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Making and Selling some Flashback Cables


gar0u

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I've decided to make and sell some Flashback cables.  I've done a handful for others already, so I have some references if you'd like them.

 

Here is the cost breakdown:

 

1. "Retro-bit SEGA Genesis Controller extension cable.....$8.49

2. ~1 hour labor at WA min. wage (fixed) .....................$13.50

3. USPS small flat-rate priority mail box .......................$8.30

 

I can fit up to four in a box, so if you order more, the price per cable goes down a little bit:

     1. Total for 1 cable shipped is $30.29 ($30.29 per cable)

     2. Total for 2 cables shipped is $52.28 ($26.14 per cable)

     3. Total for 3 cables shipped is $74.27 (~$24.76 per cable)

     4. Total for 4 cables shipped is $96.26 (~$24.07 per cable)

 

If you are interested, please message me with your shipping address and I will respond with an email for PayPal.

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It is an extension cable between an original Intellivision console that lets you use the "new" Flashback controllers.  The controllers that shipped with the Flashback console several years ago are an upgrade to the Intellivision II's very hard side buttons, and they used the same plug, but not the same wiring for some reason.  So you need a cable that remaps the output of the Flashback cable to the input of the Intellivision II.

 

They were in high demand for a while.  Had several private inquiries so I thought I would announce it here for anyone that might like one.

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12 hours ago, gar0u said:

It is an extension cable between an original Intellivision console that lets you use the "new" Flashback controllers.  The controllers that shipped with the Flashback console several years ago are an upgrade to the Intellivision II's very hard side buttons, and they used the same plug, but not the same wiring for some reason.  So you need a cable that remaps the output of the Flashback cable to the input of the Intellivision II.

 

They were in high demand for a while.  Had several private inquiries so I thought I would announce it here for anyone that might like one.

This should work with my intv 1 annd ecs right? So that I can play 4 player pong?

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The original Intellivision has a flat controller connection that is internal. 

 

The cables I am making only work with Intellivision II and I believe the Sears VES.  It's a male DB9 connection with two rows of pins (5 on the top, 4 on the bottom).  The Flashback controllers would work with that middle component between the Intellivision I and the Intellivoice (is that a system changer?).  But from your picture, it looks like you already have four nice controllers--so you wouldn't need the Flashback cables.

 

Hope that helps.

Edited by gar0u
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Looks like the demand for these is far less than I thought.  I'm OK with that. 

 

Unfortunately I think the price of making the cables is stuck somewhere between too expensive for the buyer and too cheap for the manufacturer.

 

If I didn't have to buy a cable at almost $10 to start with, maybe there would be more interest?  I've also thought about trying to find a source to make a small run in bulk, almost like a KickStarter.  That would cut out my labor and potentially make the cables only half as expensive.

 

Any interest in something like that?

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I have two cables but most likely would purchase two more.

I am just not sure when I can budget that in at the moment.

Your price point is totally fine and completely understood with your production costs.

I did think and still do that there are a few more folks out there who want these and haven't chimed in yet.

Thanks for your thoughts and efforts,I for one appreciate it!?

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1 hour ago, 1980gamer said:

I've cut up quite a few of those to make a retrogaming product.

 

I dissected the connectors on the first one to see how they were made. They aren't the most robust contruction I've seen but they seem to work fine. I've used about 15 and haven't encountered any bad ones.

Edited by BigO
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That’s a low price, but I haven’t tried those cables so I don’t know how good they are. In making my adapters, I tried quite a few different brands of cables, but had the best luck / reliability with the ones from Retrobit.

When I was making a lot of these a few years ago, I was buying cables and supplies in bulk to keep the cost down. Labor-wise, I got pretty efficient at doing them after a while too, so that helped.

And for shipping I would let the buyers decide how they wanted them sent whenever possible (First Class vs Priority vs Flat Rate, etc). That’s pretty much the only way to make them affordable to buyers. All that said, there’s very little profit involved with these.



•Sent from my Intellivision keypad phone
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nurmix,  I have 2 of Flashback to Sears and Flashback to 2609.

I can imagine the margin was razor thin.

 

Thank you for your efforts!

 

Before you did this, I was considering a little project that would be a "monster cable"  That is, it would let you plug in an original Intellivision (sears) controller into a flashback or a flashback into the Itellivision (sears/Inty II)

But you had your stuff done so early on, I didn't get far into to it.

 

I also though about just a little board between the controller and system as a coupler with a switch that would let you select controller source/destination.

 

But I quickly realized that the flashback controllers were really nice and would really be a source of replacement controllers for the original consoles.  VS broken Intellivision consoles sourcing controllers for the flashback.

If nothing else, the flashback controllers are really nice.

Even with the Amico coming, I would still love to see a Flashback II with additional games.  Maybe some of the homebrew games etc.

Again, as a source of additional controllers!

 

I know this is a larger electronics project..  but how about an adapter that lets us use Amico controllers on Inty II / Sears / Flashback.

Remote reciever(s) that convert Amico controllers to 9 pin.  It would be an amazing thing if the overly image could be displayed etc.

 

This becomes less appealing if the Intellivision games are playable on the Amico.  I know we will see some at some point.  But may be very limited?

 

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When Intellivision Productions store had FB and overlays..etc available to purchase, what I did was purchase two FB controllers and then redo the wiring inside internally so they would work on my Sears SVA or Intelly 2 systems. I figured since I wasn't likely to need more than the two that came with my Intelly FB console anyway, that it would be just as easy to redo the wiring on two extras.

 

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I know i would like a set, but the price is on the high side coupled with bad timing of corona.....but i agree your cost breakdown seems fair.

That said i might still go for a set...if they were $30 a pair i would jump on it. $40 i would probably do it. Over $50 i start to mull it over.

Cool your offering them though as i missed them before.

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I wish they were not so expensive.

 

At $30 for a pair, that leaves $4.72 after buying two cables and paying for postage.

 

It takes about an hour to make and test a cable, so that is making $2.36 an hour.  I'm not doing this to make money, but we all have the same number of hours in a day.  For $2.36 an hour, I'd rather do something else.  :(

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