Early VCS SECAM version differences

Recently, I bought a lot of two woody VCS+ joystick controllers+ a pair of paddles and 2 games (with boxes in poor condition) for a whooping 10€ price, which is a good bargain, even here where the 2600 systems aren't much looked after.

While testing the units, I started to notice some differences between the 2 systems. Keep in mind that the Atari 2600 was released in France in 1981, the last year of the woody model.

So I was wondering if those differences were leftovers from the US variant, or if they might come from an early run of PAL/SECAM adaptations that were discarded.

Here are some pictures of the machines :


The newer on the left, the oldest on the right (by number production)



The oldest one feature the double HP vents. Were those also on US 4 switches models? I though they were only on 6 switches unit?




The back feature more screw holes, smaller holes near the stamps. What is it for?



A channel selector "A" and "B". Note that the channel selector option is also on his usual place on top of the unit, with the "channel 2-3 " marking (and it's left unused, at least on the SECAM version. It make sense since the woody SECAM unit uses UHF channel 36 ). As far as I know, A and B aren't used in the European CCIR TV systems (we use channel numbers), so I really don't know what kind of channel it was meant to select (there is no switch so it choose nothing anyway).



On the back, holes have beel hidden with a thick adhesive piece of plastic. From the size and shape, it was probably meant to house joysticks connectors and a power connector in the middle. Does this exist on US Atari too?


Just a view on the stamps :


This first one is the standard Atari sticker, or I suppose so.

The second mention that the system is certified to be used in France and mention the fact you have to plug it on the back of your TV (and not using a T shaped plug to connect both antenna and system at the same time). Europe use a RCA-like connector for antenna so swapping between antenna and video games systems isn't as annoying as the double fork or F plus used in the USA And manual switchboxes were allowed too.

For your eyes's pleasure :






This board is very different from the later SECAM boards found in black VCS. The most interesting feature is that UHF transmitter that seems to pick up video and audio, calling for a very easy A/V mod. I gotta try it!

So... Is that "old" VCS an oddity, or is it perfectly normal to find those feature on it?

Thanks for taking a look and answering