Tartfox Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 This is my first post, and I first wanted to say hello to all the Atari fans! It's good to find an active Atari forum where we can all bask in Atari goodness! Secondly, I'm a proud new owner of an Atari 7800 console! When I was smaller my very first console was the 2600, but over the years the console was misplaced/lost in between moves to new homes. Recently the nostalgia bug bit me and I wanted to attain an 8 bit console that would allow me to re-live old school arcade classics- so I thought not only is the 7800 a good console for playing 80's arcade ports, but it's also backwards compatible with the 2600! Pretty much the best of both worlds. I do have some questions for you guys (and girls) regarding the console and accessories, so any help would be appreciated. 1) I use a RCA video cable with the female coaxial plug adapter which gives me good picture, but does it provide accurate color representation? I was playing Ms. Pac-Man and 'Blinky' isn't red, but pink. He's virtually the same color as the first maze layout of the game. I looked at screenshots and videos online of the Ms. Pac-Man 7800 game and it varies- in some footage Blinky is in fact pink, but in other sources he is distinctively red. 2) I use the CX78 Atari joypad controller and while it's great for games like Food Fight, Xevious, Xenophobe etc, the accuracy is terrible for games like Ms. Pac-Man. What type of controllers would you recommend for games like Ms. Pac-Man? I assume that due to the game's speed a dedicated joystick is preferred if I want precision when turning those corners, and I could likely just get a standard Atari 2600 joystick but I do prefer game controllers similar to the NES, SNES, Sega Genesis style. Are there are any that are highly recommended that provide the necessary precision I'm looking for? 3) I hear Impossible Mission (NTSC) cannot be beat but the PAL version fixes a bug so that it can be completed- is there anyway to play the PAL version on my NTSC console without modding it? Also, when buying homebrew games are they compatible with both PAL and NTSC systems? Thank you for your time everyone. I look forward to conversing with you and I'm sure I'll enjoy my stay here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) What I do (and this is just me..I don't know if this is 'normal') is I take the PCB from a 2600 joystick and wire it to arcade controls and then make a little box out of wood, drill holes into the wood and a sheet of plexiglass, put a piece of colored paper with cut outs of video game gals, and use that for most of my games. It's really not that hard. Arcade controls make Atari games extremely easy to play and fun! I also wired the 'up' and 'down' buttons to the arcade buttons in case a game uses the 'up' for accelerate or jump. Edited January 16, 2016 by Papa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebor Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 1) Original retail Ms. Pac-Man indeed matches the overall maze color of the first two boards. Under NTSC it tends to be a lighter red shade. Under PAL it appears as a darker red shade. Highly recommend obtaining Pac-Man Collection. 2) Any Sega Genesis gamepad or joystick compatible controller can be utilized under the 7800 with the Edladdin adapter. 3) A) No. However, there are hacks of NTSC Impossible Mission (I.E. Possible Mission, Kevin's graphics hack updates) which addresses the issue. Every now and then a copy of 'Possible' Mission will be made for sale, or some member here with the resources may be able to build you one to purchase. B) Some homebrew games detect whether the console is NTSC or PAL. If not, typically you can choose which version you want. For example, in the aforementioned link for Pac-Man Collection, the buyer specifies whether they want NTSC or PAL. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian R. Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 (edited) For me, the 2600 controller is the best option for games that don't need the second fire button. I recently received the Edladdin adapter that Trebor mentioned and I can say it works as advertised. I hooked up my 6-button Genesis controller to it, and had use of two fire buttons. The 7800 Euro pads are better than its sticks, but they're not as good as the Genesis controllers. The adapter is a simple, elegant, affordable solution. Especially for those without the ability to "make their own" controllers.... PacMan Collection is a must for any 7800 owner. Edited January 16, 2016 by Brian R. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayhem Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Yeah, a standard 9 pin stick will work fine for any game that only uses one fire button. I like the Competition Pro or Powerplay Cruiser. Oh, and welcome to the fold! Do check out the AtariAge store, there are a LOT of excellent homebrews available 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian R. Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Oh, gawd, the homebrews. So much excellent stuff there. It truly is an incredible, amazing resource. We got it sooooo good. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartfox Posted January 17, 2016 Author Share Posted January 17, 2016 (edited) Thank you for the warm welcome Mayhem! I've been looking at the Atari Age store and may actually pick up Zippy the Porcupine. Something about playing Sonic The Hedgehog on an Atari console really appeals to me . By the way Mayhem, regarding the Powerplay Cruiser controller- I see that it has two buttons, so in the event I play a 7800 game that requires both buttons, would this controller respond accordingly? Trebor and Brian R., I had no idea the Edladdin adapter was an option- good to know! And Papa, making my own arcade controller isn't something I considered at this time, but it might be an interesting project to try somewhere down the road, so I appreciate the suggestion! I'll keep an eye out to see if 'Possible Mission' ever goes on sale and as for Pac-Man collection, does it include Pokey Sound and have a means to save high scores? Come to think of it, do any current Atari 7800 games have the option to save high scores? Edited January 17, 2016 by Tartfox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nosweargamer Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Welcome Tartfox! I agree with what has been said: Get the Edladdin Seagull 78 adapter!!! Right now, I do not believe Possible Mission has Pokey, nor does it save scores. Standard 7800 games cannot save scores long term on the cartridges, however, I believe with the Atari Expansion Module, you can save high scores on some games: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/173454-7800-expansion-module-xm-hardware-game-details-31815/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayhem Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Thank you for the warm welcome Mayhem! I've been looking at the Atari Age store and may actually pick up Zippy the Porcupine. Something about playing Sonic The Hedgehog on an Atari console really appeals to me . By the way Mayhem, regarding the Powerplay Cruiser controller- I see that it has two buttons, so in the event I play a 7800 game that requires both buttons, would this controller respond accordingly? Sadly not, it's designed so that both left and right handed players can use the stick either way. Having said that, there ARE two 9 pin plugs on the end, but you need two joystick ports and compatible software (of which there was some on the C64) that would allow you to use both fire buttons for different actions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilsaluki Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Need to get a 4-way controller for the Pac Man games. The original CX-40 works well. TAC-2 controllers are tops (IMHO). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartfox Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) Welcome Tartfox! I agree with what has been said: Get the Edladdin Seagull 78 adapter!!! Right now, I do not believe Possible Mission has Pokey, nor does it save scores. Standard 7800 games cannot save scores long term on the cartridges, however, I believe with the Atari Expansion Module, you can save high scores on some games: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/173454-7800-expansion-module-xm-hardware-game-details-31815/ Just looked at the page, how much will this item be when it's released? And thanks for the replay Mayhem. As for gilsaluki, the TAC-2 controllers do look enticing. So many choices, hard to decide... Edited January 18, 2016 by Tartfox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) Just looked at the page, how much will this item be when it's released? And thanks for the replay Mayhem. As for gilsaluki, the TAC-2 controllers do look enticing. So many choices, hard to decide... It should be noted that GCC and Atari Inc originally designed a High Score Cartridge (HSC) back in 1984 for such purposes but the successor Atari Corp never released it along with a lot of other things originally intended for the 7800. Curt Vendel released a version of the High Score Cartridge back in the early 00s but there's probably 200 or so out there in the world. The successor XM Expansion Board will have the HSC functionality built in. When Atari Corp opted not to release the HSC, its functionality wasn't included in later Atari Corp releases for the 7800; even some of the original titles [Pole Position II] supposedly didn't include it. There's a list somewhere around here detailing the titles that do support HSC. And a lot of subsequent homebrew titles support HSC. It's been a long time since I've played Impossible Mission but I'm not sure it would be a suitable title for HSC. It certainly could use POKEY audio though! http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/7800/hsc/new_hsc/ Edited January 18, 2016 by Lynxpro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartfox Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 In regards to high scores, I'll keep record of them the old fashion way- pen & paper or by using an Excel spreadsheet, at least until the Expansion module is released. Here's another question- how many Atari 7800 owners here decided to go with a Composite and S-video mod for their console, how vast is the difference on modern televisions in comparison to the RCA video cable with female coaxial plug adapter technique, and if I wanted to have someone mod the device for me with S-video and Composite, what is a fair price for this service? I notice that electronicsentimentalities.com is out of stock for this mod... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebor Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Here's another question- how many Atari 7800 owners here decided to go with a Composite and S-video mod for their console, how vast is the difference on modern televisions in comparison to the RCA video cable with female coaxial plug adapter technique, and if I wanted to have someone mod the device for me with S-video and Composite, what is a fair price for this service? I notice that electronicsentimentalities.com is out of stock for this mod... Most of my consoles have been mod with either just composite or both. Highly recommend having the service performed. Electronicsentimentalities.com is out of surplus hardware but installation services (hardware is included) are available. Joe has modded two of my consoles - extremely happy with the results, and also recommend adding the "TIA 9 Switch" so as to turn it on when playing 7800 games to prevent possible video interference from the TIA chip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartfox Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 Most of my consoles have been mod with either just composite or both. Highly recommend having the service performed. Electronicsentimentalities.com is out of surplus hardware but installation services (hardware is included) are available. Joe has modded two of my consoles - extremely happy with the results, and also recommend adding the "TIA 9 Switch" so as to turn it on when playing 7800 games to prevent possible video interference from the TIA chip. I have tried adding an installation service for the 7800 but whenever it's added to cart I get a message stating the item is sold out. Looking at the page though, it would be $59 for modding services, $15 for the return shipping and whatever the cost of shipping is to get it to him, so no less than $80 is what I'm assuming. The image for the 7800 AV Mod on his page doesn't show a red jack, but a red jack is present on the Atari 2600 mods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebor Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I have tried adding an installation service for the 7800 but whenever it's added to cart I get a message stating the item is sold out. Looking at the page though, it would be $59 for modding services, $15 for the return shipping and whatever the cost of shipping is to get it to him, so no less than $80 is what I'm assuming. The image for the 7800 AV Mod on his page doesn't show a red jack, but a red jack is present on the Atari 2600 mods? For the 7800 mod, the yellow is composite out, the white is audio out, and there's S-Video. The 2600 mod's separate the right and left channels. Unfortunately, just tried to 'Add to Cart' and the installation service(s) appears not to available at this time. Hopefully, sometime (soon) down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dauber Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Right now, I do not believe Possible Mission has Pokey, nor does it save scores. Standard 7800 games cannot save scores long term on the cartridges, however, I believe with the Atari Expansion Module, you can save high scores on some games: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/173454-7800-expansion-module-xm-hardware-game-details-31815/ Also, they should work with the AtariVox, which I believe had score-save capability. And for a brief time there was a little thingy you'd plug into the player 2 joystick port that would save high scores. I have one and it works quite well on the 7800. Has a VERY BRIGHT blue LED on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edladdin Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 For the 7800 mod, the yellow is composite out, the white is audio out, and there's S-Video. The 2600 mod's separate the right and left channels. Unfortunately, just tried to 'Add to Cart' and the installation service(s) appears not to available at this time. Hopefully, sometime (soon) down the road. Most of my consoles have been mod with either just composite or both. Highly recommend having the service performed. Electronicsentimentalities.com is out of surplus hardware but installation services (hardware is included) are available. Joe has modded two of my consoles - extremely happy with the results, and also recommend adding the "TIA 9 Switch" so as to turn it on when playing 7800 games to prevent possible video interference from the TIA chip. I cannot agree more with Trebor's endorsement of Electronicsentimentalities.com. They transformed both my 2600 and 7800, which now deliver crystal clear graphics across the board. Previously the VCS was barely usable, with all kinds of snow and weird artifacts. And the 7800 had enough resolution loss that some games were unplayable. For example, the dropping bombs were totally invisible on Megamania whether using an original cart of the Harmony. Now everything is razor sharp! Unexpected bonus, a great many of the 2600 games really are in stereo and are delivered correctly with the mod, which sounds amazing through my living room surround sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted January 20, 2016 Share Posted January 20, 2016 There's an RGB output mod for the 2600. Check the 2600 forums. And the Concerto SD Cart Adapter also has HSC support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartfox Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 I'll have to check back periodically to see if Electronicsentimentalities.com's installation services ever return for the 7800, even today it's still out of stock. Also, I may actually go with an Atari 2600 controller for games like Ms. Pac-Man since they are the least expensive sticks to acquire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartfox Posted February 3, 2016 Author Share Posted February 3, 2016 (edited) So I decided to pick up some Gemstick controllers for the 7800. Ms. Pac-Man plays BEAUTIFULLY now, I'm quite pleased. I also bought Sirius (a horizontal space shooter). Looking forward to having that delivered to me. Edited February 3, 2016 by Tartfox 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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