Question for the 5200 experts

[classicgamer74]

2 hours ago, sramirez2008 said:

@classicgamer74 Do yourself a favor and pick one of these up.  Don’t let the controller ‘issues’ hold you back.  There are many options to choose from today. ?

I will as soon as I can find one for sale for a reasonable price.

[+sramirez2008]

5 minutes ago, classicgamer74 said:

I will as soon as I can find one for sale for a reasonable price.

BTW, Best Electronics sells 2-port and 4-port motherboards.  Maybe you can pick up non functioning one for cheap and stick a new motherboard in it.

[Giles N]

On 10/14/2019 at 11:31 PM, classicgamer74 said:

I appreciate all the comments, guys. Thank you. If any of you have a refurbished 5200 you would like to sell, please let me know.

I use a 2 port console with 14 inch CRT TV, where I plug the RF cable (pic.1) into the ant-in via a little piece (pic.2 and pic.3 - both sides)

 

The console works excellent on such a TV - the picture is much softer and more organic on the eye than with modern TV.

 

It is only the controllers that has this tendency to break down without refurbishment, where the original circuits are replaced with gold/copper-connections.

 

Such refurbed controllers can be bought separately.

Edited October 16, 2019 by Giles N

[Giles N]

On 10/14/2019 at 11:31 PM, classicgamer74 said:

I appreciate all the comments, guys. Thank you. If any of you have a refurbished 5200 you would like to sell, please let me know.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Atari-5200-Launch-Edition-Black-Console-10-games-Pengo-Space-invaders-Galaxian-/303317643859?_ul=NO

[Giles N]

This fella^ says its an RF model and the controller refurbished.

 

For my own tastes of retro-games, I’m extremely satisfied with the 5200 and its games.

 

There are some games that are pure arcade-fun, like the - by for 82-84 standards - brilliant version of Pole Position, the charming and addictive Pengo, a very good version of Mario Bros, the sometimes flawed by still extremely entertaining Star Wars Arcade, platformers like Pitfall 2, HERO, Montezumas Revenge, plenty of shoot-em-ups (Vanguard, Dreadnought Factor, Moon Patrol), and more in-depth highly impressive-for-its time games like Star Raiders, Resque on Fractalus, Last Star Fighter, Encounter (early 3D FPS).

 

 

[Giles N]

Here is thread I started discussing different 5200 games - as to why they’d become personal favourites:

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/294139-which-atari-5200-games-means-the-most-to-you-and-why-these/

[classicgamer74]

On 10/15/2019 at 8:53 PM, Giles N said:

Here is thread I started discussing different 5200 games - as to why they’d become personal favourites:

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/294139-which-atari-5200-games-means-the-most-to-you-and-why-these/

thanks, everyone.  I'm going to do an episode on my channel about the 5200 and I'll use all the information you guys gave and give credit, naturally.  I really wish i could find an affordable 5200.  It seems as if everyone is selling 2600's but I'm having a hard time finding a 5200.  If any of you have one you'd like to part with, please PM me. Thanks!

[TwoShedsWilson]

12 hours ago, classicgamer74 said:

thanks, everyone.  I'm going to do an episode on my channel about the 5200 and I'll use all the information you guys gave and give credit, naturally.  I really wish i could find an affordable 5200.  It seems as if everyone is selling 2600's but I'm having a hard time finding a 5200.  If any of you have one you'd like to part with, please PM me. Thanks!

I have three of them and I'm not that far away from you. I'm sure we can sort something out.

[Cobra Kai]

15 hours ago, classicgamer74 said:

thanks, everyone.  I'm going to do an episode on my channel about the 5200 and I'll use all the information you guys gave and give credit, naturally.  I really wish i could find an affordable 5200.  It seems as if everyone is selling 2600's but I'm having a hard time finding a 5200.  If any of you have one you'd like to part with, please PM me. Thanks!

I would have hit you up with mine but another member bought it already. Good luck. Too bad, we probably could have met in person for the swap.

[Giles N]

23 hours ago, classicgamer74 said:

thanks, everyone.  I'm going to do an episode on my channel about the 5200 and I'll use all the information you guys gave and give credit, naturally.  I really wish i could find an affordable 5200.  It seems as if everyone is selling 2600's but I'm having a hard time finding a 5200.  If any of you have one you'd like to part with, please PM me. Thanks!

What is affordable to you?

 

Please do link to your Podcast here!

[classicgamer74]

I have a YouTube channel, not a podcast.  I tried doing one for a minute but it didn't work out.  I'm just about up to my 100th episode.  Here is the channel's main page.  Please subscribe! Thanks!!

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUFjmT6AhhXULqQomQzBpbg?view_as=subscriber

[David Alexander]

On 10/14/2019 at 5:54 PM, sramirez2008 said:

@classicgamer74 Do yourself a favor and pick one of these up.  Don’t let the controller ‘issues’ hold you back.  There are many options to choose from today. ?

What he said

[phuzaxeman]

The 5200 is a gem.  It's a cult among Atari owners.  And it has a ton of great games that are configured for the 5200 controllers (space dungeon, centipede, star raiders, countermeasure etc).  The latest tempest, adventure2, and pacman arcade are amazing games.

 

To avoid hardware issues, get a working 2 port.

 

Buy sticks that work.  If you spend some time to learn how to rebuild them, you can easily do them yourself.  There are people that can refurbish yours. My gold dot flex upgraded sticks are going over 10+ yrs.

 

The 5200 controllers are my fav in that era.  Better than coleco, intellivision, and 2600 easily for me.  They just need to be maintained and understood.  

[classicgamer74]

2 hours ago, phuzaxeman said:

The 5200 is a gem.  It's a cult among Atari owners.  And it has a ton of great games that are configured for the 5200 controllers (space dungeon, centipede, star raiders, countermeasure etc).  The latest tempest, adventure2, and pacman arcade are amazing games.

 

To avoid hardware issues, get a working 2 port.

 

Buy sticks that work.  If you spend some time to learn how to rebuild them, you can easily do them yourself.  There are people that can refurbish yours. My gold dot flex upgraded sticks are going over 10+ yrs.

 

The 5200 controllers are my fav in that era.  Better than coleco, intellivision, and 2600 easily for me.  They just need to be maintained and understood.  

Thank you.  I will get one as soon as I can find someone willing to cut me a good deal.  I'm excited to finally have one and be able to hold a real 5200 joystick.