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wood_jl

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Posts posted by wood_jl

  1. Posted

    Get both!  (just kidding; impractical for most people)

     

    A display that will do both (my favorite Atari screen) is the JVC TM-A13SU CRT Video Monitor 

     

    This guy is in Phoenix and doesn't want to ship.  But he as some good pictures.

     

    If you are interested in one, be sure NOT to mix it up with the JVC TM-A130SU.  Although it looks the same, it has no sound/speaker.

     

    A small drawback is that this monitor requites a BNC to RCA adapter to hook to a standard RCA cable, but they are cheap and available.

     

    I'd get NTSC 800XL first, of course.

     

     

    • Like 1

  2. Posted

    2 hours ago, Gunstar said:

    Much of the new programming techniques that we see in demos, graphics, games, etc., are derived from ideas based on newer technology, that were never thought of before, but then clever programmers say; "hey, I think I can do that on this old processor or system too."

     

     

    This reminds me of how they were able to program the ancient "Voyager" space probes to do things like better data compression (etc.) and improve performance, many years after they were out in deep space.

    • Like 2

  3. Posted

    I've always wanted one for the collection.  This one looked nice, but finished at $236!!!  Yikes!

     

    In the 1980s, I knew Atari BBS SysOps that used to have them fire off messages to SysOp in the middle of the night and their families complained.  Ha Ha!

    I had the 822 thermal.  I hate thermal today.  I buy expensive things at Lowe's and the receipt fades away in a couple of months!

  4. Posted

    I haven't been able to get back to AtariAge as much as I'd like, and THIS was very sad and shocking!  I was excited to read some A8 info and now I'm just saddened.   I never met him, but I thought I might be able to if I go to one of these Vintage shows before too long, because the pictures from last year looked so intriguing.  Of course, this is not a normal year, so I figured it (like everything else I am interested in) has been cancelled.

     

    He looks so happy and healthy in those pics from last year that I can't believe it.  RIP.  Obviously he is a great loss to the Atari community but much more so to his family.

  5. Posted

    They had the big lighted display counter at Elmendorf AFB Exchange in Anchorage, AK in the early 80's.  That's where I used to go to stare while my parents shopped.  They always knew they could find me there.  I put an Atari 800 (now with 48K) on lay-away, and it took me many months to pay for it, with newspaper delivery money. (I already had a 400).  By the time I was ready to try for the 810, the 1050 was out at significantly-reduced price.  My first 1050 was $340 retail.  The 810 was much more (can't remember) than that.  I was disappointed that my 800 and 1050 didn't match, but was so honored to have it after the 410 recorder.  The only other thing that impressed me and served me as much as my first disk drive is the internet!!!!

    • Like 6

  7. Posted

    This has to be the most epic thread on Atariage that I have ever seen.

     

    Is there an FAQ or beginner's guide to Rastaconverter? I would like to read about this and learn from the beginning. Sorry if this is an elementary question. It is quite amazing that the A8 can make my jaw drop in 2019. Such is the intrigue of the machine that was obviously ahead of its time and remains special to this day.

     

    JW

  8. Posted

    One of the things I've never had - hence I have no experience with - is a hot glue gun.

     

    Over the years, I've ordered mods (or custom this-or-that) electronics-type stuff, and I am amazed at how well that stuff works, when receiving stuff that has been hot glued. That having been said, is there a "standard" (by which all others shall be judged?) hot glue gun? Order any generic unit? What's good, and what is wrong with what is not good? How do you clean these things, when done? Is there a hot glue gun 101 that I should read?

     

    Thanks in advance, for any advice you can chime in with.

     

    :)

  10. Posted

    On the ST you cannot use CREME conditioner, you have to use the CLEAR. I have done dozens and they turn out ok. Creme can cause blooming and ruins it. Also do NOT use saran wrap, that can cause streaks. Simply brush it on with a fine brush and reapply ever 15 min or so while out in the hot sun! 2-3 hours is enough time.

     

    Can you post a link or a picture of the product that you have been using, successfully?

     

    This place (a nationwide chain, I think)....

     

    post-16281-0-92096300-1526190279.jpg

     

    ....is the only place I know to get the conditioner, as obviously I'm not a regular shopper of beauty supplies. Is that where you found the clear?

  11. Posted

    Working on 410s in something I hope to get to, one day. Despite its many flaws, it has a special place in my heart, as my first ever computer peripheral. I'm curious about the rubber wheels. Are you encountering these in the older version or the newer version of the 410?

    OLDER

    post-16281-127904783029.jpg

     

     

    NEWER

    post-16281-127904783746.jpg

  14. Posted

    I'm never making that mistake, again!! (Selling off my Atari 8-bit stuff)

     

    I sure don't get time to fool with it (or even log on AtariAge) like I used to, but when I do, it's always great fun again.

     

    Plus, why the attention thing? Just go quietly into other hobbies. Could the fact that one requires attention mean that they're really not over their Atari obsession, after all?? HA HA! :)

     

    Disclaimer: I am talking about the A8 stuff, or 8-bit stuff, in general. You may see me sell off the 16-bit stuff (ST and Amiga stuff). I've had it for several years now, and just don't have time to fool with it. The fact is that when I do get some spare moments, it's never with ST/Amiga stuff - and always (or usually) with A8. Heck, I use my C64 and Vic-20 more than my Atari ST, although I don't use anything frequently at this time.

    • Like 2

  16. Posted

    I DISAGREE ABOUT THE PACKING PEANUTS BEING "NO-NOs."

     

    It depends upon 2 things:

    (A) Who is doing the packing with the peanuts? An idiot or someone with common sense?

    (B) What type of peanuts is it? The new "biodegradable" junk?

     

    (1) Box must have 3-4" of clearance on all sides - as someone said above - for copious packing materials.

     

    (2) Wrap the monitor (or whatever) in a plastic bag, to keep styrofoam bits from packing in the vents/etc. of the monitor (or other electronics).

     

    (3) I like to place a layer (or 2) of extra cardboard cut to protect the glass screen, taped to the monitor, for extra insurance.

     

    (4) NEVER use the biodegradable/earth-friendly (food starch or whatever) peanuts. They are worthless junk. They compress irreversibly and the monitor (or whatever) will soon be flopping around loosely inside. Styrofoam non-biodegradable peanuts are resilient, and can be packed tightly.

     

    (5) Tape some folded bubble wrap on the corners of the monitor, to add extra cushioning in case the box is dropped on a corner, and to increase the surface area (and thus resistance to moving) against the peanuts.

     

    (6) Place a few inches of peanuts in the bottom of the box. Pack them tightly!

     

    (7) I like to place the monitor (bagged, with cardboard layer over the glass) face down in the box, on top of the few inches of well-packed styrofoam peanuts. This does 2 things: (a) It keeps the center of gravity low (as the glass screen is the heaviest part) in the box so the box is less-likely to tumble, as in rolling down a long-inclined conveyor belt in the sorting warehouse. (b) The box is most likely to take a force from being dropped (straight down) a short distance, either from lazy workers tossing it lightly when trans-loading between vehicles/containers, or just a lazy worker who is too fat to bend over and set it down gently on the floor, and drops it from a few inches. The long glass CRT yoke is strongest when it is sticking straight up in a box dropped straight down, rather than one sticking out perpendicular to the force of the inevitable drop, in all of its length and weight/inertia of the skinny fragile yoke.

     

    (8.) Pour peanuts around the sides of the monitor, but don't bury it - yet. Pack the shit out of the side-peanuts with your hands (or a fist), paying particular attention to really smash them as tightly as you can into the corners of the bottom of the box, as it is possible the box may be dropped on the corner. You will create space, then refill the sides with new peanuts, then pack again, until tightly-packed. Tightly-packed peanuts in addition to the bubble-wrapped corners can resist this worst-case drop.

     

    (9) Finally, cover the top (back of the monitor) with at least a few inches of tightly-packed peanuts and/or bubble wrap. You need there to be enough peanuts (or bubble wrap) for there to be some compression of the packing materials necessary to close the box. This immobilizes the monitor in the midst of a surrounding of resilient but energy-absorbing material. This is going to give the box the tendency to want to bust open, which means you did it correctly. We'll tackle that in the next step.

     

    (10) Tape the shit out of the box. Because it's trying to spring open, it's going to take a lot of strength to hold it shut. You can get a roll of cheap clear packing tape for $1 at Walmart. Cheap packing tape, you say? Sure! That's because we're not going to be stupid and only use one thickness. We're going to go around and around, over and over, on each flap - all the way around the box so the bottom is covered too. Make sure both flaps (on both ends) are taped down, and also that the crack between them is thoroughly-taped as well - over-and-over, around the whole box. Tape that goes around the whole box can't pull loose from the cardboard like strips of tape can. Use the whole roll! Why not? It's only $1. Think of the headaches from a broken monitor, upset customer, exorbitant cost of refund and paying return shipping.....all because some skinflint tried to save 5 cents on tape. Tape the shit out of it.

     

    (11) Once you get the label on, tape the shit out of that, too. It's going to be a heavy box, and as such, likely be slid around a lot, by workers too lazy to pick it up. It could get wet, and if it's inkjet ink, it may become illegible. Even if it's laser, it can tear. The label could come off. Not if you tape the shit out of it, too. Cover that sucker with lots of tape well beyond the borders of the label. Be careful to be neat, however, and don't place wrinkles or creases in the tape so that it reduces the legibility of the writing, and especially make sure you place the tape perfectly-flat (with no creases) on bar codes or other optically machine-read symbols on the label. Also consider (as with most packages) taping an address card or paper to the merchandise, in case (by some absolute gross mistreatment) the label is still damaged.

     

    Sure, original packing and custom-foam is great....if you have it. Most CRTs are old and that stuff is long gone. Peanuts work fine, if you think about what you are doing and are not clueless and devoid of common sense.

    • Like 1

  17. Posted

    I haven't been logging in much lately and following this thread, but I ordered a couple of these with cases in November. Of course, looking forward to this! But I never get impatient when waiting for unique, special things for my antique Atari computers or consoles. I feel lucky to be able to get this stuff at all. This is no mass-produced made-in-China Walmart slop. Stuff like this made by skilled enthusiasts for other (less-skilled like myself) enthusiasts seems like a dream come true when it finally gets here. I missed out on the first run of the!cart and will be glad to be in on this one, when it's time. It's like waiting for Christmas (or whatever) as a kid. Keep up the good work, Megahertz and Jac!

    • Like 6

  18. Posted

    I have a lot of Saturn games, I am careful with all of my game cases, and my Saturn cases cracked and broke like Mo-fos anyway. I think they are more fragile. The tabs on the front part (where the little nubs are that function as a hinge) seemed to warp over time and stick out (rendering the case into two pieces) and becoming even more vulnerable. In my opinion, it was an absolutely terrible design choice. The only advantage was the nice game art on display so large. Like CD jewel cases, it's also some of the most easily-scratched plastic I've seen.

     

    Of course, many/most of my Saturn titles were purchased used, so many were broken already and yes - many people don't take care of their games and will break anything. This, however, does not negate that fact that the Saturn (Sega CD, early PS1) cases are indeed more often broken than not. It seems rare to find a game with an intact case, in my experience.

     

    I tossed all my broken Saturn cases and put the games into a CD binder booklet, but kept all the artwork and manuals. If these cases are ever offered reasonably, I'd be down to buy them back, however!

    • Like 2

  19. Posted

    why spend 20 bucks + postage on refurbed snake oil from an asshat running a website designed by the autistic version of the joker and have to call or email your CC number for some doof to write it down and throw it in the bin so it can be stolen and blah blah blah, its fkin 2018

     

    I haven't been on AA in a while, as life's been in the way, and it hasn't been the most pleasant of times.

     

    Your post really gave me a much-needed laugh! That is a completely hilarious description of the scenario, alright. Bravo! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

  21. Posted

    I love Atari first and always (I'm from that era), but I don't understand how anybody could think Nintendo "ruined" gaming. As a young teenager, I turned my Atari nose up at the NES, until I actually played one for the first time. The first time I played Super Mario Bros, I got a similar feeling to the first time I played "Adventure" on the Atari - that I was playing in a little alternate world inside my TV set. In the post-crash era when most retailers wouldn't even entertain the notion of carrying game consoles anymore, Nintendo prevailed against those headwinds.

     

    Sure, they used some crappy, unfair, and manipulative business practices to shackle both the retailers and the other video game competitors, but that's the business side of things. At that age, I didn't care about the business practices, but the games were fun.

    • Like 6

  24. Posted

    My original INTV controllers have suddenly gone wonky, after the console sat for about 2 or 3 (???) years without me touching it.

     

    I see this thread, get excited, and although I realize I don't know how I'm going to get them connected to my original INTV with hard-wired controllers, I figure there must be a way. So I look on the website and the controllers ain't even listed anymore! Boo!!!! But I didn't know they made the adapters! (I'm clueless.) What a nice surprise!

     

    post-16281-0-22156700-1513863777_thumb.jpg

     

    That was really cool (the Intellvision store) to make something like this! Just what I needed. Now it's off to find a leftover INTV Flashback online. Gee, the prices have risen sharply on those things. I should have bought a truckload when Walmart clearanced them out at $15 a couple years ago. Since I already had the real thing with a good composite mod, I never thought I'd need one. Doh!

     

    But I'm so glad to see the adapters! The INTV scene truly has some innovative, ambitious people working for it.

    • Like 2

  25. Posted

    Greetings, folks.

     

    I apologize for being absent the weekend, but I am sometimes caregiver to the old folks who have no internet (or computer, or anything more modern than a TV) so I'm sometimes in the dark when there is a minor (or major) emergency.

     

    This is pending. I have a few requests, and will post again if anything falls through. At the moment, waiting to hear back from one guy.

     

    Thank you for interest.

    • Like 1
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