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ActiMates Barney (formally Microsoft

ActiMates Interactive Barney) was an
WIKIS interactive plush toy released in
September 1997 by Microsoft.

START A
WIKI

The ActiMates box.

Contents

1. History

2. Capabilities

2.1. Stand Alone

2.2. PC Pack
2.3. TV Pack

3. ActiMates Compatible Videos

4. Trivia

5. References

History
Codenamed "Gepetto" for the motion technology inside the dolls, the
Actimates toys were Microsoft's attempt to get into the toy market,
especially the digital sector that was growing very popular by the late
1990s.

The first of these dolls, modeled after Barney, were first displayed at the
New York Toy Fair in 1997 to much praise. Put into stores , Barney quickly
became a huge success that holiday season. Dolls based on Arthur, his
sister D.W., and the Teletubbies were also made following the success of
Barney
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After dwindling sales, the dolls were
discontinued in 2000 with Microsoft losing the

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patent rights to the toys in 2005.

Capabilities
While Barney can be used as a stand alone toy,
FAN the main feature is the ActiMates doll's A store display used to
CENTRAL
showcase the abilities of
BETA interactivity with the PC and television.
ActiMates Barney.

To get the ActiMates to interact with the TV show or the videos, a hockey-
GAMES puck-shaped transmitter device called a TV Pack must be purchased
separately and connected to the video-out connector of the TV set, while
to have the ActiMates interact with the specialized computer software
ANIME (developed by 7th Level and published by Microsoft), another hockey-
puck-shaped transmitter device called a PC Pack must be purchased
separately and be connected to the MIDI/game port connector of the PC.
MOVIES

Stand Alone
When used as a stand-alone toy, Barney has a 2,000 word vocabulary and
TV
is able to sing 17 songs in addition to being able to play 12 different
games. These actions can be achieved by pressing the various sensors
throughout the plush's body.
VIDEO

For example, if one were to squeeze one of Barney's hands, he would play
through one of the games. Covering Barney's eyes, which have light
WIKIS
sensors, and uncovering them would let the plush play peek-a-boo with
the user.
START A
WIKI
PC Pack
Using the PC Pack, Barney could interact
with special PC titles developed by 7th
Level and Microsoft. Because of the
updated capabilities of this pack, Barney's
vocabulary jumped from 2,000 words to an

The box for the PC Pack.

impressive 14,000 words in total.

The software makes use of a special programming library called "ToyAPI",

which communicated with the ActiMates via the PC Pack. ActiMates
Barney is required for the pack-in titles, "Barney's Fun on Imagination
Island", but was optional for the other titles.

When not using the toy, Barney would appear on screen in his place in
most of the titles. ActiMates Barney could also help the user in the
various PC games. Like in stand alone mode, Barney can play Peekaboo
with the characters in the PC games.

TV Pack
By using the TV Pack (a special
transmitter plugged into a VCR),
ActiMates Barney becomes a sort of
viewing buddy and interacts with
special encoded tapes and broadcasts
of Barney & Friends (even if they were
taped off of TV). The box for the TV Pack

Barney would sing along to the songs and comment on various events in
the episodes and videos. Squeezing one of Barney's hands makes him
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give a relevant comment, such as "I like watching TV with you."

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ActiMates Compatible Videos

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Trivia
Due to the difference in functions between the PC
VIDEO Pack and TV Pack, ActiMates Barney will not
interact with episodes of Barney & Friends nor
Barney videos on a computer with either
WIKIS transmitter attached. Likewise, the doll won't
interact with ActiMates PC games if a TV Pack
transmitter is attached to a computer monitor.
START A
WIKI
Computers without MIDI port capability will not be

ActiMates Barneys on able use the PC Pack transmitter.

display Despite being discontinued in 2000, Actimates
Barney found new life as a therapy tool by the
Starbright Foundation in children's hospitals to aid patients
receiving radiation treatment. Special videos and programming
were developed especially for this purpose [1].

References
1. The Fresno Bee September 4, 2000. Barney helps calm sick kids (htt
ps://www.newspapers.com/clip/119593163/the-fresno-bee/).
Retrieved February 24, 2023.

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1 comment
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Joe Ross Productions' wiki account · 9/30/2021

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There is a channel called ActiMates Showcase where it shows
ActiMates compatible videos and it shows what the character says
throughout the tape. Just thought I'd point it out because I figured
why not add the videos of the ActiMates Compatible video tapes
and episodes with ActiMates commentary.
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GardenState810 · 10/26/2021

I'm the one who created that channel. I don't also plan on
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uploading just the official ActiMates compatible videos, I also
want to upload the episodes from PBS that worked with the
ActiMates characters. I'm encouraging whoever has any blank
ANIME tapes with episodes of Barney, Arthur and Teletubbies that
work with the ActiMates characters, any ActiMates characters
and an ActiMates TV transmitter to send me captures of the
episodes with audio of whatever the ActiMates characters say
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during the show!

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