New Atari Console that Ataribox?

[Bill Loguidice]

I was thinking about you and your XboneX the other day, Bill. I bought and downloaded KOTOR thinking it would look prettier on my Xbone-not-X and was disappointed that it did not. I guess the improvements are only on the new box.

 

I wish I cared more about the next(half)-gen console hardware. I just got myself a silly gaming laptop with a 1050ti inside so that will do me for a few years, I think.

 

It's hard to lock oneself into the console ecosystem when so many of the good titles are available elsewhere. I'm finally starting to appreciate the charms of keyboard and mouse.

 

Not to derail the thread, but getting my gaming laptop recently too, even though I can thus far run every game I've tried on max settings, there were still a few games that refused to work right. For instance, Cuphead wouldn't recognize my Xbox One controller of all things. So yeah, even though a good gaming PC paired with Steam, GOG, etc., and a boatload of games is a relatively great deal, there are still instances where the "it just works" console experience is a better one.

[Flojomojo]

Cuphead PC works better with my PS4 controller than the Xbone controller. It's weird.

[Shawn]

 

 

I wish I cared more about the next(half)-gen console hardware. I just got myself a silly gaming laptop with a 1050ti inside so that will do me for a few years, I think.

 

 

Exactly. I'm keeping my launch PS4 until a full brand spankin' PS5 comes to market. This mid-gen upgrade stuff is nice for the folks that didn't buy into this generation of consoles yet as they get a nice extra boost, but me, I'm sticking with the $500 box Sony sold me as their shinny new thing only a couple years ago. There is no reason I shouldn't expect at least 5 years from such an expensive machine.

[SignGuy81]

 

Exactly. I'm keeping my launch PS4 until a full brand spankin' PS5 comes to market. This mid-gen upgrade stuff is nice for the folks that didn't buy into this generation of consoles yet as they get a nice extra boost, but me, I'm sticking with the $500 box Sony sold me as their shinny new thing only a couple years ago. There is no reason I shouldn't expect at least 5 years from such an expensive machine.

 

Same with my launch Xbox One, it is good enough for me.

[Bill Loguidice]

It's not as big of a deal if you're not into 4K gaming or media. If you have a 4K capable display, particularly one that supports HDR, you're doing yourself a disservice not to get the performance boost from a PS4 Pro or Xbox One X (or to a lesser degree the S). You also have the advantages on the Xbox side of the systems being smaller and quieter. This is true on the PS4 side if you compare it to an original model. Of course, even 1080p users can benefit from the updated units with things like improved frame rates or super sampling (on the Xbox One X side). Cost is an issue, but you can always put the old system towards the new one, or simply repurpose the old system. For instance, I'm using my spare PS4 as a dedicated VR box.

 

Anyway, if there are lots of people out there like you guys who don't even want to consider getting the updated models of the console hardware that you use, then maybe the Ataribox is going to be a tougher sell than I thought.

[Flojomojo]

I probably shouldn't have bought the PS4 or Xbone in the first place. I mostly play old games (that run on a potato) and mobile games.

 

So yeah, AtariBox

[BiffsGamingVideos]

I find myself playing games on my cell phone like spades, hearts, sudoku and Blasto! Space Bombardiers (quick plug). I don't need a y-Box 37 or anything. And you know what is the most distubuted video game of all time is????? WIndows Klondyke Solitaire. You don't need anything fancy to play that,

[+frankodragon]

Been going through Twitter and they have those cookie-cutter posts about Ataribox like that other thing with that whole Coleco™ thingy.

 

[CPUWIZ]

 

 

For instance, I'm using my spare PS4 as a dedicated VR box.

 

Why? The Pro is better for VR.

[Shawn]

So Atari is buying spam posts to advertise this thing? I just puked in my mouth a little.

[+Nathan Strum]

Been going through Twitter and they have those cookie-cutter posts about Ataribox like that other thing with that whole Coleco™ thingy.

 

I dunno... I'm kind of looking forward to playing it now.

 

I hear it's super awesome.

 

From multiple sources.

 

(Pssst... AtariLife™)

[SignGuy81]

They should have The Miz be the spokesperson for Atari.

 

EDIT:

 

Because he's The Miz, and he's Awesome, just like the Ataribox will be.

 

And I mean even his theme song.

 

I came to play
There's a price to pay
Time for you to get down on your knees and pray
(I came to pay)
Say goodbye to the good old days
They never coming back

Edited November 7, 2017 by SignGuy81

[leech]

 

Here ya go, a parts list. It comes with its own screen, but you can bring your own HDMI cable and controllers if you really want to use it on a television. It comes with Windows instead of Linux, which means it runs more games (the list of Linux games on Steam is a tiny subset of what runs in Windows), and the onboard intel graphics are more than sufficient for oldies and indies. It can even run AAA games from the PS3 era. Until anything from "Atari," the Dell company has an extensive support network, though at this price you could just buy another one if you dropped it off the roof or something. I have a cheapo machine with similar specs to this and it runs RetroArch like a champ, everything up to and including Sega CD without any issues.

 

1. Dell Inspiron 11 3000 laptop, $149.00, free shipping. http://deals.dell.com/productdetail/okw

 

Better than AtariBox at half the price, available now.png

Ha, 2GB of ram barely runs Windows.

[SignGuy81]

Ha, 2GB of ram barely runs Windows.

 

Unless you want to turn off your AntiVirus, then you're good to go, but best of luck.

[The Mr. Video]

Been going through Twitter and they have those cookie-cutter posts about Ataribox like that other thing with that whole Coleco™ thingy.

 

ataribox_tweets.jpg

But what about the one with the Russian text at the end?

In all seriousness, I never had any interest in getting the Ataribox and stuff like this is most definitely not gonna win me over.

[Keatah]

It's that whole social media management package they're doing. Basically pay for posts.

[leech]

Mega multi-quote!

This? https://www.pcworld.com/article/3120287/computers/how-to-build-a-cheap-but-powerful-gaming-pc-for-500.html

 

$500 is more than Atari's suggested price. Wondering if someone could get a discount for bulk buying.

For 500 bucks, one who is looking into getting a Console-esque PC can just get one of the Alienware systems.

https://www.amazon.com/Flagship-Alienware-ASM100-Performance-i7-4785T/dp/B01MYTLA5E?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffnt-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B01MYTLA5E

 

Or cheaper model;

https://www.amazon.com/Alienware-Machine-Console-NVIDIA-GeForce/dp/B016IH067A?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ffnt-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B016IH067A

 

Being optimistic, and possibly blindly so, is certainly a fault I'll own.

I hope it's clear that I know there are challenges ahead for AtariBox to be successful. One of which will be defining what success really looks like.

I actually think their biggest challenge isn't going to be getting funded, but actually putting product in hand that isn't something that people feel they got ripped off of. Then after that.. what, retail? That's really the question, will this only be acquired by the X people that back it? Even the Ouya made it into Best Buy (I saw one there once, with no games. Oddly one of the reasons the other consoles are successful is they still have PHYSICAL games on the shelf. What does Steam have? Little cards that are on the shelves at some places. Or they are included with the games that say "requires internet access." That's another reason Steam Machines failed as a console, no shelf place where console gamers shop.

 

 

 

I'm really not getting what the disconnect is on these Pico form factor SBCs. It's been quite a few years since the development of the most recent PS4 or Xbox innards, and those were developed to spec at huge expense. The first Raspberry Pi boards were released in 2012 a year before the PS4 hit the market in 2013. Both were in development at the same time. Since then, X86 manufacturers have been moving to compete with the form factor, and X86 Pico SBCs (single board computers) have been on the market and in use since 2014. You can put a heat sink or a fan on them at your leisure just like a Pi. You can put it in almost any plastic box just like a Pi. You can run full blown Windows on them, unlike a Pi. And of course, you can run Linux on them, like a Pi or pretty much anything else. They're not a micro ATX system on it's side like you describe. Hasn't been for years. The current generation can be put together for $300-$350 retail. With a bulk order, or a cheap Chinese knock off, that price is probably much less.

 

 

https://buy.advantech.com/Embedded-Single-Board-Computers/2-5-Pico-ITX-Boards-By-Processor-AMD-G-Series-Processor/AUS_31808.products.htm

MIO-2270DV-S0A1E

AMD® G-Series GX-210JA Pico-ITX SBC with DDR3,LVDS, VGA, 1GbE, Half-size Mini PCIe, 4 USB, 2COM, SMBus,mSATA & MIOe expansion

1. Embedded AMD® G-Series SoC GX-210JA Quad-Core processor design
2. DDR3/ DDR3L 1600MHz support up to 8GB
3. Outstanding graphic performance with DirectX®11.1 support, dual independent display by 18-bit LVDS + VGA or 18-bit LVDS + HDMI
4. Flexible design using integrated multiple I/O approach for vertical applications & keep domain know how
5. Rich I/O interface with 2 COM, 1 SATA, USB3.0, PCIe Mini Card and mSATA
6. Supports SUSIAcccess and Embedded Software APIs

Environment

Non-Operational Temperature

-40° C ~ 85° C and 60° C @ 95% RH non-condensing

Operational Temperature

0 ~ 60° C (32 ~ 140° F) (Operational humidity: 40° C @ 95% RH Non-Condensing)

Physical

Dimension (mm) 100 x 72 mm (3.9" x 2.8")

Total Height 33.59mm

Weight 0.45 kg (0.99 lb), weight of total package

 

This is the first valid, not-sarcastic post about a parts list. Well done!

 

Only thing missing from the Dell laptop example is a chromed "Atari" logo sticker. Maybe we could get a batch printed for like $1.00 each.

And, well you know decent Linux support. Intel HD graphics work decently enough for desktop usage, but I wouldn't try to game on it. And yeah, I want an 'open' gaming platform (or at least someone does, I already have a Steam Link which works with Linux or Windows on my computer in the other room.)

 

 

X86 always has (and still does) run warm when going full speed. It's almost an art getting a hi-performance x86 rig to run cool. AND cool means a couple steps below maximum performance anyways.

 

My Old Betsy is a bad-ass bitch that actually cuts down the heating bill in the winter.

Yeah, I still recall mocking the Pentium 2 for their MASSIVE Heatsink they had on them. And of course I always buy a huge heatsink / fan for my current systems so that they run silent.

 

 

I wonder if the traditional standard CPU + GPU on a bus causes a lot of inefficiencies and therefore heat. Consoles can work around that with custom chips and variations on mainstream PC parts. The XBOX Pentium III, IIRC, was slightly modified for the console.

 

Newer consoles and SoCs have much more efficient busses and integration.

I saw the weirdest thing today... weirdest since the Ataribox email... AMD and Intel are joining forces to make a combination with Intel being the CPU and AMD being the GPU. https://newsroom.intel.com/editorials/new-intel-core-processor-combine-high-performance-cpu-discrete-graphics-sleek-thin-devices/

 

 

Not to derail the thread, but getting my gaming laptop recently too, even though I can thus far run every game I've tried on max settings, there were still a few games that refused to work right. For instance, Cuphead wouldn't recognize my Xbox One controller of all things. So yeah, even though a good gaming PC paired with Steam, GOG, etc., and a boatload of games is a relatively great deal, there are still instances where the "it just works" console experience is a better one.

My 'Gaming' laptop turned into my work laptop, because it's close to a Macbook that work gave me, but doesn't make me angry running Linux on it, and has a much more powerful processor, GPU, etc for about 1k less. Unfortunately mine is the older Asus Zenbook, so it has thunderbolt 2 instead of 3. So what I did was bought an Asus tablet that has Thunderbolt 3, doesn't have the built in nVidia though, instead I have an Asus ROG XG Station 2 with a GTX 980 nvidia in it that drives my HTC Vive. That's right, I built this weird rig up so I could convert people to VR at work! It rocks.

 

On your issue with Cuphead. I'm actually kind of happy that someone released a game for PC that is running on Windows where the Xbox controller doesn't work. I have that issue with games on Linux randomly as well, with one game (Hero Siege) that they said the engine doesn't use the right library under Linux so it can't support gamepads at all... That's what the Steam Controller is good for, you can generally remap things to act as keyboard/mouse inputs.

 

Cuphead PC works better with my PS4 controller than the Xbone controller. It's weird.

That's really weird, since last I checked you still had to use some hacked up third party utility to use PS controllers, did they finally fix that in Windows 10 (I honestly haven't tried since I got my Steam Controller).

 

 

 

Why? The Pro is better for VR.

I still haven't tried the PSVR. But I do have Battlezone on my PC for the HTC Vive and holy crap it's fun, but generally speaking anything that uses a gamepad instead of the Vive controllers is kind of weak sauce. Except of course playing Elite: Dangerous which... 'Oh my god, I'm in a spaceship flying across the universe!' is about the only reaction you can have.

[leech]

 

Unless you want to turn off your AntiVirus, then you're good to go, but best of luck.

Ha, that's literally "boot into Linux." I've had my tangle with Anti-viruses recently. Had Kaspersky, told not to trust Russians, installed Vipre (because I'd used it recently, looked decent enough) and that bastard... blocks EVERYTHING like including the Internet....

 

Finally downloaded Immunet, which is apparently the only one I could find that actually uses open source code as it's back-end (ClamAV to be precise). If I trusted MS to keep me safe, it'd be nice, wouldn't it?

[leech]

It's that whole social media management package they're doing. Basically pay for posts.

Ha, this reminds me of the last season of Homeland. If you haven't watched it, do. Pretty good show. I don't want to spoil anything, though I may have by doing this comparison.

[JBerel]

Been going through Twitter and they have those cookie-cutter posts about Ataribox like that other thing

Repeat after me.....Hey @ataribox this looks super awesome, can't wait to play!

 

Edited November 7, 2017 by JBerel

[+frankodragon]

But what about the one with the Russian text at the end?

In all seriousness, I never had any interest in getting the Ataribox and stuff like this is most definitely not gonna win me over.

Translated it says, "Riley is a good thing (I think)"

[Osgeld]

Repeat after me.....Hey @ataribox this looks super awesome, can't wait to play!

[JBerel]

Hey @ataribox this looks super awesome, can't wait to play!

 

 

Hey @ataribox this looks super awesome, can't wait to play!

 

Edited November 7, 2017 by JBerel

[pacman000]

I've never used twitter. Do you have the ability to re-post other's posts, like Tumblr? I doubt a marketing company would create dozens of fake accounts and post the same thing on each of them; it would be far too obvious. I suppose these are people who are re-posting whatever catches their fancy at the moment, without too much thought.

 

Or Atari really needs to fire their marketing company.

[JBerel]

They're called bots and services, and yes, they do it all the time. It's not dozens of fake accounts, it's thousands. Some sleazy marketing outfits control 10,000 or more Twitter accounts out of their firm. They use a variety of techniques to set them up, fake their IP, and populate profiles with a backstory to varying degrees of effectiveness. Mostly done by soul-less marketing hacks and community managers.

 

The ones that are really bad at it enter a string of text which is replicated throughout the bogus social media accounts that are setup to populate by scripts or people who do it for a few cents. I know this will break someone's heart, but most of the big celebrity names use their social media accounts this way which are managed by their handlers or assistants. They have a back channel revenue stream paying them to mention, retweet, or promote somesuch B.S. on a regular basis. Sadly, it demonstrates how mind-numbingly stupid Americans have become to lap up this social media crap and think it represents a band wagon they just have to jump on. (Makes prostitution look more attractive doesn't it)

 

http://glean.info/insidious-problem-fake-twitter-accounts/

 

http://chrismakara.com/social-media/11-easy-ways-to-spot-a-fake-twitter-account/

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-13/twitter-is-crawling-with-bots-and-lacks-incentive-to-expel-them

 

http://retweets.pro/buy-twitter-tweets

 

https://www.seoclerk.com/sponsoredtweets

Edited November 7, 2017 by JBerel