269 replies to this topic

[Thomas Jentzsch]

You may know about my TV format conversions of Atari 2600 games. Most of them are changes to games only released in PAL format so they can now be enjoyed NTSC televisions (there a few NTSC to PAL conversions also). I made them freely available to the public (e.g. via AtariAge), so that everybody can play them on his Supercharger or Cuttle Cart. And if somebody wants to make a cart for himself, that's just fine for me.

And I also gave somebody the exclusive rights to make carts of these conversions for other people who don't have the right equipment. Then the guys from AtariAge asked me if they could sell them also, but at that time I prefered to stay with that person and said no, and AtariAge accepted that.

But some weeks ago (due to very unpleasant reasons which I don't want to discuss here) I had to quit dealing with that person entirely. I asked him not to continue selling my homebrew games, my controller hacks and my TV format conversions. The homebrews where removed immediately and there was no more advertising for the hacks and conversions, so I thought the story had come to an end.

Yesterday I discovered that he is still selling my TV format conversions. He even added a new section to his website to announce them (BTW: Without giving any credit to me, but that's not the point of this message) and somebody made new labels for him. *All* the TV format conversions on this page are made by me!

Again I asked him to stop selling the conversions. His reaction: An insulting mail telling me he doesn't care. And then he even added five more of my TV conversions to his site!

Some people suggested that I should speak to a lawyer, but I would prefer to discuss this under moralic aspects. That's the reason why I'm going public, because at this stage that's the only acceptable way left for me.

Please tell me, what do you think about this

BTW: I'm not telling the name of the "person" here. Most of you will already have recognized him very easily and I don't want to do any additional advertising for him.

[Inky]

I think I know who you are talking about.

The way things happen are sad sometimes.

[ren.dhark]

Maybe a lawyer is the only (and perhaps expensive) way to stop him.

[pitfallaimee]

It's about time someone said something.

[CPUWIZ]

Check your messages !

[Thomas Jentzsch]

ren.dhark said:

Maybe a lawyer is the only (and perhaps expensive) way to stop him.  

No that won't happen.

But I hope the Atari community can solve the problem alone.

[Sir Plus]

Agreed. Hint: an underage male, a small folding bed. Put the two together.

[Cupcakus]

No riddles :-)

I agree that if this particular individual want's to dissrespect your inellectual property against your wishes, we as a fairly tight nit community must stop doing buisness with him all together... over your hacks or anything else.... A "boycot" is exactly what we need.

I really don't know who you are talking about but perhaps you really should tell us who it is so we can effectively stop purchasing products from him.... period.

[Lord-Chaos]

Thomas Jentzsch said:

You may know about my TV format conversions of Atari 2600 games. Most of them are changes to games only released in PAL format so they can now be enjoyed NTSC televisions (there a few NTSC to PAL conversions also).  I made them freely available to the public (e.g. via AtariAge), so that everybody can play them on his Supercharger or Cuttle Cart. And if somebody wants to make a cart for himself, that's just fine for me.    
 

I´ve already bought lots of the Salu/telegames stuff in Europe and I try to get all the licenses.
I don´t sell the games in North America myself , I´ll sell all the interesting games to Atariage and they can exclusively sell them.

I´ll try to get the copyrights for all the Salu , Bitcorp and other games.

I also try to get quantities of PAL only games like Acid Drop and Fatal Run and the BitCorp games again , so that Atariage can sell them with replaced NTSC carts.

If this works , this other person sells pirate copies and can be sued.

This reminds me of another story of a German trader who sued ebay sellers because nobody bought his overpriced stuff ...

Thimo

[King Atari]

I'd like a NTSC format cart, but I don't know who you are talking about, therefore I couldn't avoid him if I don't know who he is.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

King Atari said:

I'd like a NTSC format cart, but I don't know who you are talking about, therefore I couldn't avoid him if I don't know who he is.

At the very moment everybody who is selling my stuff (except AA and Jah Fish) is doing this without my permission.

So if you find another page with 2600 TV format conversions (at the moment 19 in total), you'll know who I mean. And if the person I'm talking about should stop doing this, then it's also ok for me.

[RangerG]

Thomas --

If this is 100% true, you should tell us who it is and we would e-mail him and stop buying his stuff. If this were rumor or just your side of a story, that would be different -- but it sounds like you really are being taken advantage of and you should be able to go public. You are not attacking character or taking a judgmental opinion -- you are suggesting someone is stealing another person's property and you should do something about it.

[Klove]

Hey Thomas.

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Our lawyers will be on him shortly for "other" reasons.

- Ken

[oesii]

Thomas, I guess when things get a little messy we get to see who is in the hobby for the right reasons. I've ordered from there before and I had my eye on the NTSC conversion of My Golf but after you brought up feeling ripped off I won't be buying it anytime soon from there.

Just a quick note to let you know you have a lot of support around here.

[NE146]

I knew it!!! Stan Jr.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

NE146 said:

I knew it!!! Stan Jr.                

Please, take it serious. Only this time. Ok?

It's NOT Stan!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Klove said:

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Our lawyers will be on him shortly for "other" reasons.

Does he know that already? Maybe that explains, why he behaves as if there is no tomorrow.

I really hope, he stops before it's too late for him. And I really would prefer not to need any lawyers in the Atari community.

[NE146]

Thomas Jentzsch said:

NE146 said:

I knew it!!! Stan Jr.                

Please, take it serious. Only this time. Ok?

It's NOT Stan!

Allright.

Of course I DO sympathize.. but it's just that I have absolutely no idea who we're talking about.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

NE146 said:

Of course I DO sympathize.. but it's just that I have absolutely no idea who we're talking about.  

How many people/websites/companies do you know selling hacks? It can't be that hard to find out.

[KAZ]

Oh geez, it is decorated with a Christmas Tree, freaking hilarious.

[ubersaurus]

Shoot, I never got around to ordering Swordfight and Sea Battle yet

[rsiddall]

I'm curious about Klove's comment...

Is it regarding Salu releases (Ghostbusters II, for example) - and ActiVision having property rights to those titles? Reproducing carts w/out ActiVision's consent?

I'm assuming this person has been around a while...if it's who I think it is.

[Cupcakus]

Klove said:

Hey Thomas.

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Our lawyers will be on him shortly for "other" reasons.

- Ken

DOH!!!!

He's screwed allready before we even wanted to stop buying from him :-)

[SS]

Whatta you know; there they are. I gotta say, both his page and (especially) his labels are looking much better these days.

Still, with all the lip-service given to paying home brew authors royalities, you'd think that he would respect your wishes to stop offering the things for sale when asked. Are all of the carts listed on the page your conversion work, Thomas? Don't worry, we've got your back. Let us know if y'all manage to come to some sort of consensus.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

SS said:

Are all of the carts listed on the page your conversion work, Thomas?

Yes, all 19. (correction: 18, Crash Dive is also from Rasty)

And if you go here you can see that he also has listed even more of them (all from me too, except Kool-Aid Man and Cakewalk, which are from Rasty), some of my controller hacks and also my homebrews!