Tank Battle on the Atari 👍 we were much easier pleased back then than most kids today (I sound like a grumpy old git! lol)
Tank Battle on the Atari 👍 we were much easier pleased back then than most kids today (I sound like a grumpy old git! lol)
That's better than being called a "Trumpy old fart"!
@red_to_black It's really useful for centering the picture! In colour mode you get a really clear border.
That's probably better than the old Hanimex AY8xxx based games console I tried to use - With that, you could centre the image perfectly, but then on 'off air' broadcasts, the picture would be shifted laterally, miles out of place.
@katie-bush I vaguely remember having a Pong console before the Atari. Had a big dial on the front that selected the games, not that there was much difference between the games.
@katie-bush I vaguely remember having a Pong console before the Atari. Had a big dial on the front that selected the games, not that there was much difference between the games.
Could that have been GI AY-3-8500 based I wonder? If it is I'm currently helping my grandson build something based on that IC.
Could that have been GI AY-3-8500 based I wonder? If it is I'm currently helping my grandson build something based on that IC.
Hi John,
I'd say it's the chip I had in mind anyway, and it was 45 years or so ago, so the noodles have probably dried up a bit since then! I'd forgotten the '3' in AY-3-8500, and I seem to recall there was a six game chip as well, wasn't that designated AY-3-8501? Or perhaps AY-3-8500-A?
I recall there being a plethora of games consoles which contained the six games option that were the same four games as the basic consoles, but with the addition of two more which invariably shooting games that necessitated the use of a wired remote light sensitive pistol. I think those extra games were most often called "Skeet" and "Target". One was akin to an electronic clay pigeon shoot (Skeet) and the other, just a simple fixed target shooting gallery (Target).
The basic four games versions just had "Tennis" "Squash" "Football/Soccer", and one more I can't recall the name of!
Hi John,
I recall there being a plethora of games consoles which contained the six games option that were the same four games as the basic consoles, but with the addition of two more which invariably shooting games that necessitated the use of a wired remote light sensitive pistol. I think those extra games were most often called "Skeet" and "Target". One was akin to an electronic clay pigeon shoot (Skeet) and the other, just a simple fixed target shooting gallery (Target).
The basic four games versions just had "Tennis" "Squash" "Football/Soccer", and one more I can't recall the name of!
Hi Marion, that sounds like the AY-3-8550 and it was the IC I was originally looking for, there doesn't seem to be any around now other than a dubious far Eastern website and at an eye watering price. The six games were Tennis, Soccer, Football, squash and the two rifle games.
Google "Gimini 1978, pong story" for a PDF of the various IC types and basic circuits.
I also have an AY-3-8710 Tank Battle IC in my spares. It came to me with no static protection so I don’t hold out much hope of it working.
