Homebreviews - part 10
Entry posted by Nathan Strum
2,165 views
This time... no actual games! Just little black, plastic boxes that do other things. 
First though, for the Synthcart, I picked up a pair of Atari Keyboard controllers from Atari2600.com. Since the overlay that's available for the Synthcart isn't designed to fit these controllers, I ended up making my own. They're available as a PDF file, for anyone who wants to use them. (Yes, you have to cut out the little black circles by hand.)
Then, for the AtariVox, I built a mixing circuit, so I could tie the AtariVox into the audio from my modified 2600. A "how-to" guide is available here.
So with those out of the way... on with the reviews!
Synthcart
5/5
Remember those old Casiotone keyboards that were sold in the early 80's? The ones with pre-programmed drum beats and built-in sounds that helped even the average schmuck to create music? Well, the Synthcart takes some of those features, mixes them with the 2600's instantly recognizable (and sometimes questionable) musical abilities, and the end result is a whole lot of fun! Using a couple of keypad controllers, you have access to some pretty impressive music-creating tools, including an arpeggiator, tremolo, variable tempo, several different voices, and a beatbox with 33 pre-programmed patterns.
After I had spent a little time getting a basic feel for what each option did, I spent hours just playing with the Synthcart, for the sheer joy of making the quirky music that only the 2600 can make. The beatbox is a really amazing piece of programming, since by mixing and matching patterns, you can make unique rhythms that can serve as a foundation to build your music on. The arpeggiator is especially useful for creating music, as it will repeat sequences of notes, depending on the keys you hold down, and can help you build complex melodies quickly.
As I played with the Synthcart, it dawned on me that had this come out in the early 80's, it would have been a huge seller. I'd always wanted one of those Casio keyboards, but could never afford one, and I suspect many Atari owners were in the same boat. The Synthcart would have given us the next best thing, and would have helped the 2600 transcend being a mere game machine.
The only downside to the Synthcart, is that you can't save your work and replay it (unless you record the output of your 2600), making it difficult to repeat something you really liked. On the other hand, this does keep the experience of using the Synthcart always a spontaneous one.
One minor complaint, is that you can't buy the Synthcart bundled with keypad controllers. Fortunately, Atari2600.com and other websites carry them, so they're easy to come by.
Krokodile Cartridge
5/5
The Krokodile Cartridge is a flash-memory-based, programmable cartridge that lets you load almost any 2600-compatible game into an Atari 2600. With the exception of a handful of titles, almost any game of any size and bankswitching type will work. This lets you play hundreds (or thousands) of titles without having the original cartridges. The Krokodile Cart can also create multi-carts, so you can load several games on it at once, and use a handy onscreen menu to switch between them. Where the Krokodile Cart really shines though, is in game development. Work-in-progress binaries can easily be loaded and tested on real hardware, enabling programmers to track down problems that may not appear on emulators.
There's software included for Windows, and a command-line version is available for Mac OS X (a Mac version with a graphical user interface is in the works). The software is easy to use, and works with binary files commonly available on the internet (no need to convert them to another format). The cartridge connects to your computer using a serial connection, which may mean you'll have to buy a USB to serial adapter. I use one made by Keyspan, which works perfectly fine. You also need an AC adapter for the Krokodile Cart, but it's conveniently designed to work with a standard Atari 2600 power adapter.
Production of the Krokodile Cartridge is limited, so if you have an opportunity to buy one - get it! Even though there are some games it doesn't support, it will still open up a whole new world of games that you can enjoy on your 2600, and if you do any game development for the Atari 2600, the Krokodile Cartridge is an absolute must!
Stelladaptor 2600 to USB Interface
4/5
The Stelladaptor lets you plug Atari 2600-compatible controllers into a USB port on your computer. This makes for a huge improvement when playing classic games in emulators, since you're no longer bound to a keyboard or mouse. It works with numerous emulators including Stella, MESS and MAME, and countless hundreds of games that those emulators support.
With Mac OS X, I've been able to successfully use standard Atari 2600 joysticks, paddles and racing controllers, a Quick Shot rapid-fire controller, and even an Atari Trak-Ball (to the degree that it works on a real 2600). Everything is just plug-and-play. On the downside, the Stelladaptor doesn't support keypad controllers, or the second fire button on Atari 7800 controllers (to be fair, it isn't a 7800 adapter, but it still would have been a nice addition). If you use emulators to play classic videogames, the Stelladaptor is well worth having.
AtariVox Speech Synthesizer
4/5
First, a warning: Do not plug any headphones or speakers into this without turning down the volume first! The default volume for mine was set set so loud, it blew out a pair of my Koss headphones, and very nearly my eardrums (fortunately, the headphones have a lifetime warranty). Inside the AtariVox is a small volume control, that you'll need a tiny screwdriver to adjust. Turn it down before doing anything else, then gradually bring it up to the point where it you get a good sound level.
The AtariVox is a combination voice/sound synthesizer and memory card for the Atari 2600 (and 7800). Currently, there are only a handful of games that support it, so its potential remains largely untapped at this point. So far, the games which make the most of the AtariVox are Strat-O-Gems Deluxe - which incorporates it throughout, and Sync - which uses the AtariVox to "sing along" during some of its games, with other titles mostly using it for high score saving and minimal voice support. There are planned projects that may take more advantage of the AtariVox in the future, but as of this writing, they're still in development.
It's hard to write a fair review for a peripheral when so few titles support it. However, when it is supported, it works very well. The voices are very cool sounding - reminiscent of vintage arcade games, and have terrific potential. For example, how about a game where a voice told you how to navigate darkened passageways? It could also potentially free up resources by telling the player key statistics about their game, instead of having to display them on screen. Saving a player's progress is also a feature that holds a lot of promise for expanding gameplay on the 2600. High score saving also works well, but again, support is limited right now. Hopefully, more programmers will begin using these features.
The AtariVox has a couple of design shortcomings. It occupies the second player's joystick port, so for two-player games you must either unplug it, or get a Y-adapter. Also, the case that it's built into doesn't fit snugly into all 2600s, so you may have to file down the plastic tabs on the end. Finally, is the audio output. The AtariVox requires its own set of speakers for you to hear anything. If you want to tie it into the audio of a modified 2600, you'll either need to buy a small mixer, or build a simple circuit like the one at http://www.cheeptech.com/atarivox.html. Plus, given the necessity of having to adjust the volume, including a tiny screwdriver, even a plastic one, would have been welcomed.
If you own some of the games that the AtariVox already works with, it's well worth having. But you also might want to wait awhile, and see what other games end up supporting it.
Well, that's it for the reviews this time. By the way, you can pick up that Y-adapter I mentioned here, for just $4.98.
Up next... 'tis the season! 
< Previous
Homebreviews IndexNext >
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
11 Comments
Recommended Comments