What was the point of Color Bar Generator?

[krambigmac]

I got the rom and all I could do is change the design on the screen but it had no purpose. Does it have to do with programming or something or was this just another reason why there was a crash in 84?

[moycon]

Oooh I can field this one.... It was to.... Generate Bars of Color!

[moycon]

Actually it was probably more a tool than anything else. I'd imagine you could use it for troubleshooting purposes if you were in the field of Atari console repair...Sound about right? Or mabey one could also use it to adjust the TV displays to the correct colors when stores would want to let the customers try before they buy. Definately not the cart to give a 10 year old boy on Xmas back in the day.

 

[ 03-06-2002: Message edited by: moycon ]

[Cybergoth]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Riley:

I got the rom and all I could do is change the design on the screen but it had no purpose. Does it have to do with programming or something or was this just another reason why there was a crash in 84?

---

 

I'd assume it was made for repairing & testing color TVs.

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[Tempest]

Color Bar Generator was the only game put out out by Videosoft, which was headed by none other than Channel F creator Jerry Lawson. It wasn't a game, but a diagnostic tool for TV repair shops (who just happen to have a 2600 sitting around right?). Other than the collectability value there really isn't much to say about it.

 

Tempest

[+-^CrossBow^-]

You guys all mention adjusting a TV with this...but I suspect the cart was made for adjusting the color pot value on the 2600 itself.

 

In that regard it would mainly be a good tool for a Field Engineer or shop working on Atari VCS stuff.

 

I know that such a cart could prove useful when making such adjustments. Heck the 7800 is worst about this. I can't seem to get the 2600 side of it to adjust for crap! Just can't seem to get the 7800 and my H6 units to agree on a color scheme. I find that Krull is a great game to adjust the colors with.

[krambigmac]

Thanks but they sold this cartridge in stores? What an Xmas present lol. Anyways how much did games go for when they came out? Were they 50 like nowadays or 60+ like the 16 bit era or less?

[StanJr]

Dude, Color Bar Generator (or CBG as I call it!) is a total blast. I love to sit and watch all the pretty colors....Wheeeeeee!

 

But its nowhere as good as the Diagnostic Cartridge! Good times, baby!

 

Wise Guy Stan

[moycon]

I would be willing to bet they didnt sell these in stores...No.

[Rick Weis]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Riley:

Thanks but they sold this cartridge in stores? What an Xmas present lol. Anyways how much did games go for when they came out? Were they 50 like nowadays or 60+ like the 16 bit era or less?

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Mark,

 

if i remember right they were around 19.95-24.95

 

Take Care,

 

Rick

[moycon]

quote:

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Originally posted by rick weis:

Mark,

 

if i remember right they were around 19.95-24.95

 

Take Care,

 

Rick

---

 

You mean they did sell these things by themself in the stores??? Surely not the likes of Toys R Us and JcPennys. I never ran across them anyways. I thought they came include in some kit you could buy. Like if you were a technician that repaired electronics. Atari's, TVs, VCR's etc.... I guess I just didnt realize these were sold just like any other cart.

[jahfish]

i will get a signal tracing cart with shorting plugs soon .... hehe, i wonder what kind of stupidities i can do with that one ....

 

is the functionnality of this cart explained in the atari service manual? i was too lazy to look yet

[MattyXB]

What do you think of this Color Bar Generator

[rolenta]

quote:

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Originally posted by moycon:

I would be willing to bet they didnt sell these in stores...No.

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I never saw one in a store. I got mine direct from Videosoft.

[King Atari]

If they did sell it in stores, it was probably only sold in those "everything one dollar" shops. You know, the kind with all the generic, rip-off crap.

[Big Player]

quote

If they did sell it in stores, it was probably only sold in those "everything one dollar" shops. You know, the kind with all the generic, rip-off crap.  

Hey, I got a lot of the later Atari red label releases, new in the box, for only a dollar at those stores. Of course that was back 1992-3 and you won't find me in those stores much anymore since I do have a job now.

quote

Anyways how much did games go for when they came out? Were they 50 like nowadays or 60+ like the 16 bit era or less?  

If I remember correctly, a new release from Atari back then was about $40. The new Activision games were about $30. I didn't buy any other manufacturer's carts when they came out, so I'm no help on those prices.

[King Atari]

quote:

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Hey, I got a lot of the later Atari red label releases, new in the box, for only a dollar at those stores. Of course that was back 1992-3 and you won't find me in those stores much anymore since I do have a job now.

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I meant that as a good thing!

[Big Player]

You're right, most of the stuff in those stores is crap. It was three in the morning when I made that post, I should have read your post more closely. And the real reason I don't go into those stores is that they don't have any more Atari stuff.

 

But to think I passed up on Solaris and Sprintmaster at the dollar store because I had never heard of the games and so I just assumed they weren't any good.