Read Immediately! The New FCC Order
Is Critically Important to Your Business
By an F.C.C. order adopted September 1,
1982, all coin-operated electronic video
games manufactured after December 1,
1982 are required to be verified for com-
pliance with the F.C.C. 's regulations for
Class A computing devices (used in a
commercial environment) prior to market-
ing. These new regulations must be com-
plied with by all manufacturers, distributors
and operators in order to avoid inter-
ference to licensed communications ser-
vices and to public broadcast reception.
In order to meet the F.C.C. limits, Atari
encloses the game processor PC board
within a metal cage prior to marketing
the game. This cage acts as a shield to
stop radio frequency emission from the
board. Capacitors on the end board act
as harness filters to complete the neces-
sary RF shielding. If our system is modi-
fied in any manner (e.g., the end board
or metal cage removed), it becomes the
responsibility of the owner to verify that
the machine still meets the required
F.C.C. limits. For this reason, we strongly
urge that you do not tamper with or mod-
ify any part of the internal system of our
games. Verification testing on the part of
an operator can be very costly, while will-
ful violation of the F.C.C.'s rules can sub-
ject you to substantial fines.
If an interference situation caused by
any of your games is reported to the
F.C.C., the machine(s) can be physically
removed from your premises or you can
be required to cease operation of the
machine(s) until procedures are taken on
your part to eliminate the interference.
AT YOUR
SERVICE
When you call Atari's newly formed
Technical Service Department (combin-
ing Customer Service and Field Service),
the man at the end of the line with the
"smile" in his voice is none other than
the Director himself, Dari Davidson. On
January 29, he celebrated his sixth anni-
versary with the company, and the occa-
sion was doubly highlighted by his recent
promotion. With obvious high regard,
Don Osborne, Vice President of Sales
and Marketing, stated, "Dari has built the
most responsive Customer Service organ-
ization in the industry today, and we are
most fortunate to have him here at Atari. "
Four years ago, Dari assumed the po-
sition of Customer Service Manager. Dari
brings his vast organizational and mana-
gerial skills to his new role as Director of
Technical Service. He comments, "My
workload has increased by 300%, but
I'm finding the intensified challenge to be
extremely rewarding." Fortunately, he is
an early riser and typically arrives to
start his day at 5:00 A.M. During those
solitary hours of the morning, he can
pump out 90% of the work that will af-
fect his staff the rest of the day.
Dari is intensely committed to carrying
the quality image that Atari's Customer
Service enjoys throughout the industry
into the new Technical Service organiza-
tion. Quite simply, he and his personnel
are responsible for worldwide service
and parts. Dari has already initiated a
few procedures, including a rapid feed-
back of "Technical Tips" as concerns
are reported from out in the field follow-
ing the introduction of each game. This
publication will supplement the already
existing Field Service Bulletin. Dari ex-
.plains, "We want to let distributors and
operators know everything we know
about a new game-and as soon as we
know it." Responsibility for writing the
"Technical Tips:· will be given to the
.
-
. ' ~-
~:
Dari Davidson, Director of Atari's Technical
Service Department.
Field Service Manager assigned to a
particular game, who will keep tabs on
the game from preproduction through
manufacturing and right out into the field.
Weekly repair reports will also be gener-
ated by this individual.
Dari enthusiastically reports that there
are more combined years in his group
than anywhere else in the Coin Operated
Games Division. Fifteen of his thirty-one
staff members go back six to nine years
with the company. This situation has pro-
duced a "refreshing seniority team that
is keenly knowledgeable about all of
Atari." Because of this expertise, he has
been able to maintain a trim headcount,
increase sales, and decrease inventory.
Dari is also implementing a cross-training
of staff to bring everyone to the same
level. He affirms: "We work as a team.
There is nothing we can't do right now.
All you have to do is ask". For example,
he and his managers have the authority
to stop a production line for a part . ..
providing a guarantee that is rare in the
industry. Dari's staff attests to a "warm,
supportive but professional atmosphere"
which he has created.
A major new goal of Technical Service
will be increased distributor and operator
Specifically, the games cannot under any
circumstances cause interference to any
licensed mobile radio communications
(police, fire, aeronautical, etc.) or any li-
censed broadcast communications (rad-
io, television, etc.).
All games manufactured after Decem-
ber 1, 1982 must be provided with the
appropriate F.C.C. compliance label for a
Class A computing·device. This labeling
requirement applies to both domestic
and imported machines.
For complete details regarding the new
F.C.C. order and its implications, please
contact your distributor immediately or
call Dari Davidson, Director of Technical
Services, at 800-538-1611. It is important
that we all take responsibility to ensure
that these regulations are met.
contact. " In the past, distributors as-
sumed that Atari couldn't do something
because no other manufacturer could do
it. Now, I want to develop better interac-
tion between Atari and our distributors so
that we can properly respond to their
customers' needs." In addition to in-
creased technical seminars to be attend-
ed by operators, Dari encourages the
use of the toll-free lines listed at the end
of this article so that operators can ex-
press their problems directly to Atari.
"We will take the comments of the oper-
ators seriously. How else can we im-
prove except by feedback from the
field?"
Another way of generating operator
contact will be through this new column.
Distributors and operators will be up-
dated on all fronts: "We have the tech-
nical competence to back up the parts
side." New promotional items will also
be spotlighted for the increasing number
of operators who are seeking new
money-making avenues. In fact, Custom-
er Service is presently gearing up for the
launching of the Atari Collector Pins pro-
gram. All indications show an enthusi-
astic support for these items from the
distributors, operators and players al-
ready contacted.
But to be completely effective in the
use of this column, Dari reaffirms the
need for cooperation from all those in-
volved out in the field. Atari wants to know
what you're thinking. If you have any
problem, question or suggestion, don't
hesitate to call. If Dari's group doesn't
have the answer, they'll either track it
down or refer you to the individual who
does have it ... they're always your
surest starting point! Dari aptly con-
cludes, "Th rough our words and actions,
we intend to do just what this column
says-conscientiously service all of our
distributors and operators. "
California Technical Service
800-538-1611
California Customer Service
800-538-1530
New Jersey Technical Service
800-526-3849