Prosystemsearch Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Why wasn't it ever released?? Has anyone located a working prototype or two?? What was the force that blew its chances of release to the market down?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSchoolRetroGamer Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 Why wasn't it ever released?? Has anyone located a working prototype or two?? What was the force that blew its chances of release to the market down?? Are you referring to THIS?: http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/2600/a3000.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timdu Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 The answer to the question... The reason for it not being released would be: the actions and decisions made by Mr. Jack Tramiel... read more about "THE GRADUATE" @ http://www.2600connection.com/faq/vcs_system/faq_atarivcs.html#hardware6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godzillajoe Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 Were any of the proposed games even started? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd Posted May 29, 2014 Share Posted May 29, 2014 (edited) Atari was certainly not the only company to announce a keyboard for the 2600. In an attempt to compete with home computers, in the Spring of 1983, several firms announced computer add-ons for the popular Atari 2600. These were all slated to be available by that fall. The companies planning these add-ons included Atari with My First Computer, Unitronics with the Expander II, Entex with the 2000 Piggyback Color Computer, and Spectra Video with the Compumate 2600 Computer Converter. Despite never having announced a similar product, Emerson Radio Corp. announced in June 1983 that it “has abandoned plans to introduce a computer upgrade that plugs into Atari’s video game machines”. http://retrogamingtimes.com/magazine/?issue=99&page=202&theme=blueyellow The complete absence of prototypes for any others (except the mock-ups for the Graduate) suggest that they were vapourware. Edited May 29, 2014 by jhd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timdu Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 On my web site, there are some prototype photos shown of Atari's My First Computer/The Graduate, Unitronic's Expander System, Entex's Piggyback, and Spectravision's CompuMate. Check it out @ http://www.2600connection.com/faq/vcs_nr/vcs_nr.html ENJOY! Tim 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 Thank-you for this; I have not seen these photos before. Is it just me, or does the screen shot of the Unitronic Expander look suspiciously like the screen from a Coco? The colour scheme is correct, and there is a maximum of 32 characters per line. http://www.2600connection.com/faq/vcs_nr/vcs_nr.html#expander Now, this system could also be using a Motorola 6847 video chip (it was used in a few things other than Coco), but that is definitely not the best choice for a game system. The "space invaders" screen shot is definitely not derived from the same video hardware; the colour palette does not match the 6847. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz73 Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 I had the computer add-on for the Intellivision and thought to myself "Why aren't more companies doing this?!" Then I saw that you could get a more powerful Commodore or Atari 8-bit computer for less than you'd pay for a game console with an add-on and I figured it out pretty soon thereafter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innovative Leisure Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 The answer to the question... The reason for it not being released would be: the actions and decisions made by Mr. Jack Tramiel... read more about "THE GRADUATE" @ http://www.2600connection.com/faq/vcs_system/faq_atarivcs.html#hardware6 No, James Morgan cancelled it at Atari Inc. From the Atari Museum page: "In September of 1983 James Morgan took over as head of Atari and among the numerous projects slated for cancellation was The Graduate and it was never released." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 Thank-you for this; I have not seen these photos before. Is it just me, or does the screen shot of the Unitronic Expander look suspiciously like the screen from a Coco? The colour scheme is correct, and there is a maximum of 32 characters per line. http://www.2600connection.com/faq/vcs_nr/vcs_nr.html#expander Now, this system could also be using a Motorola 6847 video chip (it was used in a few things other than Coco), but that is definitely not the best choice for a game system. The "space invaders" screen shot is definitely not derived from the same video hardware; the colour palette does not match the 6847. Good call jhd! that is definitely a 6847 display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timdu Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 The question asked wasn't who cancelled it, but why was it never released... The answer I gave in my previous post is correct - Jack Tramiel filed a frivilous lawsuit against PVI - the company Atari hired to design the keyboard - at which point Atari had no choice but to cancel the keyboard, because it became clear Tramiel was going to tie them up in court for as long as he could.. and he did - 3 years! Here's the except from Brian Bagnall's excellent book, "On The Edge: The Spectacular Rise And Fall Of Commodore", pg. 274-279): http://www.2600connection.com/faq/vcs_system/bagnall_vcs_keyboard.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 The question asked wasn't who cancelled it, but why was it never released... The answer I gave in my previous post is correct - Jack Tramiel filed a frivilous lawsuit against PVI - the company Atari hired to design the keyboard - at which point Atari had no choice but to cancel the keyboard, because it became clear Tramiel was going to tie them up in court for as long as he could.. and he did - 3 years! Here's the except from Brian Bagnall's excellent book, "On The Edge: The Spectacular Rise And Fall Of Commodore", pg. 274-279): http://www.2600connection.com/faq/vcs_system/bagnall_vcs_keyboard.pdf I wonder if it was revenge for the ex-Commodore staff bailing and building a product for [pre-Tramiel] Atari instead. Ray Kassar should've requested Bob Yannes instead create the SID he wanted to do for MOS/Commodore…a SID with 32 oscillators [or was it voices? or both?] that Commodore nixed because the existing product was already more than "good enough". Or simply just have added him to the staff working on the AMY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+atari2600land Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Of course the Odyssey 2 had a keyboard built in. It's cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosystemsearch Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 The question asked wasn't who cancelled it, but why was it never released... The answer I gave in my previous post is correct - Jack Tramiel filed a frivilous lawsuit against PVI - the company Atari hired to design the keyboard - at which point Atari had no choice but to cancel the keyboard, because it became clear Tramiel was going to tie them up in court for as long as he could.. and he did - 3 years! Here's the except from Brian Bagnall's excellent book, "On The Edge: The Spectacular Rise And Fall Of Commodore", pg. 274-279): http://www.2600connection.com/faq/vcs_system/bagnall_vcs_keyboard.pdf It is things like this that make me wish at times that Jack Tramiel had been killed in the 80's! :mad: :mad: Atari would have been better off had Tramiel gotten a bullet or hatchet to the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 It is things like this that make me wish at times that Jack Tramiel had been killed in the 80's! :mad: :mad: Atari would have been better off had Tramiel gotten a bullet or hatchet to the head. It is things like this that make me wish everyone had to use their real names and identities on the Web so they'd be more careful about making thoughtless statements. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosystemsearch Posted June 2, 2014 Author Share Posted June 2, 2014 It is things like this that make me wish everyone had to use their real names and identities on the Web so they'd be more careful about making thoughtless statements. well, he did many things that hampered atari more than helped it in the long run. If only there were an atari fan that had the guts to do him in, or at least force him to resign! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awhite2600 Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 I wouldn't wish death on someone. However, I must agree that Jack didn't do good things at Atari. He did some great things at Commodore...and some bad things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 One thing I've learned over the years is that things aren't quite so black and white. There are many factors that go into why things happened the way they happened or do happen. While it's true that the buck generally stops at the top, it doesn't mean that that particular person was entirely responsible or that certain failings weren't beyond their control. Considering the only home computer company that survived was Apple - and that was only by the skin of their teeth until the Steve Jobs-led turn around - Atari did all right. In terms of videogames, the situation was similar, with really only Nintendo making it to today in one piece. Business is tough and poor decisions aren't the only factor. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxsolo2000 Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 well, he did many things that hampered atari more than helped it in the long run. If only there were an atari fan that had the guts to do him in, or at least force him to resign! I am sure Mark Chapman shared your view of John Lennon and look what happened to him! Jesus Albert why are you pandering to this crap? Are we now promoting the idea that because we dont like someone that they should be bumped off for the greater good? Bill is right, stop hiding behind the mask and go public with your true feelings and see how long you remain free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosystemsearch Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 I am sure Mark Chapman shared your view of John Lennon and look what happened to him! Jesus Albert why are you pandering to this crap? Are we now promoting the idea that because we dont like someone that they should be bumped off for the greater good? Bill is right, stop hiding behind the mask and go public with your true feelings and see how long you remain free! WOW. Cold Burn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
high voltage Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 Of course, the CompuMates are great. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godzillajoe Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I am sure Mark Chapman shared your view of John Lennon and look what happened to him! Jesus Albert why are you pandering to this crap? Are we now promoting the idea that because we dont like someone that they should be bumped off for the greater good? Bill is right, stop hiding behind the mask and go public with your true feelings and see how long you remain free! What do you expect from a guy who has "faggot" in his avatar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxsolo2000 Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 What do you expect from a guy who has "faggot" in his avatar? In all honesty not a great deal but once in a while I would like to be proved wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosystemsearch Posted June 6, 2014 Author Share Posted June 6, 2014 I heard that there was a version of Robotron 2084 for the 2600 Graduate. It was said to have flicker issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceDice2010 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 The question asked wasn't who cancelled it, but why was it never released... Ultimately it was never released because Morgan cancelled it at Atari. No one can say that the reason Morgan didn't release it was because of the lawsuit. Sorry, but I know a lot about Commodore history. You really need to read the actual lawsuit on this one. Morgan could have released it if he wanted to. Lloyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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