Atari 7800 High Score Cart?

[Draugr]

Hi everyone.

 

Question... Is there a high score saving cart available for sale for the 7800? I'm not talking about the originals which I'm sure are sold out and obviously discontinued, but is there a new project or hardware release that stores high scores? I know the XM is supposed to do this, but who knows when that project will be complete and released. Please let me know if there is some new project for score saving on the 7800.

 

Thanks,

John

[Shawn]

I think you will have to wait for the XM or find someone willing to sell their HSC. It's a neat novelty. If you get a HSC make sure the save feature actually works on it as some of them don't work right at all while others do. I went through 2 of them before I got one that actually worked as it should. When I got one that finally worked it is a neat thing to have as I previously mentioned.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

Shawn speaks the truth! I have #100 from the original run of Curt's HSC that used the battery save, and even with a new battery holder and battery, Mine loses all information as soon as you power off or reset the 7800 and have to type the ower etc in again. However, if you are only planning on playing one supported game for a while and never reset the cart does retain the scores for tournament playing.

[Shawn]

Shawn speaks the truth! I have #100 from the original run of Curt's HSC that used the battery save, and even with a new battery holder and battery, Mine loses all information as soon as you power off or reset the 7800 and have to type the ower etc in again. However, if you are only planning on playing one supported game for a while and never reset the cart does retain the scores for tournament playing.

 

I had 1 from the first run and 2 from the second run. All 3 had problems, 1 ended up in the trash cause I was so pissed off, It took about 8 months to get one that eventually worked back in working order from Curt as originally it didn't hold a save either as CrossBow mentioned. And the 3rd one I sold as-is. There was a 3rd run where the battery was removed in place of an EEPROM or something but I never bothered to get one after going 1 for 3 with the previous offerings. I considered getting one from the 3rd batch but wised up before wasting anymore money.

 

I think the HSC could be awesome if released by someone else who would take the time to make sure it was sold in working order as it's a really cool little add on when it does work.

[Dauber]

I have the version that plugs into the controller port. Works quite well, too.

[Shawn]

I have the version that plugs into the controller port. Works quite well, too.

 

I think you're talking about the savekey not the high score cart. Totally different product.

[MadBomber]

I had 1 from the first run and 2 from the second run. All 3 had problems, 1 ended up in the trash cause I was so pissed off, It took about 8 months to get one that eventually worked back in working order from Curt as originally it didn't hold a save either as CrossBow mentioned. And the 3rd one I sold as-is. There was a 3rd run where the battery was removed in place of an EEPROM or something but I never bothered to get one after going 1 for 3 with the previous offerings. I considered getting one from the 3rd batch but wised up before wasting anymore money.

 

I think the HSC could be awesome if released by someone else who would take the time to make sure it was sold in working order as it's a really cool little add on when it does work.

Ugh. So if the item-which-must-not-be-named ever does ship, it probably won't work anyway.

[Mayhem]

I've got one of the original HSC from the very first batch put together (with Curt's signature on the box), and it was temperamental at best. I got one of the new ones but it didn't work so I sent it back. Still waiting for a replacement, as well as the XM.

[jwierer]

I got one of the new ones but it didn't work so I sent it back. Still waiting for a replacement, as well as the XM.

Me as well.

[Shawn]

I've got one of the original HSC from the very first batch put together (with Curt's signature on the box), and it was temperamental at best. I got one of the new ones but it didn't work so I sent it back. Still waiting for a replacement, as well as the XM.

 

 

 

Me as well.

 

So it looks like I made the right call by not getting in on that last batch (I'm sorry to hear you two got burned). What a fuckin' joke eh?

[jwierer]

I am not sure I got burned. My 7800 at the time was temperamental. I remember a bunch of Bob's homebrews would fail as well. I've since replaced it and in retrospect, I wish I had just kept the highscore cart and tested it with my current 7800 - might have actually worked. I am still hopeful I'll get a replacement.

[Shawn]

I am not sure I got burned. My 7800 at the time was temperamental. I remember a bunch of Bob's homebrews would fail as well. I've since replaced it and in retrospect, I wish I had just kept the highscore cart and tested it with my current 7800 - might have actually worked. I am still hopeful I'll get a replacement.

 

Best of luck. I hope you get it and it works 100 percent for you

[Lynxpro]

If the HSC had that many issues with it being manufactured after 1999, one wonders how reliable it would've been back in 1984-1986 had it been released by either Atari Inc or Atari Corp.

 

Dan Kramer looked at GCC's schematics to their "7800 Trak-Ball Controller" - which was a modified version of his CX-22 - and he couldn't understand how it would've been cost effective to manufacture it with their modifications and extra circuitry.

 

Maybe GCC got lucky with the MARIA chip.

[Shawn]

If the HSC had that many issues with it being manufactured after 1999, one wonders how reliable it would've been back in 1984-1986 had it been released by either Atari Inc or Atari Corp.

 

 

I think it would have gone just fine in "84-86" under Atari and the problem was with those who brought it out "post 99" not the concept as a whole.