51 replies to this topic

[GregadetH]

I've procured two Lynx consoles from a fellow member and have been having a blast with them. I've also come to the conclusion that this thing was just too awesome for mere mortal children in 1989. I got a lame-o Game Boy, what was I thinking?

What's the deal with the LCD screen though? The LCD in the Mark I is much darker on the left half of the screen than the right. Is this a bulb issue? If so, is there a way to install white LED's for a backlight? There's hardly any info on mods or repairs for the Mark I units so I'm hoping someone here has some experience.

Anyway, I have plans for this beast as it suffers from the usual paint problems. I'm going to paint the majority of it with black textured Krylon Fusion, then paint the trim around the option 1, 2 and reset buttons Krylon Fusion pumpkin orange along with the a-b buttons, d-pad and circle trim around the d-pad. I'm also installing an orange LED in one of the "bumps" just below the d-pad, mainly because I put the wrong screw back in and punctured a hole in the front of it when I took it apart for cleaning.

Edited by GregadetH, Tue Dec 28, 2010 7:39 PM.

[TrekMD]

The Lynx was way ahead of its time but it did not do well because of poor Atari marketing vs superb Nintendo marketing for the GameBoy. It really is a very powerful system that still holds it own well.

I don't know the technical aspects, but I do know that someone else posted here info on a Lynx they were selling with LCD lights. You may just want to search the posts for that.

Welcome to the Lynx and enjoy!

[Gregory DG]

Personally, I think the Lynx was Atari's most fun system since the 2600. Very few of the games are total stinkers.

The problem was battery life, price, and size. If Atari could have made it smaller & cheaper with a longer battery life, it would have been more successful.

[Horst]

I got a GameBoy for Christmas in 89 too. It really was a lot of fun and used FAR less batteries(which my parents had to pay for) than a Lynx. I remember just standing and staring at the Lynx glass cases at Toys R Us, there was just no way my parents were going to buy me another game system!
Enjoy your Lynx, its a great system with a LOT of very good games, just pick up an ac adapter...

[GregadetH]

Horst, on Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:52 PM, said:

just pick up an ac adapter...

I have two and they are my new best friends...even though I get free cases of Duracell AA's from my brothers store. I currently have 64 AA batteries on hand. I'm sure the Lynx could down those in about a week.

[Austin]

Indeed the Lynx is awesome. Glad to see you're having fun with it!

[GregadetH]

Aaaaaand I spoke too soon. The mark I now refuses to power on with batteries. This bad boy likes AC adapter only. Go figure!

[The_Laird]

I got my first Lynx when I was back at school with paper round money. I bought rechargable batteries and it went into school everyday with me. There were about another 4 or 5 kids with Lynx's so we all used to have alot of fun. The other kids were always very jealous of us.

[TrekMD]

GregadetH, on Wed Dec 29, 2010 2:44 AM, said:

Aaaaaand I spoke too soon. The mark I now refuses to power on with batteries. This bad boy likes AC adapter only. Go figure!

Maybe the contacts are dirty?

[GregadetH]

TrekMD, on Wed Dec 29, 2010 8:02 AM, said:

GregadetH, on Wed Dec 29, 2010 2:44 AM, said:

Aaaaaand I spoke too soon. The mark I now refuses to power on with batteries. This bad boy likes AC adapter only. Go figure!

Maybe the contacts are dirty?

No sir. Contacts have been cleaned, solder joints checked and wires inspected. I had a small amount of luck in bending the contacts outward to get a better connection...but you can only bend them so far.

[TrekMD]

I wonder what's wrong with it.

[GregadetH]

Who knows! I've got a very nice looking (albeit, dead) Mark I coming in the mail, so hopefully I can get to the bottom of it with some parts swapping.

[TrekMD]

Good luck with that!

[zoltan]

I am new to the Lynx as well. I always liked the handheld consoles, but we couldn't afford them when I was a kid (I lived in Hungary and the salary is not the best there... ). I still remember when I was about 10 year old and I saw a game boy in my school. The kid was playing Aladdin on it (or something similar platformer). It was amazing. But until recently I didn't know anything about atari Lynx. I was just browsing on the net and I found an article about the Lynx. I didn't believe to my eyes. It is just awe-inspiring that a handheld with such a power, screen and I think look (especially the Lynx 2 looks cool even today) went to the wall against the game boy. In the next minute I already knew I will buy one Even the same day I ordered one, I am not disappointed at all. Hard to believe that this machine is 20 year old. So at the moment I am building my collection. And not only the hardware cool, the games are awesome as well. I am really happy that I found that article Long live the Lynx!

[Atari_afternoon]

I second that!

[4Ks]

Good choice with Lynx. IMO, it's aged much better than Game Boy. The only problem I can find with it is that 6 AAs are a bit hard to procure.

[zoltan]

4Ks, on Sun Jan 9, 2011 2:42 PM, said:

Good choice with Lynx. IMO, it's aged much better than Game Boy. The only problem I can find with it is that 6 AAs are a bit hard to procure.

Use rechargeable batteries, I use 2700 mAh GPs, it works fine with them, I never use the power adaptor.

[Havok69]

zoltan, on Sun Jan 9, 2011 6:50 PM, said:

4Ks, on Sun Jan 9, 2011 2:42 PM, said:

Good choice with Lynx. IMO, it's aged much better than Game Boy. The only problem I can find with it is that 6 AAs are a bit hard to procure.

Use rechargeable batteries, I use 2700 mAh GPs, it works fine with them, I never use the power adaptor.

How long do they last on a charge? I just joined the ranks of proud Lynx owners, and I can't wait to get mine in the mail...

[4Ks]

zoltan, on Sun Jan 9, 2011 6:50 PM, said:

4Ks, on Sun Jan 9, 2011 2:42 PM, said:

Good choice with Lynx. IMO, it's aged much better than Game Boy. The only problem I can find with it is that 6 AAs are a bit hard to procure.

Use rechargeable batteries, I use 2700 mAh GPs, it works fine with them, I never use the power adaptor.

I am using rechargeables. But my problem is that I usually can't find 6 AAs, not that they don't last long enough.

[ls650]

zoltan, on Wed Jan 5, 2011 7:53 PM, said:

I didn't believe to my eyes. It is just awe-inspiring that a handheld with such a power, screen and I think look (especially the Lynx 2 looks cool even today) went to the wall against the game boy.

I know. It's funny - the Lynx seems to have the weakest following of any of the Atari systems, yet it's actually a fairly powerful 2D machine. I'm surprised that we don't see more of a collecting and homebrew scene for it.

[SwedenLynxer]

@ zoltan: That is cool , new people still discover the Lynx after all those years!

So what games do you have in your collection so far?

[zoltan]

Quote

How long do they last on a charge? I just joined the ranks of proud Lynx owners, and I can't wait to get mine in the mail...

Well, the thing is that when I play I can't feel the time but they last pretty long. After the next charging I will measure the working time. I am sure you won't be disappointed with your new Lynx. Good to see that the Lynx community is bigger and bigger.

Quote

I know. It's funny - the Lynx seems to have the weakest following of any of the Atari systems, yet it's actually a fairly powerful 2D machine. I'm surprised that we don't see more of a collecting and homebrew scene for it.

Yes I am surprised as well. The only good thing that the smaller fan base means cheaper games and systems. I bought my Lynx 2 for 75 GBP for brand new. I saw that a new Sega Game Gear is 300-400 GBP!! I bought a new because I am extremely allergy to the screen scratches even to the smallest one. I really take care of it, I don't even leave it just on a table or on whatever because of the dust, I always put it in my drawer . I know, it was a little risky to buy a new one (dead pixels etc etc ), but thanks god everything is perfect on it.

Quote

@ zoltan: That is cool , new people still discover the Lynx after all those years!

So what games do you have in your collection so far?

I have bought the next games so far: Batman returns (it came with the system),Shadow of the beast, Blue Lightning, Warbirds, Zarlor Merchenary, Checkered Flag, Toki, Desert strike, Klax, Chips Challenge, Crystal Mines 2, Dracula, Battlezone 2000, Cyber Virus, Sokomania, Daemonsgate and I ordered the Zaku. And I am really looking forward to some new project (EOTB, DragonSaga, Distant Lands)

Edited by zoltan, Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:54 PM.

[The_Laird]

zoltan, on Mon Jan 10, 2011 2:45 PM, said:

Yes I am surprised as well. The only good thing that the smaller fan base means cheaper games and systems. I bought my Lynx 2 for 75 GBP for brand new. I saw that a new Sega Game Gear is 300-400 GBP!!

Actually I have found Lynx stuff goes for much higher prices, for instance I got a Gamegear with about 30 games all CIB for £75. You would be paying at least double that for a Lynx lot. The Lynx still has a big fanbase with alot of homebrew support, you can't say that for the Lamegear.

[4Ks]

The_Laird, on Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:30 PM, said:

The Lynx still has a big fanbase with alot of homebrew support, you can't say that for the Lamegear.

Not everything that isn't Lynx or Jaguar is crap, you know.

[The_Laird]

4Ks, on Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:00 PM, said:

The_Laird, on Mon Jan 10, 2011 3:30 PM, said:

The Lynx still has a big fanbase with alot of homebrew support, you can't say that for the Lamegear.

Not everything that isn't Lynx or Jaguar is crap, you know.

Have you even read the list of machines in my sig

I have stated on numerous occasions my favourite console is my Saturn and for the last 2 weeks I have played barely anything else except my Megadrive. Yeah I am such a biased fanboy