CX2600A Promo Model?

[Aurora77]

I think I have the CX2600A promo console, but I'm not sure. I picked up a working console from a yard sale. It was just like my other CX2600A, but it says it's from Sunnyvale, not Taiwan. Also, the piping is yellow, which, as I understand, is one of the noticeable differences. Another difference is that the difficulty switches are only labeled:

Difficulty

A B

 

My other one says:

Difficulty

A B

Novice Expert

 

The wood grain varies slightly from the Taiwan model.

 

The white label on the back has this printed in black:

MFG. BY ATARI, INC., SUNNYVALE, CA.

MODEL NO. CX-2600a

FCC TYPE APPROVAL NO. TV707

VALID ONLY WHEN OPERATED PURSUANT

TO FCC RULES, PART 15

COVERED BY U.S. PATENTS 3,793,483;

3,900,886; 3,723,652; 3,728,480; RE 28507;

RE 28598 & PATENT PENDING

S.N. 207181

 

(The "207181" is inside a black-border box.)

 

I can't identify any other obvious differences.

 

Can anyone tell me how to verify if this is the promo model or not? Also, is it particularly rare? I want to hang onto it if it is, but if it's not, I was going to give it to a friend.

 

I can try to answer any other questions you have and can post a photo if you'd like.

[kemsted]

Sounds interesting, please post a pic if you can.

[Aurora77]

I've taken several pics. I took them next to another CX-2600A from Taiwan for comparison. I apologize for the slight blurriness on a couple. It's hard to get some of the details.

 

General shot, with the other on the left:

http://www.80sCartoons.net/ataripics/DSCF0004.jpg

 

Sunnyvale version on left. Difficult to see, but the left logo is much shinier, inset further, and the lines and lettering are noticeably thinner:

http://www.80sCartoons.net/ataripics/DSCF0007.jpg

 

The back of the Sunnyvale machine. The sticker is not silver, like the other, but a simple white paper label. Also, note the "162" engraved above the sticker. I missed it the first time I looked at the machine.

http://www.80sCartoons.net/ataripics/DSCF0008.jpg

 

Shot to show the color difference. Sunnyvale model on right:

http://www.80sCartoons.net/ataripics/DSCF0011.jpg

 

Best shot I could get of the top of the machines. Sunnyvale model on right. The difficulty switches on the right do not have "Expert" and "Novice", whereas they are on the other model.

http://www.80sCartoons.net/ataripics/DSCF0013.jpg

 

One last shot to show color difference.

http://www.80sCartoons.net/ataripics/DSCF0017.jpg

 

What can you tell me about this console?

[keilbaca]

Yes you have a promotional Atari 2600. Another noticible difference between the two, the bottom is a light sixer. It has many holes for screws for the 6-switch, but only uses 4 for the 2600A. Also, there should be a soft plastic cover covering up the old holes of the 6 switch 2600. Congrats on your find, its definitely in better condition than mine...

[keilbaca]

Sorry for double posting but i just noticed something. All the extra screwholes are covered up, looks like to be the same cheap plastic as in the back to cover up the old joystick ports. Damn, I guess mine is in worse condition than I expected...

[Aurora77]

Thanks, kielbaca!

 

Can anyone tell me how many were produced? Or anything else about this? I didn't know they existed until I found this one. Is there another web reference with info?

[Aurora77]

I am curious what this console might sell for. Turns out that a new friend happens to be a more serious collector than I realized, and he has some things that I want and is willing to trade with me. I want to make sure we both get a fair deal.

[keilbaca]

I don't think its worth that much more than the common 4 switch atari, there's a joystick/console rarity page, and the heavy sixer got a 5/10 and the promo is 4/10, with the rest of the atari's being 1/10. Its up to you, but it shouldn't be that much more.

[Aurora77]

Thanks! I missed that part of the guide, I guess.

[keilbaca]

Its not here at AA, the guide is here[/url]

[atwwong]

I need some help identifying what kind of 2600A this is. It looks exactly the same as the one described by Aurora77, except that the serial number label is silver, not white paper. It appears similar to the promotional model, but I still have the original box and it does not say "promotional" anywhere on the box. Is this one of those made in Sunnyvale 2600A models? How rare are these?

 

(BTW, the picture quality is fairly decent, better than my wife's newly rediscovered "made in Taiwan" light sixer, but hers was left out in a covered garage for several years.)

[Albert]

I'm not sure what these Promotional Atari 2600 models were used for, but they are more common than one would expect. Atari even produced a unique box for them, so they must have been made in reasonably large numbers. Definitely of interest to those who want to collect all the various Atari 2600 models and I'd say it's the rarest of all the different flavors Atari made, but still not too hard to come across.

 

..Al

[dvdguy]

I just realized I have one of these 2600A Sunnyvale models as well. Mine has the silver foil label, and the serial number is #286515.