Editing Intellivision (section)

===Master Component===
In 1975, mechanical engineer Richard Chang, a director under Ryan, contacted [[MOS Technology]] for a demonstration of their new [[MOS Technology 6502|6502 microprocessor]] in a video game application. MOS arranged for their client Glenn Hightower of APh Technological Consulting and teacher at [[California Institute of Technology|CalTech University]] to do the demonstration. Shortly after, Dave James, an industrial engineer under Chang, wrote a memo dated January 26, 1976, documenting two product concepts. First, a microprocessor programmed video system with "plug-in" ROM modules or cassettes, and a list of applications that include war games, gambling games, strategy and board games, video Etch-a-Sketch, driving simulator, pinball; and football with 10 player a side, defense/offense patterns and floating field background. Second, [[Mattel Auto Race|calculator based games]]. With Mattel executives skeptical, Chang's group moved forward with handheld electronic games enlisting Hightower's help with a prototype.<ref name="B&S2024_37">{{cite book |last1=Boellstorff |first1=Tom |title=Intellivision: How a Videogame System Battled Atari and Almost Bankrupted Barbie |last2=Soderman |first2=Braxton |date=2024 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=9780262380553 |pages=37–44}}</ref>

Mattel hired Michael Katz as Marketing Manager for New Product Categories in 1975, Katz asked Chang to prototype a calculator sized electronic game for 1976. In Fall 1976, Mattel hired Ed Krakauer as Vice President of New Business Development, who hired Jeff Rochlis as Director of New Business Development.<ref name="B&S2024_37" /> In an October 1977 newspaper article, Rochlis was quoted saying, "Basically these things are fore-runners of the home computer. There's a logical transition involved. One way to get into the home-computer market is to sell games."<ref name="Zito">{{cite news |last1=Zito |first1=Tom |title=Playing a Calculated Game |newspaper=Washington Post |date=Oct 19, 1977}}</ref>

In April 1977, David Chandler, with a doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering, a career in Aerospace, also having prototyped an early word processor as well as an arcade video game, joined Prelimanary Design under Chang. Chandler shared Chang's vision for a video game system with rich graphics and long-lasting gameplay to distinguish itself from its competitors and took over responsibility for its engineering. Prior to Chandler’s arrival, Chang's group had already met with [[National Semiconductor]] about their new, although expensive, chip set.<ref name="B&S2024_48">{{cite book |last1=Boellstorff |first1=Tom |title=Intellivision: How a Videogame System Battled Atari and Almost Bankrupted Barbie |last2=Soderman |first2=Braxton |date=2024 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=9780262380553 |pages=48–53}}</ref> Chandler negotiated better pricing for a simpler design.<ref name=papaint_his>[http://papaintellivision.com/pdfs/CCF10232011_00016.pdf Intellivision History and Philosophy] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407110016/http://papaintellivision.com/pdfs/CCF10232011_00016.pdf |date=April 7, 2016 }} papaintellivision.com</ref> At the [[Consumer Electronics Show]] in June 1977, Chandler saw two more chipsets. One from [[MOS Technology]] lacked moving objects. The other from [[General Instrument]], listed as the Gimini programmable set in the GI 1977 catalog.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wass.net/othermanuals/|title=Other Vintage Electronic Manuals|website=www.wass.net|access-date=2017-02-19|archive-date=2017-08-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802175405/http://www.wass.net/othermanuals/|url-status=live}}</ref> The GI chipset lacked programmable graphics and Mattel worked with GI to implement changes. GI published an updated chipset in its 1978 catalog.<ref name="gimini">{{cite web|url=http://www.pong-story.com/GIMINI1978.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=November 17, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316160455/http://www.pong-story.com/GIMINI1978.pdf |archive-date=March 16, 2012 }} Gimini TV game circuits</ref> Mattel initially chose National Semiconductor, who advised Mattel to postpone the project, turning them to [[General Instrument|GI]]. Mattel corporate management reacted by putting a halt to video game development for several months. On November 9, 1977, [[Mattel]], [[General Instrument|GI]], and [[Magnavox]] (their initial contract manufacturer) met to plan contracts and production.<ref name="B&S2024_48" />

With the 1977 success of their Mattel Electronics branded handheld electronic games, Mattel Electronics became a division within the company, with separate marketing, finance, and engineering. In September, Krakauer made Rochlis its president. Chang, becoming director of its new Design and Development department, responsible for Intellivision software.<ref name="B&S2024_37" /> Chandler, became director of Product Engineering led a team engineering the hardware, including the hand controllers.<ref name=timeline/> In 1978, David Rolfe of APh developed the onboard executive control software named Exec, and with a group of [[California Institute of Technology|Caltech]] summer student employees programmed the first Intellivision games. [[Hal Finney (computer scientist)|Hal Finney]] of APh contributed sound and music processing routines to the Exec. Graphics were designed by a group of artists at Mattel led by Dave James.<ref name=dp_rolfe>[http://www.digitpress.com/library/interviews/interview_david_rolfe.html "DP Interview with David Rolfe"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419141121/http://www.digitpress.com/library/interviews/interview_david_rolfe.html |date=2017-04-19 }} digitpress.com</ref> James also creating detailed game proposal documents.<ref name="B&S2024_76">{{cite book |last1=Boellstorff |first1=Tom |title=Intellivision: How a Videogame System Battled Atari and Almost Bankrupted Barbie |last2=Soderman |first2=Braxton |date=2024 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=9780262380553 |page=76}}</ref>

During June 1978 [[Consumer Electronics Show|CES]], Mattel privately showed a prototype to retailers, leading to a Christmas release. Delays at GI pushed that into 1979. Magnavox backed out as manufacturer, replaced with [[Sylvania Electric Products|Sylvania]]. Chandler considered replacing the GI chipset and working with [[Texas Instruments]] and their new [[TMS9918]] video processor. The TI chip had more moving objects but half the number on a horizontal line compared with the GI {{Tooltip|STIC|Standard Television Interface Chip}}, it also lacked hardware scrolling that the GI {{Tooltip|STIC|Standard Television Interface Chip}} provides. Further, the TI chip requires more [[RAM]] and software already developed would have to be reworked.<ref name="B&S2024_48" />

The Intellivision was introduced at the 1979 Las Vegas [[Consumer Electronics Show|CES]] in January as a modular [[home computer]] with the Master Component priced at {{US$|165}} and a soon-to-follow Keyboard Component also at {{US$|165|1979|long=no|round=-1}}.<ref name="doteat">{{cite web |title=Intellivision - New Kid on the Blocks |url=http://thedoteaters.com/?bitstory=console/intellivision |website=The Dot Eaters |access-date=25 October 2020 |archive-date=21 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021191134/http://thedoteaters.com/?bitstory=console/intellivision |url-status=live }}</ref> At Chicago [[Consumer Electronics Show|CES]] in June, prices were revised to {{US$|long=no|250}} for each component. A shortage of key chips from manufacturer General Instrument resulted in a limited number of Intellivision Master Components produced that year.  In Fall 1979, Sylvania marketed its own branded Intellivision at {{US$|long=no|280}} in its [[GTE]] stores at Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.<ref name="atariarch">{{cite web |last1=Bunch |first1=Kevin |title=Mattel Intellivision game release dates |url=https://www.atariarchive.org/mattel-intellivision-game-release-dates/ |website=Atari Archive |access-date=24 October 2020}}</ref> On December 3, Mattel delivered consoles to the [[Gottschalks]] department store chain headquartered in [[Fresno, California]], with a suggested [[list price]] of {{US$|long=no|275}}.<ref name="papaint_his" /><ref name="Gamasutra">Barton, Matt and Loguidice, Bill (May 2008)[https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/a-history-of-gaming-platforms-mattel-intellivision A History of Gaming Platforms: Mattel Intellivision], Gamasutra</ref> The Intellivision was also listed in the nationally distributed [[JCPenney]] Christmas 1979 catalog along with seven cartridges.<ref name="jcp1979">{{cite book |title=JCPenney Christmas 1979 |date=1979 |publisher=JCPenney |page=463 |url=https://spritecell.com/bp3-1979/ |access-date=2020-10-25 |archive-date=2020-10-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027035416/https://spritecell.com/bp3-1979/ |url-status=live }}</ref> By April 1980, markets expanded to Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.<ref name="atariarch" /> It was in stores nationwide by mid-1980 with the pack-in game ''Las Vegas Poker & Blackjack'' and a library of ten cartridges.

By September 1980, there was internal debate about the effectiveness of marketing the Intellivision as a home computer and the direction of Mattel Electronics questioned. Krakauer and Rochlis resigned, and Josh Denham became the new president of Mattel Electronics. The Keyboard Component was no longer promoted in advertising.<ref name="B&S2024_101">{{cite book |last1=Boellstorff |first1=Tom |title=Intellivision: How a Videogame System Battled Atari and Almost Bankrupted Barbie |last2=Soderman |first2=Braxton |date=2024 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=9780262380553 |pages=101–102}}</ref>  A series of advertisements starring [[George Plimpton]] used side-by-side game comparisons to demonstrate the superior graphics and sound of Intellivision over the [[Atari 2600]].<ref name="Gamasutra"/> One slogan called Intellivision "the closest thing to the real thing". One such example compared [[golf]] games; where the 2600's games had a blip sound and cruder graphics, the Intellivision featured a realistic swing sound and striking of the ball and a more 3D look. In 1980, Mattel sold out its 190,000 stock of Intellivision Master Components, along with one million cartridges.<ref name="TCW">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Alexander |title=They Create Worlds The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry, Vol. I: 1971-1982 |date=November 19, 2019 |publisher=CRC Press |location=Chapter 31 Intelligent Television |isbn=9781138389908}}</ref> In 1981, more than one million Intellivision consoles were sold, more than five times the amount of the previous year.<ref name="csmonitor">{{cite news |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1982/0524/052434.html |title=Computerized games hit profits jackpot for Mattel company |last=Sklarewitz |first=Norman |date=1982-05-24 |work=Christian Science Monitor |access-date=2019-03-16 |issn=0882-7729 |archive-date=2018-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802101655/https://www.csmonitor.com//1982/0524/052434.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Mattel Electronics became a subsidiary and relocated to another building to accommodate their growth.<ref name=timeline/> In 1982, they sold 1.8 million Intellivisions.<ref name="vgu_83oct" />

[[File:Sears-Tele-Games-Super-Video-Arcade-Intellivision-Console-FL.jpg|thumb|alt=Gray rectangular console with two controllers. Controllers have number pads and circular dials|Super Video Arcade]]
The Intellivision Master Component was branded and distributed by various companies. Before Mattel shifted manufacturing to [[Hong Kong]], Mattel Intellivision consoles were manufactured by [[GTE|GTE Sylvania]].<ref name=papaint_his/> ''GTE Sylvania'' Intellivision consoles were produced along with Mattel's, differing only by the brand name. The [[Sears]] Super Video Arcade,<ref name="Gamasutra"/> manufactured by Mattel in Hong Kong, has a restyled beige top cover and detachable controllers. Its default title screen lacks the "[[Mattel Electronics]]" captioning. In 1982, [[Radio Shack]] marketed the Tandyvision One,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/Video_Games_Volume_1_Number_06_1983-03_Pumpkin_Press_US#page/n17/mode/2up | title=Playing Hardware to Get | work=Video Games | date=March 1983 | access-date=May 26, 2014 | pages=19–20}}</ref><ref name="radioshack">{{cite web |title=Radio Shack Christmas Sale & Gift Catalog (1982) |url=http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/html/catalogs_extra/sale_1982_358/h025.html |website=Radio Shack Catalogs |access-date=2018-11-06 |archive-date=2013-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107204717/http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/html/catalogs_extra/sale_1982_358/h025.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> similar to the original console but with the gold plates replaced with more wood trim. In Japan, Intellivision consoles were branded for [[Bandai]] in 1982,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Marley|first=Scott |date=December 2016 |title=SG-1000 |magazine=[[Retro Gamer]] |issue=163|pages=56–61|publisher=[[Future Publishing]]}}</ref> and in [[Brazil]] there were Digimed and Digiplay consoles manufactured by Sharp in 1983.