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The PC-50X Cart Family

The world was undergoing "Pong Madness". It seemed only natural that developers would create advancements to the original AY-3-8500 chip to incorporate color and even more games. This explains the amount of pong systems since each machine contained a different chip. However things were handled different in some areas particularly in Europe.

Europe did not see the release of Intellivision and Atari 2600 till the early 1980s. This allowed Pong to have a longer success. Rather then creating a new machine for each new chip, developers took the General Instruments popular line of chips and slapped them into cartridges. These carts were not like ROM carts used in later systems. They simply housed a specific General Instruments processor chip with pin outs to interface with a console. These were the PC-50X line of cartridges. Catch a glimpse HERE

Reference GI Chipset English title
PC-501 AY-3-8610 Sports / Supersportic (10 games)
PC-502 AY-3-8760 Motor cycle (4 games)
PC-503 AY-3-8710 Tank Battle (2 games)
PC-504 AY-3-8603 Racing cars / Grand Prix / Race Car GP (2 games)
PC-505 AY-3-8605 Submarine (3 games)
PC-506 AY-3-8606 Super Wipeout (10 games)
PC-507 AY-3-8607 Shooting Gallery
PC-508 Released ??? 6 jeux de base

With the PC-50X cartridges available, console manufacturers were able to produce a machine that could play several games, and market them at a low cost. The units were made in Hong Kong, and were marketed by Creatronic, Hanimex, ITMC, Rollet, GrandStand , Soundic and lord knows how many other manufacturers.

 The initial model SD-050 varied in terms of outward appearance (colors, etc), manufacturers names, and slight modifications. However each unit had the same overall design with two detachable controllers, and 10 buttons located on the top of the machine. These 10 buttons, which clearly identify a PC-50X based console, were used to select the different games available on each cart. The SD-050 model only produced black and white video color. 

New models such as the SD-070 and SD-090 appeared and sold well into the 80's since the units were far cheaper then the newer consoles making waves in the US and Japan. These newer models played the same carts, but added additional settings, sound, and SECAM color (4 colors). 

There were far too many PC-50X cart accepting consoles, and it is difficult to list them all. However here are a few listed below.

Console name

Country

ITMC SD-050

France

Grandstand SD-050

United Kingdom

Hanimex SD-050

France

Audiosonic PP-790

Europe

Universum Programmable TV Game

Germany

Acetronic Color TV Game

Europe

Hanimex SD-070

France

Prinztronic Micro 10

Europe

Prinztronic Micro 5500

Europe

SHG Blackpoint

Europe

Poppy 9015

Germany

Sanwa 9015

Germany

Unimex Mark IX

Germany

Optim 600

Germany

Palladium Tele Cassetten Game

Germany

Binatone Cablestar

United Kingdom

Grandstand Programmable TV Game

United Kingdom

Poppy TVG 10

Germany

Radofin Telesports 3

Germany

Jeu Video Cassette Interchangeable

France

Mercury Commander / Mark 3

Hong Kong

ROLLET 4/303 'Video Secam System'

France

SIPO Heim-Video-Cassettenspiel

Hong Kong

Poppy SECAM Jeu Video SD 050S

Germany

Grandstand Colour Programmable SD-070

United Kingdom

Creatronic Program 2000 SD-050

France

Hanimex SD-070 couleur

France

Tempest Programmable TV Game SD-050C

Australia

Soundic Programmable TV Game

Europe

 


Christopher "Dark Watcher" Hernandez © 2003 - 2007  
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