website/content/museum/polycon-pg-7-programmable-tv-games.md

---
title: POLYCON PG 7 (Programmable TV Games)
categories:
- Consoles
origins:
- United Kingdom
params:
  name: PG 7 (Programmable TV Games)
  image: /media/museum/photos/polycon_pg7_1s.jpg
  company: /companies/polycon
  company_name: POLYCON
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: PG 7 (Programmable TV Games)
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Polycon
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: United Kingdom
  - label: YEAR
    value: ? Unknown
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: None
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Two detachable controllers with analog joysticks and a fire button
  - label: CPU
    value: None. Chipsets are located in each cartridge
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: Unknown
  - label: COLORS
    value: 'Yes'
  - label: SOUND
    value: yes, built-in speaker
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: Unknown
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Power in, TV RF video output, light gun connectors
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: Cartridges
  - label: OS
    value: 7 cartridges
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: External power supply (9v, 200ma, - -(o- + ) or 6 x AA batteries
  - label: PRICE
    value: Unknown
  tabs:
  - photos
  - software
  - links
  forum_thread: 1098
  photos:
  - title: PG 7
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/polycon_pg7_1.jpg
  - title: CONTROL PANEL
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/polycon_pg7_cpanel.jpg
  - title: REAR CONNECTORS
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      From left to right :

      \- Power in (9v, 200mA, - -(o- + )\
      \- Right pistol (two jacks)\
      \- Left pistol (two jacks)

      Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/polycon_pg7_rear_1.jpg
  - title: BOX
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/polycon_pg7_box_1.jpg
  - title: BOX SIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/polycon_pg7_box_side.jpg
  - title: INSTRUCTIONS
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/polycon_pg7_instructions.jpg
  screenshots:
  - title: CARTRIDGE
    subtitle: Front
    text: Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/software/polycon_pg7_ct603_cart.jpg
  - title: CARTRIDGE
    subtitle: Back
    text: Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/software/polycon_pg7_ct603_cart_back.jpg
  - title: CARTRIDGE
    subtitle: Front
    text: Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/software/polycon_pg7_ct610_cart.jpg
  - title: CARTRIDGE
    subtitle: Back
    text: Thanks to Leigh Arnfield for this picture
    image: /media/museum/software/polycon_pg7_ct610_cart_back.jpg
  links:
  - title: INTERNAL LINK
    url: http://www.old-computers.com/magazine/view.asp?r=2&a=4
    text: Article comparing the different GI catridge based systems
  related:
  - /museum/audiosonic-tele-sports-iv
  - /museum/bandai-tv-jack-5000
  - /museum/h-g-s-electronic-telesport
  - /museum/hanimex-sd-070-colour-programmable-tv-game-console
  - /museum/mbo-teleball-cassetten-system
  - /museum/palladium-tele-cassetten-game
  - /museum/poppy-9015
  - /museum/prinztronic-micro-5500
  - /museum/rollet-video-secam-system-4-303
  - /museum/s-h-g-black-point-fs-1003-fs-2000
  - /museum/sanwa-9015
  - /museum/teleng-colourstars
  - /museum/unimex-mark-ix
  oc_id: 1128
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230613152940/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1128
    date: '2023-06-13'
---

This is a typical system using catridges based on the different chipsets developped by General Instruments in the late 70s. Each GI chips was able to generate several games, ball games for a start, then later car racing, motorcycle, submarines, tanks and shooting games.

The system has two detachable controllers with one analog joystick and one fire button each. The control panel is composed of 10 buttons to select the different games offered by each cartridge (10 being the maximum). Three option switches, a power switch and a RESET button can also be found. There is also a weird color switch/slider which function is to select one of the 4 display colour combinations (red, purple, blue, green)...

The original fact with the PG-7 is that it has an unusual design. Mainly because of the cartridge slot placement, vertically aligned with the control panel. There is no real "slot" to insert the whole cartridge, but only a thin connector for the contact edge of the cartridge.

Placed a the top of the case can be found a feature usely found on old pong systems but more scarcely on later ones : score sliders to keep track of total winning games for each player. These sliders are not electronicaly connected to anything, there are just "physical reminders"...

At the back of the system can be found connectors for optional controllers like a light gun, or Battle Tank controllers. In fact both controllers are labeled "Light Gun 1" and "Light Gun 2", but they must be used by the optional Tank Controllers.

The Tank Battle game produced by the AY-3-8710 chip from General Instruments, is often missing from available cartridges for this type of systems (based upon GI chips). There is one good reason. All the other games use analog controllers whereas the Tank Battle must be played with digital controllers (like direction buttons for example). And all these video-game systems were designed with analog controllers and no numeric ones. However, some systems, like the Polycon PG-7 (and the [Prinztronic Micro 5500](/museum/prinztronic-micro-5500/) or [SHG Blackpoint](/museum/s-h-g-black-point-fs-1003-fs-2000/)) offered optional digital controllers (pads with 5 buttons: directions and fire) with the Tank Battle cartridge...

The Polycon PG-7 is a quite rare little machine.

<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>