Sunnyvale Heavy Sixers - owners and experts..please chime in

[omnedon]

This was inspired by a post in Buying and selling, and saltpeanuts quest for one.

I got one cheap in a small lot, from a local fellow. It works but is missing a switch toggle. I've yet to actually perform the repair, but I hope to have time soon.

Are these uncommon at all? (I'm referring to the "Manufactured in Sunnyvale, Calif" heavy Sixers) I've seen about 20 2600's of various types in my short time seriously collecting (less than a year), but only the ONE Sunnyvale Sixer. I live in Canada, and think that maybe may make them a bit less common here, but I have no facts to back that up.

Who has one? Who wishes they did? Are they dirt common in the US, or are they hard to find?

I gotta know! :-D

[Daerr Zh]

Do heavy petters count? Oh well, I'm not in Sunnyvale either....damn.

This page lists some heavys (the first run 6-switchers, which have a metal-enclosed interior like those found in early 8-bits)...
http://www.netmodem.com/claddagh/stellasboneyard.htm

Very difficult to come across these days.

I owned one back in '79, traded it+40 commons the next year for an Atari400+10 commons (good deal, since 8-bit computers were still pricey).

[y-bot]

In my expierince they are very difficult to find working. I have seen less than 10 of them and purchased 4 only one of which was 100% working. I sold it on ebay last year I think. I think I have two broken ones now if anyone needs parts. I find the joysticks every once in awhile but they never work either. I have never even seen a picture of one with the metal tag at the top of the joystick. The paddle controllers with the larger picture are also difficult to find but they usually are working. I have never figured out exactly which AC adapters are correct. My guess is the grey ones but I'm not sure. I think that someday soon complete working '77 era Atari VCSs are going to be expensive. I think one sold on ebay a year or so ago for $500 like new in the box. Also I think there are even more rare variations. I think most of them are set to channel 3 and the earliest are set to channel 2. I'm not sure if any of the "heavy sixers" have a channel select switch.

Thanks, Y-bot

[y-bot]

So I was bored and I dug out my two "heavy sixers" to see if I could make one work. The two I have are both built in Sunnyvale and have the super thick bottom case (s/n 11948P & s/n 18623H). One powered up and the game image would go away after about 1 second and the other worked but had a very fuzzy picture. I tried swapping parts around with no luck so I unsoldered the RF box off of one and soldered it to the one with the fuzzy output. It now has a great picture but the left joystick input had a broken pin. I tried to remove it from the circuit board and damaged the board because I have a giant soldering gun from about 40 years ago instead of the proper tools. So now I'm back to having two broken consoles. Also I have a built in Sunnyvale console with a s/n around 50,000 that is not the heavy casing. And one more thing I noticed is that one of the heavy consoles I have has a rev. B circuit board with 1977 dates on things and the other is rev. 8 with 1978 dates. I guess that's it for now. Oh yeah, I'm through messing with these two consoles. If someone wants a project I would sell the two of them for $10 plus shipping.

Thanks, Y-bot

[salt peanuts]

Y-bot, I sent you a PM, I would like those if you're willing.....

I had just decided to start looking for this particular 2600 because I have always kept all my systems, and I have fond memories of the 2600 being my first console, it was a Christmas gift when I was 2 I believe, in 1980....I played that thing more than any other toy I ever had and the 2600 was what got me hooked....I still have my console, and a big box of the games as well....thing is, it's in storage, and I don't even know what I have and if any of it still works....I believe it was a six switcher original, though, and I would like to get one of the first model 2600s for nostalgia and to have something to give to my kids someday and hopefully get them into games the same way I did, I'm keeping my original one, though, that ones never going anywhere :-D

I was hoping to not have to pay e-bay prices because I don't know what's inflated or not, I only know about pricing 16 bit and newer stuff, not retro stuff....I know worthless stuff can go for insane prices....is the DP guide listing of about $40-50 for a working sixer about right, then?

[GENESISNES]

I passed one of those up for 50 bucks, 2 joysticks, and around 25 games. Too much.

[omnedon]

Well, this thread indicates one of a couple of things:

People do not know the difference between a Six switcher and a "SunnyVale Heavy Sixer"

or

People do not care about the difference between a Six switcher and a "SunnyVale Heavy Sixer"

or

Few people actually have one.

I have no idea which of these are the true one. As a collector, a real first run, made in Sunnyvale California Heavy Sixer is far more prized to me than the Hong Kong made, MASS (and i mean MASS) produced versions since.

But I'm nuts. @_@

[CrazyImpmon]

Actually it's quite easy to tell them apart. If you look on top along the side, you would notice the heavy version has ridge about 1/4" thick while standard 6 switchers has ridge less than 1/8th of an inch. Also the havy console weights almost the same as a 5lbs sack of flour and other 2600 console is about half that.

Finally, in the cart slot there should be metal shield around (below the plastic face plate) for the heavy version and all plastic for other.

[dchavez2]

Hey, hey, hey...

I have a sunnyvale heavy sixer that works just fine. It was the first VCS I ever bought about 10 years ago at a flea market. I use it almost daily with the cuttle cart.

MFG. BY ATARI, INC., SUNNYVALE, CA.
MODEL NO. CX-2600
FCC TYPE APPOVAL NO. TV-363
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;
RE28598 & PATENT PENDING
S.N. 70865F

also has two "K"s stamped on the sticker along with "31" and "9", any ideas what this means? :hmm: