+Random Terrain Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Have you seen these Atari 2600 game prices at Montgomery Ward in 1984: wishbookweb.com/FB/1984_Mongomery_Ward_Christmas_Catalog/#542 While you are there, be sure to left click on a page and keep holding it down while you move the mouse around. You can move a page around just like a real one. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldLeader Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Awesome! I like the caption on the telescope page...Get ready for Halley's Comet in '85! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaliciousCarp Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Interesting - I see that they advertise a ProLine controller for the Atari 2600. (Page 544) "Pro-line space-age joystick by Atari is fun to use with quick-throw control knob for greater maneuverability and fast-action side trigger-style fue button. For use with Atari 2600 game (A). 67 G 94171-Ship. wt. 9 oz." I thought that those were new when the 7800 was released. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 I like that they spelled Robot Tank, Robotank. Even someone at Monkey Wards knew that was a better title. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 This is what caught my eye.. my beloved Discwasher kit I used to clean all my records before dubbing them to tape! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 That is an awesome site, thanks for sharing. It works without Flash too ... just no animated page flips. I like seeing some early "crash" pricing on VCS games in print. $3.99 is a more sensible price than $27.99 for many of these games. A few pages later, there's a $300 audio CD player! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 That is an awesome site, thanks for sharing. It works without Flash too ... just no animated page flips. I like seeing some early "crash" pricing on VCS games in print. $3.99 is a more sensible price than $27.99 for many of these games. Not to mention 5200 games, but no 5200... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Have you seen these Atari 2600 game prices at Montgomery Ward in 1984: wishbookweb.com/FB/1984_Mongomery_Ward_Christmas_Catalog/#542 While you are there, be sure to left click on a page and keep holding it down while you move the mouse around. You can move a page around just like a real one. mw_page_move_33fps_03.gif Holy crap, I could spend hours just browsing that catalog! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldLeader Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 That is an awesome site, thanks for sharing. It works without Flash too ... just no animated page flips. I like seeing some early "crash" pricing on VCS games in print. $3.99 is a more sensible price than $27.99 for many of these games. A few pages later, there's a $300 audio CD player! You mean that Magnavox compact digital Laser beam disc player? With virtually No Wow and Flutter? I love it! I remember those days...The descriptions remind me of the DAK catalogs I used to get in the mail. The same ones explaining how now everyone could watch "Late night TV" the next day, even if they had work, thanks to the magic of VHS! It's funny how we take for granted so much nowadays that used to be new and exciting...Like watching a TV show when we wanted to was a big deal, as was selecting a song without having to flip the tape over or put the needle in the exact groove,...Not even mentioning the sound quality. I still remember being virtually Awestruck when a salesman showed me and my friends a CD player in an electronics store, and how there was no hiss or static before the song came on! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 and all of that we take for granted now ... it's amazing. Plus, no fake woodgrain finish on anything. That's OK. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted May 3, 2017 Share Posted May 3, 2017 Interesting - I see that they advertise a ProLine controller for the Atari 2600. (Page 544) "Pro-line space-age joystick by Atari is fun to use with quick-throw control knob for greater maneuverability and fast-action side trigger-style fue button. For use with Atari 2600 game (A). 67 G 94171-Ship. wt. 9 oz." I thought that those were new when the 7800 was released. The 7800 had a very limited, aborted "release" in 1984, though it's debatable how many were actually sold. Atari, Inc. had 5,000 "EP-" serial number units made in a pilot plant in El Paso, plus a medium-small number (can't remember the estimated figure) of "AT84-" serial number units made overseas. All of these were made in '84, though most weren't sold, but were warehoused for the next year or so while the cash-starved Atari Corp. fought out the details of remaining funds due to GCC for system development. So yeah, the ProLine controllers were out by the '84 Christmas season, even if the 7800's were mostly sitting in limbo. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 I still remember being virtually Awestruck when a salesman showed me and my friends a CD player in an electronics store, and how there was no hiss or static before the song came on! lol, yup. CD clarity was a big deal. Cracks me up how the vinyl resurgence movement these days insist vinyl sounds better or warmer, when to me vinyl meant sounding like "snap, crackle, pop, <warped sound>, skip" most of the time. Guess I shouldn't have stored my records on the radiator. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 and all of that we take for granted now ... it's amazing. It just seems like there's less to be excited about today too, or maybe I'm just getting old? I don't think so, though-- looking through those catalogs reminds me of how exciting shopping used to be. There's all kinds of products in them that you just can't buy at a retail store today. Today's retail stores are boring by comparison. No wonder they are dropping like flies! And their answer to their troubles is always to become more boring. I know it's tough to compete with the likes of Amazon, but I don't think you will get anywhere by being boring. You need to give people a reason to leave their house and come visit you. Retailers need to learn to be exciting again. Plus, no fake woodgrain finish on anything. That's OK. Thank God, but I fear it's only a matter of time before the hipsters swear their vinyl records sound better on silver-and-woodgrain audio equipment 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldLeader Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 lol, yup. CD clarity was a big deal. Cracks me up how the vinyl resurgence movement these days insist vinyl sounds better or warmer, when to me vinyl meant sounding like "snap, crackle, pop, <warped sound>, skip" most of the time. Guess I shouldn't have stored my records on the radiator. Yeah, I like vinyl as much as the next guy (OK...More!), But CDs have always sounded Vastly Superior! **Ducks! Keeps head down.** 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 It just seems like there's less to be excited about today too, or maybe I'm just getting old? I think it's partly getting old, and partly a weird resistance that has developed to new technology that seems to cut across demographic lines. People seemed more open to new stuff in the 70's, so a lot of weird electronics and gadgets could make money and some really took off. Nowadays I feel like the door just gets immediately slammed on anything other than minor iterations to something we already have. I don't think it's only older people doing it; it's this whole cynical culture that's developed since the rise of the internet. Thank God, but I fear it's only a matter of time before the hipsters swear their vinyl records sound better on silver-and-woodgrain audio equipment You know, when I see a full-on 70's decor complete with wood grain equipment, shag carpeting, avacado green appliances, etc. it actually kind of makes sense to me. Nothing ever looks right out of context, but within context I feel like "at least that's a coherent style". Most of how people decorate their homes these days is just a mishmash of nothing. Give me a plaid couch and some wood paneling and I'm happy! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 I think it's partly getting old, and partly a weird resistance that has developed to new technology that seems to cut across demographic lines. People seemed more open to new stuff in the 70's, so a lot of weird electronics and gadgets could make money and some really took off. Nowadays I feel like the door just gets immediately slammed on anything other than minor iterations to something we already have. I don't think it's only older people doing it; it's this whole cynical culture that's developed since the rise of the internet. And the fact that our phones do everything these days. Not nearly as much need for other gadgets as there used to be. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 The pace of innovation has definitely slowed down, and prices on commodity PC equipment are really low. And we're getting older. I used to look at salescircular.com every weekend and go around to big box retail stores looking for PC parts and blank media on sale ... it was thrilling to be able to find a CD burner for under $100, for example. Remember when you had a wide assortment of sound cards to choose from, and it really mattered what you picked? Then you'd have to configure it. Nowadays, everything you need is on the motherboard ...and networks and storage are big/cheap/fast so there's less to do. We were always chasing "better," and CPU speeds were still following Moore's Law. Video cards are still doing that, but the % of stuff you can do with last year's card is way higher than what it would have been many years ago. I used to get really excited to visit a GameStop or similar store. To say nothing of a bookstore or comics shop. Now I just buy everything online, mostly digitally. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 The pace of innovation has definitely slowed down, and prices on commodity PC equipment are really low. And we're getting older. I used to look at salescircular.com every weekend and go around to big box retail stores looking for PC parts and blank media on sale ... it was thrilling to be able to find a CD burner for under $100, for example. Remember when you had a wide assortment of sound cards to choose from, and it really mattered what you picked? Then you'd have to configure it. Nowadays, everything you need is on the motherboard ...and networks and storage are big/cheap/fast so there's less to do. Yup, and I used to love going to the computer shows to see what parts I could find cheap. And it used to be awesome to have disc burners, now you barely even need them! They've definitely squeezed the fun out of PC building. Raspberry Pi's brought back a little of that. But even outside of electronics, those catalogs are full of things that you never see in department stores anymore... pool tables, musical instruments, slot machines, ventriloquist dummys?!?, train sets, scientific kits, microscopes, telescopes, and much more. Today's department stores are mostly just clothes and with some housewares/décor. IDK, maybe people today just don't have much interest in all that stuff and just want to stay home on their phones instead? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt2d2 Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 Thanks Random. Great site! Here's the page from Sears 1977 Catalog introducing the Tele-Games Pages 4-11 show all the swank consoles, systems and electronic games of the era. On page 11 there's "Tin Can Alley" shooting game that a friend of mine had. Haven't though about this is years. http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1977_Sears_Wishbook/files/assets/basic-html/page-4.html Shogun Warriors! My brother and I both had Mazinga due to awesome hand missile launcher. http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1977_Sears_Wishbook/files/assets/basic-html/page-567.html Six Million Dollar Man - 572&573 http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1977_Sears_Wishbook/files/assets/basic-html/page-572.html 1978 Star Wars toys - pgs 621&622 http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1979_Sears_Wishbook/files/assets/basic-html/page-620.html 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sramirez2008 Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 (edited) This is what caught my eye.. my beloved Discwasher kit I used to clean all my records before dubbing them to tape! image1.jpg Caught my eye too. I still use mine, although its a new version of the kit. @Random Terrain. Really cool link. Brings back many memories. Thanks for sharing! Edited May 5, 2017 by sramirez2008 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 Its funny that the answering machine is $40 more than the $60 Vader on the page before. The Vader has somewhat retained its value, where the answering machine is a total doorstop replaced by a service that everyone has but no one uses. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldLeader Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 Its funny that the answering machine is $40 more than the $60 Vader on the page before. The Vader has somewhat retained its value, where the answering machine is a total doorstop replaced by a service that everyone has but no one uses. So True LOL. We're sorry this customer has a voice mailbox that has not been set up. Goodbye! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+GoldLeader Posted May 10, 2017 Share Posted May 10, 2017 matt2d2, on 04 May 2017 - 2:25 PM, said: Thanks Random. Great site! Here's the page from Sears 1977 Catalog introducing the Tele-Games Pages 4-11 show all the swank consoles, systems and electronic games of the era. On page 11 there's "Tin Can Alley" shooting game that a friend of mine had. Haven't though about this is years. http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1977_Sears_Wishbook/files/assets/basic-html/page-4.html Shogun Warriors! My brother and I both had Mazinga due to awesome hand missile launcher. http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1977_Sears_Wishbook/files/assets/basic-html/page-567.html Six Million Dollar Man - 572&573 http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1977_Sears_Wishbook/files/assets/basic-html/page-572.html 1978 Star Wars toys - pgs 621&622 http://www.wishbookweb.com/FB/1979_Sears_Wishbook/files/assets/basic-html/page-620.html Love it! I had that Tin Can Alley set too! And for Full Sized Shogun Warriors, I Always wanted Mazinga! My friend had Raydeen. My other friend had Godzilla. All I ever had was Daimos... Awww the memories... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sramirez2008 Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 I had a small die cast Mazinga. You pressed a button and his fists (with swords) would launch. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt2d2 Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 The thing that sold us on Mazinga was that it was loaded with missiles that we could shoot at each other. The End. That toy had literally a dozen missiles I think and you could load three into the hand at once. And it was huge. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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