Binatone TV Master MK 8 [Pong Konsole]

It is time once again to look back at the early days of home consoles—specifically to England in 1977. Binatone is a British company founded in London in 1958 by brothers Gulu and Partap Lalvani; the name is derived from their sister Bina’s first name. Between 1976 and 1979, Binatone produced the “TV Master” series of *Pong*-style consoles, which were successfully marketed across Europe.

The Binatone TV Master MK 8 (Model 01/4923) features eight games: Football, Ice Hockey, Gridball, Basket Solo, Tennis, Squash Solo, Squash, and Basketball. I acquired the console—complete with its original packaging—at a relatively low price, and the main reason for the purchase was the device’s futuristic design. There were other models in the TV Master series as well—the MK4, MK6, “4 Plus 2,” and MK10—with the differences lying in the number of games and the specific chip used. All models in the initial series output a black-and-white image. Binatone later released consoles capable of color output under the “Colour TV Game” label.

The text printed on the packaging read “Licensed by Magnavox” – and that was
actually true. The reason: Ralph Baer, ​​the inventor of the Magnavox Odyssey, held
fundamental patents for home video games. Consequently, many manufacturers who jumped on the *Pong* bandwagon in the 1970s had to obtain a license from Magnavox – including Binatone.

As with many other devices from that era, the heart of the system was a chip from General Instruments: the AY-3-8600, a true "Pong-on-a-chip." Incidentally, the AY-3-8600 was used in over 200 different consoles worldwide—which explains why many Pong consoles of that era look and play almost identically. In contrast, the more powerful sibling model, the AY-3-8610 (featuring additional light-gun support), is found in the MK10.

As was common at the time, a TV set with an antenna input is required, and the picture quality is
poor as a result. The Tynemouth Software website offers instructions for a composite video mod, which should significantly improve the image. If the power supply is missing, an Atari VCS power supply or batteries can be used instead.
Games are selected using a large rotary knob in the center of the unit. The two detachable analog joysticks can be stored in compartments located on either side of the casing.