pboland

I have two, with part of the packaging.

A saw that somebody wrote in passing about, "If you could flashback the Jaguar". I believe it was written to show how the Jaguar is 64 bits vs. 32 bits. That aside, is it possible (economical) to "Flashback" the Jaguar? I guess it would be like when Sega released the Genesis 3. I remember when the Genesis 3 came out it was priced at $49.95. If Atari could re-release the Jaguar (or a new system based on that hardware) at that price with new CD base games that take real advantage of the Jaguar's power, that might make it in the market place. Now atari would have to cut some corners to make it cheap enough to get to a price point of under $50.00. Maybe, have no cartridge port? Possibly a new controller without the keypad? I bring this up because, it sounds like there is some kind of new dev tools being made for the Jag? Is this correct? If it is correct, I would think atari would pay good money for those tools if they saw potential in a repackaged system being put into the market place. Maybe look something like a cross between a Genesis 3 and a Jag Duo? I know this is all pie in the sky stuff, and it will never happen, but I will put it out there anyway.

More Bits do not = more power BTW.... I think this is where a lot of people get hung-up with the Jaguar. Most people can not think of another example other than the Jaguar for this point. I am by no means a programmer or an electronics expert, but I do know that the Intellivision is a 16-bit video game system. This illustrates Gorf's point perfectly. The Intellivision may be a 16-bit video game system, but it does not have the power of a Sega Genesis or a SNES. Heck, it doesn't even have the power of most 8-bit systems, like the 7800, SMS or NES. So there is another example of "More Bits do not = more power"

I posted in another FB3 topic almost the same reply, but I thought I would put it here to see what other people might think about this idea. It's not a new idea, and I am not the first to suggest this, but the more time passes on the FB3 the more I think that going to the kids computer idea is the best way to go. Vtech has a product called "Nitro Vision TV Learning Station". I think this would be a good way to go for atari. Look at it this way, they already have the learning software in the form of those "AtariLab" programs. I don't think any other kids computer on the market today has anything like the AtariLab stuff. Also, look at the price of the Vtech learning Station. ($60.00) I think that a lot of people would be willing to pay that for a good atari kids computer system. Especially if it has all the functionally of a full blow atari 8-bit (maybe even 16-bit) computer. By the way, I know this is pie in the sky type stuff, but it is good to ponder sometimes.

The more time passes on the FB3 the more I think this is the best way to go. Vtech has a product called "Nitro Vision TV Learning Station". I think this would be a good way to go for atari. Look at it this way, they already have the learning software in the form of those "AtariLab" programs. I don't think any other kids computer on the market today has anything like the AtariLab stuff. Also, look at the price of the Vtech learning Station. ($60.00) I think that a lot of people would be willing to pay that for a good atari kids computer system. Especially if it has all the functionally of a full blow atari 8-bit (maybe even 16-bit) computer. By the way, I know this is pie in the sky type stuff, but it is good to ponder sometimes.

I didn't think you were bashing it. When I saw that two people made the same observation, I though I better explain why the keypad is were it is. There's nothing wrong with making an observation. (that's what I alway say) Thanks guys for the kudos.

Hey! I noticed that too, if your using those buttons you would have to have your wrist raised up which could get uncomfortable, of course you never know how it feels in a game until you actually use it. I can see how some people might find the keypad location a problem. However I built it for me originally and I don't rest my hand on the control surface. I don't know why I don't, I just know that since the days of being in the arcade I always kept my palm off the surface. Plus, having the keypad where it is, lets you use it really quickly when you are in the heat of the action with games!

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the kudos. Hope many others get to enjoy it as well. I'm with Jason on this one, if you want a great arcade stick for your Atari Jaguar this is the one. So, bid early and bid often. (just a small endorsement )

I know that this topic is a bit old but, After I saw an auction on eBay with my name on it (I was a bit shocked) today I thought I would add a post. First a little up front info. I am not the seller of the auction (hence, why I was shocked), however I am the person who made the controller. If anyone has any questions about how it was made, just let me know. An auction with my name????????? Phil Boland Hi Jay Smith, I see that you are selling the custom controller that I made for myself a few years ago. I sometimes wish I didn't sell it. Specially when I see it getting a lot more than what I sold it for about two years ago. I noticed in your auction you state: "Never went into full production." That is a true statement by itself, but I don't want people to think this is a prototype of some kind. If one was to open the joystick up, they would find a standard controller PCB with a lot of wires solder to it. I made it because there were no good arcade style controllers at the time. I will admit though that it is pretty cool to see my name in an auction. Good luck with the auctions. Phil Boland

Hi Jay Smith, I see that you are selling the custom controller that I made for myself a few years ago. I sometimes wish I didn't sell it. Specially when I see it getting a lot more than what I sold it for about two years ago. I noticed in your auction you state: "Never went into full production." That is a true statement by itself, but I don't want people to think this is a prototype of some kind. If one was to open the joystick up, they would find a standard controller PCB with a lot of wires solder to it. I made it because there were no good arcade style controllers at the time. I will admit though that it is pretty cool to see my name in an auction. Good luck with the auctions. Phil Boland

I don't know about hanging carts on the wall, but cartridge label wallpaper would be cool. Of course getting that together would be a project on par with building the pyramids. I don't think it would be all that difficult to mimic cartridge label wallpaper. Time consuming, yes, difficult, no. If you have scans of different labels, you could just print them off your computer. Some paint programs have a poster option when printing. It will calculate the number of 8-1/2" x 11" sheets of paper to make a poster of a given size. Of course, then one would have to trim all the margins off the print-outs, unless you have a border-less printer. Once you do that, it's just a big jigsaw puzzle. Glue them to the wall and presto!, cartridge label wallpaper.

I'll take a guess what you are going to do with all those carts.. If I was able to get that many carts I would probably cover a wall with them. Kind of like a 3D wall paper. I always thought it would be pretty cool to have a wall of carts. Of course I would probably hang them with velcro so I could use them.

Joust

HardBall!

I think they could have just left off the last line on the Atari 2600 entry. On a side note, I thought #20 was funny. here is a refresher "20. Microsoft Windows 95 (1995) Yes, we know that plenty of Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows 98 SE, and Windows 2000 fans exist, but Windows 95 first brought us long file names, legitimate multitasking, and a dramatically improved GUI, which arguably represents the brief and final moment in time that Windows actually looked better than a Mac. " The reason I think this is funny is because I use to be a die hard PC guy. Mainly because of all the AutoCAD I use to do. When 95 came out I thought it was going to be the next big thing. Boy was I wrong. No joke, for every two hours I used my PC with win 95 it would crash. I had to spend 2 to 3 hours getting it working again. This happened for months. Just so people here don't think I am a total idiot, I used my PC for CAD, Audio editing, & Video editing. Apparently 95 could not handle all that intense (for the time) processing. Needless to say, my wife talked me in to getting a mac and I never looked back.

This might be a dumb question, but is there another label under the main one? It kind of looks like that from your pic. (orange top bar, black background, with white lines?)

I think its really cool that it might be a prototype, However I remember back in 7th grade (1987?) or so (nothing like showing how old I am), a game returning scheme that a couple of kids had back then. Keep in mind that this is before stores had the strict return policies they do today. These guys would go and buy the latest NES game at the store, then take the new game and an old game cart apart and swop the game boards. At this point they would return the game they just bought and say it had the wrong game in it and get there money back. I don't think they ever got caught. Of course it only lasted about a year or so, until the new return policies went in to effect. Good luck I hope it is a prototype!

I believe you use the atari 2600 power adaptor and then plug the Game Mate II in to the 2600 jack. I got this info from http://www.vidgame.net/ATARI/peripherals.htm. Here is a pic from the instructions:

I understand your frustration about remembering only the 2600, but I want people to remember the context of why I made my FB3 pic look the way I did. I think a totally new looking product would be great, but that would require a lot of advertising resources that I don't think Atari wants to spend money on. Heck they probably don't have the money. Here is my original post: I originally wanted the FB3 to be a laptop type computer or look like a 5200, but I think you are right. Must people recognize the 2600 (even though they don't know it was called a 2600, they just recognize the shape). When you ask people (outside of AtariAge) what video game system they first had, they will say "an Atari". To most people Atari is the VCS or 2600, but they don't know the systems name they just know it was an Atari. A lot of these people don't even know there was a system after the 2600. That got me thinking, I think the new FB3 should still be based on an 800XL but put in a 2600 vader like unit (see pic). You might think this is odd, but think about it for a minute: 1) The average consumer would recognize the 2600 shape (more sales!) 2) Atari would save mass amounts money getting it made (re-use the molds, retail box with new art & box inserts!) 3) We the atari fans would have a FB that we could mod into a full atari computer! 4) It would be way cool to have chrome buttons (OK that is a stretch, but still) I think this might work, but then again maybe I'm thinking alittle too much about it.

But half the size so I can fit it in my house Black looks good btw This would be less than half the size!

The Goodwill's in my area pretty much stink. I started collecting back in 1995, and back then Goodwill was great. I use to get atari carts for $0.25 and systems (all systems not just atari) were never more than $5.00. Fast forward to now: carts are minimum $5.00 (and that's for Pac-man & Combat!) and systems minimum $20.00 (and that's bare bones!). It makes me pretty angry to think that Goodwill gets this stuff for free and then tries to rape the buyers with these prices. Keep in mind it is not just video game stuff that's marked high. Anything electronic is priced way (and I mean way) to high in my area. I sometimes wonder how much they end up throwing out.

Actually. If Vista was OSX based, I wouldn't have bought it Commodore intends to sell Hi End Gaming PC's. So no one may expect a revolutionary "SID" in there I guess that means they will be like (or compete with) alienware

Mine is kind of a work in progress. The joystick ports have missing pins, and I just replaced the power switch. The SN is 76418J and the label has been stamped RECONDITION. I wish it wasn't a reconditioned model, but I will take what I can get. Other than that it works fine.

I think the XL line looks the best over all, however I do think that the XEGS (my preferred 8-bit) could have been the best looking. Those damn pastel buttons I think kill it. I guess I like the fact that the keyboard is detached and the Atari logo on it is larger than any of the atari computers.

I thought everyone would like to see for themselves. http://myworld.ebay.com/sweetsstuff4u/