Atari Looking To Get Back Into Hardware

[Greyfox]

They could improve on the source code from those emulators, that's freely available with them, you continually mention that the Atari Lynx emulator isn't great, again you've used a lynx emulator that is way out of date or your device wasn't full flushed to possible use it. I have a lynx emulator on my JXD and it work I would say at about 90% based on the rom dumps I've used on it, as Stun runner was a niffy one to have running on it and demonstrated the bitmap scaling brilliantly.

They could use engineers to modify the code to make it run better, as I'm sure there is plenty of information if not in Atari's Archives to perfect these features. I think we should Patient this idea before they steal it and say we are gay

[TL]

They could improve on the source code from those emulators, that's freely available with them, you continually mention that the Atari Lynx emulator isn't great, again you've used a lynx emulator that is way out of date or your device wasn't full flushed to possible use it. I have a lynx emulator on my JXD and it work I would say at about 90% based on the rom dumps I've used on it, as Stun runner was a niffy one to have running on it and demonstrated the bitmap scaling brilliantly.

They could use engineers to modify the code to make it run better, as I'm sure there is plenty of information if not in Atari's Archives to perfect these features. I think we should Patient this idea before they steal it and say we are gay

I have the latest version and it's a well known fact that the Mikey sound emulation in Handy is shit. If they fixed that it would be fine. There are some speed issues with a few games but nothing major, all games do work on it.

[Greyfox]

lol..yep thought so..bringing minor issues with Mikey sound emulation as the factor to debunk the emulator..it does have sound issues but are so minor it hardly calls for it to be inadequate emu on running Atari Lynx stuff.. I find it fine tbh plus Atari themselves could sort these issues if they decided to do it as well as Jaguar emulation again this is all hearsay and more than lightly fantasy..but hey? it's nice to dream..even with bad sound issues

[TL]

lol..yep thought so..bringing minor issues with Mikey sound emulation as the factor to debunk the emulator..it does have sound issues but are so minor it hardly calls for it to be inadequate emu on running Atari Lynx stuff.. I find it fine tbh plus Atari themselves could sort these issues if they decided to do it as well as Jaguar emulation again this is all hearsay and more than lightly fantasy..but hey? it's nice to dream..even with bad sound issues

They are not minor though mate, the sound emulation is awful. I might actually have to make a video of real hardware vs. Handy to prove it!

To be honest I wouldn't trust the modern Atari to fix anything!

[Greyfox]

I'm sure though Atari could approach these emu-devs to help them get it right..as other than the Jag and Lynx needing fine tuning this would be great..

maybe you should head into Apollo 1 in Moore St. and ask for Paddy Duffy to sort you out with an Atari Lynx.

[TrekMD]

They are not minor though mate, the sound emulation is awful. I might actually have to make a video of real hardware vs. Handy to prove it!

To be honest I wouldn't trust the modern Atari to fix anything!

I agree with Laird.  Handy just doesn't cut it when it comes to sound.  I can be quite awful, to be honest.  Really unfortunate and that's why many videos of Lynx games on You Tube sound horrible. 

[Ben]

I posted this in another thread about IPs, but I think they are going to do it, a Steam Machine is the best possible answer.  http://www.pcgamer.com/tag/steam-machines/  It would be built with off the shelf hardware, as all the others, and so the makers of these are going to be looking for ways to differentiate.  With it already being a box running Debian GNU/Linux, why not just go ahead and include a built in Atari emulator, a couple of USB joysticks for playing your pack in games, and maybe a few 3d classic recreations (a la Tempest 2000 and Defender 2000) to sweeten the pot?  Then style it to look like a classic Atari console, or arcade game cabinet, something like that.  Just my two cents.

[retromod]

I don't know why a real atari hardware is sooo rocket science? The Atari 2600, 5200, 7800 and even the Atari Homecomputer line do not offer any surprise and you easily can emulate it on FPGA. There are many people out there who work on that in spare time. Why is it not possible for a company to get real hardware on the market and only offering these boring limited flashback devices? And as it is only an emulation it is a shame and pain.

How cheap could an emulation be if a FPGA chip costs only $1 offering real hardware emulation and not only limited emulated software only. Sorry that only means the people involved do not have the right knowledge.

So if Atari decides to create a retro console based on FPGA with 2600, 5200, 7800 (,lynx, jaguar) and XL emulation in one device with different slots (by using cartridge adapters for example) then there will be a market of course. Because the big advantage is to use your own game library - an important detail. By offering HDMI and stereo output you create additional value as old consoles are mostly unable to talk to modern tv sets (and in the future will be not able at all if the analogue connectors passes away).

Even if it is a notch there is a lot of additional potential for add-ons, new games etc. Remember that a homebrew currently costs the same than a PS3 or PS4 title but requires less development work.

but if they continue to offer crippled flashbacks and emulated games they may run into another videogame crisis as the bad quality frustrates collectors and fans. I really do not understand why there are unable to deliver old technology in a modern way. Sorry really not understandable because it seems some fans have more knowledge in that field (but limited support and money to survive regulations or requirements) than a whole group of engineers at this company. And that is really a shame.... because it is ATARI!

[Ben]

The real issue is the cost in building a console like you're describing, retromod.   It's not as simple as adding those outputs to a console using real hardware, it would require the addition of a built in scaler at the very least to work with modern HDTVs.  So let's look at a quality scaler, like the XRGB-3, that supports all the outputs you would need:  http://www.amazon.com/Micomsoft-SCAN-CONVERTER-XRGB-3-Japan/dp/B000WLXOU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400791740&sr=8-1&keywords=xrgb-3  Conservatively, it retails for $300-400.  If I am going to spend upwards of $200 for an Atari console with the same components, why not instead just buy an old 2600 for $50, pipe it through the XRGB-3, and then have the XRGB-3 for all of my consoles, LD player, VCR, etc.? 

*For more on why a scaler is necessary, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip6WuOvK8EU

[retromod]

The real issue is the cost in building a console like you're describing, retromod.   It's not as simple as adding those outputs to a console using real hardware, it would require the addition of a built in scaler at the very least to work with modern HDTVs.  So let's look at a quality scaler, like the XRGB-3, that supports all the outputs you would need:  http://www.amazon.com/Micomsoft-SCAN-CONVERTER-XRGB-3-Japan/dp/B000WLXOU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400791740&sr=8-1&keywords=xrgb-3  Conservatively, it retails for $300-400.  If I am going to spend upwards of $200 for an Atari console with the same components, why not instead just buy an old 2600 for $50, pipe it through the XRGB-3, and then have the XRGB-3 for all of my consoles, LD player, VCR, etc.? 

*For more on why a scaler is necessary, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip6WuOvK8EU

why so complicated? If you recreate the old chips in FPGA you are able to modify the operation parameters at will allowing to output any kind of signal. So upscaling etc. is not really a problem, several lines in software only, stereo is not a problem either.

Several years ago someone demonstrated a TIA FPGA replacement which was able to output VGA... ok VGA is quite dead as S-Video but if the video output logic is implemented within the FPGA design then it is quite easy to hook into it and address any kind of display standard (is if someone is willing to pay for HDMI compliance $15000/year).

If not using that approach why not simple use RGB output which is one of the last analogue signals and base of any chip I've seen? (AV is the other). Even no rocket science. I will offer RGB mod's soon for Atari devices for at least $30. Base for the RGB output is of course a good video signal (as I still use the original TIA output). I currently try to improve that signal and will soon deliver one of the best Atari 7800 AV signals for PAL machines (developed my own mod which is far superior than any other, picture is at S-Video level even without any filter or buffer IC). Friends having S-Video based mods were quite impressed.
 
For an upscaler there is another clever solution which is upcoming may be end of this year. I saw a presentation of the concept by friends which is really clever and currently in shrink phase (requires some components which will be offered soon by other companies in very small form factor) to fit into the devices.  I will check if I'm able to adopt it easily as it uses technology I already used in the past. Maybe the first legal HDMI solution as it uses parts of a HDMI member (so no royalty to pay).

In common there are different approaches for better video output:
1. using already existing components and improve video signal by FPGA solution or simple additional schematics (upscaler, video filter, improved video logic, RGB mod)
2. replace components (like TIA) by FPGA design (vga mod, tia-replacement etc.)

As I've heard all custom chips of the consoles are emulated via FPGA already. Some implementations are done by hobbiest others by Curt or dedicated companies. Remember the A2601 project offering a complete 2600 in one FPGA chip. So for $1 you'll get a 2600 hardware. With some additional efforts you may get a cartridge slot as well. The product out of this project was the Atari joystick containing 10 games. Not really a good approach but worth to follow and driving to a full blown console quite easy.