cessnaace Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 I've been dying to buy POKEY games for the 7800, but it's getting to be expensive and troublesome. Copies of Ballblazer for the 7800 are getting harder to find and this was to be expected. On eBay things are quite limited. Boxed copies can be had for about $30 to $50 dollars, but I'm not buying a mint or sealed boxed copy just to get the cartridge. Loose copies, well I'm only finding the ones with the red end labels, and they tend to go for $50 to $80. I sometimes see loose PAL cartridges for around $25, but I don't even know if they are compatible. POKEY chips can be found in a 5200 console, but then I'd have to buy one, pay to have it shipped to me, destroy the console to get at the POKEY chip, remove the POKEY chip (which I don't even know how to do), and then ship it to Atari Age. POKEY chips can be found in some Atari Arcade games, but no way am I going that route either! The cheapest option that I can find is to buy just a board with a POKEY chip on it. Cost $30. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ballblazer-Atari-7800-Pokey/152564067928?hash=item238586ee58:g:RJ8AAOSwjKtccao9 The one POKEY version that I'd really like to own is Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest. Cost? $52.25. So if I could go with the board that I found on eBay, which includes free shipping, my cost would be $82.25 not counting the shipping charge from Atari Age, and assuming that I can have this board shipped directly to Atari Age. And that's the CHEAPEST option! If these boards like the one that I've linked to are common, and I have no idea if they are, perhaps Atari Age could buy them in bulk. The seller seems to be offering that option (for $25). If Atari Age passed that expense along I'd be willing to do it. Actually, I'd also be willing to buy the board, have it shipped directly to Atari Age, and have them use that. But I am disabled now so my options are limited. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+H454 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Have you tried any local classic games stores? I've seen loose copys for $5 -20 at some of my local places - when they have them. Also, try searching by the part # I got this on ebay for $20. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-Pokey-chip-C012294B-01/113670943284?hash=item1a7750f234:g:jF0AAOSwq5dcesi~&frcectupt=true Best may have them for $20 + shipping. http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/custom-i.htm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sixersfan105 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 I agree things are getting expensive but by sorting eBay sold items, looks like there are a ton of recent sales of Ballblazer for under $30 inclusive of shipping. Set up a "saved search" on eBay for "Ballblazer Atari 7800" so you will get a notification (by email or mobile, your choice) when a new Ballblazer listing pops up and then you will be able to pounce. Best of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 The XM expansion module will be available in the AA Store sometime, so can just wait for that instead of trying to scrounge up a bunch of Ballblazer carts that'll meet or exceed the XM's price before long. A one time investment ($149 IIRC) and then you can purchase the less expensive flavors of games that don't require their own Pokey, but uses the Pokey and/or the Yamaha sound chip inside the XM instead.http://atariage.com/forums/topic/273865-happy-new-year-xm-shipping-this-month/ 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Keep in mind that all of the Atari 8-bit computers feature a Pokey in them also...just saying... But the 2 or 3 I have on hand were gotten from other BB carts I found in the wild with crummy labels or 2 of them are from junker 5200 systems that I bought the entire system for like $10 each from the retro store near me. They don't sell much Atari anyway and so they aren't too keen on repairing systems they take in that are dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragmare Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 XM really sounds like the way... One single POKEY chip for all games to use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick3092 Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 I believe the XM will also have a Yamaha sound chip in addition to POKEY for additional sound options on home brews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldenWheels Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 JM2C...I so like the pokey stuff. I have Bentley Bear with Pokey. But good games are still good games with just TIA sound. My TIA Beefdrop sounds just like Burgertime to me, maybe one note off. Point is...STOP RIPPING APART ALL THOSE BALLBLAZERS YOU SAVAGE DOGS!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysOnPlanetPatrol Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 I have a couple of spare Ballblazers carts and bought a POKEY from Best Electronics for the eventuality of some sort of multi-rom cart that would require it (e.g. Mateo's cart); http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/custom-i.htm; You can buy it for $20. That's what I paid two years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Buy xm save planet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cessnaace Posted March 6, 2019 Author Share Posted March 6, 2019 I just placed placed an order for this POKEY chip https://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-Pokey-chip-C012294B-01/113670943284?hash=item1a7750f234:g:jF0AAOSwq5dcesi~&frcectupt=true I then placed an order for Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest here at Atari Age. I have received confirmation emails from both jasperman (the dealer for the POKEY chip), and Atari Age. After I became an annual subscriber I thought that I would be sent an email with a 5% discount code number, but I haven't as yet. So, I left that field blank when ordering Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 I just placed placed an order for this POKEY chip https://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-Pokey-chip-C012294B-01/113670943284?hash=item1a7750f234:g:jF0AAOSwq5dcesi~&frcectupt=true I then placed an order for Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest here at Atari Age. I have received confirmation emails from both jasperman (the dealer for the POKEY chip), and Atari Age. After I became an annual subscriber I thought that I would be sent an email with a 5% discount code number, but I haven't as yet. So, I left that field blank when ordering Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest. Check out that sellers other items. Aside from the PCB only ballblazers he's selling for the POKEY chips, He's also selling NIB Ballblazers and 6 pack boxes of them. I'm guessing he must have cracked and old case of them (72 count) and he's making bank on them every which way and loose, literally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sixersfan105 Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 I just placed placed an order for this POKEY chip https://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-Pokey-chip-C012294B-01/113670943284?hash=item1a7750f234:g:jF0AAOSwq5dcesi~&frcectupt=true I then placed an order for Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest here at Atari Age. I have received confirmation emails from both jasperman (the dealer for the POKEY chip), and Atari Age. After I became an annual subscriber I thought that I would be sent an email with a 5% discount code number, but I haven't as yet. So, I left that field blank when ordering Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest. Your subscriber discount automatically shows up in the Store when you're logged in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cessnaace Posted March 6, 2019 Author Share Posted March 6, 2019 Your subscriber discount automatically shows up in the Store when you're logged in. Didn't know that. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cessnaace Posted March 6, 2019 Author Share Posted March 6, 2019 Check out that sellers other items. Aside from the PCB only ballblazers he's selling for the POKEY chips, He's also selling NIB Ballblazers and 6 pack boxes of them. I'm guessing he must have cracked and old case of them (72 count) and he's making bank on them every which way and loose, literally Good to know. I've started following this seller and saved the POKEY chip as a saved search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dauber Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 What I'm really curious about is...how about currently existing homebrews that already have POKEY...once the XM is out, which ones can theoretically have the POKEY taken out and just use the XM's onboard POKEY? That could be one way to enhance the circulation before we get a workable ersatz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacManPlus Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 There are two things that would have to happen: - Code would have to be added to 'enable' the Pokey, I don't believe it's enabled by default. - The address of the Pokey would have to change from $4000 (if that's where it is) to $450. I plan on changing all of my games that use Pokey to the above scenario. I also had made a hack of Plutos and Sirius to take advantage of the XM's memory (so we don't need the memory on cart any more)... But I can't find it. I had it working too... 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 There are two things that would have to happen: - Code would have to be added to 'enable' the Pokey, I don't believe it's enabled by default. - The address of the Pokey would have to change from $4000 (if that's where it is) to $450. I plan on changing all of my games that use Pokey to the above scenario. I also had made a hack of Plutos and Sirius to take advantage of the XM's memory (so we don't need the memory on cart any more)... But I can't find it. I had it working too... Well giddy up and find those Plutos & Sirius bin's then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapicco Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 Buy xm save planet. Hasnt the xm been coming out soon for 5 years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted March 12, 2019 Share Posted March 12, 2019 Hasnt the xm been coming out soon for 5 years?Try almost 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Dangerous Posted November 8, 2021 Share Posted November 8, 2021 How do you actually remove the Pokey chip from Ballblazer, its soldered into the board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted November 8, 2021 Share Posted November 8, 2021 40 minutes ago, Rick Dangerous said: How do you actually remove the Pokey chip from Ballblazer, its soldered into the board? Desoldering gun makes it easy. Can also be done with flux, spring-loaded solder sucker and/or solder wick if you’re patient and very careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstrotha0975 Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 I can't wait for Hokey to come out so I don't have to strip pokey's out of copies of Commando anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 22 minutes ago, jstrotha0975 said: I can't wait for Hokey to come out so I don't have to strip pokey's out of copies of Commando anymore. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 26 minutes ago, jstrotha0975 said: I can't wait for Hokey to come out so I don't have to strip pokey's out of copies of Commando anymore. I just kill 5200s now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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