Portable Ataris, anyone?

[joedog86]

Hello all - this is my first post in the DP forums! I can't believe I've never checked this site out much before - I've been a member of the benheck.com forums for a while. I look forward to many fun discussions in the future.

I live in Oklahoma and I plan on attending the OVGE next year (I missed the most recent one :( ). I'm planning on attending as a vendor/exhibitor selling and showing off some of my creations - portable Ataris, SNES's, and PSOne's! These are systems that I've taken apart and attached a screen and batteries and put in handcrafted cases (using vacuum-forming and whatnot).

I'd like to know what all of you would think of having a portable Atari or SNES of your own - is there any interest in these? I'm currently working on putting together a website to show exactly what I'm talking about (and to enable commissions!), but I guess I'd like to do a little bit of marketing research first. Think about it - any game show or used gaming store you go to, you could test out the cartridges right then and there!

Also, as I'm new to these forums, I wasn't quite certain which division of the forums to post this under. If it needs to be moved, I'm fine with that. I figured since I mainly make classic video game console portables (exception being PSOne) that it would go here just fine.

[rbudrick]

Definitely interested, but usually the work that has to go into these makes them very expensive. If they were affordable, (less than $100), then it would certainly pique more interest.

Also, the quality of workmanship, ergonomics, and features matter a great deal.

-Rob

[Pantechnicon]

You have some competition already in the form on one Ben Heckendorn.

www.benheck.com

Maybe he's not competition per se, but you should check out what he's doing with respect to portables, marketing etc. and see how it compares to your own plans.

I would definitely buy a portable Atari 2600 if the price was right ($100 - $200) and quality was appropriate to that price range.

[rbudrick]

You have some competition already in the form on one Ben Heckendorn.

www.benheck.com

Maybe he's not competition per se, but you should check out what he's doing with respect to portables, marketing etc. and see how it compares to your own plans.

I would definitely buy a portable Atari 2600 if the price was right ($100 - $200) and quality was appropriate to that price range.

Did you read his initial post?

-Rob

[Ze_ro]

Here's your portable Atari:

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos/atari_portfolio_1.jpg

--Zero

[zektor]

A portable Atari 8-bit would be something I would be *very* interested in! PM me if and when you decide to do this.

[Flack]

Whereabouts in Oklahoma do you live? I've love to check out some of your systems in person!

[joedog86]

I'm in the Tulsa area - convenient for going to the OVGE, eh? I'd post a link to one of my SNES portables in progress on the benheck.com forums, but the forums are down right now for some reason. I'm always willing to show off my work! Plus, I'd like to talk to you about the OVGE, Flack. Do you think a table with my kind of stuff would go over well there?

To answer the posts about price - I won't know specifics until I get a fairly streamlined process worked out (read: cheaper for the buyer!). I can guarantee you though that my prices would be lower than Ben Heckendorn's typical $300 price range (I think that's what he charged... but I don't believe he's making as many as he used to nowadays). Actually, assuming you provide an Atari or SNES mini or PSOne, I could build the whole thing for substantially less and get it done faster since I wouldn't be hunting down bargains myself on eBay or used game stores.

[Kid Ice]

Here's your portable Atari:

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/photos/atari_portfolio_1.jpg

--Zero

Hey now...the DP store has *software* for that. @_@

[BIGMIKE]

ooooooooo that xbox laptop is mine come tax time........

[Ze_ro]

Actually, I own an Atari Portfolio, along with quite a bit of hardware for it (memory expander, parallel interface, PC card reader, etc). It's a neat piece of hardware, and I used to use it quite a bit. I still use it from time to time, but I found a Handspring Visor PDA for $5 at the thrift store, so I use that for most of the stuff the Portfolio was useful for... better interface, smaller, and better battery life. I still have fun with the Portfolio though.

--Zero

[Sothy]

sup joedog86

Ya we got a Introduction thread hereabouts.

But you dont seem the "HEY IM JONNY420_ANIME_CLOWNPOSSE ! AND I LOVE NES IM 14 YRS OLD DUDE" type poster so maybe its better this wasnt buried there.

[joedog86]

sup joedog86

Ya we got a Introduction thread hereabouts.

But you dont seem the "HEY IM JONNY420_ANIME_CLOWNPOSSE ! AND I LOVE NES IM 14 YRS OLD DUDE" type poster so maybe its better this wasnt buried there.

Yes, but I wanted to get down to business!

I'll go ahead right now and claim ignorance to the Atari Portfolio - I've never heard of it before but it looks pretty cool. What all was it designed to do?

I just recently acquired a few more SNES minis so I'll be working on making a new design for the cases for those as soon as I get them and build my vacuum-forming table. Fun stuff lies ahead... :)

[AlexKidd]

I would definitely be interested in purchasing both a portable 2600 and snes if the price was in $100-$200 range. Can't wait to see how they look.

[ganondorf]

I know you from benheck, Joe 8-)

[ganondorf]

A portable Atari 8-bit would be something I would be *very* interested in! PM me if and when you decide to do this.

A laptop has been done, right along with a 360 laptop! benheck.com

[joedog86]

I would definitely be interested in purchasing both a portable 2600 and snes if the price was in $100-$200 range. Can't wait to see how they look.

Thanks! Looking at how things are going, I can guarantee you the price will most definitely be in the $100-$200 range (unless you want it gold-plated or something. I'm always eager to please! ;) ). Here's an added bonus - if anyone's willing to provide me with the game system and/or screen in the first place, the price will obviously be that much lower. So realistically, anyone wanting a portable below $100 will have to provide the guts for me. Otherwise, I'm going into the hole.

I know I don't have anything to show you guys yet, and I promise I'll have a website up relatively soon (probably 2 months for a polished one). Thing is, I'm basing my time schedule around when the OVGE rolls around next year. I am quite encouraged by the feedback I've gotten so far, however, and I thank everyone for that.

Here's a cool idea that might work for some folks - when I get everything set up, you could commission a portable and pick it up at the OVGE and go around all day testing out carts at vendors tables and showing off to everyone! That way you come of as "cool" and I get free advertising. Yeah! Just an idea...

[Ze_ro]

I'll go ahead right now and claim ignorance to the Atari Portfolio - I've never heard of it before but it looks pretty cool. What all was it designed to do?
Basically, it's just a really small DOS-based computer. It uses an 8088 as a CPU, and has 256k of RAM (part of which serves as a hard drive). There is a proprietary memory card port on the right for saving data (32k, 64k and 128k cards were available), which you could access as a regular disk drive. The Porfolio also had a few built-in applications, such as a text editor, address book, calendar, calculator and spreadsheet program (All of which were actually pretty good programs)... it was also compatible with most MS-DOS 2.11 programs, although the rather small screen could cause some problems. It actually has absolutely nothing to do the VCS, but it IS a "portable Atari". It's just about the same size as a VHS tape, which was pretty damn small for 1990.

Oh, also, the Portfolio is the computer John Conner uses to rob an ATM machine in Terminator 2. I still haven't got that program to work yet...

--Zero

[joedog86]

Oh, also, the Portfolio is the computer John Conner uses to rob an ATM machine in Terminator 2. I still haven't got that program to work yet...

Ha ha, that's awesome! Sounds like a pretty cool device.

[qbertandernie]

portable 2600 and snes at a reasonable price? im in...

[joedog86]

Not that any of you don't believe me, here's a link to prove that I can indeed build a mighty fine portable. Click here for portable goodness! (http://benheck.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=13531&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0)

Of course, once I get my vacuum-forming table built and the process all figured out, any future portables that I would be selling may look completely different, but this proves that I do know what I'm doing and how to make it all work. I would have posted a link sooner, but the benheck.com forums were acting screwy earlier this weekend when I had a chance.

Thank you everyone for your interest, and I thank those of you who have contacted me personally via PM. I hope to get this business up and going reasonably soon, and I promise you that your encouragement is only helping me get there sooner :)

[GizmoGC]

Very cool. Wonder how comfrontable is is to play with the D-Pad and Buttons so far up?

[Flack]

Yeah man, looks cool! Like I said, when you get a working one ready we'll have to get together so I can check it out. I think these would go over great at OVGE -- the only thing would be the price. Not that it's not the right price, it's just an item that people might not have enough cash on them to pick one up.

I've got a mini SNES and an Atari 2600 Jr sitting around, waiting for a project ... :D

[joedog86]

Yeah man, looks cool! Like I said, when you get a working one ready we'll have to get together so I can check it out. I think these would go over great at OVGE -- the only thing would be the price. Not that it's not the right price, it's just an item that people might not have enough cash on them to pick one up.

I've got a mini SNES and an Atari 2600 Jr sitting around, waiting for a project ... :D

I agree with you about the problem of having enough cash available - that's why I need to come up with a website, so people could either commission a portable to pick up at the show (that way everything would be already paid for) or they could supply me with some consoles at the show and I would then make a portable for them and ship it to them in a couple of weeks. Sometimes making business contacts is just as important as making money!

Just so all of you know, the only systems that I've had personal experience (and success!) with are 4-switch Atari 2600s, SNES minis, and PSOnes. I know other systems could be used, but for the three I mentioned I now know them literally inside and out and can produce finished products fairly fast using them.

As for the controls on the SNESp in the link, they're pretty comfortable. I haven't had a chance to spend any real "quality time" with it since I finished it, but when I do we'll see how it feels after some serious gaming sessions. Man oh man - TMNT IV, Starfox, and Donkey Kong Country here I come!

[50TBRD]

Man, I might have to get me one.

[bangtango]

Yeah man, looks cool! Like I said, when you get a working one ready we'll have to get together so I can check it out. I think these would go over great at OVGE -- the only thing would be the price. Not that it's not the right price, it's just an item that people might not have enough cash on them to pick one up.

I've got a mini SNES and an Atari 2600 Jr sitting around, waiting for a project ... :D

I agree with you about the problem of having enough cash available - that's why I need to come up with a website, so people could either commission a portable to pick up at the show (that way everything would be already paid for) or they could supply me with some consoles at the show and I would then make a portable for them and ship it to them in a couple of weeks. Sometimes making business contacts is just as important as making money!

Just so all of you know, the only systems that I've had personal experience (and success!) with are 4-switch Atari 2600s, SNES minis, and PSOnes. I know other systems could be used, but for the three I mentioned I now know them literally inside and out and can produce finished products fairly fast using them.

As for the controls on the SNESp in the link, they're pretty comfortable. I haven't had a chance to spend any real "quality time" with it since I finished it, but when I do we'll see how it feels after some serious gaming sessions. Man oh man - TMNT IV, Starfox, and Donkey Kong Country here I come!

Any progress?

[NES_Rules]

I atually just bought another 2600 Jr that I would like to make into a portable. I know I could everything, except the screen part. I would have no idea on how to do that.
Would a GBA SP screen work for something like that?