Impaler_26 Posted July 26, 2009 Share Posted July 26, 2009 We had 3 versions of the Fairchild Channel F here in Germany. The most popular was the Saba Videoplay. There was a Saba Videoplay 1 with built in speaker and hardwired joysticks and a Saba Videoplay 2 with sound output via TV and detachable Joysticks. Then we had the Nordmende Colour Teleplay and the ITT Tele-Match Processor. A few more infos can be found here. I attached 2 pictures of the machines i had. The console in the first pic (with the 5 loose carts) is a Saba Videoplay, the one in the second pic is a Saba Videoplay 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e5frog Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) Wow, that's beautiful man, and exactly what I had envisioned. Thanks for the screens, I'll have to pick a copy up now ... {edit} Wow, after looking at the video, I'm really shocked, the system actually pulled the game off a lot better than I had expected it to. ... I'm glad you liked it you're welcome with your order (I make them). There are clones? Of such an obscure system? That's surprising. Please tell us more! I think these are all: SABA VideoPlay (PAL) SABA VideoPlay 2 (PAL, different controllers) Luxor Video Entertainment System (looks the same as Fairchild V.E.S. / Channel F but different brand stickers, PAL) Luxor Video Entertainment Computer (PAL) Grandstand Video Entertainment Computer (same as Channel F II, PAL) ITT Tele-Match Processor (PAL, different controllers - like the SABA VideoPlay 2 but different knob) Ingelen Tele-Match Processor (PAL) Nordmende COLOR Teleplay µP (PAL) Barco Challenger (looks the same as Fairchild V.E.S. / Channel F but different brand stickers, PAL) Dumont Videoplay System (looks the same as Fairchild V.E.S. / Channel F but different brand stickers, PAL) Emerson Videoplay System (looks the same as Fairchild V.E.S. / Channel F but different brand stickers, PAL) The Dumont and Emerson brands seem to have belonged to the same company, seems that ITT and Ingelen was also the same company. SABA, Luxor, ITT and Nordmende released the games with their own labels, the others seem to have used the American labels, Barco did however make their own instruction booklets. Was also released in Japan... Also note that Impaler_26 have/had a SABA VideoPlay 2 with non-original controllers. These suck however, I have swapped to the originals on my ITT Tele-Match as well. Edited July 27, 2009 by e5frog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlightSuit Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 That's a mind-boggling array of clones! I'm guessing the Channel F and its clones must have been more popular outside the US? It's interesting to note that with the Channel F and a few of the clones, the styling of the console, the font and design of the boxes it came in, and the combination joystick/paddle controller all seem very similar to what you see with the Bally Astrocade. Regarding the Pac Man cart, quite a while ago I posted a comment on one of the YouTube videos, just to say how impressed I was. I think I described it as a "stunning achievement," which it certainly is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e5frog Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 It seems they did a good job selling it to different European companies, I hope they got good money for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Video Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) Awesome, I'll have to got o your sig t later and setup an order Wow, cool! That's a crapload of clones, hey, was there a bigger market in outside the US than there was here? ( I think we literally only got 25 or 26 carts here) You know what's funny though? I forgot about the F for years, as ours was hooked up and got put up after we got the Atari, and for the longest time, I passed over the things at fleamarkets as I thought they were some kind of odd 8 track player :lol:Man, I coulc have had a lotof them too.....which seems rather odd for a system that's semi rarish (or at least, I don't think as common as the 2600, funny thing is, the 2600 was always damn near impossible to find around here :/ ) Edited July 27, 2009 by Video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FND Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 The First Video game system EVER with removable Cartidges. has anyone here ever played one, had one, or is a fan of it? Most definitely a fan, here are some links to my web site showing the items I have collected Brochures Letters/Sales Ads News Paper Ads TimeLine Interviews Carts, Boxes, Instruction Variations There is more feel free to browse around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 The Emerson Arcadia and its assorted clones seem pretty popular overseas as well. Evidently the hardware was licensed to European companies at a sharp discount... either that or the companies that developed both systems didn't do a very good job of protecting the copyrights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e5frog Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 (edited) The Emerson Arcadia and its assorted clones seem pretty popular overseas as well. Evidently the hardware was licensed to European companies at a sharp discount... either that or the companies that developed both systems didn't do a very good job of protecting the copyrights. I've never seen one and hardly ever heard about them are there many clones? Must have been be popular in a few selected European countries then... Edited July 30, 2009 by e5frog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadia_2001 Wikipedia claims there are over thirty Arcadia clones. I don't know if they're counting straight clones or all machines that use the system's oddball Signetics chip, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e5frog Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 (edited) Let's see... France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, UK, Netherlands and Finland. I'd say it's a few selected countries, and at the same time in competition with other game systems. In over four years it has been mentioned seven times at vintagegames.se. Doesn't seem very popular to me. Currently it's also less abundant on eBay compared to the Channel F (which currently has a bunch of fixed price cartridges). I wonder where the country "Tobby" is? Edited July 30, 2009 by e5frog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjakeqcool Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 The first cartridge based console was accualty the Tele-Spiel ES-2201 releaced in 1975 http://www.old-computers.com/museum/comput...?st=2&c=664. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlightSuit Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 "Tobby" may be short for The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Just my best guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e5frog Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I'm guessing they filled in the table wrong - as the manufacturer's name is also Tobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Video Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Well remember, many European clones of 2600 as well, it's just the huge amount of piracy and such going on in all these other countries. If the company was big enough, they would setup a division in each country, then they could get that country's laws applied to their stuff, but for the most part, you don't really have any rights in a country you don't exist in (unless you have a shitload of money) It's not like today where we got more or less global laws towards such matters (and there's still plenty of cracks to fill) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlightSuit Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 A little off topic, but if anybody here wants to see some beautiful examples of what happens when producers are able to operate within a certain country without regard for copyright laws, try Googling any of the following terms: Turkish Star Wars Turkish Star Trek Turkish Superman Turkish Batman Turkish Spiderman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari2008 Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 My Channel F (system 1) came in earlier this week, and so far I've been very impressed. I like the overall look of the system, I think the fact that it resembles an 8-track player is pretty cool, makes it a nice timepiece from the 70s. I also think the console design is very functional, the controllers fit nicely in the storage wells in the back, and the plastic lid does a nice job of concealing them when they're not in use. I like the fact that the cartridge port has a tight lid that keeps dust out. I've read varying reports on its reliability, but the system seems very solid to me especially considering its age. I really like the controllers, they're very comfortable to hold even during extended gameplay sessions. I like the fact that the controllers are ambidextrous since being left-handed I've struggled with the controllers for other classic consoles. I also found them responsive and easy to use. It took me a little bit to get used to the audio coming out from the system itself but I find it to be an interesting quirk. I know I'm spoiled since the first and only game I've played is e5frog's excellent conversion of Pac-Man, but I haven't been able to put it down. I like the unique and simplified look of the graphics and how the system switches between scenes (like the Pac-Man start screen to the maze). I'm definitely interested in exploring the system's original library. I'm pretty new to it, but I have to say I'm a fan. I can see how it isn't a system for everyone, but I'm one of the few that likes it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Thought I'd revive this thread out of a little excitement since my original Channel F (no box) arrived today. About $34 shipped off eBay. The seller was also selling boxed carts and said that if no one bought them, he'd throw them in with the console. So I got four boxed carts too. Everything in really nice shape. I'm impressed by how substantial this thing is. It seems as least as heavy as my Heavy Sixer and it's just solid. I expect not to have much fun playing the games, but I really wanted one for the historical value. I love the artwork on the cartridges, too. Worth getting some more just to display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FND Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 According to : Nicholas F. Talesfore Manager of Industrial Design / Graphic Design AT Fairchild Camera & Instrument, Exetron Division The Box and label artwork was done by Tom Kamifuji Tom Kamifuji (famous local Bay Area artist) was hired to design the little square icons you see on the early labels. On the later labels these were eliminated for cost reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Cool, thanks. To me, these images are the essence of the "retro" in retrogaming. Reminds me of mid-1970s Sesame Street graphics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGameCollector Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 I have a boxed Fairchild Channel F model 1, but it seems to have a problem where it turns off after a couple minutes of play. Could be something wrong with an internal component like a capacitor if it has one. If it does, 1976 is old so of course the capacitor would be going out by now if it has one. I also have the Channel F system II. I don't think it says Zircon anywhere on the unit, bit that's probably the one. It works. One of my controllers seems to work fine, but the other has issues and a 3rd one I found in a lot of untested controllers doesn't seem to work. That one is weird because it also has an orange fire button on it. I kind of wonder if that controller was required for Alien Invasion or not. Personally the only Channel F game I really like that is actually affordable is Dodge It. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrizzLee Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I have a Model II and a complete boxed US set of games, I don't have Schach or the Democarts but really like the system, it has some great controllers and a handful of good games. Try Alien Invasion, Video Whizzball, Casino Poker and Dodge It to start. Their guarateed to be some good fun. Now where do I get a copy of that Pac-Man game at? It has one fo the most interesting variations of pong I've ever played. The paddles twist and rotate to change the angles and they move up/down and left/right. A very novel approach for its time. This game alone is worth is worth having a Channel F. -GrizzLee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxpressed Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I agree. This is the hockey game that is built into the console. I was just playing it tonight. You couldn't duplicate this game on any other system of the day because of the unique controllers. There's a Youtube review of the console that shows this game. Hard to describe its really elegant design and gameplay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e5frog Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 (edited) A few years late... @TheGameCollectorThe regulators in the machine is a common problem, however the pins of the socketed chips are often very oxidized and as they warm up that might cause problems.The controller with the red/orange fire button was also released for Atari-compatible machines, it then usually has a large sticker on it saying "Video Command" - it's not wired to work with the Channel F II. Video Command was also released in a version without button. No no for Channel F II:http://www.nowgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/480xNx285630.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Dwx2MuFWUC.jpgChannel F II yes (Jet-Stick):http://www.museumofplay.org/online-collections/images/Z009/Z00913/Z0091368.jpgBut you may also have a wonky controller, usually cable breaks at the bend protection, it can be shortened and resoldered. Other problem is that the springy part of the contacts inside breaks and controller gets wobbly or doesn't work at all. Edited July 17, 2016 by e5frog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.