1979 – 1983retired
1292 Advanced Programmable Video System
“Power pack outside, dignity intact — a graceful exit in 1983.”
“First to the cartridge party, first to leave it — fun, channeled briefly.”
The Fairchild Channel F — short for Channel Fun — was the first home video game console built on a microprocessor and the first to play games from ROM cartridges, which Fairchild charmingly branded as Videocarts. Released in November 1976 at $169.95, it launched as the Video Entertainment System before taking the Channel F name the following year. It didn't just play games; it invented the way we'd play them for deca
Selling roughly 350,000 units, it trailed well behind the Atari 2600, and Fairchild sold the technology to Zircon International in 1979. The system was discontinued in 1983. The pioneer rarely gets the parade, but every cartridge slot since owes it a nod.
Spotted something wrong? Every fact on this page traces to a dated source. Fixes make the graveyard better for everyone.
“Power pack outside, dignity intact — a graceful exit in 1983.”
“The intelligent television outthought its rivals, then simply took its talents home”
“It kept the hot side hot and the cool side cool, right up until the world went warm on styrofoam.”