Magnavox
Encyclopedia
Magnavox is a US electronics
company founded by Edwin Pridham and Peter L. Jensen, who invented the moving-coil loudspeaker
in 1915 at their lab in Napa, California
. They formed Magnavox in 1917 in order to market their inventions.
Magnavox is also known for creating the Odyssey
, the world's first home video game console
. The console started the market for it, which ultimately lead to the 8th Generation we know today.
, etc.
In 1972, Magnavox introduced the Odyssey, which was the world's first home video game console. The introduction of it triggered the beginning of the home video game console market. In 1974, The Magnavox Company was acquired by Philips
, and all Philips consumer electronics in the US under the Norelco
name began rebranding them under the Magnavox name.
In the late 1970s, Philips developed "Laser Disc" technology, producing an optically read, 12 inch disc that would contain recorded video material. In the early 1980s, Philips worked with Sony to invent a standard for optical audio discs (CDs), using the technology developed for the "Laser Disc".
Teamed with Sony
, Philips used the Magnavox brand name to introduce Compact Disc standard and equipment for consumer audio with the Magnavox player sold in department stores while the Sony CDP-101
went to high-end audio stores.
Philips
later acquired Magnavox's consumer electronics
division in 1974, to ensure nationwide distribution for their VLP (later renamed LaserVision) Videodisc technology.
During the late 1970s the company released the Odyssey²
, also known as the Philips Videopac.
In the early 1980s, Philips merged Sylvania
, Philco
and Magnavox into one division headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee
, with a manufacturing plant in Greeneville, Tennessee
. The Sylvania plant in Batavia, NY was closed and all operations moved to Greeneville. Philips also abandoned the Sylvania trademark which is owned by Osram
.
In the late 1990s, some Philips electronics were marketed under the brand name "Philips Magnavox", in an attempt to increase brand awareness of the Philips name in the United States. While it did work to a degree, it also caused confusion to the consumer as to the difference between "Philips Magnavox" products and "Philips" products, resulting in Philips marketing the 2 brands separately again.
The defense group, centered around Fort Wayne, IN, remained independent under the Magnavox Electronic Systems name, first under Philips and later in the Carlyle Group
, until it was acquired by Hughes Electronics in 1995. The three areas of business of the MESC operation during the late '80s and early '90s were C-Cubed (Command, Control, and Communication), Electronic Warfare, and Sonobuoys. When Hughes Electronics sold its aerospace and defense operations to Raytheon
, the former Magnavox defense operations were transferred as well. Shortly thereafter, Raytheon spun off the sonobuoy operation to form Under Sea Systems Inc, now Ultra-USSI in Columbia City, IN. The remainder of the operations now falls under Raytheon's Network Centric Systems in Fort Wayne, IN.
Among the defense products Magnavox manufactured the AN/ARC-164 UHF radio
, AN/SSQ-53 series sonobuoys, AN/ALQ-128 EW equipment, AN/SSQ-62 series sonobuoys, and the Advanced Field Artillery Data System (AFATDS).
The brand also has worked with Funai
with their televisions after the Philips Magnavox name was popular.
In Australia, the rights to the Magnavox brand are not owned by Philips but by Mistral Ltd, a Hong Kong trading company that uses it to sell audio/video equipment of a different make. http://www.mistral.com.au/brands/brands.asp
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
company founded by Edwin Pridham and Peter L. Jensen, who invented the moving-coil loudspeaker
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
in 1915 at their lab in Napa, California
Napa, California
-History:The name Napa was probably derived from the name given to a southern Nappan village whose people shared the area with elk, deer, grizzlies and cougars for many centuries, according to Napa historian Kami Santiago. At the time of the first recorded exploration into Napa Valley in 1823, the...
. They formed Magnavox in 1917 in order to market their inventions.
Magnavox is also known for creating the Odyssey
Magnavox Odyssey
The Magnavox Odyssey is the world's first home video game console. It was first demonstrated on May 24, 1972 and released in August of that year, predating the Atari Pong home consoles by three years....
, the world's first home video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. The console started the market for it, which ultimately lead to the 8th Generation we know today.
History
Shortly after its launch, Magnavox became a major consumer electronics and defense company. It manufactured radios, TVs, record playersPhonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
, etc.
In 1972, Magnavox introduced the Odyssey, which was the world's first home video game console. The introduction of it triggered the beginning of the home video game console market. In 1974, The Magnavox Company was acquired by Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, and all Philips consumer electronics in the US under the Norelco
Norelco
Norelco is the American brand name for electric shavers and other personal care products made by the Consumer Lifestyle division of Philips.-Norelco and Philishave:...
name began rebranding them under the Magnavox name.
In the late 1970s, Philips developed "Laser Disc" technology, producing an optically read, 12 inch disc that would contain recorded video material. In the early 1980s, Philips worked with Sony to invent a standard for optical audio discs (CDs), using the technology developed for the "Laser Disc".
Teamed with Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Philips used the Magnavox brand name to introduce Compact Disc standard and equipment for consumer audio with the Magnavox player sold in department stores while the Sony CDP-101
Sony CDP-101
The Sony CDP-101 was the world's first commercially released Compact Disc player. The system was launched in Japan on October 1, 1982 at a list price of 168,000 yen....
went to high-end audio stores.
Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
later acquired Magnavox's consumer electronics
Consumer electronics
Consumer electronics are electronic equipment intended for everyday use, most often in entertainment, communications and office productivity. Radio broadcasting in the early 20th century brought the first major consumer product, the broadcast receiver...
division in 1974, to ensure nationwide distribution for their VLP (later renamed LaserVision) Videodisc technology.
During the late 1970s the company released the Odyssey²
Magnavox Odyssey²
The Magnavox Odyssey², known in Europe as the Philips Videopac G7000, in Brazil as the Philips Odyssey, in the United States as the Magnavox Odyssey² and the Philips Odyssey², and also by many other names, is a video game console released in 1978.In the early 1970s, Magnavox was an innovator in the...
, also known as the Philips Videopac.
In the early 1980s, Philips merged Sylvania
Osram Sylvania
Osram Sylvania Inc. is the North American operation of lighting manufacturer Osram GmbH, which is owned by Siemens AG. It was established in January 1993, with the acquisition of GTE’s Sylvania lighting division by Osram GmbH....
, Philco
Philco
Philco, the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company , was a pioneer in early battery, radio, and television production as well as former employer of Philo Farnsworth, inventor of cathode ray tube television...
and Magnavox into one division headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, with a manufacturing plant in Greeneville, Tennessee
Greeneville, Tennessee
Greeneville is a town in Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 15,198 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Greene County. The town was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene. It is the only town with this spelling in the United States, although there...
. The Sylvania plant in Batavia, NY was closed and all operations moved to Greeneville. Philips also abandoned the Sylvania trademark which is owned by Osram
Osram
Osram, founded 1919, is part of the industry sector of Siemens AG and one of the two leading lighting manufacturers in the world. The name is derived from osmium and Wolfram , as both these elements were commonly used for lighting filaments at the time the company was founded...
.
In the late 1990s, some Philips electronics were marketed under the brand name "Philips Magnavox", in an attempt to increase brand awareness of the Philips name in the United States. While it did work to a degree, it also caused confusion to the consumer as to the difference between "Philips Magnavox" products and "Philips" products, resulting in Philips marketing the 2 brands separately again.
The defense group, centered around Fort Wayne, IN, remained independent under the Magnavox Electronic Systems name, first under Philips and later in the Carlyle Group
Carlyle Group
The Carlyle Group is an American-based global asset management firm, specializing in private equity, based in Washington, D.C. The Carlyle Group operates in four business areas: corporate private equity, real assets, market strategies and fund-of-funds, through its AlpInvest subsidiary...
, until it was acquired by Hughes Electronics in 1995. The three areas of business of the MESC operation during the late '80s and early '90s were C-Cubed (Command, Control, and Communication), Electronic Warfare, and Sonobuoys. When Hughes Electronics sold its aerospace and defense operations to Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
, the former Magnavox defense operations were transferred as well. Shortly thereafter, Raytheon spun off the sonobuoy operation to form Under Sea Systems Inc, now Ultra-USSI in Columbia City, IN. The remainder of the operations now falls under Raytheon's Network Centric Systems in Fort Wayne, IN.
Among the defense products Magnavox manufactured the AN/ARC-164 UHF radio
AN/ARC-164
The AN/ARC-164 is an airborne UHF communications system, found on B-52G/H, B-1B, C/EC/RC-26D, KC-135, C-23, C-130, C-141, F-15, A-10, F-16, UH-1D, CH-47, H-53 and H-60 aircraft.-System Description:...
, AN/SSQ-53 series sonobuoys, AN/ALQ-128 EW equipment, AN/SSQ-62 series sonobuoys, and the Advanced Field Artillery Data System (AFATDS).
The brand also has worked with Funai
Funai
Funai Electric is a Japanese consumer electronics company headquartered in Daitō, Osaka. The company was founded in 1961. It owns the subsidiary Funai Corporation, Inc., established in the United States since 1991, to market and maintain Funai-licensed brands such as Sylvania, Emerson Radio,...
with their televisions after the Philips Magnavox name was popular.
In Australia, the rights to the Magnavox brand are not owned by Philips but by Mistral Ltd, a Hong Kong trading company that uses it to sell audio/video equipment of a different make. http://www.mistral.com.au/brands/brands.asp