Gourt > Games > Video Games > Console Platforms > Atari > VCS Family > Atari 2600 (4)
The Atari 2600, released in 1977, is the first successful video game console to use plug-in cartridges instead of having one or more games built in. The first game console to use exchangeable plug-in cartridges was the Magnavox Odyssey; it was the Atari 2600 console that made the plug-in concept popular among the game playing public, however. Originally known as the Atari VCS—for Video Computer System—the machine's name was changed to "Atari 2600" (from the unit's Atari part number, CX2600) in 1982, after the release of the more advanced Atari 5200. It was wildly successful, and during the 1980s, "Atari" was a synonym for this model in mainstream media. The 2600 was typically bundled with two joystick controllers, a conjoined pair of paddle controllers, and a cartridge game.
History
Development and market considerations
Atari had spun off an engineering think-tank in 1975 called Cyan Engineering to research next-generation video game systems, and had been working on a prototype known as "Stella" (named after one of the engineers' bicycles) for some time. Unlike prior generations of machines which used custom logic to play a small number of games, Stella's core was a complete CPU, the famous MOS Technology 6502 in a cost-reduced version, known as the 6507. It was combined with a RAM-and-I/O chip, the MOS Technology 6532, and a display and sound chip of their own design known as the TIA, for Television Interface Adaptor. Beyond those three, the first two versions of the machine contain just one more chip, a standard CMOS logic buffer IC, bringing the total chip count to the very low and cost-effective number of four. Some later versions of the console eliminated the buffer chip. At first the design was not going to be cartridge-based, but after seeing a "fake" cartridge system on another machine they realized they could place the games on cartridges essentially for the price of the connector and packaging.In August 1976 Fairchild Semiconductor released their own cartridge-based system, the Channel F. Stella was still not ready for production, but it was clear that it needed to be before there were a number of "me too" products filling up the market – which had happened after they invented PONG. Atari simply didn't have the cash flow to complete the system quickly, given that sales of their own PONG systems were cooling. Nolan Bushnell eventually turned to Warner Communications, and sold the company to them in 1976 for $28 million on the promise that Stella would be produced as soon as possible.
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@JillianMichaels Lol my mom still has the Atari 2600. so cool to compare it to my Wii.
kelsygalva (Kelsy Galva) Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:53:56 -0000
@JillianMichaels Lol my mom still has the Atari 2600. so cool to compare it to my Wii.
@KelsyGalva I was a very fortunate kid. I never lacked on xmas. Probably the Atari 2600. That is such a fat kid answer isn't it. pathetic.
JillianMichaels (Jillian Michaels) Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:47:22 -0000
@KelsyGalva I was a very fortunate kid. I never lacked on xmas. Probably the Atari 2600. That is such a fat kid answer isn't it. pathetic.
What I bought at Value Village: two Atari 2600 games - Haunted House and Mouse Trap.- for 99 cents each.
therealthing (Josh) Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:15:18 -0000
What I bought at Value Village: two Atari 2600 games - Haunted House and Mouse Trap.- for 99 cents each.
Saw an old picture of my Atari 2600 phase, aghh cringe!! my better half MS Pacman looked great though :)
I_PacMan (Pac-Man (ããã¯ãã³)) Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:00:16 -0000
Saw an old picture of my Atari 2600 phase, aghh cringe!! my better half MS Pacman looked great though :)
nes action set nes challenge sets in stock both boxed n64 boxed dydtem 1 left atari 2600 vader model boxed in stock
toyrattcom (evo toyratt.com) Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:22:32 -0000
nes action set nes challenge sets in stock both boxed n64 boxed dydtem 1 left atari 2600 vader model boxed in stock
Check out my Atari frying: http://blog.analogmedium.com/2009/12/atari-2600-frying-with-stella.html
maxcapacity (maxcapacity) Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:41:17 -0000
Check out my Atari frying: http://blog.analogmedium.com/2009/12/atari-2600-frying-with-stella.html
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