Fairchild Channel F

second-generation home video game console; first console that uses programmable cartridges

The Fairchild Channel F (also known as Channel F) is a home video game console. The "F" in the name stands for "Fun".[1] It was designed by Jerry Lawson and released in November 1976 by Fairchild Camera and Instrument in the United States for a price of 169.95 $.[2] It is the first console that uses ROM cartridges and a microprocessor. By 1977, 250,000 Fairchild Channel F consoles were sold.[3] The production ended in 1983.[4]

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Fairchild Channel F

Licensed versions

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Many licensed versions were released in Europe. For example, the Luxor Video Entertainment System (Sweden), Adman Grandstand (United Kingdom), Saba Videoplay, Nordmende Teleplay, ITT Tele-Match Processor (Germany) and Dumont/Barco Videoplay (Italy and Belgium).[2]

 
Nordmende Color TelePlay µP
 
Adman Grandstand Video Entertainment Computer
 
Luxor Video Entertainment Computer
 
SABA Videoplay

26 cartridges were officially released for the Fairchild Channel F. Some cartridges have several games included. Each cartridge was sold for 19.95 $.[5] On November 5, 2009, a homebrew game, a version of Pac-Man, was released.[6]

List of games

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  • Integrated with console: Hockey, Tennis
  • Videocart-1: Tic-Tac-Toe, Shooting Gallery, Doodle, Quadra-Doodle
  • Videocart-2: Desert Fox, Shooting Gallery
  • Videocart-3: Video Blackjack
  • Videocart-4: Spitfire
  • Videocart-5: Space War
  • Videocart-6: Math Quiz (Addition & Subtraction)
  • Videocart-7: Math Quiz (Multiplication & Division)
  • Videocart-8: Mind Reader, Nim (also referred to as Magic Numbers)
  • Videocart-9: Drag Strip
  • Videocart-10: Maze, Cat and Mouse
  • Videocart-11: Backgammon, Acey-Deucey
  • Videocart-12: Baseball
  • Videocart 13: Robot War/Torpedo Alley
  • Videocart-14: Sonar Search
  • Videocart-15: Memory Match
  • Videocart 16: Dodge-It
  • Videocart-17: Pinball Challenge
  • Videocart-18: Hangman
  • Videocart-19: Checkers
  • Videocart-20: Video Whizball
  • Videocart-21: Bowling
  • Videocart-22: Slot Machine
  • Videocart-23: Galactic Space Wars
  • Videocart-24: Pro-Football
  • Videocart-25: Casino Poker
  • Videocart-26: Alien Invasion
  • Videocart-27: Pac-Man (homebrew)

Technical specifications

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Successor

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Fairchild Channel F System II

In 1979, the successor named Fairchild Channel F System II was released.[7]

References

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  1. Edwards, Benj (2015-01-22). "The Untold Story Of The Invention Of The Game Cartridge". Fast Company. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "Adman Grandstand (Fairchild Channel-F) Video Entertainment Computer - Game Console - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  3. Jones, Gareth R.; Hill, Charles W. L. (2007). Strategic management: an integrated approach (7th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. p. C-123. ISBN 0-618-73166-0.
  4. Wolf, Mark J. P. (2018-11-21). The Routledge Companion to Media Technology and Obsolescence. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-315-44266-2.
  5. 1976 commercial trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXvpsmanhsk
  6. "Homebrew:Pac-Man - veswiki". channelf.se. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  7. "Fairchild Channel F / Channel F System II (1976 – 1984)". Museum of Obsolete Media. 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2020-06-04.

Other websites

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