crc_73

I have a faulty machine too. It switches on, and you can go to the menu, mess with the files on VMUs, change options (haven't tried to play a CD though). Anyway, when I go to play a GD-ROM, the disk spins up slowly, then slows down and stops, and the system asks me to insert a disk. Tried numerous disks, all of which work fine in a working unit. I've seen fixes for the laser, but decided to try transplanting the GD-ROM unit to the working unit - turns out the GD-ROM unit is perfect. I've also tested the controller board, and the power supply, and they all work too. The only thing left inside is the mainboard, it's highly possible that the problem lies therein. I still have to test all my perfect parts from my working machine with the non-working mainboard. One thing I have noticed is that the fan on the non-working board is not as loud as the working unit. Is it possible that there is a component on the controller board that is faulty, causing the fan to spin slower than normal? I have read somewhere online that there is some self-protecting feedback system incorporated into the DC that doesn't allow disks to spin or games to start unless all signals from all boards check out Ok, or have i imagined it? I can't find those pages again. Anyway, any useful pointers would be greatly appreciated. I got the non-working unit very very cheap, and don't mind too much as at least I have a working GD-ROM unit if my own one decides to go to silicon heaven.

You can actually "try-before-you-buy" with most of the Lynx titles. There is a Lynx emulator called "Handy", which runs in Windows, and you can download ROM images for most of the games on this site (see the entry for each game in the Lynx section). There is plenty of info available to get you started, and IMO, this emulator is probably the easiest to get up and running. Playing on the emulator will give you a good idea of what to expect, but if you play the real thing, you will probably find the experience even better. There are at least a few titles that I've felt were Ok on Handy, but after getting and playing the real thing, they were just tons better. I think if you find a game pretty good on the emulator, you'll probably love the real deal. It's probably the whole emmersive experience adding up to a better way to spend time. As for games, the best ones have been already mentioned. I have a preference for the arcade titles, like Xenophobe, Rampart, Robotron, Rygar, Roadblasters, STUN Runner, XYBots, although there are a few turkeys too (Hard Drivin and Pit Fighter spring to mind, although I've only played through them through emulation, so maybe their great games, but I doubt it ). Someone also mentioned the Epyx games - I remember playing Electrocop on Handy, and thinking WTF! Months later I picked up a very cheap non-working unit with a flat Electrocop included, and finding it to be a super game. Many of the other Epyx games are unique titles, and well worth checking out.

Welcome to the club! The price seems about right to me; the two games aren't hard to find, you can probably still get them on this site for a few $. If the system is functioning perfectly, then it looks like a fair price. Did you get the first or II version. If it's the first, then I have no idea how to clean it - never owned or even held one. If you have the mark II, then it's quite easy to remove the protective screen. It's held in place with tabs (4) in each of the corners, where the protective screen wraps around the top and bottom. All you need to do is put something thin and stiff between the protective screen and the main body of the unit, and gently lever the screen off. Do it from the corners, one at a time. Once you have the two popped on one side (either the top or bottom), it should come off very easily. It's easier to do when you know what to expect. I did my first from the inside, much easier, so I could see exactly what needed to be done, but you probably don't want to be messing with it that much. Best of luck with your new machine, and do try to expand your game collection - there are some excellent titles to be had - most of the arcade conversions are top notch. There are plenty of reviews linked on the site here, so do browse.

Well, at least for Windoze, the hint Gregory DG gave above for SBInducer was the best I've seen, and now, I probably wouldn't even attempt to use anything else. http://consolevision.com/members/sbiffy/ The only problem is that there may be something you want, but doesn't have an SBI available for it, but if you go to the above link, there is a forum where you can request SBI's to be produced. The tutorial supplied is good, and you'll be up and running in no time.

Kits exist, but rare to see. Try Google. Or you might see then on eBay once a year if you're lucky. Or if you're up to it, I have read somewhere of the use of very fine sandpaper wrapped around a thin peice of rigid plastic (the same width as the PCB contact area of a cartridge, but a little thinner) doing wonders for really gunked-up slots. You'd have to be careful though, as you wouldn't want any thin slivers of metal bouncing around inside your GameGear. Misbehaving slots have always been remedied by a few in-and-outs with the cartridge with mine, but yours may have been more of a hoare than mine, and gotten a little dirty along the way. Also, make sure your carts are nice and clean too. No point sticking a dirty cart in to a clean slot - kinda defeats the purpose.

No particular order here either - all special in their own way. Marble Madness - When this appeared in our arcade, it was like 2001:A Space Odyssey, when the monkeys discovered the monolith, and went ape! R-Type - Excellent shooter, bosses that made you s#it your pants when you first saw them. Pure class! Double Dragon - Co-operative street beat-em-up, give your mate a slap or two too - it's all fun. Out Run - Impressive cabinet, multiple endings, a real feeling of speed, still brilliant. Robotron 2084 - In a word, insane!

Sorry, forum doesn't like spaces - maybe this'll work: http://www.retroblast.com/videos/Seinfeld%...e%20Frogger.wmv

WMV'ed here: http://www.retroblast.com/videos/Seinfeld - The Frogger.wmv If you're into MAME, arcade equipment and games, check out the rest of the guys site - he's got lots of video reviews, and more besides, very cool. http://www.retroblast.com

Maybe these guys are using unofficial power supplies. I think the universal power supplies don't supply the same current as the official pack, but I was under the impression that if anything would fail first, it would be the universal PSU that would fail before the Lynx. Just a thought, I'm not an electronics engineer.

About that link I gave for the mamedvds dot com site, something doesn't quite compute. He says that he's providing a service for the burning of the ROMs, and that it's non-profit: http://www.mamedvds.com/faq.asp#q15 But then he's asking more for 3 DVD's than 5 DVD's. MAME V0.89 ROMs 3 DVD's $20 MAME CHDs 5 DVD's $15 Go figure...

I'm sorry to say, but as far as I'm aware, there aren't any *good* sites left hosting MAME ROMs. There are a few, but you either have to pay (mamefans) or have to click on a dozen links before you can even download, and even then, it looks like it's never going to download. You can easily find these sites by searching at Google for "mame" and "roms". There are some people who burn ROMs, but for some reason, the main website doesn't have the link it used to have at www.tombstones.org.uk . If you do a google for "Mame" "tombstones" and "burners", you might have some luck. Last time I knew, they had burners all over the planet who would burn sets for the cost of media and P&P. Another link through google gave this link: http://www.mamedvds.com/ I know nothing about this site or the people who run it, but it might be something you'd like. Sorry I can't be much help. I kinda lost interest in MAME about version 0.84, with the huge volume of very new games making it in, and the monster CHD files. I'd probably have to download a gig to catch up at this stage.

Another European here to add to the mix: Male, 31 Country: Ireland Collect only for the Lynx of the Ataris (got a belated taste of the Dreamcast) Occupation: Scientist (mad) Music: Mainly lyric-less, stoned-out stuff, Orb, Global Communication, Spiritualised, and a lot of stuff from the WARP label. Into Plastikman too. TV: Most comedy: Father Ted, Little Britain, (late in the season tho), Red Dwarf, select American stuff Fav Lynx Games: Robotron 2084, Rampart, Qix, Xybots, Xenophobe (all from the arcade).

Yes, I can attest to that, as I watched a local "hood" try that very same thing at the local gas station. No luck... I can remember getting free credits on some machines, but not by using coins with holes drilled through them. We used to use a length (maybe about 10 cm long) of plastic piping (with a small diameter, maybe only about 2-3mm). We could stick the plastic in, and with a bit of skill, find the trigger, and rack up some credits. Mind you, it only worked on older machines. With later machines, the coin mechanism became more complicated, and I think the triggers were much deeper down, and through angles, with non-return gates, so it would be nearly impossible to get past the mechanism.

Yeah, good stuff, thanks for the link. I was pissing myself watching "Trailer", especially with the Frogger bit. Is Shenmue really that boring though? Seems that their parody insinuates that it's a bit of a drag.

The ROMs needed for MacMAME are the same as the ones needed for MAME (within the same revision number). So you'll need to go somewhere where you can get MAME ROMs. You'll probably have to go to the newsgroups though; there doesn't appear to be any fast, up-to-date regular http sites hosting the ROMs at the moment.

I looked this one up at McAfee, and although they have it rated at a low risk, it could actually be very damaging. Read this: Unlike the other sppof I've received, in the e-mail, the address link you click on looks genuine, but if you then check the address in the explorer window that opens up, you see that it will be something completely different. This one, it seems, actually displays a genuine web-address, but this is really hiding another fake address, from which it loads the content for the page. This could be dangerous if trying to spoof somewhere like PayPal, or any other site where you could be putting in credit card info.

I got a real nasty one today again through an e-mail, virus scanner picked it up as being "JS/Stealus.gen", some type of trojan. The trojan wasn't in the e-mail, but I think tried to run when I clicked on the link in the e-mail (I have the fullest of faith in the virus detection/firewall here at work). To try and make it look even more authentic, after I closed their eBay page, the pop-up below was displayed. Nasty stuff. The e-mail had the heading "TKO Notice: Urgent Fraud Investigation", and again, looked very authenic, as does the page it links to. Be aware, make sure your scanners are up-to-date.

You have to admit though, there are some nice specimens in there

My initial thought was Defender, but Defender has an extra angled cut at the top-back. Could be Frogger though... ..but who cares

When I said link above, I meant the link with the numbers, and when I meant guys mentioned in the post, I meant guys at CHINANET Shanghai.

I got another one today, here's what it looks like, as a head-up to anyone who receives something similar. Subject was: [sPAM] - Safeharbor Critical Notice eBay Account SUSPENDED - Sending mail server found on bl.spamcop.net The link above looks ok, but it's actually a dead link, but looking at the source, it was used to hide the real director, which is: h t t p : / /2 1 8.8 3.1 5 8.2 0 4 / 1 / I've put in loads of spaces above to disrupt, and not have a direct link. I don't know much about internet addresses, but is it possible that that links directly to someones computer? Most fake directors I've seen are to web-space providers, this looks like something more dynamic, like a computer that connects and disconnects from the internet. Throwing some of the numbers into google threw up this link: http://forums.speedguide.net/showthread.ph...t=159581&page=3 One post has the following: Is it possible that the link directs to some of these guys mentioned in the post? Would it be possible to send a friendly message to the guy at the other end of that IP address?

Fish

Sorry, shoulda looked like this: That's a good price for those items, I'd expect €40-€50 under normal circumstances, like from a shop, maybe around the €30-€35 somewhere like eBay. I think they both mean the same thing, unless I'm very much mistaken.

6 AA's, every 6 hours (if you're lucky). Use the PSU. €5 for Batman Returns is a bit steep IMO. Don't let it put you off the Lynx completely though, it really does have some super games, like Rygar, Xenophobe and Road Blasters to name just a few.