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website/content/museum/magnavox-odyssey-500.md
yann64andClaude Opus 5.5 b274874139 All machines linked to their forum thread (full comment import)
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Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
2026-10-13 17:26:43 +02:00

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Markdown

---
title: MAGNAVOX Odyssey 500
categories:
- Pongs
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1976'
params:
name: Odyssey 500
image: /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey500_1.jpg
company: /companies/magnavox
company_name: MAGNAVOX
specs:
- label: NAME
value: Odyssey 500
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Magnavox
- label: ORIGIN
value: U.S.A.
- label: YEAR
value: '1976'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: Smash, Hockey, Tennis
- label: KEYBOARD
value: 3 knobs for each player (vertical movements, horizontal movements, english effect)
- label: CPU
value: Unknown
- label: SPEED
value: None
- label: CO-PROCESSOR
value: game selection, players graphic selection, power on/off
- label: RAM
value: On screen
- label: COLORS
value: 'Yes'
- label: SOUND
value: Built-in speaker
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: Unknown
- label: I/O PORTS
value: RF TV video output
- label: OS
value: 6 x C cell batteries
- label: POWER SUPPLY
value: External power supply
- label: PERIPHERALS
value: 'No'
- label: PRICE
value: Unknown
tabs:
- photos
- software
- links
forum_thread: 1248
photos:
- title: WITH BOX
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey500_withbox.jpg
- title: CONTROL PANEL
subtitle: ''
text: We can see here the different switches of the control panel. There are three different playfield (smash, tennis and hockey) and three different player graphics. That's why the box says there is also a Soccer game! It's in fact the hockey game with the Smash player graphics...
image: /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey500_cp_1.jpg
links:
- title: www.atariarchives.org
url: http://www.atariarchives.org/bcc2/showpage.php?page=278
text: This excellent web site has a scan of an old article about some Odyssey systems
- title: www.pong-story.com
url: http://www.pong-story.com/odyssey_other.htm
text: Odyssey dedicated page. Excellent website.
related:
- /museum/magnavox-odyssey-100
- /museum/magnavox-odyssey-200
- /museum/magnavox-odyssey-2000
- /museum/magnavox-odyssey-300
- /museum/magnavox-odyssey-400
software:
- /software/hockey-628
- /software/smash-626
- /software/soccer
- /software/tennis-625
oc_id: 1283
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230614010950/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1283
date: '2023-06-14'
---
The Odyssey 500 was released in 1976, and was very advanced for that time considering the technology used. It was in fact the only system of its kind. As a matter of fact, the white paddles representing the players were replaced by simple color graphics: two tennis players with their rackets (TENNIS game), two squash players (SMASH & SOCCER?), or two hockey players holding their sticks (HOCKEY).
On the control panel, one can find two switches: one to select the playfield (a wall on the left, a central net or two walls with goals), and the other one to select player graphics (as described above). That's why the box claims there is a fourth game, Soccer. It's in fact a combination of the "hockey" playfield and "smash" player graphics!
Promotional text from the box:\
\- Works on any TV... color or black & white\
\- Digital on-screen scoring - displays each player's score\
\- Action sound - for game realism\
\- Vertical, horizontal, speed & English controls - for exciting action\
\- Automatic serve - adds greater challenge to each game\
\- Full color playing fields & players - Only when used with a color TV\
\- AC adapter included - for economical, battery-free use\
\- New All-Pro: Smash, Hockey, Tennis & Soccer
---
**Contributors** : [www.pong-story.com](http://www.pong-story.com) New All-Pro: Smash, Hockey, Tennis, & Soccer
<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>