2 replies to this topic

[Toucan]

Here's the info on the MB-1 Gaming System that became the TI-99/4:


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Yes, this is the one I mentioned, for auction by a former employee of
CMD (Anthony Cote) who was previously on the design team for the MB-1
(Milton-Bradley 1, later known as the TI-99/4).

Doug Cotton
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I later wrote to Anthony Cote and he did say, now that I remember, he was on the design team and the MB-1 became the TI-99/4. Pretty neat. The MB-1 was Milton Bradley's Video Game System to be from the 70s, but TI somehow got it, maybe since MB was using so many of TI's chips they decided to get into the action. This explains the MB Gamevision 1979 TI Video Game carts and the MBX expansion system that almost seems like an answer to the Colecovision expansions in 1983, some foot pedal was made according to some guys I've talked with. It simulated the "up" position. Possibly a racing game like "Turbo"?

Here's the link the article from Google Groups:

http://groups.google...ne.mediaone.net

I guess it all makes sense why MB was such a big player in TI Video game cartridges!

[Christophero Sly]

Interesting...I love the TI, but I know very little about it's history and development.

[Toucan]

It's pretty neat for me too. Not too many know this actually, it is a very recent topic. My site is probably the only one that is dedicated to the TI-99/4A / MB-1 Gaming System. It would be cool to see if I could get my hands on this system and set it up. In addition to seeing if there are any cartridges developed for this system that never came to be due to the system going over to Texas Instruments. I guess TI took the system and tossed in a keyboard, Basic, and a few other things. Maybe this is why the Basic was not made professionally (rushed job?) and then why some other things hampered since it really was a video game console at the time. The TI is almost like a mix between computer/video game console considering the history.