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...about the original Flashback...and the future


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With all the hype surrounding the 2.0, I was wondering a few things. When I first saw the Flashback last Christmas, of course I was interested, but passed on it when I saw the games included...I just wasn't a huge fan of the crop. Plus, that day I was returning my Ms Pac Man plug and play joystick from Jakks...THAT thing was such a disappointment it wasn't funny...after three sticks we got one that 'kinda' worked right...Ms PacMan was simply unplayable at times.

 

And I know the majority of you here didn't like the first Flashback...although we won't know until it's released, something warns me that it might not be able to back up the hype. Anybody else feel like this? I'm glad that they are attempting to bring back this great system (although it seems like it'll be a big project to get it to play old carts...and even then, you don't get a B/W switch)....

 

..what I'm trying to say is, I really hope that the manufacturer actually comes through with a product that is worthy of it's heritage. That means:

 

Games that play IDENTICALLY to their counterparts

Joysticks that are fully functional and feel like the originals

 

And finally, maybe a hint of a future, full-blown retro product that is essentially a 2600 with up to date hardware for the retro scene, with 'multi-carts' being available. I think it would be a HUGE success...even Activision could release a compilation for it.

 

Anybody feel similar?

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..what I'm trying to say is, I really hope that the manufacturer actually comes through with a product that is worthy of it's heritage.  That means:

 

Games that play IDENTICALLY to their counterparts

This is guaranteed. The Flashback 2 uses ACTUAL 2600 HARDWARE and ACTUAL 2600 CODE. It IS a real 2600, unlike the Flashback 1 and the Jakk's sticks, which are NES hardware.

 

 

And finally, maybe a hint of a future, full-blown retro product that is essentially a 2600 with up to date hardware for the retro scene, with 'multi-carts' being available.
Up-to-date hardware? You mean a new chipset, or more powerful than a 2600?

 

Personally, I'd LOVE to see Atari make a new, modern, competitive system. With proper support both from Atari and 3rd-party developers.

But I think the proverbial snowball has a better chance.

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...I wouldn't be interested in a full-blown new Atari system, like a Jaguar2 or something like that. Although at the time of it's release, I thought it was pretty cool...I'm just more into the retro scene now.

 

And on a marketing level, I think that with the success of the Jakks, Atari would be foolish NOT to release a 'mini-system' that would play 'multi-carts' with a few being released every year...I don't see how that wouldn't work....it sounds like money in the bank!

 

Maybe it's on the horizon, seeing as the retro boom is in full swing.

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...I wouldn't be interested in a full-blown new Atari system, like a Jaguar2 or something like that.  Although at the time of it's release, I thought it was pretty cool...I'm just more into the retro scene now.

I just wanna see Atari become the big name again.

I'm aware it's irrational.

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...I wouldn't be interested in a full-blown new Atari system, like a Jaguar2 or something like that.  Although at the time of it's release, I thought it was pretty cool...I'm just more into the retro scene now.

I just wanna see Atari become the big name again.

I'm aware it's irrational.

855899[/snapback]

 

 

Unfortunately, Atari blew it back in the day. They will never be the big name again.

Edited by Lord Helmet
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...I wouldn't be interested in a full-blown new Atari system, like a Jaguar2 or something like that.  Although at the time of it's release, I thought it was pretty cool...I'm just more into the retro scene now.

I just wanna see Atari become the big name again.

I'm aware it's irrational.

855899[/snapback]

 

 

Unfortunately, Atari blew it back in the day. They will never be the big name again.

856137[/snapback]

And Sony will never be able to take market share away from Nintendo and Sega.

 

Anything is possible.

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And on a marketing level, I think that with the success of the Jakks, Atari would be foolish NOT to release a 'mini-system' that would play 'multi-carts' with a few being released every year...I don't see how that wouldn't work....it sounds like money in the bank!

 

855875[/snapback]

 

I was thinking that perhaps they could do something like Nintendo did with the e-reader. For those who might not know, this is thingy that fits into the Game Boy and it has a scanner for collectible cards with special codes printed on them. You can fit whole games on a single baseball-card sized pasteboard. From what I've read is each card can hold 2K or 4K, and support multiple loads - more than enough room for most Atari games.

 

They use these cards for Pokemon type competitions, but you can alos buy cards of classic NES games to play on the Game Boy. Wouldn't it be cool to have retro video game collectible cards that give you facts, screenshots and cabinet art, and with the actual games on the card itself? Cool, eh?

 

A guy can dream, right?

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  • 2 weeks later...
With all the hype surrounding the 2.0, I was wondering a few things.  When I first saw the Flashback last Christmas, of course I was interested, but passed on it when I saw the games included...I just wasn't a huge fan of the crop.  Plus, that day I was returning my Ms Pac Man plug and play joystick from Jakks...THAT thing was such a disappointment it wasn't funny...after three sticks we got one that 'kinda' worked right...Ms PacMan was simply unplayable at times.

 

And I know the majority of you here didn't like the first Flashback...although we won't know until it's released, something warns me that it might not be able to back up the hype.  Anybody else feel like this?  I'm glad that they are attempting to bring back this great system (although it seems like it'll be a big project to get it to play old carts...and even then, you don't get a B/W switch)....

 

..what I'm trying to say is, I really hope that the manufacturer actually comes through with a product that is worthy of it's heritage.  That means:

 

Games that play IDENTICALLY to their counterparts

Joysticks that are fully functional and feel like the originals

 

And finally, maybe a hint of a future, full-blown retro product that is essentially a 2600 with up to date hardware for the retro scene, with 'multi-carts' being available.  I think it would be a HUGE success...even Activision could release a compilation for it.

 

Anybody feel similar?

855868[/snapback]

 

It does have a BW switch, it on the back next to the power & joystick ports, you just don't see it on the initial prototype units.

 

The games do play identical since it is a 2600 on a chip inside and the binaries its running are binaries right off of the proms from the same cartridges you plug into an old original 2600.

 

As for making run carts, 2 traces, solder in a connector and cut the plastic for a hole and your done, not as much work there as you think.

 

Activision titles are included on it: Pitfall! and River Raid

 

Joysticks and compatible with the old systems and all of the original controllers all work on the new FB 2.

 

So basically everything you listed above had already been engineered and included in the system.

 

 

 

Curt

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Just trying to keep the system as true to its original functionality as possible :-)

 

 

 

Curt

 

It does have a BW switch, it on the back next to the power & joystick ports, you just don't see it on the initial prototype units.

I didn't know that. :thumbsup: Nice.

861145[/snapback]

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Just trying to keep the system as true to its original functionality as possible :-)

 

 

 

Curt

 

It does have a BW switch, it on the back next to the power & joystick ports, you just don't see it on the initial prototype units.

I didn't know that. :thumbsup: Nice.

861145[/snapback]

861345[/snapback]

So this means games that require the tv type color/BW switch will function properly now? :D I'm ALSO thinking in terms of people hacking back in the cart slot so that other games will work... ( ;) )

Edited by atwwong
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Joysticks and compatible with the old systems and all of the original controllers all work on the new FB 2.

 

Curt

861130[/snapback]

 

Yeah, but doesn't making it that way bring up the same issues a cartridge port would, ie: consumers calling up Atari Customer Service asking why an older controller no longer works just like those old cartridges with dirty connectors issue?

 

Just curious,

 

Rick Vendl II

Edited by TrekkiELO
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...I wouldn't be interested in a full-blown new Atari system, like a Jaguar2 or something like that.  Although at the time of it's release, I thought it was pretty cool...I'm just more into the retro scene now.

I just wanna see Atari become the big name again.

I'm aware it's irrational.

855899[/snapback]

 

No offense intended, but what is really irrational is expecting Atari to produce the Flashback 2 with a cartridge port and a b/w switch.

 

Outside of folks like us, I really don't know how many people are still going to have 2600 carts laying around. And who uses a B/W TV anymore???

 

It seems to me the thing with these games-in-a-controller type jobs is it's a one-shot purchase. You get everything all at once. And most of them are battery powered, and self-contained, such as in a controller. Atari is going just one step further in having a "console" that uses an AC adaptor, and has controllers that hook up to it.

 

But taking it further to where you'd have to buy the "console" first and then buy cartridges - even multi-carts - is going, well, too far. If you're going to do that, you might as well just start producing the 2600 again, which isn't going to happen.

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Outside of folks like us, I really don't know how many people are still going to have 2600 carts laying around. And who uses a B/W TV anymore???

Well, nobody, but that's not the point. Some games assume you're on a color TV, and (mis?)use the B&W switch for other in-game purposes...

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Outside of folks like us, I really don't know how many people are still going to have 2600 carts laying around. And who uses a B/W TV anymore???

Well, nobody, but that's not the point. Some games assume you're on a color TV, and (mis?)use the B&W switch for other in-game purposes...

861706[/snapback]

 

Such as?

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Has anyone heard whether or not they will be releasing joysticks (and possibly other controllers [paddles, trackballs]) separately from the flashback unit? My 10 - 20 year old joysticks are still holding up fairly well but it would be nice to be able to replace them w/ new ones I don't feel so bad about beating up.

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And Sony will never be able to take market share away from Nintendo and Sega.

Anything is possible.

 

 

Testify!

 

Great thread. With all the elctronic thingies out there, why not a new 2600?

 

Will it overtake the current big players? No, and it won't cost a fortune to produce a 2600, either. The FB2 IS ALREADY a new and true 2600 but without a cart slot. And how about making new games? They won't cost a mint to develop, either. And as small as those games are, at least there NO LOADING time with carts. Ha ha!

 

Maybe another FB might have 100 games in it and a dozen homebrews, and then they'll try to issue a few new carts? Who the hell knows? The PS3 and the other new nextgen consoles have been shown, and I don't care about them. It's photorealism plus wireless controllers. So what? Think I'm shelling out $600.00 Canadian for that? Bah :|

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As for making run carts, 2 traces, solder in a connector and cut the plastic for a hole and your done, not as much work there as you think.

 

Curt

861130[/snapback]

 

 

 

WOW only 2 pins from the cart slot is all thats needed to connect to trace lines ? will there be solder joints in box ?

 

I am ready for the cart slot mod, but whatcha think of this other method

 

What If I did a mod with just soldering 2 wires on 2 pads from a 2600 blank cart to the two traces in box, also howabout 2 boards, one with 2/ 4k & one with 8k boards, Place a swtich between the boards and I would still need a switch between 2600 on a chip and the first board connected to box, does that sound right ? That would be one of my mods with two zif socketed boards. Have the zif sockets sticking out of the top. Is that to far fecthed ? I do have an eeprom programmer so a mod like that would be fun too utilize 8)

Edited by ATARIeric
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WOW only 2 pins from the cart slot is all thats needed to connect to trace lines ?  will there be solder joints in box ?

861937[/snapback]

No, you cut two traces to disable the Gizmo chip which has the built in games. For a cart slot you need to connect the 24 pins on a cart connector.

I wonder why two traces need cutting, seems like opening the A12 (rom enable) line should do it? Of course connecting it through a switch or relay is best since you can have both carts and built-in games.

Sure love to see a pic of the circuit board maybe with a quarter on it for size comparison.

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No, you cut two traces to disable the Gizmo chip which has the built in games.  For a cart slot you need to connect the 24 pins on a cart connector.

862046[/snapback]

 

OK, so what I would need to solder is all the pins from the cart slot to secure it, but now if im reading this the way I think it is, only 2 sets of pins are actually gonna be wired from cart slot to the traces that I am cutting & then put a switch inbetween the 2 cut trace line ?

Edited by ATARIeric
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Step 1: Cut traces to disable onboard games

Step 2: solder cartridge connector to PCB

Step 3: modify case for cartridge slot

Step 4: Play your cartridges

 

Optional Step 5: Wire a toggle switch to traces to enable/disable onboard games/cartridge slot

 

 

 

Curt

 

No, you cut two traces to disable the Gizmo chip which has the built in games.  For a cart slot you need to connect the 24 pins on a cart connector.

862046[/snapback]

 

OK, so what I would need to solder is all the pins from the cart slot to secure it, but now if im reading this the way I think it is, only 2 sets of pins are actually gonna be wired from cart slot to the traces that I am cutting & then put a switch inbetween the 2 cut trace line ?

862134[/snapback]

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Step 1: Cut traces to disable onboard games

Step 2: solder cartridge connector to PCB

Step 3: modify case for cartridge slot

Step 4: Play your cartridges

 

Optional Step 5: Wire a toggle switch to traces to enable/disable onboard games/cartridge slot

 

 

 

Curt

 

No, you cut two traces to disable the Gizmo chip which has the built in games.  For a cart slot you need to connect the 24 pins on a cart connector.

862046[/snapback]

 

OK, so what I would need to solder is all the pins from the cart slot to secure it, but now if im reading this the way I think it is, only 2 sets of pins are actually gonna be wired from cart slot to the traces that I am cutting & then put a switch inbetween the 2 cut trace line ?

862134[/snapback]

862241[/snapback]

 

Thank you 8):thumbsup:

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"Step 1: Cut traces to disable onboard games

Step 2: solder cartridge connector to PCB

Step 3: modify case for cartridge slot

Step 4: Play your cartridges

Optional Step 5: Wire a toggle switch to traces to enable/disable onboard games/cartridge slot"

 

Might be nice to have a step-by-step of that sometime :)

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