How long have Atari sound fx been pub. domain?

[Wavelflack]

I have wondered about this for some time, and the newest "games in TV and movies" thread reminded me to finally post the question:

For as far back as I can remember, many TV shows and movies have used 2600 sound effects when a game (any game!) is playing in the background. Typically it's Pac Man (death sound, four tone "intro"), Yar's Revenge (swirl attack), and a couple of others (I think something from Air-Sea Battle).

How and why did this become the practice? It's not like this is a recent thing. Chances are better than even that if a show has a scene where a kid is playing a game (especially if it's a handheld, for some reason), you will hear old 2600 FX instead of the correct sound, or even something more modern.

Did Warner license those sound FX out to all studios as part of their libraries? Is it posible that every show I've seen (heard) this happen in was produced by Warner Bros., and I didn't notice? Are they public domain?

Any ideas?

[Flack]

I have noticed this too. Just recently, I saw episodes of both Jimmy Neutron and Fairly Odd Parents which both used Atari 2600 Donkey Kong samples (hey, when you have a three-year-old, you watch a lot of Nickelodeon).

BTW, I posted this exact same thing in October of 2003. Apparently, my kid was watching Nick then too.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20329

[goatdan]

I think that it all has to do with what is recognizable as a game. If they were "playing" a new game that had a musical score, most of the people watching wouldn't know what it was supposed to represent. The Pac-Man / Donkey Kong sounds that are usually played are video game sounds that pretty much everyone can recognize. They also don't want music playing that might change the scene, which is why they wouldn't use NES games.

Just an idea, but it seems to make sense with me. :)

[Arcade Antics]

I think that it all has to do with what is recognizable as a game....Just an idea, but it seems to make sense with me. :)

You're right on the money.

Those sounds have been used ad infinitum forever, since they were "new." :D

[Captain Wrong]

My guess is back when they were new and being used in film and TV, no one thought about copywriting sounds. I am suprized that the current owners haven't tried to re-claim rights, given how litigation happy the industry is now.

[Kid Ice]

Go to this link and check out what happens when the counting is done.

http://games.funschool.com/game.php?g=1643&category=0&level=2