My first Bally

[scotty]

Greetings gang,

 

I have been on AtariAge for quite a few years, and have always wanted one since it's release. I got it about a year or so ago from Video Game Connection in Cleveland, Oh. I have known the owner for quite a few years, and he has quite a few good deals. I got the Bally unit with Incredible Wizard, but missing the smoked cover in the back for $75.

 

Anyhow, I grew up with the Atari 400 and 800. Added a VCS (2600) a short time later, but was very familiar with all the competition. A good friend of mine (who I am still close friends with today) Tracey, had a Bally, and I was SO JEALOUS. She somehow had Muncher, as well as Astro Battle (Space Invaders) and a few others. I attended the CCAG show here in Cleveland every year and got to know Ken Lill and Mike White pretty good. Still jealous of their WHITE Bally units!! Ken always sold his UltiMulti cart at the shows, and I wish I would have picked one up. Did not have the Bally unit yet, but I knew I would someday. Anyhow, I just got the UltiMulti 3.0 from Ken a week or so ago. THIS THING ROCKS!! If you do not have one, GET ONE!! Ken is a first class guy, plus he is an Ohioan.

 

I picked up a smoked cover off ebay for a great price. Seller was asking a bit more than I wanted to pay. Made an offer, and he accepted. It is the Bally Computer System cover, and my unit is a newer Astrovision, so it does not exactly match from a collectors standpoint, but without seeing the serial number sticker, no body has any clue.

 

I am so glad I finally added this great piece of hardware to my collection. I can not say enough good thing's about Ken's UltiMulti cart!! Something EVERY Bally owner needs!! I have replaced the original RF cable that came with it, as the insulation covering did not go all the way to the connector, and I am assuming that is the reason I got it so cheap. I must admit, that this system probably has the BEST RF output of any of the systems I own. This includes several 2600's, 5200, two 7800's (both signed by Steve Golson from GCC), two Colecovisions, two Intellivisions, Odyssey 2, Atari Video Pinball and others.

 

I am an emulation JUNKIE. I have been emulating sing the days of the Atari ST. I have been Mame since before it was Mame, when it was know as the Multi Pac Emulator. I have played Bally in Mame for years, but it feels so good to play this on real hardware after all these years.

 

Scott

PS- Did I mention if you are reading this, you need an UltiMulti??

[Keatah]

Mame before it was mame? You mean DASArcade?

 

---

 

But yeh, the Astrocade was/is a cool machine. Had one myself!

Edited June 12, 2017 by Keatah

[CatPix]

If you plan to play with your Bally, take a look inside and check that the RF shielding is touching the video chip and that the stick of metal normally glued to it is still there.

 

 

It would be even better to ditch the whole RF shield (at least the upper part) and to glue radiators on it with thermal glue :

 

 

But that's more of a personnal choice. At least check the first point so your console doesn't fry on you.

[ballyalley]

I got [the Astrocade] about a year or so ago from Video Game Connection in Cleveland, Oh.

That's cool that you were able to find one locally for a reasonable price. I used to be able to pick them up quite easily in the 1990s at thrift stores, but I haven't seen one in the "wild" in probably fifteen years.

 

A good friend of mine (who I am still close friends with today) Tracey, had a Bally, and I was SO JEALOUS. She somehow had Muncher

 

Muncher was easy to get back in the 1980s. Well, it was "easy to get" if you were an Arcadian subscriber. It was for sale through the newsletter and a few other sources. It's a good game, but since you had an Atari 8-bit computer, there was no reason to be jealous, as Pac-Man on the Atari home computer is quite well done. Plus, you also had access to Ms. Pac-Man, which is really good too.

 

I attended the CCAG show here in Cleveland every year and got to know Ken Lill and Mike White pretty good.

I attended the CCAG show in 2001. I hung out at Mike White's table.. It was a small show, but it was really fun to meet some other Astrocade folks. Also, that was the first time I ever saw an Astrocade burn EPROMS, which was pretty darn neat!

 

Anyhow, I just got the UltiMulti 3.0 from Ken a week or so ago. THIS THING ROCKS!! If you do not have one, GET ONE!! Ken is a first class guy

 

Yes, the UltiMulti is a great multicart for the Astrocade. The newest version (3.0), has a lot of stuff on there-- that's for sure! Since you have this cartridge, may I suggest that you participate in the Astrocade High Score Club? You'll be able to play any game we play on real hardware.

 

Have you had a chance to play any of the rare games on the multicart on your Astrocade? What are you favorites?

 

It is the Bally Computer System cover, and my unit is a newer Astrovision, so it does not exactly match from a collectors standpoint, but without seeing the serial number sticker, no body has any clue.

 

Lance Squires researched the Astrocade's dust covers and has concluded that there really was no rhyme or reason that one dust cover came with a unit. Lance suspects that Bally and Astrocade used whichever dust cover was currently in stock with the Bally Arcade/Astrocade. I tend to agree with him. So, you may have reunited your Astrocade with the proper dust cover; you never can tell.

 

If you're curious, there were at least four different dust covers that were made. You can see them here:

 

http://www.glankonian.com/~lance/Unit%20Labels.html

 

My favorite dust cover is the one the one that say Bally Computer System; this one:

 

 

I think that one is my favorite because it states, quite clearly, that you're not using a mere game system, you're using a real, live computer. Yeah, that's right: now you're playing with power! Take that Nintendo!

 

this system probably has the BEST RF output of any of the systems I own.

 

The RF signal really seems to vary from one Astrocade system to another, but over all, yes, the Bally does give good RF output.

 

I have played Bally in Mame for years, but it feels so good to play this on real hardware after all these years.

 

I love most emulators, but real hardware always beats playing games under emulation. The games were meant to be a bit fuzzy, you know? Plus, with the Astrocade's low resolution, the games look much nicer with the pixels looking a bit rounded due to the RF connection's interference. However, unlike many other systems, the Astrocade emulation in MAME is incomplete; it only allows you to run the cartridges: you can't load any tape software. I suggest you try loading a couple of game's using "AstroBASIC." As always, I suggest The Pits; it's super simple, quite ugly, and fun as hell! We played The Pits during round 10 of the Astrocade HSC. You can check that out, here:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/255124-hsc01-round-10-sea-devil-the-pits/

 

Enjoy your Astrocade and be sure to dig into that new multicart of yours!

 

Adam

[glazball]

Grats Scotty! It's a pretty neat feeling being a Bally owner. I wish I had discovered the system sooner and I've had nothing but love for it since I got mine a few years ago. Ken's UltiMultiCart is pretty amazing. He has mentioned that he plans to stop making them soon, which thankfully hasn't happened yet - but hopefully, one of these gurus like 5-11under can make them for those people new to the system after Ken stops.

 

I need to get back into the high score forum myself! See you there