This file contains the archives of the rec.games.vectrex NetNews group for the month of Jun-1994 (This date range is approximate as article dates are determined based on arrival time and not the date in the article header). The Vextrex archives, which include game code, technical specifications, the rec.games.vectrex archive and a host of additional information, is available at: ftp://ftp.csus.edu/pub/vectrex/ + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Date: Wed, 01 Jun 94 07:41:13 EST Path: csus.edu!wupost!howland.reston.ans.net!agate!iat.holonet.net!ibbs.com!rabies From: rabies@ibbs.com Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Organization: Infinity BBS - 714-898-3236 Message-ID: <29657MGWUVUYJMJEDVN@ibbs.com> Subject: Anyone used Vectrex monitor with arcade XY game? Lines: 28 IT>Hello, IT> Has anyone used the Vectrex monitor as the display for an arcade XY IT>game (like Asteroids or the like)? For that matter, has anyone put the IT>guts of the Vectrex into an Asteroids cabinet? I have a few project IT>ideas that could benefit from such a combo, and would love to hear the IT>technical details from anyone who might have done this before. IT>Thanks, IT>-Tom Royer IT> troyer@nynexst.com WOW! what an idea! Those old vector game circuit boards can be bought for about 20$ if you can find em!!!! I've got a Super Nintendo in an arcade cabinet, but this'll take some serious hacking to get working I imagine. (wow.... what an idea!?) I wonder if the flickering would be less? Hey one problem though, I think the aspect ratio would be all screwed up. The vectrex monitor is very narrow but long. Aren't the arcade vector monitors more squareish, like today's TV's? CHOW! and keep us informed as to the progress with this idea! Rabies@ibbs.com B + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!ah499 From: ah499@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (John Daniels) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Woodward multicarts Date: 2 Jun 1994 10:30:54 GMT Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA) Lines: 16 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: roo.ins.cwru.edu Has anyone actually recieved any of the multicarts that Mark Woodward has been building and debugging _lately_? There was a post about a month or two ago that the problem that popped up on machines with different specs than Mark's own had been solved and that carts were shipping. I'm wearing the paint off my porch with my eyeballs. I've sent email to several addresses that I have for him to no avail. Does anyone have a current email address or voice-phone number or ANYTHING. signed PATIENT SINCE SEPTEMBER aka John Daniels ah499@cleveland.freenet.edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!noao!CS.Arizona.EDU!organpipe.uug.arizona.edu!nicmos.as.arizona.edu!mramsey From: mramsey@nicmos.as.arizona.edu (Marshall Ramsey) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts Date: 2 Jun 1994 15:24:36 GMT Organization: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ Lines: 13 Sender: mramsey@nicmos.as.arizona.edu Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2sktjk$gt9@organpipe.uug.arizona.edu> References: <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: nicmos.as.arizona.edu I am also waiting for my cart. In the past, Mark has been pretty good about returning email. However, my last one also went unanswered. Perhaps he is on vacation (I know I need one :) ). I guess he is making these in batches and we must be low on the list. Does anyone know more on the status of production? Bored in Arizona -- ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// // Marshall Ramsey // "...so I lit a fire. Isn't it good, // // mramsey@nicmos.as.arizona.edu // Norwegian wood." // // // --GH ...or was it Beavis? // + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!uop!pacbell.com!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!yeshua.marcam.com!news.kei.com!ssd.intel.com!chnews!ornews.intel.com!news.jf.intel.com!brianh From: brianh@ichips.intel.com (Brian Holscher) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts Date: 02 Jun 1994 16:19:51 GMT Organization: Intel Corp., Hillsboro, Oregon Lines: 34 Distribution: inet Message-ID: References: <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: pdx031.intel.com In-reply-to: ah499@cleveland.Freenet.Edu's message of 2 Jun 1994 10:30:54 GMT In article <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> ah499@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (John Daniels) writes: Has anyone actually recieved any of the multicarts that Mark Woodward has been building and debugging _lately_? There was a post about a month or two ago that the problem that popped up on machines with different specs than Mark's own had been solved and that carts were shipping. I'm wearing the paint off my porch with my eyeballs. I've sent email to several addresses that I have for him to no avail. Does anyone have a current email address or voice-phone number or ANYTHING. signed PATIENT SINCE SEPTEMBER aka John Daniels ah499@cleveland.freenet.edu I haven't received mine either. However, I did get mail from Mark yesterday that says its on it's way. The mail also says that he has been working 12 hour days, so he is behind in his email. Here is his email addresses: woodward@newbridge.com [work] mcrw@earth2.ocunix.on.ca [home] signed ALSO VERY PATIENT Brian Holscher brianh@ichips.intel.com + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!netcom.com!rjung From: rjung@netcom.com (Robert A. Jung) Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts Message-ID: Organization: Southern California Lynx Enthusiasts References: <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> Distribution: inet Date: Fri, 3 Jun 1994 03:24:54 GMT Lines: 20 In article <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> ah499@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (John Daniels) writes: >Has anyone actually recieved any of the multicarts that Mark Woodward has >been building and debugging _lately_? I sent my check in January. I was under the impression that the delay was due to fixing a problem with making the Multicarts work with American Vectrexes, but I still haven't seen anything. >signed PATIENT SINCE SEPTEMBER You're not alone. --R.J. B-) //////////////////////////////////////|\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Send whatevers to rjung@netcom.com | If it has pixels, I'm for it. --------------------------------------+------------------------------Lynx up! "You weren't chosen because you are the best pilot in the Air Force. You were chosen because you are the class clown and frankly, you're expendable." + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!news.ans.net!mailhost.interaccess.com!zbytes From: zbytes@interaccess (William Zandrew) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts Date: 3 Jun 1994 03:24:34 GMT Organization: IAC Lines: 19 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2sm7pi$5h8@mailhost.interaccess.com> References: <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: flowbee.interaccess.com X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] John Daniels (ah499@cleveland.Freenet.Edu) wrote: : Has anyone actually recieved any of the multicarts that Mark Woodward has : been building and debugging _lately_? : There was a post about a month or two ago that the problem that popped up : on machines with different specs than Mark's own had been solved and that : carts were shipping. I'm wearing the paint off my porch with my eyeballs. : I've sent email to several addresses that I have for him to no avail. Does : anyone have a current email address or voice-phone number or ANYTHING. : signed PATIENT SINCE SEPTEMBER : aka John Daniels : ah499@cleveland.freenet.edu I ordered mine over a year ago! About 5 weeks ago I asked him to refund my money and he said it would be out in a week! I'm still waiting! + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!cs.utexas.edu!news.tamu.edu!news.utdallas.edu!corpgate!crchh327.bnr.ca!crchh75b.bnr.ca!woodcock From: woodcock@bnr.ca (Gregg Woodcock) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex,rec.games.video.classic Subject: [Vectrex] FAQ Date: 3 Jun 1994 04:53:33 GMT Organization: Bell-Northern Research; Richardson, Texas, USA Lines: 726 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2smd0d$d3k@crchh327.bnr.ca> Reply-To: woodcock@bnr.ca (Gregg Woodcock) NNTP-Posting-Host: crchh75b.bnr.ca X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Xref: csus.edu rec.games.vectrex:1733 rec.games.video.classic:7375 When somebody gets an update from Mark Woodward, post or email and I'll add the multi-cart status to the FAQ. +-----------+ |Vectrex====| | +-------+ | Vectrex "Frequently Asked Questions" List! Created: 9/1/92 | | # + *| | version 2.1 Copyright worldwide (c) 1994 | | : X | | Created and maintained by Gregg Woodcock (woodcock@bnr.ca) | | : . .| | | | A <=>| | This list will be reposted on the first day of every month. | | . | | | | X + | | @@@ | | * x | | @@ @@@ | +-------+ @@@ +---@----+ | ### # Q@@ / ! oooo / | ### OO | +--------+ +-----------+ This file is copyrighted (c) 1994 by Gregg Woodcock but may be distributed in part or in whole by anyone for any purpose (commercial or otherwise) provided proper credit is given to me and the individual contributors. If you do use the FAQ, I would appreciate it if you send me a copy of whatever you are doing with it. My plan is to have a 'newbie' part and a 'techie' part. I still need some more information about the following questions for it: Can a pause switch be built? (YES) Can the overlays be reproduced (MAYBE) Can a 3D color disk be made? (MAYBE; I am going to try with "shrinky-dinks") How do the joysticks work and can one be built? (YES) How does the light pen work and can one be built? (YES) How does the 3D imager work and can a Sega imager be converted? (MAYBE) ================================================================================ Q. What is Vectrex? Here it is in layman's terms: Vectrex is one of the most inspired video game machines ever produced (but similar things were said about the Edsel and Titanic). Its point of distinction is the fact that it uses vector "line" graphics (as opposed to raster "pixel" graphics). This is the same type of screen used in such arcade classics as Space Wars, Asteroids, Battlezone and Tempest. The machine has a 9 x 11 inch black and white screen and comes with a built-in Asteroids clone called Minestorm. The games come with plastic overlays that slide over the screen to cut down on flicker and give some illusion of color. It uses one of the most advanced 8 bit processors, the 68A09 (6809 with 1.5MHz clock speed), and a popular and excellent sound chip, General Instruments AY-3-8192, which can produce a wide range of noises. Also included is a 1.5 inch, self-centering, joystick with 4 buttons on the right. It uses an analog/potentiometer system allowing differing degrees of directional input. The machine's footprint takes up a little less than a square foot of a desk (in fact, it quite resembles a jet black Macintosh SE sans mouse and keyboard), and can be operated easily in that area. The joystick is connected via a springy telephone-like cord and can be folded into the base of the machine for portability. The machine is moderately transportable and very well constructed but, alas, very much extinct. It made its debut late in 1982 and was quite scarce by the end of 1984 due to the Great Video Game Depression of '82 which forced Milton Bradley (who bought the rights to the Vectrex from General Consumer Electronics (GCE)) to discontinue production due to to poor sales. After this, the rights to the Vectrex and all related materials were returned to the original developers, Smith Engineering. Smith Engineering has graciously condoned the not-for-profit circulation of any duplicatable materials including games and manuals and is happy to see it is still 'alive' in certain circles. Here are some more detailed snippets from the service manual: As a general description, the HP3OOO is a self-contained video game system intended for home use. The system includes its own 9" B&W monitor screen and 3" permanent magnet speaker. Plug-in ROM type cartridges are available offering arcade type video and sound game play. No external TV receiver hookup is needed or provided for. A front panel storable controller allows control over the game via joystick and push button action switches. For two player operation a second controller identical to the single player controller is available as an accessory product. Both controllers attach to the main game console through nine wire coiled telephone style cables. There is a consumer power switch/volume control on the front panel as well as a game reset button. A consumer adjustable brightness control is located on the main console rear housing. For the technical description which follows, the reader is encouraged to refer to the block diagram and schematic [not included here]. The HP3OOO is a microprocessor based, vector scan system using a standard 9" black & white CRT as its video display device. The microprocessor (MPU) is the Motorola 68A09 device. The MPU operates at 1.6 MHz from a 6 MHz external Xtal. An internal divide by 4 circuit generates the MPU 1.6 MHz "E" clock signal used in the system. Program memory is stored in the 8K x 8 bit 2363 type ROM. This ROM contains common subroutines, the "executive" or assembler instructions plus one complete game. Two 1K x 4 bit 2114 type static RAMS provide storage locations for data indicative of locations of objects, game status, and various other information needed by the microprocessor during game operation. Peripheral Interface Adaptor (PIA) Chip, has two 8 bit peripheral ports which interfaces the MPU with peripheral devices and external signals. One of the PIA ports interfaces the General Instrument AY-3-8912 sound-I.O. chip with the MPU and also drives the digital to analog converter chip MC1408. The other PIA port is used as control lines for the sound chip, selector control for the multiplex chip and as a means to read the A/D comparator that's used in the joystick successive approximation circuitry. Sound is either MPU generated directly or by use of the AY-3-8912 sound chip. The AY-3-8912 sound chip is a programmable sound generator containing 3 tone generators and wave shaping circuitry. This chip also has a single 8 bit I.O. port used to read the status of each of the hand controller's 4 action switches. The standard TTL device types 74LS00 and 74LS32 are used as control line decoders to allow the MPU to select the appropriate circuit element to be addressed at any particular time. The analog processing section includes digital to analog converter (DAC) chip type MC1408, dual 4 channel multiplexer/demultiplexer chip type CD4052, and dual channel op-amps types LF353 and LF347. DAC chip MC1408 receives an 8 bit word at data terminals D0-D7. DAC output (pin 4) is current source. One section of IC LF353 is used to change this current to a voltage representative of the 8 bit digital word received by the DAC chip. The LF353 voltage is applied to an input of the dual 4 channel multiplexer (MUX) chip CD4052. This same voltage (designated "DAC" on the schematic) is the X-axis drive signal. The CD4052 MUX chip serves two purposes: it selectively couples, under MPU control, the output of the DAC current/voltage converter to one of 4 places and is used to selectively couple the inputs from the joystick pots to the voltage comparator IC LF353. ================================================================================ Q. What games were released or on the drawing board before Vectrex died? Production # Name (Notes) [Size or NR=Not Released] ------------ ---------------------------------------------------------- VT 3000 Minestorm (built-in game; Asteroids clone) [4K] VT 3101 Cosmic Chasm (1st home game ported to arcade) [4K] VT 3102 Rip Off (Cinematronics arcade port) [4K] VT 3103 Scramble (Konami arcade port) [4K] VT 3104 Solar Quest (Cinematronics arcade port) [4K] VT 3105 Space Wars (Cinematronics arcade port) [4K] VT 3106 Starhawk (Cinematronics arcade port) [4K] VT 3107 Star Trek (AKA Star Ship in Europe) [4K] VT 3108 Web Wars (AKA Web Warp in ?????) (best game?) [8K] VT 3109 Star Castle (Cinematronics arcade port) [4K] VT 3201 Hyperchase (very bad driving game) [4K] VT 3202 Blitz! Action Football [8K] VT 3203 Heads-Up Action Soccer (AKA Soccer in Europe) [8K] VT 3204 Spinball (AKA Flipper in Europe) (has PAUSE!) [8K] VT 3205 Pitcher's Duel -OR- Batter Up Action Baseball [NR] VT 3206 Pole Position (Atari/Namco arcade port) [8K] VT 3301 Armor Attack (Cinematronics arcade port) [4K] VT 3302 Berzerk (Stern arcade port; high levels crash)[4K] VT 3303 Clean Sweep (PacMan clone) [4K] VT 3304 Fortress of Narzod (great shooter) [8K] VT 3305 Bedlam (Tempest clone) [4K] VT 3306 Spike (It talks! Originally called Buster?) [8K] VT 3307 Dark Tower (does anybody have this?) [??] VT 3308 Polar Rescue (Good subhunt game) (has PAUSE!) [8K] VT 3600 Light Pen (Hardware; required for 360X games) VT 3601 Art Master (light pen) (pack-in game) [4K] VT 3602 Melody Master (light pen) [8K] VT 3603 Mail Plane (light pen) (completed???) [NR] VT 3604 Animaction (light pen) [8K+2K RAM] VT 3630 3-D Imager (Hardware; required for 363X games) VT 3631 3-D Pole Position (3-D) (completed?) [NR] VT 3632 3D Minestorm (3-D) (pack-in game) [8K] VT 3633 Narrow Escape (3-D) (same color disk as CC) [8K] VT 3634 Crazy Coaster (3-D) (same color disk as NE) [8K] VT ???? Test Cartridge (issued to repair centers only)[??] The following games and accessories were planned but never released: Cartridges: Art Master II Art Master III Art Master IV Basic Science Create-A-Game/Maze Exploring the Solar System Flipout Mail Plane Pitcher's Duel Pole Position (for 3D imager) Power Trip Sock It Tour de France Accessories: Touch-Sensitive Screen Computer Adaptor with BASIC (prototypes rumored to exist) Computer Keyboard Printer Disk Driver/Wafer Tape Drive Modem Computer Software: Create Your Own Video Game Music Maestro Art Program in LOGO Basic Science Solar System Word Processing ================================================================================ Q. Where is the Vectrex ftp archive and what is there? The ftp Vectrex information archive is at ftp.csus.edu (130.86.90.1) and is maintained by John F. Sandhoff (sandhoff@csus.edu). There are binary listings (2 flavors; pure binary from the ROMs, and Intel "S-format" dumps) for most of the games along with instructions on how to burn Eproms. There are several commented examples of code demonstrating how to write both music and graphics. There is also a copy of the service manual and much more. Almost all of the stuff is bundled into a compressed file called "vectrex.tar.Z". There are plenty of experiments to keep an eager hacker busy. Recently, some GIF/JPEG files were added showing some of the screen overlays (there are also GIFs of the 2 color wheels). Also, text files of the manuals for most, if not all, of the games are there. David Wright (davewt@NCoast.ORG) will be putting the vectrex stuff up his email server. If you don't have FTP access, this may work for you. If you want to try and get at it, the email server is at "impinfo@Prism1.COM". If your site doesn't like that, try "prism1!impinfo@NCoast.ORG". To receive a list of the files available place "send vect.index" in the message body. You can also add "send help" to get a complete set of instructions. Be aware that some of these files are huge and may push you over your mailbox or disk space quota immediately. ================================================================================ Q. Isn't copying the games by burning EPROMs stealing or violating a copyright? If the system is "dead" then no money is lost by making copies of something which otherwise would never be available. Even so, it is a fuzzy matter and technically the answer should probably be, "YES." Fortunately, Smith Engineering has given Usenetters permission to make copies of all Vectrex related materials (manuals, games, overlays, etc.) as long as it is for distribution to members of the group and as long as it is not for profit. ================================================================================ Q. Do I have to make my own multi-cart; can't I just buy one from somebody? No; I mean, Yes, err... There are at least 5 people making multi-carts for resale on the net but the best ones (by far) are being made by Mark Woodward (woodward@Newbridge.com). If you do not have email, you can reach him by phone at 613/591-3600 during the day time (EDT zone).. He is making multi-carts which don't require an old cart to be cannibalized since he is getting PCBs made up for the job. His carts allow you to select the games via a menu on the Vectrex screen instead of by flipping dip switches as all the others do. The carts support the RAM for Animaction and include a 'pause' button allowing you to pause any of the games (my idea; thank you :). They contain all the released games plus the Test Cart and 2 hacked versions of Minestorm (infinite lives and more shots). The price breakdown is as follows... $30 PCB + S/W selection $20 EPROM (unless you can send me one) $5 RAM (Optional) If he builds it for you then there is $5 charge for miscellaneous parts and you are obligated donate $10 to a local charity to cover his time. This is in the spirit of the Smith Engineering agreement for 'not-for-profit' duplication. The only 'profit' he get is from the s/w selection code which he deserves and is entitled to because he wrote (owns) it. The games have been generously donated by Smith Engineering and the parts are sold at cost (with a little to cover shipping). To 1 complete, ready-to-play multicart costs $60. The PCBs are made at a professional manufacturer and include plated through holes, etc. No hack and slash job here :> If you want to build it yourself he can provide you with the PCB, a programmed EPROM (or disk if you can blast your own) and a parts list. ================================================================================ Q. How do I play ? Simple, read the manual. WHAT; you don't have a manual? OK then, read the screen overlay (it lists the functions of all the buttons). You don't have the screen overlay either? In that case most (maybe all by now) of the manuals have been transcribed into text files and made available via ftp. YOU DON'T HAVE FTP EITHER? OK, I'll tell you what; in the spirit of Smith Engineering's generosity, I will volunteer my services as Vectrex copy shop. I have all of the overlays and manuals (as well as some extra stuff like the service manual, "Passport" magazine, the "Triton" and "Passport" catalog pamphlets, and the "High Performance Machine" pamphlet) and am willing to make copies for free to anybody that is willing to play by my "rules". You must send a Self-Addressed, Stamped Envelope (SASE) along with a listing of everything that you want photocopies of (black and white copies only; if you want color overlay copies, send $2.50 for each one since color copies cost $$$). You will receive double sided copies unless you specifically request single sided ones. I will fill the orders only about once a month so don't hold your breath for a quick return. Please note that these will not be replicas in any particular sense. I will be copying them as you would a book (I WILL NOT REMOVE THE STAPLES TO REPLICATE THE SHEETS TO FACILITATE MAKING EXACT DUPLICATES). If you want exact duplicates, you will need to modify the copies I send you (I am trying to keep my effort to a minimum). If I need to fold something to fit it in your SASE, then I will, so keep that in mind if you want unfolded stuff. The amount of postage is left up to you to figure out; I am just going to copy, stuff, and send; I will not verify sufficient postage. Tips are appreciated (particularly if you are asking for a *lot* of copying) but not neccesary nor required; this is a free service. Send SASE to: Gregg Woodcock 2930 Dukeswood Drive Garland, TX 75040-8770 U.S.A P.S. If you take advantage of either of these services, it would be nice if you would "pay the community back" by transcribing at least one document that is not currently at the ftp site and uploading it (or emailing it to me and I will get it there). I am pretty sure none of the "extra" stuff I have has been transcribed yet. P.P.S. If you have an original service manual, please contact me so I can get an copy of it (or buy it from you). The copy I have is Nth generation and is very hard to read... ================================================================================ Q. How can I make a copy of a screen overlay? With the advances made in the past 2 years in color scanners, copiers and priners, it is now possible to make a near exact duplicate with the push of a (few) button(s). 0. First you need an original overlay, prefereably one with little fading. 1. If you want a "rough" copy, simply get a good high end color photocopy onto acetate (those overhead projector plastic sheets). 2. If you want a better copy, you scan the image, preferably in color. I think 150 dpi is okay though some people may want to go for maximum resolution. 3. Then you need a good paint program, I used Adobe Photoshop to do some preliminary clean-up work, but I have a feeling it would take quite a bit of work to make a perfect overlay. 4. Prining--the critical part. You need a color printer that can do acetate (animation cel) printouts. Unfortunately, no color printer can work on thick sheets, which brings us to 5. 5. You need go to to a hobby shop and get a piece of .045 thick clear sheet of [poly]styrene. Its prtty cheap. 6. The only part I haven't worked out, bonding the acetate overlay to the styrene. It is probable that there are some mucho expensive color printers that professional print shops use that can print onto any thickness sheets but I haven't done much looking. Thanks to Noel for this info. ================================================================================ Q. My Vectrex is very noisy; is there anything I can do to make it any quieter? Here is what Daniel A Muntz (dmuntz@quip.eecs.umich.edu) said helped him: The noise isn't digital in nature and it closely follows the video. It also isn't a power supply problem; isolating the audio input of the amplifier from the sound circuit revealed no noise at all. It seems the noise is generated in two ways: 1: By induction; Moving the audio cable around makes the noise less or more prominent. It is at minimum when the cable is placed in its original manufactured groove. Good design since that's farthest from the CRT yoke. 2: By ground impedance; Although all supplies are clean the hum is still present in the modulated dc difference between the two boards. A definite improvement can be achieved by doing the following: 1: Rewiring the ground between the digital and video board. 2: Shielding audio circuit and changing cable to volume pot to a better shielded one. ================================================================================ Q. My joystick wont auto-center anymore; can I fix it? (A.K.A. How do I get inside or open up my joystick?) You can't make it "good-as-new", but you can repair it so that is is usable again. You must first mangle the sticker on the back of the joystick to get at the 2 screws that hold it together. Just feel around and you should be able to see where the holes are. You can either try to peel back the sticker (very bad idea) or simply punch 2 holes in it so you can remove the screws (leaving most of the sticker intact). Now that you have the joystick open, remove the broken spring that used to center the joystick. Use the core from the largest available guitar string to replace the spring you just removed. If you snip off one end you can remove the (usually gold) wire wrapped around a core wire by pulling on the gold wire. Credit goes to Dan Muntz once again for this clever solution. ================================================================================ Q. Are there tricks or cheats for any Vectrex games? YES! (Vectrex had cheats back when they were still known as bugs): ARMOR ATTACK: If you crank the brightness all the way up, you are able to see the helicopter's position as soon as you hear it (even thought it is off the screen). Blitz!: If you get a 1st and inches (1 and 0 to go), as long as you stay on the 0 yd line, you keep getting first downs. - adamfox@super.org FORTRESS OF NARZOD: If you can somehow manage to kill the gorilla (AKA the "Mystic Hurler") at the same time he kills you, your lives remaining will turn into the infinity sign (oo) and you will have 255 lives. It is not known for sure if your lives in reserve value has to be zero for this to work (probably so). MINESTORM: The brightness trick allows you to see the "invisible" mines. SPACE WARS: Either ship is invincible after being hit, while pieces are in the air. This may not sound like much, or maybe this was intentional, but I've played against people who make this their entire strategy. They skim the edge of the Star in the middle, just to knock off a tail section or something, and then while they are invincible, they fly right into you. Not nice, but it works very well. The time window is surprisingly long. SCRAMBLE: A quote from Paul Allen Newell, developer of the game: I remember going thru long discussions with management about giving the programmers credit on the games. Western Technologies and/or GCE didn't approve it and most of the programmers hide their names somewhere in the games. My "Easter Egg" can be located in "Scramble" by doing the following. If you have two controllers with joystick and buttons, put them both in; otherwise, use the single one in the usual position. While "Scramble" is displaying its "game # player #" section, move the joystick so it is "down". When "Scramble" starts, keep it in this down position so your plane crashes on the floor BEFORE THE MOUNTAINS START. Do this for all you ships, DO NOT PUSH ANY BUTTONS TO FIRE BOMBS OR BULLETS. When it is over, the display "end" will come up. WITHOUT TOUCHING ANY BUTTONS, unplug the main controller and move it to the "player two" plug (if you have two controllers, this step is not necessary). Then, with the "player two" controller, PUSH ALL FOUR BUTTONS SIMULTANEOUSLY. They must all go down at the same time. Repeat until you get all four down at the same time. You'll know when you see the word "end" change into something else. This is the first time I have documented the method, having only mentioned it to friends or hinted to others. Enjoy! (Thanks a LOT to Stefan Herr for digging up this one-of-a-kind jem!) SPIKE: If you position the door ALMOST all the way to the right of the screen, then jump into it, so as to be jammed between the door, and the little space that is left; the game freaks out, you will be pushed forward about 47,000 points, and the difficulty will be increased proportionally. ================================================================================ Q. What is the history of the Vectrex? A. Thanks a lot to Stefan Herr (steve@lioness.okapi.sub.org) for the following information he dug up while researching an article for a European gaming magazine. If you have any additions or corrections, please contact both of us. Thanks also to Chris King who sent me personal email to fill some gaps. VECTREX TIMETABLE ----------------- End 1980/Spring 1981: The development of Vectrex starts with an idea by Jay Smith, head of Western Technologies/Smith Engineering, and his talented staff for a small, vector scan table top game they call "Mini Arcade". It is possible that the real inspiration for the product may have actually come from Gerry Karr and/or John Ross. Spring 1981: The Vectrex idea is optioned to Kenner (known for their "Star Wars", "Care Bears", "Batman" and "Batman Returns" figures). Vectrex planned to have a 5" black and white tube. 06/1981: Paul A. Newell is hired by Western Technologies to join the "Atari reverse engineering project" group (aim: be able to write games for the VCS 2600) which at that point consisted of Mark Indictor and John Hall. 07/1981: Kenner declines to pursue the Vectrex. 08 or 09/1981: The Vectrex concept is licensed by GCE (General Consumer Electronics). GCE's president Ed Krakauer had the vision to see the great potential of the system. To enhance its appeal, GCE asks that the screen be increased to 9-inches. Autumn 1981: The Atari project is cancelled and the three Atari people (M.I., P.N., J.H.) start work on the Vectrex project. John Ross designs the hardware, Gerry Karr works together with John Hall on the system ROM (called "The Executive"). In the beginning it is planned to use a 6502 processor which turns out to be too slow. For this reason the 6809 is used finally. Jan 1982: Bill Hawkins and Chris King join the Western Tech. They were both students at Georgia Tech at the time and are hired by Ed Smith as "Cooperative Education" students. They are supposed to work for three months and then go back to school. Duncan Muirhead joins a week or two afterwards. He had just dropped out of a Physics PHD program at UCLA. ??: A strict timetable demands that the first 12 games and the hardware should be ready in June 1982. ??: John Hall later exclusively works on "Mine Storm" while Gerry Karr works on The Executive alone. Gerry starts over from scratch and changes the name to the RUM (Run Time Monitor). In the end, a number of people contribe to the RUM, most notably Duncan Muirhead who handled most of the heavy trig stuff. 04/1982: Paul Newell finishes "Scramble". Mine Storm, Bezerk, Scamble, Rip Off, and Star Trek were all completed at the same time. 06/1982: The Vectrex is introduced to the public on the Summer-CES in Chicago. Summer 1982: Mark Indictor, John Hall and others are directly hired by GCE to write more games. Paul Newell and Duncan Muirhead leave Western Technologies to join Simutrek, a company developing arcade laser disc games ("Cube Quest"). Chris King leaves 6 months later. Noah Anglin (former vice president of Atari) was hired by GCE as a consultant to watch over the development of Vectrex. It was a good deal for him since he recruited the core of the software guys for his new company, Simutrek, from Western Technologies. Unfortunatly, this wasn't enough. Simutrek died on the vine. ??: Mark Indictor and his family move about two hours out of Los Angeles and he writes games in the seclusion of a pine forest at 5,000 ft. He even has an NBC news crew come up and interview him for a news show on weird computer hackers and their life styles. Late summer 82: Start of mass production. 11/1982: Vectrex is available in the USA for $199. Very positive reviews in the magazines. Paul Newell's "Scramble" gets the "Arcade Award" of the "Electronic Games" magazine for the best "Mini-Arcade game" (a category which is founded exclusively for the Vectrex). Spring 1983: GCE is acquired by Milton Bradley (MB). 03/1983: Vectrex is announced in the German "Telematch" magazine for the first time in Germany. Summer 1983: Distribution begins in Germany and many other west European countries by Milton BradleyB (German office located in Fuerth). 1983: Several efforts fail in developing a color Vectrex. One obvious project is to use a color TV tube; however, this is always too expensive. Another is to use a projection TV with three vector scan tubes. It works well but is commercially impractical. Yet another effort is to use two layers of color phosphor on a black and white type TV tube. By varying the high voltage level, the electron beam would excite the bottom layer or the top layer. However the high voltage cannot be changed rapidly enough to keep up with the scan. 02/1984: "Artmaster Lightpen", "Star Castle", "Polar Rescue", "Animaction" and "Pole Position" presented on the "Nuernberger Spielwarenmesse" (Germany's most important show for the toy industry). around 02/84: 3D-Imager is presented at the Winter-CES in Las Vegas. 31/03/1984: End of Vectrex in Germany: MB in Fuerth announces stop of sales on this date. Rest of 1984: Vectrex is phased out as Hasbro buys Milton Bradley and video game fever comes crashing down (probable reason: home computer fever). Rummage sales in Germany (mainly in stores of the METRO-chain, which had bought the rest of MB's stock) close out Vectrex equipment at bargain prices. 1988: Western Technologie/Smith Enginerring tries to resurrect Vectrex as a handheld unit. It is to be based on the Sinclair flat TV tube, which has fast static deflection at low power consumption and low cost. However, the impending introduction of GameBoy causes the idea to be scrapped. 10/1993: A feature about the 10th anniversary of the Vectrex is published in the German "Video Games" magazine. Contains technical descriptions, pictures of Jay Smith and Mark Indictor, a Vectrex history and a list of games and accessories. The article is based on information collected by the author (Stefan Herr) from the Usenet Vectrex newsgroup, various FTP archives, many emails from several former Vectrex developers and a historical overiew about the development by Jay Smith. There are not very many evidences of the existance of a computer keyboard with a BASIC cartridge (or something similar) for the Vectrex. The only hint known is an article in an old issue of "Creative Computing" magazine. In the first couple of pages they do a ranking of computers' speed based on some simple benchmark. There is an entry for the vectrex in it using Vectrex basic. It is the issue that reviewed the original Macintosh (1984?). LIST OF PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE VECTREX DEVELOPMENT --------------------------------------------------- Jeff Corseglia Main game desginer (titles unknown) John Hall (*) Worked on The Executive Author of Mine Storm Bill Hawkins Author of Cosmic Chasm Author of Rip Off Author of at least 3 other (later) titles. Mark Indictor (*) First duties during development: Software for communication with the ICE (In-Circuit-Emulator) Star Trek Games: for Western Technologies: Star Trek for GCE Spinball Polar Rescue Mail Plane (not published, for use with Lightpen) Tour de France (not published) Gerry Karr Took over The Executive project, after John Hall concentrated on Mine Storm Chris King Author of Berzerk Author of Hyperchase Ronald J. Logsdon Author of Melody Master for the Lightpen Kim Martin Digitized the Scramble landscapes Beta-tester (mainly for Scramble) Richard "the mouse" Moskowski Programmed games (titles unkonwn) Designed game watches prior to Vectrex Duncan Muirhead Joined WT at the end of 1981 (or beginning of 82) Author of Armor...Attack Walter Nakano Model builder; co-designed the external case 1-2 years before the Macintosh. Paul Allen Newell (*) Sole author of Scramble Gary Niles Executive Officer of some kind Mike Purvis "Hardware Tech" (responsibilities unknown) John Ross Developer of the hardware Tom Sloper Main game desginer (titles unknown) Went on to work high up at Activision but has left for now. Ed Smith (Jay's brother) Manager of enginerring during early development Before Vectrex, he worked at Harris in Orlando and frequently used GA Tech Co-ops Hired a bunch of ex-Harris guys to work at a new Wester Technologies branch office in Orlando where a number of games were written Jay Smith Founder and president of Western Technologies/Smith Engineering Colin Vowels Model builder; co-designed the external case 1-2 years before the Macintosh. (*): These persons worked on the "Atari reverse engineering" project. Only one of the three games that were created by that group was released (the one written by Paul Newell). Anyway, the whole project was cancelled later because the competition (e.g. Activision) was too big. Other people involved (this list does not claim to be complete) were David Blair, Alan Cobb, Jeff Corsiglia, Ed Faris, Joel Hassell, Don Herndon, Ed Horton, Bill Hudson, Kevin Hudson, Nolan Johnson, Patrick King, Steve Marking, Lori Pearsall, and Bob Rutowski. Sources: Electronic mails from Mark Indictor, Paul Newell, Chris King, Ronald J. Logsdon, personal letter from Jay Smith, several articles from "Electronic Games" magazine (provided by Paul Newell), article from "Creative Computing" magazine (provided by Dion Dock). ================================================================================ Send corrections, suggestions, additions, ect. to woodcock@bnr.ca -- THANX...Gregg day 214.684.7380 night UNLIST/PUBL TEXAS NOT CANADA! woodcock@bnr.ca or woodcock@nt.com or bn202@cleveland.freenet.edu *CLASSIC VIDEOGAME COLLECTOR BUY/SELL/TRADE PRE-NINTENDO (ARCADE/HOME)* "If you quote me on this I'll have to deny it; I won't remember because I have such a bad memory. Not only that, but my memory is *terrible*." + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!wupost!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!umn.edu!mr.net!winternet.com!sydtech From: sydtech@winternet.com (Sydtech) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex,rec.games.video.classic Subject: Kicking myself.... Date: 4 Jun 1994 05:17:42 GMT Organization: StarNet Communications, Inc Lines: 8 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2sp2pm$f8j@blackice.winternet.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: icicle.winternet.com X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Xref: csus.edu rec.games.vectrex:1735 rec.games.video.classic:7410 ...because I remember seeing a Vectrex in one of the local (Minneapolis) thrift shops for $20 and I didn't get it (I was too intent on getting Atari console stuff). After reading the Vectrex FAQ, I'm bummed. What do these things go for? Any good sources for 'em, or is it pretty much try to get lucky at a thrift shop? + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!netcom.com!wdao From: wdao@netcom.com (Walter DAO) Subject: Mark Woodward's cart ... Message-ID: Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest) Date: Sat, 4 Jun 1994 06:04:23 GMT Lines: 14 I can assure you all that his cart is now working. He had had a few problems with the first batch (they didnt work depending on which country your Vectrex machine was from). I guess it takes time to desolder the eproms, reprogram them, and resolder them onto the circuit board. (I think it is the way it works, I have never played with such beasts). I guess I must be one of the few lucky ones who have received a working cart. As a side note, when I got the cartridge from the US-Snail, I thought it was never going to work. The padded envelope was in very bad shape (as if some body had stepped on it several times with combat boots). Walt + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex,rec.games.video.classic Path: csus.edu!netcom.com!rjung From: rjung@netcom.com (Robert A. Jung) Subject: Re: Kicking myself.... Message-ID: Organization: Southern California Lynx Enthusiasts References: <2sp2pm$f8j@blackice.winternet.com> Distribution: inet Date: Sat, 4 Jun 1994 17:41:56 GMT Lines: 24 Xref: csus.edu rec.games.vectrex:1737 rec.games.video.classic:7418 In article <2sp2pm$f8j@blackice.winternet.com> sydtech@winternet.com (Sydtech) writes: >...because I remember seeing a Vectrex in one of the local (Minneapolis) >thrift shops for $20 and I didn't get it (I was too intent on getting >Atari console stuff). After reading the Vectrex FAQ, I'm bummed. > >What do these things go for? Any good sources for 'em, or is it pretty >much try to get lucky at a thrift shop? I got mine for $15, with five cartridges and two controllers (one was broken, but that's no big deal). It seems like $10-$35 for used Vectrexes is a common range in the "real world". On the net, however, they'd go for $150 or more (at least that's how much I'd ask before I'd sell mine B-). They're pretty hard to find. I happen to have gotten pretty lucky, and spotted a "for sale" ad in the company newspaper. --R.J. B-) //////////////////////////////////////|\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Send whatevers to rjung@netcom.com | If it has pixels, I'm for it. --------------------------------------+------------------------------Lynx up! "You weren't chosen because you are the best pilot in the Air Force. You were chosen because you are the class clown and frankly, you're expendable." + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!wupost!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uknet!EU.net!uunet!news2.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!ns1.unicomp.net!ns1.unicomp.net!not-for-mail From: woodcock@ns1.unicomp.net (Gregg Woodcock) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex,rec.games.video.classic,rec.games.video.marketplace Subject: Re: [Vectrex] HW and SW for auction! Followup-To: rec.games.vectrex Date: 4 Jun 1994 12:34:20 -0500 Organization: UniComp Technologies International Corp. An Internet Service Provider, 214-663-3155 FAX 214-663-3170 info@unicomp.net Lines: 18 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2sqdus$32l@ns1.unicomp.net> References: <2sou4g$pjb@ns1.unicomp.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: ns1 Xref: csus.edu rec.games.vectrex:1738 rec.games.video.classic:7419 rec.games.video.marketplace:10590 OK, so I lied in that last post; THIS will be the last posting about the auction; I forgot to mention one thing... This auction will be a little different than the ones before. Instead of cash only, I am willing take merchandise in trade for up to 50% of the final price. I collect all pre-Nintendo 8-bit systems and videogame magazines and books I will also consider SMS, Genesis, Lynx, and TG16 stuff. I also collect classic arcade games. This means that if you have 50 2600 games that you are selling for $2 (or whatever; I already have a bunch of recent postings archived) and you win the 3D goggles for $200, I will take the 50 games ("worth" $100) and $100 cash. If you have particularly rare stuff such as 2600 Tooth Protectors, I will remove the 50% restriction and make it even trades. This should make it a lot easier for classic collectors to bid on merchandise. Email me what you have for sale/trade and I'll tell you how much trade credit you have (by deleting the stuff I already have from your list and keeping the stuff that I nedd and consider priced appropriately). + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!bt!uknet!EU.net!uunet!dziuxsolim.rutgers.edu!er1.rutgers.edu!rcwal From: rcwal@er1.rutgers.edu (Richard Walter) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Vectrex and carts for sale Summary: Vectrex and 5 carts for sale Keywords: Vectrex Vector Message-ID: Date: 6 Jun 94 01:00:26 GMT Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 15 Hello, I have a great condition Vectrex for sale with 5 carts (two of them still in the box with instructions and overlays): Cosmic Chasm Scramble Berzerk Star Trek (boxed) Blitz (boxed) Asking $125 plus shipping... email to: rcwal@eden.rutgers.edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!sundog.tiac.net!max.tiac.net!krishna From: krishna@max.tiac.net (Glenn M. Saunders) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts Date: 6 Jun 1994 03:15:21 GMT Organization: The Internet Access Company Lines: 11 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2su4c9$23o@sundog.tiac.net> References: <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> <2sktjk$gt9@organpipe.uug.arizona.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: max.tiac.net X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Marshall Ramsey (mramsey@nicmos.as.arizona.edu) wrote: : I am also waiting for my cart. In the past, Mark has been pretty good : about returning email. However, my last one also went unanswered. Perhaps : he is on vacation (I know I need one :) ). I guess he is making these in : batches and we must be low on the list. Does anyone know more on the : status of production? Why doesn't he make his plans for the supercart public domain then maybe others could start making them and meet demand? + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!dw901 From: dw901@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael J. Novak Jr.) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: games FOR SALE/TRADE Date: 6 Jun 1994 06:02:33 GMT Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA) Lines: 34 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2sue5p$g0u@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: roo.ins.cwru.edu I have a large number of personally owned video games FOR SALE/TRADE for the following systems: SEGA GENESIS SEGA CD SUPER NINTENDO ATARI JAGUAR Please send e-mail if you would like to get a copy of the current list. I will not be posting it from now on at the request of my account manager (despite the existence of similar messages). If you request it, I will add you to my e-mail list (which I am starting). I apologize for any inconvenience which my posts may have caused anyone in the past. If interested leave E-Mail at -=+> dw901@cleveland.Freenet.Edu or call (216) 843-8815, and leave a message (24 hours a day). I ALSO BUY USED GAMES, SYSTEMS, AND ACCESSORIES! TOP DOLLAR PAID! Michael J. Novak Jr. P.S. I am also interested in older systems and games. P.S.S. If you do respond, PLEASE don't quote back this post! I know what I posted!!! -- Are you interested in BUYING/SELLING/TRADING personally owned video games for: SEGA GENESIS, SEGA CD, SUPER NINTENDO, and ATARI JAGUAR??? For a copy of my current list, or to be placed on my e-mail list, please leave E-Mail at -=+> dw901@cleveland.Freenet.Edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!umn.edu!kksys.com!gk From: gk@kksys.com (Greg Kemnitz) Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts Message-ID: Organization: K & K Systems References: <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> <2sktjk$gt9@organpipe.uug.arizona.edu> <2su4c9$23o@sundog.tiac.net> Distribution: inet Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 09:37:17 GMT Lines: 54 Regarding the recent discussion about the Woodward all-in-1 game cartridges, below is included the text of a message I just sent to Mark. I'm hoping he will respond to all of us who are attempting to wait patiently for the cartridges. I would appreciate any info anyone else reading this group has regarding the status of the cartridges, and whether or not anyone has received their cartridge so far. ==== included message follows ==== From: gk (Greg Kemnitz) Subject: Vectrex cartridges To: woodward@newbridge.com, mcrw@earth2.ocunix.on.ca Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 04:29:34 -0500 (CDT) Reply-To: gk@kksys.com Mark - It's been a long time since we last corresponded about the cartridges you were going to be sending me. We're way beyond the time you most recently promised to send them, too. What is happening? I understand that unforseen problems occur, but it has been way too long to keep relying on that explaination. I appreciate that you may have gotten into a commitment that has proven difficult to keep, but I think we all deserve to know what is going on. Would you please post a status update to the net, and send a copy to the folks who have not yet received their cartridges (myself included)? As a gesture of good faith, I think it would also be appropriate to post a list of the names and email addresses of the folks who are waiting, along with the date of their order, to give us an idea of how far down in the queue we all are. If -anyone- has been sent their cartridges, it would be appropriate to list them as well, along with a note of the date their cartridge was sent. If you need help with the project, I know that there are others on the net who would be willing to help put the cartridges together, or to assist in debugging the design if that is the holdup. All you need do is ask... Also, if the design works on some revisions and not others, perhaps the folks who have the revisions it works with would be willing to accept the cartridge as currently designed, since it would likely never need to be used with a system other than the one they have. Please keep us all informed! Thanks! -- Greg Kemnitz / K and K Systems / PO Box 47804 / Plymouth, MN 55447-0804 Internet: gk@kksys.com / Voice: +1 612 475 1527 / Fax: +1 612 449 0488 Alternate Internet: gk@kksys.mn.org / ICBM: 44 59 20 N, 93 28 22 W + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Date: Mon, 06 Jun 94 08:07:30 EST Path: csus.edu!decwrl!portal.com!uunet!iat.holonet.net!ibbs.com!rabies From: rabies@ibbs.com Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Organization: Infinity BBS - 714-898-3236 Message-ID: <4482KJGEYUUONJYYYW@ibbs.com> Subject: Vectrex Programming Lines: 3 Does anyone have a working interface/emulator for the Vectrex? I'd like to program it, but there's no way I can build my own interface/emulator. + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!tcsi.tcs.com!mira!keith From: keith@mira.tcs.com (Keith Jarett) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex,rec.games.video.classic,rec.games.video.marketplace Subject: Wanted: Space Wars cartridge for Vectrex Date: 7 Jun 1994 15:54:20 GMT Organization: Teknekron Communications Inc. Lines: 17 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2t257c$apa@tcsi.tcs.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: mira.tcs.com Xref: csus.edu rec.games.vectrex:1744 rec.games.video.classic:7486 rec.games.video.marketplace:10688 I am looking for a Space Wars cartridge for Vectrex. I do not need the box or overlay, since they aren't the part I lost! I will pay cash or trade you any two of the following cartridges: Spike Heads-up (Soccer -- highly apropos to the World Cup playoffs) Scramble Blitz (football) Star Trek Spinball I will pay shipping in both directions. keith@tcs.com Keith Jarett + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.umbc.edu!haven.umd.edu!cville-srv.wam.umd.edu!glennj From: glennj@wam.umd.edu (James Richard Glenn) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts Date: 7 Jun 1994 19:43:03 GMT Organization: University of Maryland College Park Lines: 5 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2t2ik7$goo@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> References: <2skccu$5nr@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> <2sktjk$gt9@organpipe.uug.arizona.edu> <2su4c9$23o@sundog.tiac.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: rac1.wam.umd.edu X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL0] Just to give all those who are waiting an idea of how things are going: I ordered my multicart last July and got it a month ago. --Jim Glenn glennj@cs.umd.edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!ah499 From: ah499@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (John Daniels) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts Date: 7 Jun 1994 21:05:23 GMT Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA) Lines: 39 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2t2nel$f6r@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: roo.ins.cwru.edu I had no idea when I posted my initial query that it would precipitate such an avalanche of postings. I recieved an email response a day or two after the post from Mark Woodward: >Date: Thu Jun 2 09:18:27 1994 >From: woodward@Newbridge.COM (Mark Woodward) >Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts >To: ah499@cleveland.Freenet.Edu >Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex > > >My home address has been out for about a month but the Newbridge has >been the working (as far as I know). Did the mail bounce or just >disappear? > >Anyhow, the carts are being sent out as I do the mods to them. I'd have >to check my list to see if yours has gone already which is at home. You >should see it it a couple of weeks. > >Mark > >-- > Mark C.R Woodward woodward@newbridge.com [work] > mcrw@earth2.ocunix.on.ca [home] >Relax, Dont worry... Load up Linux Real computers dont run >MS-DOS > >------------------------------- Nothing to worry about. PATIENT AND SATISFIED John Daniels ah499@cleveland.freenet.edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!kksys.com!gk From: gk@kksys.com (Greg Kemnitz) Subject: Re: Woodward multicarts Message-ID: Organization: K & K Systems Distribution: inet Date: Wed, 8 Jun 1994 07:36:23 GMT Lines: 40 A couple of days ago I posted a copy of my email to Mark Woodward asking for a status update for those of us waiting on cartridges. Here's his reply: From: woodward@Newbridge.COM (Mark Woodward) Subject: Re: Vectrex cartridges Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 07:41:06 -0400 (EDT) I know it has been an excessive amount of time since the carts were ordered. The original orders must be almost a year now. Up until xmas I had an excuse with the US/UK problem but that was fixed in January. At that point I sent out a few carts to make sure I had really fixed the problem (testing on two different machines did'nt seem like good coverage). It took about 4 weeks until they all had them and responded. That still leaves 3 months I've wasted. However as you can see the time is 7:30 am. I was in here yesterday and saturday. I've been swamped with work here and the wife has a list of things for me to do around the house :> All the carts that did'nt have the eproms soldered in before my fix have been reprogrammed and sent out. I have to program the others in-vitro or pull them out. Thats the part I've been procrastinating on. I did bring one into work yesterday to try and patch (its a one byte fix) but the programmer did'nt want to play. After sleeping on it I thought it might be due to the fact I have pullups on the address lines, I've removed them and will try again today. I've tried to post from Newbridge but they get lost, even posts to alt.test dont get answered. The sysadmin is blaiming our gateway (and firewall) but that was about a month ago and I havent tried since. I'm going to be going to Santa Barbra next week and will mail the 5 carts that are for that area. The rest will be done when I get back. I'd have to check my list (at home) to see who I have already sent them to but off the top of my head is Greg Woodcock and Walter Dao. Sorry I have to run... work... sigh... - -- Mark C.R Woodward woodward@newbridge.com [work] mcrw@earth2.ocunix.on.ca [home] -- Greg Kemnitz / K and K Systems / PO Box 47804 / Plymouth, MN 55447-0804 Internet: gk@kksys.com / Voice: +1 612 475 1527 / Fax: +1 612 449 0488 Alternate Internet: gk@kksys.mn.org / ICBM: 44 59 20 N, 93 28 22 W + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Date: Wed, 08 Jun 94 21:48:10 EST Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!iat.holonet.net!ibbs.com!rabies From: rabies@ibbs.com Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Organization: Infinity BBS - 714-898-3236 Message-ID: <29914OMCIAXNLQXLNNV@ibbs.com> Subject: I feel really lucky! Lines: 7 To all of you guys who've been bidding in the Woodcock auction... You amaze me! I paid 50$ for a perfect Vectrex & 5 games WITH overlays! I know a couple people who paid 20$ for similar deals. Oh well.... it's going to be amusing watching how high those bids get! + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!pacbell.com!att-out!cbnewsd!cbnewsc!gw1!news.bu.edu!nntp-read!emerick From: emerick@csa.bu.edu (Emerick Rogul) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: I feel really lucky! Date: 10 Jun 1994 02:16:05 GMT Organization: Computer Science Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA Lines: 19 Distribution: inet Message-ID: References: <29914OMCIAXNLQXLNNV@ibbs.com> Reply-To: emerick@cs.bu.edu NNTP-Posting-Host: csa.bu.edu In-reply-to: rabies@ibbs.com's message of Wed, 08 Jun 94 21:48:10 EST On Wed, 08 Jun 94 21:48:10 EST, rabies@ibbs.com said: : To all of you guys who've been bidding in the Woodcock auction... : You amaze me! I paid 50$ for a perfect Vectrex & 5 games WITH overlays! : I know a couple people who paid 20$ for similar deals. : Oh well.... it's going to be amusing watching how high those bids get! Not half as amusing as someone who can't use a dollar sign correctly. -emerick -- Emerick Rogul =|= Some mornings it just doesn't seem worth emerick@cs.bu.edu =|= it to gnaw through the leather straps. (617) 262-6745 =|= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Finger me for PGP decoder ring =|= ObShaggy: Zooooiks, Scoob! + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!wupost!psuvax1!news.ecn.bgu.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!neoucom.edu!eff!news.duke.edu!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!torn!falcon.ccs.uwo.ca!gaul.csd.uwo.ca!magundi From: magundi@gaul.csd.uwo.ca (john macdonald) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex,rec.games.video.classic,rec.games.video.marketplace,rec.games.video.arcade,rec.games.video.misc,alt.games.video.classic,misc.forsale Subject: Vectrex cartridges for sale or trade Date: 10 Jun 1994 13:56:19 GMT Organization: The University of Western Ontario, London, Ont. Canada Lines: 75 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2t9re3$hm9@falcon.ccs.uwo.ca> NNTP-Posting-Host: asterix.gaul.csd.uwo.ca Xref: csus.edu rec.games.vectrex:1750 rec.games.video.classic:7525 rec.games.video.marketplace:10780 rec.games.video.arcade:39401 rec.games.video.misc:16978 alt.games.video.classic:4512 misc.forsale:117406 I have these vectrex cartridges for sale. All are brand new in boxes with overlays and instructions. Armor..Attack $15 Berzerk $12 Blitz! $12 Cosmic Chasm $12 Rip Off $35 Scramble $12 Star Trek $12 I also have a few cartridges that are used, without overlays or manuals. Armor..Attack $6 Blitz $6 Clean Sweep $6 $4 damaged label Cosmic Chasm $6 Hyperchase $6 Star Trek $6 Scramble $6 Solar Quest $10 Shipping ( Post Office ) includes insurance. 1-2 $5 3+ $6 I am open to trades of all kinds. I am currently looking for the following vectrex stuff Space Wars manual, overlay, box Star Castle overlay Heads up soccer everything Melody Master box in perfect condition Web Warp box ( not web wars ) 3D Narrow box 3D Crazy manual, box 3D minestorm manual, box, cart 3D imager box Polar Rescue everything Multi cartridge Joystick I am also interested in amiga, mac and ibm hard/software as trades 1.4M internal or external Mac Drive 2" 1M floppies SIMM's ( 1 meg x 9, 4 meg x8 or 9) SIMM's 72 pin Amiga 2.04 ROM and manual, ECS Denise, 2.0 RKM's, amax hardware Amiga cards of all kinds Amiga software. Not interested in games. Music software in particular. MAC music software, midi interface Hard drives 3.5" SCSI john macdonald magundi@uwo.ca (519) 432-9697 feel free to leave a message on the machine, but I can't really afford to call back long distance. PS If you responded to a previous posting in the last few months and did not get a reply it was mostly like due to account and mail problems. Sorry. + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!tcsi.tcs.com!mira!keith From: keith@mira.tcs.com (Keith Jarett) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex,rec.games.video.classic,rec.games.video.marketplace Subject: Improved offer: Wanted: Space Wars cartridge for Vectrex Date: 10 Jun 1994 23:37:24 GMT Organization: Teknekron Communications Inc. Lines: 19 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tatfk$fbi@tcsi.tcs.com> References: <2t257c$apa@tcsi.tcs.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: mira.tcs.com Xref: csus.edu rec.games.vectrex:1751 rec.games.video.classic:7527 rec.games.video.marketplace:10791 I am looking for a Space Wars cartridge for Vectrex. I do not need the box or overlay, since they aren't the part I lost! I will pay cash or trade you any THREE of the following cartridges: Spike Heads-up (Soccer -- highly apropos to the World Cup playoffs) Scramble Blitz (football) Star Trek Spinball I will pay shipping in both directions. keith@tcs.com Keith Jarett + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Date: Sun, 12 Jun 94 01:17:10 EST Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!iat.holonet.net!ibbs.com!rabies From: rabies@ibbs.com Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Organization: Infinity BBS - 714-898-3236 Message-ID: <026026FLLQGQTNSGSFJC@ibbs.com> Subject: Re my post about getting a vect for 50$... Lines: 36 To the couple people who replied to my "I feel lucky..." message... Here's a way to get a vectrex that worked for me, which almost guarantees a cheap price. (Asides from going to the swapmeet every week and hoping to find one, and hoping further still that the seller doesn't know its "value"...) I call a couple multi line BBSes locally. After finding a vectrex at a swapmeet but not buying it because the guy want more than 125$ for it, I became desperate and I resorted to simply asking everybody online I could think of "Do you own a Vectrex?!" I got several "NO, what is it?" but eventually (after a few days I think?) I found someone who had one stored away in a closet. This person had gotten one when the thing was still in stores, and eventually he put it away and never touched it again (as usually happens with "toys"). I made him an offer of 50$ and he agreed to sell it. SO, what you have to do is find those people who have them, but do not know there is a demand for them. Not everybody takes the time to sell the things they don't use anymore, so chances are there's hundreds of Vectrex's waiting to be adopted by someone who cares! (and sold by people who don't know the value!) I made 50$ my first bid (oh it had 5 games n overlays) but I probably should have started at 20$?? Regardless, if you convince the person you want it for the fun of it and not as a collector's item, you'll have no problem getting a good price! (So perhaps this method of finding one will work in Usenet areas that have nothing to do with video games, such as REC.PETS.CATS or whatevere. Rabies! + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!not-for-mail From: STUBRADFOWC@MERCUR.USAO.EDU (Bill Bradford) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: I got a Vectrex - should I sell it? If so, interested? Date: 13 Jun 1994 12:10:09 -0500 Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway Lines: 42 Sender: nobody@cs.utexas.edu Distribution: inet Message-ID: <940613120804.1adc@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: news.cs.utexas.edu I *just* got a Vectrex at a local secondhand store, after reading about the machine in this newsgroup. I had seen the machine at the store, and decided to go give a try at haggling today. I got it. 8-) However, I don't have the money to buy one of the Multicarts, so I'm gonna consider selling the unit. A question: (I'm a Vectrex newbie - about an hour, in fact) Is the text on the game title screens supposed to be italic? Some minor things that seem to be wrong with it: 1. The joystick doesen't auto-center vertically (Works fine, however, it just doesen't spring back to the middle up/downwards, but does horizontally) 2. I guess there's supposed to be a latch to hold the joystick onto the front of the machine when it's "folded up", but mine doesen't. You gotta hold the stick flat against the front of the case. It DOES have the little swivel-pins, however. It's got a Scramble cart, no overlay, no manual (bought the machine with the cart sticking out of the side..) Mine Storm works fine, as does Scramble. Only one joystick. Serial #110009. I'm not gonna tell what I got it for, but if you're interested in buying it (or swapping PC hardware for it), let me know by private email. If you've got any suggestions, send those along to me or the group. I don't know at this point whether to keep it, or sell it to an interested party. I'm more into collecting Atari carts than other stuff (but I DONT want offers of Atari stuff in trade). Thanks. Bill Bradford stubradfowc@mercur.usao.edu (405) 224-9156 (college dorm room) + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!agate!tcsi.tcs.com!mira!keith From: keith@mira.tcs.com (Keith Jarett) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: I got a Vectrex - should I sell it? If so, interested? Date: 13 Jun 1994 17:48:36 GMT Organization: Teknekron Communications Inc. Lines: 14 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2ti65k$6gj@tcsi.tcs.com> References: <940613120804.1adc@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: mira.tcs.com In article <940613120804.1adc@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> STUBRADFOWC@MERCUR.USAO.EDU (Bill Bradford) writes: > > 1. The joystick doesen't auto-center vertically > (Works fine, however, it just doesen't spring back to > the middle up/downwards, but does horizontally) One of the centering springs is broken. You need to open the controller (5 screw, I think, under the top label near the edges). I used a spring from a toggle bolt (butterfly-like device used to attach to drywall) to fix one of mine many years ago. keith@tcs.com Keith Jarett + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!news.dell.com!tadpole.com!uunet!hearst.acc.Virginia.EDU!murdoch!poe.acc.Virginia.EDU!sjb5q From: sjb5q@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Sol Joseph Bermann) Subject: Help Message-ID: Sender: usenet@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU Organization: uva Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 17:53:16 GMT Lines: 11 I am looking for RiK morgan's e-mail address. In early May I made a $9 bid for Solar Quest. I have not been able to e-mail him since to get his address so i can send him the money and get the cart. Rik, if you're out ther I still want the cart., please send me your address (e-mail and otherwise). Any help anyone can give in rectifying the matter will help. Thanks, Sol Bermann (sjb5q@virginia.edu) -- TREAD LIGHTLY IN YOUR DREAMS THEY MIGHT COME TRUE FOR YOU TOMORROW + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!newsfeed.pitt.edu!uunet!newsflash.concordia.ca!sifon!clouso.crim.ca!comback!vectrex!drzob From: drzob@vectrex.login.qc.ca (Denis Solaro) Subject: Re: Re my post about getting a vect for 50$... Message-ID: <1994Jun13.184522.5086@vectrex.login.qc.ca> Organization: Compjutr Syntax Error Date: Mon, 13 Jun 1994 18:45:22 GMT References: <026026FLLQGQTNSGSFJC@ibbs.com> X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Lines: 32 rabies@ibbs.com wrote: : To the couple people who replied to my "I feel lucky..." message... : I call a couple multi line BBSes locally. After finding a vectrex at a : swapmeet but not buying it because the guy want more than 125$ for it, I : became desperate and I resorted to simply asking everybody online I : could think of "Do you own a Vectrex?!" : I got several "NO, what is it?" but eventually (after a few days I That is true, never payed more than $45 for a Vectrex. In fact local BBSes are a treasure chest. Either they don't know what a vectrex is (because in 1982 they where not in their teens) either they know but are more "Bitmap kids" laughing at the idea of it, and might eventualy offer you "this piece of junk" for $30 thinking they ripped you off. Same goes with those used scrap stores, you point out that the "buZZZZZZ" noise is too strong and the screen osciliating too much and that the tube will die very soon and you get it for around $30. It works often. The only bad place so far are Pawn Shops: "It's a collector's item, they sell for $250... This one here has no price, it's not for sale." and all kind of usual bull**** they use. Fortunately we are not many asking around for them, so price drops even when dealing with a "connaisseur" ( or "Sotheby's Expert" as I like to call them. ) -- Denis Solaro -- drzob@vectrex.login.qc.ca + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!spool.mu.edu!hri.com!ukma!mik.uky.edu!kenneth From: kenneth@mik.uky.edu (kenneth e trainor) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: What was original retail? Date: 14 Jun 94 04:18:31 GMT Organization: University of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences Lines: 5 Distribution: inet Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: nx47.mik.uky.edu What was the retail and/or selling price of a Vectrex twelve years ago? Thanks KT + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!dw901 From: dw901@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael J. Novak Jr.) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: What was original retail? Date: 14 Jun 1994 07:11:08 GMT Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA) Lines: 18 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tjl6c$2ll@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: piglet.ins.cwru.edu According to the Digital Press price guide article on the Vectrex: $200 in selected markets for Christmas 1982 $100 (down from $150) in 1983, as the V.G. market collapsed $ 45 in 1984 fire sales, with games going for $5 to $10 (down from $35 in 1982) Mike P.S. I don't have one yet, but I'm looking! -- Are you interested in BUYING/SELLING/TRADING personally owned video games for: SEGA GENESIS, SEGA CD, SUPER NINTENDO, and ATARI JAGUAR??? For a copy of my current list, or to be placed on my e-mail list, please leave E-Mail at -=+> dw901@cleveland.Freenet.Edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!uknet!cf-cm!thor.cf.ac.uk!wdrdsw From: wdrdsw@thor.cf.ac.uk (David Wooding) Subject: Screen Problems? Was: Re: I got a Vectrex - should I sell it? Message-ID: <17334.9406141004@thor.cf.ac.uk> Sender: wdrdsw@thor.cf.ac.uk (David Wooding) Organization: University of Wales College at Cardiff References: <940613120804.1adc@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> Distribution: inet Date: Tue, 14 Jun 94 11:04:03 +0100 X-Mailer: Cardiff Computing Maths PP Mail Open News Gateway Lines: 19 STUBRADFOWC@MERCUR.USAO.EDU (Bill Bradford) writes: |I *just* got a Vectrex at a local secondhand store, after reading about |the machine in this newsgroup. I had seen the machine at the store, and |decided to go give a try at haggling today. I got it. 8-) |A question: (I'm a Vectrex newbie - about an hour, in fact) | Is the text on the game title screens supposed to be italic? Yes, I'd like to know about this. I seem to have some problems with text on different parts of the screen - some of it appears to be on a slant. It doesn't look too bad though, so I was wondering if it was normal.... The score in Minestorm is also on a slant. This can't be right, so I think I may need to adjust a pot or something inside the machine. Has anybody successfully done this? Dave. + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!uhog.mit.edu!news.mtholyoke.edu!news.umass.edu!nic.umass.edu!k12.ucs.umass.edu!hanechak From: hanechak@k12.ucs.umass.edu (Brian Hanechak (Chicopee HS)) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: What was original retail? Date: 14 Jun 1994 15:27:47 GMT Organization: University of Massachusetts K-12 Outreach Lines: 10 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tki9j$56p@nic.umass.edu> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: k12.ucs.umass.edu X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] kenneth e trainor (kenneth@mik.uky.edu) wrote: : What was the retail and/or selling price of a Vectrex twelve years : ago? I think it came out at $200. and fairly soon dropped to $150. Near the end, Milton Bradley was selling them to their employees for about $100. to (get this) GET RID of them! If only they had them now... -- - Brian Hanechak (hanechak@k12.ucs.umass.edu) + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!news.den.mmc.com!news2!bns813.East.Sun.COM!waldmill From: waldmill@bns813.East.Sun.COM (Mark Waldmiller ph2658) Subject: Re: Screen Problems? Was: Re: I got a Vectrex - should I sell it? Message-ID: <1994Jun14.171023.303@news2.den.mmc.com> Sender: news@news2.den.mmc.com (News Admin) Nntp-Posting-Host: 3.27.7.133 Organization: Martin Marietta Control Systems References: <940613120804.1adc@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> <17334.9406141004@thor.cf.ac.uk> Distribution: inet Date: Tue, 14 Jun 1994 17:10:23 GMT Lines: 23 In article <17334.9406141004@thor.cf.ac.uk>, David Wooding wrote: >STUBRADFOWC@MERCUR.USAO.EDU (Bill Bradford) writes: >|A question: (I'm a Vectrex newbie - about an hour, in fact) >| Is the text on the game title screens supposed to be italic? > >Yes, I'd like to know about this. I seem to have some problems with text >on different parts of the screen - some of it appears to be on a slant. >It doesn't look too bad though, so I was wondering if it was normal.... > >The score in Minestorm is also on a slant. This can't be right, so I >think I may need to adjust a pot or something inside the machine. Has >anybody successfully done this? > >Dave. Yes! If I recall correctly, there are 2 pots on the digital board that control the lettering. One controls the slant and the other (I believe) controls the brightness of the letters relative to the other graphics. I don't remember if they are labeled as to which is which, but it will become obvious when you tweak them. -Mark + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!udel!news2.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!nwnexus!krel.iea.com!comtch!pgage From: pgage@comtch.iea.com (Peter Gage) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Multicart Date: 14 Jun 1994 18:40:59 GMT Organization: CompuTech, Spokane WA Lines: 9 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tktjr$cg0@krel.iea.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: comtch.iea.com X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1] I've heard mention of the multicart on this group. could someone please tell me the price of one and where available. Thankyou p.s. concernig the person asking the original price: mine was $99.00 brandnew around 82 or 83. Yes, the minstorm text is suppose to be in italics. Peter Gage pgage@iea.com + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!pacbell.com!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!chpc.utexas.edu!news.utdallas.edu!corpgate!crchh327.bnr.ca!woodcock From: woodcock@bnr.ca (Gregg Woodcock) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Screen Problems? Was: Re: I got a Vectrex - should I sell it? Date: 14 Jun 1994 20:34:37 GMT Organization: Bell-Northern Research; Richardson, Texas, USA Lines: 24 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tl48t$6id@crchh327.bnr.ca> References: <940613120804.1adc@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> <17334.9406141004@thor.cf.ac.uk> <1994Jun14.171023.303@news2.den.mmc.com> Reply-To: woodcock@bnr.ca (Gregg Woodcock) NNTP-Posting-Host: crchh75b.bnr.ca X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Mark Waldmiller ph2658 (waldmill@bns813.East.Sun.COM) wrote: > Yes! If I recall correctly, there are 2 pots on the digital board that > control the lettering. One controls the slant and the other (I believe) > controls the brightness of the letters relative to the other graphics. > I don't remember if they are labeled as to which is which, but it will become > obvious when you tweak them. This is wrong; one controls the extent of the lines; if you turn it one way the maximum X value shrinks from the right edge and the maximum Y value shrinks from the bottom edge. Turn it the other way and it does the opposite. The other pot adjusts the angling of the text but for some reason once your graphics get angly, you can never get them back just right. You can get the text in a certain area to be straight but text in other areas may still be slanted. I don't know what causes this but it might be a good idea to replace the electrolytics in the machine since they are probably to blame. To adjust the brightness, use the (exposed) pot in the center of the back of the cabinet. -- THANX...Gregg day 214.684.7380 night UNLIST/PUBL TEXAS NOT CANADA! woodcock@bnr.ca or woodcock@nt.com or bn202@cleveland.freenet.edu *CLASSIC VIDEOGAME COLLECTOR BUY/SELL/TRADE PRE-NINTENDO (ARCADE/HOME)* "If you quote me on this I'll have to deny it; I won't remember because I have such a bad memory. Not only that, but my memory is *terrible*." + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!ucsnews!ucssun1!paquet From: paquet@ucssun1.sdsu.edu (T. Paquet) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Help w/ Vectrex. Date: 15 Jun 1994 10:41:24 GMT Organization: San Diego State University Computing Services Lines: 12 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tmlsk$70m@gondor.sdsu.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: 130.191.1.100 X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL0] Well, I stumbled upon this group. Anyways, question is, who wants a vectrex? I have an oldie stored away in my garage. Played it for about 3 months and was ready to get the 3-D system (I think it was for it??) and opted for a Nintendo I think. Anyways, just wanted some help on either pricing it, or selling it. I'm amazed to see so many people stiffing owners for a cheap buy... I have about 10-15 games w/ overlays, and the weird animation/draw program. All works fine, including one joystick.... Feel free to email me, or drop me some feedback around these parts.... Looking forward to getting the scoop here... + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!news.ecn.bgu.edu!psuvax1!news.cc.swarthmore.edu!netnews.upenn.edu!news.amherst.edu!news.umass.edu!nic.umass.edu!k12.ucs.umass.edu!hanechak From: hanechak@k12.ucs.umass.edu (Brian Hanechak (Chicopee HS)) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Screen Problems? Was: Re: I got a Vectrex - should I sell it? Date: 15 Jun 1994 12:49:54 GMT Organization: University of Massachusetts K-12 Outreach Lines: 11 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tmtdi$n97@nic.umass.edu> References: <940613120804.1adc@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> <17334.9406141004@thor.cf.ac.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: k12.ucs.umass.edu X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] David Wooding (wdrdsw@thor.cf.ac.uk) wrote: : The score in Minestorm is also on a slant. This can't be right, so I : think I may need to adjust a pot or something inside the machine. Has : anybody successfully done this? I've noticed (or thought I did) that some game titles seem to slant more than others, so I figured it was supposed to do that. -- - Brian Hanechak (hanechak@k12.ucs.umass.edu) + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!wupost!cs.utexas.edu!not-for-mail From: STUBRADFOWC@MERCUR.USAO.EDU (Bill Bradford) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Vectrex For Sale (with Scramble cart) Date: 15 Jun 1994 13:52:55 -0500 Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway Lines: 22 Sender: nobody@cs.utexas.edu Distribution: inet Message-ID: <940615135101.1f21@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: news.cs.utexas.edu Vectrex For Sale: Unit, good condition, with Scramble cart. No manuals or overlays (tho I do have the ASCII game manuals off the archive site) 1 joystick. It doesen't vertically auto-center but does horizontally. works fine otherwise. Latch on front of case to hold joystick "folded-up" missing. I would keep this, but don't have the money to invest in a collection of Vectrex games or a multicart. The current offer I've recived is $75 + shipping. If you would like to top this offer, send me E-mail. I'll post a message once a day till next Wednesday, telling of the highest bid (if it changes). Bill Bradford stubradfowc@mercur.usao.edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!sunic!EU.net!uunet!mdisea!mothost!lmpsbbs!goforth From: goforth@ssd.comm.mot.com (Dan Goforth) Subject: Vectrex Cartridges Organization: Motorola LMPS Date: Wed, 15 Jun 1994 22:38:41 GMT Message-ID: <1994Jun15.223841.7967@lmpsbbs.comm.mot.com> Keywords: n Sender: news@lmpsbbs.comm.mot.com (Net News) Nntp-Posting-Host: 145.1.185.38 Lines: 26 To: magundi@gaul.csd.uwo.ca (John McDonald) DG> I am interested in purchasing the following: DG> NEW: Armor Attack $15, Blitz $12, Star Trek $12 DG> USED: Armor Attack $6, Blitz $6, Star Trek $6 (I like backups!!!) DG> For a total of $57. JM> I can't seem to find the blitz! cartridge only. JM> I have put aside new armor attack, blitz and Star Trek cartridges JM> and used armor..attack and Star Trek. JM> This would work out to a total of $51. JM> If you want a second copy of Blitz ( new ) I would sell it for $9. For JM> a total of $60. JM>Oops. JM> I forgot about postage. JM> In my posting I have that postage for one or two cartridges is 5 JM> 3 or more is $6. JM> If it is anymore than that I pay the extra. JM> I prefer pre-payment in a US dollar money order. US postal prefered. Money order is on the way to you. Grand total of $70 US to cover all the odds and ends. You may want to repost what you have left! ciao for now, Dan Goforth + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Date: Thu, 16 Jun 94 04:13:52 EST Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!iat.holonet.net!tsf.com!gossamer From: gossamer@tsf.com Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Organization: The Second Foundation BBS Message-ID: <2496PIRKSEAGCJDNWW@tsf.com> Subject: That annoying auction Lines: 20 Has everyone else been thuroughly annoyed by the guy doing the auction? It seems like every time I check my mail I've got 5 or 10 new "AUCTION UPDATES", all of which babble on for pages..... I requested that the guy drop me from his mailing list, as I did not plan on buying anything from him and my request was ignored. The guy is really getting on my nerves. The time I have to spend just to get to my regular mail because of this loser drives me nuts! __VERY__ Frustrated - Gossamer@tsf.com --- þ OLX 2.1 þ This tagline stolen by Off-Line Xpress! ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Second Foundation BBS - Located at Terminus (Upstate New York) ------------------------------------------------------------------- + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!pipex!bnr.co.uk!corpgate!crchh327.bnr.ca!woodcock From: woodcock@bnr.ca (Gregg Woodcock) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: That annoying auction Date: 16 Jun 1994 13:28:34 GMT Organization: Bell-Northern Research; Richardson, Texas, USA Lines: 16 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tpk22$rjc@crchh327.bnr.ca> References: <2496PIRKSEAGCJDNWW@tsf.com> Reply-To: woodcock@bnr.ca (Gregg Woodcock) NNTP-Posting-Host: crchh75b.bnr.ca X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] gossamer@tsf.com wrote: > I requested that the guy drop me from his mailing list, as I did not > plan on buying anything from him and my request was ignored. OBVIOUSLY your mail is not reaching me; why did you not try one of my *3* alternative addresses? A public posting has taken care of that need but there is no need to be nasty about it. If anyone else is having this problem, try the other addressess, telephone, or as a last resort, post; I'll see it. The point is mute anyway since there will only be 1 more mailing (maybe 2). -- THANX...Gregg day 214.684.7380 night UNLIST/PUBL TEXAS NOT CANADA! woodcock@bnr.ca or woodcock@nt.com or bn202@cleveland.freenet.edu *CLASSIC VIDEOGAME COLLECTOR BUY/SELL/TRADE PRE-NINTENDO (ARCADE/HOME)* "If you quote me on this I'll have to deny it; I won't remember because I have such a bad memory. Not only that, but my memory is *terrible*." + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!dw901 From: dw901@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michael J. Novak Jr.) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: video games FOR SALE/TRADE Date: 16 Jun 1994 18:50:48 GMT Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA) Lines: 34 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tq6u9$iih@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: roo.ins.cwru.edu I have a large number of personally owned video games FOR SALE/TRADE for the following systems: SEGA GENESIS SEGA CD SUPER NINTENDO ATARI JAGUAR Please send e-mail if you would like to get a copy of the current list. I will not be posting it from now on at the request of my account manager (despite the existence of similar messages). If you request it, I will add you to my e-mail list (which I have started). I apologize for any inconvenience which my posts may have caused anyone in the past. If interested leave E-Mail at -=+> dw901@cleveland.Freenet.Edu or call (216) 843-8815, and leave a message (24 hours a day). I ALSO BUY USED GAMES, SYSTEMS, AND ACCESSORIES! TOP DOLLAR PAID! Michael J. Novak Jr. P.S. I am also interested in older systems and games. P.S.S. If you do respond, PLEASE don't quote back this post! I know what I posted!!! -- Are you interested in BUYING/SELLING/TRADING personally owned video games for: SEGA GENESIS, SEGA CD, SUPER NINTENDO, and ATARI JAGUAR??? For a copy of my current list, or to be placed on my e-mail list, please leave E-Mail at -=+> dw901@cleveland.Freenet.Edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!news.uh.edu!rosie.uh.edu!st27b From: st27b@rosie.uh.edu (Dave Garcia) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Multicart Request [monthly posting] Date: 16 Jun 1994 16:01 CDT Organization: University of Houston Lines: 4 Distribution: world Message-ID: <16JUN199416011293@rosie.uh.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: rosie.uh.edu News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41 Well, I'm making this an official Monthly posting.... I want a Multicart! I've posted a few times and I've had no luck with any offers. I do have 3 Original Carts, but I want more! Someone, anyone..... Help me! -dave + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!netcom.com!massystm From: massystm@netcom.com (Thao Nguyen) Subject: [Vectrex] Multi-games cartridge Project (complete collection)! Message-ID: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) Date: Thu, 16 Jun 1994 22:06:07 GMT Lines: 16 Hello everyone, I am thinking about doing a project for the dead Vectrex system - ONE SINGLE game cartridge which contains ALL games available up to date ! That would be an awesome and ultimate game cart for the Vectrex system ever. ONE CART, ONE ROM CHIP, & ONE 8-PIN DIP SWITCH to select up to 256 games (I don't think there are that many games for the system) If you are interested in this project and would like to contribute your ideas and time, let me know. It is quite possible, you know. NEVER under estimate the power of the mind. Thao N. massystm@netcom.com (Imagination is more important than knowledge. A. Einstein) + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!torn!newshost.uwo.ca!gaul.csd.uwo.ca!magundi From: magundi@gaul.csd.uwo.ca (john macdonald) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: That annoying auction Date: 16 Jun 1994 20:29:19 GMT Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada Lines: 6 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2tqcmv$9v5@falcon.ccs.uwo.ca> References: <2496PIRKSEAGCJDNWW@tsf.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: asterix.gaul.csd.uwo.ca In article <2496PIRKSEAGCJDNWW@tsf.com>, wrote: > >Has everyone else been thuroughly annoyed by the guy doing the auction? > Would you like some cheese with that whine? :-) + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!not-for-mail From: STUBRADFOWC@MERCUR.USAO.EDU (Bill Bradford) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Vectrex Sold! Date: 17 Jun 1994 14:01:58 -0500 Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway Lines: 6 Sender: nobody@cs.utexas.edu Distribution: inet Message-ID: <940617140012.218b@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: news.cs.utexas.edu The guy who offered me $75 for my Vectrex and Scramble cart, you've got it. However, I lost your email address! Send me a note, and I'll give you my address info. Bill Bradford stubradfowc@mercur.usao.edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!netcom.com!massystm From: massystm@netcom.com (Thao Nguyen) Subject: [Vectrex] Multi-games cart Tutorial Message-ID: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 20:16:37 GMT Lines: 32 Hi everyone, This tutorial is not designed for hardware/software engineers but the average dummy who knows nothing, almost to nothing, something, or who pretends to know something about how a game cart works with the system. It is often too easy to go out and buy something, I have been bombarded with comments about why I should start this project - such as " that is not original, you are wasting time, someone already came up with it, even with a menu driven cart" and on and on and on. But what does all that benefit the average Joe. Not a darn thing. He buys the cart, someone is making a buck, then life moves along. I will show you in this project the basics of how ROM and processor work together, basically how to build a multi-cart for yourself with less than $10 in parts, and hopefully along the way, not only having fun, but above all learn something else new. I've had such multi-cart over 10 years ago, even created myself carts for Sega Master, Atari 400/800, NES, SNES, Genesis, Turbo Duo, SuperGrafx, and even Neo.Geo, Game boy and Game Gear systems. All use high speed and large EPROMs up to 16 Meg bit. It takes me no more than 5 minutes to read data from a SNES cart and then store it on high density 3.5" floppy disks. I have also a universal Genesis cart with 32M ROM and 32K RAM on board ! (one can save up to 4 different RPG games) But before I begin, I would like to know how many of you really want to learn something useful. The education is absolutely free. Drop me a line to voice your opinion. Based on your response, I will then determine if it is worth my time doing this. Regards, Thao N. massystm@netcom.com (A wish is only a wish, but dreams do come true for those who persist.) + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!pacbell.com!pixar!whorfin From: whorfin@pixar.com (Rick Sayre) Subject: Vectrex for sale Message-ID: <1994Jun21.031010.20114@pixar.com> Sender: news@pixar.com (Usenet Newsmaster) Nntp-Posting-Host: tetsuo.pixar.com Organization: Pixar -- Point Richmond, California Date: Tue, 21 Jun 1994 03:10:10 GMT Lines: 5 Please do not send email, this is posted for a friend without net access: Vextrex for sale, good condition. $50 if sold within the next two weeks and you pick it up (Oakland, CA), $80/obo if shipped to you COD. Call Hannah at (510) 763-6494. + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!tcsi.tcs.com!mira!keith From: keith@mira.tcs.com (Keith Jarett) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Vectrex for sale -- GONE! Date: 21 Jun 1994 06:18:08 GMT Organization: Teknekron Communications Inc. Lines: 13 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2u60n0$kp@tcsi.tcs.com> References: <1994Jun21.031010.20114@pixar.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: mira.tcs.com In article <1994Jun21.031010.20114@pixar.com> whorfin@pixar.com (Rick Sayre) writes: > >Vextrex for sale, good condition. $50 if sold within the next two weeks and >you pick it up (Oakland, CA), $80/obo if shipped to you COD. Call >Hannah at (510) 763-6494. Unfortunately, Hannah tells me that she gave the unit to a friend's son and just remembered this. So we'll just have to go back to the flea markets and garage sales. keith@tcs.com Keith Jarett + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Date: Wed, 22 Jun 94 01:17:04 EST Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!agate!iat.holonet.net!ibbs.com!rabies From: rabies@ibbs.com Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Organization: Infinity BBS - 714-898-3236 Message-ID: <014000NVTVJDYFCENYAD@ibbs.com> Subject: Re: That annoying auction Lines: 17 HOw old was Woodcock's last message regarding the poerson who was "ignored" when he/she requested to be dropped from the auction mailing list? I am starting to think that all messages should have a DATE included within the content of the message. Reason being that I, as an internet user through a host BBS seem to be reading messages that are very LATE in their reception. For example, the Woodcock message I referred to above, was dated June 21, which is the date this BBS RECEIVED it and not the date it was originally sent out. The auction is OvER and done with which only proves that message delivery is SLOW (for me). COuld we all from now on include the date in our messages?! Rabies 6/21/94 + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: [Vectrex] Multi-games cart Tutorial From: shain.klammer@canrem.com (Shain Klammer) Path: csus.edu!wupost!math.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!newsfeed.pitt.edu!uunet!uunet.ca!uunet.ca!portnoy!canrem.com!shain.klammer Distribution: world Message-ID: <60.1949.4196.0N1A35D8@canrem.com> References: Date: Wed, 22 Jun 94 14:17:00 -0400 Organization: CRS Online (Toronto, Ontario) Lines: 8 I for one would like to here your tutorial. I've got some background in digital stuff and have been wanting to build some stuff for my Vectrex (not to mention my GG and Genisis et. al.)... At the very least I'd be grateful if you'd email me your schematics.... Thanks... / \hain / + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!pacbell.com!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!not-for-mail From: STUBRADFOWC@MERCUR.USAO.EDU (Bill Bradford) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: VECTREX for Sale/Trade: Update Date: 22 Jun 1994 18:46:13 -0500 Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway Lines: 20 Sender: nobody@cs.utexas.edu Distribution: inet Message-ID: <940622184420.2955@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: news.cs.utexas.edu The current high offer for the Vectrex + Scramble cart is $50. (I'm not gonna post the guys address, he knows what he offered me). If you want to top that offer, or send me a list of items you'd like to trade, mail to stubradfowc@mercur.usao.edu. It's gonna go out sometime next week (would have this week, but I had TESTS!), so get your offers in soon. Machine is in perfect condition, except for: 1. Joystick doesen't auto-center vertically (and I don't have the time to fix it) 2. Latch to hold joystick folded up on front of case is missing 3. No box, no original manuals (I *do* have all the stuff off the Vectrex archive site on 2 3.5" HD disks, tho) Serial #110009. Bill Bradford stubradfowc@mercur.usao.edu + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!ucsnews!ucssun1!paquet From: paquet@ucssun1.sdsu.edu (T. Paquet) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Vectrex FOR SALE! Date: 23 Jun 1994 09:09:51 GMT Organization: San Diego State University Computing Services Lines: 43 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2ubjgv$qve@gondor.sdsu.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: 130.191.1.100 X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL0] Okay folks, after all your replies to my questions, here is the final sale package: Vectrex System- Joystick 100% working. (Buttons may be sticky if hit from the wrong angle) 100% clear of defects screen Exactly what it says, no bend, no warp, no fuckup! Carts: Blitz - w/ Man and Overlay WebWars - w/ Man and Overlay Spike - w/ Man and Overlay Star Trek - w/ Man and Overlay Berzerk - w/ Man and Overlay Mine Storm - (obviously) w/ Man and overlay to be found soon Art Master - Light Pen - 100% working cond. Art Master Cart - Still needs to be dug out of garage. Well, I would piece the system out, but rather than fuck with 30+ replies a day to COD and all that, I will sell to the highest bidder. No full blown auctions, just whoever mails me the highest price by June 30, 1994. If someone wants it that bad, take it. The system is clean looking, and even *I* was suprised to find it so perfect. The latch on front is good, the joystick centers itself *perfectly* and speaker sounds 'normal' (not the hi-fi of any other system out... ;) Anyways, follow-up if you want it, and that's that. I guess I should warn, I've had offers of $ 150+ for completed 'not-found-yet' items, so.... Nothing under 100$ will even be considered. -- -------------------------------------------------/-/-/-/-/-/------ | T. Paquet | Feel free to finger me for | | (paquet@ucssun1.sdsu.edu) | whatever.... Just ask first! | | (tpaquet@ucsvax.sdsu.edu) | *I ain't no bitch!* | |----------------------------------------------------------------- | Quote: He who wisheth one day to fly, must first learn | | standing and walking and running and climbing and | | dancing: --- one doth not fly into flying! | | -- Nietzsche | ------/-/-/-/-/--------------------------------------------------- + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!EU.net!uknet!cf-cm!thor.cf.ac.uk!wdrdsw From: wdrdsw@thor.cf.ac.uk (David Wooding) Subject: Re: VECTREX for Sale/Trade: Update Message-ID: <19304.9406231052@thor.cf.ac.uk> Sender: wdrdsw@thor.cf.ac.uk (David Wooding) Organization: University of Wales College at Cardiff References: <940622184420.2955@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> Distribution: inet Date: Thu, 23 Jun 94 11:52:13 +0100 X-Mailer: Cardiff Computing Maths PP Mail Open News Gateway Lines: 16 Bill Bradford writes again: |The current high offer for the Vectrex + Scramble cart is $50. |(I'm not gonna post the guys address, he knows what he offered me). etc I think one post anouncing that you want to sell is sufficient. I agree with the guy who has got sick of this auction-house mentality. Don't be greedy. Dave. P.S. It is also of little interest to those outside the States, so why not use Distribution: USA? + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!news.ucdavis.edu!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!not-for-mail From: STUBRADFOWC@MERCUR.USAO.EDU (Bill Bradford) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: VECTREX SOLD Date: 23 Jun 1994 10:50:13 -0500 Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway Lines: 6 Sender: nobody@cs.utexas.edu Distribution: inet Message-ID: <940623104810.292f@MERCUR.USAO.EDU> NNTP-Posting-Host: news.cs.utexas.edu The VEXTREX + Scramble cart is sold for $75 to woodcock@bnr.ca. Sorry for cutting the auction off short, but I got my credit card bill in... 8-( Bill + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!galaxy.ucr.edu!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!swrinde!news.dell.com!tadpole.com!uunet!utcsri!newsflash.concordia.ca!canopus.cc.umanitoba.ca!umtetere From: umtetere@news.cc.umanitoba.ca (James Andrews Teterenko) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: VECTREX for Sale/Trade: Update Date: 23 Jun 1994 18:07:56 GMT Organization: The University of Manitoba Lines: 25 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2ucj1s$nao@canopus.cc.umanitoba.ca> References: <19304.9406231052@thor.cf.ac.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: pollux.cc.umanitoba.ca X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5 David Wooding (wdrdsw@thor.cf.ac.uk) wrote: : Bill Bradford writes again: : |The current high offer for the Vectrex + Scramble cart is $50. : |(I'm not gonna post the guys address, he knows what he offered me). : etc : : I think one post anouncing that you want to sell is sufficient. I agree : with the guy who has got sick of this auction-house mentality. I know I personally like to know what the going rate is. Having the occasional update is fine. Also, if someone really wanted it, then they could know how much they would have to bid. : P.S. It is also of little interest to those outside the States, so why : not use Distribution: USA? What about Canada? It is fairly easy to ship from USA to Canada. Later, James. -- James Teterenko umtetere@cc.umanitoba.ca Winnipeg, MB <-- now if you can't figure this out, don't bother! + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!uop!pacbell.com!ames!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!jussieu.fr!univ-lyon1.fr!ghost.dsi.unimi.it!ghost.dsi.unimi.it!not-for-mail From: santagos@c700-1.sm.dsi.unimi.it (carlo santagostino) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Food form my Vectrex... Date: 24 Jun 1994 16:43:46 +0200 Organization: Computer Science Dep. - Milan University Lines: 11 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2uerf2$obu@c700-1.sm.dsi.unimi.it> NNTP-Posting-Host: c700-1.sm.dsi.unimi.it Hi all, I'm an happy owner of a glorious Vectrex and I was very suprised to find a group about my ol' console. Does anybody know if i can find games cartrige or files explaining how to build eprom cartriges, or anything that can revitalize my Vec? thanks! Carlo Santagostino santagos@ghost.dsi.unimi.it + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!newsrelay.iastate.edu!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!milo.mcs.anl.gov!phebos!hoffberg From: hoffberg@phebos.aps.anl.gov (Mike Hoffberg) Subject: VECTREX at CES Message-ID: Sender: usenet@mcs.anl.gov Organization: Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago Illinois Date: Fri, 24 Jun 1994 14:17:14 GMT Lines: 16 That's right, I saw a Vectrex at the Consumer Electronics Show yesterday. So it was not plugged in, and had nothing to do with the booth (3DO), but it was there. All in all, there was nothing new at the show, except that Nintendo is scraping the bottom of the barrel for games. They are re-releasing Super Punch-Out for the SNES. It looked no better than the original. MIKE -- Michael Hoffberg /.\ "Surprisingly tender and tasted hoffberg@phebos.aps.anl.gov // \\ Argonne somewhat like chicken." mike@anl.gov //_O_\\ National Standard Disclaimer Applies /__| |__\ Lab Boola! Boola! + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!news.kei.com!ssd.intel.com!chnews!ornews.intel.com!news.jf.intel.com!news.jf.intel.com!brianh From: brianh@ichips.intel.com (Brian Holscher) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Using Sega Controllers with Vectrex Date: 25 Jun 1994 06:34:27 GMT Organization: Intel Corp., Hillsboro, Oregon Lines: 395 Distribution: world Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: pdx031.intel.com I finally got around to revising this. I saw a posting about making overlays for Vectrex. If somebody will make up a set for me, I'll trade a controller or an adaptor for them. To Mr. Woodcock, feel free to include any of this in the Vectrex FAQ. This post including schematics is copyright 1994 by Brian Holscher. This information is free for distribution as long as its not used for commercial purposes. Using Sega Controllers with Vectrex (Revision 2.0) This Posting explains: 1. How to convert a Sega Controller to work with Vectrex. 1. How to make a Sega Controller to Vectrex Adaptor. 2. Where to purchase a converted Sega Controller. 3. Where to purchase a Sega to Vectrex controller adapter. BACKGROUND Since my Vectrex controller is flaky, I bought a cheap Sega Controller and converted it to work on the Vectrex. From there I added some nice features like autofire and re-programmable buttons. I decided to post schematics for those who want to make Vectrex controllers. After talking with others on the net, I decided to build a Sega to Vectrex adapter. This is a little harder than converting controllers, but I got one to work. This posting includes info and schematics for both. For those who don't want the hassle of making your own controllers, I'm offering converted controllers and adapters for sale. I'm also offering a preprogrammed micro-controller for sale. LIMITATIONS The Sega Controller is a digital controller. The Vectrex joystick is an analog controller. Games like Minestorm don't look at the analog values of the joystick and only look to see what direction the joystick is moved. Games like Minestorm work with these converted Sega controllers. Games like HyperChase look at how far the joystick moves in a direction and are not fun to play with these converted controllers. The following games work with these converted controllers and adaptors: Armor Attack Bedlam Bezerk Blitz Clean Sweep Cosmic Chasm Heads Up Minestorm Fortress of Narzod Polar Rescue Pole Position Rip Off Scramble Solar Quest Space War Spike SpinBall Star Castle Star Hawk Star Trek Web Wars The following games do not work with these converted controllers and adaptors: HyperChase FEATURES This design incorporates a micro-controller for additional functionality. The micro-controller allows the user to program which Sega Controller button maps to which Vectrex button. This is useful since the 4th button (called Start) on the Sega Controller is a smaller and inconveniently located since it is normally reserved for starting games on Sega systems. The micro-controller even allows reprogramming of the button assignments in the middle of a game. Another feature is auto-fire. Any button can be set to auto-fire. This means that the micro-controller presses the button over and over again instead of the player. CONTROLLERS VRS ADAPTERS Adapters give you the advantage of using any Sega Controller with Vectrex and still be able to use it on the Sega system. If you don't have a Sega controller, a converted controller is less cost than an adaptor plus the cost of a Sega controller. Another slight advantage is that the LED thats informs the user during button reprogramming and auto-fire is easier to see on a converted controller. The micro-controller is optional if you are converting your own Sega controller. However, the micro-controller is required for the adapter. BUYING CONVERTED CONTROLLERS If your don't want to convert a controller or make an adapter yourself, you can purchase them from me. You can also purchase a preprogrammed micro-controller from me. Source Code for Micro-controller ------- Free if you ask nicely. Preprogrammed Micro-controller -------- $20 (The includes Xtal and Xtal capacitors) Converted Sega Controller ------------- $45 Sega to Vectrex Adaptor ------------- $45 Shipping is included. Send email to brianh@ichips.intel.com and we will work out the details. DOING IT YOURSELF First the Disclaimer. I am not responsible for: 1. Any damage done to your Vectrex. 2. Any damage done to the Sega Controller. 3. Any errors in these instructions. I'm not going to give step by step instructions. I'm going to assume that the reader has some basic knowledge of electronics and can figure out what to do with the schematics and info presented here. I will, however, answer questions if asked. Now that I covered my backside, here is how to do it yourself: CONVERTING A SEGA CONTROLLER The micro-controller is optional. If you don't care about button re-programmability or auto-fire, then just connect the button to the connector pins as shown. Parts List: 1 PIC16C54-LP Microcontroller - Optional 1 32.768 Khz Crystal - Optional 2 15pf Capacitor - Optional 4 3.3K Resistor 4 10K Resistor 1 470 Resistor Schematic: Direction Control: +5V (Pin 7) ^ | 10K .__|__/\/\/\/\___. | | Right Button -| 3.3K | | ._____/\/\/\/\___| | | |-------- X Direction 3.3K | (Pin 5) ._____/\/\/\/\___| | | Left Button -| | | ._____/\/\/\/\___| | 10K | -5V (Pin 9) +5V (Pin 7) ^ | 10K .__|__/\/\/\/\___. | | Up Button -| 3.3K | | ._____/\/\/\/\___| | | |-------- Y Direction 3.3K | (Pin 6) ._____/\/\/\/\___| | | Down Button -| | | ._____/\/\/\/\___| | 10K | -5V (Pin 9) 5V (Pin 7) ^ | > Same for Button B,C, and Start > 47K except: > Button B -> Pin 3 .__|_______ (Pin 2) Button C -> Pin 4 | Button Start -> Pin 1 Button A -| | .___ 47K not critical. | Anything from 1K to 100K | should work. The controller GND (Pin 8) should already have something connected. Micro-controller Option: +5V (Pin 7) ^ _______ | 15 pF 16 | | 14 |---------| |---||---------|-----| |-----| | | Xtal | | | | 4 | < | 32.768 kHz | | | |-----| < 470 Ohms | | | 15 | | < |---||---------|-----| P | 1 | | 15 pF | I |--------|<-----| | 5 | C | LED |--------------------| 1 | GND (Pin 8) | 6 | 13 | C | 6 from Button A ---------| 5 |----- Pin 1 12 | 4 | 7 from Button B ---------| - |----- Pin 2 11 | L | 8 from Button C ---------| P |----- Pin 3 10 | | 9 from Button Start -----| |----- Pin 4 |_______| Notes: 1. Pins listed are those of the 9 pin connector. 2. I personally used a controller made by QuickShot since it was only $12.87 at K-mart. I've seen ones made by Sega for about $15. Depending upon which brand and type, the might be minor differences between these instructions and your controller. 3. On the Sega circuit board, you will need to remove the IC, pull-up resistors for directions. Leave the pull-up resistors for the buttons. 4. Normally, pressing the direction pad on a Sega controller grounds that direction input. You will need to cut traces on the Sega circuit board to isolate the UP and RIGHT ground from the the LEFT and DOWN ground. You will also need to isolate these two grounds from the button ground. This is because instead of grounding UP and RIGHT, you will need to connect it to 5V. Also, instead of grounding LEFT and DOWN, you will need to connect it to -5V. 5. Thanks to David Vanderbyl for his suggestion of using 3.3K resistors instead of a pots. MAKING AN ADAPTOR An adaptor allows a Sega Controller to be used without modification with the Vectrex. A micro-controller is used to decode the output of the Sega controller. Sega multiplexes LEFT, RIGHT, and the buttons on only 4 lines. Since the Vectrex needs negative voltage for Left and Down, two Optoisolators are used to switch the negative voltage. Parts List: 1 PIC16C54-LP Microcontroller 2 NTE3084 Photo-Darlington Optoisolator 2 3906 PNP Transistor 1 32.768 Khz Crystal 6 1K Resistor 2 2.2K Resistor 4 10K Resistor 1 470 Resistor 2 15pf Capacitor 1 9 pin Male Subminiature D connector 1 9 pin Female Subminiature D Connector Schematic: Direction Control: +5V (Vectrex 7) ^ | 10K __|___/\/\/\/\___. 1K | / | Right from PIC __/\/\/\/\___|V PNP | |\ 3906 2.2K | |______/\/\/\/\___| | +5V | ^ | | |------- X Direction < 1K | (Vectrex 5) < 1K | < 1 ._______. 5 ._/\/\/\/\___| |___| |___| | | NTE | | Left from PIC _________| 3084 |___. 10K | 2 |_______| 4 |__/\/\/\/\__| | | | -5V (Vectrex 9) +5V (Vectrex 7) ^ | 10K __|___/\/\/\/\___. 1K | / | Up from Sega ___/\/\/\/\___|V PNP | (Sega 1) |\ 3906 2.2K | |______/\/\/\/\___| | +5V | ^ | | |------- Y Direction < 1K | (Vectrex 6) < 1K | < 1 ._______. 5 ._/\/\/\/\___| |___| |___| | | NTE | | Down from Sega ________| 3084 |___. 10K | (Sega 2) 2 |_______| 4 |__/\/\/\/\__| | | | +5V -5V (Vectrex 9) ^ | Sega 5 ___| Sega 8 ___ Gnd Micro-controller: +5V (Vectrex 7) ^ _______ | 15 pF 16 | | 14 |---------| |---||---------|-----| |-----| | | Xtal | | | | 4 | < | 32.768 kHz | | | |-----| < 470 Ohms | | | 15 | | < |---||---------|-----| | 18 | | 15 pF | |--------|<-----| | 5 | P | LED |--------------------| I | 1 GND (Vectrex 8) | C |------- Left Output | 1 | Sega 2 | 6 | 2 Select -------| C |------- Right Output (Sega 7) | 5 | | 4 | 17 | - | 6 Sega 9 ------------| L |----- Vectrex 1 12 | P | 7 Sega 6 ------------| |----- Vectrex 2 11 | | 8 Sega 4 ------------| |----- Vectrex 3 10 | | 9 Sega 3 ------------| |----- Vectrex 4 |_______| Notes: 1. Pins listed as Sega refer to the 9 pin male connector that the Sega Controller plugs into. Pins listed as Vectrex refer to the 9 pin female connector that plugs in the Vectrex. 2. Any Photo-Darlington Output Optoisolator should work. Digi-Key 4N31IS-ND will work. You can also get two optoisolators in one package. Thats all. Enjoy! Brian Holscher brianh@ichips.intel.com + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex,rec.games.video.marketplace,rec.games.video.classic,uk.forsale,uk.misc Path: csus.edu!wupost!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uknet!bcc.ac.uk!news From: ucjtrjf@ucl.ac.uk (Jonny Farringdon) Subject: Vectrex F&GWO For Sale UK Sender: news@ucl.ac.uk (Usenet News System) Message-ID: <1994Jun27.093146.25669@ucl.ac.uk> Date: Mon, 27 Jun 1994 09:31:46 GMT Reply-To: ucjtrjf@ucl.ac.uk Organization: Psychology Dept. University College London. Keywords: vectrex uk sale Followup-To: rec.games.vectrex Lines: 37 Xref: csus.edu rec.games.vectrex:1788 rec.games.video.marketplace:11228 rec.games.video.classic:7753 uk.forsale:649 uk.misc:36629 I've a Vectrex, plus 3 games for sale. In good working order. I'm in the London/Kent area, and will ship at your expense and risk. If you're near by then come and have a test flight. Vectrex 602 8100 02 console. Serial No. 005906A. Model No. 3000 UI-UK. I=Instructions, O=Overlay, c=PhotoCopy ;-( The overlay copy is in balck&white (photocopied onto assotate). There is a PostScript version of the overlays on the vectrex ftp site (see FAQ). 602(UK_Index)72 y VT 3000 Minestorm (built-in game; Asteroids clone) [4K] Ic O y VT 3303 Clean Sweep (PacMan clone) [4K] Ic O (8122) y VT 3305 Bedlam (Tempest clone) [4K] Ic O (8134) y VT 3306 Spike (It talks! Originally called Buster?) [8K] Ic Oc (8137) Spike has no case! Owners manual (copy). In case you didn't know, there is a vectrex Usenet group, and an ftp site with the binaries of all the games, technical manuals &c. So you can burn your own EPROMs, and every now and again someone makes a batch of multi-carts with every game on it. This isn't quite an auction, but I'm open to offers. If you make a reasonable one we'll take it from there. Cheers, Jonny. -- Dept of Psychology, UCL, (+44) 71 387 7050 x5418 London. UK. WC1E 6BT (+44) 71 380 7777 direct tone-dial 5418 (+44) 71 436 4276 Fax j.farringdon@psychol.ucl.ac.uk ucjtrjf@ucl.ac.uk + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!zip.eecs.umich.edu!panix!not-for-mail From: davegan@panix.com (David Stein) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Was this ever sold in NYC? Date: 29 Jun 1994 14:20:34 -0400 Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC Lines: 11 Distribution: usa Message-ID: <2use1i$rkm@panix.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: panix.com I am wondering if anyone recalls whether this system was sold in NYC or on the east coast. I was an avid vidoegame player at the time this system was introduced, and do not recall ever seeing on in New York. Also, it seems every time I see one posted for sale it is on the West Coast or the south, never from the Northeast. Just wondering. Thanks, Dave + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!nic-nac.CSU.net!usc!cs.utexas.edu!convex!news.onramp.net!news.sprintlink.net!news.clark.net!ty From: ty@clark.net (Ty Liotta) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Was this ever sold in NYC? Date: 30 Jun 1994 04:46:56 GMT Organization: Clark Internet Services, Inc., Ellicott City, MD USA Lines: 5 Distribution: usa Message-ID: <2utio0$908@clarknet.clark.net> References: <2use1i$rkm@panix.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: clark.net Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] I live near Washington DC and it was sold around here. I don't see why it wouldn't have been sold in New York... -Ty + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!decwrl!ames!sgiblab!uhog.mit.edu!news.kei.com!eff!news.umbc.edu!umbc2.umbc.edu!noel From: noel@umbc2.umbc.edu (Noel Tominack, ACS, X3861) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: RE: Was this ever sold in NYC? Date: 30 JUN 94 13:54:21 GMT Organization: University of Maryland Baltimore County Lines: 27 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <30JUN94.13542178@umbc2.umbc.edu> References: <2use1i$rkm@panix.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: umbc2.umbc.edu In a previous article, davegan@panix.com (David Stein) wrote: >I am wondering if anyone recalls whether this system was sold in NYC or >on the east coast. I was an avid vidoegame player at the time this >system was introduced, and do not recall ever seeing on in New York. A freind of mine who lived in NYC at the time Vectrex was released tells me it did came out, and remembers looking at it on display at FAO Schwartz and drooling over it (lucky him, I only got to see them in Sears Christmas "Wish Book" catalogs). >Also, it seems every time I see one posted for sale it is on the West >Coast or the south, never from the Northeast. > I bought two at flea markets down here--one in a New Jersey flea market (though it looks like the sellers had travelled a lot) and one in Maryland that the lady said she purchased new from the Video Store she used to work for. __________________________________________ * Noel J. Tominack (noel@umbc2.umbc.edu) | * University of Maryland Baltimore County | * All opinions are mine mine mine! | * ________________________________________| + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!netcom.com!n1ist From: n1ist@netcom.com (Michael L. Ardai) Subject: Re: Was this ever sold in NYC? Message-ID: Organization: Utopia Planetia Shipyards - Mars References: <2use1i$rkm@panix.com> <2utio0$908@clarknet.clark.net> Distribution: usa Date: Thu, 30 Jun 1994 15:06:32 GMT Lines: 11 Sure was... I got mine at Crazy Eddie's on 57th St way back when. /mike -- \|/ Michael L. Ardai N1IST Teradyne ATB, Boston MA -*- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- /|\ ardai@maven.dnet.teradyne.com n1ist@netcom.com + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Path: csus.edu!csulb.edu!library.ucla.edu!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!ulowell!cs.uml.edu!rbarbaga From: rbarbaga@cs.uml.edu (Ralph Barbagallo) Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Subject: Re: Was this ever sold in NYC? Date: 1 Jul 1994 03:36:54 GMT Organization: UMass-Lowell Computer Science Lines: 10 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <2v030m$scf@ulowell.uml.edu> References: <2use1i$rkm@panix.com> <30JUN94.13542178@umbc2.umbc.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.uml.edu Oh, the Vectrex was sold in the Northeast. I remember playing the Vectrex for hours at SEARS where they had a kiosk set up. Loved that Minestorm. Finally bought one 10 years later. :) -- Ralph A. Barbagallo III --- rbarbaga@cs.uml.edu --- Only AMIGA makes it Possible... R.I.P. Jay Miner: June 20th 1994 Father of the 2600, Atari 8bit, Amiga -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=COMMODORE DIED FOR OUR SINS-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- + - - - - Next Article - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Newsgroups: rec.games.vectrex Path: csus.edu!netcom.com!bwright From: bwright@netcom.com (Bruce Wright) Subject: I have one!!!! Message-ID: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest) X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1] Date: Fri, 1 Jul 1994 05:09:42 GMT Lines: 24 Thanks to Keith, I have a Vectrex of my very own, now! GREAT GAMES! Nothing like nostalgia to make you young again. So, now I'm looking to get my favorite games of that era. Namely: StarCastle Rip-Off Berserk I would also like Polar Rescue and Web Wars/warp. And whatever else people think are cool. Also, overlays. I'm looking for them for Scramble, Star Trek and Minestorm. Thanks! -Bruce BTW: Are we called Vectrekkies or Vectrekkers? ;-) + - - - - End of Archive File - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - +