New Atari Console that Ataribox?

[Keatah]

I can't find any corroboration, but the tester in the below video says the Replay differs from the AK1 in these ways (not including software):

 

-Name brand eMMC modules.

-Name brand RAM.

-Adjustments to BIOS that should allow for an up to 15% increase in performance over the AK1.

 

And I can't find any AcePC AK1 for less than the same version of Replay. I'll grant that "pre-order" prices are pretty nice. OTOH, the old "a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush" applies.

 

It's reasonable to upgrade/downgrade some aspects of the system to adjust price point or make the feature set more attractive to an audience

 

You're not likely to find it any cheaper (today) than for what Dreamcade offers (in the future), they probably have orders in batches of 500 or 1000 and are receiving a discount. So there's that. IMHO, in this hobby, $20 or $30 difference on a coupla'hunnert isn't a big deal.

 

As far as BIOS customization, I'm sure that's fine. But it bothers *me* because they're skimping on the system specs. The addition of 200 or 300 MHz to the clocks would make up the difference.

 

When working with PCs in today's environment of planned obsolescence through artificially induced incompatibilities, the less customization the better. I generally apply this philosophy to hardware and low-level software like BIOS and most parts of the OS. Their custom-made front-end doesn't fall into this category because it is simply a program, and application. Not a system-critical piece like a driver or library. You could probably lift the Dreamcade front-end and put it on your own rig, or find something similar.

[Keatah]

A number of people have said the same, and yes anyone could buy an AK1 or similar themselves and have a Windows emulation unit for a fair amount more money, but there are a number of subtle differences. Firstly, they didn't use anybody else's off the shelf mini PC. They had China manufacturer's assemble the most features on a Pico ATX form factor board they could get while meeting their price point. They never claimed custom electronics, but what they made is every bit as custom as anything @tawee will do. Their boards were ordered to their design with the features they needed. Anybody can do the same with a competent order to a plant in China. It's like ordering a cake essentially. They're not using someone else's design, but the PCB is made/printed and components are assembled in China from common parts. If they could buy another board with the required features at the right price point, that would have been fine too. You rarely buy a TV made by the company with the name slapped on it anymore. It's called OEM and it's done constantly. This is not that. The reason it gets compared to the AcePC is because that's another, of several, units made with the same generic case that those manufacturer's can offer.

 

This is the first and only Kickstarter I've ever backed, and probably last. Not because I regret anything, but because so many are awful. I've followed these guys for a long time in their arcade cab business, and from the start, they had a solid clue about what they were doing.

 

I can pretty much assure you that Dreamcade did not order a custom design. Not any more custom than you or I could do at this price point. All we could do is specify things like number/type of port connectors, memory amount, and processor speed. There is no real engineering on the part of Dreamcade going on here. As you can see, the Chinese manufacturer simply silk-screened Dreamcade Replay on an existing board, which just happens to be the same as the AcePC AK1.

 

The reason it gets compared to the AcePC is because it IS an AcePC motherboard. The boards are identical. Very much trace for trace. Note the AK1 moniker on both boards. Any differences in layout are going to be subtle, and only due to version number increments. The AcePC pictured here is V2.1 and the Replay board is V2.3. Dated about 8 months apart, there may be some revision changes and improvements or cost-cuttings. Perhaps a different size capacitor here, an additional pull-up resistor there, maybe. But by and large it's the EXACT same board.

 

So, these same China-based manufacturers that made the AcePC also make the Dreamcade Replay. And the motherboard is the same. With the only differences coming from what parts/connector are stuffed. Less parts or lower quality parts are stuffed in the Replay to lower the price point.

 

Here is the Dreamcade PCB you posted. Pick an arbitrary trace and you can find it on the AcePC board.

 

Here is the AcePC, stuffed with parts. Pick an arbitrary trace and you can find it on the Replay board.

 

 

 

Custom, semi-custom.. whatever.. It's just a matter of semantics when you're using all off-the-shelf parts. Building and marketing PCs like this has been done since the early Bell & Howell Apple II days, probably sooner. Apple built a number of machines for Bell & Howell education department, and included extra audio-video connectors as the main differentiating features. But the B&H was still and Apple II+ made by Apple Computer.

 

Fast-forward to Gateway 2000 and their Pentium-Pro machines and Destination TV-PC convergence products. The dot-com era. They used a bunch of VS440FX mainboards from intel. And the boards had several manufacturing options such as onboard sound, joystick, and system management controls, as well as certain connectors, voltage regulator module, and a few other things. Intel simply stuffed/configured the board to what Gateway wanted.

 

Heck.. when I purchased by AL440LX and BX6R2 I had the opportunity to specify a number of options too! And I'm just a schmuck consumer-boy.

 

These sorts of goings-on with Dreamcade are no different.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Keatah

[Keatah]

 

A number of people have said the same, and yes anyone could buy an AK1 or similar themselves and have a Windows emulation unit for a fair amount more money, but there are a number of subtle differences. Firstly, they didn't use anybody else's off the shelf mini PC. They had China manufacturer's assemble the most features on a Pico ATX form factor board they could get while meeting their price point. They never claimed custom electronics, but what they made is every bit as custom as anything @tawee will do. Their boards were ordered to their design with the features they needed.

 

These boards are NOT designed by Dreamcade. Dreamcade can not engineer their way out of a paper bag any more than atari sa could. This is rebranding and packaging exercise.

 

The options and specifications chosen by Dreamcade are the same you or I could specify. Nothing about the board is "custom". Nor does it have to be. The types of options we're talking about are memory amount, processor speed, number of usb/video connectors - or presence or absence of them. Size of M2 SSD. Wi-Fi or no Wi-Fi, that sort of thing.

Edited May 11, 2018 by Keatah

[toiletunes]

Real tacos. Real dinner. Real good.

[PlaysWithWolves]

Finally, back on tacopic.

[JBerel]

mmmm tacos. I think we agree with far too many words. Sure it's a garden variety clone, but to say they just slapped their logo on someone else's PC isn't fair. It's clear they did not, but no doubt had it manufactured, assembled, whatever from the same factory. Maybe several factories over there have the same components. I wouldn't doubt it because I've read many times they setup ghost plants for most new system orders so they can manufacture for others, legally or otherwise. My point is they're not trying to pull a fast one, or con anyone, unlike other kickstarters.

Edited May 11, 2018 by JBerel

[+frankodragon]

How I like to stuff myself with tacos and then later, break right into one of Atari SA's useless meetings perfuming their room with taco farts on their long table. Although I'd have to go here first since Paris has very little in taco places: http://www.foodrepublic.com/2011/07/13/tacos-in-paris-mais-oui/

[Max Ivi]

so much negative criticism on this forum, but I understand ...

Atari has disappointed, Atari is desired, Atari has delays ... But well if we look at the other side of the coin, we can quickly understand that Virt-U will be in Atari VCS, then you'll see that it's a very good opportunity for Atari

so much negative criticism on this forum, but I understand ... Atari has disappointed, Atari is desired, Atari has delays ... But well if we look at the other side of the coin, we can quickly understand that Virt-U will be in Atari VCS, then you'll see that it's a very good opportunity for Atari

[CPUWIZ]

Who desires the current Atari?

[+frankodragon]

"Atari" doesn't listen.

[racerx]

The thing is, all they've said is that they'll announce a pre-order date. How hard is that?

They can announce a "holiday 2018" date, and Max Ivi can claim victory while Atari strings him along for another seven months.

Oh, Max...

 

I actually gave "Atari" about five months too much credit.

[Keatah]

mmmm tacos. I think we agree with far too many words. Sure it's a garden variety clone, but to say they just slapped their logo on someone else's PC isn't fair. It's clear they did not, but no doubt had it manufactured, assembled, whatever from the same factory. Maybe several factories over there have the same components. I wouldn't doubt it because I've read many times they setup ghost plants for most new system orders so they can manufacture for others, legally or otherwise. My point is they're not trying to pull a fast one, or con anyone, unlike other kickstarters.

 

They are using the same PC mainboard AcePC AK1 is using. There is no ambiguity on that point. There is no custom design. They are clearly and unequivocally placing their name on the same board used in the AcePC. It doesn't make it more or less real. It just is.

 

Pulling a fast one has little or nothing to do with use of the AK1 motherboard. Dreamcade has been around for some time. And I believe anyone can confidently order existing & shipping products from them.

Edited May 12, 2018 by Keatah

[PlaysWithWolves]

I know 10% of nothin' about Raspberry Pi3, but today's Woot looks interesting. A full kit with controllers for $60.

 

For me personally, I'd want it to play N64 games well--which I understand Pi is a mediocre choice. Also, that whole Netflix backup thing too.

 

Now, if I could throw it in CommanderGrimm's 3D-printed AVCS clone I might change my mind.

 

EDIT: A commenter there says, "This is not the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, which is the latest model."

[Osgeld]

EDIT: A commenter there says, "This is not the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, which is the latest model."

 

yes raspberry pi foundation have retards in the naming department mixing number revisions, letters, + and no plus versions its hard to glance and know what you are getting

[Keatah]

/b/

[Shamus]

/b/

Dear God, noooo!

 

/me readies the flamethrowers

[MrBeefy]

I know 10% of nothin' about Raspberry Pi3, but today's Woot looks interesting. A full kit with controllers for $60.

 

For me personally, I'd want it to play N64 games well--which I understand Pi is a mediocre choice. Also, that whole Netflix backup thing too.

 

Now, if I could throw it in CommanderGrimm's 3D-printed AVCS clone I might change my mind.

 

EDIT: A commenter there says, "This is not the Raspberry Pi 3 B+, which is the latest model."

The B+ is faster but not enough to dent the N64. However the regular or plus model run PSX without an issue. I love my raspberry pi and made like a ghetto switch looking handheld.

[Dr Manhattan]

You know the other kids on Atari Age are saying we are a containment thread. Give to to me straight folks. Are we really a containment thread?

[godslabrat]

The light is green, the trap is clean.

[toiletunes]

...and the box is empty, just like shatariVc$

[PlaysWithWolves]

The taco is a lie.

[toiletunes]

No, the taco is real- everything else is a lie.

[+x=usr(1536)]

If this is a containment thread, then I don't wanna roam free!

[+frankodragon]

The cake usually is a lie but in this case, tacos and cake are real.

[Flojomojo]

You dudes are adding to the terrible signal to noise ratio of this thread. At least try to add some knowledge, will you?

 

Here are the latest details about this important upcoming system:

 

 

 

oh come on, you're not still falling for this, are you?

 

taco taco taco

bullshit bullshit bullshit

 

this thing ain't happening

my job is done here