How about an Atari 2600+ portable?

[Hawkangel]

I wish Atari would make something officially like this because I’m not Ben Heck and have very minimal electronic skills. 
The idea is : An Gameboy-like Atari 2600+ that accepts 2600 and 7800 cartridges so you can play games on the go. 
Yes there have been Atari Flashback portables but I’d love something that accepts cartridges. 
I’ve even seen one or two homemade ones on this very forum and it also makes me wonder how many people are going to hack up their 2600+ to make their own. 
It would have to be comfortable to hold and the screen would need to be a decent size.
Has anyone else wanted something like this?

[LatchKeyKid]

I don't know if there is a commercial market for it but, yeah, I had wanted something like this for a gimmick but ONLY with a real CRT screen like the old handheld tv's.  Always go full retro!      I've seen projects for portable c64's and a portable Atari but I think they always involved modern flatscreen LCD/LED screens.

[tcmultimedia]

The only negative to this would be the size of the unit. The size of 2600 carts are what, 4x larger than GB?  It would require the the unit to be pretty big, if that is important to folks.

[LatchKeyKid]

It would definitely be more of a "portable" rather than a handheld like a Gameboy or even a Switch, especially if it had a CRT.  

 

 

And then you have to add the actual 2600 hardware, joystick, and a cart.     It's basically a small load of bread at that point assuming it still fits in your hands.

[AtariNerd]

Even among the smallest commercial CRT tubes ever made, there would need to  be uhhh, a certain heft and thickness with considerations to the case design.

 

Though I do kind of like the idea of a monical/telescopic  game, with uniquely designed controls around the circumference of the device.

 

Edited November 5, 2023 by AtariNerd

[+LS650]

33 minutes ago, AtariNerd said:

Even among the smallest commercial CRT tubes ever made, there would need to  be uhhh, a certain heft and thickness with considerations to the case design.

 

[LatchKeyKid]

4 minutes ago, ls650 said:

 

On the off chance you don't know. the tricorder (and Star Trek in general) was fictional.    

[M-S]

If the 2600+ ends up being successful I don't see why not, cartridge size is not a big issue, there are many portables that use home console cartridges and most weren't that uncomfortable to hold. A CRT screen is not happening though.

2 hours ago, LatchKeyKid said:

And then you have to add the actual 2600 hardware, joystick, and a cart. 

Then they would have to add the Rockchip that emulates the 2600, from what I have seen it's quite small.

[+karri]

There is already external Lynx standalone cart dumpers from k-retro.com that connect by USB-C. Something similar could be used to connect a 2600/7800 dumper to any handheld. After all, that is what the 2600+ is doing.

 

Another path is FPGA units that may try to work with the cart in real time. Analogue and Mister might be able to do it.

[M-S]

MiSTer doesn't have enough pins for a cartridge port.

[82-T/A]

On 11/1/2023 at 2:35 AM, Hawkangel said:

I wish Atari would make something officially like this because I’m not Ben Heck and have very minimal electronic skills. 
The idea is : An Gameboy-like Atari 2600+ that accepts 2600 and 7800 cartridges so you can play games on the go. 
Yes there have been Atari Flashback portables but I’d love something that accepts cartridges. 
I’ve even seen one or two homemade ones on this very forum and it also makes me wonder how many people are going to hack up their 2600+ to make their own. 
It would have to be comfortable to hold and the screen would need to be a decent size.
Has anyone else wanted something like this?

 

Heh... like the Game Gear I suppose... where you can actually take the cartridge.

 

Maybe, but I wouldn't think there would be that much interest in something like that. What makes the 2600+ so unique is that it reignites the same feelings / experience we had as kids. Playing the 2600 on a portable is kind of a newer experience, and with the Flashback Portable (as you say) https://www.walmart.com/ip/Atari-Flashback-Portable-2018-Game-Player-Model-AP3280-818858029506/505174588, you can already do all of that, and load the games onto an SD card.

[Flyindrew]

Seems Wade Rosen is pretty open to this idea according to this article:

 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/30/tech/atari-2600-plus-wade-rosen-nintendo-playstation/index.html

[john_q_atari]

On 11/5/2023 at 12:17 PM, M-S said:

MiSTer doesn't have enough pins for a cartridge port.

This is simply not true. I wish people would stop repeating this statement. If you don't believe me then please look at the de-10 nano spec sheet and look through the MiSTer code base.

[Hawkangel]

4 hours ago, Flyindrew said:

Seems Wade Rosen is pretty open to this idea according to this article:

 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/30/tech/atari-2600-plus-wade-rosen-nintendo-playstation/index.html

The quote :

 

While not in the company’s plans as yet, the Atari CEO also showed enthusiasm for a hypothetical handheld system that can play its retro games on the go like a Nintendo Switch.

“I guess short answer, yeah, if there’d be an appetite for it. I’d worry the cartridges would be a little too big. That would be really fun,” he said.

 

That’s awesome! I really hope it happens. 

[tradyblix]

On 11/2/2023 at 5:54 AM, LatchKeyKid said:

I don't know if there is a commercial market for it but, yeah, I had wanted something like this for a gimmick but ONLY with a real CRT screen like the old handheld tv's.  Always go full retro!      I've seen projects for portable c64's and a portable Atari but I think they always involved modern flatscreen LCD/LED screens.

There isn't. People can already emulate a dozen systems on devices like the Miyoo Mini Plus and Anbernic devices. 

[RevEng]

On 11/15/2023 at 11:38 AM, john_q_atari said:

This is simply not true. I wish people would stop repeating this statement. If you don't believe me then please look at the de-10 nano spec sheet and look through the MiSTer code base.

🤷 It seems to be stated in the official MiSTer FPGA FAQ...

• When will MiSTer support cartridges?
  MiSTer will never use physical cartridges.
  The project aims to replace the need for having original hardware for the same experience. It is also physically impractical/impossible given the number of GPIO pins available from the FPGA.