+Spriggy Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 21 minutes ago, CPUWIZ said: Speaking of which, where is the power button on that box? Touch? Push? Flip? Will it on, just because, Asteroid? Don't "Touch" it @CPUWIZ, or he'll take you to court as well. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 Ah well, I only care about taco power buttons anyway. There are so many to choose from. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 (From the meme "Arthur's Fist.") 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheVgaTv Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 So they've been promoting this CES appearance for a while now, but the only thing they've shown from it is the system booting into Windows (and god only knows how long that takes thanks to the jump cut), and about 20 seconds of them playing low frame rate Fortnite. Is that it? This was their big debut? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj_convoy Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 30 minutes ago, TheVgaTv said: So they've been promoting this CES appearance for a while now, but the only thing they've shown from it is the system booting into Windows (and god only knows how long that takes thanks to the jump cut), and about 20 seconds of them playing low frame rate Fortnite. Is that it? This was their big debut? it's more than I expected, honestly. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Slocum Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 27 minutes ago, TheVgaTv said: Is that it? There were 4 videos and a few more images that I'm aware of but overall it is embarrassingly little. I assumed they'd post the best stuff the last day, but it was dead air. And I keep watching for news, but there's still only that one article. All the videos they posted are on their Twitter: https://twitter.com/theatari_vcs 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agillig Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 1 hour ago, Paul Slocum said: There were 4 videos and a few more images that I'm aware of but overall it is embarrassingly little. I assumed they'd post the best stuff the last day, but it was dead air. And I keep watching for news, but there's still only that one article. All the videos they posted are on their Twitter: https://twitter.com/theatari_vcs The backers were pretty happy about the PCMag UK article, but even that kinda gave it mixed reviews. I'm still seeing anyone outside of Atari who's actually played the thing. I'm not saying there's a conspiracy, but it doesn't seem like the kind of behavior you'd see from a company that is launching a system to backers in "weeks not months. " 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TankedThomas Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, Paul Slocum said: From my limited research, the performance will be somewhat comparable to the Ryzen 2200U video below, which is about 720@30fps and 1080@60fps. Can anyone confirm that this is a good comparison? I think it's also possible that the performance is a little worse than this, which might be why Atari made it hard to determine the graphics settings in the video. Even if the performance is only slightly worse than this either due to hardware limitations or immature drivers, then people wanting to do PC gaming probably aren't going to be very happy. Off the top of my head, the 2200U should be a bit more powerful. Both it and the 1606G are using AMD's 14nm Zen architecture, so even though the 1606G is newer, the 2200U should be more powerful - same architecture but one is Embedded and one is Mobile. The latter is typically better. Also, to make matters worse for Atari, AMD just announced their Ryzen 4000 mobile chips at CES. I haven't cared enough to look through all the CES news but I assume they're Zen 2 7nm chips... which means they'll be pretty darn good. Something Atari could have planned ahead for. If they knew anything about hardware. Which they obviously don't. 16 hours ago, Flojomojo said: Part of the reason the PlayStation 3 was so expensive out of the gate was because it used a unique "cell" processor that was much better at certain kinds of computing tasks than the commodity computer CPUs of the day. Folding@home was included and some people were clustering PS3s together to take advantage of its strengths. It was similar to how bitcoin mining caused shortages for certain Nvidia GPUs for a while. I don't think the hacking aspect was purely BS; as I recall, the people who found the encryption keys to the PS3 system did so using the "other OS" feature, even though it was designed to restrict use of much of the PS3 hardware. Once that happens and people stop buying games (PSP and DS were hit this way too, as you point out) the golden goose is dead. Someone at Sony did the math and figured paying out a class action suit would hurt less than continued damage to their software sales. I don't think they minded all the hype that went along with scientists using PS3s as cheap computing clusters. PS3's advantage was surpassed by Intel and AMD soon enough, and the money is in selling games and services. I don't remember the exact details but I don't believe OtherOS was used for obtaining the PS3 keys. I think they just wired it straight up to a computer and tinkered from there. Hackers were indeed trying to use OtherOS to gain access to the rest of the system though, but I'm not sure if they ever made much progress, since OtherOS was essentially sandboxed and it didn't have access to the dedicated GPU. I'm still annoyed that Sony decided to nuke Folding@Home from the PS3. Oh, but that permanent Singstar icon is much better, obviously, especially now that it has been discontinued. Even PlayStation Home lasted longer than the Folding app, and that's to say nothing of OtherOS... Also, regarding price, the Blu-Ray drive contributed significantly to that. Not sure how much, exactly, but it wasn't cheap. I heard they couldn't even make enough and had to delay the PS3's release, at least in European territories, in order to meet demand. Good decision long-term but they didn't start really making a profit on the PS3 until about 2009. 16 hours ago, OCAT said: ^^^ Thanks for all the clarifications, but does anyone know if there is a reason anyone would rather sell the VCS as a computer rather than a game console? Can Atari avoid Tarrif and taxes if they do sell it as a computer? And does it make a difference if it has Windows or Linux installed? I remember Nintendo selling the R.O.B to get around the fact that retailers did not want another video game system at that time. Other than it being "easier", my only other guess would be China. Sure, they've eased up on game consoles now, but I doubt it'll last, and there are still limitations. A computer should theoretically be easier to get to market over there. Something else to consider is that Atari seem to more or less have the factory designing parts of the VCS for them at this point, and if they do indeed intend to go after the Chinese market, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they've struck a deal with some Chinese company to basically just pump out a bunch of off-brand VCS systems. In other words, Atari might make a (small) profit off of selling what little they do have (basic board design, steel moulds for the cases, etc.), and then we'll see a bunch of mini PCs on AliExpress, Taobao, eBay etc. that are literally the VCS minus the Atari branding. That, to me, is the most likely outcome for this product at this point (after they hopefully supply backers with branded units, even though they'll undoubtedly suck). 11 hours ago, CPUWIZ said: Speaking of which, where is the power button on that box? Touch? Push? Flip? Will it on, just because, Asteroid? I assume it's the one button on the left side on the back. It's a tactile switch though, which is a weird/dumb choice for a power button. There's a second tactile switch on the right-back side but the case appears to obscure it, so I'm not sure what it's for. I'd normally assume a reset or clear CMOS button, but I think that's giving Atari too much credit at this point... Edited January 12, 2020 by TankedThomas Fixed ape man grammar 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCAT Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 (edited) ^^^ Please people, do not give Atari any more reasons to delay the system, I do not want to read on the next Medium update "As Atari wants the best for the loyal backers, we have decided to wait to upgrade to the newest Ryzen chips that will be coming out in 2040, we will keep you notified in future updates! :) " This dumpster fire is almost upon us, I really want to see what they have been cooking up all this time, please let me have this I don't ask for much in life and a massive failure like this is something everyone can laugh at because Atari only has 3 employees, Tweedledum, Tweedledee and head honcho CheeseGuy. Allegedly... Edited January 12, 2020 by OCAT 4 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zor Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 24 minutes ago, OCAT said: ^^^ Please people, do not give Atari any more reasons to delay the system, I do not want to read on the next Medium update "As Atari wants the best for the loyal backers, we have decided to wait to upgrade to the newest Ryzen chips that will be coming out in 2040, we will keep you notified in future updates! " This dumpster fire is almost upon us, I really want to see what they have been cooking up all this time, please let me have this I don't ask for much in life and a massive failure like this is something everyone can laugh at because Atari only has 3 employees, Tweedledum, Tweedledee and head honcho CheeseGuy. Allegedly... Agreed This show has outlived its welcome already, should have been a one season thing. There's no new drama that can reinvigorate this saga, can't reinvent tacos forever It's not going to fail less with more time I feel like watching Lost at this stage, (or the walking dead), you keep watching because you just wanna know the end, even if the shows stopped being entertaining seasons ago, half knowing the end will suck, and ... it will (most likely suck). 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted January 12, 2020 Share Posted January 12, 2020 5 hours ago, TankedThomas said: Hackers were indeed trying to use OtherOS to gain access to the rest of the system though, but I'm not sure if they ever made much progress, since OtherOS was essentially sandboxed and it didn't have access to the dedicated GPU. This story suggests that Sony's removal of "Other OS" was what inspired hackers to go after the encryption keys with such vigor. Revenge is a dish best served cold, etc etc. It's a shame we never got a video game console commercial from Montalban. Can you name a machine with rich, Corinthian leather on it? He DID do a Taco Bell commercial, at least. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCAT Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 (edited) You all know what would be cool? How about take Mike Kennedy's (alleged) idea for the Retro VGS with the "FPGA" and apply it to physical items in a pinball machine. You buy 1 pinball machine, and the pieces/tracks can be rearranged to form other machines, Williams? Bally? Adams Family ? Terminator? Elvira? We got em all! tiny projectors change the image on the board, E-ink marquee i'll make a kickstarter. "The Last Pinball Machine" I can make a prototype out of a discarded shipping box and a few rubber bands and LED's. I'll need 3 million dollars and 10 years but i can do it dang namit! Edited January 13, 2020 by OCAT 3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonGrafx-16 Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Anyone want some fake tacos to go with the fake console? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariNerd Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 "Don't touch anything." Dad and his kids stumble across the Ecto -1A, during the filming of Ghostbusters II and events expand from there... https://youtu.be/jfz05qTEWrQ Another diversion away (the discussion of the sign, sparked my memory of this home video), but something the fam is actually looking forward to, in the form of the upcoming film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaysWithWolves Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 I found the Crystal Ghost, guys! Transparent. 1 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Fred is the fifth element! 1 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Flojomojo said: Fred is the fifth element! 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 Found at Home Depot 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TankedThomas Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 1 hour ago, frankodragon said: Found at Home Depot I need. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoJoe Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Slocum Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, PlaysWithWolves said: I found the Crystal Ghost, guys! Wait, Fred was actually there, and this is all he tweeted while his company was revealing the first footage of their new game console? That makes sense. Constantly looking at the map to make sure he avoids Rob Wyatt's actual CES booth. Edited January 13, 2020 by Paul Slocum 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lodmot Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 On 1/12/2020 at 12:12 PM, Agillig said: The backers were pretty happy about the PCMag UK article, but even that kinda gave it mixed reviews. I'm still seeing anyone outside of Atari who's actually played the thing. I'm not saying there's a conspiracy, but it doesn't seem like the kind of behavior you'd see from a company that is launching a system to backers in "weeks not months. " Very little of what Atari's been doing has actually been ethical. Having said that, I can see why the PCMag article can make backers happy-- it actually comforts me a little bit to see somebody else besides Atari taking a look at this thing in person. Because of that, I think the system does in fact exist to some degree. I have a lot of questions about whether or not they can make enough units though-- that remains to be seen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerx Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Lodmot said: I have a lot of questions about whether or not they can make enough units though-- that remains to be seen. Enough units for what? If they're tooled up, they can presumably make as many as demand dictates. The question is what demand is there? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agillig Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 1 hour ago, racerx said: Enough units for what? If they're tooled up, they can presumably make as many as demand dictates. The question is what demand is there? 11,000 or so, I guess. Can't say I see many people wanting to buy one aside from the backers. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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