website/content/museum/teleng-colourstars.md

title, categories, origins, params

title	categories	origins	params
TELENG Colourstars	Consoles	United Kingdom	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware screenshots links related oc_id source Colourstars /media/museum/photos/teleng_colourstars_1s.jpg /companies/teleng TELENG label value NAME Colourstars label value MANUFACTURER Teleng label value ORIGIN United Kingdom label value YEAR ? Unknown label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Two detachable controllers with analog joysticks and a fire button label value CPU None. Chipsets are located in each cartridge label value GRAPHIC MODES Unknown (very blocky) label value COLORS Yes label value SOUND yes, built-in speaker label value SIZE / WEIGHT Unknown label value I/O PORTS Power in, TV RF video output, light gun connectors label value BUILT IN MEDIA Cartridges label value OS 7 cartridges label value POWER SUPPLY External power supply (9v, 200ma, - -(o- + ) or 6 x AA/HP2 batteries label value PRICE Kit : £28.90 (UK)\ Assembled : £35.90 (UK) photos adverts hardware software links 1167 title subtitle text image TELENG COLOURSTARS /media/museum/photos/teleng_colourstars_1.jpg title subtitle text image DEFAULT CONTROLLERS /media/museum/photos/teleng_colourstars_controllers.jpg title subtitle text image UK ADVERT Teleplay advert for the Teleng Colourstars Thanks to [Double Dragon Retro Mess](http://www.geocities.com/doubledragon0uk//Home.html) for this picture /media/museum/pubs/teleng_colourstars_pub-teleplay.jpg title subtitle text image STUNT CYCLE ACCELERATOR CONTROLLER This special controller was used with Stunt Cycle game. Its unique vertical slider controls the moto cycle acceleration. Thanks to [Double Dragon Retro Mess](http://www.geocities.com/doubledragon0uk//Home.html) for this picture /media/museum/hardware/teleng_colourstars_stunt-cycle_controller.jpg title subtitle text image CARTRIDGE This cartridge, based on the AY-3-8610 chipset from General Instrument, includes 10 pong games : solo squash, gridball, solo basketball, target, solo target, squash, hockey, tennis, basketball and football. /media/museum/software/teleng_colourstars_ball_cart.jpg title url text INTERNAL LINK http://www.old-computers.com/magazine/view.asp?r=2&a=4 Article comparing the different GI catridge based systems /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/polycon-pg-7-programmable-tv-games /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/unimex-mark-ix 1199 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230614011053/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1199 2023-06-14

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. A big numbered dial in the middle of the control panel is used to select the different games offered by each cartridge (10 being the maximum). Three option switches (A,B,C), a power switch and a RESET button can also be found.

The original fact with the Teleng Colourstars is its unusual design. First, it looks like a classic pong systems, but when looking closer, there is a cartridge slot on the right side of the system (unusual placement for a cartridge slot).

Seven games seem to have been released for the Teleng Coloustars: Ball/Paddle, Submarines, Space War, Wipe out, Stunt Cycle, Tank Battle and Road Race.

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 Teleng Colourstars (and the Polycon PG-7, Prinztronic Micro 5500 or SHG Blackpoint) offered optional digital controllers (pads with 5 buttons: directions and fire) with the Tank Battle cartridge...

The Stunt Cycle cartridge can normally be played with default controllers as it only require vertical movements for acceleration, but Teleng offered with the cartridge a special one made of a simple vertical slider, which is quite uncommon for this type of system.

The Teleng Colourstars was also marketed as the Mercury Commander, Sovriegn, Replay and Teleplay

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.