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Fairchild Channel F
I thought it was about time that I covered some obscure consoles from the 2nd generation starting with the Fairchild Channel F. This is a rare console and an odd one at that. Prices on eBay are reaching over what the unit cost new in 1976. As such it is rare to find one in the wilds of garage sales and flea markets. I don’t personally own one so the following images are courtesy of Evan-Amos and Pop Culture Geek. Should I have the incredible fortune of coming across one, as with any I don’t own at the moment, I’ll come back and revise the post with my personal impressions of the unit.
The Fairchild Channel F, what an odd name for a console. The story behind it was that it was originally named the “VES” (Video Entertainment System) but when Atari released the VCS aka 2600 Fairchild changed the name. Why to “Channel F”? I dunno, Channel Fairchild maybe? Channel Frankfurter?
The Fairchild Channel F was technically the first cartridge-based video game system though one could argue it is also a pong console since Pong was built into the system and the sounds come from the unit itself. Due to the rudimentary nature of the games it seems to be more of a novelty for rounding out your collection rather than something you could play for hours on end. Some argue however that the Channel F has the best version of Pong available.
The Channel F looks like something off Battlestar Galactica’s bridge and has weird controllers. The knob on the top can twist, rock, and pull/push. Also there isn’t a button on it so one presses the knob down to fire or jump. This seems strangely complex to me considering all the consoles before this relied on a knob or two.
Cartridges were large, around the size of an 8 track, named by number, and bright yellow. The cover art screams 60’s and 70’s with the bright colors. The number of the cart takes up most of the label and tiny illustrations represent what the games are. Though some of the higher-numbered carts simply list them. Graphics in the games are well, basic. But in 1976 having only 8 colors was perfectly fine. Also, if you thought the 2600 had primitive capabilities, the Channel F had half the memory.
In 1979 the Channel F II was released and looked a little better than its predecessor while also adding removable controllers, having the sound come from the TV, and controller storage on the back of the unit. This didn’t do much to boost sales however as the internals were still the same and much more advanced consoles were either already out or soon to become available. It’s estimated that the Channel F only sold 250,000 units before the plug was pulled.
Dusty Consoles 