>Magnavox didn't test market in that way, since there was no market to test
>in. The Odyssey, being the first video game console, was sold alongside
>every other Magnavox product just like any other television accessory
>(which is what it was considered by many at the time, and why many people
>wound up mistakingly thinking it would only work on Magnavox television
>sets).
Makes sense, but that doesn't preclude my theory from being correct. (see
below)
>My guess is your parent's could have gotten a used model, or you just
>don't remember everything that actually came with it because you were so
>young and it was so long ago.
Nope, it might very well have been a test product. My father owns a
market research company, and in the past Magnavox has been one of our
clients. There is a good chance that it was obtained directly from
Magnavox for the purpose of a focus group to discuss it and get opinions
on it. Knowing that people thought it was only for Magnavox TVs just
makes me believe this even more, as it would have been ripe for a focus
group to try to figure out how to alter public perception.
I also have 2 (3?) Atari 2600's that were never purchased, but instead
left behind after studies and focus groups were done with them. I was
supposed to have a Coleco Adam from the same way, but Coleco opted to
take it back (which just made me want my friend's even more, which he
shipped off to the Philipeans after telling me I could have it... so I
think I am destined to never own an Adam). I tried to get a TurboExpress
(the Turbo Graphix 16 portable unit). But at the time that I was playing
with one when we were doing groups on them, it was one of 3 in the US
from Japan (the other two of them NEC execs were busy playing with in the
same room)
I had more toys growing up than I new what to do with... all because they
would be left behind after studies, a practice that most companies seem
to have stopped. Unfortantly, I didn't know the gold mine I was sitting
on, so many of the items were broken and/or disposed of (much like how I
cry when I see what Star Wars action figures go for today, and I think
about how many I blew up with firecrackers in my back yard).
Of course, NONE of this means that is how I got my Odessey for sure. It
is just my suspicion based on what my parents were willing to buy. If it
was remotely interesting or expensive, they wouldn't buy it. So all the
best toys came from study leftovers. Since I remember the Odessey as
being fun, and I'm sure it wasn't cheap, I have to assume we did a job on
it and Magnavox left it behind.
-chris
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Received on Mon Apr 21 2003 - 19:36:00 BST