What's Up With Digit Press???????

[What's Up With Digit Press???????]

Last time I was on DP forum, there were a sticky post on all forums warning of the intermitty server. It's possible the server just needs a good swift kick to get it back up or Joe is moving the forum on a more reliable server.

 

I miss the eBay insanity too. The eBay forum on Atari Age board isn't just the same.

[Wireless 2600 Joysticks?]

AFAIK Commodore also had bad business when it's nonworking C64 was being returned in large number. AT one time it was like 1 out of 3 were DOA.

 

useless trivia: it was one of the few things that eventually killed Commodore. They choose to invest in a new warehouse to store all nonworking C64s rather than to invest in repairing and reselling as refurbished model.

 

Back to the wireless controller, is there any one wireless controller made that used RF (not infrared) and works like a charm? The only one I've been able to find is Nintendo's Wavebirc ontroller. over 100 hours on 2 AA batteries (I used Lithium batteries and I'm still going at over 150 hr.), works up to 20 feet away although there are claims some people have been able to use the Wavebird as far as 90 feet away!

[2600 game most likely to induce a seizure...]

Having too many items on the screen in Adventure would also induce the flickering issue.

 

And if anyone's curious about the Pokemon scene, I found an AVI file of the scene and uploaded it here

As usual: I'm not responsible if anything happens while you watch the scene. Take it up with Nintendo. File is just under 1.5MB but required DivX codec 5.02

[Trouble with Display Atari 2600 (CX2660A)]

Some 2600 games do produce the odd looking artifacts on one side of the screen. It's always on the left side and usually is a series of short horizontal lines. Space Invader would be a good example. I don't know abou tthe sound as I'm hard of hearing but I don't think shrieking noise in all games are normal.

 

Beyond that, don't pay too much. You could get a working console for less than $10.

[Wireless 2600 Joysticks?]

Not only that but the wireless controllers lasted only a few hours on the battery so don't plan on a long game with those. AFAIK it's also unreliable.

 

One of the link posted above to the controller page is quite extensive but I have a couple 2600 controllers not listed: Cosmic Commander (comes with Survival Run and AFAIK a working one is extremely rare) and Hot Stuff by Beeshu with the rapid fire (came in 5 different color schemes, really great with Star Wars: ESB) I'm sure there are many more released in USA for the 2600 that aren't listed on that site. Oh, and the Freedom Stick is by Camerica so that's one less unknown manufacture.

[What is the worst 7800 game?]

Yes I live near Saginaw area. I used to find a lot of stuff at various Flint area Goodwills but they have since then dried up. I'm guessing I have too many sumguys.

 

And to get this post back on topic, Karateka sucks.

[What is the worst 7800 game?]

Well, I do live on the third rock from the sun. Granted, the perspective may vary but I don't usually see many 2600 carts around here so it's probably why Karateka seems as common as Combat.

 

Maybe if you lived in Saginaw, your view would change. I do see more O^2 games than any Atari games around here.

[AV mod for intellivision?]

I forgot to ask this one: all the 5200 I have are the 4 port flavor. Is there something I could do to get rid of the RF cable and the switch box and hook the power supply directly to the 5200? I suspect it's only as simple as removing the heavy RF cable and adding a choke (as outlined in section 4.14 of the 5200 FAQ)

[What is the worst 7800 game?]

Pole Position 2 and Karateka has to be the worst of all the 7800 games I have. Karateka is probably as common as Combat around where I live and resorted to destroying a few extra copies I had. (one saved for possible multicart hack)

[Missing a few ROMs...]

I also recieved a PM from another. He was kind enough to point out the hacked version (2 port compatible version) could still be found on the 5200 board under the 2 port thread. Unfortunately I wanted Pitfall II but that's 3 more games that I didn't have.

 

Thanks. Looks like I'll have to look, or maybe even ask for a 5200 ROM flood on my favorite usenet group.

[Wow, looks like someone got bored collecting ;)]

For that much, I'd expect a free forklift to be included! I wonder how much he's paying to eBay to list that one?

[:?: How to Repair 5200 Joysticks???]

@-^Cro§Bow^-

 

Thanks for the tip. I have about half dozen 5200 controllers, none that works. Maybe I can now enjoy a few 5200 games I got when I'm finished with AV mods.

 

PS you a fan of The Neverneding Story? That looks like the Ivory Tower in your avatar icon.

[Fast Mail Slow Mail]

I recieved a package from central Ohio to mid Mighigan via Priority mail. The post mark stamp shows it was picked up at Post office 15 days before I got it. I guess the post office "lost" my priority package for that other 12 days. and I'm still waiting for the Intellivision I won off eBay 4 years ago. of cource I've moved 3 times since then so it's very doubtfil it'd ever find me.

 

But the real kicker was a package from Windsor (Canada) took 2 months via air mail to reach me in Michigan less than 200 miles away. I could have driven myself to get it the same day it was available for me rather than waiting 2 months. :?

 

I'm tempted to make a web site chronicling every slow post office delivery. I have never had problem with USP or Fed Ex delivery before.

[alternatives to Proline help]

I'll have to brush up on the 7800 controller schematic but I'm sure it's insanely easy to convert almost any 2 or more button controllers to work with 7800 in the correct 2 button configuration.

 

I have about a dozen dog bone shaped controllers for NES (couple of them dead) that I plan to convert. It's more comfortable to use than standard Sega or NES controller plus at this time I only have 2 Genesis controllers (1 3 buttons, 1 6 buttons) and I'm not about to sacrifice those and deprieve me the option of playing nearly 100 Genesis/CD/32X games

[Atari Murphy's Law]

You just found out the seller at (flea market, garage sales, etc.) just sold a huge lot a few minutes ago, very cheap.

 

Double whammy if you happen to find that lucky buyer of huge lot and he/she turns out to be the seller who based everything on ebay price.

 

You found what you thought was an extremely rare Tutankham for Intelly only to find out it's for C64.

 

You scored the highest ever points on Kaboom but before you can take picture the power dies.

 

You found a box for O^2 system but long after you got home, you opened it and found only 2600 system and stuff. Worse... no games at all. (It almost happened to me once)

 

You just scored a CIB Megaman game (any 6) for NES but when you play it it plays Super Mario Bros.

 

You found a nice looking console for $2.00 but the seller insists the tag should be $200.

 

You got a nice looking CV lot only to find the power supply brick has a nasty habit of smoking.

 

You bought a 7800 lot but didn't realize until it was too late the pack in power supply was for the 2600 and the store you got it from doesn't have any loose 7800 supply around anymore.

 

You find a PCB board with EPROM chip and thought it was cool prototype only to find it's a homemade board with Combat on the EPROM, and the EPROM is soldered in.

 

You got a 4 port 5200 system only to find no weirdass RF switch box, and all of it's controllers don't work.

 

You found an Action 52 cart but failed to notice the extra sticker on the back indicating Cheetahmen2.

[Radio Shack..you are going on my hit list now!]

Forget Radio Sucks, the salesperson there knows only one thing: and that's to get pay check no matter what.

 

I was there a couple years ago looking for a new lithium battery for Macintosh. The salesperson said (in a very flat monotonus voice) we don't sell Macintosh stuff. Sure enough I found the battery I was looking for and it says on the package for use with camera and Macintosh (and Radio Shack brand too!). He was a lot like Homer Simpson doing a big "lost-a-million-dollars" duh!

 

Anyway Ive had a lot worst service from tham so when I go looking for something, I shoo away the salesperson and find just what I'm looking for. It seems faster this way anyway plus you don't get harrassed to buy their overpriced cell service plan.

 

(Once I told them I'd buy the cell phone and it's plan only if they offered a cell phone with built in teletypewriter for the deaf. Yes, I'm deaf and dependent on TTY for phone calls. That one store never bothered me again since then.)

[Missing a few ROMs...]

There seems to be quite a lot of missing 5200 ROMs. I was hoping to pick up the Pitfall II for the 5200 emulator. Do you have any idea if those games were ever dumped?

[AV mod for intellivision?]

I'm trying to do away with RF based consoles by upgrading or modifying all older consoles. I have the information for the 5200, 7800, Colecovision, and Odyssey^2 systems but that leaves my poor Intellivision all alone. Has anyone ever figured out something for the Intellivision? While I could pick up an RF to AV modulator, the picture quality won't improve at all.

 

FWIW I have the Inty, Inty3, Sears Arcade and Tandyvision but no Inty 2 (for that matter there's also Tutorvision and Silvaniavision but I don't have it and probably won't want it anyway)