Atari 5200 remake?

[Ecernosoft]

Also, I'm still team 7800. The graphics are better, and despite the sound issue, that can be fixed by adding your own sound in!

[Flyindrew]

In January 2022 I happened to stumble across a 5200 at a hole in the wall in an old mom and pop electronics store and it was literally given to me. Since that time I had the entire system refurbished (top to bottom) along with a refurbished controller returning this system to its original 1982 state (and purchased about 25 games). I say this very strongly, DO NOT believe any of the negative hype that is often associated with the 5200 or its controllers. The 5200 plays spot on arcade quality ports from its era, you will be fine with the original controller on 95 percent of the games and its just a fun system to play. Its quirky design (a time capsule from 1982) only adds to the charm of the system.

 

As a side note-In December 2021 (one month prior), I purchased a new Atari VCS. My 5200 has gotten 2x more play during the last 6 months.  

[0078265317]

 

https://forums.atari.io/topic/4752-what-was-atari-doing-with-the-5200-in-1984/

 

https://forums.atari.io/topic/1966-the-atari-5100-little-pam/

Edited July 30, 2022 by 0078265317

[phuzaxeman]

On 7/26/2022 at 9:48 AM, Ecernosoft said:

Also, I'm still team 7800. The graphics are better, and despite the sound issue, that can be fixed by adding your own sound in!

There are games like Real Sports Baseball and Centipede where the graphics are not better. Donkey Kong too. 

 

What's cool about the 5200 is the strategic games likes Adventure 2 or Star Raiders that utilizes the keypad. Intellidics Tron is also really cool.  

 

[BIGHMW]

Like @phuzaxeman said and like I have been saying for the past 39 years, never sell the 5200 short. There are over 450 titles and at least a few companies still churning out new. original titles for her. Between Peter Meyer's Video 61/Atari Sales, Mean Hamster Software, First Star, and of course some of our very own talent here on AA from the likes of @Ryan Witmer, @glurk and also Paul Lay @playsoft there is still plenty of life for what we here call "Big Sexy"!!!

 

BTW, nice find too, I'm glad you rescued a 5200 unit rather then let it wind up being recycled for parts by either Good(bad)will or someone else who cold give a shit.

 

Not bad for a unit everyone wrote off for dead that had only 69 official titles released between 1982-1987, so many more including the prototypes, either fully and near fully finished. Also all those A8/XL/XE conversions done up by Paul Lay, Steven Tucker and @Wrathchild help add on to that total, and many if them even play and look better on the 5200 than they do/did on A8/XL/XE

[gambler172]

Well....i have a 5200, which plays 2600 and 7800 games?

[0078265317]

22 hours ago, gambler172 said:

Well....i have a 5200, which plays 2600 and 7800 games?

7800?  I thought 7800 adapters were myth only.  And 5200 is too weak to play 7800 games isnt it?

[Keatah]

Pretty sure that's a joke..

[+GoldLeader]

On 7/31/2022 at 7:54 PM, BIGHMW said:

Like @phuzaxeman said and like I have been saying for the past 39 years, never sell the 5200 short. There are over 450 titles and at least a few companies still churning out new. original titles for her. Between Peter Meyer's Video 61/Atari Sales, Mean Hamster Software, First Star, and of course some of our very own talent here on AA from the likes of @Ryan Witmer, @glurk and also Paul Lay @playsoft there is still plenty of life for what we here call "Big Sexy"!!!

 

 

 

Actually nobody calls it that but you.  We all cringe every time you do it.  It sounds like you're trying to have sex with your 5200.  For the love of God, Please call it something else, ... anything else! 

[+Stephen]

1 hour ago, GoldLeader said:

Actually nobody calls it that but you.  We all cringe every time you do it.  It sounds like you're trying to have sex with your 5200.  For the love of God, Please call it something else, ... anything else! 

How about Cindy?  It sort of follows the Atari convention of naming consoles after busty women.

[joeatari1]

14 minutes ago, Stephen said:

How about Cindy?  It sort of follows the Atari convention of naming consoles after busty women.

I don't agree with you on much, but in this case I do.  Which Cindy did you have in mind?  Pics please.

?

[0078265317]

[gambler172]

10 hours ago, 0078265317 said:

7800?  I thought 7800 adapters were myth only.  And 5200 is too weak to play 7800 games isnt it?

I have one of the mythical 7800 adapters ?

[phuzaxeman]

10 hours ago, GoldLeader said:

 

Actually nobody calls it that but you.  We all cringe every time you do it.  It sounds like you're trying to have sex with your 5200.  For the love of God, Please call it something else, ... anything else! 

Big sexy hasn't grown on you yet? ?

[adamchevy]

I'm not exactly a 5200 fanatic as some here, but as an original 5200 launch owner (I still have maybe 4 of them including my original) I have to say don't knock the MiSTer implementation of it. Although of course you'd have to jump through hoops if you want to use the trackball, etc. so for those yeah just stick to an original console. But otherwise it's really quite nice to play an FPGA version of the console and it's my preferred way to play 5200 games when I want to, especially Countermeasure. [emoji4]

 

I do miss my smooth 5200 Trak ball from time to time. I would rate the 5200 Trak ball as the best I’ve ever used for a home console. I hope the mister somehow gets real Trak ball support someday. Otherwise the Mister is easily the best way to play any console it supports.

[+x=usr(1536)]

4 hours ago, phuzaxeman said:

Big sexy hasn't grown on you yet? ?

That sounds like something one would try to avoid in prison.

[+GoldLeader]

10 hours ago, 0078265317 said:

 

I vote no.  She's got fake boobs!

[patroclus99]

Some newer system-boards for this thing would be nice, with all the chips in a socket; the ones I have, some are socketed, some are soldered... the most failure-prone chips seem to be soldered... naturally.  The controllers are okay, they're pretty easy to work on/modify.  And really, given the high rate of component-failure on these boards, I really feel like there's something wonky with the power-supply/regulation or something.  It seems I work on this thing far more than the 7800 or the PS2.  I know it's old, but we're not talking about a System/370 here.  I think I saw someone on YouTube mod a Vader 2600 into a power PC with emulation for everything Atari; I'm kinda gettin to that point, especially with that big-ass form factor, heh.

[Keatah]

Oh emulators are going to be super reliable. Last time I did anything like a hardware repair on one-a my rigs was ages ago. And of course cleaning the USB ports that get used a lot.

 

Having said that, emulators aren't totally fiddle-free. There's configurations to contend with and display/controller settings to set up. Repairs and upgrades and fixin's now become PC'ish and modular, not that you'll have a lot. If you're working with present-day hardware you can get parts anywhere, no vintage specialty shops or ebay needed.

 

Now.. on your OG hardware, you can of course pull out a 'scope or DMM and take a look at the power supply. Look for the usual noise and out-of-spec voltages.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Keatah

[miker]

On 8/5/2022 at 10:10 PM, Stephen said:

How about Cindy?  It sort of follows the Atari convention of naming consoles after busty women.

Perhaps that from Strip Poker game... 🤣

Edited August 21, 2022 by miker

[scotty]

They do indeed exist.    This pic was taken at ReplayFX in Pittsburgh on July 30th, 2016.  This is developer Steve Golson's personal unit.

[Keatah]

Wait I'm all confused. It says it's an "Atari 7800 ProSystem Adapter" and "VCS Cartridge Adapter". So what is it? And what system is it for?