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(Or) the Atari 2600 was first also well-known a play console of the company Atari, as "“VCS"” for video computer system; in Germany the equipment was called mostly simply "“Atari"”. The designation "“2600"” was only introduced, when Atari 1982 the successor, which Atari brought to 5200 (only in the USA) on the market. The Atari 2600 was the first successful programmable play console for the Heimgebrauch. (The before spread Pong consoles did not have only firmly given play possibilities, modules; short the Channel F of accepted modules appeared before the Atari, could not become generally accepted however at the market.) 2005 made itself Atari with the play console Atari Flashback (over Atari Interactive) attentive. 20 plays of the legendary Atari 2600 and 7800 console were again presented.

History

The Atari 2600 was introduced 1977. The sales ran first sluggishly. Atari acquired therefore a set of automat play and film licenses, among other things space Invaders, Pac One and E.T. Starting from Christmas 1979 the Atari 2600 was the racer in the Christmas business, although the console had already become outdated at this time technically; in particular the extremely small RAM size of only 128 byte resulted in 1979, when RAMs were already many cheaper than 1977, actually no more sense. A call-worth extension of the memory was reached by the extra available module Starpath Supercharger, what did not intersperse itself however economically.

A special variant came 1982 into Japan under the name Atari 2800 out, in the USA better well-known than Sears video Arcade II.

Intermediatein it there were prototypes again and again. The universe in One system CX-2000 made the beginning in the year 1981, in the same year a similar system with the number 2500. The Atari 2200 (code name "“Bonnie"”) of 1983 is the preliminary stage to 2600 the junior model. Ataris wireless 2700 was already, the advertisement ran, as in quality control the combination CONTROLLERs (Joystick + Paddle in one) fell through. They had a range of approx. 300 meters and different 2700 in the neighbourhood have disturbed could thus. Also garage gates could probably have been opened thereby - the technology corresponds as far as possible to that the radio hand transmitter. One would have had to again invent the 2700, which would have become too expensive, particularly since the market stood anyway briefly before the Crash. Last prototype was 1983 the CX-3000 Graduate computer, which would have developed the 2600 with the help of a transparency keyboard and basic module to the home computer. Because of possible competition to the internal Atari XL-computer was stopped.

Starting from 1983 the sales decreased/went back, since in the meantime more efficient (and particularly for each affordable) home computers became available (e.g. Apple II, Atari 800 and Commodore 64).

When starting from approx. 1985 with Nintendo the Entertainment system became again popular the play consoles, brought Atari 1986 still another cost-reduced and physically made smaller, but otherwise fully compatible variant of the Atari 2600 under the name "“Atari 2600 junior"” on the market. Before it also to a large extent downward-compatible Atari 7800 (already the 1984 once for well one month sold was, then however because of the bad market situation one reset) appeared short. In Germany the equipment was sold until 1989, in some asiatic countries still some years longer.

Specification

  • CCU: MOS Technologies 6507, a 6502-Variante also of 64KiB on 8KiB reduced address area and approx. 1.19 MHz clock frequency.
  • Video processor: Atari TIA, after which also Stella calls original code name of the project. 121 different colors of 128 theoretical numbers (NTSC) and/or 114 colors of 128 (PAL). No video RAM; the CCU must write each individual screen line in real time into a line buffer, synchronously for the raster jet of the television. The program must keep a close time frame, so that the video expenditure does not break down. It was thereby very difficult to program, but for conditions at that time extremely flexibly. NTSC programs must be rewritten for PAL and in reverse.
  • Audio processor: Atari TIA, two voices, various waveform-shaping. Expenditure in mono over the loudspeaker of the television.
  • RAM: 128 bytes; some play modules starting from 1983 additionally again contained 128 or more byte RAM in the module.
  • Data medium: Rome modules. Early modules were only 2 KiB largely, originally were only 4 KiB maximally intended. Starting from 1981 however many modules contained an auxiliary hardware, in order to make by means of bank Switching larger memory addressable. Up to 16 KiB were usual, some few multi-play modules contained up to 64 KiB.

Plays

It gave altogether more than 1,200 play modules, which were officially authorized to not all by Atari however. Among the most well-known plays of the Atari 2600 AREA rank among other things:

  • Pac one
  • Pac Woman
  • Donkey Kong
  • Mario Bros.
  • Pong
  • Asteroids
  • Air Sea Battle
  • Breakout (and the successor super Breakout)
  • Jungle Hunt
  • Case of pit
  • Millipede
  • Super Ferrari
  • Star Raiders
  • Venture
  • Position polarizes
  • Enduro
  • Skiing
  • Video Chess
  • Space Invaders
  • Ice hockey fever
  • Defender
  • Chopper COMMAND
  • Decathlon

The play E.T. (Atari) a special mention is entitled as that play, which practically at all did not sell itself despite large developping costs and several millions dollar at investments and finally moved from that 5 million play modules on the garbage depot. Just as many by the way moved from Pac one on the dump, whereby by this play however 12 million modules of Atari had been produced.

Films

In the year 1999 the two video home system documentations "“Stella RK 20"” (part of 1 and 2) appeared, those the Macher, managers and programmers of the Atari 2600 console to their 20-year old anniversary brought together. Each part is approximately 90 minutes long. More information are here.

See also

  • Play console, Philips G7000, portal: Computer games

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