-^CrossBow^-

Hmm.. This is an interesting topic to bring up. Until you mentioned it I have never even thought about this before. After thinking this one out here is what I think: I agree that if I know the person I wouldn't bid against them until the conditions you already stated had occured. However, it does bare mention that some of us do not have the same names for our Ebay, Yahoo, etc. accounts that we may use here. So sometimes it wouldn't be really obvious that you might be bidding against each other. For the record I am easy to spot on Ebay and Yahoo...simply look for "crossbow777" and that is probably 99% of the time...me.

I second this motion...

Haha... Indeed it would have been quite a site to behold the almight LaserDisc games like Dragon's Lair and Space Ace on the 7800. So let me get this straight...all kinds of cool kick ass stuff never got beyond initial design or prototype stages...basically because the Tramiels shelved the thing in 84 and didn't release it until 86. You know it figures once again...The Sega 32x adapter overlays the video on top of the original RGB signals from the genesis video. And here Atari was thinking of this back in 83!? I can't help but wonder why this news of what the expansion port wasn't made more public. It could have changed a lot of things in our beloved history of Atari.

The name Best Electronics comes to mind... That is all I will say...

Heheh.. Twists and enhancements?! That is intriging... I know that the 7800's custom 6502c added the ability to be able to pause the cpu. But didn't the 5200 have a pause on it as well?! I actually don't have a 5200 but I thought that it did. As for enhancements...I am curious if you are talking about enhancing the 7800 adapter so that the games are better on the 5200...or if you are talking about improving the 5200 games on it. I would imagine that you might be making it so that it had a passthru on it allowing you to play both the 5200 and 7800 carts without removal of the adapter that would be cool. On the keyboard am I to assume it connects via Joystick port 2? If so...then I have two questions. 1. What on earth was the need for the expansion port on the original 7800 units if the joystick port 2 is being used for the keyboard interface. 2. Since I have Eckhard's DevOS installed and have modified my 7800 to use Joystick port 2 for interfacing to the PC. Can I still use the keyboard on this 7800? The modded 7800 does still have joystick port 2 for a second player works just fine. So there you have it. On a final note... If we do indeed get the keyboard avail then what software will ever be avail for it? Will the keyboard come complete with some sort of Atari Basic cart for the 7800 or will that be in the keyboard itself? I apologize with the questions...but I know that many others are just as curious as I.

Well...I do prefer to use my actual 2600 or 7800 for all my atari playing needs and still find that no emulator can really give me the same feel. But I do like emulation for a big reason that I have stated before and that NE146 has brought up again. Emulation is a great means for "Try before you buy." I mean sure Chase the Chuckwagon is rare and all and commands a high price on ebay. However, that doesn't mean that I want to spend 80+ bucks to have one when the game really isn't that good to begin with?! I can see me spending 80+ bucks on a game that I would never ever play...NOT! Just my 2 cents..not much..but 2 cents none the less.

$25 is a decent deal especially if it is in the box complete. I have seen some go for $40 without the asteroids rom and missing rf switch boxes. If you want it..I say grab it.

The Atari Historical Society has most of the Alan Alda commercials avail to view. I vaguely remembered them in my youth. But I am sure this is who you are thinking of. BTW...Atari made a much better decision to Alda over Intellivision's idea to use Plimpton...hehe

Tempest...I see your point. But the modules were actually complete consoles that simply acted as an interface to run the carts. The main 5200 deck would only be used to provide the contol interface and the switches for game select etc. Otherwise, The add ons were complete consoles minus the rf circuits and controllers for the joysticks. Curt correct me unless I am wrong. But for me this is how they appear to work. Also the power would have been provided by the main deck to the add on also. So for me...I understand how they work and so I wouldn't have thought the 7800 to be any less of a machine than the 5200 or anymore less advanced because of this. Curt: On that prototype I see all the chips for the Maria, Bios, STella, Riot and Tia..but I only see one Color pot adjust?! Which did that control? The 2600 or the 7800 side? Really how complete was this prototype? [ 06-26-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

well...this depends.. I my real VCS is a Sears Heavy Sixer from 77...and 2 of the switches have already been replaced on it. So I actually only fire it up once in a blue moon. Most of the time I play my 2600 stuff on my 7800. Still I fire up the 7800 about 3-5 times a week...for more than an hour at a time... BTW...we all know this...but I simply have to say it: ATARI RULES!!!

Curt?!?! It is most pleasant to see you grace us here! Now I do have something to say on this whole 5200/7800 adapter business. I always admired the fact that Atari tried to keep things compatible for the 5200 all across the board. However, I always wondered why a 5200 adapter wasn't made for the 7800? I think it would have been possible? I do think that the 2600 adapter and this unfinished 7800 adapter proto started the trend from which Sega got the ideas to upgrade the Genesis so much later on with the CD add-on and the 32x adapters. BTW: Curt, you ever secretly finish the 7800 adapter for the 5200 for yourself?! hehe...

I will be the oddball and go on the record as stating that I actually prefered most of the Silver labeld Picture carts in the ET era. Ijust thought they looked so cool and sleek. Next to those...my favorites were always the Parker Bros carts...hehe..

My wants were usually whatever looked the coolest at the time. I can remember secretly wanting Star Raiders back in the day but the cost of the game with the controller was too much at the time. My biggest wants on the 2600 that I can recall actually getting were Moon Patrol...and one of my still favs... Solaris. For the 7800 when I got it I only wanted one game...but didn't actually get it until about 6 months ago. That game was Xenophobe.

Most of us are still here...not sure whom it is your looking for that isn't? Soda Bob is someone else...who is someone else...etc...real confusing that one.

My first game with my first VCS that wasn't combat came with the VCS as a Christmas present. It was Defender. Then Ms. Pac-Man...and then I can't remember the order. I just remember that being probably my best Christmas ever...hehe.

Doesn't fool me since the link isn't working... So I can't tell you either way.

The following rom links are down... Atari 2600: CondorAttack CookieMonsterMunch Dishaster DukesOfHazzard2 Ghostbusters SkyPatrol SmurfsRescueInGargamelsCastle SpiderMaze Sears_Steeplechase Sears_StellarTrack Sears_SubmarineCommander Subterranea Tapeworm I haven't checked the 5200 or 7800 sections yet...but I will later to verify they are 100% for you. Just thought you might like to know...

Just some quick scans for future reference so that you too can see the difference and confirm if you have an 84 model or a later rev. Keep in mind that although these are the small pics..they are still fairly large for detail. I also have much larger higher res scans of my 84 board that I can email or send the link to upon request. Smaller 7800 84 board scans - 84 7800 Front - (Note: mine is modded with the DevOS ver. 1 bios) 84 7800 board back shot - (This one is large give it time) Also note in the lower right corner of that board where it states the 2584 (July 84) manufacture date and board revision level. Have fun...

I can't believe nobody has mentioned the fact there ET is pretty durn common. I mean if Atari produced so many of them that they dumped them in a hidden landfill in the Nevada desert then I would say that it was pretty common. They could have dumped them because the game wasn't received well back then but I know that they did overproduce it and several others.

I have wondered this myself. I can understand making transparent cases during the initial design to see stress points within the casing design or something. But those would be completely clear usually. This almost looks like it was made up this way on purpose. I imagine it was created for their big showing at that summers consumer expo. But it may have never been seen due to the Tramiel buyout.

For something Pac-Man and ET...they need a reviews section here at the Age. Reviews of the games for each Atari System. However, Alex and Albert should be selective in this area...but for the reviews to be categorized genre of the game would have to be specified as well. Just thought I would throw more basil into the soup there...

Heheh... Well..I haven't any good trade bait..except some Colecovision games I can't use since I don't have a CV. But nothing rare for the 2600..and while I have some semi rare 7800 games that would be worthy of one of those decks...I can't bare to part with them... But seeing as how you are only missing a power supply...check this out... 7800 power supply on yahoo auctions... Or you could go the unnatural way and hardwire a 2600 adpater to it.

Opivy the only time Pitfall 2 scrolls it when you move up or down..not left to right. Twit did mention Side Scroller...so in that respect neither Pitfall! or Pitfall 2 really scrolled from side to side. Now Krull does on the desert scene sorta...or at least the hacked the code to give that impression. Plus Krull owns me currently right now...good game! If you gonna talk about just games that featured more than one scene then don't forget: Adventure Haunted House Krull (Stated above) Tunnel Runner a few others that escape me right now.. [ 06-21-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

Congo Bongo on the Ti-99/4A has three levels..and is in a white cased cart. Possible this is the one?

I would love to just find 7800 carts here much less a complete 7800 deck?! Truly ...I am envious. Great find and let us know should you ever want to part with one of them?