Question about 7800 manufacturing date

[opcode]

I just got a boxed 7800 yesterday. Box still says Atari Warner, but with stickers covering the "expands to a computer" part. It has the expansion interface. However I am intrigued by the serial number. I have seem 7800s with the AT84 serial, supposedly from 1984 made by Atari Warner. But this is the first I see a AT85. Does it indicated this one was made in 1985? And if so, wasn't the 7800 officially only released in 1986? Why was Atari Corp making them in 1985?

 

Ed

 

[Trebor]

11 hours ago, opcode said:

But this is the first I see a AT85.

Plenty more listed in the respective Serial Number List thread.

11 hours ago, opcode said:

Does it indicated this one was made in 1985?

Manufactured in 1985 by Atari Corp.

11 hours ago, opcode said:

And if so, wasn't the 7800 officially only released in 1986? Why was Atari Corp making them in 1985?

The situation with GCC was cleared up on covering Maria chip development by Spring of 1985 when Jack Tramiel sent them a check, and then started negotiating on launch titles, which was completed by August 1985. Manufacturing of the system picked-up again that year. 

 

Soon after, Jack started wooing Michael Katz to come over and start up the electronic entertainment division.  The former VP who was previously tasked the assignment, James Copland, resigned in late September 1985.  Katz took over as EVP of marketing in November 1985.  Part of his role included overseeing the (re)launch of the 7800 and the 2600 cost reduce version, AKA Atari 2600 Jr, which came to fruition by 1986.  The 7800 shipped in June 1986.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

2 hours ago, opcode said:

I just got a boxed 7800 yesterday. Box still says Atari Warner, but with stickers covering the "expands to a computer" part. It has the expansion interface. However I am intrigued by the serial number. I have seem 7800s with the AT84 serial, supposedly from 1984 made by Atari Warner. But this is the first I see a AT85. Does it indicated this one was made in 1985? And if so, wasn't the 7800 officially only released in 1986? Why was Atari Corp making them in 1985?

 

Ed

 

In addition to what @Trebor has already mentioned, if you wanted to get a better idea on when it was actually made. Open it up and look at the date stamp codes on the ICs. Whichever one is the newest is the most likely timeframe of when it was actually manufactured. I only say this because you can just never be sure with Atari back then. It is possible it was indeed made in '85 but unless the chips inside show the same, then it could have been made in '86 or later and was housed in that particular shell with a serial sticker label waiting to go. It could also have been made before '85 or at least the board might have been made before then and just not placed into a case shell until later.

 

[Crazymoon67]

On 10/29/2023 at 8:39 AM, opcode said:

I just got a boxed 7800 yesterday. Box still says Atari Warner, but with stickers covering the "expands to a computer" part. It has the expansion interface. However I am intrigued by the serial number. I have seem 7800s with the AT84 serial, supposedly from 1984 made by Atari Warner. But this is the first I see a AT85. Does it indicated this one was made in 1985? And if so, wasn't the 7800 officially only released in 1986? Why was Atari Corp making them in 1985?

 

Ed

 

congrats this was probably stored in a warehouse till the 1986 launch they got stickers put on front and back deleting any mention of a computer add on but check the PCB solder side for actual week of mfg they may have continued making them into 1985 there is a difference between making them and just assembling them i think if i had to guess everything after some point in 1984 was just an assembled date from stock until 1986 and the Rev A production began but this is my opinion only. 

[Flyindrew]

I also received a boxed 7800 a few days ago (last machine to complete my Atari collection..who hoo!!!). Anyways, mine also has an AT85 serial number. Interestingly on the back of the box there is a very thin, small sticker label with adhesive and printed on it it says “copyright 1986 Atari Corp”. If I were to garner a guess, I’d say these machines were built during the original 1984 production. An inventory was done in 1985 during the whole Tramiel drama during which time these stickers were placed on the units. They then sat in the warehouse until the June 1986 release.