BillyHW Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 What did you do with it until it was re-released in 1986? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted May 2, 2012 Share Posted May 2, 2012 I lived in Sacramento and not the Bay Area so I missed out on the limited release launch in 1984 but I can tell you I lusted after that console after reading about it in "InfoWorld's Essential Guide to the Atari" that our local library had a copy of. I was fascinated by it [especially the capabilities of the Maria Graphics Chip] as well as the MindLink adapter. I was so happy when Sears released its 1986 spring catalog and the 7800 was available for purchase. My grandmother bought one from KB Toys shortly thereafter [it was in stock there even before Toys R Us, if I recall correctly]. I frikkin' loved Xevious on it and having that significantly cut down my desire to go to the roller skating rink to play the arcade version after that. Aside from the audio, I'd say the 7800 version of Xevious is far better than the NES version or the ST version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyHW Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 Didn't get to many hits on this thread so I thought I'd bump it and give it another try. I would also like to know what games were available at the 1984 launch, and specifically if Ms. Pac-Man was available. Was there at 1984 pack-in as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high voltage Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 (edited) There's some here under Serial number list thread: EP Units: EP 001292 -Fyrebird EP 002574 -toymailman (CIB with all packaging) EP 003976 -toymailman EP 008042 -Tubular Gearhead AT84 Units: AT84 03172 -Corby AT84 03242 -Lemmi AT84 09103 -PacManPlus (cool Silver paint job) AT84 14616 -Mitch AT84 16922 -toymailman (CIB with the stickers) AT84 20618 -DarthCloud AT84 25241 -toymailman (CIB with different stickers) AT84 30276 -toymailman AT84 44298 -toymailman AT84 47840 -Coolhand20th AT84 50981 -toymailman AT84 53505 -toymailman AT84 55199 -toymailman AT84 55587 -lapetino AT84 57660 -phattyboombatty AT84 60391 -toymailman AT84 60899 -Tubular Gearhead AT84 62528 -SeaGtGruff AT84 62542 -godzillajoe AT84 62898 -toymailman AT84 63558 -toymailman Edited June 4, 2012 by high voltage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 But just because you have a serial number now doesn't mean you owned the 7800 in 1984... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 well, I followed the 7800 since I first read about it in electronic games back in the day and in New York, there was no where to buy it until it was released later.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keitaro Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Hi, about original 1984 atari 7800, was Pole Position II packed-in 7800 in 1984 release? Are these units with the game on-board or as separate cart? And any of the games announced for the system's launch were finally released in the 1984 limited release? I have seen designs of some boxes with different style than the 1986 release but I don't know If finally were launched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblenkle Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I got a 7800 as soon as they were available...hated the controllers so much that I got rid of it a short time later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 so was there a 7800 sold somewhere in 1984? There sure wasn't in NYC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Pole Position 2 was never included on board in any production system, only on cart. There are three different system boxes released in the US and another different one released outside the US. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 so was there a 7800 sold somewhere in 1984? There sure wasn't in NYC The Bay Area was the test market in 1984. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_J64bit Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 (edited) I've got mine back in 86 or 87 from KB toys than in 89 got a copy Double Dragon. :thumbsup: Edited June 13, 2012 by walter_J64bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyHW Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 Pole Position 2 was never included on board in any production system, only on cart. There are three different system boxes released in the US and another different one released outside the US. Mitch Does anyone have pictures of the different system boxes that they can post? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Pole Position 2 was never included on board in any production system, only on cart. There are three different system boxes released in the US and another different one released outside the US. Mitch Does anyone have pictures of the different system boxes that they can post? I have some old pics of the the first two NTSC boxed systems here: http://www.atari7800.org/console.htm I guess I never got around to taking a picture of the third one or the PAL box. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyHW Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 Pole Position 2 was never included on board in any production system, only on cart. There are three different system boxes released in the US and another different one released outside the US. Mitch Does anyone have pictures of the different system boxes that they can post? I have some old pics of the the first two NTSC boxed systems here: http://www.atari7800.org/console.htm I guess I never got around to taking a picture of the third one or the PAL box. Mitch Wow that AC adapter is pretty small compared to the 5200 or ColecoVision. It got even smaller in the REV B. Too bad the pics are low res and you can't see the sides and back of the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mitch Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Yes, I need to take some new pics one of these years... Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacteria Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Not the 7800, but my father got the 2600 around the day of launch in the UK; and also Intellivision when that came out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stun Runner 87 Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Its unfortunate what the new management at the time did to the the 7800 console. If they would of taken the time and added the pokey chip for sound, and made more titles for it, instead of storing the units in warehouses until it was to late to compete with Nintendo in 1986, The Atari 7800 could of easily ruled until the end of the 1980s......The Console had the same capabilties as the N.E.S but the time and money was not put into it. If only Atari wouldn't have given up on the Video Game Market after the crash of 84. Atari probably should of took Nintendo up on there offer to build there new System. Atari 7800 would of been what Nintendo became. Still, The Atari 7800 is my favorite system of the 1980s....I love the ports of old arcade games like Xevious,Ms. Pacman and the Mario-Donkey Kong games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyHW Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Atari 7800 is probably my least favourite 80s system, mostly due to the horrid sound. If Coleco hadn't gone belly-up, they would have dominated the mid-80s and the NES may never have been released here at all. Incidentally, the Genesis wiki page states that Sega had asked Atari to distribute the Genesis in NA too, but the deal never materialized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 If you hate the 78 you hate the 26. As the 78 is two systems on one but the controller ports are on the right side at least. Having terrible sound to me is having an atari. Its early vid game sound. its all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stun Runner 87 Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) Atari 7800 is probably my least favourite 80s system, mostly due to the horrid sound. If Coleco hadn't gone belly-up, they would have dominated the mid-80s and the NES may never have been released here at all. Incidentally, the Genesis wiki page states that Sega had asked Atari to distribute the Genesis in NA too, but the deal never materialized. True, but all They had to do was put the dam pokey chip in all the cartridges and the sound issue would of been solved.Atari was just being cheap........The 7800 had more capabilities than the colecovision which I happen to still have.As far as the offer from Sega for Atari to build the Genesis, I guess they didn't learn there lesson from the Nintendo blunder.I guess Atari was more focused on the upcoming Lynx at the time that ended up being probably the best underrated handheld of all time because nobody really bought them, well except for me.I wish the Lynx would of been a home console instead of a handheld.It would of done much better and potentially better than the Genesis.........Oh well, coulda, shoulda and woulda.... If I knew Doc Brown and Marty McFly, I would go back to the late 80s and have a long chat with the people at Atari. Maybe Bif went back in time and Sabotaged Atari... Edited June 24, 2012 by Stun Runner 87 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyHW Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 I agree that Handy could have been modified into a great PC-Engine like console for 1987 or 88, followed by the Lynx portable release. Would have been great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 The Bay Area was the test market in 1984. What do you base this information on? There was no info on it back in the day when I was trying to buy one and there is no information I can find anywhere on it being sold pre-86. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Atari 7800 is probably my least favourite 80s system, mostly due to the horrid sound. If Coleco hadn't gone belly-up, they would have dominated the mid-80s and the NES may never have been released here at all. Not true. The ColecoVision didn't outsell the Atari 5200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Azure Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 To my knowledge, there are three reasons no POKEY was resident on the 7800 mommy board in 1984. One is real estate - no room. Two is cost to add the chip. Three is the memory map is crammed without it, although that might not be an issue if switching from TIA to POKEY as only one is used at a time. I didn't think about that before, so maybe it's not an issue. There should have been more RAM like a 1 x 6264 in place of the 2 x 6116 but that was spendy and the 6264 was limited in production at the time, and increased RAM probably would have bumped the HSC out of the line-up to map the extra RAM. Maybe the answer is to pull the TIA, install a POKEY and reprogram/adapt all the games to work with POKEY. ///Blueman/// Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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