Fairchild Channel F emulators

Fairchild Channel F

Developer	Fairchild Semiconductor
Type	Home video game console
Generation	Second generation
Release date	1976
Discontinued	1983
Emulated	✓

For emulators that run on the Fairchild Channel F, see Emulators on Channel F.

The Fairchild Channel F is a second-generation home video game console released by Fairchild Semiconductor in November 1976 across North America and it retailed for $169.95 ($962 in 2026). It had a Fairchild F8 CPU at 1.7897725 MHz with 2KB of RAM. It was also released in Japan in October the following year. It has the distinction of being the first programmable ROM cartridge–based video game console, and the first console to use a microprocessor.

Emulators

Before editing, review the Getting involved and Recommended pages. See system requirements page for performance demand of the emulators.
See tables for hardware variants, enhancements, hardware features and peripherals.
For more details such as licensing, programming language, emulation method, visit each emulator’s dedicated page.

Name	Platform(s)	Latest version	License	Active	Recommended
PC / x86
MAME		git artifacts 0.289 libretro core	GPLv2 BSD-3-Clause	✓	✓
FreeChaF		libretro	GPLv3 (Copyleft)	✓	✓
FinalBurn Neo		WIP builds libretro core	Non-commercial	✓	~
BizHawk		2.11.1	MIT GPL	✓	?
Mobile / ARM
FreeChaF		libretro core	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	✓	✓
FinalBurn Neo		libretro core	Non-commercial	✓	~
Consoles
FreeChaF		libretro core	BSD-3-Clause (Permissive)	✓	✓
FinalBurn Neo		libretro core	Non-commercial	✓	~
Fairchild Channel F Emulator (PICO-8)		BBS cart	Non-commercial	✓	~

See also

• First and second generations of video game consoles

Resources

• VES Wiki for programming info (Created by Fredric Blåholtz. Gallery page)
• Channel F info (Sean Riddle's info page with useful links)
• Channel F And VideoBrain Yahoo group (All the latest Channel F and VideoBrain info. Restricted group.)
• IGN's wiki (Last Edit: December 5, 2013)
• Patent (Cartridge programmable video game apparatus. Granted to Fairchild Semiconductor Corp. Priority date 1976-08-23.)