Sabertooth Posted November 24, 2022 Report Share Posted November 24, 2022 (edited) One of the coolest features of the Atari VCS is its ability to double as a fully functioning mini-PC via "PC Mode." Personally, I run Windows off of a fast USB for emulation on my VCS. Others use an external HDD or have installed a partitioned SSD and boot manager. However, not everyone has the technical wherewithal to put a boot image on a second drive to access PC-Mode. Well, Atari has heard their cries. Enter The Atari VCS PC-Mode USB. This "PC On-A-Stick" is an Atari branded, 128 GB USB that is preloaded with the newest Debian OS. Just put it in the USB port of your VCS, turn it on and you've unlocked the mini-PC potential of your VCS. The stick itself is a Kinsgston 3.2 USB. No info on the transfer rate. Here are the specs: - 128 GB with 110 GB of usable free space for storage - Debian OS, version GNU/Linux 11 (Bullseye) - LibreOffice suite (fully compatible with Office 365) - Chrome web browser - Etcher (used to create bootable USB drives to use alternate operating systems on the Atari VCS) - Atari VCS OS and Bios disaster recovery images Now, it's cool that Atari have gone through the trouble of providing this "PC On-a-Stick", productivity software and VCS recovery images on a slick branded USB. But they didn't do it free. The retail price of the sucker is $39.99! What do you think of new Atari VCS PC-Mode USB? Edited November 24, 2022 by Sabertooth RickR and Justin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted November 24, 2022 Report Share Posted November 24, 2022 (edited) I've never really considered that aspect of the VCS, using mine strictly as a game console. I knew it was possible to set the VCS up as a mini-PC, but I also know a project like that can be very time consuming in setting it up. So this idea of a pre-configured card is really good! I'm going to check it out. $40 to save a bunch of time is worth it! Edited November 24, 2022 by RickR Sabertooth 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted November 24, 2022 Report Share Posted November 24, 2022 Well, the USB stick is on sale for Black Friday for only $30. Still, I decided not to buy it. I don't think I'll ever use the VCS as a PC and the idea of dragging a keyboard/mouse up to my gaming room makes me feel tired :) BUT...in looking at the site, I *did* decide to buy a couple of shirts. But anyway, just to repeat, the stick would be a real time-saver and at $30 is a great deal this week. Sabertooth 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabertooth Posted November 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2022 20 minutes ago, RickR said: Well, the USB stick is on sale for Black Friday for only $30. Still, I decided not to buy it. I don't think I'll ever use the VCS as a PC and the idea of dragging a keyboard/mouse up to my gaming room makes me feel tired 🙂 BUT...in looking at the site, I *did* decide to buy a couple of shirts. But anyway, just to repeat, the stick would be a real time-saver and at $30 is a great deal this week. Nice score @RickR! $22.50 for the t-shirts is a great deal. I had the yellow Tempest tee in my cart but I'm currently in-between sizes so I'm holding off on shirts. From Discord, the stick also includes things like GIMP and sound editing tools. I am getting one at the Black Friday price just to see what it's about and how usable it is. RickR 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portaro Posted November 24, 2022 Report Share Posted November 24, 2022 I think that this is a great product. The easy way to put your VCS on the PC-Mode with a 128 GB USB. And with recovery functions for system. It is a great idea. Sabertooth and RickR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabertooth Posted November 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2022 Here's a video from @Davpa going over initial setup and functionality on a prototype version of the stick. digitalbilly, Portaro, Ballistik and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted November 24, 2022 Report Share Posted November 24, 2022 I'll watch that video and see if it changes my mind. I guess I have until tomorrow to decide right? :) Sabertooth 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portaro Posted November 28, 2022 Report Share Posted November 28, 2022 (edited) The USB with great read write tax transfer + 128GB+ Live Mode persistent+ BIOS and system backup= great deal with small price. I try to buy this more gamepad more the sweetshirt of Asteroids, but when I try to pay I see that Atari now no sends items of site store to Europe market and I am from Portugal so because this I cant buy if I can I did and take advantage of this black friday promotion prices. Edited November 28, 2022 by Portaro Sabertooth and RickR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabertooth Posted November 29, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2022 (edited) I got mine today but haven't had a chance to launch it yet. My version is slightly different from what is pictured on Atari's website. I'm told that I got one from the initial batch but that it's functionally equivalent. Edited November 29, 2022 by Sabertooth RickR, Justin and Portaro 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabertooth Posted November 29, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2022 (edited) The USB is a very streamlined, plug and play experience. Plug in the USB and Debian will launch without any action. Account setup and navigation are straightforward. The interface feels very snappy for lack of a better word. AtariOS and BIOS recovery are also on the stick and can be selected at boot-up, if needed. Overall, a neat little package for $30 and it definitely all but eliminates the barrier for PC-Mode. Edited November 29, 2022 by Sabertooth RickR, Portaro and Ballistik 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted November 29, 2022 Report Share Posted November 29, 2022 They still haven't shipped my t-shirts :( Sabertooth 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalbilly Posted November 30, 2022 Report Share Posted November 30, 2022 this is super cool and well worthit i tried to order one today but sold out. would be nice if Atari provided a download link. its just a dabian linux with atari recovery utilities on it. would someone beable to share the ISO of the usb so i can make my own? RickR and Sabertooth 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabertooth Posted December 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2022 Here is a pretty decent first impressions video from John Hancock on this PC stick and walk through of Debian. It gives you a pretty good sense of what it can be used for from a gaming perspective but he doesn't get into productivity. Still worth checking out if you're curious about Linux on a VCS. digitalbilly and RickR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalbilly Posted December 2, 2022 Report Share Posted December 2, 2022 i think its pretty cool and well worth it!!! its Basically debian with some atari features its a pretty solid operating system and great for linux newbs Sabertooth and RickR 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabertooth Posted December 10, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 Sharing these great overviews of the PC-Mode USB from @Mockduck and @Ballistik in the topic thread. Ballistik and Portaro 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portaro Posted December 10, 2022 Report Share Posted December 10, 2022 Im very sad about the fact that Atari dont sell the USB on Europe. I really like if I can see the work that the team do in the custom Debian ISO. If One Day they release It on web to down maybe I can see the work. On eBay I cant find any USB I Will stay tunned if appear One. Great USB and idea of the Atari Team. Ballistik 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballistik Posted December 12, 2022 Report Share Posted December 12, 2022 On 12/10/2022 at 3:03 PM, Portaro said: Im very sad about the fact that Atari dont sell the USB on Europe. I really like if I can see the work that the team do in the custom Debian ISO. If One Day they release It on web to down maybe I can see the work. On eBay I cant find any USB I Will stay tunned if appear One. Great USB and idea of the Atari Team. Hey Portaro, You can still make your own USB stick with Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, etc, any flavor of Linux you want. Let me know if you need help! BB Sabertooth and Portaro 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portaro Posted December 21, 2022 Report Share Posted December 21, 2022 On 12/12/2022 at 9:40 PM, Ballistik said: Hey Portaro, You can still make your own USB stick with Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, etc, any flavor of Linux you want. Let me know if you need help! BB Yes you are in reason but for me if I can I really like if I can buy the USB because for me is a piece of art is the Atari customization of Debian in effect is the only console with kernel Linux that do this, I am a fan and entusiasta of Linux. I choose this console because It is officially Linux based system with purely games with a store for them with license and Open development based on Debian. So in my special case probably I Will not use much the USB as a USB to work but instead as a little piece of Linux and Atari power. I have some USBs here and of course I use some of them to make a bootable ISO Linux and Run on PC-Mode of the console. Thanks for your support. Ballistik and Sabertooth 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballistik Posted December 29, 2022 Report Share Posted December 29, 2022 On 12/20/2022 at 5:09 PM, Portaro said: Yes you are in reason but for me if I can I really like if I can buy the USB because for me is a piece of art is the Atari customization of Debian in effect is the only console with kernel Linux that do this, I am a fan and entusiasta of Linux. I choose this console because It is officially Linux based system with purely games with a store for them with license and Open development based on Debian. So in my special case probably I Will not use much the USB as a USB to work but instead as a little piece of Linux and Atari power. I have some USBs here and of course I use some of them to make a bootable ISO Linux and Run on PC-Mode of the console. Thanks for your support. I agree completely! I just dont want those who missed out to lose hope. There is still a way! Or maybe they can decorate their own Atari USBs! that would be fab. Thanks man! Portaro 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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