PC-50x cartridges

These cartridges are often called "PC-50x" due to their references (x stands for the last digit which varies from 1 to 8). They work with many systems, most of which were manufactured in Asia and sold in Europe under various brands and models (see the SD 050 and SD 070/090 pages for examples). For that reason, a same cartridge can have a different name, as shown below. Each cartridge contains a single dedicated chip made by General Instruments (GI). This chip actually contians most of the game circuits, so much that one would see the game on a TV set by combining the video signals of the chip and sending them to the baseband video input of the set. In other words, the console is more an interface than a real videogame system.

Due to their wide market, several variants exist for a same cartridge. In addition to different tiles, their label may show a manufacturer, and their plastic case exist both in black and cream colors. For example, the PC-501 cartridge exists in two colors, with and without Hanimex label, with the names of Supersportic, Supersportif and others. A few manufacturers used their own numbering, probably to catch more clients. For Rollet released the PC-501 as 4/305.

These cartridges were sold in a little carton box and had a very small user manual of a few pages.

The table below summarizes the eight cartridges released:

Reference	French title	English title	Rarity
PC-501	Surpersportif	Sports / Supersportic	Common
PC-502	Motocyclette	Motor cycle	Common
PC-503	Bataille de chars	Tank Battle	Very rare
PC-504	Course de voitures GP	Racing cars / Grand Prix / Race Car GP	Common
PC-505	Bataille navale	Submarine	Common
PC-506	Jeu de destruction	Super Wipeout	Common
PC-507	Jeux de tir	Shooting Gallery	Rare
PC-508	6 jeux de base	Fundamental	Very rare

 

	PC-50x cartridges contain a bakelite circuit board with poor quality solders. In this example, the GI chip is the AY-3-8610 (8 pong variants + 2 target shooting games).
	PC-501 cartridge with two different names (french on cartridge, english on box)
	PC-502 cartridge: four motor racing games: an Atari Stunt Cycle clone, as shows in the PONG in a Chip page.
	The PC-503 cartridge: two tank battle games. This cartridge is quite rare. It uses the AY-3-8710 chip. A few other systems like the Coleco Telstar Combat used this chip.
	The PC-504 cartridge: two car racing games. This is the RACE game mentioned in the PONG in a Chip page. Below: Rollet version (reference 4/306). Note the inverted screens and slightly different text (click the image to view in larger size).
	The PC-505 cartridge: three naval battle games. Listed as Submarine in the PONG in a Chip page. The cartridge shows the french name, whereas the box shows the english one.
	The PC-507 cartridge (target shooting games). This is the Rollet version, reference 4/310. Click the picture to view in larger size.