Forgotten Innovation: The Fairchild Channel F
In the dawn of the 1970s, PONG machines were taking bars and restaurants by storm. Several companies noticed its popularity and capitalized on the new video game craze by making PONG clones available for home TV use. In 1972, Magnavox introduced the first home video game system that attempted variations in game play: the Magnavox Odyssey. Through the use of colored screen overlays and interchangeable jumper packs, the look and rules of the base Odyssey game could be altered, but the overall game remained the same.
In August 1976 Fairchild Consumer Products, a division of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation, introduced the Fairchild Video Entertainment System, also known as the Fairchild Channel F. Game systems of this time, such as the Magnavox Odyssey and numerous stand-alone PONG games, were mainly self-contained: a single game was built-in to the console. While the Channel F did contain two built-in games, “Tennis” and “Hockey”, it also brought to market something that was radically different, but seems second-nature now: interchangeable, programmable game cartridges.
Each Channel F cartridge was a completely different program; a completely different experience. Bowling could be switched out for Backgammon, which could be switched out for Checkers. Programmable, interchangeable game cartridges provided the possibility of endless entertainment at low cost, and some cartridges contained up to four separate games. Atari recognized the importance of the interchangeable cartridge format, and sought to introduce a cartridge-based console to the market as soon as possible. Their resulting Video Computer System would become synonymous with “video game” and monopolize the home video game market.
Player-selectable game modes and options was also featured heavily on the Channel F. On the front of the console there are five buttons: Reset, 1, 2, 3. and 4. The numbered keys performed different tasks depending on the circumstances of when they are pushed. When a cartridge is loaded into the console, the player would push “Reset” to load the game code. The game does not begin immediately, but instead waits for the player to set options via buttons 1, 2, and 3, then to start the game by pressing button 4.
In addition to interchangeable programs and player-selectable game modes, the Channel F introduced the ability to “pause” the game with the inclusion of a “HOLD” button on the console, similar to the SEGA Master System. While a game was paused, the player could alter some options of the game, such as speed, time limit, and the size of the player’s avatar, via the buttons on the front of the console, without resetting the score or requiring the player to start over.
The Channel F’s control system, however, was never mimicked by any other console. The player held a control stick with one hand and manipulated a knob on the top. This knob could be pushed forward, backward, left, right, or any diagonal combination. In addition, this knob could be twisted clock-wise or counter-clock-wise, and pulled up or pushed down, for a total of twelve separate input actions with one knob. Unfortunately, this delicate control system was susceptible to damage and broke quite easily. Replacement of broken controllers was difficult, as they were originally hard-wired into the console (though later models implemented removable controllers).
Despite the innovation provided by the Fairchild Channel F, it was never really much of a commercial success. A mere 21 cartridges were released during its initial life-span. In 1978, Zircon bought the rights to the Channel F game system and attempted to compete against Atari. They re-designed the Channel F to feature removable controllers and sound output through the TV instead of a speaker built-in to the console. Zircon also produced five more game cartridges, bringing the grand total of cartridges available to 26. As it was, the Atari Video Computer System was well on its way to dominating the market, and the inferior video and audio of the Channel F Video Entertainment System was unable to compete. Zircon’s Channel F II faded into obscurity rather quickly while the Atari Video Computer System became a nearly unstoppable juggernaut. A number of licensed versions were released in Europe, including the Luxor Video Entertainment System in Sweden, Adman Grandstand in the UK, and the Saba Videoplay, Nordmende Teleplay and ITT Tele-Match Processor, from Germany.
Further reading:
- http://members.cox.net/seanriddle/chanf.html
- http://gamingmuseum.classicgaming.gamespy.com/channelf.html