Salvation Army score!

[lonesome_pa]

Well, I walked into 1 of my 2 local Salv. Army stores and lo and behold, sitting on one of the counters was an Atari 2600 console. It was facing backwards, but still recognizable. But there was one problem. There was one mean looking dude standing next to it looking at it, but not picking it up. Of course my first thought was that if he reached for the console, I would jump him, grab it and run. (yeah right, keep on dreaming). But, he walked on. I made a dash to it and turned it around. It is a Sears Telegames 6-switch console. No ac adapter or joysticks, just the attached rf cord. Besides being a little dusty, it was in great shape. Marked $4.99, I didn't think it was too bad since this was my first Atari find this year. It has been pretty dry around here since last summer. I haven't tested it out yet, so hopefully it works. If not, I have a nice bookend to hold up my boxed games. I am wondering one thing though, I can't figure out if it's a heavy sixer or not. It does seem to weigh a little more than my 4-switch woody, but not much. Besides, weight, was there any other way to tell the two apart: Heavy or not? I did notice one thing, looking down into the "ribs" on the top, between the slot and the wood panel, there are 2 circular openings under the ribs as if meant for speakers. Not exactly sure what they mean. But, if anybody can help me find out what version I have, and if I got a good deal, I appreciate it.

[Mock]

I think some of the early Atari's and Sears units had speaker holes in them if I'm not mistaken.

 

Mock

[+Nathan Strum]

I am wondering one thing though, I can't figure out if it's a heavy sixer or not.  It does seem to weigh a little more than my 4-switch woody, but not much.  Besides, weight, was there any other way to tell the two apart:  Heavy or not?   I did notice one thing, looking down into the "ribs" on the top, between the slot and the wood panel, there are 2 circular openings under the ribs as if meant for speakers.

 

I've got a six-switch Telegames like that. There were originally supposed to be built-in stereo speakers in the 2600, but they never made it in the final product.

 

The way to tell if it's a heavy-sixer or not is how thick the plastic along the sides of the top is. Mine isn't a heavy model, but it still has the speaker holes in it.

 

This one is a heavy 2600:

 

http://www.atariage.com/2600/systems/sys_AtariVCS.jpg

 

This one isn't:

 

http://www.atariage.com/2600/systems/sys_AtariVCSB.jpg

[DeV0]

Is there a picture available somewhere of the RF shield inside?? I only have one 6er and the shield is massive, it is thick and heavy. Id like to see the internal differences of the 2 links.

 

I am aware that mine cant be a heavy due to it being pal and all, But maybe there is a half hybrid?

[mark]

a 2600 is reconizeable from any angle

[Godzilla]

BIG SEXY! there is no such thing as this evil 'heavy sixer' you speak of. bastardos!

[ZylonBane]

Keep your retrotechnofetish to yourself. Bleah.

[Godzilla]

http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.p...&highlight=sexy

 

long live big sexy.

[lonesome_pa]

Well, I'll stick by my guns and call it whatever I want to call it. Who says what name version is correct anyway?? Everybody calls it whatever name they so choose. "Heavy Sixer", in my eyes, and not because of majority, seems appropriate. "Heavy" weight, "Sixer" 6 switches. End of story.

[lonesome_pa]

Oh, and btw, thank you Nathan. this clears it up for me. I wasn't sure if the differences in the Atari versions were the same for the Sears versions. But, I think that the speaker idea would have been a good one. Too bad.

[Godzilla]

philistine! :-)

sexy is ALWAYS better.

Unless you are a uniq or a monk or something....

[ZylonBane]

But, I think that the speaker idea  would have been a good one.

Ummm... no. The 2600 was originally planned to have sound come out of the console itself, but they figured out how to get it to come from the TV.

 

No sound from TV is not what I consider a good idea.

[sku_u]

But, I think that the speaker idea  would have been a good one.

Ummm... no. The 2600 was originally planned to have sound come out of the console itself, but they figured out how to get it to come from the TV.

 

No sound from TV is not what I consider a good idea.

 

Given that most TVs at the time were mono, I have to disagree with you here. It would have been nice to have stereo sound.

[gulag picture radio]

"stereo" is a bit of a misnomer. The Atari 2600 has two oscillators for sound, so each one would have its own speaker. I think that Video Olympics just happens to use the one oscillator for one side's beeps, and the other for the other. Therefore the beeps could seem to be related to the action onscreen.

 

If you install speakers in the system (kinda cool idea actually), or mod the Atari to give you dual audio output, then the various sound effects come from one side or the other more or less randomly. Given how low the resources are in the Atari, real stereo output is kind of a lot to ask.

 

At the same time, the recent homebrew Skeleton actually uses the two oscillators in a really intelligent way to do pseudo stereo stuff. Nice work! OF course Synthcart is where I learned all this stuff... still a brilliant concept. I can't say that enough.

[Mendon]

Hey Godzilla.... I see your reasoning on renaming the Heavy Sixer to Big Sexy... but might calling it that name be a little confusing with the true Big Sexy: the 5200????

 

Mendon

[lonesome_pa]

Given that most TVs at the time were mono, I have to disagree with you here.  It would have been nice to have stereo sound.

 

That's pretty much what I meant. I remember playing "way back when" and my TV had that little pathetic speaker on the front. And it always sounded tinny. I think it would have been a good idea then, but not now. Besides, I run my TV through my stereo; surround sound rules.