TV Scoreboard
A Pong-like console distributed exclusively by RadioShack.
The TV Scoreboard, also known as the RadioShack TV Scoreboard, is a dedicated home video game console that plays Pong-style games. Manufactured in Hong Kong by Tandy from 1976 into the early 1980s, it was sold exclusively through RadioShack. The console is part of the first generation of video game systems and runs on a single chip: the General Instrument AY-3-8500.
The system includes controls for two players, using dials or paddles on handheld units, and offers several Pong-era games. A special version came with a revolver-style light gun for a clay pigeon shooting game; additional cosmetic attachments could change the gun’s appearance to look like a rifle. Games available include tennis, squash, hockey, and practice, among others. Players adjust game types, difficulty, and serving settings using switches. The console can be powered by an AC adapter or six 1.5 V AA batteries.
The TV Scoreboard was also released in Germany in 1977 under the name Universum Multispiel. A similar console, the 677, was released by Hanimex in 1978. The system supports ten playable games: Tennis, Football, Squash, Practice (Pelota), Target, Motorcycle, Enduro, Motocross, Stunt Cycle, and Drag Race.
Quick Facts
- Aka
- RadioShack TV Scoreboard
- Developer
- Tandy
- Manufacturer
- RadioShack
- Generation
- First generation
- Power
- AC adapter or 6 x 1.5v AA battery
- Cpu
- General Instruments AY-3-8500
- Controllers
- External Controllers were introduced in 1978. When introduced in 1976 there were two sliders on the console itself to move the paddle.
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The TV Scoreboard consisted of left and right player controls with dials or paddles on handheld pieces, and included multiple Pong-era games. A variant also featured a revolver-type light gun used for a clay pigeon shooting game; additional cosmetic attachments could change the light gun's appearance to that of a rifle. Games and game modes, including difficulty settings and serving settings, could be adjusted with switches. The console ran on either an AC adapter or six 1.5 V AA batteries. The system was also released in Germany under the name Universum Multispiel in 1977. Another very similar console is the 677 released in 1978 by Hanimex.
Reader's Guide
The TV Scoreboard represents a typical first-generation dedicated console that capitalized on the Pong craze of the mid-1970s. Its distribution exclusively through RadioShack gave it broad retail presence in the United States, while its German release as Universum Multispiel extended its reach to Europe. The inclusion of a light gun variant with cosmetic attachments for a rifle appearance added novelty beyond standard paddle games. The console's reliance on the General Instrument AY-3-8500 chip was common among many Pong clones of the era, allowing for multiple game variations from a single integrated circuit. The system's ten playable games—including Tennis, Football, Squash, Practice (Pelota), Target, Motorcycle, Enduro, Motocross, Stunt Cycle, and Drag Race—showcased the range of simple ball-and-paddle and shooting experiences available at the time. Its long production run from 1976 through the early '80s indicates sustained demand for basic home video game hardware even as more advanced consoles emerged. The TV Scoreboard's similarity to the Hanimex 677 further illustrates how manufacturers often produced near-identical consoles under different brand names for various markets.
Did You Know?
- The TV Scoreboard was manufactured in Hong Kong from 1976 through the early '80s.
- A variant included a revolver-type light gun with cosmetic attachments to change its appearance to a rifle.
More in Video Game Consoles by Generation, Part 6 1-24
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