Is this a 'Heavy Sixer'?

[PacManPlus]

This unit I got from a friend seems slightly heavier than the other 2600s I have, although I'm not sure if it's a heavy sixer or not.

 

The white tag that is taped to the inside reads a 1980 date - wasn't the heavy sixers only the first run (1977)?

 

Thanks

[Mindfield]

True heavy sixers were manufactured exclusively in 1977. There were some later six-switch woodgrain models that had the heavy RF shielding internally, but unless they had the thick rounded moulding around the base (which is not pictured in your images) then it's not a true heavy sixer. The date alone tells me that it is not however.

[spacecadet]

As Mindfield pointed out, no heavy sixer was made in 1980 (I didn't think six switch models of any kind were still being produced in 1980, but maybe they were). Also, I can see a little bit of the corner of the casing of your unit and it is the thinner plastic of the lighter case.

 

This is what the heavy sixer casing looks like:

 

 

That's a Sears model but the case is the same on the Atari version. You see how thick the outer edge of the case is, plus it's slightly rounded on the bottom.

[PacManPlus]

Thanks for the info guys!

 

Just as a side note, not only does the paper read 1980, it's December of 1980!

 

You know, I'm curious... The main motherboard encased in the shielding connects to the external board with the switches by a 12-pin header. Now, most of these pins are for the switches, Voltage in, +5v out, and ground, but there are two that go to the RF modulator on this external board. I know this may be a pipe dream, but I wonder what is in those signals... It couldn't be composite video and audio, can it? Do you normally feed composite signals into an RF modulator?

 

[Lemmi]

my reg. 6 switch has the exact same 1980 paper taped to the shielding

[atarianer2003]

Hi there,

 

I've made some work to show the Heavy-Sixer and Non-Heavy-Sixer differents a few weeks ago

 

 

Note: On some used models there could be no more frame color

 

Mike

[Draikar]

My heavy sixer has orange frame paint ?

[AtariAger]

My heavy sixer has orange frame paint ?  

 

I have a bunch with orange also...I have a bunch with yellow too!!!

[atarianer2003]

Thx guys - picture is updated

 

Mike

[Retro Rogue]

True heavy sixers were manufactured exclusively in 1977.  

 

Actually, it turns out that's not quite the case. I have one I recovered recently that has a March '78 manufacturing date. It also has some interesting oddities - it has a slot on the bottom for the channel 3/4 select that is unused and the center post of one of the right internal speaker mount has been molded extra high so it would be impossible to lay a speaker in it.