THE400 Mini

[+Zeptari]

13 minutes ago, Albert said:

In case anyone needs a refresher.

Loved that game. One of the early "Album" cover EA packages. I remember my bus trip home from the mall with it! 

[donjn]

Here is the C64 music. Not to start a computer war lol.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s1vyB7xyco

[donjn]

1 hour ago, Zeptari said:

Loved that game. One of the early "Album" cover EA packages. I remember my bus trip home from the mall with it! 

Back when EA meant something.

From Lords of Conquest, Bards Tale series, Archon, MULE, Wasteland, even in the early 90's with Madden and NHL on Sega Genesis.
They lost sight of things over time, perhaps greed, when they started eating smaller good companies like Bullfrog, Westwood Studios and Origin.

 

 

[YSG2020]

For the price it should and could easily have a working keyboard and take an original cart in its cart slot.  There’s no reason at that price point that it could not be a fully working actual mini 400 and still be profitable to produce and sell. Hard pass here. Cool idea. Under featured and half baked for the hefty price.  Buy 2 real used 400s for that price! 

Edited January 24 by YSG2020

[Bill Loguidice]

12 minutes ago, YSG2020 said:

For the price it should and could easily have a working keyboard and take an original cart in its cart slot.  There’s no reason at that price point that it could not be a fully working actual mini 400 and still be profitable to produce and sell. Hard pass here. Cool idea. Under featured and half baked for the hefty price.  Buy 2 real used 400s for that price! 

I disagree that that's possible. Also, you can buy two real 400s for $120? Sounds like an amazing deal.

[Enter_Your_Initials]

1 hour ago, YSG2020 said:

For the price it should and could easily have a working keyboard and take an original cart in its cart slot.  There’s no reason at that price point that it could not be a fully working actual mini 400 and still be profitable to produce and sell. Hard pass here. Cool idea. Under featured and half baked for the hefty price.  Buy 2 real used 400s for that price! 

 

Mister FPGAs can't use original carts @ 600 bucks! 

This is mini machine with HDMI is for nostalgic people whose partners haven't left them yet   

Edited January 25 by Enter_Your_Initials

[YSG2020]

4 minutes ago, Bill Loguidice said:

I disagree that that's possible. Also, you can buy two real 400s for $120? Sounds like an amazing deal.

100% on both accounts. Ancient tech that’s super cheap miniaturized now.  Especially China production. And have look on eBay.

[Bill Loguidice]

7 minutes ago, YSG2020 said:

100% on both accounts. Ancient tech that’s super cheap miniaturized now.  Especially China production. And have look on eBay.

That's not really how that works, especially for a product like this. It's going to be tough getting the economies of scale of even the 2600+, plus Atari is not making new 8-bit cartridges, so it will be difficult for the average person to get new software. This is not targeted to enthusiasts, but a slightly wider retro market. It needs to be simpler and more approachable, especially as a first-of-its-type product for this platform. So yeah, I don't think you're taking the many factors working against a product like this into account. It's priced about as high as would be sustainable until proven otherwise.

As for 400s on eBay, you're looking at at least $100 for working bare bones systems that have actually sold. And keep in mind that a 400 is VERY limited in comparison to other 8-bit models.

Edited January 25 by Bill Loguidice

[+Stephen]

1 hour ago, Bill Loguidice said:

As for 400s on eBay, you're looking at at least $100 for working bare bones systems that have actually sold. And keep in mind that a 400 is VERY limited in comparison to other 8-bit models.

RF only without internal mods as well.  While it is possible to go from RF to HDMI (I've also done HDMI to RF), it is not easy and the quality is expectedly dismal.

[mutterminder]

Given the patches and updates that the previous minis have received, I think that many of the concerns that people have thus far express in this topic, will be addressed either before release, or soon after release.  So even though I certainly don't need another mini, and I have almost every model of Atari 8-bit already,  I preordered one from Amazon.

 

[FaberfoX]

I'll wait for a discount (as I did for TheA500) but I'll get one for sure, never had any real experience with the 8-bit Ataris besides emulators, so this is perfect and will join my minis collection. Aesthetically, the 400 looks lovely for it's date and RGL's track record regarding firmware updates on their previous releases makes me trust them on delivering a great experience on this one too. I haven't dug thru the existing software collections floating around, but hope to find something similar to the amazing OneLoad64.

[Gory-Glory]

Hi

 

I am not so in to Atari. I had only C64 and Nintendo. But I have an Atari Flashback 8 with classic Atari 2600 games

 

So I think that The 400 Mini will be another good thing for me to come more in the world of Atari 

[mikro]

23 hours ago, Albert said:

Here is the complete list of 25 games included on the 400 Mini (also posted in this thread).

[...]

• Yoomp!

I wonder how the guys pulled this one off. The list is full of Atari classics and then an indie game made in a few weeks. (nothing against it, love it, I just find it a huge success on their side!)

[Gory-Glory]

It looks like a nice collecton of classic Atarigames

Edited January 25 by Gory-Glory

[zzip]

7 minutes ago, mikro said:

I wonder how the guys pulled this one off. The list is full of Atari classics and then an indie game made in a few weeks. (nothing against it, love it, I just find it a huge success on their side!)

Yoomp was on Atari 50 too.

[Gory-Glory]

I have not read the whole tread here, but can we use a mouse to The 400 Mini or can we only connect a wired or wireless keyboard to it.!?

 

Had the original Atari 400 from the year 1979 a mouse connected to it or had it only a keyboard and a joystick connected.!?

[Albert]

Just now, Gory-Glory said:

I have not read the whole tread here, but can we use a mouse to The 400 Mini or can we only connect a wired or wireless keyboard to it.!?

 

Had the original Atari 400 from the year 1979 a mouse connected to it or had it only a keyboard and a joystick connected.!?

The original 400 and 800 computers have a built-in keyboard (obviously) and four controller jacks for plugging in joysticks, paddles, and other controllers.  It is possible to use Atari ST and Amiga mice with Atari 8-bit computers, but only with software that takes advantage of them (which is a very small percentage of Atari 8-bit software).  I have no idea if a mouse will work with the 400 Mini, that's something I'll need to try once I have one.

 

 ..Al

[Bill Loguidice]

5 minutes ago, Gory-Glory said:

I have not read the whole tread here, but can we use a mouse to The 400 Mini or can we only connect a wired or wireless keyboard to it.!?

 

Had the original Atari 400 from the year 1979 a mouse connected to it or had it only a keyboard and a joystick connected.!?

It only officially specifies USB keyboards and joysticks in the marketing at this point, so there's no real way of knowing yet. THEC64 Mini/Maxi and Amiga Mini do support USB mice, so there's definitely a chance, especially if there proves to be a need. I mean, I can't imagine any technical reason for one not working should such a feature be warranted. Considering this is supposed to support Atari 5200 software, it would certainly be nice to have USB mouse/trackball support for trackball games (same thing with analog controller support for that matter).

[Gory-Glory]

Albert >>> Okey so original 400 snd 800 dud not have a mouse.

 

Cool that it mouse from Atari ST mouse be used on 400 and 800

 

I saw that the box to 400 Mini does bit comes with a mouse, inly a joystick, so maybe it will not works with a connected mouse.

[Bill Loguidice]

Just now, Gory-Glory said:

Albert >>> Okey so original 400 snd 800 dud not have a mouse.

 

Cool that it mouse from Atari ST mouse be used on 400 and 800

 

I saw that the box to 400 Mini does bit comes with a mouse, inly a joystick, so maybe it will not works with a connected mouse.

This only has USB ports. You'd need a USB to DB9 adapter and hope that it translates the commands correctly to use something like an ST mouse. Again, there's not necessarily a reason for THE400 Mini to actually support a mouse for any reason, but there are some good arguments to be made, especially in terms of 5200 support, for it to do so.

[Gory-Glory]

Bill >>> I got a wired tankmouse to my The A500 Mini, but I use instead a wireless mouse to it together with a wireless keyboard.

 

I have only joystick connected to my The C64 Mini.

 

If 400 Mini not can use a mouse then I will only buy a wired keyboard to my 400 Mini that I will order in the beginning of April.

 

Yes you must use a adapter/converter if you want to connect old joystick and mouse to USB using new miniconsoles.

Edited January 25 by Gory-Glory

[Albert]

1 minute ago, Bill Loguidice said:

This only has USB ports. You'd need a USB to DB9 adapter and hope that it translates the commands correctly to use something like an ST mouse. Again, there's not necessarily a reason for THE400 Mini to actually support a mouse for any reason, but there are some good arguments to be made, especially in terms of 5200 support, for it to do so.

Yeah, my guess is it won't support mice for the initial version, but support could probably be added.  I'd just want to see support for regular USB mice, no need to really make it more complicated by using an ST or Amiga mouse. 

 

 ..Al

[Irgendwer]

22 minutes ago, Albert said:

I'd just want to see support for regular USB mice, no need to really make it more complicated by using an ST or Amiga mouse.

Yes, and mapping it to behave like a "CX77 Touch Tablet" would be the cherry on the cream. (Which the Atari800 emulator offers...)

[Gory-Glory]

Okey it serms that we can not connect an usb-mouse to 400 Mini. It is okey, then I only buy a wired keyboard an extra joystick or if The A500 GamePad works with 400 Mini.

 

I have a wired Xbox 360 controller and The C64 Joystick to my A500 Mini and it works fine, but A500 GamePad works best.

 

Do you think that it will work to play two player games on 400 Mini.

 

I have connected two gamepads to my a500 mini and two player works not, nothing happens with player twos gamepad, so a500 mini seems not to support two player games, only one player games.

Edited January 25 by Gory-Glory

[Bill Loguidice]

3 minutes ago, Gory-Glory said:

Okey it serms that we can not connect an usb-mouse to 400 Mini. It is okey, then I only buy a wired keyboard an extra joystick or if The A500 GamePad works with 400 Mini.

 

I have a wired Xbox 360 controller and The C64 Joystick to my A500 Mini and it works fine, but A500 GamePad works best.

 

Do you think that it will work to play two player games on 400 Mini.

 

I have connected two gamepads to my a500 mini and two player works not, nothing happens with player twos gamepad, so a500 mini seems not to support two player games, only one player games.

It has 4 ports and certainly was designed in part around MULE, which supports four players at once, so there's a good chance most 2 player+ games you add to the platform should work fine (obviously the 25 built-in games will have zero issues in that regard). Just like THEC64 and Amiga Mini, though, not everything is going to be 100% compatible.