New Atari Compatible Console & Controllers

[disjaukifa]

Scart has always been the choice for best picture quality for PAL/NTSC based consoles, but is this connection as common in USA? Component video gives the same quality (given the same resolution).

You'd have to try pretty hard to find an Scart tv in the USA. I believe the scart cable passes a variety of signals, the nicest one being RGB and the TV just picks the nicest available--correct me if I'm wrong on this one.

 

Yeah SCART is near impossible to find now in the US. VGA would be nice but again like other have said not all TVs support it. I think component/s-video/composite would be the best. HDMI would be freaking awesome though though I know we are talking a huge increase in scan-lines . . .

[31336haxx0r]

The SCART connector has provisions for RGB, FBAS (aka color composite) and S-Video (luma and chroma seperate). Not many SCART equipped devices support RGB. IIRC a voltage was applied to a certain pin to tell the TV what kind of input it had to use.

[Rex Dart]

has anyone put a 2600 pause mod on a 7800?

 

Not that I know of, but then I don't think the 2600 pause mod is all that popular. Plus, most people here seem to keep a 2600 around even if they have a 7800, and would probably rather mod the 2600 than the 7800.

 

 

What is the most popular connection (besides HDMI) on new USA tv's?

 

Component and/or VGA, I guess. But not SCART or RGB.

[jaybird3rd]

Not that I know of, but then I don't think the 2600 pause mod is all that popular. Plus, most people here seem to keep a 2600 around even if they have a 7800, and would probably rather mod the 2600 than the 7800.

This is my opinion only, but I think integrating a "pause mod" into the new console would be superfluous. All 7800 games already have the pause button from the original 7800 console, and since it's just a repurposed B&W switch, new homebrews for both the 2600 and 7800 should be able to use it also. The only reason you'd need a pause mod is to be able to pause old 2600 games which didn't originally provide that option, and I'm not sure there's enough demand for that to justify building it into the console. Besides, those old games aren't the main focus of this new console anyway: it's primarily an upgraded 7800 with built-in XM functionality for enhanced 7800 homebrew titles, and for original 7800 games which supported the High Score Cartridge.

[Curt Vendel]

Pause has already been used in 2600 games by use of the B&W Switch, which on the 7800 console, the Pause button is also the B&W button, so in the end, a Pause button is already on the console.

 

 

Not that I know of, but then I don't think the 2600 pause mod is all that popular. Plus, most people here seem to keep a 2600 around even if they have a 7800, and would probably rather mod the 2600 than the 7800.

This is my opinion only, but I think integrating a "pause mod" into the new console would be superfluous. All 7800 games already have the pause button from the original 7800 console, and since it's just a repurposed B&W switch, new homebrews for both the 2600 and 7800 should be able to use it also. The only reason you'd need a pause mod is to be able to pause old 2600 games which didn't originally provide that option, and I'm not sure there's enough demand for that to justify building it into the console. Besides, those old games aren't the main focus of this new console anyway: it's primarily an upgraded 7800 with built-in XM functionality for enhanced 7800 homebrew titles, and for original 7800 games which supported the High Score Cartridge.

[jaybird3rd]

Pause has already been used in 2600 games by use of the B&W Switch, which on the 7800 console, the Pause button is also the B&W button, so in the end, a Pause button is already on the console.

That's right. I could be wrong about this, but I seem to remember that the use of the B&W switch as a pause button was mentioned in Atari's own Tramiel-era 2600 design standards documentation. Either way, it's not a new idea, and I'd agree that it obviates the need for any "pause mod" hardware in this new console.

[31336haxx0r]

I'd wire up the 7800 B&W/pause button to work as just that while in 7800 mode and as the 2600 pause when in 2600 mode. Can that be done?

[Rex Dart]

I'd wire up the 7800 B&W/pause button to work as just that while in 7800 mode and as the 2600 pause when in 2600 mode. Can that be done?

 

That's what I was sayin', but everybody else seems to think that 2600 games don't need to be paused.

[31336haxx0r]

I wonder why. What's so bad about having the ability to pause and go to the bathroom, answer the phone, etc.

[raskar42]

I wonder why. What's so bad about having the ability to pause and go to the bathroom, answer the phone, etc.

 

yeah, i'm tired of having to crap in a bucket when i play my 2600.

[31336haxx0r]

LOL!

[disjaukifa]

I guess I don't care/don't want the pause button because it takes away from the challenge of most of the games if I can just pause, catch my breath and start again . . .

[31336haxx0r]

No one forces you to use the pause button.

[disjaukifa]

No one forces you to use the pause button.

 

True . . . but I don't want the cost to go up for a feature that wasn't on the original 2600 I'm all for better graphics and sound quality because that doesn't change the challenge of playing the games, but if I have a pause button, its just too easy to use it and then at that point I'm not getting better at the games I'm playing.

[raskar42]

maybe it's covered - what kind of ac adapter will this use? 7800 style?

 

also does this design include a power indictor led? i love me a power indicator led.

Edited September 16, 2011 by raskar42

[doctorclu]

Love the 3200 look...

 

.... I think wireless controllers would be awesome, and a pause button.

[Mirage]

Pause button would be a killer feature! This is awesome, this is the best project I've read about in a LONG time! ... No, EVER!

[garyd97]

newly produced cart shells?

This would be the absolute coolest Atari related product ever. I don't even know what to say... 2600/7800/XM compatibility, plus newly produced cart shells and a 3200 case? You can't ask for much more.

[A_Locomotive]

I'm drooling over this, when will you be posting more info and time tables Curt?

[Dr Manhattan]

3200 is a sex machine.

[+wood_jl]

The first model, SCPH 1001 included 'em thusly:

 

I had one of those until a neighborhood power spike in 1997 took out all of the electronics on our block. When I sent it away for repair, Sony only partially fixed it so that only one channel of sound worked when it was returned 4 months later.

 

As I understand it, this model is the "audiophile" PSX because it offered better CD reproduction than many of the high-end CD players at the time or even many years later. Having composite audio outputs built-in made it perfect for plugging into a decent audio system. Of course, even if the audio is great, you still would have to use a PSX controller to navigate the CD... so eh...

NO

The extra jacks fools "audiophiles" into thinking the PSX has better sounds. Any decent CD player sounds better and won't have skipping issues the early plastic rail drives had. The PSX also had a dedicated SVideo port in the first japanese models, I snagged one at the swap meet and it does not sound any different then the 7000 series.

 

SVideo and the unique non polarized AC input

 

Bravo! EXACTLY. Most "audiophiles" (love the use of the quotes, which I agree with, completely) are merely ignorant morons, willing to throw beaucoup dollars towards OBSCENELY-overpriced stereo equipment. They like to pretend that their ears are "superior" to the rest of us. HA HA HA!!!!! I appreciate GREAT audio equipment, and I feel fortunate that in the 21st century (and sometime prior) you can get excellent stuff for cheap. Of course, there will always be a nice market of idiots, willing to THROW their money away (sacrificing other goods/services, of course) and pretend to be "experts".......enter the "audiophile." You know what's a good test of an ear? Singing. If you can pull off some kick-ass Karaoake, then your EAR is probably pretty good. You don't have to be Luciano Pavarotti to do it, either. You just don't have to be TONE DEAF, which many "audiophiles" are. So I'm glad someone called "bullshit" on this whole "audiophile" PS1 thing. The SCPH-1001 was the worst of the PS1, turning to shit quickly (had to be played upside down to work) and the CDs sound the same as any goddamned CD player...."audiophile" fantasies aside. In the meantime, I want a so-called "audiophile" to listen to a tune, and tell me if it was "lossy" compressed (and if so, MP3 or WMA or whatever, and at what bitrate) or uncompressed, since their ears are allegedly "bionic" HA HA HA! "Audiophile," indeed. :lol:

[jferio]

Bravo! EXACTLY. Most "audiophiles" (love the use of the quotes, which I agree with, completely) are merely ignorant morons, willing to throw beaucoup dollars towards OBSCENELY-overpriced stereo equipment. They like to pretend that their ears are "superior" to the rest of us. HA HA HA!!!!! I appreciate GREAT audio equipment, and I feel fortunate that in the 21st century (and sometime prior) you can get excellent stuff for cheap. Of course, there will always be a nice market of idiots, willing to THROW their money away (sacrificing other goods/services, of course) and pretend to be "experts".......enter the "audiophile."

 

And here's the other question... how many of them spend four digits on their audio gear... and then shove it into the worst corner of the room in their home that happens to be the worst room acoustically?

 

I can understand them thinking that model of PS1 having maybe some slightly better components in the audio processing track... but it's really not worth it.

[31336haxx0r]

That reminds me of that power cable, CD demagnetizer and only-God-knows-what-else junk they thought of.

[raskar42]

3200 is a sex machine.

 

will that port be on the front or the rear?

[ntavio]

I say go with the 3200.........wireless controllers.....and the pause button compatible with both 2600/7800 games.

 

Can't wait to see/purchase one, Curt.