ell iv ision ▁was ▁developed ▁at ▁Matt el ▁in ▁Haw th or ne , ▁California ▁along ▁with ▁their ▁Matt el ▁Electron ics ▁line ▁of ▁hand h eld ▁electronic ▁games . ▁ ▁Matt el ' s ▁Design ▁and ▁Development ▁group ▁began ▁investig ating ▁a ▁home ▁video ▁game ▁system ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁It ▁was ▁to ▁have ▁rich ▁graphics ▁and ▁long ▁last ing ▁game play ▁to ▁distinguish ▁itself ▁from ▁its ▁compet itors . ▁Matt el ▁identified ▁a ▁new ▁but ▁expensive ▁ch ips et ▁from ▁National ▁Sem icon duct or ▁and ▁negoti ated ▁better ▁pr icing ▁for ▁a ▁simpler ▁design . ▁Their ▁consult ant , ▁A Ph ▁Techn ological ▁Cons ult ing , ▁suggested ▁a ▁General ▁Inst rument ▁ch ips et , ▁listed ▁as ▁the ▁G im ini ▁program m able ▁set ▁in ▁the ▁G I ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁catalog . ▁The ▁G I ▁ch ips et ▁lack ed ▁re program m able ▁graphics ▁and ▁Matt el ▁worked ▁with ▁G I ▁to ▁implement ▁changes . ▁ ▁G I ▁published ▁an ▁updated ▁ch ips et ▁in ▁its ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁catalog . ▁ ▁After ▁initially ▁choosing ▁National ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁Matt el ▁waited ▁for ▁two ▁months ▁before ▁ultimately ▁going ▁with ▁the ▁proposed ▁G I ▁ch ips et ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁ ▁A ▁team ▁at ▁Matt el , ▁head ed ▁by ▁David ▁Ch and ler , ▁began ▁engineering ▁the ▁hardware , ▁including ▁the ▁famous ▁hand ▁controllers . ▁ ▁In