When was my VCS produced?

[Michel]

Hi,

I have an Atari VCS "heavy sixer" and i want to know if it was realized in 1977 or 1978?

I bring some photos to show you :

 

(i've changed the reset button which was broken)

 

The sticker on the rf box has left... can't see date on. But i guess it's was written "made in malaysia"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the joystick:

 

thanks to tell me

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

1977

[Michel]

Wow fast reply! thanks

Okay 1977 cool. How do you see that?

i was trying to look everywhere in the console to see a clue, but i didn't found one (the only one i know is the sticker on the rf box). Perhaps the "77" on the other side of the mainboard...

Edited October 6, 2010 by Michel

[A.J. Franzman]

1977

Okay 1977 cool. How do you see that?

i was trying to look everywhere in the console to see a clue, but i didn't found one (the only one i know is the sticker on the rf box). Perhaps the "77" on the other side of the mainboard...

Iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin is mistaken. 1977 is the copyright date of the circuit board revision, but a copyright date does not tell how recently it could have been made unless you know when production of that version stopped. But if all of the parts are original, your unit was assembled sometime after February of 1978. There is a date code "7809" on the CPU, indicating that that chip was made in the 9th week of 1978. There may be later date codes on one of the other ICs, but only one is partly visible in the photos ("774x"). The chip nearest the cartridge port is not legible in the photo, and the one farthest from the cartridge port has a piece of printed paper taped over its markings.

 

For my own curiosity, is this an NTSC unit? It does not look like PAL, and I was not aware of SECAM units being made this early.

Edited October 7, 2010 by A.J. Franzman

[Michel]

Yes that's a NTSC unit.

i can tell you that it's not easy to use here. I changed the video cable of the VCS with a french VCS' one to plug it on my TV. And to have display + sound i need to plug it on my video tape recorder that recognizes NTSC format.

 

Ok thanks, so you are sure that all ships are mentionned with the year + weeks? i will have a look on.

 

Do you know when the production of heavy sixer was stopped for light sixer?

Edited October 7, 2010 by Michel

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

1977

Okay 1977 cool. How do you see that?

i was trying to look everywhere in the console to see a clue, but i didn't found one (the only one i know is the sticker on the rf box). Perhaps the "77" on the other side of the mainboard...

Iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin is mistaken. 1977 is the copyright date of the circuit board revision, but a copyright date does not tell how recently it could have been made unless you know when production of that version stopped. But if all of the parts are original, your unit was assembled sometime after February of 1978. There is a date code "7809" on the CPU, indicating that that chip was made in the 9th week of 1978. There may be later date codes on one of the other ICs, but only one is partly visible in the photos ("774x"). The chip nearest the cartridge port is not legible in the photo, and the one farthest from the cartridge port has a piece of printed paper taped over its markings.

 

For my own curiosity, is this an NTSC unit? It does not look like PAL, and I was not aware of SECAM units being made this early.

 

 

Yes, it was made in 1978!