So when was the 4-switch introduced?

[ApolloBoy]

One thing I noticed while looking through my Light Sixer list is that there are quite a few Light Sixers made in both 1981 and 1982, at the same time the 4-switch was around. This got me wondering, at what time was the 4-switch 2600 actually introduced? Does anyone have a 4-switch from 1980? Also, when was the Sears 4-switch introduced?

[zylon]

A long time ago, in a place far away...

 

1982. If I'm wrong someone'll step in.

Edited December 18, 2010 by zylon

[zylon]

A long time ago, in a place far away...

 

1982. If I'm wrong someone'll step in.

Oops. 1980 82 was the black version.

[Carey85]

IIRC, most of the 4 switch systems I've had open have had board dates of 1980 of later. I've only ever owned like three 6 switch systems, so I can't give any insight on their "termination" date.

[+Psionic]

One thing I noticed while looking through my Light Sixer list is that there are quite a few Light Sixers made in both 1981 and 1982, at the same time the 4-switch was around.

Seems that way. My light sixer (S.N. 81143373) has a piece of paper taped to the insides with a date of "20 March 1982" stamped on it, which may indicate either date of manufacture or factory service. I always thought this was odd, since I had thought our system was purchased a lot earlier than that.

[ApolloBoy]

One thing I noticed while looking through my Light Sixer list is that there are quite a few Light Sixers made in both 1981 and 1982, at the same time the 4-switch was around.

Seems that way. My light sixer (S.N. 81143373) has a piece of paper taped to the insides with a date of "20 March 1982" stamped on it, which may indicate either date of manufacture or factory service. I always thought this was odd, since I had thought our system was purchased a lot earlier than that.

My Sears Light Sixer was made around June 1982, judging by the date stamp on the bottom. Looks like Sears may have kept the Light Sixer around longer than Atari did.

IIRC, most of the 4 switch systems I've had open have had board dates of 1980 of later. I've only ever owned like three 6 switch systems, so I can't give any insight on their "termination" date.

That's when Atari designed the board. I think most 4-switch systems have a 3-digit date stamp on the bottom, that should give you an idea of when the system was manufactured.

Edited December 18, 2010 by ApolloBoy

[Cynicaster]

I know for absolute fact that the first VCS I ever owned had 6 switches, and that it was not a Sears model. I also know my dad bought it new in the spring of 1983. Since I noticed the apparent discrepancy with the dates, I considered the possibility that I might be remembering the year incorrectly. Coincidentally, just last night, I verified with absolute certainty that my memory is correct. I was at my parents' for dinner, and they had taken a bunch of old artwork and crafts that I had done as a child down from the attic. I went through the stuff and found a pile of journals that I had done in kindergarten through 2nd grade. The idea was that every morning, we had to write a small blurb about what we had done the night before, and draw a picture (with crayons, haha) to accompany it.

 

In my journal from kindergarten, I found the evidence I was looking for. At some date in May-June 1983, my journal showed me going to see Return of the Jedi at the movies, which would have been shortly after it was released. Only 2-3 pages before that, was an entry that simply said "last night I was playing Atari on my TV". The picture was a crude drawing of a VCS sitting on the floor in front of a screen, which appeared to be displaying an "artist's rendition" of Pitfall, which was one of the first 2-3 games we had (out of an eventual 100 or so).

 

It seems the generally accepted release year for the CX2600A 4-switch woody is 1980, so ever since I learned the timeline, I've wondered why a new Atari bought in spring of '83 would have been the model that was supposedly discontinued 3 years prior.

[A.J. Franzman]

You might be surprised how much old stock hung around to later be sold as "new" back then. I don't see your family's purchase of a brand-new, three-year-old system as being very unusual at all.

[Alex Lyons]

On Wikipedia it says that the four switch came out in 1980

[jhd]

My first VCS was a 4-switch and I'm fairly certain that I got it in Spring 1982. It came with Combat and Asteroids as pack-ins.

 

I expect that it came from the local Consumer's Distributing store -- a now defunct Canadian chain akin to Service Merchandise.

 

The Vader model came out a little bit later; I remember that a classmate of mine had that model.

[Eltigro]

I know for absolute fact that the first VCS I ever owned had 6 switches, and that it was not a Sears model. I also know my dad bought it new in the spring of 1983. Since I noticed the apparent discrepancy with the dates, I considered the possibility that I might be remembering the year incorrectly. Coincidentally, just last night, I verified with absolute certainty that my memory is correct. I was at my parents' for dinner, and they had taken a bunch of old artwork and crafts that I had done as a child down from the attic. I went through the stuff and found a pile of journals that I had done in kindergarten through 2nd grade. The idea was that every morning, we had to write a small blurb about what we had done the night before, and draw a picture (with crayons, haha) to accompany it.

 

In my journal from kindergarten, I found the evidence I was looking for. At some date in May-June 1983, my journal showed me going to see Return of the Jedi at the movies, which would have been shortly after it was released. Only 2-3 pages before that, was an entry that simply said "last night I was playing Atari on my TV". The picture was a crude drawing of a VCS sitting on the floor in front of a screen, which appeared to be displaying an "artist's rendition" of Pitfall, which was one of the first 2-3 games we had (out of an eventual 100 or so).

 

It seems the generally accepted release year for the CX2600A 4-switch woody is 1980, so ever since I learned the timeline, I've wondered why a new Atari bought in spring of '83 would have been the model that was supposedly discontinued 3 years prior.

 

Wow, very cool. I'd love to see some scans of the game related pages. Time capsule stuff!