*FINALLY* got a 7800!

[MaDDuck]

A few observations from a newbie!

1. The joysticks SUCK! They are only good in comparison to a 5200 stick.

2. That cartridge port is as tight as a...(use your imagination for a metaphor!)

3. The Atari joypads I picked up on Ebay 2 years ago, are now my controllers of choice.

4. The sound BITES! Forget POKEY & TIA, let's use a SID chip instead!!

 

I got it on ebay (where else!) and other that one of the crappy controllers (pro line) being crushed during shipping, it all works great.

AND.....

One of the two included games PP II, won't work! That's such a shame concidering that it's the rarest game ever made for it! :!:

I already had a small library of thrift-store 7800 games (Winter Games, Impossible Mission, Ballblazer, Dig Dug, One on One and Planet Smashers) so I'm glad I can finally play them after several years of them sitting in a drawer!!

 

Here's the one I got:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

 

Very happy with it, bring on the HOME BREWS!!!!!

[akimmet]

A few observations from a newbie!

1. The joysticks SUCK! They are only good in comparison to a 5200 stick.

2. That cartridge port is as tight as a...(use your imagination for a metaphor!)

3. The Atari joypads I picked up on Ebay 2 years ago, are now my controllers of choice.

4. The sound BITES! Forget POKEY & TIA, let's use a SID chip instead!!

 

I got it on ebay (where else!) and other that one of the crappy controllers (pro line) being crushed during shipping, it all works great.

AND.....

One of the two included games PP II, won't work! That's such a shame concidering that it's the rarest game ever made for it!  :!:

I already had a small library of thrift-store 7800 games (Winter Games, Impossible Mission, Ballblazer, Dig Dug, One on One and Planet Smashers) so I'm glad I can finally play them after several years of them sitting in a drawer!!

 

Here's the one I got:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

 

Very happy with it, bring on the HOME BREWS!!!!!

926731[/snapback]

 

 

Are you sure about that, Pole Position 2 is like the combat of the 7800. it was a pack in for every 7800. Planet Smashers is actually a rare game, and is a good game if you turn down the volume on the TV before playing...

Edited September 7, 2005 by akimmet

[MaDDuck]

A few observations from a newbie!

1. The joysticks SUCK! They are only good in comparison to a 5200 stick.

2. That cartridge port is as tight as a...(use your imagination for a metaphor!)

3. The Atari joypads I picked up on Ebay 2 years ago, are now my controllers of choice.

4. The sound BITES! Forget POKEY & TIA, let's use a SID chip instead!!

 

I got it on ebay (where else!) and other that one of the crappy controllers (pro line) being crushed during shipping, it all works great.

AND.....

One of the two included games PP II, won't work! That's such a shame concidering that it's the rarest game ever made for it!  :!:

I already had a small library of thrift-store 7800 games (Winter Games, Impossible Mission, Ballblazer, Dig Dug, One on One and Planet Smashers) so I'm glad I can finally play them after several years of them sitting in a drawer!!

 

Here's the one I got:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

 

Very happy with it, bring on the HOME BREWS!!!!!

926731[/snapback]

 

 

Are you sure about that, Pole Position 2 is like the combat of the 7800. it was a pack in for every 7800. Planet Smashers is actually a rare game, and is a good game if you turn down the volume on the TV before playing...

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I'm kidding about it being rare!!!

When I got Planet Smashers last year, there were 5 PP II's in the bin with it.

I know it's as common as dirt, and unlike combat, there is NO tank pong option!

 

and yes Planet Smashers is fun, I try to block out the sound, it's attrocious!

[shadow460]

Think that sound is awful wait til you try Crossbow with a non-working light gun.

BAAAD Sega! No Sonic treats!

 

You got a good price on that. My PPII didn't work at first, then it got stuck in the slot a few times. I got another PPII that I was using for a dust guard, and it works like a champ.

I did get the first one working by cleaning the contacts really good. Most of the loose 7800 games I get are like that, and a good alcohol cleaning on the contacts + repairs to the labels get them working like new.

[MaDDuck]

Think that sound is awful wait til you try Crossbow with a non-working light gun.

BAAAD Sega!  No Sonic treats!

 

You got a good price on that.  My PPII didn't work at first, then it got stuck in the slot a few times.  I got another PPII that I was using for a dust guard, and it works like a champ.

I did get the first one working by cleaning the contacts really good.  Most of the loose 7800 games I get are like that, and a good alcohol cleaning on the contacts + repairs to the labels get them working like new.

927841[/snapback]

 

 

 

WAYYYYY ahead of you!

I babied that cartridge, alchoholed the edge and the female side on the 7800 and still no-go! Next time I'm out thrift-ing, I'll pick up one or two or three.......

 

I enjoyed Crossbow in the arcade as a kid, but I think I'll stear clear of the 7800 port! It looks good, but that sound (OY!)

[Chickybaby]

Congrats!

It's a great system and hopefully once the quirks are ironed out everything will be just fine.

Dig dug is a lot of fun!

 

Get a CC2 *grin* and if you hate the controllers you could try the Joypads (sort of like NES style I guess).

[MaDDuck]

Congrats!

It's a great system and hopefully once the quirks are ironed out everything will be just fine.

Dig dug is a lot of fun!

 

Get a CC2 *grin*  and if you hate the controllers you could try the Joypads (sort of like NES style I guess).

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I have a set of the ATARI Euro pads from many years ago, they work SOOOOO much better than the curiously named "pro" controllers!?!?

[JagFan422]

great system, its a horrible system, i own 2

[jaybird3rd]

A few observations from a newbie!

1. The joysticks SUCK! They are only good in comparison to a 5200 stick.

2. That cartridge port is as tight as a...(use your imagination for a metaphor!)

3. The Atari joypads I picked up on Ebay 2 years ago, are now my controllers of choice.

4. The sound BITES! Forget POKEY & TIA, let's use a SID chip instead!!

It's really a pity about the 7800 ... it had the potential to be a truly great system but was held back by a number of serious flaws. You've highlighted some of them: the controllers were never as good as they should have been (even the gamepads had a "cheap" feel to them), and the onboard 2600 sound was underwhelming at best. I heard that the original 7800 design was going to include better sound, but it was taken out because of a lack of time. The other big problem is the RF-modulated video; there should have been a composite option built right in from the beginning. Fortunately, though, all three of these problems can be corrected today (this is my humble attempt at providing a decent 7800 controller), and with the homebrew developer support the 7800 is finally getting, I think it's in for a very exciting "afterlife."

 

Anyway, congratulations on your purchase. I'm pleased to see that you got a copy of Ms. Pac-Man with your console; it's one of the best home versions of that game available. Make sure you pick up the other early 7800 arcade ports (the ones that were done by GCC, such as Asteroids, Centipede, Joust, Galaga, etc.) because almost ALL of them are excellent. Whatever you do, DON'T judge the merits of the system based on some of the later cheap titles that were released during the Tramiel years (Karateka, Hat Trick, Jinks, etc.); those are actually among the WORST games for the system.

[shadow460]

Still a good system to collect for, though. Even with several bad titles, the good ones will keep you coming back for much more.

And with Crossbow, well, if you obtain a working light gun, it's pretty decent because it won't make that annoying sound over and over.

[jaybird3rd]

Still a good system to collect for, though.  Even with several bad titles, the good ones will keep you coming back for much more.

934639[/snapback]

Oh, I agree ... the good titles make the system worth owning, especially since many of them (including some of the ones I mentioned) can be found cheaply and easily.

[shadow460]

Yup, yup, yup. Almost every night I get closer to wearing out this Asteroids cart.

[MaDDuck]

Yup, yup, yup.  Almost every night I get closer to wearing out this Asteroids cart.

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Ahhhhh YES!!

MUST....GET....ASTEROIDS!!!!!!

[Lord Helmet]

great system, its a horrible system, i own 2

934523[/snapback]

 

 

Confused...do you think it's great or horrible?

[MaDDuck]

great system, its a horrible system, i own 2

934523[/snapback]

 

 

Confused...do you think it's great or horrible?

938310[/snapback]

 

 

No!!!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, etc......