Koopa64 Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 (edited) My first video game system happened to be an Apple][. It's been over a decade since owning it (my old man threw it along with my Mom's Apple][gs in the garbage!) and sadly I do not have room for a real one. Outside of emulation which absolutely sucks for Apple][ (the controllers never work), are there any good game consoles/computers that had a lot of games that were also available on Apple][? The Atari 5200 looks like a good alternative but there's only two problems. One, the system is friggin huge. I bet it takes up more space than an Apple][, floppy drives included. Two, the controllers suck. I have a controller with a DB-15 plug but I have no idea if it'd work with a 5200. The Atari 8-Bit computers are effectively better than the 5200, but my issue with it is the hardware is hard to find, it's bulky and the games are even harder to find, both carts and floppies. I know there are flash carts available but those are always expensive. I don't intend to buy my Apple][ alternative right this moment, but it's something I'd like to get one day. These are basically my criteria: - The system is neither expensive or huge in shelf space - The games are easy to find and largely inexpensive. - Uses either good controllers or common controller ports (I.E. DB-9) - Must have a good number of games that were also available on Apple][. - I don't really care for the systems own graphical or sound capabilities (well except for the C64's SID). Obviously the Apple][ was a unique system. Personally I'd be sold on the Atari 5200. The games are common, the controller problem can be remedied and the size of the system? Well I can just put up with it. Edited February 20, 2010 by Koopa64 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 An Apple IIc (very compact), a PC/Apple serial cable, ADT, the Asimov archive and a few boxes of floppies and you're set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koopa64 Posted February 20, 2010 Author Share Posted February 20, 2010 Damn, why did I forget about the ][c? How much smaller is it than a ][e (the one I had)? I do have a ton of Apple][ games so I'm good in that regard (unless they have to be formatted or something). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Damn, why did I forget about the ][c? How much smaller is it than a ][e (the one I had)? Much smaller than a regular ][ with disk drives. Smaller than a 5200 for that matter. If you've already got good Apple ][ disks in good condition then you'd be ready to go. If not ADT is really fast at transferring disk images to real floppies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koopa64 Posted February 20, 2010 Author Share Posted February 20, 2010 All the Apple][ machines I've ever seen on eBay are friggin expensive. I'd like to hope they are inexpensive these days, it sold pretty well. How often do they sell around here? Also, I have no original Apple][ stuff. None. It all got thrown out with the garbage because my Dad in an insensitive jerk that only cares about his own things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koopa64 Posted February 20, 2010 Author Share Posted February 20, 2010 Oh yeah, does the Apple][c support TV out? Via composite or something? Even RF would do. I honestly can't remember if the ][e had that function, pretty sure we had a monitor with ours. I have no clue if the ][c has TV out since I have never used one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+remowilliams Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Oh yeah, does the Apple][c support TV out? Via composite or something? Yes, IIc has RCA composite out (the yellow video jack). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koopa64 Posted February 20, 2010 Author Share Posted February 20, 2010 (edited) Sweet. An Apple][c definitely sounds like a solution. I definitely can't buy one right now but at least I know there's an option to get my Apple][ fix. Thanks a bunch remowilliams! Edited February 20, 2010 by Koopa64 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unhuman Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 I know you said no emulation, but the Wii is an awesome emulation platform. It has Apple 2 emulation... and everything else... and it's small and cheap. The joystick emulation with the wiimote seems fine. It's not analog, however. The wii homebrew channel is quite easy to do. You can get a wii (wireless) keyboard for $25 shipped, new, off ebay and you'd need a decent-ish SD card - I'd recommend at least 8GB. Sure, it's not perfect, but you get a Wii and everything the homebrew channel can offer for quite a reasonable price. -H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desiv Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 (edited) Definitely the IIc. It's one of my favorite designs ever... They are a bit pricey on e-bait right now.. Hmm.. I'd consider selling mine, but no way!! :-) (That and is has the name of the School District I bought it from "etched" into it still.. :-( I even worked for them when I bought it, but I didn't etch it. That's just wrong.. Anyway..) (Actually, come to think of it, I should be looking for broken IIc's to see if I can find a decent condition non-etched case :-) I have the green monochrome monitor with mine. I could use it with my Apple Color Monitor to save space, (which is attached to my //e now) but there's just something about the IIc and the green screen that seems right to me. :-) And, while I think the Apple II emulators (AppleWin in particular) are great, but there's nothing comparable to the original with one of those analog sticks... Good luck in your search. desiv Edited February 20, 2010 by desiv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ransom Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Yep, the //c is a great little machine. With composite out and even an earphone jack, plus its small size and built-in disk drive, it's a great option. But...to answer the original question, when I was researching the same thing years ago, I decided the C64 was the best alternative. The C64 has a lot of software that was on the Apple ][ but wasn't available for Atari, for instance. I ended up getting both a //c (I'd had one originally in the 80s, but had sold it) and a C64. Both came with lots of software. But I didn't really enjoy the C64, and the time wasn't right for the //c for me (we were living in a small apartment and there just wasn't enough space). So I sold both of them. (I eventually got a ][gs, but sold that too after a few years.) These days, I'm happy with the Atari 8-bit I've kept all these years, and playing the few games I really like for the A2 that aren't available for the A8 in emulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleman jack Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 A few other alternatives could be: 1-an Atari 400 (it can't play disks with 16k, but can play a lot of cartridge games) which is small and uses standard 2600 joysticks that are available in a lot of online stores, or 2-a Texas Instruments 99/4a, which is small and can use TI joysticks or Atari joysticks with an adapter. Both have a lot of great games, and both are fairly reasonably priced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 If you have the space for it the Laser 128 is an Apple IIc alternative that can usually be had cheaper than the IIc. ebay auction #380209658047 has one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desiv Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 If you have the space for it the Laser 128 is an Apple IIc alternative that can usually be had cheaper than the IIc. ebay auction #380209658047 has one. Good point. Also, if I remember correctly, an advantage to the Laser was that it had an Apple II slot for expansion, where the IIc doesn't... Always wanted one of those... desiv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Good point. Also, if I remember correctly, an advantage to the Laser was that it had an Apple II slot for expansion, where the IIc doesn't... Always wanted one of those... desiv Some of them also had a high speed mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrax Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Correct there were a few Laser models with various feature. Also there was also the IIc plus which had 800k drive and faster speed you can look out for too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 (edited) I remember the Lasers and even had a Franklin for a while. Never cottoned to 'em, but did always covet this beauty... http://www.lemon64.c...re%3Dadvertmisc ...I see some are talking about real alternatives to the Apple platform. In that case, C64 all the way! lol Edited March 11, 2010 by save2600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesD Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I remember the Lasers and even had a Franklin for a while. Never cottoned to 'em, but did always covet this beauty... http://www.lemon64.c...re%3Dadvertmisc ...I see some are talking about real alternatives to the Apple platform. In that case, C64 all the way! lol I thought you said real alternatives? I've never seen one of those in real life. I do remember the ad though. Given the fact that clones were cheaper, I doubt they sold many. I have a Franklin, it's big and built like a tank but it will probably outlive us all. The keyboard has more of an typewriter feel to it. I also have a Laser 128. I was going to use it has my primary Apple but it's missing a function key... unlike the picture on the auction. The IIc Plus is the smallest Apple by far. Internal power vs external on all the other "portable" versions. It also has the 3.5" drive. Good for more storage but you might need a 2nd drive for copy protected games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB Positive Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 If you want another fun 8-bit compy to have fun with, I highly recommend a 800XL, it'll let you run lots of Atari 8-bit software, has some 5200 conversions, one of the better old school RPGs out there (alternate reality) and SIO2PC costs about $40 shipped - letting you hook it up to your PC and use disk images. Still, Apple II's are wonderful machines as well. Mainly I'm suggesting a second machine to pair with it and have fun with. Also - really good composite or RF standard on the machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 I remember the Lasers and even had a Franklin for a while. Never cottoned to 'em, but did always covet this beauty... http://www.lemon64.c...re%3Dadvertmisc Awesome post man! Never heard of the device before but I don't think I could've convinced my parents to buy it! I couldn't convince them of the need of a Fast Load cartridge! Whats more interesting is the company selling it was based out of my home town. Thanks for the insight to some local history I also recommend the Atari 800XL, great games system but I feel that for me the prominent use of cartridges removes a bit of the classic computer feel of using just disks. If the Apple II was the computer you grew up on then its worth the trouble/money to get a IIc, you'll get more enjoyment out of it than learning another antique computer system that can be managed easier on an emulator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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