Atari 2600

[IndyColtsFan]

Meh, although games back then had to be fun to play the 2600 struggled and was quickly outpaced by the Commodore 64 IMO, better sound, graphics and with a modem and 1541 disk drive you had a real computer..

Oh, don't worry, I DO have my C64 hooked up (along with 2 Amigas I've refurbished). I really need a bigger man cave for my stuff.

 

[Ichinisan]

On the 70" screen...sorry for the crappy phone pics...

Doesn't it feel strange to play with the screen stretched? Things will appear to move faster horizontally than they do vertically.

You should switch that input/source to pillar-boxed 4:3 format.

 

[CZroe]

Try contact cleaner.

Why? Alcohol is cheaper and already in your medicine cabinet.

 

[disappoint]

It wasn't an "RF Converter" back then. It was a simple switch and it wasn't even automatic.

Anyway, I remember seeing Gemini-brand clone "game switches" at convenience stores, dollar stores, and even department stores through the mid-'90s, so they should still be around. Hell, they looked identical to the originals so I wouldn't doubt it if they were the OEM supplier.

That said, Ichinisan and I first connected the Atari 2600 we found in the closet at 6 or 7 years old (late '80s) using twist-ties that were stripped and twisted together. We had no idea what we were doing, but we made it work on an ancient black and white Goldstar (Samsung) television. That was when we first figured out UHF/VHF and all that other stuff (brute forced it!). We had no help and were literally just trying everything. When we got lucky and heard the Star Wars tune on a scrambled screen, we knew we were close and tackled it with a renewed vigor.

Fun times, even though we mostly hated our games and just wanted to play our friend's brand new Nintendo.

It was an impedance matching transformer, it converted 75 ohm coaxial to 300ohm twin lead so you can connect your Atari to a TV with "rabbit ear" twin lead antenna inputs. It's output was visible on channel 3 on those tv sets. It wasn't much of a transformer either, just a toroid core with a couple of strands of wire wrapped around it.

 

[ViviTheMage]

cool, but I can NEVER go back to playing those old games.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

cool, but I can NEVER go back to playing those old games.

I was just playing Adventure on the Stella Atari emulator the other day. Games were so much more entertaining and unique back then.

 

[CZroe]

It was an impedance matching transformer, it converted 75 ohm coaxial to 300ohm twin lead so you can connect your Atari to a TV with "rabbit ear" twin lead antenna inputs. It's output was visible on channel 3 on those tv sets. It wasn't much of a transformer either, just a toroid core with a couple of strands of wire wrapped around it.

It didn't only convert 75ohm to 300ohm, it also passed-through 300ohm. Obviously, they thought most people were using 300ohm twin lead antennas but included the 75 Ohm coaxial jack simply so you wouldn't have to use two converters and a game switch. I was amazed that the Nintendo Entertainment System not only switched automatically but also bundled EVERYTHING. I got both composite and audio cables, RF switch, and both 75-300ohm and 300-75ohm converters. Obviously, no one customer would need all that for the initial setup. The went from including all that with two controllers, pack-in games (PLURAL), a light gun, and a toy robot to only including 1 controller and composite cables in 1996 with the N64. I felt betrayed! I guess the slide started early: I eschewed the Deluxe set (didn't know it existed, actually) and got the Super Mario Bros. / Duck Hunt bundle which it didn't come with the Robotic Operating Buddy and Gyromite.

 

[Ebon_Archi]

Star Raiders, wow that brings back memories. It came in that big fat orange box.

I loved the atari 5200 version of star raiders. Played it so many times I had to replace my controllers.

 

[HeXen]

Got over 500 Atari games
.......on roms.

Though i had some fun playing Bezerk..etc back in the day, it's next to impossible for me sit down and play any particular 2600 game for more than 10 minutes or so.
Have the Flashback 2+ which is the rare one of the series and some plug n plays, but emulation is where its at, got my pick of the litter but i usually play Sega or NES when i'm nostalgic but i find the 7800 more fun to play overall than the 2600 titles.

I just wish i still had my Pong system, bet it would be worth some pennies.

 

[CZroe]

I loved the atari 5200 version of star raiders. Played it so many times I had to replace my controllers.

Uhh, EVERYONE had to replace their 5200 controllers.

It was notorious for exactly that-well, that and the 4-port model's crazy RF switch. The controller situation is so bad that the Angry Videogame Nerd (James Rolfe) couldn't even play it in his review video.

 

[Ichinisan]

Came across this in an image search:

 

[bradley]

Came across this in an image search:

Maybe the sole reason why the Atari and even Amiga took off so handsomely by helping cut additional expenses for a monitor.

 

[BUTCH1]

Oh, don't worry, I DO have my C64 hooked up (along with 2 Amigas I've refurbished). I really need a bigger man cave for my stuff.

I'll never forget that sweet day when my 1541 showed up, the "datasette" was a nightmare!...

 

[coloumb]

Asteroids - birthday present from the parents. I spent all day inside playing it.
Pacman - I couldn't believe how crappy it was
LaserBlast - beat the game multiple times

Man..so many good memories - I think I had about 50 of those games until I traded/sold them off [including the 2600] for an Atari 5200...

As with everyone else - I played the hell out of Star Raiders and had to replace a few controllers. That game was awesome...

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I'll never forget that sweet day when my 1541 showed up, the "datasette" was a nightmare!...

Yeah, I moved my C2N datasette from my Vic 20 to my C64 and had to live with it. Then my mom and dad bought me a 1541 for my 14th birthday and I could not believe the incredible speed!! Incredibly ironic since the 1541 was possibly the slowest floppy drive ever built.

Looking back, I think my Atari was pretty much shelved when I got my C64. I contributed to the great video game crash of 1983!