greenween

Thanks for updating us!

I like the idea of the super duper chat room

Thanks for the update and keeping us in the loop as always Justin! I have no doubt in the end the new version of the forum software will turn out great and I know our community will be better and stronger than ever, Much appreciated Justin.   

Hi everybody,
 
You may have noticed that Atari Chat is offline. If you go to the chat room you're greeted by an error message "There was an error connecting with the chat room. Please notify an administrator." We've run into this issue before and in the past it's always been our provider performing maintenance, and the chat would come back online pretty quickly. Unfortunately this time, this isn't the case.
 
What's going on with the chat room?
I received notice from Invision (the company who created and hosts IP.Board, the suite which our forums run on) that they've decided to "retire the IPS chat service to better focus their resources on the rest of the suite". In other words, they've taken away the chat room and still plan on billing me the same amount every month. Sounds great, right?
 
I'm now forced to find an alternative. Chat will return, hopefully in time for Summer. I kindly ask all of you to sit tight and to be understanding while I integrate a new chat system into the site. 
 
Why the chat room is important to us
Atari Chat is a huge aspect of Atari I/O and has been a central commons area for our community. Many of us have gotten to know each other on a more personal level in the chat room. Lifetime friendships have been formed, friendly contests hosted, prizes won, late night chats and so many great times together. Atari I/O has always been like an "Atari home town" and Chat has been one of those little things I've been most proud of at the site. The idea of a chat room also seems kind of retro, something genuinely personable from the earlier days of the web that seems to have gone away with time. I'm going to ensure that the chat room continues, hopefully bigger and better.
 
Potential for a super duper chat room
The possibility exists here to potentially include voice, video and text chat into a new chat room, while also integrating chat to be accessible from the main area of our website. I'll be reviewing what alternatives are available at what cost and evaluating their user friendliness.
 
Upgrading the site to IP.Board 4 and what that means
Our forums run on IP.Board 3.4.8, their tried and true version of the suite which many of you have already experienced on other sites. Lately Invision has been pushing us towards moving to IP.Board 4.1, the new version of the suite which looks and feels different from what we have now.
 
I have put off moving the forums to IP.Board 4 for the time being, for multiple reasons. Mainly because the forums would look and feel entirely different from the Atari I/O we know and love and we're very happy with the site as it is. Potentially, and at great expense, I could have a custom IP theme designed which would better integrate the forums into the main area of our website, which at this point is most likely what will happen. I have not wanted to upgrade until a similar theme became available that was a good fit for us and "felt like home." The last thing I want is for our members to log into the site one day and find that it looks and feels completely alien from what you've come to know.
 
So much to do, so little time
Our members here are great and I love working on the site. It can be a lot of work though. I am now forced to address the chat issue while also having to address the issue with our YouTube channel being down, keeping the blog up to date, managing the daily goings on of the forums, and approving new members as they sign up - all while working a job, living life, etc. and there is only so much time in the day. I am working to address these changes and I ask for your patience and understanding.
 
Thanks everybody!

I'm sure many members in chat have heard me lament the loss of my "perfect" red original Nintendo DS.  I bought it from Goodwill for $20, and loved it because the case and hinges were in such nice shape.  Shortly after purchase, one of my kids commandeered it.   He had an old blue original DS whose hinges bit the dust years ago.  It was no big deal, I had a DS lite already. 
 
Fast forward a few years...and Jr. is cleaning up his room.  Garbage can and recycle bins are full of old stuff...and on my desk he puts "Ol' Red" and also a sweet Canon credit card calculator. 
 
It's still in great shape.  Welcome back Ol' Red!
 
 

That's a killer find Kid A 

NICE SCORE!

So actually it was a friend of mine who saw this picked it up for me. I paid for it about 2 and a half weeks ago. I got it barely yesterday being that he lives about 2 hours from me and I saw him finally yesterday. Check out what I got!
 

 
What an awesome addition to the collection. It was found at a thrift shop. Unfortunately it wasn't like $3 or anything like that. that would have been awesome. Although if that were the case my buddy probably would have kept it. I felt I got a really good deal on it and I'm really happy with it.

List updated

That's awesome!!

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Mini-TV-Game-Console-Video-Game-Console-For-Nes-8-Bit-Games-with-500-Different-Built/32805622052.html?ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_3_10152_10065_10151_10068_10130_10139_10136_10137_10060_10138_10155_10062_10156_10154_10056_10055_10054_10059_10099_10103_10102_10096_10148_10147_10052_10053_10142_10107_10050_10051_10084_10083_10080_10082_10081_10178_10110_10111_10112_10113_10114_10181_10182_10078_10079_10073_10070_10123_10124,searchweb201603_4,ppcSwitch_5&btsid=c4da5290-7f80-4c3c-818b-72c98a3dec48&algo_expid=397c82ca-5940-407a-a42d-8eabb0fdc3df-0&algo_pvid=397c82ca-5940-407a-a42d-8eabb0fdc3df
 
Why not? 
 
Characteristics:
1. Super mini size:14.5cm*10.5cm*3.5cm
2. 500 different built-in NES games. No games repeat. Game list is in the following picture.
3. Double gamepads.
4. Support both PAL and NTSC.
5. Compatible with gamepads of the same kind.
 
Packing includes:
1* game console
1* power adapter
2.*gamepads
1* AV cable (3 meters long)
1* US to EU plug converter
 

No way to argue the first 2.   The six-pack is a no brainer, and all that Mario in one cart?  Heck yeah.

Not sure about the other 2, never had any experience with either. 

I already covered what I think the greatest pack in games of all time were here,
but now I pick my favorites. They may not have done as good as a job selling their systems like the greats, but they were my favorites.
 

Retro Junk Box 9 will be starting soon!
Sign up today if you are interested and meet the requirements below.
Let me know if you have any questions!
 
Here's how the Retro Junk Box works

What It Is: Someone fills a large USPS Priority Mail Flate Rate Box full of retro-related items and sends it to another member. They take out what they want, fill it back up and send it to the next person. It keeps going until it returns to the original sender.

History: The first Retro Junk Box started as a collaboration between The Retro League and Cartoon Retrocast podcasts. It has also been done by The Retroist and The Retro Junkies Network.

Who Can Participate: This is open to members in good standing who have reached Orange Status* (or successful traders with at least 50 posts here), have been a registered Atari I/O member for at least 90 days, live in the US and have been active in the forums or chats during the last month. (See your Avatar to see the fruits you have earned).
* Orange Status is mysteriously rewarded between 100 & 150 posts. 

What is Required: Participants must send the box out within 3 days of getting it, pay for the postage to send it out ($18.85) and must post a photo or video of what they took out. (leave the rest as a mystery!)

Items Taken Out MUST Be Replaced With Items Of Equal Or Greater Value: The Retro Junk Box celebrates the generous and friendly spirit of the forums! Those who participate will be expected to contribute to the spirit of the Retro Junk Box, and must replenish the box with items of an equal or greater value than what they chose to take out.

Those who abuse the generosity of other participants will be denied the opportunity of participating again. Egregious violations will result in the offending member losing prize and event participation privileges, or worse, being removed from the site.

Other Notes: Since it is free to do so with Priority Mail, I would insure the box for $50 to help pay to fill another one in the unlikely event that the USPS ever lost it. Please keep the box mostly (at least 51%) gaming related. Newer items are ok if they are retro related in some way. Please try to be fair in what you replace value wise and please no duplicate games on the same system. Please avoid putting in broken items/games if possible. Please use packing material to fill in nooks and crannies to prevent items from getting broken. (Plastic bags work good for this)

Feel free to reuse and decorate the box!

If you meet the requirements and agree to the terms, please let me know by responding to the thread along with what state you are located in so we can begin to order the list. DO NOT POST YOUR FULL ADDRESS HERE  

Also, if you need to be on a certain spot on the list, because you won't be available later, let us know (for instance, if you are going on a trip or work assignment).

Mine arrived today. These things keep selling out quickly. They only post 15 at a time. It said it would arrive in an epacket but came in a legit box, everything sealed, manual, ear buds and usb hook up. Love it so far. It comes with about 100 games, mostly GBA. I loaded all my NES roms and they seem to work great, which is really the only reason I bought it. I had the same issue with realizing you had to hold down start to get it to boot up. So far it's a great purchase for $25+ free shipping!

Mine arrived today. These things keep selling out quickly. They only post 15 at a time. It said it would arrive in an epacket but came in a legit box, everything sealed, manual, ear buds and usb hook up. Love it so far. It comes with about 100 games, mostly GBA. I loaded all my NES roms and they seem to work great, which is really the only reason I bought it. I had the same issue with realizing you had to hold down start to get it to boot up. So far it's a great purchase for $25+ free shipping!

Hey Rick!! The Sega Portable is great!

I saw the Sega portable at Target and almost bought it. 

Mine arrived today. These things keep selling out quickly. They only post 15 at a time. It said it would arrive in an epacket but came in a legit box, everything sealed, manual, ear buds and usb hook up. Love it so far. It comes with about 100 games, mostly GBA. I loaded all my NES roms and they seem to work great, which is really the only reason I bought it. I had the same issue with realizing you had to hold down start to get it to boot up. So far it's a great purchase for $25+ free shipping!

For the price, this doesn't seem to be a bad deal.  It's also not the first rip off of the PSP design.  I've seen similar units sold in Amazon that are pretty much identical in looks to the PSP. 

Qix is one of my favorites!

Simply terrific, Row!
 
Yeah, you gotta go dashing onwards with acquired skills and a heartful of desire to get what you want in the great maze of life.
That Chalice dream ain't gonna put itself off the home castle walls!
 
Insert Game Czar cart
and
Power On!

That's exciting news Rowsdower! I can't wait to see what you come up with!   

As most of you know, the Mrs and I piddle around with selling games and game related crafts for quite some time. 

Well, we've decided to take the next step.   We're going to the County Clerk this week to register a DBA form for our new business, and we are rebranding from  The Nerdery of Southeast Texas to....

The Game Czar
"Where the Games Are"

I am hiring a friend who is a talented graphic artist to give us a logo and banner art to work with, and we've signed on for Retropalooza V in Dallas (the big one).

It's a big step, and I'm nervous and excited. 

My experience at Atari.IO over the past couple of years has definitely expanded my desire to make this work in some capacity, so thank you guys.

Good thoughts and prayers are appreciated!

Also:

http://www.game-czar.com

So part of this was a trade, part of it was cash, and part of it was just plain ol generosity from none other than RickR! I just have to thank him again for sending me, for the cost of shipping alone, a functioning Atari 5200 with a copy of Pac Man! We did a trade for the two controllers (also generous as eBay has shown me they go for quite a bit!), and I have been thoroughly enjoying this system! Once you get used to the controllers its pretty fun, although admittedly some games are easier to control than others.
 
I just thought I would post my entire collection in a pic, but for details on how I scored the other carts see http://forums.atari.io/index.php/topic/2999-so-i-bought-a-bunch-of-5200-games/
 

Linky no worky. 

It's a great game.  You'll enjoy it.