Carlos_Lopez Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 (edited) It seems like RetroGames has finally gotten their act together. I have some inside info. As some of you know, they had a 2600 compatible system but decided to work on other projects. They found a distributor and decided to manufacture the 2600, the product will be promoted by their distributor directly. The system is 100% compatible with the Atari 2600 library. It includes 4mb of flash ram, a USB port and comes in NTSC and PAL versions. Every cartridge format is supported but Starpath. The game console will be available in limited quantity starting November through the internet purchases. Independant distributors will start to carry the product during the first quarter 2006. I know that the PC tools are open source and the menu system can be flashed too. All games and demos seem to work, including Cosmic Ark, GI Joe and BurgerTime. There are some interesting features such as running the CPU at 2x the speed, flexible bank switching modes, cheating, etc. Part of the documentation says that it will be possible to connect two units together through a firmware update scheduled later. As far as I can tell the port is already there, but it wasn't doing anything. AFAIK they will only make small run until the distribution is established (I think 1000 units). I will keep you posted when I get some news that I can share. Maybe I can get a group price for AA Edited August 16, 2005 by Carlos_Lopez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 (edited) Very cool. I've been waiting for this to come out for a long long time. I wish it supported Starpath games, though. By "independent distributors" it sounds like this is going to be alongside the NES stuff in the malls. Edited August 16, 2005 by mos6507 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Thag Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 I hope this pans out. I think I know what I'll be asking for X-mas this year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrionB Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Wow, sounds great. Any idea how much this thing will cost? Also, is the USB port for connecting to a computer to download games into the flash RAM, or is it for hooking up controllers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Launching this in the same year as the Flashback 2? Do ye wanna get sued? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Wow, sounds great. Any idea how much this thing will cost? Also, is the USB port for connecting to a computer to download games into the flash RAM, or is it for hooking up controllers? 912019[/snapback] I don't know how the two units hook up, but I do know you are supposed to download games to it via USB. In fact I don't think it will be as easily hacked to use an optional cart port as FB2, which means Starpath games may be permanently locked out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari-Jess Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Flojomojo, Atari already lost the battle against clone machines with Coleco. The only rreason those NES clones were stopped (Mega Joy) was because they had games on them. The ones without, are fine. This would be fine as well, assuming there are no games included (that aren't new homebrews or whatever) My question is, does it have a cartridge port? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 What about video output? Are you going with component outputs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compacho Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 lol, so funny announcing this just right after the flashback 2 is released. Ehhh, if it doesn't have a cartridge port, then forget it. maybe. OK, i'm hooked. I want one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveW Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 There's loads of homebrews out there, so fill it up with new games already built-in, and put a cartridge port on it. That would be sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.Max Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Want one. Bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos_Lopez Posted August 16, 2005 Author Share Posted August 16, 2005 I don't know how the two units hook up, but I do know you are supposed to download games to it via USB. In fact I don't think it will be as easily hacked to use an optional cart port as FB2, which means Starpath games may be permanently locked out 912029[/snapback] They decided against the cartridge port as the whole 2600 library can be stored in the system at once. I don't know which games will be included, I only know that games can be uploaded to an internal flash memory via USB and the menu code and game directory reside there as well. HOWEVER, the top of the case can be popped giving access to an edge connector with all the internal signals, including joysticks, buses, A/V I thought it could be cool to have a cart port, to be able to attach a LCD screen, etc. I asked if it was ok for me to play with it and I got the pinout, so I will make an expansion module. RetroGames told me they want to make it the last and definitive 2600. Open source tools to program the console will be downloadable as well the documentation for the non 2600 part of the hardware; in the same spirit, I will share the schematics of my expansion module Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jentzsch Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 4 MB (maybe with some compression) is more than enough to store all existing 2600 games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari-Jess Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 etroGames told me they want to make it the last and definitive 2600. If they meant that, they would have included a cartridge port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 etroGames told me they want to make it the last and definitive 2600. If they meant that, they would have included a cartridge port. 912328[/snapback] But why when you can have the whole collection on the unit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jagasian Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 etroGames told me they want to make it the last and definitive 2600. If they meant that, they would have included a cartridge port. 912328[/snapback] But why when you can have the whole collection on the unit? 912330[/snapback] There is something nice about being able to play your own carts, dump/rip your own carts, etc. Also, any game that is made for the 2600 and uses a special on cart chip, sometime in the future, will not work on a system without a cart port. A cart port should be included to truely be the end all be all 2600. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.J. Franzman Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Another reason for a cart port: not all ROMs are available, and there are probably still some undiscovered prototypes yet to be found. If this can be modded to be a take-everywhere portable, it would be nice to have a cart port even if it has the entire existing ROM library inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Uh yeah.. you need the cart port. Try playing Pitfall2 w/o it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackjack Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Any links? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 etroGames told me they want to make it the last and definitive 2600. If they meant that, they would have included a cartridge port. 912328[/snapback] But why when you can have the whole collection on the unit? 912330[/snapback] Well, like I said, for Supercharger support. It doesn't support the Supercharger internally so the only way to run SC games would be to plus a Cuttle Cart or Supercharger into a modified unit that has a cart port. Of course, once you plug a CC into it you can play all the games by loading them into the CC as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Why would I want to get one of these if I have a 2600 with A/V and a Cuttle Cart? Is there another benefit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos_Lopez Posted August 17, 2005 Author Share Posted August 17, 2005 (edited) There is something nice about being able to play your own carts, dump/rip your own carts, etc. Also, any game that is made for the 2600 and uses a special on cart chip, sometime in the future, will not work on a system without a cart port. A cart port should be included to truely be the end all be all 2600. 912452[/snapback] You are right. I really would love a cart port in this unit. I'm not very disappointed though. As I said, the top can be popped and exposes a card edge connector with the required signals. I believe there is enough space to put another top with a cart port embedded (that was the intention of putting the card edge conn). That's what I plan to do Uh yeah.. you need the cart port. Try playing Pitfall2 w/o it. 912815[/snapback] AFAIK Pintfall2 also works, as well as BurgerTime. Those two games have special bankswitching, not to mention the extra circuitry in Pitfall2. I was told though, that only games that are not supported out of the box are Starpath ones. Any links? 912987[/snapback] I don't think so. RetroGames haven't made a public announcement. I hope they do soon. Why would I want to get one of these if I have a 2600 with A/V and a Cuttle Cart? Is there another benefit? 913018[/snapback] Well, besides being a 100% compatible 2600 with A/V, it is a portable, small unit. It has its own 4MB flash memory and USB download. It has extra features, like game pause, cheats, firmware upgrade, (those are the ones I remember, probably others). It has an expansion port that will allow you to play with it. The technical docs will be available. I think it does offer an added value vs a 2600 with A/V Edited August 17, 2005 by Carlos_Lopez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Sounds interesting, buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut ... Are there pics of it working? Do you have a price point? Is there any assurance that those who order one would actually get one (Catbox, anyone?) Until I see answers to these simple questions, I'm going to assume it's vaporware and will continue to enjoy my FB2, emulators, and original hardware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Not everyone who would want one of these things has a computer with a USB port. Sounds strange, but there ARE people out there with older machines. If it doesn't have a cart port, I won't get one. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Why would I want to get one of these if I have a 2600 with A/V and a Cuttle Cart? Is there another benefit? 913018[/snapback] That's exactly what I'm thinking. I have a Krokodile Cart, a A/V modded A2600, and when the fixed FB2's come out, a hacked one so I can play the KC on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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