pansen Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Hello, all websites I checked say the 2600 Jr. was designed in 1983 with the new cx24 controllers (the ones from the 7800) but not released before 1986 and then with the classic cx40 joysticks. This is not really true, because I have a 2600 Jr. that I got for Christmas 1983, with cx24 controllers, bought here in Germany. So maybe it was not released in the US before 86 but here it was. At that time, European prices for electronics were much higher than in the US so that might have been the reason to put it out here first? Or maybe they thought the 2600 Jr. was more "suitable" for the Euro market, for whatever reason.. Anyhow, I'm surprised I found no information about this fact anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Stilphen Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 That's the first I've ever heard of that. I'm sure Euro 'ubercollectors' like Marco could confirm (or deny this). FYI, the JR case was designed in the early 80s. That was going to be the case for the Voice Commander module. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pansen Posted March 21, 2002 Author Share Posted March 21, 2002 Well I am born in 77 and got the console when I was six years old.. do the math =). I still have it but I can't find the power supply.. don't know if an "Übercollector" would have kept one of those anyway since it was prolly the normal version sold here at that time. I almost gave mine away once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyXB Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 I don't know. I have as child only a 6 switch console. Don't know if the Heavy Sixer or the Second release. But we have sell it and now I have it again. But I don't know when which console release here in germany. But I think others maybe know. I was to young. Born in 1978. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco(2) Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Interesting story! As far as I can remember Atari sold only 6 and 4 switch models in Holland around '83 and '84. I got my first VCS in '84 and it was the black four switch. I do not recall (I was 14 at the time) any Juniors in stores at that time. But that may have been different in Germany. What year is on the copyright notice of your Jr? Cheers, Marco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pansen Posted March 21, 2002 Author Share Posted March 21, 2002 The sticker on the bottom says: MANUFACTURED FOR ATARI, INC. BY ATARI IRELAND, LTD., IN IRELAND. MODEL NO. CX-2600 COVERED BY US PATENT NUMBER 4,112,422 OTHER PATENTS,AND PATENTS PENDING. S.N. 284 AI 0013051 Part of the copyright notice on the back of the manual, which contains instructions in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch: [...] © 1983 ATARI, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED [...] C024690-001 REV. A The console came with the Centipede catridge, according to my mother. My parents surely didn't expect what kind of long lasting influence this present would have on me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eckhard Stolberg Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 I also got my "short rainbow" 2600 Jr. with the two proline joysticks and Centipede for Christmas in 1984, so that system definately was around at that time. A friend of my had gotten his VCS a couple of month before for his birthday, and that still was a 4-switch with Pac Man, so I'm not sure how common the Jr was here in Germany back then. p.s. I just saw, that you are from Hamburg, where Warner-Atari had their German headquarters. I live in a small town near Hamburg too, so that might be the reason why we had access to the Jr consoles in 1983/84. Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg [ 03-21-2002: Message edited by: Eckhard Stolberg ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pansen Posted March 29, 2002 Author Share Posted March 29, 2002 Eckhard, I wondered what you meant with "short rainbow"..just read (on Atari-History.com) that the ones with the small 2" rainbow badge on top of the aluminium label are the original ones produced in 83 by Warner before the Tramiels "took over". Mine is one of those too.. so they must have been around at least between the winters of '83 and '84. If that was the case in and around Hamburg only could maybe be found out by checking all those VCS offers on Ebay.de but I really have no time for this =). I just hope a few webmasters read this forum so some of these pages that say the 2600Jr. was not released at all before '86 are corrected =) [ 03-28-2002: Message edited by: pansen ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister VCS Posted March 29, 2002 Share Posted March 29, 2002 pansen: look at my topic "2600juniors from Atari Inc. on this Atari 2600 board! Mister VCS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liveinabin Posted March 29, 2002 Share Posted March 29, 2002 Yeah, I always thought that 1986 date was a bit late. We definitely had juniors before 86. My all-black short rainbow jr is pre-86 for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahfish Posted March 29, 2002 Share Posted March 29, 2002 here the pics solving the question. a promo flyer for the junior from 1984: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liveinabin Posted March 30, 2002 Share Posted March 30, 2002 Heres a translation to that ad:- Die! Fantastic Whelk! Your Abba tour is directly lit with REM's zimmer frame. honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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