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PeBo

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Posts posted by PeBo

  1. Posted

    I was lucky enough to find a PEB within 200 miles AND on this side of the border, making shipping costs a non consideration. It allowed me to make it my second purchase upon coming back into the fold (it actually arrived about 3 days after my console). It came with the RS232 and 32K card (which died shortly after, but was quickly replaced - then again a year later by a SAMS card). Also had two half height SDDS drives and of course the firehose interface. The only other card I've added is one of Mark Hull's fabulous SID cards.

     

    Once I got the nanoPEB though, I found myself using it less and less, mainly because of the drive access speed difference.

     

    Here's a question...a couple of my cards have overly bright LED's - I mean ridiculously bright where I have to put something in front of the Pbox when I use it. I have a drawer full of unused LED's, but I have no idea how lumen levels work on LEDs (how are mA's translated into brightness levels). It would be a waste of time to replace the LED's only to swap them out for something as bright or brighter as what I'm replacing, so a little guidance would be helpful

     

    I'm looking for something about the same brightness as the original TI card lights.

  3. Posted

    way too much troll feeding going on here, but let me just say that anyone who questions the designs/decisions of a computer manufacturer in the late 70's and early 80's never lived through the late 70's/early 80's.

     

    Those of us who DO remember will recall that it was all uncharted territory...saying things like "most computers were for games" indicates you weren't around for the vocal and pompous arrogance of early adopters (which all computer users were in the 70's/80's) that their machines were NOT game machines (while pointing out that their computers DID play games better than the gaming consoles of the time, they were quick to add that their computer could do so much more)

     

    Being a gamer did not have the cache that it does today, being a computer owner did - regardless of the fact that gaming was still the most popular use for computers, people would rarely admit that gaming was the reason they bought a computer. (Why do you think magazines like "Compute!" and "Home Computer" included apps as well as games in their type-in listings, while every issue was replete with articles explaining how to use your computer for a plethora of various activities.) We were still figuring out what our home computers could do...users and manufacturers.

     

    And how about telecommunication??? (something the troll, while using the internet to try to get under our skins, never mentions in his what-computers-were-for tirade), After buying my first modem, and discovering the world of BBSes, I spent far less time using my computer for games. I think it's safe to say most of us did,

     

    I could go on about memory prices in the 70's/80's or early electronics marketing or software licensing models (which both killed the 4A more than any design problems) but why should any of us defend a machine that has kept us loyal - in disproportionate numbers - for 4 decades,

     

    Finally I really wish the thread starter, being so game-centric, would go over to youtube and go through a few of the "let's compare" retro-computer game videos, He'd then see why the TI forums are the busiest non-atari sigs on AtariAge...even if we concede to all of your points (which I don't), our little flawed quirky computer still played games with the best of them - consistently having the best ports available...

     

    ...just saying.

     

     

    • Like 5

  6. Posted · Edited by PeBo

    I've posted this before, so forgive me if I'm repeating myself (happens after 60, so deal with it)

     

    I got this from Sauder furniture. Assembled in about 5 minutes. They sell it as a "multimedia
    stand", but judging by the nuber of shelves supplied (6, plus the bottom "shelf") I'd say it was originally intended for cassettes.

     

    It's got a very narrow footprint, making it Ideal to squeeze up against the wall, out of the way. Each shelf holds 35 cartridges to near perfection (about 1/4" to spare) (and if I put the boxes and assorted odds and sods elsewhere, I could add another shelf and use the bottom, for a total of 8 shelves for a total of 280 carts (Warning, I never thought I'd get close to that...I am now close to that!)

     

    AND I think it was about $39 US or something ridiculous like that. Sauder sells two VERY similar models, but this one is the one that COMES with 6 shelves, and it's ever-so-slightly wider width allows quite a few more carts.

    .

    I like it because it is also a nice piece of furniture (meaning she approved the purchase), and as you said, it displays (shows off) all of the carts at a glance.

    post-40994-0-96699700-1493860178.jpg

    • Like 6

  8. Posted

    Not quite as impressive, but beautiful in its own right:

     

     

    Video Vegas, baby. ;)

     

    Tell ya what, I'll trade you a CIB Personal Record Keeping AND a CIB Securities analysis for your ST Nick cart.

     

    C'mon, that's two for one...how about if I also include a bunch of Parsec's (purple label, pink label, white cart, black cart)

     

    ;-)

    • Like 1

  11. Posted

    Please don't collect Funware boxes/manuals... I am still looking for boxes and manuals for my full set. Currently I am cartridge only, but hope to remedy that someday. I don't need competition. :D

    sorry dude, no calling dibs!

     

    I'd actually re-buy a couple of mine to get the boxes/manuals.. I have the CIB's of Henhouse and Rabbit Trail, but really want the same for Driving Demon, Video Vegas and (believe it or not) Ambulance (for which I only have the cartridge for some reason)...and St Nick is my personal holy grail as I'm still looking for the cartridge with or without the box.

  12. Posted

    yuppers, Spot Shot/Dragonflyer, Q-Maze/Jumpy, Escape/King of Castle, Love Tennis/Micro Tennis/Tennis, Beyond Parsec/Beyond Space...and I'm missing a few. They also re-released duplicates of titles that were also released by Exceltec, sometimes renaming them, other times just re-releasing them with the same name.

     

    Would love to know the story behind the multiple names, and the DBT relationship with Exeltec.

     

    Actually, I'd love to know the story behind DBT itself if anyone knows it. Thanks to them, we DID get popular titles like Spy's Demise and Jumpman Jr, and most of their games were actually really good. But I can find little information about them. For example, I have no idea if they had staff coders, or if they just published and distributed for independents, Did they have any copyright problems as a result of their many clones, or did they buy the rights (can't see Epyx just handing over Jumpman Jr, even though DBT did finally make changes to the name and the graphics for Junkman Jr (DBT also had a more graphically accurate clone entitled Jumpman Jr, that never made it to cartridge).

     

    I also learned that you can't count on their labels...I bought Micro Pinball, but got Micro Pinball II...thought I may have gotten a modern day burned eprom in a recycled case, but when I opened it, the board clearly said DBT, so I think they just recycled the label.

     

    It is a collection (their games anyway) that I'd like to get as complete as possible, although I'm not sure if I'd get all the alternate named games for the one I already have. The collector in me says yes, but the practical gamer just says that's silly.

     

    Whoever they were, and however they acquired the titles they published, they helped keep the 4A alive by continuing to release software cartridges for it well into the late 80's. As I've said elsewhere, I wish they would have had a bigger pesence up here...I would have likely had held onto the 99 a few years longer if I knew I could get games like Micro Tennis, Spy's Demise and Jumpman Jr.

  13. Posted

     

    I was 40 when we got a /4A in December, '83 and had been messing with computers (mostly mainframes and minis) for 20 years by then!—and, yes, I remember the Geritol ads. :P

     

    ...lee

    Luckily the Lawrence Welk Show did not survive (Wonnerful Wonnerful) as well as the 4A.

     

    I am kind of glad that I remember a time before personal/home/family computers (heck, even remembering the NBC "In Living Color" peacock (on our B&W TV) is cool)...It puts things in perspective when I watch a family in a restaurant all staring at their phones, not saying a word to each other in this post "Colossus, The Forbin Project" world.

    • Like 1

  14. Posted · Edited by PeBo

    NIB Atarisoft titles are ALWAYS on eBay (quashing the myth of them being "rare" in any way - except maybe Joust, where "rare" is an understatement). If they are not listed right now, give it a day or two and they will be. They range from about 10 € for Picnic Paranoia to 70 € for Pac-Man (paying more than 40 € is silly).

     

    Miner2049 is also pretty common, appearing with box and manual about 5 or 6 times a year in the 40 € range...sealed, is another story and good luck with that, but a complete box/manual/cartridge will be an easy find.

    .

    Espial, easily the worst commercial game port ever made for the TI (desperately needing a Rasmus remake - because the original arcade game is actually pretty good) only appears a couple times a year, but when it does it rarely sells for under 200 €. (You know what they say about a fool and his money.) Would be surprised if someone has a sealed copy that they will part with it.

     

    I found all three Parker brothers games sealed in the 60 € range, but I ALWAYS remove shrink wrap, so I've probably contributed to making the sealed varieties more valuable. Also, as the folks here at atariage already know, you're missing one of the best Parker Brothers games (Tutankham), for which you can get a brand spanking new cartridge (sorry the box and manual never existed) over at arcadeshopper.com...if you're going to collect you may as well have the COMPLETE collection (well, so far anyway - still waiting for Super Cobra to make a surprise appearance (please oh please gentle TI gods, Parker Bros games are so friggin' kick-a$$...we NEED Super Cobra!)). Take note that Parker Brothers boxes are built like brick sh*thouses, and you will have no trouble finding pristine packaging sealed or not!

     

    As far as sealed copies of the Gamevision titles. Good luck with that. I'm sure you can find them at an affordable price - if your last name is Rockerfeller that is. (As mentioned elsewhere, there are only about 4 Yahtzees out there, so be prepared to cut a major sized cheque).

     

    Since it sounds like you're going for high value collectibles (besides the Atarisoft and Parker Brothers carts, which are simply not high value by any stretch), I HIGHLY recommend you add Funware and DataBioTics titles to your list. While Funware's Rabbit Trail and Ambulance are VERY common, titles like St Nick and video Vegas are VERY rare. Also, Schnozolla, Ant Colony and Shanghai prototypes were also found about a decade ago...careful though fakes of the latter show up from time to time (fake in as much as they are not the original cartridges...they will still load and play, but it doesn't sound like that's what you plan to do with them).

     

    As far as DataBioTics, they'll range anywhere from $30 for a game like Junkman Jr, to $700 for something like Spot Shot. But be aware, there are no boxes for DataBioTics titles, they were originally sold in zip-lock bags. They are also among the best TI games ever produced (although you'd never guess by the hand-drawn manuals and dot-matrix labels.

     

    Finally, you might also want to look for Romox titles. Not a big fan of their games myself (except Anteater and Roto-rooter which are OK), but they do show up NIB (at collectible premium prices) from time to time.

     

    OR you can spend 40 € on a FlashRom99 and have all of these games (and more) on a single SD card (albeit at no resale value aside from the value of a blank SD)

    • Like 4

  15. Posted

    That was going to be my next one, so I'll let someone else have a go...

     

    (and sorry, but Sabian is Canadian, so gotta promote the home grown product (ironically home grown by Robert Zildjian!!))

  19. Posted

    They only included the Zenith monitor because they couldn't get the FCC to pass their RF modulator in time for the /4's release...

     

    ...and let's face it, we got a 16bit processor, not to "outperform" other 8 bit computers (which we also know, for the most part, it didn't) but because the 8 bit CPU that was meant for the /4 didn't work, and by the time the 4A re-design took place, TI's marketing department was already beholden to a 16 bit selling-feature strategy (I often wonder if the re-vamped 4A would have been a better performer had they replaced the 16 bit processor with an 8 bit for which the architecture was originally designed..

     

    Won't be the first time I've read articles which confuse the /4 and the /4A's history..

     

    Finally, maybe I'm wrong, but didn't Atarisoft titles (such as Donkey Kong) appear shortly before the 4A was discontinued?? The blurb suggests it was among the early "plug-in plastic modules".

  21. Posted · Edited by PeBo

    From what I understand, a lot of similar annual meets for other platforms are dropping off and no longer happening. It's hard to believe the 4A still has one annual meet after all these years, let alone MORE than one. That's just amazing.

    My only complaint with our continued popularity are all the folks who say "My dad bought our first TI when I was 5" or "I grew up with the TI as our family computer"...

     

    Not slamming young-uns with life-long nostalgia for the 4A, but seeing as I was already in my 30's when I brought home the TI, makes me feel like I should be drinking a bottle of Geritol everyday (of course only 25% of readers are old enough to even know what Geritol is)

    • Like 3

  22. Posted

    The PeB part of PeBo is simply the initials of my real name...the "o" at the end was added in the 80's so that my BBS nick wouldn't sound like the Peripheral Expansion Box (a concern only a 4A person would have had back then). "o" Is also the second letter in my last name, so it worked.

     

    In the late 90's I worked in marketing for Finnish software developer MadOnion.com (aka Futuremark Corporation) and since I needed an online persona for the gig, I resurrected "PeBo" and it has stuck ever since.

     

    The only exception is on Google sites...I wanted something different for GMail (before Google took over a gazillion online services), so while my Cylon avatar remains the same across most sites, on YouTube or any other Google service, My Nick is "Shitabarnak" (or simply S Tabarnak - since Google likes to create a first and last name). No story behind that - it's just a uniquely Québécois portmanteau-blending of common English and French profanities that somehow made it past the Google thought-police)

    • Like 1

  23. Posted

     

    2) The ease of updating and staying current with new software can be done by easily by ANYONE.

     

    That is what I loved the most about FR99...

     

    When JetPac was first released in TurboForth (before the stand-alone cartridge conversion) I was very disappointed because the version of TurboForth I had (1.2.1) was not up-to-date, and couldn't run it...not being skilled at eprom burning (ya, I know, I'll get there eventually) it meant if I wanted to play the game I'd have to find someone to burn the updated TurboForth for me, so I could create a new cart.

     

    Well along came FR99, and I could just download the newest version of TurboForth and put it on FR99, and I was off to the races (or off to the rocket building in this case)...the idea of using Forth (or EA or Cortex) without swapping carts is outstanding (and has saved SO much wear and tear on the TI's less than durable cartridge port). The fact that FGR99's GROM support will open the door up to running pretty well every language available on the TI from it will most definitely be a game changer.

     

    (no pun intended....the reset button on the FR99 (or FGR99) being, quite literally, a "game changer" after all)

    • Like 1

  24. Posted · Edited by PeBo

    GREAT WORK!

     

    Here's an arcade game called Monster Farm Jump that's along those same lines that might give you some ideas for different tiles and such:

     

     

    I remember the first time I played Bouncy it made me think of Monster Farm Jump.

     

    What I respect about (and am blown away by) with Skyway is how Rasmus created an insanely fun and addictive little game nearly as an afterthought from his 3D scrolling tech-demo. That means that Rasmus' afterthoughts are better than most people's fully fleshed-out plans!

     

    Dude, you never cease to absolutely amaze! Truly! Thank you for dreaming out loud!

    • Like 3

  25. Posted

    Hotly anticipated just doesn't cut it!

     

    (and go for state saving instead of passwords...most of us have some kind of storage medium, and there something nostalgically "tactile" about saving and loading from disc (or tape), that typing in a password doesn't quite duplicate (of course, I never owned an NES era gaming console where passwords were the method to load your position)

     

    Just my 2¢ though... it's obvious that, left to your own devices, you're going to create something that will be quite brilliant.

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