Is the 2600+ a worthy investment if I already own a regular 2600?

[Gabe]

3 hours ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

A loan would imply they are going to pay it back. This is false. Pre-order means you’re buying a product, period.

And, though I don't know how Atari proper does it, one can pre-order it from Amazon, which doesn't actually charge until it ships. 

Edited Tuesday at 06:05 PM by Gabe

[John Stamos Mullet]

9 minutes ago, Gabe said:

And, though I don't know how Atari proper does it, one can pre-order it from Amazon, which doesn't actually charge until it ships. 

Which isn't really a pre-order, but a reservation.

[AtariYMás009]

I bought a 2600+ mainly because I don't want to use my real hardware much since it has never been restored or reconditioned... and I'm "scared" of breaking any of my original Atari consoles. Aside from that, the fact that you can easily connect it to a TV and get such a clear image is also very attractive, along with the compatibility with Atari 7800 games, even if I don't have any games from that console... So for me (and as soon as the next firmware update comes out) it will be a very nice replacement for my original hardware.

Edited Tuesday at 07:56 PM by AtariYMás009

[vagabondartist]

I’m newish to Atari so the plus came at a perfect time for me to build a collection and enjoy playing without a crt and a lot of aftermarket add-on hardware.

[Gabe]

2 hours ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

Which isn't really a pre-order, but a reservation.

True. But it's still an option. 

Edited Tuesday at 08:19 PM by Gabe

[John Stamos Mullet]

1 minute ago, Gabe said:

True. But it's still an option. 

Me personally, I don't like having to leave it up to Amazon (or any vendor) as to when they might randomly decide to charge my card a few months down the road. I'd prefer to either pay in advance at the time of order, or just wait until it hits retail and order it then. I don't need to have my purchase get bounced because I didn't have enough available on the card I used several months previous because in the intervening time I used it for something else. I don't like paying over the limit fees or overdraft fees.

[Video]

Well, the original console reads all 2600 games, so there's that. It also properly reads all controllers, so you can use driving controllers and keypads, and paddles work at proper resolution. Downside is original doesn't play nice with modern TV, from just running janky to not at all.

 

The plus doesn't read all carts, but adds 7800 functionality, so there's that, and with HDMI, its compatible with modern TV.

 

If you have original consoles and CRT TV, no NEED for a plus, I mostly bought it to support Atari, like buying all the games I can. I know some will say it doesn't make sense to buy a product hoping a company makes it better, but you could have said the same of early nes clones, some downright sucked. The 7800+ shows Atari is listening and trying to improve. Yes its the same basic console with a new skin, but is also supposed to have updated firmware, which admittedly you could get free for your 2600+

[hizzy]

Get the 7800+!

[MrChickenz]

2 hours ago, Video said:

I know some will say it doesn't make sense to buy a product hoping a company makes it better, but you could have said the same of early nes clones, some downright sucked. The 7800+ shows Atari is listening and trying to improve.

Totally agree, and I might add no other retro clones have supported their systems the way Atari is supporting the plus series.

[+wongojack]

15 hours ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

False.

Helpful

[John Stamos Mullet]

6 hours ago, wongojack said:

Helpful

It’s been explained a dozen times over 4 or 5 different threads at this point. 
 

The “experimental” firmware updates ARE official firmware updates, and are what Plaion is using in the unit coming off the production line for a while now. They’ve release 6 updates with another one coming in the very near future.
 

The use of the word “experimental” in the thread title was a mistake, because people took it too literally, like you did, and use it as a means to criticize Atari and/or Plaion. 

[DEANJIMMY]

16 hours ago, Video said:

Well, the original console reads all 2600 games, so there's that. It also properly reads all controllers, so you can use driving controllers and keypads, and paddles work at proper resolution. Downside is original doesn't play nice with modern TV, from just running janky to not at all.

 

The plus doesn't read all carts, but adds 7800 functionality, so there's that, and with HDMI, its compatible with modern TV.

 

If you have original consoles and CRT TV, no NEED for a plus, I mostly bought it to support Atari, like buying all the games I can. I know some will say it doesn't make sense to buy a product hoping a company makes it better, but you could have said the same of early nes clones, some downright sucked. The 7800+ shows Atari is listening and trying to improve. Yes its the same basic console with a new skin, but is also supposed to have updated firmware, which admittedly you could get free for your 2600+

Guess the Driving Controller, Keypad and Trakball will work on the (preordered) 7800+, so I keep my original 2600 and 7800 PAL only for Atarivox games and a few champ carts.

The rest is covered by the latest firmware. 

 

If you live on the PAL side, the big benefit of the plus series is that it plays NTSC carts as well. Finally the best version of many 2600 Activision games can be played and of course Robotron 7800 NTSC 🤗

 

And yes, I got used to the hdmi output🤙

 

[sarahtmonroe]

On 10/1/2024 at 4:59 PM, sarahtmonroe said:

If you already own a regular 2600, adding a 2600+ could still be a good move, especially if you're into homebrew games and the newer releases. Mr. Run and Jump, for instance, is a great example of something fresh being created for this system. However, if your main focus is on playing classic games, the original 2600 should have you covered for the most part.

 

If you're into collecting or gaming on classic consoles like the 2600, it's not so different from people who sell csgo skins for real money, where the value of items can fluctuate and grow over time.

Edited yesterday at 02:12 AM by sarahtmonroe

[+wongojack]

17 hours ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

It’s been explained a dozen times over 4 or 5 different threads at this point. 
 

The “experimental” firmware updates ARE official firmware updates, and are what Plaion is using in the unit coming off the production line for a while now. They’ve release 6 updates with another one coming in the very near future.
 

The use of the word “experimental” in the thread title was a mistake, because people took it too literally, like you did, and use it as a means to criticize Atari and/or Plaion. 

My post was over a month old, but thanks for digging it up, not helping the original person asking the question and creating friction for no reason.

 

BTW even Ben's reply immediately above yours did not definitively say that a customer in Italy would receive the new firmware on a new order.  I know that you have no idea at all what firmware is shipped to customers but keep replying when all we really need are responses from Ben and people who actually know what they are talking about.

[John Stamos Mullet]

6 hours ago, wongojack said:

My post was over a month old, but thanks for digging it up, not helping the original person asking the question and creating friction for no reason.

There have been 6 “official” firmware updates released this year, starting as early as January. Your post from “a month ago” was giving users information that was incorrect, and at least 8 months out of date. It would take 2 minutes of reading the board and looking at the stickied threads to know this. 
 

6 hours ago, wongojack said:

 

BTW even Ben's reply immediately above yours did not definitively say that a customer in Italy would receive the new firmware on a new order. 

That’s because there are several factors that would determine the answer, neither of which Ben nor I can answer definitively. I.e. which vendor the person bought from, on what date, and how that particular vendor has their stock being managed, re: received dates. 
 

6 hours ago, wongojack said:

 I know that you have no idea at all what firmware is shipped to customers but keep replying when all we really need are responses from Ben and people who actually know what they are talking about.

You have no idea what I know or don’t know, but what I can tell you is that I know a lot more than you.

 

Ben himself already confirmed multiple times in multiple threads that the 6 firmwares that have been released ARE official, and that units are shipping and are in stock in some warehouses with updated firmware on them. That’s all you need to know. 

[Mockduck]

There have been no firmware updates released to the general buyers of the 2600+. There have been quite a few mini updates provided to dedicated tech enthusiasts on one gaming forum (this one) who own a 2600+ and have the technical knowledge to repeatedly risk bricking their consoles. 

[John Stamos Mullet]

58 minutes ago, Mockduck said:

There have been no firmware updates released to the general buyers of the 2600+. There have been quite a few mini updates provided to dedicated tech enthusiasts on one gaming forum (this one) who own a 2600+ and have the technical knowledge to repeatedly risk bricking their consoles. 

Again, false. There have been 6 firmware updates that have been released all of which are officially supported. This website/forum is OWNED by Atari. They are not “mini” updates, they are full updates. The instructions for performing these updates are easier to follow than the instructions to set the clock on a VCR from 1985. 
 

As for the whole “risk of bricking” nonsense - every digital device you own, your TV, your Smartphone, your computers, etc. all are at risk of potentially “bricking” when you install updates, so parsing out this particular 2600+ device’s danger level as if it is greater than any of those is just bullshit trolling. Cut the shit. 

Edited 18 hours ago by John Stamos Mullet

[+wongojack]

16 hours ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

There have been 6 “official” firmware updates released this year, starting as early as January. Your post from “a month ago” was giving users information that was incorrect, and at least 8 months out of date. It would take 2 minutes of reading the board and looking at the stickied threads to know this. 
 

That’s because there are several factors that would determine the answer, neither of which Ben nor I can answer definitively. I.e. which vendor the person bought from, on what date, and how that particular vendor has their stock being managed, re: received dates. 
 

You have no idea what I know or don’t know, but what I can tell you is that I know a lot more than you.

 

Ben himself already confirmed multiple times in multiple threads that the 6 firmwares that have been released ARE official, and that units are shipping and are in stock in some warehouses with updated firmware on them. That’s all you need to know. 

I guess keep arguing if you want, but you're not responding to the specific details of this question.