/r/ChannelF

Photograph via //r/ChannelF

The first "programmable" video game console was released in 1976 by Fairchild Semiconductor. It is known as the Channel F.

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About Channel F

Released in 1976, Channel F was the first ever video game console to be "programmable," or in other words, accept cartridges. It was originally called "Video Entertainment System." When Atari launched their console the next year, they named it "Video Computer System." In response, Fairchild changed the name of their system to Channel F, as if playing the console was a whole other television channel. The "F" stands for "fun."

It's an excellent machine, but couldn't stand up to Atari's marketing or name recognition. It received no third party support. Fairchild quickly sold the console and games to Zircon, which marketed it until 1982.

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/r/ChannelF

365 Subscribers

4

New homebrew: Reversi-F

Hello everyone,

I came across the Channel-F a few months ago during a nostalgic dive into retro consoles emulators (using recalbox on a pi5 here, but that's another story). While doing my research, I stumbled upon a wealth of information on VESWiki and began reading the F8 Guide to Programming.

To cut a long story short, I decided to create a game for the Channel-F as a learning exercise: Reversi-F.

It is available on itch.io for free (here), and the code is also available on github.

https://preview.redd.it/6wb9n4g3yqwd1.png?width=601&format=png&auto=webp&s=92f3cac2c50b77cecc3bd2d483d930c41888f62b

Features include:

  • 2-Player Local Multiplayer
  • Single Game Mode, Best of 3 and Best of 5
  • A very simple computer opponent (if you don't have a friend to play with ;))
  • Amazing sound effects (just kidding, I am really bad at getting good sounds out of the three available frequencies)

It was definitely fun to make that game!

2 Comments
2024/10/24
18:25 UTC
10

New homebrew: Super Wipeout

Hi again everyone! Two games in the same year, I'm on a roll!

Following some support from a user (thanks "Sut") who suggested I do a port of another PC 50X game, I finally got round to finishing Super Wipeout!

Check out and download the ROM here free (donations welcome but not required)

https://mikebloke.itch.io/super-wipeout-channel-f

This marks my 13th "complete" game for the Fairchild Channel F, and while there is obviously a few other developers who have down stuff over the years (count them on one or two hands), with only 27 officially released games it means I alone have expanded the library by nearly 50% and between us all have now probably doubled it! 😂

Super Wipeout while basic, follows it's original game by having both single and two player modes, while obviously two player is more exciting and competitive, even if you don't have anyone to play it's another game to your bag of channel F goodness.

As mentioned before I broke my console, so haven't tested this on a real system but nothing to suggest it doesn't work. I personally still use mess but I think retroarch sometimes work depending on the game so you can give that a try.

All the best, hope you have fun, see you on the next one.

0 Comments
2024/09/19
21:20 UTC
6

New homebrew: Ball

Hi everyone, it's been awhile, looks like space race was my only 2023 release unfortunately as I wasn't able to get round to finishing any other projects and I'm more likely to start a new one than finish something older.

This week I started and finished Game-no-Watch Ball, based on the Game and Watch game Ball first released in 1980.

Feel free to download here for free:

https://mikebloke.itch.io/game-no-watch-ball-channel-f

I always play on mess/mame as that gave me the best experience that is most like it running on a real console*

Game and watch games are great for converting over as they are monochrome but actually some of the later ones had foreground colouring which I might be able to take advantage of in later games.

If I do go by release order, then flag is next which is essentially a Simon game, I had already attempted starting a version of that for the Fairchild and stopped so I'm not super keen but I will try and push on 😂.

I know there is not a lot of Fairchild channel F developers out there, arlasoft has returned to mostly C64 stuff, and I've been away from atariage a lot lately so haven't seen what atari2600land is up to - but it looks like you've just got me generally so poor you 😂

Hope you all have fun with this one, even my kids stop what they are doing to have a go.

  • For those that don't know, I made the mistake of trying to force and then unforce a cartridge out of my system when attempting to test the backbit multi console romcart. As a result I did something stupid like opening the case of the console when it was probably still on (stupid stupid stupid) and I ruined my console. I'm 99% sure it's entirely my own fault and outside the issue of the cart getting stuck just before it was fully inserted I had been able to play a few games on it. I've been looking for a replacement console (Grandstand as I'm UK based) but anyone selling is asking too much with no proof of working condition.
0 Comments
2024/02/23
13:07 UTC
2

Online Channel F Emulator

Hey everyone,

I love building emulators, especially of older systems. The Fairchild Channel F was the first console to include a removable ROM. The function of reading from memory was handled by the PSU (Program Storage Unit) rather than the CPU, which made it unique among chipsets.

My emulator runs entirely online. No downloading required. It should work on all modern browsers, both on desktop and mobile. On desktop you can use the numpad keyboard, and mouse. Note that only the right joystick works. Not the left.

My emulator does not contain ROMs in it, but it will open any ROM you pass in as a link. Below is a demonstration of all of the videocarts:

0 Comments
2023/12/11
16:39 UTC
4

Went a little crazy this week! 6 new games!

3 Comments
2023/11/04
22:28 UTC
2

Channel F Numerical button not springing up.

Good Morning everybody!

One of the numerical buttons on my Channel F is squished. I have not opened yet, but I want for the experts here to shed some knowledge and wisdom on how to repair it.

Thanks!

Hector

0 Comments
2023/10/02
13:01 UTC
19

Several months ago I decided to join the club and I already made it to 10 games! Next step is to finally find a working console, 2 broken ones from ebay already…

10 Comments
2023/08/06
22:05 UTC
3

Channel F Emulators that include “Hockey”?

I’ve recently watched the Angry Video Game Nerd episode of the Pong Consoles episode for the hundredth time and it got me wanting to play it. I know that the game’s baked into the console which is why I ask if anyone knows if there’s an emulator or something that takes it.

1 Comment
2023/06/25
10:45 UTC
3

/r/ChannelF is back open - click here for more information

0 Comments
2023/06/19
02:47 UTC
2

Time to say goodbye as a mod.

I've been a mod for quite a few of the retrogaming (and other adjacent) subs here for a long time -- even if kind of dormant recently. I love these topics, and how our digital "ancestors" solved hard problems, and how we've build a continuum of interest with their work. I started and even took over a few dormant subs and worked with /u/zadocpaet to help build a broad community here, even appealing to niche systems.

The mod teams are doing a great job, especially /u/Derf_Jagged. I feel like now is a good time to step down. I'm going to continue to lurk, and be a regular user and I wish the subs, the mods, and the users the best!

0 Comments
2023/06/14
02:21 UTC
4

/r/ChannelF will go dark from June 12-14 in protest against Reddit API price changes

0 Comments
2023/06/10
05:08 UTC
2

Question

Can you use the zircon controllers and just cut the plugs off and solder the wires into the board for a model 1?

1 Comment
2023/04/22
12:08 UTC
5

Homebrew I've developed over the years

Hi everyone, it feels like there has been a lot more interest in Channel F recently and its probably time I popped on and posted what I've done over the years.

They have been hard painful years, as I decided to learn Assembly language primarily to develop on the Channel F!

You may have already seen these, if you frequent the AtariAge Forums which is my usual haunt. I also now post them onto itch.io under the link https://mikebloke.itch.io/ (includes other, non-Fairchild Stuff too).

Starting with the newer, better games, I've got ports of arcade games:

Space Race (1973) - 1 or 2 player simultaneous

Speed Race (1974) - 1 player with 4 difficulties

Shark [Shark Jaws] (1975) - 1 player

I've also done a couple of ports from other systems:

Boxing [Atari 2600] (1980) - 2 player competitive only

Clay Pigeon Shooting and Ghost Chaser [Telespiel ES-2201] (1975) - 1 or 2 player games

And some theoretical ports / simulations:

Bucket Filler [Magnavox Odyssey] (1972 unreleased) - 2 player competitive only

Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device (1947) - 1 player (though second player can set target location)

There is also a couple of things around that is available on my itch.io page that doesn't really deserve a direct link, some concept ideas and also "Hide and Seek" which is a simple chase game with no scoring or game over mechanics.

I try to mostly focus on games that is obviously and clearly capable of playing on a Channel F, the Pac Man port shows that the system is more than capable of handling more complex game mechanics than really the system ever showed with its commercially released games - but also games that do fit that relatively simple and quick pace gameplay that the Channel F had. My earlier, and/or not as exciting stuff is also similar to the earlier software available on the system.

I got a few other projects on the go which are half way done including:

Tennis for Two
Carom Billiards
Computer Space
Other ES-2201 ports
A Magnavox Odyssey Simulator
Phantasy Star port (ok might be kidding)

I'm up for any ideas as well about what to do next, or any arcade games or early games they would like porting to the Channel F! Don't be a stranger! I don't charge for any of the roms and they are freely available so don't worry about donations unless you really really really want to do it, and they are tested on a SD card solution currently being developed on a real console. Generally I develop for Mess/Mame emulator to start, then double check it works on the Channel F. unfortunately other solutions, such as Retroarch and other emulators don't play nice :(

1 Comment
2023/03/05
11:59 UTC
4

Making replacement end labels for Channel F cartridges!

0 Comments
2022/12/22
22:29 UTC
8

Happy birthday, Jerry Lawson! Google made this doodle to commemorate it!

0 Comments
2022/12/01
08:00 UTC
7

M.U.L.E. (C64) - Main Theme [Channel F cover]

0 Comments
2022/11/03
18:41 UTC
9

My Channel F cover of Doom - E1M1

0 Comments
2022/11/01
02:43 UTC
5

Underrated youtuber(?), underrated console(?) | Ben Heck Hacks Fairchild Channel F Game Console Repair

2 Comments
2022/03/03
22:18 UTC
5

Now also on reddit.

Hi, I make stuff and know stuff.
Built six Multi-Carts this week. *phew*

1 Comment
2021/12/09
23:39 UTC
6

Centipede! homebrew for Fairchild Channel F by Nick Sherman

0 Comments
2021/06/06
00:33 UTC
7

Never seen one of these before. Anyone have any idea what they are worth and how rare they are?

4 Comments
2021/02/11
18:47 UTC
5

Fairchild Channel F Library | Looking at all 26 Videocarts

1 Comment
2020/12/03
23:15 UTC
3

Help, or: My Channel F Blues

So I am an old console and computer collector and man, my luck with Channel F has been amazingly poor.

I recently picked up a Channel F System II and the afternoon just displays random garbage and no input is ever registered. It does this if there is a cart inside or not. I have no idea where to turn for some help — does someone repair these? Can someone guide me in the right direction?

This is after my first attempt at getting the system — and older standard Channel F with the hardwired controllers — wouldn’t display anything outside of a black screen.

Hoping to hear from folks who can help one — or both! — of these systems live on.

3 Comments
2020/10/31
02:21 UTC
5

Random Channel F-Cartridge-Design-Encounter

This is such a cool thing actually

https://twitter.com/Reggie/status/1303359503400747009

0 Comments
2020/09/08
19:48 UTC
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