Rare Rdi Halcyon Laserdisc Console Up for Auction
January 26th, 2008
Back in the early 1980s, long before the Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 dominated the “next-gen” video game market, a little known console lived on the cutting-edge of gaming technology. The RDI Halcyon was a LaserDisc-based gaming system which was designed to bring the first full-motion video gaming experience to your living room. Now one of these rare gaming systems has found its way onto eBay.
RDI was the manufacturer behind such LaserDisc arcade classics as Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace, and the Halcyon was their attempt to bring the same type of gaming experience to your living room. In addition to its FMV game play, the Halcyon had speech synthesis and early voice recognition capabilities. It also was one of the first systems which let you save your gaming progress.
The one that’s up for sale on eBay comes with everything but the original microphone that came with the system, and even includes the only discs ever released for the console: Thayer’s Quest and NFL Raiders vs. Chargers. This is an extremely rare find, so I’d expect the price to shoot through the roof. Here’s the kind of exciting gaming action you’ll be missing out on if you don’t win the auction:
[Video from the arcade version of Thayer's Quest, but you get the point].
With only two games ever released and originally priced at a whopping $2500 (in 1985 dollars), it’s no wonder the system never really caught on.
[eBay via GameSniped]
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Categories: Retro Video Games
Tags: 1980s arcade classic console laserdisc rdi speech Video voice
I’ll take this recent retro item instead…
http://www.bytecellar.com/archives/000136.php
blakespot
Wow, new in box. That’s definitely a rarity.
Hello,
I’m always leary of those who claim to own the largest video game collection worldwide – but alas, I’m the guy. Out of the thousands of games and consoles, there is only one elusive console which is the RDI Halcyon. I own all of the game disks as well as the laserdisk player, but cannot locate a controller.
I met with and spoke with Rick Dyer 10 years ago at E3, but lost touch shortly thereafter as I left to supervise the lord of the rings films in NZ. I am now finally opening the most extensive collection and museum at FIDM University in LA in Q2 of 2013, and have been fully committed to including the RDI Halcyon. As mentioned, I have the laserdisk player and all released games, but no controller.
If anyone knows where I might locate a controller or where to contact Rick Dyer, I would be indebted. Most will be amazed by my collection as i have travelled the world to collect every console including into the Soviet Union where I found systems produced in the USSR – which I believe I have the only one remaining – and this is not the nintendo version for Russian production – it is a unique console with two controllers and a gun produced in 1981. There is not even a picture anywhere on the web or mention of this console – but I have one. And this is only the tip of the iceberg. I have far more unique items, and more than 60% in the box with all manuals and materials.
So please help as we are spending loads of time and working within a budget to truly preserve the physical history of video games which has never been done and needs to be done now. But as i have everything else, I only require the RDI Halcyon controller and I will be able to display every console ever produced as well as every version of every console in every language and flavor. So please be a part of histroy, and help me to preserve the history of gaming – properly and catalogued for the world – finally.
I hope I can get a response from this. Otherwise, we will have everything but the RDI Halcyon – at least not a complete system.
Cheers,
David Bawel
davidbawel@gmail.com