History of video game consoles (second generation)

The second generation of video game consoles began in 1976. The second generation began with the release of the Fairchild Channel F and Radofin Electronics' 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System. This generation is sometimes called the "early 8-bit era". Many consoles were released in the second generation. The Atari 2600 was the most popular video game console for much of the second generation. Other consoles such as Intellivision, the Odyssey 2, and ColecoVision were also popular.

The second generation ended in 1984. This was because of the video game crash of 1983. As of 2004, the Atari 2600 has sold 30 million units. As of 1990, the Intellivision had sold 3 million units. As of April 1984, the ColecoVision had sold 2 million units. As of 1977, the Fairchild Channel F had sold 250,000 units.

Home systems
Comparison
Name Fairchild Channel F Atari 2600 Magnavox Odyssey² Intellivision Atari 5200 Manufacturer Fairchild Semiconductor Atari Magnavox Mattel AtariConsole120px120px120px120px120pxLaunch pricesUS$169.95US$199US$200
¥49,800US$299US$270Release dateMediaCartridgeCartridge and Cassette (Cassette available via special 3rd party attachment)CartridgeCartridgeCartridgeTop-selling gamesN/APac-Man, 7 million (as of September 1, 2006)N/AAstrosmash (1 million)N/ABackward compatibilityN/AN/ANoneAtari 2600 games through the System Changer module

accessories (retail)N/ADriving controller
Keypad
Game Brain
Starpath Supercharger
GameLineThe Voice
Chess ModuleKeyboard component (cancelled)
Entertainment Computer System
IntellivoiceTrak-Ball Controller
Atari 2600 adaptorCPUFairchild F8
1.79 MHz (PAL 2.00 MHz)MOS Technology 6507
1.19 MHz Intel 8048 8-bit microcontroller 
1.79 MHzGeneral Instrument CP1610
894.886 kHzCustom MOS 6502C
1.79 MHz (not a 65c02)Memory64 bytes, 2 kB VRAM (2×128×64 bits)(within a MOS Technology RIOT chip): 128 bytes (additional RAM may be included in the game cartridges)CPU-internal RAM: 64 bytes
Audio/video RAM: 128 bytes1456 bytes main RAM16 kB main RAMVideo102 × 58 pixels visible
8 colors, maximum of 4 per scanline160 x 192 resolution
2 sprites, 2 missiles and 1 ball per scanline. Sprites can be use multiple times through the HMOVE command.
2 backgrounds colors and 2 sprite colors per scanline
128 colors (NTSC)
104 colors (PAL) 160×200 resolution (NTSC)
 16-color fixed palette; sprites use 8 colors
 4 8×8 single-color user-defined sprites
 12 8×8 single-color characters; 64 shapes built into ROM BIOS;
 4 quad characters;
 9×8 background grid; dots, lines, or blocks159x96 pixels (159x192 display on a TV screen, scanlines being doubled)
16 color palette, all of which can be on the screen at once
8 sprites.320×192 resolution,
16 (out of 256) on-screen colors per scan line with 256 colors capable of being displayed at once.AudioMono audio with:
500 Hz, 1 kHz, and 1.5 kHz tones (can be modulated quickly to produce different tones)MonoMono audio with:
 24-bit shift register, clockable at 2 frequencies
 noise generatorMono audio with:
 three channel sound
 one noise generatorMono audio with:
4-channel sound

Name Vectrex Arcadia 2001 ColecoVision Bally Astrocade Manufacturer General Consumer Electric and Milton Bradley Emerson Radio Corporation Coleco Bally Technologies Console100px120px120px120pxLaunch pricesUS$199N/AUS$199N/ARelease dateMediaCartridgeCartridgeCartridge and Cassette, available with Expansion #3Cartridge and cassette/Floppy, available with ZGRASS unitTop-selling gamesN/AN/ADonkey Kong (pack-in)N/ABackward compatibilityN/AN/ACompatible with Atari 2600 Via Expansion #1N/AAccessories (retail)3-D Imager
Light PenN/AExpansion #1
Expansion #2
Expansion #3
Roller Controller
Super Action Controller SetZGRASS unitCPUMotorola 68A09
1.5 MHzSignetics 2650 CPU
3.58 MHzZilog Z80A
3.58 MHzZilog Z80
1.789 MHzMemory1 kB main RAM512 bytes8 kB main RAM
16 kB VRAM4k (up to 64k with external modules in the expansion port)VideoBuilt in vector CRT128x208 / 128x104
8 Colours 256x192 resolution
 32 sprites, maximum of 4 sprites per scanline
 16 colors Resolution: True 160x102 / Basic 160x88 / Expanded RAM 320x204
 Colors: True 8* / Basic 2AudioMono (built in speaker)Mono audio with:
Single Channel "Beeper"
Single Channel "Noise"Mono audio with:
 3 tone generators
 1 noise generatorMono audio with:
3 voices
noise/vibrato effect

 Handheld systems 
The first handheld game console was the Microvision designed by Smith Engineering. It was distributed and sold by Milton-Bradley in 1979. It was the first handheld game console that could use different game cartridges. The Microvision had a small LCD display. There were only a few games that could be played with this system. It was discontinued two years later.

The Epoch Game Pocket Computer was released in Japan in 1984. The game system did not sell very well. Because of this, only five games were made for it. Nintendo's Game & Watch was more successful. It was very popular until it was discontinued in 1991. 

List of handheld systems

Software
Popular games
 Asteroids
 Breakout
 Defender
 Donkey Kong
 Frogger
 Galaga
 Galaxian
 Mappy Mario Bros.
 Mr. Do!
 Pac-Man
 Pitfall!
 Q*bert
 Space Invaders
 Spy Hunter
 Tempest

 References 

 Other websites 
The Dot Eaters: Pixel Boxes 

Category:Video game consoles