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7800 newbie here. Looking to collect.


DanthWader

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Serial lurker here...

I've been collecting 2600 for some time now. But I'm at the point where buying games is stale... nothing but $50+ games I need on ebay. So Im very interested in starting to collect 7800.

I've never owned one but I understand the serials staring with A1 OR A2 are the ones to get. Anything else I should be looking out for?

I'm frugal, but the rarer and cheaper I can get the better. dropping hundreds ATM isn't an option. Besides specific serials or models would anything else that would indicate early production runs etc?

 

Oh, and games... I need a good top 10 to start with. Cheaper the better. But games usually come as the deals do.

 

I'm really excited to start this collection process. But I need a clean system first.

 

Thanks so much in advance!

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The 7800 is a great system. I have an AT serial # one with the expansion port and haven't had issues with any 2600 carts I tried to put in it. That includes some odd shaped ones like Imagic and Parker Bros. My understanding is that quality went down as the later generations came out, so staying away from an A3 serial may be a good thing. I'm sure others can give much better info on serial #s.

 

As for ones to start out with, I suggest Joust, Centipede, Food Fight, are must owns. The Frenzy homebrew sold on Atari Age is really good. Most of the arcade ports for the system are really solid.

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Welcome...enjoy. buy the cheap games in lots of 20 or whatever.

Solid advice... which I have never taken because I went for boxed and sealed as much as possible..

 

It's real easy to get boxed and sealed 7800 games (especially the good arcade prots like Ms PacMan, Joust, and Dig Dug), and to get them pretty cheap. The problem is, once you start seeing them all lined up, settling for loose games becomes an issue as a collector. I say grab lots like Jinks says, and go for arcade ports to ensure you only get the best games.

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Are AT serials the only ones with the expansion port?

 

No. I have an A1 S/N with the expansion port. The attached thread contains a brief explanation of S/N's and a listing of S/N's for the AA community. Its maintained by AA member toymailman. :thumbsup:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/177987-7800-serial-number-list-updated-06302017/page-1

 

post-21941-0-43938000-1505223843.jpg post-21941-0-19560800-1505223899.jpg

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No. I have an A1 S/N with the expansion port. The attached thread contains a brief explanation of S/N's and a listing of S/N's for the AA community. Its maintained by AA member toymailman. :thumbsup:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/177987-7800-serial-number-list-updated-06302017/page-1

 

attachicon.gifA1 74 5825114.jpg attachicon.gifSN.jpg

This^ thanks so much.

This young grasshoper has much to learn.

So how important is the expansion port? Should I not settle on other 7800 variants?

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The port itself is not important, as to my knowledge, there aren't any peripherals that take advantage of it. However, it does appear that the expansion port units play some games that have been known to not play on other 7800 units. There are separate threads concerning this issue. For instance, Robot Tank has an issue playing on some units, but I can confirm that my expansion port model, plays that game.

 

Here's one thread that talks about the games: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/74897-which-2600-games-dont-work-on-a-7800/

 

 

**BTW, there aren't that many games that get affected by the units. Most of the 2600/7800 games play just fine. I love my 7800's (with or without expansion port). :)

Edited by sramirez2008
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The 7800 is a great system. I have an AT serial # one with the expansion port and haven't had issues with any 2600 carts I tried to put in it. That includes some odd shaped ones like Imagic and Parker Bros. My understanding is that quality went down as the later generations came out, so staying away from an A3 serial may be a good thing. I'm sure others can give much better info on serial #s.

 

As for ones to start out with, I suggest Joust, Centipede, Food Fight, are must owns. The Frenzy homebrew sold on Atari Age is really good. Most of the arcade ports for the system are really solid.

 

Regardless of which model 7800 you have, most Tigervision carts won't fit properly due to the pegs on the side designed to open the dust slot on the original 2600 not retracting into the cart when inserted. As such, there ins't enough physical clearance on the cart slot (Installed closer to the main pcb vs 2600), to allow the PCB on the cart to fully seat into the cart slot itself. This is the main reason I had and used my 7800 Hi-Score cart was as a cart extender to play those few Tigervision carts. Miner2049er comes to mind. On that one, since it isn't as rare as some of the other Tigervision games, I used some nail clippers and trimmed back about 1/4" or so of the pegs on the cart.

 

Anyway, I own two 7800 units one with the expansion port and one without and they both play the trouble Activision games with out issue. I've had several others through my hands for repair and have yet to actually encounter one that doesn't work with those Activision carts. I don't think it is as systemic as made to believe.

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Regardless of which model 7800 you have, most Tigervision carts won't fit properly due to the pegs on the side designed to open the dust slot on the original 2600 not retracting into the cart when inserted. As such, there ins't enough physical clearance on the cart slot (Installed closer to the main pcb vs 2600), to allow the PCB on the cart to fully seat into the cart slot itself. This is the main reason I had and used my 7800 Hi-Score cart was as a cart extender to play those few Tigervision carts. Miner2049er comes to mind. On that one, since it isn't as rare as some of the other Tigervision games, I used some nail clippers and trimmed back about 1/4" or so of the pegs on the cart.

 

Anyway, I own two 7800 units one with the expansion port and one without and they both play the trouble Activision games with out issue. I've had several others through my hands for repair and have yet to actually encounter one that doesn't work with those Activision carts. I don't think it is as systemic as made to believe.

Thanks for the feedback, yes ive been "scared" of the versions that don't work with some 2600 games. I'm sure it's not warranted, besides I've stayes away from tiger vision because of the prices. But I've always tried to get games on ebay because it's slim pickins here in oklahoma. But now ebay hates me and I'll need a bank loan to get a HERO cart :/

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Thanks for the feedback, yes ive been "scared" of the versions that don't work with some 2600 games. I'm sure it's not warranted, besides I've stayes away from tiger vision because of the prices. But I've always tried to get games on ebay because it's slim pickins here in oklahoma. But now ebay hates me and I'll need a bank loan to get a HERO cart :/

 

Where about in Oklahoma?

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Normally I would, but the 2600 is my true love so compatability is important as I will replace my heavy sixer in my entertainment center with a 7800.

Keep both..I used to like the VSC but I see the 7800 as a SVCS. With the same sound etc. The 2600 games graphics are a little to lame for me today. Exception fall down, juno first etc homebrews are really cool and the dk 2600 someone was working on..
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Our CL listings are way over priced!!! Need to come to ThrillHouse Games and visit for some very reasonably priced Atari games. If there is anything you are looking for I might even have a spare or two. Especially 2600 stuff...

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