Vectrex Shells and PCBs interest check (colors, multi-carts too)

[+5-11under]

Packrat is getting into Vectrex, with John's games, and hopefully others as well (time will tell). Only issue is, I just got a large shipment of shells from the 'other guy' — and I do mean 'large', so my interest here may be somewhat limited.

 

Would like to know if these shells have the same internals as regular shells - in simple terms, will PCBs I have now that fit the old style mold fit your mold? If so, I might be interested in some color shells besides the standard.

 

Also, will these boards only be 32K? I only ask, as I will need to go up to 64K for some of my future needs.

Other than that, it is nice that the PCBs are programable, and there is interest here fro Packrat. One thing that is not clear to me, does the price for the PCBs include the price of the chip on them?

 

These shells are basically the same as the original. They don't snap together, so you need the screw to hold the two pieces together. The snaps would have added about 3K to the mold price, because it would make it more difficult to release the part from the mold.

 

The PCBs are 32K. in the future I could make larger ones. What is the standard bankswitching protocol?

 

When I say PCB, I mean completely assembled (all electronic parts, including the ROM chip) and tested. You can see pictures in the 1st post.

[+5-11under]

Edit

 

The similarity to this was brought up by one of my contacts

 

 

I've seen that. It's pretty cool. It's fancier, because it has USB, and doesn't need an EPROM programmer. I see that product geared more toward final users, where mine is perhaps geared more toward producers. Both are useful for programmers.

[madtronix]

Great initiative!!!

 

Vectrex has forever been waiting for freely usable cartdridge cases. The current repro cases from the SK mold are not allowed to be used with multicarts (unless you assemble them yourself of course)

I second that color cases are interesting, I assume the recently made batch of SK cases is ~2000pcs grey but as said they're not supposed to be used for multicarts/flashcarts. If you made this idea public a few months earlier (before the SK case order) there would've been more money available in Vectrex scene for a mold.

I'll look around to find some funds, I'm very interested in cases!

 

 

Good price on the pcbs! Mine are at least 10% more expensive (EU + I have to solder them myself, though I now have a reflow oven)

 

 

[...]What is the standard bankswitching protocol?[...]

The only original cart that used mapping was Animaction. First 8k was ROM then 2k RAM (I think it was 2k at least)

My standart carts have 64k ROM directly accessible (the other 448k are accessible by jumpers).

By adding 3 ICs you would have 32k ROM + 32k RAM.

By adding a piggyback-pcb with a CPLD or µC (supports both) you will have 512k ROM + 32k RAM directly accessible by the Vectrex (through bankswitching).

 

(before washing them)

Edited April 20, 2014 by madtronix

[mkiker2089]

We are getting somewhere finally. I didn't know there was an emargo against the current shells but it explains a few things.

[+5-11under]

Good price on the pcbs! Mine are at least 10% more expensive

It's an introductory offer to hopefully add incentive to selling more shells.

[mkiker2089]

Can the PCBs be used with any other system? As in will they physically fit and can be reprogrammed as Coleco boards or something? I'm pretty sure the answer is "no you idiot, that would never work" but I have to ask anyway.

[+5-11under]

Can the PCBs be used with any other system? As in will they physically fit and can be reprogrammed as Coleco boards or something? I'm pretty sure the answer is "no you idiot, that would never work" but I have to ask anyway.

No, they won't work in any other system. I have PCBs for ColecoVision, Atari, and soon Intellivision, but that's a story for another day.

[+5-11under]

I'm just realizing now (d'oh!) that I've been working in Canadian dollars. Subtract about 8-10% for US prices.

[Richard H.]

 

What is the standard bankswitching protocol?

 

64K - which is just a case of connecting Vectrex Pin 35 to A15 on the flash chip.

[+5-11under]

 

64K - which is just a case of connecting Vectrex Pin 35 to A15 on the flash chip.

 

The FAQ call pin 35 "Port B, Bit 6 of the 6522 PIA (software controlled line)".

Is that how this is normally done? Anyone have any sample program that uses this?

[Richard H.]

Is that how this is normally done?

 

Yes.

 

John Donzila was the first to use it (Gravitrex, Vectopia and Vecmania)

 

AFAIK the only other 64K game is Kristof's Vector Pilot.

 

 

 

 

Anyone have any sample program that uses this?

 

John or Kristof would be the one's to ask.

 

Edited April 21, 2014 by Richard H.

[+5-11under]

 

64K - which is just a case of connecting Vectrex Pin 35 to A15 on the flash chip.

 

Thanks! I will add that capability to the PCB, including for this initial run.

[Richard H.]

 

 

I will add that capability to the PCB, including for this initial run.

 

Cool

Edited April 21, 2014 by Richard H.

[pootle]

I'll gladly take 240 from the initial run (shells only). Translucent would be nice, but i'm happy with black

 

Thanks, Andy.

 

http://vectrex.playntradeonline.com - Home of the 72 in 1 Vectrex Multicart

Edited April 21, 2014 by pootle

[+5-11under]

I'll gladly take 240 from the initial run (shells only). Translucent would be nice, but i'm happy with black

 

Thanks, Andy.

 

http://vectrex.playntradeonline.com - Home of the 72 in 1 Vectrex Multicart

 

Super. Thanks! We'll keep in touch regarding colors.

Nice multicart by the way.

[mkiker2089]

I'm just realizing now (d'oh!) that I've been working in Canadian dollars. Subtract about 8-10% for US prices.

I have a thought about colors, solid not translucent colors. Is there enough benefit to molding them in color to offset costs? I ask because in the SNES and nes world its common for repro makers to paint or dip carts. Their results are excellent.

[Christopher Tumber]

Harvey,

 

Where are you in Ontario?

 

Please Facebook me as I don't get around this way much anymore.

[skellyetc]

A couple of things I'd like to clarify here...

 

Regarding the "monopoly" that Richard says I've held long enough, the reason I have this so-called monopoly is because I paid for it. Around fifteen years ago now (where has the friggin time gone??) I was making my multi-cart and I was cannibalizing original "commons" for them. The commons were getting harder and harder to find and more and more expensive when I could find them so I decided I needed to do something about it. I sent an original shell to a company that measured every last line and curve and drew-up an exact blueprint of the shell. I then did some research and found a company in China that would take the blueprint and make a mold out of it. The mold I made is an EXACT copy of the original shell (sans the clips on the side which, as has been pointed-out in this thread add a lot to the cost) right down to the GCE copyright on the back. Keep in mind that this was all done at a time when no homebrew cartridges were being made. It was also done without any "fund raising" or "pre-orders" or "chipping-in". I paid for 100% of it out of my own pocket and I didn't complain about it. When all was said and done, I'd spent over $15,000 on the entire process including my first order of shells. Needless to say, it was not a popular topic of conversation with my wife...

 

When homebrew games started to show up, I was only too happy to sell my shells at just a little over my cost to help facilitate the homebrewers bringing their games to market. The only thing that I didn't want to do was supply shells to folks who were making a product that competed with my multi-cart because my multi-cart is what enabled the shells to be made in the first place. Is that so unreasonable? If McDonald's spends a bunch of money and comes up with this new box that keeps their burgers hot ten times as long as what's available today, do you think they're going to sell them to Burger King? Or allow their distributors to do so? Burger King is certainly free to spend their money and make their own box as is anyone else who wants to make a Vectrex cartridge shell. The Vectrex shell market is just a wee bit more limited than the burger box market so in the case of the Vectrex, it's an awful lot of money to spend to re-invent the wheel.

 

Anyway...

 

My supplier in China has minimum orders that I have to meet in order to place an order. Generally that minimum is 1000 pieces but at that level, the price per piece is the highest. Colored shells are considered a separate order because they have to clean and re-tool the machine to make colored shells. Transparent colored shells are another story all together. Not only are they a separate minimum order, they also cost more than twice as much as the regular grey ones because in order to make them transparent, a different type of plastic has to be used that is much more expensive. Believe me, I'm far from a plastics "expert"...I'm just passing-along what I've been told. The few colored shells I've done, I've been able to beg and plead with the guy (which is a task in itself since I don't speak a lick of Chinese) and get him to let me do smaller runs of colored, transparent shells. I've made transparent blue, transparent red, clear, and transparent green.

 

I think the most I have ever charged for my shells is about $2.50 apiece even in lower quantities for the standard grey ones and I almost ALWAYS have some in-stock. I generally do not keep colored shells in-stock. The only colored ones I've done have been of the transparent variety and all of them have been done for a special project or another. They cost twice as much or more depending on the quantities.

 

It's kind of odd that this is being brought-up now of all times. A group of us JUST got together a few weeks ago and placed the largest order I've ever placed for Vectrex shells. There were several people in on the order and we bought around 5000 pieces. Everyone should be pretty much stocked-up for the foreseeable future. If anyone here did not get in on that order and would like some shells, just drop me a line as I have plenty of them in-stock. I'm on the gmail service as "skellyetc". I don't have webpage anymore...I don't really want one. I will be found at my gmail email address as long as Google offers it.

 

You know...it bugs me when people talk about my involvement in the Vectrex community in a negative way. I have been buying/selling/collecting/trading/supporting the Vectrex and the Vectrex community for probably 25 years now. I spent a lot of my own time and a buttload of my own money making these shells and I sell them for a more than reasonable price. I could easily have charged twice what I charge for the shells but I don't. What more can I do?

 

 

Sean Kelly

[+5-11under]

Hi Sean,

 

Welcome to AtariAge, first of all! If this project doesn't go through, I might need a few shells. I think you're well respected at AtariAge. Your multicarts and store are pretty much legendary, as far as I can see.

 

As for the timing, I started this project in September 2013 by designing a PCB. I followed that with quotes for mold and shells in November (and first PCB prototypes). Following that was time off for job-hunting (fortunately successful after 3 months! ), and working on more pressing projects. In January I designed a second prototype, which eventually got manufactured. On january 11 I saw a post about a group-buy of Vectrex shells. This is the first time I had ever seen Vectrex shells available for sale, except for the odd translucent one within the past number of months. I decided to keep plugging away at the project, knowing that a number of people probably recently purchased some. I was also under the impression that the group buy was originating from Europe, so I thought I could at least serve the North American market. I also thought that being able to provide an easily-programmed PCB along with the shell (and label) would be advantageous to some homebrewers.

[+5-11under]

Harvey,

 

Where are you in Ontario?

 

Please Facebook me as I don't get around this way much anymore.

 

PM sent with email address. Hopefully that will do.

[mkiker2089]

The only thing I would ask of Sean is to not give his email address in someone elses marketplace thread. Maybe I'm just too sensitive though. I'll defer to the wisdom of the Atari Elders.

[skellyetc]

As for the timing, I started this project in September 2013 by designing a PCB. I followed that with quotes for mold and shells in November (and first PCB prototypes). Following that was time off for job-hunting (fortunately successful after 3 months! ), and working on more pressing projects. In January I designed a second prototype, which eventually got manufactured. On january 11 I saw a post about a group-buy of Vectrex shells. This is the first time I had ever seen Vectrex shells available for sale, except for the odd translucent one within the past number of months. I decided to keep plugging away at the project, knowing that a number of people probably recently purchased some. I was also under the impression that the group buy was originating from Europe, so I thought I could at least serve the North American market. I also thought that being able to provide an easily-programmed PCB along with the shell (and label) would be advantageous to some homebrewers.

 

 

I wasn't really questioning your timing but rather merely pointing out that it was probably the worst possible timing for such a project. Of course I'm only referring to the shell part of it...the board looks very cool!

 

Listen, I'm not even suggesting that you don't go ahead with it if that's what you want to do. This thread was pointed-out to me by a couple different people so I thought I'd come in and add my two cents. It's an awful lot of money and there are perfect shells available already. If there's enough interest beyond the shells that I have available, by all means you should go ahead with it. If not, I'm happy to sell you some shells at a reasonable price.

 

As far as me posting my email address in the thread goes...the fact that I had to register here at Atari Age just to be able to post here should probably suggest that I don't do forums and I'm probably not hip to the etiquette. I didn't know that was impolite but given the fact that both my post and the original author's comments were intended as a service to the Vectrex community it would seem to me that it could be overlooked.

 

 

 

Sean Kelly

[Vectrexer]

The only thing I would ask of Sean is to not give his email address in someone elses marketplace thread. Maybe I'm just too sensitive though. I'll defer to the wisdom of the Atari Elders.

 

 

Is this actually a "Marketplace" thread any longer? The content so far suggests this thread is more of a development thread and/or a price query thread. Even the title is suggestive of this rather than a direct sale of ready to sell / ready to make production run products. I realize AtariAge runs its marketplace a little different, but most other forums frown a on a thread is mostly asking for price knowledge by sellers or buyers.

 

Hopefully Sean can be afforded some leeway due to what might be seen, for now, as a misplaced topic and thread.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Vectrexer

[+5-11under]

 

 

Is this actually a "Marketplace" thread any longer? The content so far suggests this thread is more of a development thread and/or a price query thread. Even the title is suggestive of this rather than a direct sale of ready to sell / ready to make production run products. I realize AtariAge runs its marketplace a little different, but most other forums frown a on a thread is mostly asking for price knowledge by sellers or buyers.

 

Hopefully Sean can be afforded some leeway due to content and what might be seen, for now, as a misplaced topic and thread.

 

It's trying to be a Marketplace thread!

 

It's not your average "send me an offer I can't refuse and I'll be interested" interest thread. It's a thread asking for concrete interest in a (hopefully) future product. Express interest to me, and if enough people do the same, then those who have expressed interest will be able buy what they've requested.

 

I'm not looking for price knowledge. The prices are listed in the first post. That said, because interest doesn't seem too great so far, people are more than welcome to send me offers of what they need and what it's worth to them. Novel solutions and other suggestions are of course also welcome.

[mkiker2089]

 

Is this actually a "Marketplace" thread any longer?

I think it is. The OP started it with people PMing him with orders to see if he could get it started.

 

 

I do realize I'm too sensitive sometimes about these things. I spend too much time worrying on other peoples problems and not enough on my own. No offense meant to anyone and I hope this succeeds in some form or another even if I'm not in a position to participate.

 

I keep trying to think of solutions to make the shells and pcbs more universal but that doesn't seem to be practical. I've seen Coleco shells used in a Vectrex but they had to be cut so you can't make combo units. The PCBs won't work as Atari or Vectrex, so that doesn't wash.

 

My concern is rather or not the Vectrex community has enough life left in it. We can't even get overlay's produced.

Edited April 22, 2014 by mkiker2089