On the fence about getting a 7800...

[Andromeda Stardust]

Okay, so a couple weeks ago, I was surfing the AA forums and I chanced across the PacmanPlus "Sanctioned" Multicart thread. Without thinking twice, I reserved a copy of this awesome upcoming homebrew, despite the fact that I don't yet actually own a 7800.

 

I've been doing a lot of thinking, and have decided that instead of passing my slot down to the next guy, I may want to add the game along with a 7800 to my collection in the near future.

 

Currently, I have three choices: overpay on feebay, buy a console site unseen on Amazon, typically with a one word descriptor like "good," "acceptable," etc, or ask the experts (you guys). I also know there are a few issues with the 7800 that need to be addressed. First and foremost, certain revisions of the A7800 have certain compatability issues with some games, including select 2600 and 7800 titles. I am at a complete loss as to identifying which revisions will have compatability problems. This is especially true with homebrew games that use undocumented instructions. Even if someone told me what to look for, since it is doubtful that my local game shop will get one in, if I order one online, I won't have the ability to inspect it in person before I buy it.

 

So if someone here at AtariAge could point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it. I'm not quite ready to make the purchase yet, but when I do I'll probably think I'd like to buy or trade for one from a fellow AA member. I honestly have no idea what the fair market value is on these things.

 

NES is my all-time favorite controller and I'm skilled in electronics, so I plan on doing the NES->7800 conversion mod. I still like to game on CRTs so I'm actually in favor of preserving the stock RF units over performing the AV mod. I actually replaced the RCA on my 2600 with Coax and added a giant RF choke to the cable. Overall it made the RF much cleaner, and the slight horizontal color bleed on the right hand edge of the pixels helps to soften the jaggies a little. And nothing quite replicates the irredescent glow of phosphor trails and scanlines.

 

Anyway guys, help me decide what to do. I'm still teetering on the fence, possibly about to fall over the side and into greener pastures...

[Trebor]

Owning 'AT84', 'A1' (With and without Expansion port), 'A3', and 'X' serial units, and the 'AT85', rare 'EP' serial units, are comparable to the AT84, notwithstanding damaged units or/and defect/worn parts, all 7800 games - original retail and homebrews should work fine. There is about a handful or so 2600 titles out of ~1000 that may not work on some 7800 units. Obtain a 2600 Harmony cartridge which works great on all 7800 serial models and play 2600 games, including Starpath Supercharger ones, simply.

 

A general rule of thumb, if you're still concerned with compatibility, is to obtain a unit with a full Expansion Module Interface.

 

Regardless, you want a (like) new 7800 with just RF - get one easily and reliably right here:

 

http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/7800.htm

 

Reconditioned Atari US CX7800 System. Comes with CX7800 Console (All in like New condition), two New Non Atari brand BP or Pro-Stick Joysticks your choice (Click here to see pictures of the Joysticks) (Some Atari 7800 game cartridges require an Atari CX24 Joystick or CX78 Joypad for proper game operation), New Atari CX7800 Power Supply, New Atari Cable Ready Universal TV Switch Box (better than stock supplied 7800 original non cable ready Atari TV switch box), New Upgraded Atari RF Cable (better than stock supplied 7800 short RF cable), New boxed Atari 7800 Jinks game with Owners Manual (see Atari 7800 Game listing below for more information on the Atari 7800 Jinks game),New 7800 System Owners Manual and comes with the same Atari 90 day Warranty as when they were first released! CX7800-RE $89.95

 

Call directly: Phone: 408-278-1070 (1:30 - 5 PM, PST, M - F)

Or if you prefer email: bestelec@concentric.net

Just place: CX7800-RE $89.95 in the subject to ensure it doesn't end up as filtered/spam email.

 

P.S. If you like/desire you can get the same unit equipped with one 7800 Euro Pad for only $24.95 more:

 

Reconditioned Atari US CX7800 System, same as above CX7800 System but Upgraded (substituted for the two BP or Pro-Sticks) to one New European version Atari CX78 Joypad (Atari CX78 Joypads were only shipped with Atari European version CX7800's sold). CX7800-RE78 $114.90.

[gorfcadet]

I see you are a purist in terms of av mod which I support though I do have a few mods in my collection. I would never mod or change my Sunnyvale heavy sixer. I will absolutely endorse you getting a TIA mod switch though because the interference from that chip on 7800 titles is infuriating to look at on games like Commando where you have anything but a black background.

Yes, do nes mod on a pad or two if you like Robotron. Prolines are awful. Euro pads are still not as good as a nes pad. I'm still trying to get someone to custom me a Virtual Boy pad for Robotron that would be a 2player in 1 pad with p1 dpad on the left and buttons on the right and p2 on the right w/buttons on the left.

It is really cool system. Try to get a low serial number to save on compatibility problems. Later units have some issues with random games. One of mine hates Berzerk, Stella's Stocking, and the Choplifter on the new multicart, but my other has no problem.

In a nutshell:

Low serial number is good.

TIA mod good.

Nes pads good.

[Trebor]

Low serial number is good.

Just to be clear. the order of 'serial number's beginning' from oldest ("low") to newest is:

 

EP (Has full Expansion Interface)

AT84 (Has full Expansion Interface)

AT85 (Has full Expansion Interface)

 

A1 (with full Expansion Interface)

 

A1 (without full Expansion Interface)

A3 (No Expansion Interface)

 

X (No Expansion Interface)

[Andromeda Stardust]

Pardon me for my ignorance, but what is the expansion interface?

 

 

I'm not agains console mods per say. My 2600 has a Power LED and a gold plated F connector sticking out the back end. My NES had a high intensity blue power LED, a big red volume pot for expansion audio, and a USB port in the back for cart dumping. Honestly, my main beef with the A/V mods, while they may give you cleaner picture, is that all existing mods disable the "stock" RF, so adding one feature unfortunately means taking away something else. My NES, SNES, and Genesis have both A/V and RF output. My TurboGrafx uses RF by default but it has pin headers in the expansion port for A/V, so assuming there's no CD unit attached, anyone can tap them easily without permanently modding the console. For N64 and Game Cube, I can choose to run the stock A/V multi-out or plug in the official N64 RF modulator. The modulator also halfway fits in my A/V Famicom but not my "blocky" NTSC SNES

 

I also stuck RCA male to F female adapters (the opposite version of the jack AtariAge sells) on all the RF out jacks on my retro consoles so I just plug in real RG-6 coax strait to the TV instead of the lossy Nintendo/Sega RF dongles (which don't work with Atari btw). I know the Nintendo/Sega/Turbo consoles output a 5V DC bias to the RCA RF connector which powers the auto switch, but everything runs fine and dandy (with a cleaner signal) when direct connected with Coax.

[Trebor]

Pardon me for my ignorance, but what is the expansion interface?

The 7800 system was originally designed to be upgraded to a full-fledged home computer, if desired.

 

A keyboard was developed, and the keyboard has an expansion port (which was the SIO port from Atari's 8-bit computer hardware line - although the system would not be compatible with 8-bit computer software products).

 

Simply, the Expansion Interface was intended to allow for additional peripherals to expand the system.

 

It looks like this located on the left side of the console:

 

 

There is also rumors that a LaserDisc player was possibly discussed for the system. Unfortunately, it likely never went further than an idea or notion, considering the 7800 signal is not standard NTSC, among other things.

[Andromeda Stardust]

What is it about Atari video output that's off-spec? My Hauppauge analog USB capture device (composite, S-video) completely barfed on a VCR demodulated Atari signal. It looked like grayscale crap. But the capture card records composite from all my 240p consoles perfectly fine. NES, SNES, Genesis, N64 all capture perfectly but the demodulated Atari signal looked like grayscale roach poop.

 

Also, if I buy a reconditioned 7800 from Best Electronics, am I more likely to get a low serial or a high serial? I'm assuming if it's overstock from the Atari warehouse, is it more likely to be a late release model but idk?

[Trebor]

What is it about Atari video output that's off-spec?

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/72599-atari-7800-laserdisc-memo/?do=findComment&comment=889518

 

 

Also, if I buy a reconditioned 7800 from Best Electronics, am I more likely to get a low serial or a high serial? I'm assuming if it's overstock from the Atari warehouse, is it more likely to be a late release model but idk?

 

The model I happened to receive was an A1 with full Expansion Interface - I didn't ask or inquire about it at the time.

 

Inquiring with Best would probably provide the answer, no?

[Lynxpro]

2600s can be picky too. My childhood Lite Sixer hated every single copy [6] of Air Sea Battle we purchased [and returned].

[Dauber]

Just my two cents plus inflation:

 

My Atari 7800 that doesn't have an expansion port (or even a cut-out for one) so far has played EVERYTHING I've tried...all Imagic titles I've tried, all Activision games I've tried (including The Activision Decathlon and Space Shuttle), even Starpath Supercharger games.

 

One reason that the 7800 has problems with some games is simply that it's a tight fit, sometimes too tight for everything to click. The solution to that: take apart the casing, and you'll see that there's a big plastic lip around the cart slot. Cut that lip out with a razor or Dremel, and that significantly improves things.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Just an FYI, I placed a phone order with Best yesterday. I'm going to be getting an refurbished AV modded 7800 complete with a Euro CX78 Joystick, dust covers for my 2600 and 7800, replacement switches for my 4-switcher, and a pair of super pots for my paddles, yay!!!

[Jinks]

Just fyi.. check out the programming section and see the topic adventurer.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Just fyi.. check out the programming section and see the topic adventurer.

I just did, thanks for the tip. It looks like something Sprybug would try to make if he was a 7800 programmer instead of 2600.

[Jinks]

Just thought its something you might like being a neser..

[Andromeda Stardust]

Yeah, NES was/is still my first love. I really have a soft spot for the 8- and 16-bit generation consoles. Aside from the Genesis and Atari VCS, most of the non-Nintendo consoles prior to the mid 90s appear to be underdogs. This year I've added TG-16 and SMS (through Genesis adapter) to my console repertoire; now 7800 looks like a logical next step. Of course then there's the overlooked "2.5" generation consoles such as 5200, Colecovision, and Vectrex. And from there, I simply don't know where it will end...

[Trebor]

...I've added TG-16 ...

 

Contains, without question, the absolute best version of Castlevania among the 8 and 16-bit consoles; however, you need the CD add-on and a 3.0 System Card. Obtain a copy of Akumajou Dracula X - Chi no Rondo (AKA Dracula X - Rondo of Blood) and utilize this to translate it all to English.

 

Even without the complete English translation, the game is spectacular and all the necessary options/settings are in English anyhow. Despite it not being released to the states, if you possess what is mentioned above, you can still play it.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Have you seen how stooopid expensive the CD-ROM attachments are? With the Turbo Everdrive, I have access to the entire US/Jap Hucard library. Sadly with my current setup, if it ain't available on Hucard, I can't play it.

[Andromeda Stardust]

My Best AV-Modded 7800 console arrived Tuesday. I gotta admit Best really overpacked my 7800 to make sure it arrived safely. No expansion connector to be found, but presumably I got one of the "good" consoles because I fired up Food Fight and it runs fine. That game is crazy fun and addictive; definitely the gem of the games I've tried so far! I've also got a few arcade ports, but many of those games seemed to have better conversions for the NES. I'm currently waiting for a motherload shipment of games from Atari2600.com as well as my PMP 30th Anniversary homebrew multicart.