HeartBeat Catalyst

Type: Miscellaneous

Release	Date	RRP	Code
US	1993-11-24^[1]	$199.99199.99^[1]

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The HeartBeat Catalyst is a third-party Sega Mega Drive exercise peripheral with included body-mounted fitness sensors which reads heart rate, motion, and skin salinity levels for in-game feedback. Developed by American video game hardware developer HeartBeat Corporation and primarily sold alongside the Personal Trainer, it was released exclusively in the United States in November 1993. Notable for having a production run of only 1,000 units, and sold with the exclusive pack-in game Outback Joey, both are considered some of the rarest pieces of Mega Drive history in existence.^[2]

Hardware

The HeartBeat Catalyst is a body-mounted fitness sensor hardware peripheral which reads players' heart rate, motion, and skin salinity levels for in-game feedback, and is compatible with any Mega Drive system. Contrary to popular belief, it does not require the Personal Trainer to function, with the Catalyst even being sold separately for those who already owned a Mega Drive.^[3]^[4] The most notable game developed to utilize this hardware, Outback Joey, uses this feedback to control the running speed of its player character, and encourages maintaining a consistent heart rate through exercise.

List of games

Outback Joey (1993)
NHLPA Hockey (1994)
Outworld 2375 AD (1994)
PGA Tour Golf II (1995)

History

Main article: History of the HeartBeat Catalyst.

Magazine articles

Main article: HeartBeat Catalyst/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: HeartBeat Catalyst/Promotional material.

Technical specifications

Main article: HeartBeat Catalyst/Technical specifications.

Photo gallery

The exercise bike controllers.
The controller adapter.
The power adapter, fitness sensors, and attachment clip.
The fitness sensor cables.
The instruction manuals and fitness guide.
Brochures, safety warning, and registration card.
Warning card concerning plugging two processing units into one Mega Drive. (partial)
Warranty card. (partial)
A letter from HeartBeat Corporation concerning shipment of replacement parts.
A letter included with early copies of the system regarding an upcoming Outback Joey software revision.
A 1994 purchase receipt from exercise machine manufacturer NordicTrack.

External links

HeartBeat Catalyst 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 http://videogamekraken.com/heartbeat-personal-trainer-catalyst (Wayback Machine: 2021-04-14 05:43)
↑ 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

HeartBeat Catalyst
Topics	Magazine articles \| Promotional material \| Personal Trainer \| HeartBeat Corporation
Games	NHLPA Hockey \| Outback Joey \| Outworld 2375 AD \| PGA Tour Golf II

Sega Mega Drive
Topics	Technical specifications (Hardware comparison) \| History \| List of games \| Magazine articles \| Promotional material \| Merchandise \| Cartridges \| TradeMark Security System
Hardware	Japan \| North America \| Western Europe \| Eastern Europe \| South America \| Asia \| South Korea \| Australasia \| Africa EZ Games \| Genesis 3 \| LaserActive \| Mega Jet \| Mega PC \| Mega Play \| Mega-Tech System \| Mega 6 \| Nomad \| Teradrive \| Mega Drive Mini \| Mega Drive Mini 2 New Mega Drive \| Tianli VCD/DVD Players \| "Consoles on a chip" \| Licensed clones (Magic 2 \| Mega Game II \| Power Pegasus \| Super Bitman) Unlicensed clones
Add-ons	Game Box \| Power Base Converter \| Mega-CD \| 32X (Mega-CD 32X) \| Mega Modem \| Demo System DS-16
Cases	Sega Genesis Nomad Carrying Case \| System Carry Case
Controllers	Control Pad \| Six Button Control Pad \| 6 Button Arcade Pad \| Arcade Power Stick 6B \| Konami Justifier \| MK-1470 Action Chair \| Activator \| Arcade Power Stick \| Keyboard \| MegaFire \| Mouse \| Mega Stick \| Menacer \| Remote Arcade System \| Ten Key Pad \| Third Party Controllers
Accessories	4 Way Play \| AC adaptor \| Cleaning System \| Control Pad Extension Cord \| Game Factory \| Genesis Speakers \| Headset \| HeartBeat Catalyst \| Microphone \| Region converter cartridges \| Mega Terminal \| Nomad PowerBack \| RF Unit \| SCART Cable \| Stereo Audio Video Cable \| Team Player \| Video Monitor Cable \| Third-party AC adaptors \| Third Party Accessories
Network services	Sega Channel \| Sega Game Toshokan \| Mega Anser \| Mega Net \| TeleBradesco Residência \| XB∀ND
Development tools	ERX 308P \| ERX 318P \| Sprobe \| SNASM68K \| SNASM2 (Mega Drive) \| SNASM2 (32X) \| PSY-Q Development System (Mega Drive) \| PSY-Q Development System (32X) \| 32X CartDev \| Sega Mars Development Aid System \| Sega 32X Development Target
Unreleased	Edge 16 \| Floppy Disk Drive \| Mega Play 1010 \| Sega VR \| Teleplay System \| Video Jukebox

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20210414054316.2Fhttp:.2F.2Fvideogamekraken.com.2Fheartbeat-personal-trainer-catalyst-1] 1.0 ^1.1 http://videogamekraken.com/heartbeat-personal-trainer-catalyst (Wayback Machine: 2021-04-14 05:43)

[https:.2F.2Fwww.sega-16.com.2F2004.2F08.2Fgenesis-accessory-peripheral-guide.2F-2] ttps://www.sega-16.com/2004/08/genesis-accessory-peripheral-guide/

[https:.2F.2Fweb.archive.org.2Fweb.2F20211004063507.2Fhttps:.2F.2Fwww.latimes.com.2Farchives.2Fla-xpm-1994-06-24-ls-7959-story.html-3] ttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-24-ls-7959-story.html (Wayback Machine: 2021-10-04 06:35)

[https:.2F.2Fwww.chicagotribune.com.2Fnews.2Fct-xpm-1994-02-24-9402240306-story.html-4] ttps://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-02-24-9402240306-story.html

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