justclaws

Interesting, but of course, people will also want you to dismantle the shaft somehow and show the inside of that, as well how the joystick spinner function is created on the stick. The full Atari article showing the stick is here. https://atarivcs.medium.com/the-atari-wireless-classic-joystick-and-atari-vcs-vault-677945d3d8d2 The controller LEDS are not just activated by the joystick position - they are programmable. On some games they light up to indicate direction, sometimes they show rotation, and first of course, at power-up, they show the batter charge remaining, of the classic joystick itself. As the controller already works with a PC, and can switch between Atari mode and Xbox mode, it should work with most systems, but for a 2600/7800, I don't even see why you'd try it there. There are nice adapters for 9-pin to USB, but the other way doesn't seem at all useful to me. The notch in the cable is an innovation created by PowerA, and it's there to help insert the cable, and to hold the cable so that the micro-USB plug does not get broken. (It's not unique to Atari.) https://www.powera.com/

I happened to find this video, and it looks a lot of fun for Amico family demographic, but it's not multi-player. I wonder though if some of the games could also move over? I think it's the same target demographic, but lacking the multi-player modes of Amico. I think reviews of Amico games by kids would be better than retro-gamers, sorry. [removed a YouTube video re: LeapTV console] I read similar criticisms, and some similar inspirations. (I almost want one, ha ha!) I think it proves there is a market though for a better such education system now. [removed a YouTube review of LeapTV console] In the review, the reviewer talked about "badges" for achievements. I was actually thinking, as he talked, of Finnegan Fox, and Tommy saying "Badger, Badger". Ha!

On Facebook, somebody also showed a video of using Playstation Now in PC mode. I don't have a video of that right now, because they were posted on Facebook so far. https://www.facebook.com/lucas.binder.1/videos/4047790321900042 I went and had a look, and maybe I will try this out, but do you have this already? https://www.playstation.com/en-us/ps-now/ There's a video explaining it here. I've never played any Playstation games yet!

This video is about using Xbox Live on the Atari VCS under PC-Mode, Windows. There's a video explaining it here, from Xbox/Microsoft.

It was a surprise to me, because I didn't know these services offered streaming, but it seems that both Sony and Microsoft also offer streaming services, and work too. That just suggests even more the direction gaming is going, to hardware agnostic platforms. This was new to me, and I don't subscribe to the other services because I also don't have those consoles, and I don't want them, but if you have, this is extra versatility and an opportunity to play games you might already have in those game libraries too. To follow... the videos. I'll add details here when I found out more. Let me know, huh?

Another unboxing video; I post it here, as I also gave to the poster a link to AtariAge. I hope that between communities on AtariAge, Facebook, Instagram, Discord, even Reddit/Hateit, that people find answers they need. I like to help fellow owners. That's good for me, as an owner, because a thriving user-base attracts games I want too. 🙂

Ha, that's funny, because I love the music! 🙂 Janni is Finish... This is the winning Eurovision song from Finland; it was a SURPRISING win! 🙂 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0O74TlCuJA)

This is a rather interesting - it starts off fine, but then the second part seems to be written by somebody else, who has no knowledge of the system. Suggesting that only Plex is announced for it, and you can't use Netflix. It's really so uninformed. Anyway... Of course, the comments are filled with people who say it does not exist, is just a scam, and so forth. So many people post stupid things before even coming HERE!

It's certainly an option for physical media - bootable encrypted USB sticks, with a fingerprint reader, which lock to the owner! https://mashtips.com/best-secure-usb-drives/ You could put whatever software you want on there, and a VCS can boot it.

I wanted to just edit my first post, to add the video, but I can't. Too long ago. 🙂 Pixel Games just posted an updated video for their new games for the Atari VCS. The developer says this game is coming next, and may feature co-op gameplay! It will be a 3-month timed-exclusive for the Atari VCS on-release.

What rotten luck! Still, great that you could test that, and I imagine Atari could just send you a replacement card. I suppose it could also be a bad antenna that you have on the first unit. Did you swap the lids, with cables, also? Good luck, and it will be interesting to hear how that goes. Maybe Mockduck also has that issue.

For this part, have your system got the 2nd update - the January one? That fixes the unreliable WIFI in all cases I read - if you do not, the update will be released again in next few days. As was discussed, it works without any drop-outs in Windows 10, which proved that it's not the hardware. After the new patch (there is a thread about it) the WIFI configuration is reliable and does not drop out. The other fix for now is to use an Ethernet cable. The second part of your message about using free Internet services, and it being better, I do not understand, sorry. If you have a slow connection to the Atari servers, even via a cable, maybe your Internet provide has routing issues. I am in The Netherlands, with a not-very-fast connection (50Mbit/s) and downloads and Internet speed feels good. I would recommend, try a cable for now, let your VCS update in coming days, and try it again, and it's likely fixed. If you want to do some specific comparisons, feel free to drop me a message here. Cheers, Richard.

Hey, just wait for the reactions videos to your "announcement" that Amico is delayed until 2069!

I thought this might interest some people. Also, if you happen to live nearby. I posted a link for the owner, to AtariAge, as I'm sure he could get some answers!

Plutonium Pirates (update) Pixel Games (Sigi, and Sir Lovelot) released a new video for their WIP game "Plutonium Pirates". As with other games, it will also be on Steam, but only for Windows there. Plutonium Pirates on Steam (steampowered.com)

On Discord, @West Coast Software just announced he plans to bring a game to the VCS. It's a retro version of an even more retro original, which was a classic game, apparently. It was released for the Switch previously, but it was created first for the Apple II! D/Generation : The Original for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Game Details Obviously this game is not about the graphics, it's about the gameplay, and puzzles. The developer web-site is here. The first VCS game from Wales, anyway. Home | West Coast Software (west-coast.wales)

I think leaving things in the BIOS as vanilla as possible is the best way to be sure of compatibility. 🙂 There is/was a bug in the WIFI setup on AtariOS which was also in Ubuntu and other Linux distributions. After the January update, that should be resolved - the WIFI sleep mode is changed. I updated it already, and the WIFI behaviour went from glitchy to totally reliable, so I think that is resolved.

I was playing Stadia via Chrome on the VCS, AtariOS mode, but only with a cable connection. The key thing is that pressing <back> and <menu> together switches it to Xbox compatible controller mode, but only, so far, when plugged in. In that mode, Stadia finds it immediately. I have several controllers, but until this week I did not have an Actual Xbox USB controller. I ordered a cheap Xbox clone controller with USB dongle from Ebay, and waiting patiently. I can confirm, the Xbox controller (and it's wireless via a dongle, not Bluetooth) works 100% with Stadia in Chrome in AtariOS mode. Chrome instantly recognised it without any setup... It seems that a USB solution is the best way, for now at least. At least the official Atari modern controller has a 10 foot cable, but obviously it would be better if Bluetooth does. As Stadia isn't my primary use of the VCS, I can live with it. I recommend giving it a try! I think Google need to add some more controller compatibility - also adding Nintendo's. There was another update about Stadia on 12th February. It certainly isn't going away. Next up on Stadia: Adventure, explore, and compete... - Stadia Community

Well, the "geeky" part of me finally won the battle against my financial brain, as I saw 16GB of RAM for sale 2nd hand, cheap, on a Dutch Ebay equivalent. The RAM had sat 2 days unopened, as I'd had no time to fit it before today... Actually, I found the upgrade even simpler than it seemed on videos, but I do admit I regularly work with massive Linux servers, and I mess with systems of all types at home. The beauty of the design of the VCS case - I applaud it. After the 4 screws are out of the bottom, the back "fascia" pops-off so neatly, and lifting the top cover carefully from the back, the front also releases easily. I removed the WIFI card, rather then strain the "just long enough" antennas. After installing the RAM, which is of course just like putting RAM into a laptop, I didn't bother reassembling, to test, but of course, subsequently did so after an hour or so of playing some VCS games, just to be absolutely sure I had no issue. I really didn't need the RAM upgrade, but as I said, the "geek" in me won, and it's my birthday soon, so I decided I'd treat myself, and my VCS to just a bit more love. I left the screws out, as I might find a cheap M.2 SATA too. In any case, I can reconnect it to my bigger TV now. The Sweex on the photo is a great little test screen from the day when a TV with integral DVD was cool, but it supports full-HD, and I got it 2nd-hand too. Yay, hobbies on the cheap! Well, it's not a hardware photo, but now I have even more things to mess about with over the weekend with my VCS. I run Windows 10 off external USB 3.1 SSD. (An 512GB M.2 I now have on the way will just be for data, available to each O/S.)

Games Just Wanna Be Fun has a video of Tail-Gunner gameplay. I played it with classic joystick, but he plays it with the modern controller. The game has on-screen tutorials, and controller graphics. That's very nice! I think some historical reading-up makes this game even more interesting. https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2013/may/rear-seat-gunners-midway

No, you're NOT alone. I have Doom Eternal, but not Wolfenstein Collussus, but plenty of other games. I've also really been very happy with the new games from the VCS store. I just need more game time! I also have an unexpanded VCS. I didn't budget for any upgrades - they're not super cheap here in NL. I think as a traditional console gamer, I've never been so interested in the frame-rate of games etc.. To me, if I can play the game, it's responsive, and looks as it should, I enjoy it, and don't dig further... I had so many problems with Steam - already on a regular PC. It's ridiculous, and I prefer GOG, as I have a couple of titles which I bought, and they just black screen, on startup - not tried on VCS.

I loved that, but I'm happy with my ordinary VCS, although everybody likes to dream! What I meant, was the system should not be made with an off-the-shelf system board. I was just joking about the specifications of the "VCS Plus" system, because many people had a list of things which the VCS should have had, should be, and how easy all that is. I maybe should have made that clearer in the post! 😐

We don't have Walmart over here, so it's always been a mystery, but a cultural icon, as much as a great place to get good deals. Walmart did buy a UK chain, but it stayed Asda brand, 20y. I have seen this web-site... but I think it only features the most special new-celebrity shoppers. https://www.peopleofwalmart.com/ It's not clear to me how many of those people would be shopping for a VCS, an Amico, or a PS5. PS5 controllers, for sure. https://www.peopleofwalmart.com/playstation-5-wireless-controller/

That makes sense to me, too, because from what I see, Windows 10 video-driver is better than Linux, and there have been reviews by ETAPrime of streaming 4K on way-LESS-powerful mini-PCs and that was puzzling me. However, without a 4K screen/TV to test on, I could not quantify the VCS differences. (As I wrote elsewhere, as streaming services are (so I read) moving to Web-Assembly for their clients, means that streaming should also improve as this delivers native clients via the web-browser, as well. This means streaming via a web-browser will be as fast as a native client, and would need no updates.)

Absolutely, but remember, it should cost no more than $99. That's what people would pay. Some people said a better price would be $50, if it includes every game release on an Atari. It needs to be a custom board, else it could not be a real Atari either, but also upgradable. It should have a from 2021 processor, dedicated graphics card, 16GB RAM, 1TB+ SSD too, cartridge ports cut for all previous Atari systems, and ports for 2600/5200/Jag controllers. 🙂