The unreleased Odyssey, the YD7001.

[slydc]

Hi folks,

 

If you are a Magnavox Odyssey (1972) fan or you like reading about unreleased stuffs, then go here to read

all about the unreleased Odyssey model, the YD7001. Thanks!

 

https://odysim.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-unreleased-odyssey-model-yd7001.html

 

[+stupus]

I have 2 of the yellow odysseys and always wondered if they were parts left over from this unreleased model.

Here is 1 with a white 1.

[slydc]

Hi Stupus,

 

I think it's more because of the light that any Odyssey changes color (white to faint yellow) with time. It's the same

with other Pong consoles that are white, even some Super Nintendo has changed color (grey to yellow-grey).

 

The YD7001 has a brown top instead of a black top, it is white instead of black where you insert the cartridge and has

a light-brownish/creme color body instead of white (same for controllers).

 

But what is weird is that Magnavox used the YD7xxx numbering for export versions.

 

[Mikebloke]

Wow that brochure gives a lot of new insight. I wonder if having the two models was a way of placating Baer's desire to have an affordable system even if he wasn't directly aware of it, but then changed again to avoid splitting things up. Production wise it probably wasn't worth it on a product that was completely new to the market that had no industry standard to go by.

 

What could have been is a really fascinating part of the odyssey history, and it's not surprising a cut down model was considered, its almost surprising they didn't try and cut down the components inside as well given that seemed to be one of the bigger issues which prevented the more exciting potential features from being released (perhaps they got it already cut down to the bare minimum as it is!). 

[CatPix]

If I recall what I read about the Odyssey and Baer's own comment about it, they knew that the architecture of the Odyssey was getting costly to produce, especially given that they knew the design wouldn't be reused or upgraded, but if I recally right, the general "backplane+daughterboards" design had been finalized in 1970, and redesigning it for a cheaper, more integrated design would have delayed the release and cost too much compared to the expected sales of the machine, so they left it as is.

Now, if they had a cheaper model in mind, then keeping the backplane design made sense since making a cheaper model then became a matter of swapping daughterboards during manufacturing. But we can only assume they though that the difference between the cut-down and complete model wouldn't be enough to convince people to get the more expensive one, when the console by itself was a novelty that stood on their own. Or maybe again, the cost to manufacture and maintain two different models was estimated as too high compared to the projected sales.

[Odysseus]

On 12/19/2021 at 9:05 PM, slydc said:

Hi Stupus,

 

I think it's more because of the light that any Odyssey changes color (white to faint yellow) with time. It's the same

with other Pong consoles that are white, even some Super Nintendo has changed color (grey to yellow-grey).

 

The YD7001 has a brown top instead of a black top, it is white instead of black where you insert the cartridge and has

a light-brownish/creme color body instead of white (same for controllers).

 

But what is weird is that Magnavox used the YD7xxx numbering for export versions.

 

Interestingly the exports we YE7100. I wonder if the D was domestic and the E export?

[slydc]

Hi Nicholas,

 

Hummm, pretty good thinking! Only someone who worked at Magnavox in that time could answer and finding

one after 48-50 years won't be easy.

[0078265317]

Yes I have a yellow super nintendo and macintosh se.

[Odysseus]

I have a system that has an unusual top styrofoam that only holds 4 carts. The other two were in the bottom. Always wondered if it had a connection with this system. 

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by Odysseus