HeartBeat Personal Trainer
From Sega Retro
HeartBeat Personal Trainer | ||||||||||
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Manufacturer: HeartBeat Corporation[1] | ||||||||||
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The HeartBeat Personal Trainer, also known as the HeartBeat System and the HeartBeat control deck, is a Sega Mega Drive variant themed around personal fitness. Designed and manufactured by HeartBeat Corporation, and including the HeartBeat Catalyst body-mounted fitness sensor hardware with purchase[1], it was released exclusively in the United States in November 1993. Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and shipping with the pack-in game Outback Joey (which was specifically developed to utilize the Catalyst, and not available for purchase separately), both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.[3]
Contrary to popular belief, the system is not required to operate the HeartBeat Catalyst fitness sensor hardware, and the latter was even sold separately for those who already owned a Sega Mega Drive.[4][5]
Contents
Hardware
The HeartBeat Personal Trainer is compatible with any NTSC Sega Genesis cartridge, and has no additional features over a standard Sega Mega Drive. The outer shell of the system itself uses a smooth, sandpaper-like texture designed to mimic that found on the grips and handles of gym exercise machines. Though not a requirement, the Personal Trainer is intended for use with fitness machines such as exercise bikes and treadmills.
History
The HeartBeat Personal Trainer was released on November 24, 1993, and was available for purchase for $299.00 in a bundle which included the HeartBeat Catalyst.[1] For buyers who already owned a Sega Mega Drive, the Catalyst hardware was available for purchase separately for $199.00 (still including Outback Joey.) [1]
The system, alongside the HeartBeat Catalyst and its dedicated software Outback Joey, appeared at Winter CES 1994[2][6] and was used to demonstrate how the specialized fitness sensors could be utilized with a traditional video game.
Images
A letter included with early copies of the system regarding an upcoming Outback Joey software revision.
Heartbeat Personal Trainer
The HeartBeat Personal Trainer with Outback Joey.
- OJHPT 5.jpg
The RF and video adapters.
Warning card concerning plugging two HeartBeat Catalyst processing units into one Mega Drive. (partial)
HeartBeat Catalyst
The HeartBeat Catalyst exercise bike controllers.
The HeartBeat Catalyst controller adapter.
The HeartBeat Catalyst power adapter, fitness sensors, and attachment clip.
The HeartBeat Catalyst fitness sensor cables.
Physical scans
Magazine articles
- Main article: HeartBeat Personal Trainer/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
- Main article: HeartBeat Personal Trainer/Promotional material.
External links
- HeartBeat Personal Trainer at The Video Game Kraken
- Technology adds new thrills to boring exercise equipment article by Bob Condor at The Chicago Tribune
- THE GOODS: Technowatch: Gone! Last of the Excuses article by Lynn Simross at The Los Angeles Times
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 http://videogamekraken.com/heartbeat-personal-trainer-catalyst (Wayback Machine: 2021-04-14 05:43)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 GamePro, "April 1994" (US; 1994-xx-xx), page 92
- ↑ https://www.sega-16.com/2004/08/genesis-accessory-peripheral-guide/
- ↑ https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-24-ls-7959-story.html (Wayback Machine: 2021-10-04 06:35)
- ↑ https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-02-24-9402240306-story.html
- ↑ Mega, "March 1994" (UK; 1994-02-17), page 12
HeartBeat Catalyst | |
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Topics | Magazine articles | Promotional material | Personal Trainer | HeartBeat Corporation |
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