The Atari VCS Controversies Thread

[OCAT]

^ Do not do it if you want to keep it, I am sure someone with youtube income will probably smash it and do a drop test for views... no need to teardown yours after you waited so long for it.

Keep it, you earned it! 👍🏼

[Tavi]

4 hours ago, MrBeefy said:

I think a majority of us thought they would get it out the door. It has just felt like forever. I really hope for backers sake they start shipping individual units to those who didn't order the joystick. That would suck for it to delay it for those who didn't order it.

I am quite honestly shocked that they seem to have made it into production finally. I would have bet serious money against this.

A penny stock company with only a handful of actual staff, who's only business expertise lies in licensing and lawsuits decides to get into console manufacturing.

Add in several lawsuits against them, critical staff walking off the job over not being paid, long periods of radio silence, delays, delays and more delays, and I am somewhat impressed they seem to be close to actually crossing the finish line and delivering a product to the Indiegogo backers.

I seriously thought by this point they would be running on empty, long over the expected delivery date(s) and with no funds left for manufacturing. I am wondering if that pallet of 'Dev Kits' that shipped to the US and promptly dropped off the radar a few months back found them someone willing to fund production?

It is good to hear that the backers may after all be finally getting something, as I was certain this was going to go the way of the Atari Gameband and at some point there would be a 'This is a hard letter to write... you were investing in a vision, not buying a product...' update where Atari just walked away.

I am still highly doubtful that the Atari Box is going to go far once the novelty and nostalgia wear off it; but at least it looks like the backers will actually get one which I suspect will please a few just for that alone.

[ColecoJoe]

8 minutes ago, Tavi said:

I am quite honestly shocked that they seem to have made it into production finally. I would have bet serious money against this.

Well let's not get too ahead of ourselves. This isn't the first time they have posted pictures

 

[TACODON]

When I see a video from an independent party that isn't involved with Atari at all stopping a door with the VCS, I will be happy.

 

No 3D rendered doors. An actual heavy wooden door. Then we will know it is real.

[TACODON]

Ok. I decided to do my own independent testing of the door stopping capabilities of the New VCS.

 

Clearly Ninten-Don't what Atari can do!

[Chopsus]

I’m wondering if Frédéric Chesnais is the paint chip eating Tammy/name changing/hyperscan/nut job?

 

might explain a fair bit?

[Shaggy the Atarian]

20 hours ago, Tavi said:

I am still highly doubtful that the Atari Box is going to go far once the novelty and nostalgia wear off it;

That's the crux of it really - there's no evidence that Atari has the resources to overcome this sputter of a "launch." It's rare that a game console product has drastically improved sales after a poor start (Nintendo is the only company to pull it off, but they know what they are doing, are creative, have a vision, have ethics, etc).

 

Yes, it is surprising and worth noting that they actually have made something. I still don't think that excuses all of the problems we've pointed out over and over, but now that they have something, this does not mean it's suddenly the Field of Dreams. "Build it and they will come" doesn't apply when there are a bunch of much better existing fields all around you. 

[aramis]

This is either a safety/regulatory approval issue, or an embarrassing/confusing typo.

 

 

 

[+Nathan Strum]

18 minutes ago, aramis said:

This is either a safety/regulatory approval issue, or an embarrassing/confusing typo.

 

 

 

It's the Air Conditioning port. Clearly.

[MrBeefy]

New Register article.

 

https://www.theregister.com/AMP/2020/09/30/atari_vcs_ship/

[+Stephen]

7 minutes ago, MrBeefy said:

New Register article.

 

https://www.theregister.com/AMP/2020/09/30/atari_vcs_ship/

Short and to the point!

[Chopsus]

2 hours ago, aramis said:

This is either a safety/regulatory approval issue, or an embarrassing/confusing typo.

 

 

 

Funny thing is the power block outputs DC not AC and it should declare how many volts input is needed

[+x=usr(1536)]

3 hours ago, aramis said:

This is either a safety/regulatory approval issue, or an embarrassing/confusing typo.

 

 

 

All previous comments re: the power jack notwithstanding, are my eyes deceiving me or is the receptacle for the barrel connector hexagonal?

[AtariLeaf]

45 minutes ago, Stephen said:

Short, brutally honest, and to the point!

Fixed 😁

[MrBeefy]

48 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said:

All previous comments re: the power jack notwithstanding, are my eyes deceiving me or is the receptacle for the barrel connector hexagonal?

Sure looks like it.

 

Or well top part does. Maybe it's an illusion?

Edited September 30, 2020 by MrBeefy

[OCAT]

Atari to customers... Hey good news! we are going to ship you the item you paid for!
You may kneel and thank us our pittiful subjects! 👑🤴🏻
I wonder if Atari is counting on the finished product helping them to win the case against they guy they stiffed.

I am excited for the Amico to come out and start a mini console war just like the good ol' days.
Nintendo Vs Sega
Coke vs Pepsi
Mc. Donalds vs Burger King 🙃

Edited September 30, 2020 by OCAT

[Andromeda Stardust]

1 hour ago, x=usr(1536) said:

All previous comments re: the power jack notwithstanding, are my eyes deceiving me or is the receptacle for the barrel connector hexagonal?

I noticed this too, in the press photos.

 

Serious question folks: Do you guys think this make a viable Linux PC box, of am I better off searching elsewhere? Buy a used laptop or something? I have zero interest in this as a game system.

 

And I know I have dumped on this in the past, but they jacked up the price of the controller for launch. I spent $30 on my classic joystick "preorder" 🕹

[AtariLeaf]

17 minutes ago, Andromeda Stardust said:

 I have zero interest in this as a game system.

 

So does Atari

[+Stephen]

34 minutes ago, AtariLeaf said:

So does Atari

By far the best laugh I have had all week.  You good sir, win the internets!

[Mulletino]

I am expecting this to be the next photo they post, with an "it wasn't our fault" statement.......

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by Mulletino

[+x=usr(1536)]

1 hour ago, Andromeda Stardust said:

Serious question folks: Do you guys think this make a viable Linux PC box, of am I better off searching elsewhere? Buy a used laptop or something? I have zero interest in this as a game system.

 

If you just want something to wet your feet with in the Linux world, get a Raspberry Pi 4.  Depending on how you configure it, you'll be in it for $100 or less, which, as a training tool, is probably about as much as you'd want to throw into it.  If you decide that you want to get more deeply into Linux, great; spend the money at that time on something more geared towards your needs.

 

One other consideration: laptops can have weird / proprietary hardware that Linux doesn't always play nicely with.  This is much less of a problem today compared to in years past, but it can still crop up at times, and especially at the lower end of the market.  At least with the RasPi, Raspberry Pi OS (previously Raspbian) is pretty much going to work.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2020 by x=usr(1536)

[OCAT]

Typo fixed

Edited October 1, 2020 by OCAT

[cybercylon]

4 hours ago, Andromeda Stardust said:

I noticed this too, in the press photos.

 

Serious question folks: Do you guys think this make a viable Linux PC box, of am I better off searching elsewhere? Buy a used laptop or something? I have zero interest in this as a game system.

 

And I know I have dumped on this in the past, but they jacked up the price of the controller for launch. I spent $30 on my classic joystick "preorder" 🕹

As x=user(1536) said, a Pi 4 is one option. In the locked thread, there were some links to some mini pcs for around the same money as the atacobox or less that will probably fit the bill.

Edited October 1, 2020 by cybercylon

[Mikebloke]

BBCi player is about to be discontinued on PS3, leaving just Netflix and amazon video that's usable. Might be time for me to upgrade. Just need to decide which dead console to go for next, ps4, x box 1 or the Ataribox. 

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

17 minutes ago, Mikebloke said:

 Just need to decide which dead console to go for next, ps4, x box 1 or the Ataribox.