Heavy Sixer Serial Number Thread

[Wester]

Updated the list thanks for posting.

[lowscore]

I just won this console late last night.

 

SN: 99277E

 

I will send a picture when it arrives.

 

I found this piece broken, but was able to solder it. I have not seen this doohickey in my other consoles with similer guts. There is no channel select switch in this lady either, so what is it?

Edited January 30, 2007 by lowscore

[A.J. Franzman]

I found this piece broken, but was able to solder it. I have not seen this doohickey in my other consoles with similer guts. There is no channel select switch in this lady either, so what is it?

Do you mean the metal thing with the fins sticking off it? That's called a heat sink. Most 2600s use a pad of copper on the board as a heat sink, to save about 5 cents per unit manufacturing cost. A real heat sink like this one works much better. If you soldered the heat sink, it wasn't necessary (but it won't hurt anything either, if you soldered it where it was meant to go).

 

The thing the heat sink is clipped onto is the voltage regulator (you should be able to see its type number, 7805, printed on it), which is present in every 2600 console.

 

If you didn't mean either of those items, please be more specific: there are at least a dozen "doohickeys" in your photo! Exactly which one do you mean?

Edited January 30, 2007 by A.J. Franzman

[Wester]

A.J., how is it you always beat me to this thread?

[lowscore]

I found this piece broken, but was able to solder it. I have not seen this doohickey in my other consoles with similer guts. There is no channel select switch in this lady either, so what is it?

Do you mean the metal thing with the fins sticking off it? That's called a heat sink. Most 2600s use a pad of copper on the board as a heat sink, to save about 5 cents per unit manufacturing cost. A real heat sink like this one works much better. If you soldered the heat sink, it wasn't necessary (but it won't hurt anything either, if you soldered it where it was meant to go).

 

The thing the heat sink is clipped onto is the voltage regulator (you should be able to see its type number, 7805, printed on it), which is present in every 2600 console.

 

If you didn't mean either of those items, please be more specific: there are at least a dozen "doohickeys" in your photo! Exactly which one do you mean?

 

I do mean the finned doohickey and the stuff it is connected too, just below dead center of the photo. It, as well as the (voltage regulator?) was dangling loose. I had no picture on the TV until I pushed down on the whole assembly with a pencil and made a connection. There were four contact points underneath that had broken solder. This is what I replaced. Now my new unit works like a champ. (Forgive my uninformed slang. I am new at this electronical stuff. I am eager to learn.) Thanks for hipping me to the terminology. I don't want to take up any more of this dedicated thread with my trivialities. If you want to talk any more about it, lets start a different one.

[hattg]

I asked this one other time a long time ago, but I can't remember what the response was. How do you tell if it is heavy-sixer? I picked up a 6-switch unit for $5 last week at the thrift store but I am not sure how to tell if it is one or not?

[Prodos8]

I asked this one other time a long time ago, but I can't remember what the response was. How do you tell if it is heavy-sixer? I picked up a 6-switch unit for $5 last week at the thrift store but I am not sure how to tell if it is one or not?

 

Heavys have thick curved sides, like the pic below, light sixers don't.

[+SpiceWare]

A friend cleaned house a few weeks back and gave me all his old Atari stuff. I now have a heavy sixer - serial # 54565G.

 

There was hex shaped piece of medal saying Atari stuck to the unit - think that goes for the original joysticks, but those were not included - just some 3rd party joysticks.

 

There was a pair of fuji paddles though, I now have 2 sets of those. The other set I've had for a while without even realizing it - a while back I noticed there were 2 stickers on each paddle, so I carefully peeled the top stickers off and was surprised to find the fuji stickers underneath.

 

I opened it up to clean it - there's no channel select, and the cable connecting the 2 circuit boards is a flat ribbon instead of a bundle of wires. I was under the impression the "heavy sixer" was called that due to heavy shielding - nope, it's due to the base of the Atari being made of much thicker plastic - the guts of the heavy Atari are the same weight as guts of a light sixer.

 

 

heavy sixer closeup

 

light sixer closeup

 

 

edit - put photos back in proper locations

Edited September 4, 2007 by SpiceWare

[Wester]

Nice find, especially with the Hex disc stuck to it.

I believe that the shielding is heavier than the Light Sixer, but you are correct about the thicker plastic adding the bulk of the weight.

[A.J. Franzman]

I now have a heavy sixer - serial # 54565G.

 

I opened it up to clean it - there's no channel select, and the cable connecting the 2 circuit boards is a flat ribbon instead of a bundle of wires. I was under the impression the "heavy sixer" was called that due to heavy shielding - nope, it's due to the base of the Atari being made of much thicker plastic - the guts of the heavy Atari are the same weight as guts of a light sixer.

 

 

heavy sixer closeup

 

light sixer closeup

Be careful with that printed ribbon cable; it's rather fragile. Atari recognized this as a weak point of the design, thus the change to the ribbon wire style.

 

I see your unit also has the separate heat sink on the voltage regulator, which is a better design than what Atari went to later to save a few cents -- either a sheet-metal rectangle or a "copper pour" on the board, neither of which works as well.

 

 

I believe that the shielding is heavier than the Light Sixer, but you are correct about the thicker plastic adding the bulk of the weight.

Nope, the shielding is the same. Edited March 4, 2007 by A.J. Franzman

[ApolloBoy]

My Heavy Sixer's SN is 79427M.

[darthkur]

The SN on mine is 20569J. It is marked, in raised lettering, on the bottom "Channel Select A - B" but there is no switch located in the recess.

I also have the original box it came in but it is in rough shape. The interior cardboard packaging is in good shape though.

[+pboland]

Mine is kind of a work in progress. The joystick ports have missing pins, and I just replaced the power switch. The SN is 76418J and the label has been stamped RECONDITION. I wish it wasn't a reconditioned model, but I will take what I can get. Other than that it works fine.

[Wester]

I believe that the shielding is heavier than the Light Sixer, but you are correct about the thicker plastic adding the bulk of the weight.

Nope, the shielding is the same.

 

Funny I could have sworn it was thicker, I'll have to open up my Sixers again to re-familiarize myself with them.

 

 

The list has been updated. Thanks for posting!

[almightytodd]

Greetings all,

 

This is my first post. I am 47 years old and I am the original owner of Heavy Sixer #17718K, Sunnyvale - No Channel Switch but has the hole. It was our family Christmas present in 1977. I have three brothers, and for Christmas that year, we all agreed we would rather share an Atari VCS than have each of us get a separate present. So my parents ordered it out of a catalog. When it arrived my Mom wrapped it up and put it under the tree. I found myself alone with one of my brothers a few days before Christmas, and we decided that it would be best if we were to "test" it to be sure we wouldn't be disappointed on Christmas with a defective unit. We carefully peeled the tape from the wrapping, opened up the box, unpacked it, and connected it to the TV. We enjoyed several rounds of "Combat" and then carefully repackaged it, re-wrapped it, and stashed it back underneath the tree with no one ever being the wiser.

 

The only time we'd ever seen an Atari VCS before that, was when we played "Target Fun" (Sears' version of "Air-Sea Battle") on a demo unit in a Sears store. I look forward to enjoying your company as a member of AtariAge.

[Wester]

You are on the list, and welcome to the forum, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

[toymailman]

I got a new heavy sixer on eBay and bumped my self down one notch on the list. The serial number on my new one is 20430F. See the pics below, it was in really nice shape and did not need much cleaning at all.

 

Front

 

Back

[Wester]

Thanks for posting, it's been added to the list.

[Atari Charles]

Here's the info on the one I jiust bought(My first Heavy Sixer)

 

Heavy Sixer (Taiwanese Version)

6 Switch

 

Info:

 

MFG. BY ATARI INC., SUNNYVALE, CA.

MODEL NO. CX2600

FCC TYPE APPROVAL NO. TV-363

VALID ONLY WHEN OPERATED PURSUANT

TO FCC RULES, PART 15

COVERED BY U.S. PATENTS ...

MADE IN TAIWAN

S.N.[T 0039128] CO1O922

 

3279(STAMPED IN RED)

[Wester]

Thanks for posting, your H6'er is on the list.

 

If you are planning to open her up for a cleaning or repair, take a look and see if the piece of paper taped to the RF shield has a date on it, or maybe even a date printed on the circuit board.

[Atari2600.com]

Here is the list of serial numbers that we have in stock as of 20 April 2007.

 

JC

Atari2600.com

 

All are Atari Sunnyvale heavy sixer consoles with white paper labels

17597G

25591G

27628M

32758H

33696J

34723H

38784H

48185G

48593M

49622J

52594G - complete in original 1977 version box (with chess piece)

55239F

57965J

59701J

60796E -Lowest serial number in the group

67616L

68557K -complete in original 1977 version box (with chess piece)

68616H

71977F

74547G

82069F -S/N label with battery warning precaution.

84470M

89540E

96011H

97988L

 

Sears heavy sixer with paper serial number label (as above)

67960R

[Atari Charles]

I'm just glad I finally was able to get one, especially in the Northern Wild. I'll be taking it aprt to clean it and take some pictures so that I can post some internal pics on this unit. It seems to be in very decent shape for it's age. Perhaps one day I'll get a U.S. made Heavy Sixer, but for now I'll live with a Taiwanese version, which is probably the same thing except for the sticker

[A.J. Franzman]

82069F -S/N label with battery warning precaution.

I don't remember seeing a battery warning on any other serial labels in this topic, or anywhere else. Can you post a scan or photo of it?

[Wester]

Atari2600.com, thanks for the list. I'd also be interested in getting a pic of that warning label if you get a chance. Do you have these consoles listed on your website? I looked at the 2600 section but didn't see any mention of them, only 4 switch systems.

 

Atari Charles, always nice to know they are still around in the wild.

Edited April 22, 2007 by Wester

[Atari2600.com]

Please remove serial number 82069F from my previous list. This crazy Atari 2600 Hvy-6er has a serial number label from the Atari Ultra Pong Model C-402! This must be a factory error as the label is tightly attached and shows no signs of removal or installation on this console. Because the label size and color is identical to the 2600 label, I missed the model number error. Picture is shown below:

 

Also shown are stacks of our Atari 2600 hvy-sixer console inventory. We recently purchased 20+ complete sunnyvale mfg hvy 6er systems and this is the condition that they arrived. Serial numbers from these have been provided. After cleaning and extensive bench service, we have begun offering them through our online store. Each system includes the US manufactured console, two 1977 joysticks with metal Atari bezel on top of the joystick shaft, 1977 paddles with racket and fuji logo, 1977-78 grey power supply, all nine 1977 launch title cartridges with numbered end labels, and one original driving controller with fuji and race car label. Our product number is ATA26VID0018.

 

So what is the current understanding of the hvy-6er serial numbers?