Reddit pointed me to this 1987 commercial for what was a really cool and inexpensive black-and-white camcorder for kids, the Fisher-Price PXL 2000. It was a handheld camera that recorded footage using audio cassettes. Intended as a toy, the lo-res pixelvision product was a flop with kids but became a popular, artsy cult item with adults, especially indie filmmakers and graphic designers. It was created by Andrew Bergman, who passed away in 2007 at the young age of 57. An excerpt from a remembrance of the ecelctic inventor from a Stickley Museum newsletter:

“Andy was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, and schooled at Carnegie Mellon and Southern Illinois University, where he taught with prolific innovator Buckminster Fuller. In 1992, he formed the Bergman Design Consortium, a force in the toy design industry. As a self-taught sculptor and furniture designer, Andy spent many summers at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Island, Maine. Andy’s zest for life was abundant and was evident in his joyous creations.”