# Starex 501 Jeux video

> Pong home console

**Wikidata**: [Q70070407](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q70070407)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/starex-501-jeux-video

## Summary
The Starex 501 Jeux video is a first-generation home video game console released in 1978. Developed and manufactured by the South Korean corporation Samsung Electronics, it is a dedicated "Pong" console that operates using the TMS-1965N chip. The system is designed to play multiple variants of ball-and-paddle games.

## Key Facts
*   **Release Year:** 1978
*   **Manufacturer:** Samsung Electronics
*   **Developer:** Samsung Electronics
*   **Console Generation:** First generation of video game consoles
*   **CPU:** TMS-1965N (National Semiconductor/Texas Instruments)
*   **Classification:** Home video game console (product model)
*   **Game Library:** Includes 6 ball and paddle variants: Tennis, Football, Squash, Pelota, Shoot 1, and Shoot 2.
*   **Chip Compatibility:** The TMS-1965N chip is pin-compatible with the AY-3-8500.

## FAQs
### Q: Who manufactured the Starex 501 Jeux video?
A: The Starex 501 Jeux video was manufactured by Samsung Electronics, a South Korean multinational electronics corporation.

### Q: What specific chip does the Starex 501 use?
A: The console utilizes the TMS-1965N chip, created by National Semiconductor (Texas Instruments). This chip is pin-compatible with the AY-3-8500 and supports six game variants.

### Q: What type of games are included in the Starex 501?
A: The system is a dedicated Pong console that features ball and paddle games. Specifically, it offers Tennis, Football, Squash, Pelota, and two shooting games (Shoot 1 and Shoot 2).

## Why It Matters
The Starex 501 Jeux video represents an early entry by Samsung Electronics into the home video game market, which was then dominated by dedicated Pong consoles. Released during the first generation of video game consoles in 1978, it illustrates the globalization of the gaming industry beyond American and Japanese borders. The device is a prime example of the era's hardware design, relying on a single dedicated microchip—the TMS-1965N—rather than interchangeable cartridges. By utilizing a chip pin-compatible with the widely used General Instrument AY-3-8500, the Starex 501 provided a standard but popular set of electronic sports and shooting games to the consumer market.

## Notable For
*   Being an early hardware product from Samsung Electronics, predating their rise as a leader in modern gaming displays and mobile technology.
*   Utilizing the TMS-1965N chip, which supported a specific set of six game variants including shooting gallery modes.
*   Belonging to the first generation of home video game consoles, marking the era of dedicated machines before the industry shifted to programmable, cartridge-based systems.
*   Offering a "Pelota" game variant, reflecting the regional popularity of jai alai-inspired video games in late 1970s console packages.

## Body

### Development and Manufacturing
The Starex 501 Jeux video was created by Samsung Electronics, a major South Korean electronics corporation established on January 13, 1969. As a product model classified under home video game consoles, it was part of the company's expansion into consumer entertainment devices during the late 1970s.

### Technical Specifications
The console is powered by the **TMS-1965N** chip, attributed to National Semiconductor (Texas Instruments). This hardware configuration places the device in the "first generation of video game consoles" category. The technical architecture is built around a dedicated chip rather than a general-purpose CPU, a standard design practice for Pong consoles of that era. The chip is noted as being pin-compatible with the AY-3-8500, a industry-standard component used in many similar consoles of the period.

### Game Library
The Starex 501 Jeux video comes with a built-in library of **6 Ball & Paddle variant games**. The software capabilities are defined by the TMS-1965N chip, which provides the following titles:
*   Tennis
*   Football
*   Squash
*   Pelota
*   Shoot 1
*   Shoot 2