Fairchild Channel F

1.

MTUCI
PROUDLY PRESENTS
Khorin Egor
Fairchild Channel F

2.

What is it?
Fairchild Channel F is the world's
second game console with
replaceable games on cartridges
and the first console with a
cartridge containing a program.
The first set-top box using
cartridges was Magnavox
Odyssey, but its cartridge
consisted only of a set of
jumpers. The set-top box was
released by Fairchild
Semiconductor in November
1976 under the name Video
Entertainment System (VES).

3.

Processor and Graphics.
The console is based on the Fairchild F8 microprocessor, created by
Robert Noyce before he left Fairchild to found his own company, Intel.
The F8 was released as two separate chips, which together made up a
full-fledged central processor of the device. The graphics were quite
simple, but colored (up to 8 colors were supported), which was a step
forward compared to the Pong console of the same time. The sound
was played through the internal speaker, not through the TV.

4.

Controller
The game controller was like a
joystick without a base: the case
had to be held in the hand, a
triangular "hat" towered above
it, which was moved with the
second hand. The controller
could be used as a joystick. In
the case of the device there was
a special compartment for
storing controllers when
moving the set—top box - this
made sense, since the controller
wire was too thin and was
known for its vulnerability.

5.

Atari VCS
The effect of the appearance of
Channel F pushed Atari to
release and improve its
console, which was in
development. Due to financial
problems, they had to sell to
Warner Communications to
get the necessary financial
resources. A year later, the
Atari VCS gaming system was
released, it already provided
significantly better image and
sound quality.

6.

New version
Fairchild decided to compete with VCS, and began redesigning the console,
the new version was named Channel F System II. The main changes were
in appearance, the controllers began to be connected to the main unit via
a connector, the devices for storing the controllers were moved to the
back panel, the audio signal was now mixed into the video signal. The
design has been changed. At that time, the market entered the middle of
the first crisis of the video game industry, and Fairchild withdrew from
the market.

7.

Release of consoles
A number of licensed
versions of the console
have been released in
Europe, Sweden, the
UK, and Germany.

8.

Thanks for your attention!