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title, categories, origins, years, cpus, params
title categories origins years cpus params
MAGNAVOX Odyssey 400
Pongs
U.S.A.
1976
discrete components
name image company company_name specs tabs photos links comments related software oc_id source
Odyssey 400 /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_1s.jpg /companies/magnavox MAGNAVOX
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NAME Odyssey 400
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MANUFACTURER Magnavox
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ORIGIN U.S.A.
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YEAR 1976
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BUILT IN LANGUAGE tennis, hockey, smash
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KEYBOARD 3 knobs for each player (vertical movements, horizontal movements, english effect)
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CPU discrete components + Texas Instruments chips
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SPEED none
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CO-PROCESSOR game selection, number of players (2 or 4), channel selection (3 or 4), sound (ON/OFF), power ON/OFF
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RAM on screen scoring (digital numbers)
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COLORS Black & white
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SOUND Built-in speaker ?
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SIZE / WEIGHT Unknown
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I/O PORTS RF TV video output
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OS 6 x C cell batteries
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POWER SUPPLY 9V DC, 100 mA external PSU - -(o- +
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PERIPHERALS no
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PRICE 100$ (USA, 1977)
photos
software
links
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ODYSSEY 400 /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_1.jpg
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BELOW /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_under_1.jpg
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CONTROL PANEL The two little knobs at the top are used to adjust "center" (left) and speed (right). At the bottom, left switch is used to select game (smash, tennis or hockey) while the right one is used to toggle 2-paddle or 4-paddle game (relevant for tennis & hockey). /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_cp_1.jpg
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CENTER & SPEED KNOBS /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_center-speed.jpg
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SWITCHES /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_switches.jpg
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RIGHT PLAYER CONTROLS There are 3 knobs. There are used for:\ - vertical movement\ - horizontal movement\ - english effect (deflection) /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_controls.jpg
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BOX Thanks to [Chronogamer](http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=87&) for this picture /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_box_1.jpg
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BOX #2 /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_box_2.jpg
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BOX DETAIL /media/museum/photos/magnavox_odyssey400_box_detail_1.jpg
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Chronogamer http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?automodule=blog&blogid=87&showentry=536 Odyssey 400 review from this excellent blog
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www.atariarchives.org http://www.atariarchives.org/bcc2/showpage.php?page=278 This excellent web site has a scan of an old article about some Odyssey systems
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www.pong-story.com http://www.pong-story.com/odyssey_other.htm Odyssey dedicated page. Excellent website.
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Rod Tuesday 23rd September 2014 To answer my own question, yes you do have to open it up... and then use a pen or screwdriver end to actually flick the switch.
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Rod (Canada) Tuesday 23rd September 2014 Does anyone know where the sound ON/OFF actually is? This site claims that the 400 has such a thing, but I can''t locate it anywhere... unless you have to open the unit up.
/museum/magnavox-odyssey-100
/museum/magnavox-odyssey-200
/museum/magnavox-odyssey-2000
/museum/magnavox-odyssey-300
/museum/magnavox-odyssey-500
/software/hockey-623
/software/smash-624
/software/tennis-622
1282
url date
https://web.archive.org/web/20230614011037/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1282 2023-06-14

In 1976, Magnavox released the Odyssey 400. It played the same games as the Odyssey 200 and used an additional Texas Instruments chip to display digital on-screen scoring (it was the first Odyssey system to display digital on-screen scoring).

On-screen scoring was quite well designed. As a matter of fact, the scores were large and were only shown when the ball was lost, and a large 'W' letter was displayed on the winner's side when the games were over. Like the Odyssey 100 and 200, the Odyssey 400 used the same three knobs to move the bats and control the "english" effect on the ball.

Basically, the Odyssey 400 is essentially an updated Odyssey 200 with mainly an addition of automatic serve and on-screen digital scoring.

Promotional text from the box:

- Works on any TV... color or black & white
- Digital on-screen scoring
- Action sound
- Verical, horizontal, speed and english controls
- Automatic serve
- Hockey goalie/tennis doubles switch


Source: www.pong-story.com

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