RDI Halcyon...value?

[xDragonWarrior]

So i've seen this system and in the future(when i become an adult and get a job),i wanna find this system and add it to my collection.Where would i find one and how much is it worth(i would pay the premium to have a unique console as this one and to not let systems like this be forgotten)

[98PaceCar]

The few units that are out there were bought directly from the original investors in RDI and are in private collector's hands. I've been able to account for 4 units and 1 additional through hearsay. You will find a number of the laserdisc units out there, but that's only half of the system. Same with the actual laserdiscs themselves. You'd stll need the associated cartridge to say you own the game.

 

As far as cost, it's going to be a lot and you'll be competing with a lot of other collectors that want them as well. I can't really say what one would go for on the open market at this point, but I'd wager it could break into the low 5 figure range knowing the deep pocketbooks of some of the collectors that are currently on the hunt for this one.

 

It won't be an easy thing to find, but if you are persistent you might be able to work a miracle.

[xDragonWarrior]

The few units that are out there were bought directly from the original investors in RDI and are in private collector's hands. I've been able to account for 4 units and 1 additional through hearsay. You will find a number of the laserdisc units out there, but that's only half of the system. Same with the actual laserdiscs themselves. You'd stll need the associated cartridge to say you own the game.

 

As far as cost, it's going to be a lot and you'll be competing with a lot of other collectors that want them as well. I can't really say what one would go for on the open market at this point, but I'd wager it could break into the low 5 figure range knowing the deep pocketbooks of some of the collectors that are currently on the hunt for this one.

 

It won't be an easy thing to find, but if you are persistent you might be able to work a miracle.

 

There's the football game on ebay here brand new for $275:http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FBrand-New-HALCYON-FOOTBAL-Laser-Disc-Arcade-HALCYON-FOOTBAL-Arcade-Laser-Disc-%2F111014606153%3Fpt%3DLH_DefaultDomain_0%26hash%3Ditem19d8fc7549

 

Thanks for the input,and i still want to compete(who wouldn't want to have there pizza microwaved by your voice?)

[98PaceCar]

There's the football game on ebay here brand new for $275:http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?ff3=4&pub=5574883395&toolid=10001&campid=5336500554&customid=&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2FBrand-New-HALCYON-FOOTBAL-Laser-Disc-Arcade-HALCYON-FOOTBAL-Arcade-Laser-Disc-%2F111014606153%3Fpt%3DLH_DefaultDomain_0%26hash%3Ditem19d8fc7549

 

Thanks for the input,and i still want to compete(who wouldn't want to have there pizza microwaved by your voice?)

 

Yea, that's the more common of the 2 laserdiscs. Still, it's only half of the game and is really nothing more than a bog standard laserdisc. The part that makes it playable is stored in a cartridge that matches the disc. There's some pics here that show all of the various pieces of the system: http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg80-rdi.htm#page=reviews

 

And yea, it's an amazing piece of history and well worth hunting one down if you are able.

[Taskmaster99]

I have never heard of this so I looked up a video. Pretty friggin cool. The voice is completely hard to understand but the demo of Thayers Quest looked pretty cool. Cant believe it was 2500 bucks back in 85. Good luck with your hunt.

[xDragonWarrior]

I have never heard of this so I looked up a video. Pretty friggin cool. The voice is completely hard to understand but the demo of Thayers Quest looked pretty cool. Cant believe it was 2500 bucks back in 85. Good luck with your hunt.

 

thanks! the voice is hard to understand but cool at the same time.

[Taskmaster99]

I have found a ton of videos on Thayers Quest but not a single one on Raiders vs Chargers. Anybody find one? I'd like to see that game in action.

[shadow460]

Dude if I EVER find one of these at a flea market run with other collectors, there might hafta be a brawl!

[PsychedelicShaman]

I have found a ton of videos on Thayers Quest but not a single one on Raiders vs Chargers. Anybody find one? I'd like to see that game in action.

 

This link shows the intro along with some of the other intros/demos: http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/community/related/homesystems/halcyon/

 

There is like 20 seconds of gameplay in this video around 3:00:

[yy958]

http://www.gizmowatc...e-retro-gaming/

 

sold on ebay for 1050 bucks. Will take some saving Very interesting console by the way, I would fancy myself one too once I can get a hold of that kind of spending money!

Edited February 27, 2013 by yy958

[98PaceCar]

http://www.gizmowatc...e-retro-gaming/

 

sold on ebay for 1050 bucks. Will take some saving Very interesting console by the way, I would fancy myself one too once I can get a hold of that kind of spending money!

 

Where do you see an ending bid of $1050? The article mentions that it had bids that high at that particular point in time, but if it's the auction I'm thinking of, I bid over $2500 for it and I seem to remember it going over $3500 at the end. Though the high bidder backed out and it was sold to someone else at an undisclosed price. I believe the buyer is on the Dragon's Lair Project forum.

[jhd]

The few units that are out there were bought directly from the original investors in RDI and are in private collector's hands. I've been able to account for 4 units and 1 additional through hearsay.

 

So were they actually commercially released, or just sold to "insiders"?

 

The website implies that it received a limited release (shortly before the company went out of business), but only 5 units surviving seems a really small number for a commercial product. Perhaps there is a warehouse-full somewhere waiting to be discovered.

[bojay1997]

So were they actually commercially released, or just sold to "insiders"?

 

The website implies that it received a limited release (shortly before the company went out of business), but only 5 units surviving seems a really small number for a commercial product. Perhaps there is a warehouse-full somewhere waiting to be discovered.

 

Sadly, there is no warehouse full of them waiting to be discovered. I actually own many of the physical assets of RDI that were sold to a former investor during the bankruptcy process. This includes boxes of scripts, original art, prototype laserdiscs and CEDs, 1" and 3/4" master tapes, audio reels, 35mm film prints, and all of the original corporate records, blueprints, purchase orders, etc...from RDI. A lot of what's hanging on the walls as Rick Dyer gives the reporter a tour of the RDI offices in the video, including the pencil sketches and the backgrounds the various artists are working on are in my collection.

 

In reviewing the records, it seems pretty clear that none ever made it to actual retail sale and that no more than 20 full units were ever assembled and tested. If you watch the video above, you can see about that many full units in the open testing room. Every one of them that has been found so far, as far as I am aware, was owned by former investors in the company as opposed to a customer or member of the general public. There were many, many more RDI branded LD-700 players left over at bankruptcy as Pioneer required a large order and those players were sold at the bankruptcy auction in large lots. In the video, that wall of boxes is all just the laserdisc player part. For many years you would find the players at swap meets or on Ebay in Southern California where many of them were resold. They were just stock Pioneer LD-700 players, so they were perfectly fine for playing movies. There is a good chance of finding an RDI branded Pioneer player if you're patient.

 

I think there is very little chance of finding a full Halcyon at this point as they have only appeared on Ebay twice since 1998 and the first time the unit was mis-listed and still went for over $1000 and the most recent time, the unit sold for several thousand and while the high bidder may not have paid, I believe someone else stepped up and may have paid over $3K. Personally, I think given the rarity and real uniqueness of the system, that was a bargain. As 98PaceCar noted, I would expect the next full unit that pops up to easily top five figures at auction given the number of wealthy collectors who are out there currently and who have already expressed interest.

Edited February 27, 2013 by bojay1997

[Blazing Lazers]

Sadly, there is no warehouse full of them waiting to be discovered. I actually own many of the physical assets of RDI that were sold to a former investor during the bankruptcy process. This includes boxes of scripts, original art, prototype laserdiscs and CEDs, 1" and 3/4" master tapes, audio reels, 35mm film prints, and all of the original corporate records, blueprints, purchase orders, etc...from RDI. A lot of what's hanging on the walls as Rick Dyer gives the reporter a tour of the RDI offices in the video, including the pencil sketches and the backgrounds the various artists are working on are in my collection.

 

In reviewing the records, it seems pretty clear that none ever made it to actual retail sale and that no more than 20 full units were ever assembled and tested. If you watch the video above, you can see about that many full units in the open testing room. Every one of them that has been found so far, as far as I am aware, was owned by former investors in the company as opposed to a customer or member of the general public. There were many, many more RDI branded LD-700 players left over at bankruptcy as Pioneer required a large order and those players were sold at the bankruptcy auction in large lots. In the video, that wall of boxes is all just the laserdisc player part. For many years you would find the players at swap meets or on Ebay in Southern California where many of them were resold. They were just stock Pioneer LD-700 players, so they were perfectly fine for playing movies. There is a good chance of finding an RDI branded Pioneer player if you're patient.

 

I think there is very little chance of finding a full Halcyon at this point as they have only appeared on Ebay twice since 1998 and the first time the unit was mis-listed and still went for over $1000 and the most recent time, the unit sold for several thousand and while the high bidder may not have paid, I believe someone else stepped up and may have paid over $3K. Personally, I think given the rarity and real uniqueness of the system, that was a bargain. As 98PaceCar noted, I would expect the next full unit that pops up to easily top five figures at auction given the number of wealthy collectors who are out there currently and who have already expressed interest.

 

In this video:

 

 

the news announcer literally says that Halcyon was "in limited production right now out of Carlsbad" and later "the cost of the computer: $1,800, $1,100 if you own a laserdisc. The talkback feature is an extra $300", "25,000 units are the sales estimate for the first year". "Only one or two units are in selected video stores now, just one in San Diego County". "Dyer says that stores with allocations have already pre-sold the units". Next clip: "it won't be released until June". "If test marketing is any indication, what they'll have is your basic phenomenal success". So, Halcyon apparently was both test marketed AND sold in stores, in at least 2 configurations.

 

There's also (at the 18 second mark) a view of a THIRD game cartridge, one of Cobra Command, and the video later shows footage of the game in action.

 

I would love to know- is there anything in the documentation you have about any of this- especially which stores actually had the Halcyon, and whether or not the pricing later jumped? Any insight the documents might have would be VERY fascinating...

[bojay1997]

In this video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4HyBLgmRlw

 

the news announcer literally says that Halcyon was "in limited production right now out of Carlsbad" and later "the cost of the computer: $1,800, $1,100 if you own a laserdisc. The talkback feature is an extra $300", "25,000 units are the sales estimate for the first year". "Only one or two units are in selected video stores now, just one in San Diego County". "Dyer says that stores with allocations have already pre-sold the units". Next clip: "it won't be released until June". "If test marketing is any indication, what they'll have is your basic phenomenal success". So, Halcyon apparently was both test marketed AND sold in stores, in at least 2 configurations.

 

There's also (at the 18 second mark) a view of a THIRD game cartridge, one of Cobra Command, and the video later shows footage of the game in action.

 

I would love to know- is there anything in the documentation you have about any of this- especially which stores actually had the Halcyon, and whether or not the pricing later jumped? Any insight the documents might have would be VERY fascinating...

 

What Rick Dyer told the reporter is simply different from the reality of what happened. Given what the former investor told me over the course of many hours of conversation before I bought the collection, his opinion was that Rick Dyer is a dreamer who sometimes strayed from the truth to get what he wanted, in this case a successful video game system. I have literally boxes of records including extensive financial records right down to employee time cards and expense reports and there isn't a single purchase order from any retail store anywhere in the country among them. RDI's collapse was unplanned and immediate. Literally the liquidators came in one day and grabbed everything well before the product was "launched" at the request of RDI's creditors. There's a reason not a single RDI Halcyon has ever been sold with a store receipt or a backstory where someone claimed to buy it from a retail location and the only ones that have surfaced were in the hands of former investors. It just never happened. There certainly weren't multiple versions of the system, although there were plans down the road to release just the computer portion if the user already owned an LD-700 or two other models of Pioneer players that were popular at the time. If you happen to own the computer portion, you can use it with any LD-700 stock player as the one that came with the Halcyon is literally just a stock LD-700 with a different badge and bezel. I actually have a stack of the unused badges and bezels that were overruns from what they got back after Pioneer custom built the initial order of RDI branded players.

 

The Cobra Command game was never really planned. RDI simply bought an off-the-shelf Cobra Command arcade conversion kit and modded it to play on the Halcyon for testing and demo purposes while they were waiting for Pioneer to press the Thayer's Quest discs. I actually have the full kit that they bought including notes about how they used it. Really, they didn't do much in the way of conversion as they essentially used the Halcyon keyboard like a laserdisc player remote to simply play the footage in a logical sequence. Despite showing the headset somehow controlling the game in the footage, it actually did nothing in the context of the Cobra Command game other than maybe to look cool to the press.

Edited February 28, 2013 by bojay1997

[Seob]

What Rick Dyer told the reporter is simply different from the reality of what happened. Given what the former investor told me over the course of many hours of conversation before I bought the collection, his opinion was that Rick Dyer is a dreamer who sometimes strayed from the truth to get what he wanted, in this case a successful video game system. I have literally boxes of records including extensive financial records right down to employee time cards and expense reports and there isn't a single purchase order from any retail store anywhere in the country among them. RDI's collapse was unplanned and immediate. Literally the liquidators came in one day and grabbed everything well before the product was "launched" at the request of RDI's creditors. There's a reason not a single RDI Halcyon has ever been sold with a store receipt or a backstory where someone claimed to buy it from a retail location and the only ones that have surfaced were in the hands of former investors. It just never happened. There certainly weren't multiple versions of the system, although there were plans down the road to release just the computer portion if the user already owned an LD-700 or two other models of Pioneer players that were popular at the time. If you happen to own the computer portion, you can use it with any LD-700 stock player as the one that came with the Halcyon is literally just a stock LD-700 with a different badge and bezel. I actually have a stack of the unused badges and bezels that were overruns from what they got back after Pioneer custom built the initial order of RDI branded players.

 

The Cobra Command game was never really planned. RDI simply bought an off-the-shelf Cobra Command arcade conversion kit and modded it to play on the Halcyon for testing and demo purposes while they were waiting for Pioneer to press the Thayer's Quest discs. I actually have the full kit that they bought including notes about how they used it. Really, they didn't do much in the way of conversion as they essentially used the Halcyon keyboard like a laserdisc player remote to simply play the footage in a logical sequence. Despite showing the headset somehow controlling the game in the footage, it actually did nothing in the context of the Cobra Command game other than maybe to look cool to the press.

Looks like you're having to write a book about this. Would be interesting.

[shadow460]

For what it's worth, if no Halcyon units made it to retail, I guess that makes the LaserActive the world's largest home video game console then.

 

Speaking of, you said there were a couple of different laser disc players that could be used with the Halcyon. Do you know which ones they were?

[98PaceCar]

For what it's worth, if no Halcyon units made it to retail, I guess that makes the LaserActive the world's largest home video game console then.

 

Speaking of, you said there were a couple of different laser disc players that could be used with the Halcyon. Do you know which ones they were?

 

The list is here: http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg80-rdi.htm#page=reviews

[Tempest]

I never knew the system used a cartridge as well as the laserdisc. I guess it makes sense, but I never saw any mention of them before.

[jhd]

What Rick Dyer told the reporter is simply different from the reality of what happened. Given what the former investor told me over the course of many hours of conversation before I bought the collection, his opinion was that Rick Dyer is a dreamer who sometimes strayed from the truth to get what he wanted, in this case a successful video game system.

 

This is an example of why it is so very challenging to document the history of the video game industry. In the absence of original records (as is the more usual situation), media accounts are often the only thing that is available as source material. Obviously they do not always provide an accurate view of the situation.

 

I second the idea that you should write a book (or at least a decent article) about the Halcyon.

[98PaceCar]

I never knew the system used a cartridge as well as the laserdisc. I guess it makes sense, but I never saw any mention of them before.

 

I believe the carts just contain trigger information and timing indexes to the appropriate parts of the disc. The actual Halcyon doesn't seem to be able to generate much more than characters on the display.

[Blazing Lazers]

What Rick Dyer told the reporter is simply different from the reality of what happened. Given what the former investor told me over the course of many hours of conversation before I bought the collection, his opinion was that Rick Dyer is a dreamer who sometimes strayed from the truth to get what he wanted, in this case a successful video game system. I have literally boxes of records including extensive financial records right down to employee time cards and expense reports and there isn't a single purchase order from any retail store anywhere in the country among them. RDI's collapse was unplanned and immediate. Literally the liquidators came in one day and grabbed everything well before the product was "launched" at the request of RDI's creditors. There's a reason not a single RDI Halcyon has ever been sold with a store receipt or a backstory where someone claimed to buy it from a retail location and the only ones that have surfaced were in the hands of former investors. It just never happened. There certainly weren't multiple versions of the system, although there were plans down the road to release just the computer portion if the user already owned an LD-700 or two other models of Pioneer players that were popular at the time. If you happen to own the computer portion, you can use it with any LD-700 stock player as the one that came with the Halcyon is literally just a stock LD-700 with a different badge and bezel. I actually have a stack of the unused badges and bezels that were overruns from what they got back after Pioneer custom built the initial order of RDI branded players.

 

The Cobra Command game was never really planned. RDI simply bought an off-the-shelf Cobra Command arcade conversion kit and modded it to play on the Halcyon for testing and demo purposes while they were waiting for Pioneer to press the Thayer's Quest discs. I actually have the full kit that they bought including notes about how they used it. Really, they didn't do much in the way of conversion as they essentially used the Halcyon keyboard like a laserdisc player remote to simply play the footage in a logical sequence. Despite showing the headset somehow controlling the game in the footage, it actually did nothing in the context of the Cobra Command game other than maybe to look cool to the press.

 

So, everything in that video was all staged? Even the news reports of it actually being in stores and the prices given are totally bogus? Thats... disappointing. So, you actually have that Cobra Command cartridge?

[Mxyzptlk]

This along with a few remaining 2600 titles is my holy grail. I have been trying for the last 15+ years to get my hands on one that works. One came on E-Bay many years ago and of course I was outbid in the last second. I have a lead on one now, but the middleman I am working with is a little flaky.

[bojay1997]

So, everything in that video was all staged? Even the news reports of it actually being in stores and the prices given are totally bogus? Thats... disappointing. So, you actually have that Cobra Command cartridge?

 

No, the video was taken at RDI's headquarters in Carlsbad which is in northern San Diego County. The facility existed and they did have units being built there and tested there. They also did the art and programming there. The system clearly exists and it works, but it's the available at retail part that was erroneous. There is no Cobra Command cartridge. As I said, all they did is use a Cobra Command arcade conversion kit and stick it in a Halcyon unit and then used the keyboard to move through the play sequence on the disc. They never really got it working to the point where it could have been released as an actual Halcyon game. In fact, they didn't even properly license the game, they literally just bought it from a local arcade distributor (I have all the sales receipts and internal memos, as well as the kit itself).

[xDragonWarrior]

This along with a few remaining 2600 titles is my holy grail. I have been trying for the last 15+ years to get my hands on one that works. One came on E-Bay many years ago and of course I was outbid in the last second. I have a lead on one now, but the middleman I am working with is a little flaky.

 

So if one ever goes on Ebay ever again,i guess it will be a HUGE bidding war between us,Challenge accepted