Magnavox

Magnavox
Magnavox
Type Subsidiary
Industry Consumer Electronics
Founded 1917
Key people Edwin Pridham
Peter L. Jensen
Products Odyssey (Video Game Console)
Parent Philips
Website Magnavox.com

Magnavox (Latin for "great voice") 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.[citation needed]

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.

History

Shortly after its launch, Magnavox became a major consumer electronics and defense company. It manufactured radios, TVs, record players, 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.[citation needed]

Magnavox Laserdisc player


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.[1] 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.[citation needed] 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).[2]

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. [1]

References

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Magnavox — (lateinisch für laute Stimme ) ist eine Elektronikfirma, die seit 1974 zu Philips gehört. Besonders bekannt wurde Magnavox durch die Entwicklung der ersten Videospiel Konsole. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Gründung 2 Einstieg in den Videospielemarkt 3… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Magnavox — (en latín voz alta ) es una compañía electrónica fundada por Edwin Pridham y Peter Jensen. Los hermanos inventaron el primer altavoz en 1915 y lo nombraron Magnavox . La compañía estuvo formada en 1917 bajo el mismo nombre para comercializar el… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Magnavox — Création 1950 Personnages clés Ralph Baer Activité Électronique …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Magnavox — Логотип компании Magnavox  американская компания производитель электроники, с 1974 года принадлежит концерну Philips. Magnavox известна благодаря первой в мире игровой приставке Odyssey …   Википедия

  • Magnavox Odyssey Series — Magnavox Odyssey Manufacturer Magnavox Generation First generation era Retail availability …   Wikipedia

  • Magnavox Odyssey — Manufacturer Magnavox …   Wikipedia

  • Magnavox Odyssey — Magnavox Odyssey …   Википедия

  • Magnavox Odyssey — Magnavox Odyssey …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Magnavox Odyssey — Fabricante Magnavox Tipo Videoconsola Generación …   Wikipedia Español

  • Magnavox Odyssey² — Производитель Magnavox / Philips Тип Игровая приставка …   Википедия

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