Help shooting arcade scan or info needed

[DREW]

Does anyone own or have a scan of the 2600 Shooting Arcade prototype?

The reason I ask in case you don't know is I just bought one from Donald Thomas
and I am trying to figure out if it is an original prototype or possibly an original PCB with EPROM copies ?

Mr. Thomas did work for Atari Corp. as Director of Customer Service / Marketing from Sept 91 through Aug. 96. He does not remember for sure were he got it but figures it must have been when he worked at Atari. I certainly believe him but there is some question as to the dates on the Logic chips which are 1983 a full six years before the copyright of
the game.

My guess is they reused boards on other prototypes and maybe this board was one
they had available or maybe when they assembled the board they still had old stock of Logic
chips ?

EDIT
*************************************
I was just looking at the PCB again and it has a 1983 date so its either a reused board or possibly a best assembled board.
************************************

I would be very interested in looking at a scan of any one of the 11 Best Electronics Prototypes of this game (they auctioned one in 1994 and 10 more in 1997).


Thanks

[CX2K]

Drew,

Please don't believe any of the ramblings that David Winter or others may have cast upon this proto. I would go out on a limb and guarantee it to be 100% genuine. First of all, it came from Don Thomas who, whether you know it or not, is probably the most honest person on this planet. Don has many cool things from his Atari days and there is no reason to believe this or anything else he may have is suspect.

As for the early dates on the chips, so what? Shooting Arcade would have been one of the last Superchip (SARA) games. There were other, early games that would have used this board including Dig Dug, Crystal Castles and several others. The bottom line is whether they re-used a board from an old game, had a pile of chips from the old days, or their supplier gave them old chips, it's still a legit proto.

John


Does anyone own or have a scan of the 2600 Shooting Arcade prototype?

The reason I ask in case you don't know is I just bought one from Donald Thomas
and I am trying to figure out if it is an original prototype or possibly an original PCB with EPROM copies ?

Mr. Thomas did work for Atari Corp. as Director of Customer Service / Marketing from Sept 91 through Aug. 96. He does not remember for sure were he got it but figures it must have been when he worked at Atari. I certainly believe him but there is some question as to the dates on the Logic chips which are 1983 a full six years before the copyright of
the game.

My guess is they reused boards on other prototypes and maybe this board was one
they had available or maybe when they assembled the board they still had old stock of Logic
chips ?

EDIT
*************************************
I was just looking at the PCB again and it has a 1983 date so its either a reused board or possibly a best assembled board.
************************************

I would be very interested in looking at a scan of any one of the 11 Best Electronics Prototypes of this game (they auctioned one in 1994 and 10 more in 1997).



Thanks

[Tempest]

I too would say this is legit. While I don't have a scan of a Best Shooting Arcade proto, I can tell you that those blue stickers on the EPROMs were used by Best on many of the protos they sold. I have them on my 7800 Developer Board.

Tempest

[DREW]

John

Thanks for your insight and response, I to believe Don, as a matter of fact I never doubted what he said especially since he could have easily said it came from Atari but instead told me he did not specifically remember when he received it.

As for Mr. Winter's opinion I can see how he could come to that conclusion at first glance and
I was hoping to somehow substantiate it.

I am still hoping to compare this board with another one and hopefully get some more conclusive
evidence.

[Marco]

Hi Drew,

Below is a picture of my Shooting Arcade proto. I got this from John Earny, and I assume it's from one of the Best auctions. I also included a picture of a Crack'Ed prototype, I hope it gives you the information you were looking for.

Cheers,
Marco


http://members1.chello.nl/~mcj.kerstens/Protos.jpg

[DREW]

Thanks Marco

Those photo's are very much appreciated, thanks for taking the time to scan and post them for me, they are exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks again
Drew

[Tempest]

Wow nice pictures Marco! Can I use them on my site?

Tempest

[Marco]

Of course! :)

Cheers,
Marco