The Atari 2600+ is live for preorders!

[DEANJIMMY]

4 hours ago, Hawkangel said:

That’s a cool idea. I’ve been looking for a solution for my Atari 2600. So you just purchased the C64 version of this and it worked?

Yes, but this discussion fits better into another topic: 

 

https://forums.atariage.com/topic/355361-atari-7800-controllers/?do=findComment&comment=5327783

[Ben from Plaion]

9 hours ago, mksmith said:

This is great thanks @Ben from Plaion! As others mentioned any info about the design/manufacture would be very interesting to see.

 

Heres a quick video I took at the final assembly factory of the main unit having its PCBs screwed in by a robot.

[Ben from Plaion]

7 hours ago, T.A.P. said:

Why is the new controller called the CX40+? Does it have additional features or improvements over the old ones? I'm just genuinely curious and would to know more.

Simply to differentiate itself from the original joystick because it is different in a number of areas. Also obviously the + indicates an association to the Atari 2600+ machine.

 

I'll try to find some time over the next few days to make a video that shows the differences between the + and original Joystick.

[electronicsibley]

46 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I'll try to find some time over the next few days to make a video that shows the differences between the + and original Joystick.

That would be awesome. I’m curious as to whether the Atari logo will make it on to the new version. I’m a big fan of the diagonal offset placement on the originals. It was a unique feather of their industrial design at that time that also showed up in the XEGS.

[protomank]

5 hours ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

Every walk makes you slim.  

Walking is not the issue, getting down so much times is not great for your back

[+MrZarniwoop]

15 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I've been playing the 2600+ with a CX40+ wireless version and its sweet as a nut. That feels appropriate to me cause the exterior aesthetics remains the same just with a gentle modern QOL advancement.

The 2600RGB had a way to allow SELECT/RESET from the controller. Please consider something similar with the CX40+.

[donjn]

18 hours ago, PacManPlus said:

IMHO, I think a better design would be the CX-40+, but with a button on the front for the second-button (or even perhaps a smaller button just below the 'standard' button as 'B').

This is it. I have no clue why this hasn't been thought of already.

[+Atari_Warlord]

So does this prototype wireless joystick also work on original hardware?

[Ben from Plaion]

46 minutes ago, Atari_Warlord said:

So does this prototype wireless joystick also work on original hardware?

Havent tried, but I'd assume so, dongle had a regular DE9 connector

[Bakasama]

Im curious about the new wireless joysticks. The ones released by the Atari of old was two bulky CX40 controllers that used 9 volt batteries and receiver that used 2600 power supply and used DE9 connectors.

[T.A.P.]

This isn't a particularly high priority or anything, but is there a chance we could eventually see those new CX40+ controllers available in other flavors?

 

I would love to get a new joystick that look like the old all-black 'Vader' or XEGS gray styles.

[Ben from Plaion]

2 hours ago, Bakasama said:

Im curious about the new wireless joysticks. The ones released by the Atari of old was two bulky CX40 controllers that used 9 volt batteries and receiver that used 2600 power supply and used DE9 connectors.

Mine have 2 x AA batteries in the underneath of the Joystick and the dongle is relatively small and just plugs into the de9 socket. The aesthetics of the Joystick is exactly the same as a normal CX40 just without a lead, it works fine. I'll take a video of it tomorrow. To be clear though, this was just a prototype made for me and there are no current plans to bring it to market.

Edited November 1, 2023 by Ben from Plaion

[Ben from Plaion]

1 hour ago, T.A.P. said:

This isn't a particularly high priority or anything, but is there a chance we could eventually see those new CX40+ controllers available in other flavors?

 

I would love to get a new joystick that look like the old all-black 'Vader' or XEGS gray styles.

Yeah It's a maybe, we just have to see what demand is like after launch to consider anything like you suggest.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

7 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

To be clear though, this was just a prototype made for me and there are no current plans to bring it to market.

Too bad, but usually they would have too much lag anyway.

[Fred_M]

2 hours ago, Bakasama said:

Im curious about the new wireless joysticks. The ones released by the Atari of old was two bulky CX40 controllers that used 9 volt batteries and receiver that used 2600 power supply and used DE9 connectors.

Those old ones were released in Europe by a different company and were called "Game Mate 2". These are terrible joysticks 🤣

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Fred_M

[Ben from Plaion]

30 minutes ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

Too bad, but usually they would have too much lag anyway.

Convince me Thomas to present a business case to the powers that be!

 

It feels very responsive, communication is RF. It's very comfortable to play unrestricted from the couch on a big modern TV.

 

Just to give an insight to how these things can get to market, it's all about the p&l which details the fixed start up costs (mold a new tool for the plastic injection and regulatory compliance testing) then it's just unit COGs plus licensing costs, sales taxation, distribution costs, logistic costs, marketing costs, provision costs vs RRP.

 

Ball park maths in my mind makes me think I need 10k unit sales to break even at a RRP of $30. And that's what it would boil down to, can I sell 15k units....maybe.

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by Ben from Plaion

[Ben from Plaion]

10 minutes ago, Fred_M said:

Those old ones were released in Europe by a different company and were called "Game Mate 2". These are terrible joysticks 🤣

 

Why were they terrible?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

28 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Convince me Thomas to present a business case to the powers that be!

That's not my business. Fortunately!  

[Ben from Plaion]

11 minutes ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

That's not my business. Fortunately!  

Would you buy a wireless cx40 if it became available?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

10 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Would you buy a wireless cx40 if it became available?

Depends.

 

Costs, Lag, Connection?

[Ben from Plaion]

3 minutes ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

Depends.

 

Costs, Lag, Connection?

So you're telling me there is a chance. 

 

30 Euros, unknown lag time, 2.4 RF connection.

 

Regardless, due to your answer I'm going to submit a business case. Let's see.

[PacManPlus]

 

[Ben from Plaion]

Just now, PacManPlus said:

 

Exactamundo!

[PacManPlus]

I had a feeling that's what you were referencing  

[Thomas Jentzsch]

9 minutes ago, Ben from Plaion said:

So you're telling me there is a chance. 

 

30 Euros, unknown lag time, 2.4 RF connection.

If the lag is OK, 30€ sounds like a fair price. 

 

I am not a big fan of everything using 2.4 GHz*, but AFAIK there are little or no alternatives.

 

*I had a FireStick which regularly lost WiFi connection. After a lot of experimenting, I finally found out that some wireless headphones were causing the problem. And in another case, a bluetooth speaker caused a (too) weak Wifi signal.