Magnavox Odyssey 4000
 | |
| An Odyssey 4000 with its two joystick hand controls parked on top | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Magnavox Consumer Electronics Company |
| Type | Dedicated home video game console |
| Released | 1977[1][2] |
| CPU | None; game chip IC1 (Magnavox 612146-1) and colour converter IC2 (612156-1), identified as General Instrument AY-3-8600 and AY-3-8615[3][4] |
| Memory | None |
| Storage | — |
| Display | Colour, RF output on VHF channel 3 or 4[5][6] |
| Sound | Built-in 63 Ω speaker[3] |
| Power | 9 V 100 mA AC to DC adaptor[5] |
| OS / Firmware | — |
| Predecessor | Magnavox Odyssey 3000 |
| Model no. | BH7511[5] |
The Magnavox Odyssey 4000 (model BH7511) is a dedicated home video game console made by Magnavox from 1977. It plays eight games in colour (Hockey, Soccer, Gridball, Basketball Practice, Basketball, Smash, Smash Practice and Tennis) with on-screen scores, and each player has a hand control on a cable with a joystick that moves the player in any direction and an action button that serves the ball.[5][7] It runs only from a 9 V adaptor.[5]
History
[edit | edit source]The Odyssey 4000 was one of three consoles Magnavox released in 1977 with General Instrument chips, with the Magnavox Odyssey 2000 and Magnavox Odyssey 3000. Pong-Story describes it as the most advanced of them, playing eight games in colour with joysticks, and as the last ball-and-paddle console Magnavox released before the Odyssey². Philips's European Odyssey 2001 and 2100 used a case similar to the 4000's.[1] Magnavox's service manual for the BH7511, No. 6508, is a second issue dated January 1978.[5]
Hardware
[edit | edit source]Circuit
[edit | edit source]The main board, 703931-1, carries two large chips: IC1, the "master game IC" (Magnavox 612146-1), and IC2, the "color converter IC" (612156-1), clocked by a 3.58 MHz crystal X1.[3][8] Pong-Story identifies the chips as General Instrument's AY-3-8600 game chip and its AY-3-8615 colour encoder.[4] Q1 regulates the supply and Q2 drives the 63 Ω speaker. The RF modulator is a separate shielded assembly, 703938-1, with its own oscillator transistor; the Odyssey 2000 uses the same assembly number with the suffix -2.[9][3][10][11]
| Ref | Function | Magnavox part |
|---|---|---|
| IC1 | Master game IC | 612146-1 |
| IC2 | Colour converter IC | 612156-1 |
| Q1 | Voltage regulator (NPN) | 610224-1 |
| Q2 | Sound amplifier (PNP) | 610083-2 |
| Z1 | Zener diode for the regulator | 530073-1039 |
| X1 | 3.58 MHz crystal | 560404-2 |
| Q1 (RF module) | RF oscillator | 610139-2 |
Magnavox's board drawing notes that on early production boards pins 3 and 4 of IC1 were not joined by the copper pattern and must be joined with a solder bridge.[8]
Power
[edit | edit source]The console has no battery compartment. The adaptor, part AG9004-BK01, supplies 9 V DC at 100 mA to the jack J1, and the supply passes through the choke L1 (1 mH) and the power switch S4 to the regulator Q1.[5][3][9] Q1 gives 6.2 V to the chips, with its base held at 6.9 V by the zener Z1. The RF module is fed from the regulated line through R6 (820 Ω).[9]
Controls
[edit | edit source]| Ref | Control | Positions |
|---|---|---|
| S4 | RESET/ON/OFF | Off (bottom), on (middle), reset (spring-loaded, returns to on) |
| S2 | Ball speed | Fast, slow |
| S3 | Skill | Professional, handicap, amateur |
| S1 | Game | Eight positions, from Hockey at the far left to Tennis at the far right |
| S1 (RF module) | Channel, inside the case | 3, 4 |
On Amateur the players are larger than on Professional. On Handicap the left player is large and the right player small. On Fast the ball speeds up on the seventh consecutive hit of a volley after each point.[7][5]
Each hand control has a joystick working two controls, R1 (horizontal, 150 kΩ) and R2 (vertical, 500 kΩ), and an action switch. The left control has a red button and the right control a blue one. Each plugs into the console through a five-way cable, and the joystick moves the player in the same direction only when the control is held with its button at the top left.[10][9][7] In the practice games only the right (blue) control works.[7]
Scoring and serve
[edit | edit source]A point is scored when the ball leaves the playing area, or enters the net in Hockey and Basketball; in Smash a point counts only on the scorer's own serve. The action buttons serve the ball, from mid-screen in most games and from the edge of the court in Tennis and Smash. In Tennis a player has five serves before the serve passes over. After either side reaches 15 the ball cannot be served until the switch is moved to RESET.[7][12] On a colour set the background is green for Tennis and Soccer, blue for Hockey and Gridball, cyan for the two practice games and magenta for Basketball and Smash.[12]
Troubleshooting
[edit | edit source]Magnavox's service manual gives voltage charts for IC1 and IC2, the regulator voltages and four adjustments: the 3.58 MHz clock, the channel 3 and 4 RF oscillator, the video level and the hue. Symptoms and checks are on Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Troubleshooting Guide, the adjustments and routine care on Magnavox Odyssey 4000 General Maintenance, and the four electrolytic capacitors on Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Capacitor Replacement Guide.[12][13][9]
Documentation
[edit | edit source]Magnavox Service Manual No. 6508 and the instruction booklet IB 3287-1 are hosted on the wiki and described on Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Documentation.[14]
Gallery
[edit | edit source]-
RESET/ON/OFF, ball speed and skill switches -
The eight-position game selector -
A hand control, with the red action button -
Magnavox's drawing of the main board, 703931-1 (p. 6508-7) -
The RF modulator and hand control boards (p. 6508-3)
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Related pages
[edit | edit source]- Magnavox Odyssey 4000 General Maintenance
- Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Troubleshooting Guide
- Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Capacitor Replacement Guide
- Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Documentation
- Magnavox Odyssey 3000
- Magnavox Odyssey 5000, which Magnavox did not release
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 David Winter, Pong-Story, "Other Magnavox Odyssey systems" (retrieved 2026-10-19): the Odyssey 2000, 3000 and 4000 released in 1977 with General Instrument chips; the Odyssey 4000 as the most advanced, playing eight games in colour with joysticks, and the last ball-and-paddle console Magnavox released; the Philips Odyssey 2001 and 2100 in a case similar to the Odyssey 4000's.
- ↑ Wikipedia, "Magnavox Odyssey series" (retrieved 2026-10-19), section on the Odyssey 4000: model number 7511, released in 1977, the AY-3-8600 and AY-3-8615 chips, colour graphics, a skill switch described as novice, semi-pro and professional, detachable joysticks and an included AC adapter.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Magnavox, Service Manual No. 6508, January 1978, p. 6508-6: BH7511 replacement parts list (coils, capacitors with type, value, rating and part number, controls and switches, semiconductors and integrated circuits, connectors, shields, RF modulator assembly, speaker, cabinet parts, hand control cable and AC adaptor). Hosted as File:Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Service Manual 6508.pdf.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 David Winter, Pong-Story, "PONG in a Chip" (retrieved 2026-10-19): the AY-3-8600 (eight ball-and-paddle games, horizontal player movement) and its colour encoder the AY-3-8615, and Magnavox's use of both in the Odyssey 4000 in 1977.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Magnavox Consumer Electronics Company, Service Manual No. 6508: BH7511 Odyssey, second issue, January 1978, p. 6508-1: general information (AC to DC 9 volt 100 mA adaptor; the eight games; the three-position skill switch with Amateur, Professional and Handicap; on-screen scoring from 0 to 15; full colour on a colour television; hand controls with joysticks on cables; Fast and Slow ball speed; sound and deflection; Reset/On/Off switch; manual serve with the action buttons) and typical operation (channel switch on the RF modulator box; adaptor socket on the back of the main unit; light green Tennis background). Hosted as File:Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Service Manual 6508.pdf.
- ↑ Nerdly Pleasures, "Sears (Atari) Tele-games Pong vs Magavox Odyssey 100 - Battle of the First Pong Consoles", 7 August 2022 (retrieved 2026-10-19): the later Odyssey models, with only the 500 and 4000 in colour. Owner's hands-on report.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Magnavox Consumer Electronics Company, Odyssey 4000 Installation and Game Rules, IB 3287-1: the notice on screen burn, the antenna-game switch, game cord, AC adaptor and channel switch, with the bottom cabinet's centre screw (p. 1); the Reset/On/Off, game, skill and ball speed switches, scoring, serving, player controls and action buttons (p. 2); playing all games, Soccer, Tennis and Hockey (p. 3); Basketball, Basketball Practice, Gridball, Smash and Smash Practice (p. 4). Hosted as File:Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Installation and Game Rules IB3287-1.pdf.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Magnavox, Service Manual No. 6508, January 1978, p. 6508-7: main P.C. board viewed from the component side (703931-1), with note 1 (in early production units pins 3 and 4 of IC1 were not joined by the copper pattern and must be joined with a solder bridge) and note 2 (the B19 jumper is screened on the board but not fitted). Hosted as File:Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Service Manual 6508.pdf.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Magnavox, Service Manual No. 6508, January 1978, p. 6508-4: BH7511 schematic diagram, with the power input, the regulator Q1 and its voltages, IC1 and IC2 with their pin functions, the hand control connections, the sound amplifier Q2, and the notes (voltages taken with a VTVM and the adaptor input held at 9 V by a regulated supply). Hosted as File:Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Service Manual 6508.pdf.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Magnavox, Service Manual No. 6508, January 1978, p. 6508-3: RF modulator P.C. board and replacement parts list, hand control P.C. board (211156-2) and replacement parts list, and the antenna switch box parts list. Hosted as File:Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Service Manual 6508.pdf.
- ↑ Magnavox, Service Manual No. 6507: BH7510 Odyssey (Odyssey 2000), October 1977, p. 6507-2: BH7510 and RF modulator replacement parts lists, with the complete RF module assembly 703938-2. Hosted as File:Magnavox Odyssey 2000 Service Manual 6507.pdf.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Magnavox, Service Manual No. 6508, January 1978, p. 6508-2: operation continued (spring-loaded Reset; serving with the red and blue action buttons; five serves in Tennis; serving stops at 15 until Reset), the service adjustments (3.58 MHz clock with C10 at IC2 pin 6; channel 3 and 4 RF oscillator with L3 and C5; video level with R5 for 0.8 V peak to peak; hue with R4 and the four background colours) and the top view of the BH7511. Hosted as File:Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Service Manual 6508.pdf.
- ↑ Magnavox, Service Manual No. 6508, January 1978, p. 6508-5: IC1 and IC2 voltage charts with notes 1 to 14, and the RF modulator schematic. Hosted as File:Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Service Manual 6508.pdf.
- ↑ Internet Archive, "Magnavox Odyssey series Service Manuals & Game Manuals", uploaded 28 January 2018 by Sylvain (Sly DC) De Chantal; files "Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Service Manual.pdf" (8 pages) and "Magnavox Odyssey 4000 Games Manual.pdf" (4 pages), scanned at 600 dpi and marked "Scanned by Sly DC (2018)" (retrieved 2026-10-19).