Atari Flashback Portable!

[MrBeefy]

But lightguns...

Yeah play duck hunt on a flat screen and see how that works.

[Everett1954]

Wow, when did this turn from a FBP to a CRT vs. Flat Panel discussion?

 

I actually started that topic already:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/254722-what-type-of-display-are-you-using/

 

Lets keep on topic!

[Keatah]

But lightguns...

 

They'll be taken care of soon enough.

[walterg74]

They'll be taken care of soon enough.

[Retro-Z]

Older CRT TVs will all fail eventually. There aren't many techs around that service CRT units, so at some point it will be easier and/or more economical to upgrade the consoles (or use some other solution like emulation on modern hardware or an FPGA implementation of classic console hardware) for use with modern TVs/monitors than it will be to repair the CRT. This is of course, assuming the user is not an experienced electronics enthusiast or professional who can repair their own legacy equipment.

 

Consequently, the future of "retro gaming" for a vast majority of people almost certainly rests on hi-def flatscreen TVs, modern hardware, etc.

 

However, until that point, by all means, enjoy whatever you like! There is no need for everyone to agree on the best display solution for Atari 2600 goodness.

 

BACK ON TOPIC:

I picked up a Flashback portable at BB&B a few weeks ago, and while it does have a few issues, it is still a very cool little unit. Here's a brief list of pros/cons:

 

CONS-

1. Very narrow viewing angle of the screen. The sides & corners tend to look washed out if not viewed PERFECTLY straight on.

2. The D-pad shape makes it a bit too easy to inadvertently move left or right when the intended direction of movement is UP or DOWN. A fairly minor quibble...

3. The "START/RESET" button on my unit is difficult to operate. Just pressing it till it clicks doesn't accomplish anything. It must be pushed down fairly hard to work.

4. Any games requiring the use of paddle controllers are basically unplayable. They should not have been included. Especially noticeable when playing Astrosmash.

5. Ridiculous instruction manual doesn't help much with the included games. Many Atari 2600 games NEED the information from the manuals so the player knows what to do.

 

PROS-

1. This is a HUGE one: SD CARD!!!

2. Basic but functional layout and design that incorporates the switches of the 2600 console.

3. Good emulation that is compatible with a large number of Atari 2600 games

4. While not perfect, the D-pad is still an improvement (for me) over the Atari OEM CX-40 joysticks.

5. Internal battery has fairly good battery life.

6. I've had a blast trying out a TON of 2600 games I've never played before.

 

Really, the pros far outweigh the cons in my experience. The issue with the instruction manual is easily solved by visiting online resources (such as the game database here at AtariAge). The screen and D-pad issues don't have a huge impact on gameplay. The biggest issue is really the digital emulation for the analog paddle controllers. It's pretty bad and incredibly frustrating. When playing Astrosmash, it is almost impossible to shoot anything as the player's shots always miss the target due to the imprecision of movement. In essence, the device is really limited to games that utilized the standard joystick controller.

 

Anyway, I think the Atari Flashback Portable is an awesome little machine. I have played FAR more Atari 2600 titles in the two weeks I have had this thing than in the 10+ years I have been messing with Atari consoles/computers. I have also discovered about a dozen new favorites, and have finally tried out some interesting looking homebrews (like Blinky Goes Up). The D-pad and "A" button are starting to wear down to a smooth/glossy texture from all of the time spent burning through new games.

 

(The picture below illustrates the screen issue. Notice that the right side of the screen is a bit washed out and has less contrast, despite being viewed almost directly straight-on. It is more pronounced on games with a black or dark colored background)

Edited December 12, 2016 by Retro-Z

[Keatah]

That's prolly the edge where the backlight is..

[Retro-Z]

That's prolly the edge where the backlight is..

 

If the perspective were to be shifted a tad to the right, the left side of the screen would show the same effect (and the right side of the screen would be fine). AtGame's earlier Arcade Game Portable (aka Sega Master System/Game Gear portable) doesn't exhibit this on its screen.

 

This lack of contrast on one side (or the other) of the screen can sometimes mask the yellow fish in Aquaventure, causing a surprise death when trying avoid the other fish. LOL.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention earlier that I'm surprised AtGames doesn't market some basic accessories for this thing. Put a small advertising blurb on the box and at the front of the manual to "Visit the AtGames Website" for accessories like a carrying case, approved SD card, screen protectors, etc. These are the kinds of things that are easy and cheap to procure or produce, and are also easy to sell via a web store and ship out. I mean seriously... they already have the online retail site, and the accessories could be shared between the Genesis and Atari Portable model lines...

Edited December 12, 2016 by Retro-Z

[Andromeda Stardust]

What's not debateable is your ignorance that RF is not the only connection method to a CRT TV/Monitor...

Many consumer grade CRTs from bitd don't have composite or other inputs besides RF. And RF can still look good on classic CRT direct connected to the console with a properly shielded cable (no ratty manual or auto-switches)...

[walterg74]

Many CRTs don't have composite or other inputs.

And why on earth would you get one of those then..? What is your point? (Besides the fact that a CRT with NO other inputs I haven't seen in about 30 years...)

Edited December 12, 2016 by walterg74

[dgdgagdae]

Aannd another one for the ban list... sacrilegious!

I'm not familiar with all of the mods here, but I really don't think you have the authority to ban someone. It's sad to think that you'd do that if you could, only because we don't have the same kind of television. I've never seen someone spew so much hatred over one's choice of TV!

 

Until last year, I had a rear projection HD CRT that I absolutely loved. I never noticed lag on it, and it had all of the inputs I needed, except for HDMI that actually worked. It was HDMI 1.2, and it had handshaking problems with anything I connected that way. Lightning took it away in June of 2015, and I could not find anyone who could repair it. I made the decision to buy a Samsung UHD TV. I chose it partly based on inputs, and a lot of the decision was based on a very low lag time. Also, I can now actually connect modern devices to it.

 

To me, it was more important to be able to watch sports in as high of quality as possible, and it was more important than that to be able to enjoy shows and movies with my wife. Playing Atari 2600, NES, and other classic consoles was a little further down the list. But all in all, I think I made a fair compromise and filled that desire as well as I could, too.

 

Overall, it's one of the least important decisions that I'll make over the course of my lifetime. I don't think I'll be on my deathbed lamenting my choice of television. And I don't need some anonymous dickhole telling me how wrong of a decision I made.

 

You're a fun guy. Stay frosty!

Edited December 12, 2016 by dgdgagdae

[walterg74]

I'm not familiar with all of the mods here, but I really don't think you have the authority to ban someone. It's sad to think that you'd do that if you could, only because we don't have the same kind of television. I've never seen someone spew so much hatred over one's choice of TV!

 

Until last year, I had a rear projection HD CRT that I absolutely loved. I never noticed lag on it, and it had all of the inputs I needed, except for HDMI that actually worked. It was HDMI 1.2, and it had handshaking problems with anything I connected that way. Lightning took it away in June of 2015, and I could not find anyone who could repair it. I made the decision to buy a Samsung UHD TV. I chose it partly based on inputs, and a lot of the decision was based on a very low lag time. Also, I can now actually connect modern devices to it.

 

To me, it was more important to be able to watch sports in as high of quality as possible, and it was more important than that to be able to enjoy shows and movies with my wife. Playing Atari 2600, NES, and other classic consoles was a little further down the list. But all in all, I think I made a fair compromise and filled that desire as well as I could, too.

 

Overall, it's one of the least important decisions that I'll make over the course of my lifetime. I don't think I'll be on my deathbed lamenting my choice of television. And I don't need some anonymous dickhole telling me how wrong of a decision I made.

 

You're a fun guy. Stay frosty!

 

Yeah, you don't need that when you a dickhole of your own that doesn't know how to read in context...

 

Stay chilly...

Edited December 12, 2016 by walterg74

[+save2600]

Newbie fight - newbie fight!

 

When asking why someone would want a TV with only RF input... pretty silly or shortsighted question. I own at least 3 vintage TV's that only have a single coaxial or screwhead antenna connections. Besides the image quality looking better than LCD/LED screens for gaming, they work perfectly fine (will probably outlast ALL of my LCD's with their disposable power supplies, video and ballast boards) and look great with my vintage consoles as two of them have faux wood grain.

 

Anywho, still no sign of the Atari portable around here. After learning about how they botched the SD card usage though, can't say I'm as interested.

[walterg74]

Newbie fight - newbie fight!

 

When asking why someone would want a TV with only RF input... pretty silly or shortsighted question. I own at least 3 vintage TV's that only have a single coaxial in or screwhead antenna connections. Besides the image quality looking better than LCD/LED screens for gaming, they work perfectly fine (will probably outlast ALL of my LCD's with their disposable power supplies, video and ballast boards) and look great with my vintage consoles as two of them have faux wood grain.

 

Anywho, still no sign of the Atari portable around here. After learning about how they botched the SD card usage though, can't say I'm as interested.

Pretty silly and shortsided is to own at least 3 vintage tvs with RF only for gaming when there are vintage tvs with superior inputs... Edited December 13, 2016 by walterg74

[+save2600]

Pretty silly and shortsided is to own at least 3 vintage tvs with RF only for gaming when there are vintage tvs with superior inputs...

Try to think beyond your nose for a sec. Not everyone cares to mod their vintage systems. Some of us (myself included) have already been there, done that and have gone back to RF on certain systems for a multitude of reasons. Some of us (myself included) want more of a genuine and nostalgic gaming experience. The way we played them in the 70's and 80's. When putting together classic game rooms, some of us also appreciate having wood grain TV's of the period to match the systems and decor for aesthetic and cosmetic reasons. You getting the picture now?

 

Oh and have an Arachnid arcade quality dart board with RF out for Cricket, Baseball, etc. Several pong and video pinball systems too. Certainly not going to bother A/V modding those. So again, glad to have older sets that look and work perfectly fine for the job.

[Keatah]

I refuse to A/V mod my Apple II. I absolutely insist on using a period RF connection to a 5" Sony KV-5000. Just like when I was a kid. If I'm doing 80 columns, I'll likely use my 1084s. If I want laser sharp text or graphics I'll fire up Emulator Applewin.

[walterg74]

Try to think beyond your nose for a sec. Not everyone cares to mod their vintage systems. Some of us (me included) have already been there, done that and have gone back to RF on certain systems for a multitude of reasons. Some of us (me included) want more of a genuine and nostalgic gaming experience. The way we played them in the 70's and 80's. When putting together classic game rooms, some of us also appreciate having wood grain TV's of the period to match the systems and decor for aesthetic and cosmetic reasons. You getting the picture now?

 

Oh and have an Arachnid arcade quality dart board with RF out, for Cricket, Baseball, etc. Several pong and video pinball systems too. Certainly not going to bother A/V modding those. So again, glad to have older sets that look and work perfectly fine for the job.

Yep, and clearly has nothing to do with getting the best picture out of your vintage console. Or someone "complaining" about how bad RF is and also stating it's a preference... can't have it both ways...

 

Oh, and "a multitude" of reasons..? Please name 3 reasons for choosing RF besides what you said just about taste/furniture matching and being too lazy to mod a console...

Edited December 13, 2016 by walterg74

[walterg74]

I refuse to A/V mod my Apple II. I absolutely insist on using a period RF connection to a 5" Sony KV-5000. Just like when I was a kid. If I'm doing 80 columns, I'll likely use my 1084s. If I want laser sharp text or graphics I'll fire up Emulator Applewin.

You must have been hit pretty hard on the head as a kid ti have that memory I guess, being there's no need to A/V mod an Apple II. You know, with them all coming standard with composite video already...

Edited December 13, 2016 by walterg74

[Keatah]

Yep, and clearly has nothing to do with getting the best picture out of your vintage console. Or someone "complaining" about how bad RF is and also stating it's a preference... can't have it both ways...

RF.. While it can be ratty, can also be a nostalgic preference. The audio buzzing and hum, the wavering image, the undefined edges. It adds to "the experience".

 

The quest is not always about the best. Sometimes one propeller is all you want.

[Mr SQL]

I picked one of these units up recently and got some clues from the way Scrollout Follow the Ball plays where the emuation is breaking the game.

 

I should be able to patch a version of Virtual World BASIC to support it using the CBS RAM format like SFTB since the routines are similar.

 

And I think it shouldn't belong in dedicated consoles, it should go in the Atari 2600 forum since it's a portable Atari that takes tiny cartridges rather than running off a fixed set of built in games.

 

I wonder if Atari will release game packs on SD cart for the portable or new mini games

[phoenixdownita]

RF.. While it can be ratty, can also be a nostalgic preference. The audio buzzing and hum, the wavering image, the undefined edges. It adds to "the experience".

 

The quest is not always about the best. Sometimes one propeller is all you want.

Me afraid irony lost in translations.

[Keatah]

You must have been hit pretty hard on the head as a kid ti have that memory I guess, being there's no need to A/V mod an Apple II. You know, with them all coming standard with composite video already...

(Tongue in cheek humor with a sly grin.) Now I will school you up. AV modding is not always about going from RF to Composite. It can also mean going from Composite to S-Video, or to RGB. And there are RGB and VGA boards that plug into the II series. A solderless mod, if you will. Other video-related mods relied on clips and 2-chip mini daughtercards - but those were mostly for dealing with character sets for 80 and 160 column cards.

[Keatah]

Me afraid irony lost in translations.

The one propeller thing?

[+save2600]

Please name 3 reasons for choosing RF besides what you said just about taste/furniture matching and being too lazy to mod a console...

Sometimes RF is better than some of these mods. I've had modded systems where:

 

1) contrast/brightness and/or color/tint is off and no amount of tuning the pots fully corrects

 

2) sound is distorted or unbalanced in the case of the 7800 where Commando, Ballblazer and any new games with Pokey

 

3) the interference (yes, stray RF still affects your cable) just produces a *different* pattern of wavy lines than native RF out

 

4) dot crawl is observed

 

5) plastic case is hacked, cut and drilled when you'd rather it was left all original. People could simply route breakout cables which inherently have better shielding through existing holes, but most don't

 

6) ghosting or worse yet, *more* apparent

 

7) jailbars are *more* prevalent

 

Eight) modern TV set composite input not 100% compatible w/ A/V modded console - doesn't sync

 

Whoops, came up with more than three reasons.

[phoenixdownita]

The one propeller thing?

The whole thing!!!!

 

Now you brought up SVideo and RGB (or gosh VGA) that are all composhit artifacts destroying AV signaling standards ..... we're never gonna hear the end of the "book of the righteous" now, are we?

 

I kind of like how that story goes.

 

1. Statement that the only way (or the original way) to enjoy something must be your way as a fact and not an opinion

2. bicker back and forth with anyone with a different opinion just because it's different than yours

3. throw couple of insults here and there

4. there's no 4, the damage is done at 1

 

 

Note: there exists a subset of games that indeed catered to the CRT itself, color artifacts (this actually targets the composite signal itself) or blending or light gun tech of the time, but the vast majority had to deal with it just because it was what he user's home had and they can be played and actually enjoyed in HD, upscaling and all. Wrt lag that's a different subject, CRT is king of lag free by construction, I hope we'll see HD sets with lower and lower buffering delay, 1 frame would be ideal (less if possible but I doubt as many sets take a 240p signal as a 480i and try to deinterlace it to a 480p which causes 2 full frames of lag when done naively [like wait first field while buffering it, interlace with second field in buffer, display]).

[+sramirez2008]

I apologize if this question has already been asked/answered within this thread, but is there anyway to get the Space Invaders (Arcade) ROM that came with the pre-production models? I don't have that model, but would like to have the ROM. I'm hoping AtGames will make it available, at least for those of us that have purchased a unit.