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History of video game consoles (second generation) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The second generation of video game consoles began in 1976. The second generation began with the release of the Fairchild Channel F and Radofin Electronics' 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System. This generation is sometimes called the "early 8-bit era". Many consoles were released in the second generation. The Atari 2600 was the most popular video game console for much of the second generation. Other consoles such as Intellivision, the Odyssey 2, and ColecoVision were also popular.

The second generation ended in 1984. This was because of the video game crash of 1983. As of 2004, the Atari 2600 has sold 30 million units. As of 1990, the Intellivision had sold 3 million units. As of April 1984, the ColecoVision had sold 2 million units. As of 1977, the Fairchild Channel F had sold 250,000 units.

Home systems

Comparison

Name Fairchild Channel F Atari 2600 Magnavox Odyssey² Intellivision Atari 5200
Manufacturer Fairchild Semiconductor Atari Magnavox Mattel Atari
Console Fairchild-Channel-F-System-II-Console.jpg Atari-2600-Console.jpg Magnavox-Odyssey-2-Console-Set.jpg Intellivision-Console-Set.jpg Atari-5200-Console-Set.jpg
Launch prices US$169.95 US$199 US$200

¥49,800

 US$299 US$270
Release date
  • US August 1976
  • US October 1977

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  • EU December 1982
  • US November 1982
Media Cartridge Cartridge and Cassette (Cassette available via special 3rd party attachment) Cartridge Cartridge Cartridge
Top-selling games N/A Pac-Man, 7 million (as of September 1, 2006) N/A Astrosmash (1 million) N/A
Backward compatibility N/A N/A None Atari 2600 games through the System Changer module

accessories (retail)

 N/A
  • Driving controller
  • Keypad
  • Game Brain
  • Starpath Supercharger
  • GameLine
  • The Voice
  • Chess Module
  • Keyboard component (cancelled)
  • Entertainment Computer System
  • Intellivoice
  • Trak-Ball Controller
  • Atari 2600 adaptor
CPU Fairchild F8

1.79 MHz (PAL 2.00 MHz)

 MOS Technology 6507

1.19 MHz

 Intel 8048 8-bit microcontroller

1.79 MHz

 General Instrument CP1610

894.886 kHz

 Custom MOS 6502C

1.79 MHz (not a 65c02)
Memory 64 bytes, 2 kB VRAM (2×128×64 bits) (within a MOS Technology RIOT chip): 128 bytes (additional RAM may be included in the game cartridges) CPU-internal RAM: 64 bytes

Audio/video RAM: 128 bytes

 1456 bytes main RAM 16 kB main RAM
Video
  • 102 × 58 pixels visible
  • 8 colors, maximum of 4 per scanline
  • 160 x 192 resolution
  • 2 sprites, 2 missiles and 1 ball per scanline. Sprites can be use multiple times through the HMOVE command.
  • 2 backgrounds colors and 2 sprite colors per scanline
  • 128 colors (NTSC)
  • 104 colors (PAL)
  • 160×200 resolution (NTSC)
  • 16-color fixed palette; sprites use 8 colors
  • 4 8×8 single-color user-defined sprites
  • 12 8×8 single-color characters; 64 shapes built into ROM BIOS;
  • 4 quad characters;
  • 9×8 background grid; dots, lines, or blocks
  • 159x96 pixels (159x192 display on a TV screen, scanlines being doubled)
  • 16 color palette, all of which can be on the screen at once
  • 8 sprites.
  • 320×192 resolution,
  • 16 (out of 256) on-screen colors per scan line with 256 colors capable of being displayed at once.
Audio Mono audio with:
  • 500 Hz, 1 kHz, and 1.5 kHz tones (can be modulated quickly to produce different tones)
 Mono Mono audio with:
  • 24-bit shift register, clockable at 2 frequencies
  • noise generator
 Mono audio with:
  • three channel sound
  • one noise generator
 Mono audio with:
  • 4-channel sound
Name Vectrex Arcadia 2001 ColecoVision Bally Astrocade
Manufacturer General Consumer Electric and Milton Bradley Emerson Radio Corporation Coleco Bally Technologies
Console Vectrex-Console-Set.jpg Emerson-Arcadia-2001.jpg ColecoVision-wController-L.jpg Bally-Arcade-Console.jpg
Launch prices US$199 N/A US$199 N/A
Release date
  • US November 1982
  • EU May 1983
  • JP June 1983
  • US August 1982
  • EU May 1982
Media Cartridge Cartridge Cartridge and Cassette, available with Expansion #3 Cartridge and cassette/Floppy, available with ZGRASS unit
Top-selling games N/A N/A Donkey Kong (pack-in) N/A
Backward compatibility N/A N/A Compatible with Atari 2600 Via Expansion #1 N/A
Accessories (retail)
  • 3-D Imager
  • Light Pen
 N/A
  • Expansion #1
  • Expansion #2
  • Expansion #3
  • Roller Controller
  • Super Action Controller Set
  • ZGRASS unit
CPU Motorola 68A09

1.5 MHz

 Signetics 2650 CPU

3.58 MHz

 Zilog Z80A

3.58 MHz

 Zilog Z80

1.789 MHz
Memory 1 kB main RAM 512 bytes 8 kB main RAM

16 kB VRAM

 4k (up to 64k with external modules in the expansion port)
Video Built in vector CRT
  • 128x208 / 128x104
  • 8 Colours
  • 256x192 resolution
  • 32 sprites, maximum of 4 sprites per scanline
  • 16 colors
  • Resolution: True 160x102 / Basic 160x88 / Expanded RAM 320x204
  • Colors: True 8* / Basic 2
Audio Mono (built in speaker) Mono audio with:
  • Single Channel "Beeper"
  • Single Channel "Noise"
 Mono audio with:
  • 3 tone generators
  • 1 noise generator
 Mono audio with:
  • 3 voices
  • noise/vibrato effect

Handheld systems

The first handheld game console was the Microvision designed by Smith Engineering. It was distributed and sold by Milton-Bradley in 1979. It was the first handheld game console that could use different game cartridges. The Microvision had a small LCD display. There were only a few games that could be played with this system. It was discontinued two years later.

The Epoch Game Pocket Computer was released in Japan in 1984. The game system did not sell very well. Because of this, only five games were made for it. Nintendo's Game & Watch was more successful. It was very popular until it was discontinued in 1991.

List of handheld systems

  • Milton-Bradley-Microvision-Handheld-FL

    Milton Bradley Microvision (Released in 1979)

  • Game&watch-donkey-kong-2

    Nintendo Game & Watch (Released 1980-1991)

  • Gamepocketcomputer

    Epoch Game Pocket Computer (Released in 1984)

Software

Popular games



Images for kids

  • Cartridge Fairchild Channel F Platine

    An opened Fairchild Channel F ROM cartridge, illustrating the ROM chips mounted to a circuit board within the casing. The cartridges were inserted into the console via the exposed contacts on the top of the board.

  • Atari-2600-Joystick

    An Atari 2600 game joystick controller

  • RCA-Studio-II-FL

    RCA Studio II (released in 1977)

  • Acetronic-MPU-1000

    1292 Advanced Programmable Video System (released in 1978)

  • APF-MP1000-FL

    APF-MP1000 (released in 1978)

  • VC-4000-Console-Set

    VC 4000 (released in 1978)

  • Epoch-Cassette-Vision-Console

    Epoch Cassette Vision (released in 1981)

  • CreatiVision-Console-Set

    VTech CreatiVision (released in 1981)

  • Compact Vision TV Boy, Gakken 01

    Compact Vision TV Boy (released in 1983)

  • SHG Black Point

    SHG Black Point (released in 1982)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Videoconsolas de segunda generación para niños

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