41 replies to this topic

[Atari 7800.com]

Atari Joe said:

The best thing about the odyssey is the module to play atari games on 2600 mode with the voice modual. that is what is drawing people in to playing this game.

I'm not quite sure where you got that from Joe, but that is completely 100% not true. It certainly would have been nice if the Odyssey had the ability to play 2600 games, and maybe utilize the built-in keyboard for some of the games. I'm sure the Odyssey2 would have been around much much longer than it was, maybe even being a leader in gaming, but it just wasnt so. Maybe you are confusing Odyssey2 and ColecoVision??

[ubersaurus]

If the O2 had some more 3rd party support then just Parker Bros and Imagic I'm sure they coulda done better too.

[Atari 7800.com]

...absolutely. Its really an amazing little system. I can understand why people would want a 2600 over an Odyssey2, many people wanted the "real" space invaders and the "real" asteroids... but Atari aside, what about those who purchased Intellivision, etc? I certainly would have chosen an Odyssey2 over the Intellivision, based on technology and capabilities alone.

My 2 cents..

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I'm a bit disappointed that there's only one homebrew for the O2 (well, two if you count Ralph Baer's Pinball, which I really don't consider a homebrew). I just wish I knew even one iota about programming the Intel 8048 chip, or I'd take a swing at it.

[ubersaurus]

I hear it's really really hard to program for that thing, very limited capabilities. You could probably get a good text adventure going, though.

[Atari 7800.com]

Would anybody be interested in seeing an Odyssey2 dedicated website? Similiar to Atari 7800.com where there is history and sales and.... well not Atari Joe lol otherwise he'd be trying to sell you the 2600 adapter for it, but you know... a nice site with history and images and a few systems and games for sale?

Just curious..

[Atari 7800.com]

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I dunno...Classicgaming.com has a pretty definitive site, and I'd like to think I'm approaching a certain degree (if not quite William's near-obsessive degree, which I happen to like) of definitiveness. I guess it'd be a question of what could be brought to the table that'd be new. (Not trying to be an arse there, by the way, just posing the question.)

[Atari 7800.com]

Ill keep that in mind. I've got my hands pretty full with Atari 7800.com, TurboGrafx-16.com, and the rest of the stuff at ManhattanDM.com

Thanks!

[ubersaurus]

Hey a new O2 game is in development, Kill the Attacking Aliens, looks like this one could be one of the few to push the system to its limits. Check out the o2 homepage.

[Atari Joe]

where the 02 homepaje at? i need to get one of these bad mothers! thanx joe.

[ubersaurus]

http://www.classicgaming.com/o2home/

[Lifeguard]

Thanks for the Odyssey2 info. Very good.

I just found Odyssey2 stuff in two different places. In one batch a console (with hard-wired controllers) and loose cartridges Baseball, Bowling/Basketball, Alien Invaders-Plus, UFO, Speedway/etc, Football, Sub Chase/Armored Encounter and Invaders From Hyperspace. All that for a total of $6. It was 1/2 off day at that thrift store. HA!

It didn't have a power adapter so i'm now looking for one of those. I'd like to fire this thing up. I'm not sure what kind of RF adapter it uses though--this one looks black with a white end with a male tip on it. Any suggestions?

Later i discovered a lot of games in boxes with instructions--each for $1. I've Got Your Number, Freedom Fighters, Invaders From Hyperspace, 2 of Speedway/Etc and two voice ones--P.T. Barnum's Acrobats and Type and Tell.

I don't know why Magnavox place apostrophies after all of the titles. Is there a story behind that or did they think it would create excitement at the retail level?

Hmmm--so now I have to find the voice adapter as well? I guess I'm up for the challenge. Gulp...............

Lifeguard

[Big Player]

The Odyssey2 uses the same RF adaptor as the Atari 2600. So if you have one of those, you're set.

I do have one with the voice module--I got it from Pitfallaimee at the Cinciclassic twwo weeks ago.

[Rob Mitchell]

The RF switchbox for the Magnavox equipment is unique and the RF cable does not terminate with a RCA plug .. So I opened up my O2 and easily replaced the RF cable with an Atari one ..

The voice chip inside the Odyssey Voice Module is from the same family of voice chips as those inside the Intellivoice and the new VecVoice module. They are called the General Instruments SPO256 family of chips.

I like Killer Bees .. and I have the Voice Module for it. Smithereens is a great game! It needs to be ported to the 2600!

I have not seen too many other O2 games that I like .. and I cannot get into board based video games.

If your O2 features unpluggable controllers, you can connect an Atari stick to it via a small adapter. I make these adapters for $6 each. contact me via private email to get one.

The O2 power supply gives 9v AC out and uses an 1/8" phono plug. Easy to find a replacement at any thrift store.

Also I recently picked up the O2 programming manual at a thrift .. The cart was nowhere to be found! That is a good read though and a real intro to programming! (unlike the Basic Programming for the 2600).

Now if the powerful Bally Astrocade had been built with the O2 keyboard .. wow! It would have dominated the video game industry!

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[Big Player]

Rob Mitchell said:

The RF switchbox for the Magnavox equipment is unique and the RF cable does not terminate with a RCA plug .. So I opened up my O2 and easily replaced the RF cable with an Atari one ..  

Oops. So did I buy a modified O2 from Pitfallaimee? It didn't come with a switchbox but I had no trouble using the Radio Shack switchboxI use for my 2600.

Sorry if I gave some bad advice.

[ubersaurus]

No, some of them have standard RF cables built in, and some have the doofy connector ones.