the Intellivoice design

[jointfilms.com]

Has anyone ever read anywhere why they designed the Intellivoice the way they did? Like why didn't they go with something more like the Play Cable unit where it set flush with the Intellivision? I've always been curious cause the Intellivoice seemed so awkward the way it looked attached to the Intellivision. I searched around a little for the answer to no luck. Thought maybe some of you who know far more about the system then me might know.

[Ignorama]

I dont know anything, but I through Sega in the ring of ugly attachments ^^ For me the IntelliVoice doesnt look that bad attached. I looks quite okay. But if you combine IntelliVoice and ECS for MLWSB it becomes a monster of a console, is definitely too much.

[Intymike]

Attachgasm

[First Spear]

I get the feeling that it was rushed, because the unit itself is too large for what it does, maybe if there was more time to engineer it would have been less conspicuous of an add-on if it was 1/2 the size and didn't look so obvious.

 

I also get the geeling that someone mis-forecasted the amount of Intellivoice units they would sell in the Intellivision I timeframe, because it really looks clunky connected to an Intellivision II.

[Keatah]

Maybe they didn't want to spend the time making it smaller. And sometimes things need heft and substance.

 

What was the sealed/covered thing on top? A spot for carts? ..that was decided not to be used after the molds were cast?

[jointfilms.com]

yeah I just always thought when you compare it to the design of Play Cable which matches right up flush with the Intellivision and essentially just looks like you've extended your Intellivision that the Intellivoice should've been made similarly. Just like how the US gray ECS and System Changer "extends" the Intellivision II.

[+nurmix]

I'll see If I can find anything out from Keith about the design. Perhaps there's an interview there somewhere?

 

For the record, I kinda like it (at least when it's attached to an original console). Yeah, it's a little clunky, but in my eyes it's Christmas morning 1982 nostalgia whenever I see it...

[+Lathe26]

The Intellivoice was originally designed to also go into the side of the Keyboard Component and the Intellivoice was supposed to have a wireless controller adapter plug into the top of it. Perhaps the wireless controller adapter would have filled out the shape and height to make it closer to the PlayCable.