems useless.

*****************
ATARI  VCS  ITEMS
*****************

Amiga Joyboard 
Although the name is more familiar to fans of the 
Commodore Amiga computer, they dabbled in the 2600 
arena with the Joyboard, a unique controller which 
allowed players to rock on the board for directional 
control.  Mogul Maniac, a mediocre skiing game, was 
the only game commercially released for this device.

Atari 2700 (a.k.a. RC Stella) (1981, prototype)
An unreleased prototype remote-control Atari VCS system.  
Notice its similarity in design to the Atari 5200 
SuperSystem.       

Atari 2800 (1983)
Similar in external design to the VCS-compatible Sears 
Video Arcade II, the 2800 was Atari's attempt at tapping 
into the lucrative Japanese gaming market.  Unfortunately, it 
was released a mere two months before Nintendo's Blockbuster
Famicom system (known in the U.S. as the Nintendo Entertainment 
System.)  Too little, too late.
       
Atari CX-2000 (VAL) (Blue & Brown) (1981, prototype)
An odd 2600-compatible prototype system that was wisely canned 
before going into production, the CX-2000 was meant as a VCS 
for kids (not the blue color of the later blue version... it's 
similar in color to the VCS Kid's Controller) with its slim 
design and built-in dual joysticks.  The cartridge port is on 
the back of the unit.  Flaws were abundant -- built-in (fragile 
as heck) controllers?  You'd have to bring the entire unit in 
if the broke.. and these were meant for kids? -- and it was one 
of the many failed experiments that Atari should never have let 
past the drawing board in the first place.
       
Atari G1 Light Gun (1986, prototype)
Unlike the 2600/7800 and 8-bit computer-compatible light gun, 
the G1 was meant to be marketed exclusively for the consoles.  
Unreleased.

Atari Graduate Computer (CX-3000) (1982-83, prototype)
Not to be outdone by keyboard attachments by rivals Coleco and 
Mattel, Atari promised a VCS computer attachment of its own for 
most of 1982 and '83.  However, in the wake of declining prices 
in 1983 of more powerful computers like the C64 and Atari's own 
8-bit line, they decided against releasing an upgrade for a 
system that was already on its last legs.

Atari Mindlink Controller (1983, prototype)
Look ma, no hands!  With Atari's Mindlink controller, the 
infrared sensors wrap around your forehead with Velcro straps 
and plug into the Mindlink transmitter, which plugs into the 
Atari Computer, VCS or 7800 game system.  It doesn't really 
read your mind, but it does detect muscle impulses when you 
move your eyebrows and forehead.  The $100 device was to play 
games like Breakout, and Atari claimed that software would be 
available on ESP, thought games, memory and biofeedback. 
Groucho Marx would have been great at this.  The Mindlink you 
see here was recently discovered.

CVC GameLine Modem (1983)
When Control Video Corporation announced its Gameline Master 
Module for the Atari 2600, it was the beginning of the first 
interactive telecommunications service linking a home videogame 
console with a central server.  The service, dubbed "The 
Gameline", allowed owners of the 2600 to tap a centeral 
computerized library of video games licensed from leading 
companies, on a pay-per-play basis. Gameline was to be the 
first of a number of CVC services planned, including electronic 
mail, news and information, home banking and financial 
management.  CVC's telecommunications link for the 2600 was its 
Master Module, a unique device which was inserted into the game 
console like a game cartridge and connected to a telephone or 
telephone outlet.  The idea was too little, too late, as it was 
released just moments before the videogame market began to 
collapse all around it.

One interesting sidenote regarding CVC and its GameLine 
service.  After the failure with its 2600 gaming service, CVC's 
president, William F. von Meister, founded America Online, the 
leading online service company today.

Dynacom Megaboy (?)
A pirated, handheld (well, sort of) version of the Atari VCS, 
the Megaboy was sold for a brief period in Brazil.  It lacked 
its own screen, negating much of the benefit of a handheld 
machine.  It was packed with a 64K educational cartridge.

NICS TV Boy (?)
A pirated, handheld version of the Atari VCS, the TV Boy 
differs from the Megaboy in that it has 127 games built into 
the unit.  Unfortunately, the TV Boy lacks a cartridge port 
(unlike the Megaboy), limiting its use to the games that are 
built into the machine.

RGA International Video Game Brain (1983)
A "video game jukebox" of sorts, the Video Game Brain was one 
of several devices for the 2600 which allowed users to select 
their games by a touch of a button.  The unit plugged into the 
cartridge port and stored up to six cartridges.

Sears Telegames II system (1983)
Almost identical in appearance to the Japanese Atari 2800 
machine.  Both were 2600-compatible.

Spectravision CompuMate (1983)
The only keyboard add-on released for the Atari 2600, despite 
announcements from a plethora of companies that promised the 
same thing.  Only a small number of CompuMates were ever 
released in the United States.  It was a wider release 
overseas in PAL format.

Starpath Supercharger (1982)
One of the most fondly remembered companies of the classic era, 
Starpath's Supercharger was a plug-in device that expanded the 
Random Access Memory (RAM) of the Atari VCS almost 50-fold, 
from 128 to 6,272 bytes (roughly 6K).  The increased memory 
added vivid high-resolution graphics capabilities like never 
before on the venerable Atari machine. The Supercharger was 
inserted into the cartridge slot of the Atari unit. A cable 
from the Supercharger plugged into the earphone jack of almost 
any cassette player.  Starpath games were recorded on 
audiocassettes, achieving greater memory capacity and reduced 
cost of cassettes. The user simply placed the game cassette 
in the cassette player, pressed the play button, and played 
the game. The Supercharger originally listed at $44.95, and 
was packaged with the game Phaser Patrol, an excellent Star 
Raiders knock-off. Additional games could be purchased for a 
mere $15-18.

Starplex Deluxe Video Game Controller (1982)
This gourmet controller was designed to mimic the control 
panel of the arcade version of Asteroids.  It was also one 
of the first controllers to offer a rapid fire feature.  Two 
AA size batteries were required.

**********************
OTHER  ATARI  CONSOLES
**********************

Atari 5100 (5200 Jr.) (1984, prototype)
Following the trend of Atari's redesigned 2600 "Jr.", Atari 
planned on producing a lower-cost version of its 5200 
SuperSystem.  Since the 5200 was one HULK of a machine, it 
was only logical, then, to take out all of the excess metal 
and plastic that was only there for cosmetic purposes.  What 
you see here was dubbed the 5100, or "5200jr." as we like to 
call it..

Atari 5200 self-centering joystick (1983, prototype)
A prototype of a joystick that consumers were clamoring for 
(the OEM 5200 controllers did not snap back to the center 
when a player let go of the joystick.)

Atari 5200 Kid's Controller (1983, prototype)
Like with the 2600 Kid's Controller, the 5200 version was 
to be used with Sesame Street "edutainment" programs, where
Overlays were to be placed above the numeric keypad to play 
the games.  The one shown here is only a mock-up.  Astro 
Grover and Big Bird's Hide & Seek were two games which were 
announced for use with the Kid's Controller, but were not 
released.

Atari 7800 Keyboard (1984)
One of the plethora of peripherals planned for the 7800 until 
Atari's sale from Time Warner to Jack Tramiel caused the 
cancellation of the computer add-on.  The one you see here 
is the only known prototype to exist.

Atari Cosmos (1980)
From 1978-1980, Atari spent considerable time developing 
Cosmos, a handheld holography game system. In May, 1981, Atari 
announced that the machine was ready to be released but never 
stated an exact date when it would be available in stores. The 
console was to retail at $100 and the eight game cartridges, 
among them the ever popular Asteroids and Space Invaders, were 
to be sold for $10 each. Advance reviews of the console 
complained that the holograms really didn't enhance the game 
play and were merely used as backdrops.  Atari conceded that 
this was true but defended it by saying that since Cosmos was 
the first of its kind, such trivialities could be overlooked.  
By year's end, however, Atari scrapped the project.  The Cosmos, 
and the rest of its holographic research, was never heard about 
again.  (NOTE: It will be on display periodically at the Atari 
Gaming Headquarters booth.)

Atari Game Brain Console (1977, Prototype)
With the Game Brain, Atari sought to bridge the gap between 
dedicated Pong consoles and programmable videogame systems 
like the Fairchild Channel F machine. Basically, the Game Brain 
was a cartridge-based system, with its game library to consist 
of "Atari's Greatest Dedicated Console Hits."  The unit had the 
paddle controllers built onto the machine itself, and an area 
near the top of the console where game instructions could be 
stored for quick and handy reference. It was inspired by the 
Coleco Telstar Arcade.

Atari never counted on the Game Brain to sell in large numbers; 
rather, it was designed as a way to get rid of all the dedicated 
game CPUs that they thought would be obsolete with the release 
of the then-forthcoming VCS.

The market for such a hybrid Pong/videogame machine was
short-lived, however, as competitors like the Odyssey2, Channel 
F and Atari's own VCS captured what market was out there for 
home video entertainment. As a result, Atari eventually decided 
against debuting the Game Brain amid the uncertain prevailing 
market climate.

Atari Jaguar Voice Modem (1994, prototype)
The Jaguar Voice Modem is a finished (but unreleased) product 
that connects to the Jaguar's DSP port. It came equipped with 
a combination headphone-microphone headset so gamers could talk 
to one another while they played against each other. The modem 
got its power from the Jaguar's power supply and had two 
telephone jacks, a power switch and 2 LED lights (for power 
and data connection.)  The only game developed to use the Voice 
Modem was Ultra Vortek, a fighting game by Beyond Games.
       
Atari Mirai (?, prototype)
This mock-up is an enigma.  Was it to be a cartridge-based 
system based on the ST computer?  Your guess is as good as ours.

****************
ATARI  COMPUTERS
****************

Atari 1090XL (1984, prototype)
Designed the Atari's XL line of 8-bit computers, the 1090XL 
Expansion System contained five slots which could accommodate a 
variety of expansion options.  Only a handful of prototype cards 
were ever made for it, including a RAM card, a CP/M module and 
an 80-column card.  The 1090XL never saw the light of day as 
the system -- and the entire 400/800/XL line, for that 
matter -- was quickly discarded when the Tramiels took over 
Atari.

Atari 1450XLD (1984, prototype)
The 1450XLD was to be Atari's flagship 8-bit computer system.  
It featured an internal modem, a voice synthesizer, and 
built-in floppy disk drive (the 1450XLD with dual floppy 
drives were also made.)

Atari 65XEP (1985, prototype)
Atari's portable version of the XE line of computers, the 65XEP 
had a built-in monochrome display and a 3.5" disk drive.  Only 
one prototype 65XEP was ever made.

Atari 800XL (1983, unreleased)
The Atari 800XL was the 400/800 line of computers as well as 
the ill-fated 1200XL. The system contained a 64K of RAM, and 
was much smaller physically than its predecessors.   Like the 
1200XL before it, its OS was still not completely compatible 
with all 400/800 software, but Atari began to distribute a 
"Translator" disk which would load up a 400/800 compatible OS 
into memory so that the 800XL could support those programs.  

Atari CP/M Module (1983-84, prototype)
An add-on for the XL series of Atari 8-bit computers, the one 
shown at World of Atari '98 is believed to be the only one in 
existence.


Atari TT030
The TT030 was an ST-compatible computer based on the Motorola 
MC68030 32-bit running at 32Mhz.  It also had a powerful 
Motorola MC68882 FPU processor and came with 2MB or 10MB of 
ST RAM plus 4MB or 16MB of FastRAM.  Several TT030's were 
purchased by NASA and used in the Space Shuttle project. 

Atari XC11 Cassette Player
An XE-style cassette drive that looks similar to the 410 drive.  
It was never available in the U.S., and its availability in 
Europe is also in question.

Atari XTC-201 Thermal Color Printer (prototype)
XTC stands for (X)E (T)hermal (C)olor Printer.  Had I/O ports 
on the back of the printer, and had a removable model which 
snaps out and allowed the use of other modules (i.e.- a 
Commodore 64 module which allowed the XTC-201 to be used with 
the C64 computer.)

********************
MISCELLANEOUS  ATARI
********************

AtariTel Eagle Telephone (1983)
A full duplex speakerphone by the AtariTel division which was 
formed in 1981 was created to form an entire new line of 
consumer electronics.  The AtariTel line was to include 
conventional telephones with advanced features and styling.  

In addition to the full duplex speakerphone capability, the 
Eagle had features that most telephone companies only 
had available in expensive high-end business phones.  Other 
notable features included a variable speakerphone volume, 
flash button for call-waiting, speakerphone mute, memory 
auto-dial, ringer volume, ringer on/off and on-receiver hang-up 
and mute.  Two of the world's leading industrial designers, 
Porsche Design and Morrison Cousins Associates were 
commissioned to develop the product designs. As was the case 
with many products developed just prior to Atari's sale to the 
Tramiels, the Eagle -- and the entire AtariTel division -- was 
canned.

Atari Space Invaders Handheld Box (1980, prototype)
Sensing that money was to be made in the handheld market, Atari 
was all set to bring out stand-alone black-and-white versions 
of Space Invaders and Breakout.  What you see here is a 
production first article of the box for Space Invaders.  The 
actual handheld is not believed to have ever been completed. 
(NOTE: It will be on display periodically at the Atari Gaming 
Headquarters booth.)

Atari Video Music (1976)
Talk about a device that was tailor made for the funky-fly 70s. 
Atari planned to appeal to the disco/psychedelic crowd with 
its stereo-looking device that was to attach to your television 
and stereo to produce some wacky animations on the tube. Don't 
expect anything better than archaic 2600-type stuff, however. 
This is 1976 we're talking about.  Any receiver or amplifier 
can be attached to the Video Music.  From there, you simply 
connect the Video Music to the television to produce the 
desired effects on your TV.  Fans of the Jaguar CD's Virtual 
Light Machine will get a major trip from its distant relative.


Keita Iida
Atari Gaming Headquarters
http://www.atarihq.com
World of Atari '98
http://www.atarihq.com/atari98