e5frog

Got the last PBC:s for the last Pac-Man carts today. I'll try and solder them up tonight, hoping to deliver all of them before the end of the year.

Last four PCBs finished in batch 2, planning for batch 3 started. Updated first post.

We are getting closer, I'm having the last four PCBs made for Pac-Man this week, I work at a PCB manufacturer so it should be done in less than a day. Pac-Man cart #48, last one to be sold brand new from the manufacturer, will be up on eBay at Christmas - I hope. Anything I could do to spice things up? I'm planning to add the first test print of the box, it's uncut and unfolded, would it help it I autographed anything/everything? Certificate of authenticity? Anything I could do to get the price up would help, I'm guessing though that the following month is a bad time really to try and sell something... Maybe I could include the source code? Maybe zipped on the eprom (about 250kB unused space on it as I used 2Mbit chips, source 7zipped is only 35kB) Maybe put the debug code on it that allows you to skip levels by pressing a button on the console? Add battery backed up ram or FeRAM to hold the scores?

Got hold of a replacement printer - it wasn't cheap, it's brand new of the same type but without the print head and ink-cartridges, which means I now have a working printer again but a bit low on ink. Luckily it was sponsored, wouldn't have been able to afford that myself right now. Found a printshop to print the Multi-Cart boxes at a decent price, I'm considering spending the 40% extra it costs to get the fold creases done there instead of me doing them manually with a bent screwdriver on a piece of glass... We are currently discussing if they can also do the top and edge labels, that would really speed things up, adhesive and laminated on top. Haven't got an estimate yet. Don't think any professional printing will be done until next year though. Also need to order new batch of PCBs and components for future orders. Guess I should get some carts sent out so I can take on new orders.

Built another cart, haven't been labeling them yet. The components I have the fewest of will last exactly for the remaining four Multi-Carts, let's hope I can keep the pace up maybe I'll have all deliveries done by X-mas! Then I'll need a batch more of PCBs, logic circuits and RAM before there will be more.

Built some tonight, updated first entry, will probably ship everything up to and including Multi-Cart #31 by next week.

Sorry Mark, you're there now. Yes, that's the reply I have gotten from my friends (close enough that I dare to ask). I may have a solution coming up, I guess a new printer doesn't really cost more than what I charge for a cart so if I sold one more I could take care of the problem, would be handy if it was a Canon that uses the same ink cartridges.. Still have a few labels left so I'll build more this week. I noticed Mark was not the only one I haven't added to the list.

Found an envelope with a few label-prints, I hope I have some luck with attaching the plastic so I'll be able to use all of them. One more Pac-Man cart is done and also one Multi-Cart is ready to be shipped so far, I'll be able to make a few more today, will update the first message as work progress. There's more Pac-Man carts than Multi's though... more Pac-Man carts will be completed than Multi's for now.

Just wanted to leave an update. I have spent all money I had to spare and a lot of time to solve my labeling troubles, haven't been able to get a proper result. There's some electrical/electronic error on my printer. Haven't got any friends with working printers either (reason is probably lack of friends rather than lack of printers in the world). Tried using the color laser at work but it looked like crap both before and after the plastic came on. Maybe if someone could help out we'd be able to solve this a little faster. I have been using Canon Glossy Photo Paper "Everyday Use" 170 g/m*m (GP-501) with a Canon iP6700D using Canon original ink only since I started to make labels. It's probably not as important for the Multi-Cart labels (black only) as the Pac-Man labels. I'd hate it if the colors looked different for the last batch. I'll throw the question out among some people that are closer to me (preferrably in Sweden). I won't be able to afford to get a new printer until January 25th 2012, I've gotten a proper job from the 1/1 2012, currently I'm still on "work related rehabilitation" from after my illness but at least I'm up to full time now since four weeks back. Baby is coming in mid-December so I guess I'll have a few nights after that that I'm up and awake anyway. I haven't forgotten about you guys, mostly frustrated that money is so tight right now and I spent the last money from the cartridge fund on printer repair attempts. Still have a lot of parts though, maybe I could sell DIY-kits. Guess I could make more sales just to get the money flowing, but then I'd just have more people waiting... What do you think?

Hi guys, sorry I haven't been in touch. I've either been working or been sick lately so not much spare time to build. I have a few assembled carts but the printer gave me trouble when I was going to print the labels for them so I had to fix that first - it was actually broken so I had to find new parts for it and after that was done not as much as a single free hour in the "laboratory". I do this on my spare time, I'm bascially not charging anything for the work so I can't really afford doing this instead of working. I'll try and snatch a few hours to finish up what was ordered as soon as I can. Currently I have no plans of making any more than what is already ordered and if I do I'll make sure they're already done before I accept payment, only a pre-made non-personalized Multi-Cart will be offered (still numbered though). Currently I'm sick, caughing, fever, sneezing, blowing my nose, not the optimal condition to make labels or surface mounting components. :-( Maybe I'll be able to stay home a day extra and have some of them done at least.

Hi guys, on Monday it's back to work, I'll let you know then which carts are done, had some printer trouble (printer head clogged) so I haven't been able to finish the labels. Still not taking any new orders until I'm completely done with the waiting ones.

I'm currently on holiday so nothing will be built or shipped in the next 10 days, I'll also hold on new orders until I have managed to catch up. I'm not quite at the "at least on cart per week" rate yet, but I'm getting there. Have five or six carts built but not labeled yet. Will update as soon as I get back home again. A/V mod hasn't really been explored much yet, I managed to make a working mod for a PAL first generation board, you can pick the composite signal or at least the color and luma signals, amplified the luma part and then hooked the color signal on after that. When amplifying them both I lost the color. Optimal is probably to have two good amplifier circuits that you can adjust both the luma and color. I was going to try and hook them to S-video but never got around to it. Picture was crystal clear with no odd RF interference. I think I wrote about it here, check my posts. There's schematics in the wiki where you can make your own solution, we only have schematic for the original VES and the German SABA VideoPlay 2 which is close to the Channel F II: http://classicdev.org/VES/Schematics I only have one NTSC machine that I bought NOS so I'm not that keen on tearing the foam off the bottom (or punch holes) to get to the screws - at least not as long as it is working. For the Channel F II it could very well be easier... in any case if you start at the antenna out signal and work your way backwards there is a composite signal somewhere before it's put on a carrier wave. Just need to find the right spot and then probably amplify it.

That's the good thing about eBay I guess, no mocking about, only bad thing is the fee you have to pay. Personally I haven't been subjected to the "ending the auction early" method before, didn't know before this that you could do that for no reason at all. Everyone knows that the real bidding goes on the last 10 seconds anyway - and it would have been over tomorrow IIRC. So now that it's out in the open, at least with all the usual Channel F collectors it should be the ultimate way then to put it back on eBay again even if interested parties have made bids based on it not going back on eBay again. Would these theoretical individual/s really let this unusual item go for "peanuts"? Don't think so. Anyway, I'm not going to bid anymore than I already have, if it goes up on eBay again I might take my chances.

I offer 40 Euros, but there's perhaps an offer at about $250 currently? It will be a whole lot easier and effective to know the top offer. ( Check the message I sent 29th of May 2011 21:05, starts with "Yes, you'd probably take the ferry from Fredrikshavn to Göteborg then.", I remembered incorrectly though it was for 55 Euros plus shipping)

Was the edge label a little pealed off before you opened it up? http://privatejoker.webs.com/apps/blog/show/7237293-the-holy-grail There are at least only three that I know of currently... I could make some though. So what's the deal, offers in the thread or via PM, milk it as much as possible and then offer it somewhere else starting at the end price? There's a story here, sorry if it's improper but I'll try anyway. I put an offer on eBay initially: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 190538830801 Then started to communicate with the seller and was offered to buy it, he could take the auction down and sell it privately. I started out slow, not really hoping to get it for 40 Euro, shipping was supposed to be about 15 Euro. Then I felt that I may have started too low so I offered 60 Euro before getting a reply. Got a reply that he wanted to check things out first as he didn't know what it was. Then finally got an OK for the initial 55 Euro with shipping. Being at my job I didn't notice he had sent another e-mail about ten minutes later canceling the whole deal for a better offer from a AA forum member... So I sent the payment but it was returned. Had things been about 10 minutes delayed there it would probably have been paid and accepted, since the other forum member was about to leave the computer for important matters in reality. Anyway, I then noticed the auction got canceled, with my single bid only at the start price of 0.99 Euro for all nine carts (other carts being lower numbered low value carts). I felt the most fair way would be to let the auction run, our other dear forum member decided to cancel his rather large bid (because how often do we see a Democart 2 - wouldn't you add extra) and - sorry for quoting but I felt the same - "he sounds like the type that will flip and change his mind as soon as someone else speaks up". So I would love to have one of these, not for any price though so if we could keep the bidding open in the thread and set an end date I'd be happy to stay on as long as I can. There's apparently already an offer from a third (me and the other forum member included) AA forum member though and perhaps it's not likely anyone will bid more. I also wanted to warn any interested buyer that with the dollar signs in front of his this newcomer's eyes thinking this is some multi-$1000 cart that everyone wants he's likely to sell it to anyone anywhere else that pays the most - even if you have agreed on something else. (Yes I'm P.O. I've sold stuff much cheaper than what they could have been sold for many times myself, just deal with it, take a deep breath, move on and check better next time.)

One since I last updated the first message.

Yes, they're still available, no need to quote the entire first post though.

Update: Have begun to contact print shops to get a price on boxes for the Multi-Cart, having no luck so far, either they don't have thick enough paper, are extremely expensive or they can't give me any answer at all. :-( I have restocked some ICs needed so I'm back to building again later this week. I'm considering offering to add a startup picture (with a motif of the buyer's choice) for an additional fee, is anyone interested in that? Basically any customization is possible, but a custom startup melody would be quite easy to add instead of the current Beethoven tune. But I'd appreciate any thoughts on it.

... and now they're SOLD OUT! If anyone has the urge to play Pac-Man on Channel F they need to buy the Multi-Cart instead. But, I have a single copy that I will put on eBay later this year, possibly I'll also include the first box print with it...

Just ONE left. Received payment means reservation.

There's now four Pac-Man cartridges left, VGE is not the buyer as no reservation fee (full payment) has been received (yet).

Ready to be shipped: Update 21 Joe S. Ships tomorrow 23 Brad D. Circuit board done 25 Scott S. (Pac-Man cart done) Ships tomorrow 26 Rick M. (+Pac-Man) Multi-cart done, Pac-Man circuit board done 27 Heath Ships tomorrow 28 Kimmo (+Pac-Man) everything 29 Matt everything

There's now FIVE Pac-Man carts left.

So... I'm almost done with all old orders. I have updated the first post in this thread but here's what's left to do: 21 Joe S. labels 23 Brad D. program and solder eprom, clean cart shell and labeling 25 Scott S. (Pac-Man cart done) labels 26 Rick M. (+Pac-Man) clean cart shell and labels 27 Heath clean cart shell and labels 28 Kimmo (+Pac-Man) everything

Four circuit boards left to build for the old orders. I'll start taking in payments for new orders on Monday, current price is yet again $125 as can be seen on the first page. My thoughts go out to Jerry Lawsons friends and family that he left behind after he passed away this Saturday 9th of April. http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/179363-mr-lawson-channel-f-gets-recognized-as-a-pioneer/page__view__findpost__p__2243055 For those who don't recognize the name, he was the one who constructed the Fairchild Video Entertainment System (among other things).