Case variations - something odd here!

[PapaCharlie]

I'm not sure what version of the Atari 2600 I have right here in front of me, but it's truly odd! I just got it today, let me describe it for you:

 

1. It's a four-switch "woody" system, with stereo speaker "vents" on the top of the unit.

 

2. The back of the console (not bottom, but back side) has a flexible plastic "panel" pasted over what look like holes molded in the case for extra controls or connections. If you look at a regular Atari 2600 "four switch" woody, there is a four-sided symmetrical polygon molded into the plastic on the back of the bottom half of the case, under the difficulty switches and joystick plugs. Mine isn't solid, it's got holes molded into the case for additional controls that were covered over with a piece of thin, black flexible plastic to close them up.

 

3. The front of the case, along the lower half, has the more squared off corners where the wood paneled part of the top case meets the black plastic bottom, but it's my understanding that this was only done on the foreign made units. The label on the bottom of mine says Sunnyvale (it doesn't give a year).

 

4. The bottom of the case has an additional Channel Select spot molded into the case. The words "Channel Select," as well as a hole for a switch, are both molded into the solid plastic bottom.

 

5. The fonts used for the words POWER, TV TYPE, VIDEO COMPUTER SYSTEM, et cetera, are all obviously different from my other woodies. They look smaller first off, and are "thinner" (regular style instead of bold).

 

What the heck is this? I can't find anything that looks like this on the AtariAge hardware lists.

[Christophero Sly]

These are quite common. The first run of 4-switch consoles used the same base as 6-switch consoles, probably to use up existing inventories. The 6-switch joystick ports were covered with a thin piece of plastic. All VCS models except the Jr. were manufactured in Sunnyvale as well as overseas.

[PapaCharlie]

Ah, thanks for the quick reply!

[video game addict]

I've never seen a 4 switch with vents. Although it would not be too hard to make since the switch bezel is a separate piece up top. You could change a 6 switch to 4 or back again, take a the vented piece from a 6 switch with the bezel of a 4 & use the 4 switch guts & it's the same thing. But from my finds & ebay purchases I've not seen this variation.

[PapaCharlie]

I don't think this one was hacked, I bought it from someone who played with it, loved it, lost interest and threw it in a closet and ignored it for a couple decades. Maybe Atari's Sunnyvale manufacturing threw it together from left over component parts.

[donkeykong1]

I have one of those you speak of. I used to wonder the same thing.

[PapaCharlie]

Well, whatever the deal is with the case, the thing has better video quality than any of my other consoles for some reason. I always thought the snow and static on my games came from the TV switchbox, but I guess I was wrong