37 replies to this topic

[getbent]

A great thing to think about, I know.........

However, don't all electronics have a finite lifespan. Will whatever process slowly eats away at the circuits eventually render all of these games useless after a while. What is the estimate....50 years? 75 years?

If and when this does happen, do you think they'll still be collectors for lots of really expensive collections of cartridge cases with labels?

I've had a few batteries die in my old nintendo games and it was a subtle reminder that all of this stuff will eventually stop working.

Can any of you electronics gurus add your input as far as "lifespan" of electronics of this sort?

Thanks!

[raskar42]

it won't happen! shut up!

*runs away crying*

[save2600]

I'm confident all of my 2600 games will outlive me.

[Animan]

Well, if anything, the 2600 and it's games will probably outlive the current-gen systems (except the Wii).

Edited by Animan, Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:33 PM.

[Pioneer4x4]

12/21/12

[MagitekAngel]

They'll die when "Atari" confiscates them all and sells them back to you for your iPhone.

[Ransom]

I expect them to outlast me -- or at least my ability to play them. I really should re-cap all my classic consoles, though.

[getbent]

I agree that they will outlast me (probably) at 41 years old. But one of my 8 year old twin boys has taken on a liking for (become obsessed with) Atari and collecting vintage games. I just hope they don't all crap out on him on the day I die or something. I'm such a positive guy..............

[5-11under]

Animan, on Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:33 PM, said:

Well, if anything, the 2600 and it's games will probably outlive the current-gen systems (except the Wii).

Why do you say that, about the Wii, that is?

[Mirage]

Eh, who cares, we have the Harmony cart now. Problem solved.

[jdrose]

gb,

The actual binary isn't all that collectible. It can be re-cloned indefinitely. I.E. We can buy all kinds of prints of "Starry Night" and "Mona Lisa" for cheap but the real thing is priceless.

It's the physical that is important. The cartridge, the original factory ROM chip, the PCB, the manuals, the box, etc. They are what is important and will last for many cycles if taken care of. Worry not.

[getbent]

.............and the harmony cart itself will die eventually. Also, most collectors collect for the actual Atari game play, not emulation. Nobody has answered my questions:

1. How long, at least in theory, will this stuff last (or should it)?
2. Do you all think that there may actually be a "market" for Atari cartridges, even if the games didn't work?

[Mirage]

getbent, on Fri Jan 20, 2012 8:00 PM, said:

.............and the harmony cart itself will die eventually. Also, most collectors collect for the actual Atari game play, not emulation. Nobody has answered my questions:

1. How long, at least in theory, will this stuff last (or should it)?
2. Do you all think that there may actually be a "market" for Atari cartridges, even if the games didn't work?

The Harmony cart is not emulation. It's playing the actual ROM, exactly like an actual cart does. The point is that we can now replicate the cart's function to play the real rom on real hardware (or on real replicated hardware in the future, which has also already been done). The technology is there to re-create the exact experience on new hardware, indefinitely (as long as anyone cares to). The meaning of all this being the same as what jdrose said.... the actual binary or operation of the binary doesn't matter. Or at least, doesn't matter anymore from a gameplay perspective.

But yeah, i can't answer your question #1. Question #2, I think as long as there are people who care about Atari at all, the physical artifacts of it (carts, manuals, boxes, artwork) will have interest. Value? That's another question, but interest in collecting them, even non-functional? Sure.

[jdrose]

"Do you all think that there may actually be a "market" for Atari cartridges, even if the games didn't work?"

Absolutely. You really don't want to mail a C18 Zeppelin stamp but they are still very collectible.

+++

"How long, at least in theory, will this stuff last (or should it)?"

A factory made mask ROM is estimated to be viable from between 40 to 75 years.

[Cortat G]

*Kids of the future*

"What is this strange black box with wood and these smaller black boxes?"

"A-TAY-RY"

*After long inspection, They hook it up to a TV, Plug in a "Cart" And turn it on*

"What is this?!"

"It seems to be a Video Game!"

"It's not a video game! What are the Apps? The motion control?...It dosen't even Pause!"

"What's This? B-W? What does that mean?"

*Flip*

"...."

"My Lord...This IS old!"

And by "Kids of the future", I also mean "Kids of Today"!

[Sean39]

Hi Gentlemen

I have an answer to this question. How long will these systems last. I am an retired Electronic Engineer. I have repair computers for Raytheon,
and Advance Technology Research Labs,and the Military. Here is the deal on the Cartridges. Store them in normal Enviroment. Keep them out
of the extream heat. Like excessive sunlight has damaged more electronics than I can count. Now in the actual 2600 systems replace the electrolytic
Capacitors. There is not alot of them but replace them with high quality Capacitors. This will extend the life of your 2600. Battery Cartridge like found
by Nintendo can simply have the battery changed, I have done it. That battery is only there so you can save your games in the nintendo Carts.

Now lets get back to the Question. How long will these electronic devices last. Wll in my collection I have Radios that date back now more than 100 years
and they still work. I have very early computer systems and calculators that already date back more than 50 years. So the Atari 2600 systems
are not going to die real soon. If the Capacitors are changed out and the systems are stored in a dust free enviroment. These could last for the next
100 years very easy. So far I think the 2600 has the least to worry about going bad. Reason being the more complicated a system is the more that
can go wrong with it. First off all these games systems that have CD roms in them will go bad just because of the mechanical problems that will
come when the CD rom reader quits working. Just like CD players that quit or DVD players that quit. It not the electronics that go bad ,but the
CD rom reader that goes bad. Since the Atari 2600 has very little moving parts this will help it. The selector switch and reset switch is the most
common thing that goes bad. These can be changed out easy. I have one of the earliest 2600's still around and it still plays great.
It dates from the 22nd week of 1977. I just posted pictures of it and Comic books that have Atari on them. So you have no worries about them
going bad now. If you have good switches on them now and change out the electrolytic Caps. then I really think they could last 100 years
from now. The ones you find now that are bad may have been used really harsh,and not well taken care of ,or just used alot. I have restored
many of the ones that have quit working due to miss use. Here what I found out on ones that have quit all together. In most cases the chips
were blown because someone try plugging the wrong power adapter in to them.(not having the correct volatage or polarity)
This will take out an Atari 2600 faster than anything. Also this is a hint I give to all users of the atari 2600. If you look Atari came up with
a console holder that held cartridges below it. These things are great. They store your cartriges in a safe place,but most important
gets the console off the carpet. That carpet is full of static and this is real harmful to the chips found in your 2600 unit. If you do not have
a holder for the console then just make sure you do not place it on the floor in carpet. All Chips in the 2600 are static sensitive,so
be careful even when opening your console. It you do open it get an Anti static wrist band. You wear this while working on the 2600.
This wiil keep statice from going from your body to the chips.

Well I hope this helps out. Your answer is at least 100 years from now if he correct precautions are taken.

Sean

[jaybird3rd]

Which replacement electrolytic capacitors do you recommend (brands, etc)? I've replaced capacitors in PC motherboards and other electronics before, and I intend to do this with my vintage systems as well, but given the recent issues with "capacitor plague" in PC hardware, I wouldn't want to get something worse than the originals.

[maiki]

I think electronics generally has a life span well exceeding the length of a human life... most importantly the design of these games carts is well documented so anyone in the future can "reborn" them

[getbent]

Sean39, on Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:21 PM, said:

Hi Gentlemen

I have an answer to this question. How long will these systems last. I am an retired Electronic Engineer. I have repair computers for Raytheon,
and Advance Technology Research Labs,and the Military. Here is the deal on the Cartridges. Store them in normal Enviroment. Keep them out
of the extream heat. Like excessive sunlight has damaged more electronics than I can count. Now in the actual 2600 systems replace the electrolytic
Capacitors. There is not alot of them but replace them with high quality Capacitors. This will extend the life of your 2600. Battery Cartridge like found
by Nintendo can simply have the battery changed, I have done it. That battery is only there so you can save your games in the nintendo Carts.

Now lets get back to the Question. How long will these electronic devices last. Wll in my collection I have Radios that date back now more than 100 years
and they still work. I have very early computer systems and calculators that already date back more than 50 years. So the Atari 2600 systems
are not going to die real soon. If the Capacitors are changed out and the systems are stored in a dust free enviroment. These could last for the next
100 years very easy. So far I think the 2600 has the least to worry about going bad. Reason being the more complicated a system is the more that
can go wrong with it. First off all these games systems that have CD roms in them will go bad just because of the mechanical problems that will
come when the CD rom reader quits working. Just like CD players that quit or DVD players that quit. It not the electronics that go bad ,but the
CD rom reader that goes bad. Since the Atari 2600 has very little moving parts this will help it. The selector switch and reset switch is the most
common thing that goes bad. These can be changed out easy. I have one of the earliest 2600's still around and it still plays great.
It dates from the 22nd week of 1977. I just posted pictures of it and Comic books that have Atari on them. So you have no worries about them
going bad now. If you have good switches on them now and change out the electrolytic Caps. then I really think they could last 100 years
from now. The ones you find now that are bad may have been used really harsh,and not well taken care of ,or just used alot. I have restored
many of the ones that have quit working due to miss use. Here what I found out on ones that have quit all together. In most cases the chips
were blown because someone try plugging the wrong power adapter in to them.(not having the correct volatage or polarity)
This will take out an Atari 2600 faster than anything. Also this is a hint I give to all users of the atari 2600. If you look Atari came up with
a console holder that held cartridges below it. These things are great. They store your cartriges in a safe place,but most important
gets the console off the carpet. That carpet is full of static and this is real harmful to the chips found in your 2600 unit. If you do not have
a holder for the console then just make sure you do not place it on the floor in carpet. All Chips in the 2600 are static sensitive,so
be careful even when opening your console. It you do open it get an Anti static wrist band. You wear this while working on the 2600.
This wiil keep statice from going from your body to the chips.

Well I hope this helps out. Your answer is at least 100 years from now if he correct precautions are taken.

Sean

Wow, thanks so much for this (and all) response(s). I will be more careful of the static issue, as I just glanced over and saw that the Atari was on a rug. My games should be good for a while, as they are out of the sun, in a fairly dust-free environment, etc.

As far as Nintendo batteries go, I know that they are for game saves, but the batteries are not too easy to replace (the way they are sautered onto the board is beyond my means of removal/repair. Somehow my Kirby still saves, but I'm counting the days.................

[high voltage]

WALL-E

[Sean39]

Hi High voltage

I see you have a picture of the Atari 130XE or the 65XE with the original monitor. Did you actually own the real monitor that goes with that computer.

I have been looking for one of those for a really long time.


Sean

[Sean39]

I have been getting my Capacitors from www.mouser.com

They have a great catalog full of capacitors. also antique electronic supplies sell even the new type capacitors.
The even give a write up on each company capacitors so you know which ones are the high quality type.
Prices reflect this also on the better brands.

http://www.tubesandmore.com/


This is their website above

Anyways this has alway been a good brand for capacitors

sprague

Anyways when you get to the site on the left side is a menu just click on capacitors.

I hope this helps out some.

[Schizophretard]

I look at it like this. Who can live longer? Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge or Lieutenant Commander Data? Obviously Data. He is an android. He has the potential to be immortal. Geordi could live past 100 years with a lot of maintenance but Data could live past 1000 years with little maintenance. My Atari and carts are no Data but they are electronic machines and I'm an aging meat machine. I'm 30 years old. I'm the same generation as Atari. I can still open sealed carts that are as old as me but still look new. I think if they are taken care of they could last hundreds of years. They may need some maintenance like someone who knows what they are doing tinkering inside but it wouldn't surprised me if Atari someday meets Data.

[almightytodd]

From what I'm reading here, it seems to be a pretty safe bet that this technology will last at least up to the point of the Singularity...

[Master Phruby]

Quote from my son as he starts up his first Atari 2600 game ever: "Wow that loads so fast!!!"