The Atari 2600+ is live for preorders!

[Ben from Plaion]

21 minutes ago, AtariYMás009 said:

so nice, can you show pac-man and space invaders too?

 

and

1 hour ago, Microjak said:

do you have a copy of pal pole position and battlezone to compare please? thanks

 

I'll get the new build tomorrow and @Dr Karnov will give it a whirl. He certainly has Battlezone.

[Dr Karnov]

15 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

and

 

I'll get the new build tomorrow and @Dr Karnov will give it a whirl. He certainly has Battlezone.

I can confirm that I have PAL Battlezone and PAL Pole Position, and I will post comparison screenshots when I get the new build

[+remowilliams]

On 12/16/2023 at 1:16 PM, Gamma Ray said:

The pack-in controller is booty butt cheeks bad. I'm sorry, but the stick is way too stiff. This wasn't just a fumble; this was an own goal. I'll never use it again. Those Retron77 controllers were light years better.

 

The new 2600+ sticks are definitely too stiff (and not the kind of stiff that will loosen over time) and require more force than it should to achieve input.  They offer zero tactile response that input has been achieved - but the fire button is just about perfect.

 

Stick throw is good, but the amount of force required to achieve input results in unwanted torque force while holding the stick in your hand, making for an uncomfortable experience.  The newer Hyperkin sticks are much more comfortable to use, requiring far less operational force while also providing positive feedback.

 

I have brand new sticks of all kinds including original CX-10s, CX-40s, and all manner of third party ones so this is direct current comparisons, not half remembered memories.

[+Intellivision Master]

1 hour ago, remowilliams said:

 

The new 2600+ sticks are definitely too stiff (and not the kind of stiff that will loosen over time) and require more force than it should to achieve input.  They offer zero tactile response that input has been achieved - but the fire button is just about perfect.

 

Stick throw is good, but the amount of force required to achieve input results in unwanted torque force while holding the stick in your hand, making for an uncomfortable experience.  The newer Hyperkin sticks are much more comfortable to use, requiring far less operational force while also providing positive feedback.

 

I have brand new sticks of all kinds including original CX-10s, CX-40s, and all manner of third party ones so this is direct current comparisons, not half remembered memories.

I don't favor the 2600+ joystick.  The stiffness makes it difficult at least for me.  I will be getting a Hyperkin joystick to use instead.  It's good that there are many controller options for the 2600.  

[scifidude79]

I love the 2600+ joysticks. I'd rather have a stiff joystick that I have to break in than one that's loose out of the box.

 

Though, the Hyperkin Trooper is one of those "you can't go wrong" options. I find Hyperkin products in general to be solid. Well, except for that one XBOX controller of theirs that I go that had issues, but I tend to count that as a one off.

[BRizzle1]

This is my first post here. although I’ve been reading the AtariAge forum for years. 🙂
   Is it just me? Or am I the only one on here that prefers the “stiff” original cx40 feel? I was over the moon when I first pulled out the new joystick and is was stiff just like my original ones! (Maybe a tad bit stiffer)…  I’ve been disappointed with all the looser, wider swinging Atgames and Hyperkin 3rd party joysticks. Don’t get me wrong- They work great, but they just don’t have the feel I had growing up playing on an original cx40. I have been buying every original cx40 joystick (that’s in real good shape) that I’ve came across over the years. Which haven’t been many!  And I’ve been paranoid to let anyone else use the originals in fear they might be too hard on them and break them. 😳 So I always gave everyone else the Hyperkin ones to use and horde my original ones for myself! 😃 But now with these new cx40+  joysticks being available, I feel I can finally relax. 😌 I like that you don’t have to push so much to move. I don’t ream on mine at all, because I don’t feel like I need to. Although the Hyperkin ones work great, they just feel too loose to me. Maybe because I’ve always have had original ones since our first Atari back in 1979? I for one am super grateful for the new cx40+ sticks! And immensely grateful for brand new paddle controllers as well!!! 
   The 2600+ is what I’ve been wanting for years but never thought would happen- A new 2600 console that recreates that nostalgia I missed with the retron 77.  Although I was pretty happy with that after the community build was made! But just doesn’t scratch that nostalgia itch like the 2600+. I ordered my 2600+ console with all the extras day one, and as fast as I could  type in my info!  Even with the flaws, Im geeking out like I did at 7 years old when we got our first Atari 2600! This year has been a fun one! Can’t wait to see what comes next! Super excited for the firmware fixes and possible new 7800 releases! 
   

[SuperZapperRecharge]

6 hours ago, scifidude79 said:

I love the 2600+ joysticks. I'd rather have a stiff joystick that I have to break in than one that's loose out of the box.

 

Though, the Hyperkin Trooper is one of those "you can't go wrong" options. I find Hyperkin products in general to be solid. Well, except for that one XBOX controller of theirs that I go that had issues, but I tend to count that as a one off.

I used the Hyperkin for a day and it broke. I know it was probably part of that bad batch but it pretty much sucked. I've used all sorts of Atari joysticks and have never had one break on me. I think Hyperkin fixed the issue but it remains in the junk drawer.

[scifidude79]

46 minutes ago, SuperZapperRecharge said:

I know it was probably part of that bad batch but it pretty much sucked.

Oh yeah, I forgot they had a bad batch.

[protomank]

If you want a real replica of the 2600 controller, AliExpress, and I believe Amazon, has plenty of them

The problem is that, same as the original ones, it is very easy to overdo in strenght and break the thing. I have a couple, and in the end, I use more the flashback ones that are unbreakeable.

 

[scifidude79]

Yes, Amazon is full of knockoff controllers. (I'm sure AliExpress is too, but I don't shop there) You can tell they're knockoffs because the markings that are molded in the black plastic aren't painted. They'll probably do in a pinch, but most of them don't have high ratings. And, to be clear, they're all the same controller sold under different brand names. This isn't unusual for Chinese manufacturers. They make a product and they don't put a brand name on it. They only sell to companies who slap their own brand name on them and sell them. So, if you look at one with a lot of ratings and an average of 3.5 stars (which seems normal) but you see a different one with only a few ratings but it has 4.5 stars, just bear in mind that it doesn't have as many ratings, that's why it has an overall higher average.

[tradyblix]

Well there are certainly things from China that are okay I've also gotten a lot of stuff from China that is borderline junk. especially now that Amazon is starting to allow Chinese Brands, and I do use the term "brand" lightly here, to basically supplant most normal actual real Brands online.

 

I recently bought a $70 Kettle from them and it works fine and looks okay, but check this out... it got rust on the bottom hot plate... on a kettle ! They didn't bother to use stainless steel or they didn't use a good quality stainless steel!

 

I mean I just couldn't I believe it. on something that is going to come into contact with water, or someone is going to leave water on it for a while.

Edited December 19, 2023 by tradyblix

[protomank]

In Brazil we had TONS of clones at the time, some very cool, including 2600 with 5600's style controllers, so I am pretty used to some trash ones.

But I still have my CCE controller that holds well and did not break all those years, because, at some time, they changed the plastic from the internal pin, to make it more flexible. This controller, except the feact it is very old, is great, way better to hold than an Atari one.

 

[fluxit]

29 minutes ago, protomank said:

In Brazil we had TONS of clones at the time, some very cool, including 2600 with 5600's style controllers, so I am pretty used to some trash ones.

But I still have my CCE controller that holds well and did not break all those years, because, at some time, they changed the plastic from the internal pin, to make it more flexible. This controller, except the feact it is very old, is great, way better to hold than an Atari one.

 

That looks very similar to the Gemstick controller.

[Dr Karnov]

Okay gang, here PAL Pole Position running in 50hz, 1080p with z26 palette, on beta firmware

[Dr Karnov]

And here is PAL Battlezone, on the same beta firmware

 

[Dr Karnov]

And here's PAL Polaris on the same firmware

 

 

[Ben from Plaion]

@Dr Karnov looks much lighter in these images. 

 

How is it looking with your eyes in front of the screen?

[Dr Karnov]

2 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

@Dr Karnov looks much lighter in these images. 

 

How is it looking with your eyes in front of the screen?

Looks really good. Bright and vibrant. Nice in motion.

 

I can't really comment on how authentic this palette is, because on my unmodded PAL 7800, every 2600 game always looked pretty awful (muddy, indistinct) via RF, even on a good CRT

[atariman72]

Excellent, big improvement.

May not be totally accurate to the original PAL games but actually like much brighter and more playable.

[protomank]

43 minutes ago, fluxit said:

That looks very similar to the Gemstick controller.

Yep, found that out recently. And this was not the only manufacturer that used that format. The console's (Dactar) original ones were just 2600 with yellow buttons (very cool) and another model had this pilot-like sticks over a 2600 one.

[protomank]

24 minutes ago, Dr Karnov said:

Okay gang, here PAL Pole Position running in 50hz, 1080p with z26 palette, on beta firmware

 

Is just me, or the screen size changes?

 

[Dr Karnov]

Just now, protomank said:

 

Is just me, or the screen size changes?

 

I think that's either my shaky hand, or my rubbish phone camera trying to autocorrect / autofocus 

[protomank]

Just now, Dr Karnov said:

I think that's either my shaky hand, or my rubbish phone camera trying to autocorrect / autofocus 

Most likely your phone, the interval is quite the same. Thanks for the clarification. Looking great 

[AtariYMás009]

31 minutes ago, atariman72 said:

Excellent, big improvement.

May not be totally accurate to the original PAL games but actually like much brighter and more playable.

that's the thing.

The consumers, like me, don't want autenticity of the palettes, we want playability and comfort at playing the games, and as an additional fact my light 6er looks more like the z26.

[Redjac]

On 12/16/2023 at 7:00 PM, ls650 said:

I have an old CX-40 from the 70s/80s in really good shape.  Yes, they were this stiff back in the day.  The new sticks are a very faithful replication of the originals.

I want to pile on and say that, yes, the original sticks were this stiff. I also agree the CX-40+ is extraordinarily faithful to the original… for good and bad. I think the Trooper joysticks from Hyperkin are better, but the CX-40+ sure does give me the feels. This is exactly what a brand new Atari joystick felt like.