Hwlngmad Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 While the article did provide a little more insight, the Ataribox must be compelling a game machine while providing competent streaming (4k, HDR, 60fps capability) and (IMO) provide pretty intuitive web browsing. If it can't provide gaming and/or streaming (web browsing should be there, but not necessarily a must have), then it will be DOA and we can hope that existing options (Amazon Fire TV, Nvidia Shield TV, and/or Steam Machines) can evolve get things to where a modern device (gaming, streaming, browsing) should be at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 (edited) Why am I suddenly thinking Ataribox might be ok? Am I being duped by a smoothtalker? He said that openness is extremely important. Could it be that companies are finally beginning to realize that user choice and not having to be locked-in to an online service is a good thing? He said that they don't want any barriers to devs getting their content onto the box. But in today's climate, they're going to have to bog it down with DRM. No way around it. Perhaps he meant the uppish/snobbish requirements of closed ecosystem app-stores? Yup. --- And another thing, "emulator", what emulator is going to be used? Could there be a secret deal with Stella? If not, do they have the resources to write something as compatible and as good? "We’re going to have a massive Atari back catalog on there with an emulator, but we’re working hard to make sure there’s more than just Atari." --- Edited October 18, 2017 by Keatah 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 While the article did provide a little more insight, the Ataribox must be compelling a game machine while providing competent streaming (4k, HDR, 60fps capability) and (IMO) provide pretty intuitive web browsing. If it can't provide gaming and/or streaming (web browsing should be there, but not necessarily a must have), then it will be DOA and we can hope that existing options (Amazon Fire TV, Nvidia Shield TV, and/or Steam Machines) can evolve get things to where a modern device (gaming, streaming, browsing) should be at. A compelling game machine with competent streaming and Web browsing is the Xbox One and PS4. A streaming box that does some gaming is Nvidia Shield TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, etc. The Ataribox simply does not have the backing/resources/reach to exceed any of those boxes in overall capabilities. I agree that the Ataribox needs to play in all of those areas to some degree, but in my opinion it needs something more to catch on beyond a very small niche interested in a compact Linux box that presumably will be fairly open. There's nothing wrong with being that and owning that, it's just not something with wide appeal. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacman000 Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Weren't MAME and MESS rereleased under a new liscense which allows commercial use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I agree in that the "catch" has to have a lot more substance that what it appears to have at the present time. While I think that the Ataribox does have a few things going for it, we still don't have a lot of information at this point even after the interview article. Still, I think the console does have potential. That being said, let's just see if the Ataribox can put its potential together and deliver something truly noteworthy. If not, it will (most likely) quickly go on the scrap heap. I agree that the Ataribox needs to play in all of those areas to some degree, but in my opinion it needs something more to catch on beyond a very small niche interested in a compact Linux box that presumably will be fairly open. There's nothing wrong with being that and owning that, it's just not something with wide appeal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Historian Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 In the interview they say that the console will NOT need to be hooked to an online service to provide great value. It's going to be a value out of the box for a long time to come. How's that? I believe he was referring to the XBox Live and PlayStation Plus paid services. Yeah, you might want to have it be online, but it's not going to cost extra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Weren't MAME and MESS rereleased under a new liscense which allows commercial use? I believe so. But I think they're referring to the VCS library because they emphasized hundreds in a big way. And the scope of bringing their arcade classics to the home console is different. Not as many games, and certainly not as big as the VCS library. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifemadesimple Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I believe he was referring to the XBox Live and PlayStation Plus paid services. Yeah, you might want to have it be online, but it's not going to cost extra. But the problem with that is how do you gets game on it without hooking it up to the internet? It doesn't look like there's a way to insert carts or anything. Granted, it will apparently come preloaded with a fair chunk of Atari titles and emulators, but then that gets us back to the core issue - if that's all it can bring to the table without an internet connection, why not just get a flashback or a retron or something? I'll be honest, a part of me sorta wants to like the Ataribox. I'm just very frustrated that they haven't really told is much of anything. And, as a side note, I want to see controller pics. It will probably be some pretty generic USB controller, maybe reskinned to look pretty, but I just want to see what they've got. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I agree that the Ataribox needs to play in all of those areas to some degree, but in my opinion it needs something more to catch on beyond a very small niche interested in a compact Linux box that presumably will be fairly open. There's nothing wrong with being that and owning that, it's just not something with wide appeal. I think they want to play into the Atari name brand from 40 years ago. People I talk with know more "Atari" than any other vintage gaming brand. Nintendo is nearly as good. And Commodore coming in third place for the 64. Sega, 4th. But GCE, Colecovision, Intellivision, Odyssey, Vectrex, Astrocade.. Off their radar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifemadesimple Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I don't run into too many people who know Commodore, but that makes sense since they folded before most of my friends and I were even born. It is definitely interesting how they're so selective with what parts of Atari they want to be associated with now- it's like they want to be known as the worlds exclusive providers of 2600's and Roller Coaster Tycoon. It would be nice to see them acknowledge other systems or more modern franchises from time to time. I get why they don't, but it would be nice. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I, too, want to like the Ataribox due to what it can potentially offer. However, lack of information including what, if any, controllers will be provided is sorely lacking at this point. I would very much like to see this console be successful, but I have serious doubts that will happen. I'll be honest, a part of me sorta wants to like the Ataribox. I'm just very frustrated that they haven't really told is much of anything. And, as a side note, I want to see controller pics. It will probably be some pretty generic USB controller, maybe reskinned to look pretty, but I just want to see what they've got. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifemadesimple Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 The lack of controller designs being shown off makes me almost positive that they'll just be generic things. Controllers are hard to design, hard to make, hard to manufacture. Hell, by this point a new controller costs almost as much as a new PS3. If they had anything it would be in every glamor shot they post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 (edited) While Commodore doesn't have the name recognition of Nintendo and/or Sega, the upcoming C64 Mini created quite the buzz and it looks to be a (reasonably) hot ticket item. Nothing to the degree of the NES and/or SNES Classic, however. Also, I agree that the Ataribox needs to move beyond the 2600 and instead should focus on the 8-bit line (400/800/XE/5200), 7800, and/or Atari Lynx. AtGames has done a great job with the 2600, and I really don't think we need another product aping 2600 games. Hopefully, the Ataribox will move well beyond the 2600, but I have my doubts on that as well. I don't run into too many people who know Commodore, but that makes sense since they folded before most of my friends and I were even born. It is definitely interesting how they're so selective with what parts of Atari they want to be associated with now- it's like they want to be known as the worlds exclusive providers of 2600's and Roller Coaster Tycoon. It would be nice to see them acknowledge other systems or more modern franchises from time to time. I get why they don't, but it would be nice. Edited October 18, 2017 by Hwlngmad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Hate to say it, the 400/800/5200 are not as iconic and recognizable as the VCS. They're not going to waste time on those machines. Every time and every place "Atari" is mentioned, it's symbolized by the VCS if the context calls for a console picture. Not the computers, not other consoles. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I was just thinking. Given the consistently precarious state of Atari's finances, this could quite literally make or break the company for good. To paraphrase Grand Moff Tarkin: "they're taking an awfully big risk. It had better work." I did read something interesting the other day. The Xbox One (and the PS4) both use an older AMD core family that undoubtedly helps to reduce costs. It wasn't even new when these two machines were launched. I've never considered the Xbone to be particularly powerful and this goes some way to explaining why. If the Ataribox uses a more recent core then it could conceivably blow the Xbox One S out of the water but I wouldn't expect it to hurt the One X. Atari have taken some obvious cost-cutting measures, such as removing the optical drive. So if we take that into account then the system would otherwise have retailed at around the $350 mark, which suggests a reasonably powerful machine compared to rival consoles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lifemadesimple Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 How much more can they break? The name still has licensing value, I'm sure someone new would snap it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgeld Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I dunno, the AMD APU in those machines, while not spring chickens at the time of launch, were not exactly "some guy from a startup needs a chip" cheap and low powered 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Fig. 5 is definitely the back. It's a proper arrangement. This was a time of aesthetics and the VCS was designed to look like it belonged in the living room. Shame, the ports really would have made a lot more sense at the front. You loose 6 to 8 inches of joystick cord for no reason having them at the back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leech Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 I was just thinking. Given the consistently precarious state of Atari's finances, this could quite literally make or break the company for good. To paraphrase Grand Moff Tarkin: "they're taking an awfully big risk. It had better work." I did read something interesting the other day. The Xbox One (and the PS4) both use an older AMD core family that undoubtedly helps to reduce costs. It wasn't even new when these two machines were launched. I've never considered the Xbone to be particularly powerful and this goes some way to explaining why. If the Ataribox uses a more recent core then it could conceivably blow the Xbox One S out of the water but I wouldn't expect it to hurt the One X. Atari have taken some obvious cost-cutting measures, such as removing the optical drive. So if we take that into account then the system would otherwise have retailed at around the $350 mark, which suggests a reasonably powerful machine compared to rival consoles. I have been saying this all along, and with the announcement by AMD making it pretty much official. Even if Atari is questionable in their methods, the fact they got AMD making announcements is huge. Granted I never inferred it would blow away the Xbox One S, the hardware should at least be on par with the original PS4 and Xbox One. For the earlier posts about emulators. There has never been any real issue with commercialised emulators outside of ROM distribution. MAME/MESS, Stella, etc can be distributed just fine as long as you also provide a link to the source code, including any modifications you have made. Both of these projects are under the GPLv2 license. Though it lools like MAME is dual licensed as BSD as well. Literally when you have a Linux based system, you already have a 'store' of free things you can instal with a command or a click in an app. Guess it all depends on which they use as a base. But all of them have easy methods for installing pretty much any system emulator you can imagine, it is all on Atari to get distribution rights for things they don't own. Ha, I do laugh at the streaming demand. I think the Xbox One S and PS4 Pro can barely handle 4k, HDR at 60fps, not to mention a LOT of thatis dependent on what kind of internet bandwidth one has... For what it's worth, even if it doesn't come with out of (Atari)box support for various streaming video players, it wouldn't be terribly difficult for some members in the Linux or Atari community to write a script attached to an icon that loads a browser straight into Netflix, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 New chips made in the past few months can loaf along with nary a care while decoding 4K video in a power-efficient manner. XBox One S and PS4 Pro are rather dated in the scheme of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhindle the Dragon Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Shame, the ports really would have made a lot more sense at the front. You loose 6 to 8 inches of joystick cord for no reason having them at the back. Yeah, I'm getting tired of having to play the damn console on my lap. Time to find a deal on some 12ft controller extension cords... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leech Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Yeah, I'm getting tired of having to play the damn console on my lap. Time to find a deal on some 12ft controller extension cords... Remember those massive wireless Atari Joysticks? https://www.amazon.com/ATARI-2600-Wireless-controller/dp/B00HULEURQ Speaking of extension cords, I guess I'm going to need to order one if I'm going to ever get my Sega Master System joystick to work more permanently. I bought it used of course, and the thing wouldn't go up, but like may Atari joysticks before it, I've taken it apart and tried to re-solder connections. And twice now I've gotten it working again. And then next time I plug it in, it's stopped. Even tested resistance on all the wires to make sure they were connected, and still it does that. My guess is a short somewhere in the wire, so figured I'd get an extension cord, cut it, rewire everything and should be good... Though really I should just order one of their gamepads, I think like them better anyhow.... Sorry, off-topic rant. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leech Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Classic-Retro-Game-Console-Built-in-600-Games-Family-TV-HDMI-Output-2-Joystick/162626847653?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D41376%26meid%3D447fe7feac1b458e994546821f561cca%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D122746148571&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851 What in the world is this thing? Looks like a really weird/fake console box. I mean at least the 3d renders of the Ataribox looked nice... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Classic-Retro-Game-Console-Built-in-600-Games-Family-TV-HDMI-Output-2-Joystick/162626847653?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D41376%26meid%3D447fe7feac1b458e994546821f561cca%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D122746148571&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851 What in the world is this thing? Looks like a really weird/fake console box. I mean at least the 3d renders of the Ataribox looked nice... Power goes in, video comes out. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted October 19, 2017 Share Posted October 19, 2017 Simple as that! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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