[Channel F] Grandstand releases

[anagrama]

Having just acquired a boxed Grandstand Video Entertainment Computer, I've a couple of comments regarding the relevant database entries.

First off, the item code on the box is "13017". This is the later black-box release, rather than the earlier units that had a white Fairchild-style box.

Secondly, the current database description says "not the same console as the version imported by Adam Imports."
Does "the version imported by Adam Imports" refer to the earlier white-box one, or is there another one that was released in the UK?
If it does, from what I've been able to gather, both the white & black boxes contain the same console, a re-branded version of the US Channel F II, and both were imported by Adam Imports (who owned the Grandstand name).

Next, is there any reason to think that the Grandstand carts listed in the Rumor Mill actually exist?
The game that came with my console, and all others I've seen on eBay UK, were just Fairchild carts. Also, my console included a Fairchild ad-booklet showing carts 1-17.

Finally, I think the Grandstand console itself may be slightly over-rated at R8 - while that's probably fair froma US perspective, I've seen three boxed examples on eBay UK in the last fortnight (including two currently up).
Maybe R6 would be closer to the mark?

[slapdash]

Adam Imports? Never heard of that one. Sure it isn't Adman? If so, I believe that IS Grandstand...

Haven't seen any carts myself, but heard way back they just slapped a Grandstand label over the top of the Fairchild ones. Dunno if that's true.

[anagrama]

Adam Imports? Never heard of that one. Sure it isn't Adman? If so, I believe that IS Grandstand...


Adam Imports are credited on the back of the manual as being the importers of the system & owners of the Grandstand name.

Confusingly, the Adman name is also used on the console itself, the full label reading "Adman Grandstand - Video Entertainment Computer" (the Fairchild logo also appears on the unit). Adman was a name that Grandstand also used on their earlier Pongs.
There's no mention of Adman on the box, just Grandstand & Adam Imports.

Here's the auction I won: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1247&item=5237590390
Might be a little clearer from the pictures ;)

[slapdash]

Huh... I considered the possibility that you read it, or typed it, too fast and got confused. I have to admit, I've never heard Adam Imports mentioned before. Interesting...

[j_eits]

Next, is there any reason to think that the Grandstand carts listed in the Rumor Mill actually exist?
The game that came with my console, and all others I've seen on eBay UK, were just Fairchild carts. Also, my console included a Fairchild ad-booklet showing carts 1-17.

No, there is no reason to belive that they actually exist.
They have been in the database and in the guide and I did an update of the list. I don't think that they exist, but I didn't want to delete them as I couldn't verify where the entries came from, so I just moved them to the rumor mill section.


Finally, I think the Grandstand console itself may be slightly over-rated at R8 - while that's probably fair froma US perspective, I've seen three boxed examples on eBay UK in the last fortnight (including two currently up).
Maybe R6 would be closer to the mark?

I think nearly all the rarities for the non-US stuff are over-rated and they will be re-rated in the future... I have the same feeling about the Grandstand console. I've seen them regularly on eBay UK.

Jens

[radar]

First off, the item code on the box is "13017". This is the later black-box release, rather than the earlier units that had a white Fairchild-style box.

If it does, from what I've been able to gather, both the white & black boxes contain the same console, a re-branded version of the US Channel F II, and both were imported by Adam Imports (who owned the Grandstand name).



I'm not sure if this is the good place to quote this or not but over the years I've had good email contact with one of the founders of Grandstand (Les).
He confirmed the whitebox version was the first release (the box appears to use the older style of Grandstand Logo")

Heres some interesting comments from Les on some Grandstand History, (some of this I've posted before)


"Hi Mike
My name is Les, I was a FOUNDER with Chris Rycroft of the Adam leisure group in Harrogate, we formed the company having both left Hanimex U.K. in the 70s to have our own company. In a relatively short time, and being brave enough to travel the far east with our first earnings from wholesaleing sinclair hand held calculaters, we came accross a young Chinese couple who were starting out in the consumer electronics industry, and were showing some of the first ping-pong black and white tv games, we signed up with them for distribution in the UK and went from strength to strength. this company was the very beggining of V-Tech, or Video Technology, Steven and Anne Leung, when they went public some years later they were the largest company of this type in Hong Kong, we also took into the UK the first microprosseser based video game from the USA the Faichild F3. Etc Etc:"

And again from him regarding Grandstand Handhelds:

"Sales of Astro Wars in UK June to Dec 1982 were 350,000 and about 250,000 in 1983.
Of the 350,000 in 82 we shipped 280,000 by air freight which meant that no freight aircraft left Japan without 5000 Astro wars on board, they were scattered on airfeilds awaiting transhipment for weeks on end, it was a logistical nightmare, but some how we got them to market."

I can get in with touch with Les, if anyone can think of some intelligent questions about the history of Grandstand that would be worth asking him.

Maybe why they used both the Adam and Adman names?
I dimly remember been told that the "Adman" name was originally used for branding the Calculator side of the business.

[anagrama]

Interesting stuff :) Do you know what their UK/New Zealand link is? Were they operating in both countries, or did they re-locate down-under?
Any other info about their Channel F would be cool too - approx numbers sold, confirmation about whether they just re-used Fairchild carts etc...

[radar]

Interesting stuff :) Do you know what their UK/New Zealand link is? Were they operating in both countries, or did they re-locate down-under?


The link is Les (& his sons) moved to New Zealand and started a local offshoot of Grandstand.
Grandstand Leisure New Zealand was registered with the Companies Office here in 1982 and I beleive both ran beside each other for some time. As you probably know Grandstand in New Zealand moved from the Handhelds area to importing and selling the Sega SC-3000 and then became the local Amstrad distributor.