8 replies to this topic

[Dastari Creel]

Some of you may remember me jumping on the boards about a year ago and hanging out for a few months making comments and asking questions. Since then I've been reading video game histories such as From Pong to Pokemon: The Complete History of Video Games and Phoenix: The Fall and Rise of Video Games. I've also been procuring various books of game reviews, Ben Heck's Guide, Racing the Beam. My intention as before is to enjoy the 2600 as I did in the old days but also to gain a greater appreciation for it from both a hardware and software perspective. Ultimately I'd like to learn how to enhance its capabilities and utility and release at least one new game for it (I already have the nugget of an idea for something that I think is possible for the 2600's capabilities but I do not believe has ever been done on it). However, I do have some questions, each related to some of the projects that I have in mind or just to enhancing my enjoyment of the system overall:

1.) I actually had no idea that there were different kinds of 2600's. When I was a kid before the NES came out I never even heard of the systems that I've since read about (Colecovision, Intellivision, Bally Arcade). At least everyone that I knew only had the 2600 although I at least knew of the existance of the 5200 even though I'd never actually seen one. But it seems to me that everyone I knew had the six-switch version. Now its possible that some people had the 2600A and I just never noticed that it had less switches, all the ones I ever saw were definitely the kind with the wood finish and none of the other models that I've seen on the Atariage website. All that being said, I want to recapture my original experience of owning the system so I definitely want to get the six-switch version. I have no clue if my parents got the original version from Sunnyvale (this is entirely possibly as our family lived in California from 77-80) or the later version but I at least want a six-switcher even if I don't end up getting the one that I had as a child. Just to make sure that I'm clear on this when I hunt for a system, the "heavy sixer" is the original Sunnyvale version and the "light sixer" is the one that was made overseas. Is that correct?

2.) I am interested in the various modifications that I've learned about for the Atari. I know that a pause kit is sold from the Atariage store. I have also heard of a modification that gives you component (not composite) output. However, the instructions that I found said that they were specifically for the 2600 Jr. Has anyone made the mod for a six-switcher and if so, does anyone know where I can find these instructions?

3.) Aside from the pause kit and component output mods, are there any other well-known mods for the 2600? I'm going to exclude the Ben Heck portable method although I realize this exists as well and I am interested in it and Longhorn engineer's project to create a 2600 board for "do it yourselfers". I just want to know if anything else has been done with the machine and has been reported on. On the 2600 thread someone linked me to a site where this information was being collected but the site consisted of a few pictures and notifications like "so-and-so's mod" with no details of what that mod entailed technically. When I clicked on the links all but one were broken so I'm non the wiser. Any information on these mods would be appreciated.

4.) Has anyone ever created something like the Supercharger but using modern media like a CD instead of a tape?

5.) I know about the USB converters, Harmony, Vox, Supercharger, and Gameline (modem) for the 2600 but has anyone ever produced any other 2600 related accessory that enhances the capabilities of the system like these do?

6.) Are the physical dimensions of the Atari 2600 cartridges (not 3rd party) both inside and out available somewhere? I know we have some official schematic drawings of the 2600 on the website and it would be nice if Atari's official cartridge drawings were available as well.

Any answers or information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[player 0ne]

wow. suprised this is the first reply you have gotten. hey creel.

I would love to see a modern version of the gameline or the compumate. yea, check that compumate thing out. i dont have one (yet) but it looks as though it could have done alot more. in fact i read they planned to do alot of non-game stuff with the atari. i dont see why there isnt more aftermarket and non-game stuff.
ive seen very few non-game titles. maybe when i get my harmony cart and DL some homebrews ill find more. i heard of redbox/bluebox, and there is the old BASIC Programming cart (currently en-route from ebay).. and the software that is on the CM. atari planned for a keyboard with cart passthough that sat on top the atari, but a mockup is supposedly as far as they had gotten.

anyway. since no one else has posted bout this, i bet someone is real bored of hearing me repeat 20 year old hardware names. but really im AM trying to open up avenues. and non-game carts were an idea i had when first saw a video game system. kept waiting to see a commercial or see an app or book cart, it just never happened. When you finally get your childhood toy back, follow the old goal. ( recently found an old BB gun as well)

[Yart]

Quote

4.) Has anyone ever created something like the Supercharger but using modern media like a CD instead of a tape?

Actually, someone has ripped all the game data from the Supercharger game tapes and burned them onto CD. Using a CD player instead, he found he could load games that way too.

So a new device isn't even needed. CDs will work too.

[thomas3120]

Dastari Creel, on Tue May 3, 2011 9:36 AM, said:

2.) I am interested in the various modifications that I've learned about for the Atari. I know that a pause kit is sold from the Atariage store. I have also heard of a modification that gives you component (not composite) output. However, the instructions that I found said that they were specifically for the 2600 Jr. Has anyone made the mod for a six-switcher and if so, does anyone know where I can find these instructions?

Do you happen to remember where this info is or a link? (about component video)

Edited by thomas3120, Fri Sep 2, 2011 9:45 AM.

[player 0ne]

i think he ment if someone has come up with a NEW supercharger. something i can buy NOW thats NOT and antique or costs $65 on ebay.

[SpiceWare]

get a Harmony Cartridge. It uses an SD card, and play 99% of the games out there, including Supercharger games. There's also new games coming out, like Frantic, that take advantage of the Harmony's ARM processor.

[player 0ne]

is it possible to copy hardware like the supercharger. like to reverse engineer it? it has to be simpler than the harmony cart. since you store and load the games on a computer.

[GroovyBee]

player 0ne, on Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:47 PM, said:

is it possible to copy hardware like the supercharger. like to reverse engineer it? it has to be simpler than the harmony cart. since you store and load the games on a computer.

Given enough time, motivation and money you can copy anything. Harmony looks "simple" from the outside but isn't. A ton of R&D time and money was spent on its development by batari and team.

[player 0ne]

i was implying that a harmony cart ISNT simple. I understand enough about manufacturing to see that. has anyone seen the inside of a supercharger? wouldnt they be easier? wouldnt there be less parts