All things Atari VCS Thread

[Draco1962]

Agreed. And his list and links are pretty comprehensive. 

[hansolo77]

A guy with some Linux know-how leaked out the BIOS password.  Not much use, but you can overclock CPU/RAM, and disable the SecureBoot requirement. 

Piano18482

[Draco1962]

June 15 - the official Atari VCS retail release

Walmart shows Sold Out for preorders which I assume will be honored and released on June 15. 

It is telling that they are not listed by Atari's official release date announcement that the mega retailer will not be in the hunt with the rest of the usual suspects. Only online availability mentioned. No in store purchasing noted.

Based upon my experience, despite many firmware updates, there are  continued issues with:

- The controllers must be connected by wire upon startup. They do mot get recognized by Bluetooth in Windows 10 via PC mode nor are they working well in Windows out of the box wired. Xbox 360 wired controller works fine in Windows mode. Have yet to try it or an Xbox One controller in either wired or wireless config in AtarOS (default) mode.

-  WiFi  is iffy, even when the VCS is two feet from the WiFi source

- No toggle option upon boot to select AtariOS or PC mode. The VCS boots into PC mode by default in presence of an installed OS on thumb, external HDD or SDD or internsl/external M2 drive. I have to hit ESC on a keyboard (wired) or remove the thumb drive to access the console login.

The noted issues above ruin the "10 foot experience" so the VCS will remain a desktop curiosity in my office, rather than seeing play in the living room as hoped. 

There are many many more complaints in the Facebook and Discord groups regarding quality issues with games written for the VCS, poor customer service response, etc.) .

While others may give Atari a pass, had I known that this would be the outcome, I would not have invested my cash despite the sentimental fanboy crush on the brand early on in my gaming life. 

But it plays PONG! 

[hansolo77]

I installed Batocera on it.  Runs great.  I'm still not ready to install Windows 10 and learn it to install GameEx on.  But Batocera, for what it's worth, runs everything OLD up to PS2, Wii, GameCube, Dreamcast, and Saturn.  They also run stuff like Windows games if you feel the need.  Batocera is an offshoot of RetroPie, with it's own dedicated Linux distro.  The downside is that you have to have Secure Boot disabled.  So that means you MUST have BIOS access to disable it.  In the latest updates, they changed the password, which now blocks that ability.

I'm especially upset with my situation.  I received a console that suffers from a bad ethernet network controller.  The chip they used is inferior, and they KNEW it was inferior but used it anyway.  It'll be chugging along at full speed, then drastically drop from the 1 gigabit speed to about 2 kilobit, literally slower than dial-up speeds, and become completely useless.  When I first reported it, the techs told me it was a KNOWN problem, explained they had to outsource some chips for a small percentage of the consoles (like 30%), and the programming needed to be updated to work correctly with the alternate chipset.  This, as I said, was a KNOWN issue and I was told a fix was in the works.  Nothing has happened yet.  I've reached out a second and a third time, and was ignored for MONTHS.  Then I get a response from somebody asking me to update the console to see if it's fixed.  I told them I can't update it unless they provide me with the BIOS password so I can disable Secure Boot.  WEEKS go by, and he replies back saying they are unable to provide to password because it will void the warranty.  He then urged me once again to try updating the console, and if it doesn't work I can RMA it.  This makes me very upset.  The console is advertised "install ANY OS you want", and I want to install an OS that requires Secure Boot disabled; and this violates some warranty term I never agreed to.  So my options are, use a faulty console, or update it and not be able to ever use it how I want, or update it and find out it doesn't fix the problem and RMA it for a replacement - which will probably NOT be one of the first run, limited batch, numbered Collector's Edition models.  Really crappy.

Knowing that they have piss poor customer service, and that they WILLINGLY sell faulty inferior products, I cannot endorse buying the console.  With the chip shortage effecting all electronics at the moment, you can bet ALL consoles they ship will now have this problem.  Nope, they need to mature a bit more before I start giving them a proper advertisement.

[Draco1962]

https://amp.9news.com.au/article/ed6e270a-a345-4638-800e-1cde4d2b5ff6

Reportedly being released June 10th in launches in Australia and New Zealand. 

Launch pricing is USD$849.95 or about $100 more than the PS5.

[tthurman]

Have to recover those cost somewhere I suppose.

[hansolo77]

Hey @Draco1962, would you mind testing something on your Atari VCS for me?  I got a password for the BIOS but I'd like to know if it works with the latest version of the OS/BIOS before I try to update mine.  If you can just confirm the password works, and you can get in to disable Secure Boot, that's all I need.

Atar!C3l3br8te$50Ye4r$

Thanks man!

[Draco1962]

Sorry, not ignoring you, just waiting until I have some free time. 

I take it you haven't updated to the latest BIOS?

[RIP-Felix]

On 6/7/2021 at 4:59 PM, Draco1962 said:

https://amp.9news.com.au/article/ed6e270a-a345-4638-800e-1cde4d2b5ff6

Reportedly being released June 10th in launches in Australia and New Zealand. 

Launch pricing is USD$849.95 or about $100 more than the PS5.

That is outrageous. This group of ATARI owners deserve bankruptcy. The sooner new ownership takes control the better. Couldn't be worse than these clowns!

[Tom Speirs]

I still don't see the value in this other than nostalgia ,when you can get this now.

Amazon.com: ASUS PN50 MiniPC Barebone with AMD Ryzen R3-4300U 4 cores Processor with DisplayPort, HDMI, 2 USB-C (DP Alt Mode), WiFi 6 Support: Computers & Accessories

 

[hansolo77]

On 6/10/2021 at 6:10 AM, Draco1962 said:

Sorry, not ignoring you, just waiting until I have some free time. 

I take it you haven't updated to the latest BIOS?

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I haven't.  The password I posted was the last one I heard about.  Hopefully it's still working with the latest version of the BIOS.

[Draco1962]

So far I haven't been able to get the BIOS to prompt. It could be that it is not recognizing the wireless keyboard until after BIOS launch. 

Will keep trying.

[hansolo77]

It's been a few months since I've done it.  I believe the key you want to use is ESC.  When you power on the VCS, just hold that down, you don't need to rapidly press it.

[hansolo77]

So the guy who has been "trying" to help me with my support ticket about my ethernet controller just replied back again.  This time, he didn't say anything about accessing the BIOS being a warranty breach.  In fact, he gave me the password.  It matches the one I posted a few posts back.  So that's a plus.  At least I know it's legit and not something somebody just made up.  I'm still hesitant to update though, just because if it DOESN'T work, it will put me back to where I was before.  If @Draco1962or anybody else who got a VCS could check and confirm they can access the latest BIOS with the new password, I'd be more comfortable going forward.  All you have to do is hold down the ESCAPE key when you power up, and it'll come up.  There is a menu that prompts for the boot device (that's how you have to choose if you want to access PC Mode, as the AtariOS doesn't actually reboot into it).  On that menu there should be an option to access the settings.  It's been a while, I don't remember the exact words.  But if you select it, it'll prompt for the password.  If the new password works with the latest version (you'll have to update first of course!), I'll try and it see if it fixes my problem.

Pretty lame I had to somewhat threaten the Atari support guy with not advertising their product.  I was so upset hearing that accessing the BIOS would void the warranty, given that I'd been doing it since I first got the console.  Especially maddening was that they advertise the VCS is YOUR console, and you can install any OS you want, just to find out you can only install OS's that are Secure Boot compatible.  I'm a tinker, I like Linux.  Projects like RetroPie are not Secure Boot compatible.  To say I can install anything I want, and then block that capability behind a password that when used voids your warranty is blatant false advertising.  Even worse is that I paid money to be a Day One backer, and was given higher privilege than a standard consumer by becoming a field beta tester, and they treat me like I'm some inferior nobody.  I still hope the console succeeds but if this is how they treat their beta testers, I almost want to see it fail.  Anyway, rant over.

[tthurman]

No Soup For You!

[Draco1962]

I'm sorry but they voided my confidence long ago and continue to void it. Do they honestly think that many of us would pursue a warranty claim against them and expect them to honor it and provide a valid fix?

I wonder if they ever paid their original lead designer the back pay he and his company were warranted?

[Draco1962]

YEAH... er, uh no. Holding ESC only works if I remove the USB boot drive. The password works, but see no way to use this as a dual boot system. It had promise, but seems that was a lie.

[hansolo77]

Yeah the way they designed the system it will boot the AtariOS always, unless you have a bootable USB drive in place (that's is compatible with Secure Boot).  Then it will direct boot the USB on power up.  If you have an OS that isn't Secure Boot compatible, you're required to access the BIOS, disable Secure Boot, and change the boot order directly.  I took it a step further, and disabled the other boot devices, so it would only boot the M.2 drive.  This way it will always boot whatever is installed, and I can go back into the BIOS and change it back if I ever want to boot AtariOS.  My concern was that the BIOS password was changed, and it would have prevented me from going back in and setting it back the way I have it after I update.  And the update may or may not fix my problem, so I've been hesitant to do anything feeling that it's fine the way it is.  At least now I know and can confirm that the latest BIOS does work with the password, so I should be able to do it.

None of this would have been a problem if A] Atari used all the same hardware instead of going the cheaper/quicker route when supplies became limited and B] If Atari didn't force SecureBoot as requirement for "any" OS.  The hardware is rock solid for it's use.  They are ramping up their market with more games in preparation for the full public release (they always said they would) and they have a few AA (not AAA) games on the way, including some stuff that's not Indie or super pixelated.  If you don't want to use AtariOS and their offerings; as a standalone PC, it's got a lot of good stuff under the hood.  I upgraded the RAM and added a 2tb M.2 drive.  Installing Batocera, I can emulate anything up to PS2, GameCube, Wii, Saturn, Dreamcast with perfect frame rate, and some are 2x-4x resolution.  I'm happy I can use it this way, as it gives the system a lot more functionality and the performance is top notch.  I just wish those asshats weren't a bunch of idiots and saw the potential and value in their pre-release user base.

[Draco1962]

The dicey way that it recognizes the Logitech wireless keyboard is nuts. It will recognize the trackpad (mouse) but not the keyboard when attempting to enter login or other data. I setup  the Antstream account and was forced to use the virtual keyboard via the gamepad - not good. To be honest, I would rather that it boot into the AtariOS and let me launch PC Mode from there. I know, using common sense. Maybe there is something in the BIOS I can turn off in the boot order settings to make it do my bidding... hmmm.

[hansolo77]

The dev teams need to mature the software quite a bit before it's released full public.  They need to relax their restrictions if they want people to use it the way they advertised it.  The Discord channel was flooded with people complaining about Antstream and the login process.  At the time, the devs insisted we use the cell phone "companion" app.  The only solution that works is a keyboard, but even then not all keyboards work.  The whole system is flaky at best.  That's why I like using the "sandbox" mode with a mature OS.  I was all fine with the delays if they released the console polished with maybe a few bugs, but this system is a Jenga mess with more than half the pieces missing.

[Draco1962]

Atari VCS Launches Over A Dozen New Games For The Platform

https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-vcs-launches-over-a-dozen-new-games-for-the-platform/

I have purchased the Recharged titles. For the VCS, there's no leaderboard or mouse/trackball support, but both are reported to be "in the works" for the future. Both are available for the Steam versions so I have to ask why not for the VCS? Seems like a no-brainer to me.

[hansolo77]

2 hours ago, Draco1962 said:

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Because that's how Atari works.. with no brain.

[Draco1962]

So I managed to flash my Samsung 128gb flash drive with Batocera, disable secure boot (required due to the OS being unsigned), 

I haven't loaded any cores or ROMS yet. Definitely looks so easy in the How To videos but I know that I have quite a learning curve ahead of me getting the right cores for the right ROMS, setting up controllers, yada, yada, yada...

More to come.

[hansolo77]

I would much rather have GameEx on it   But honestly, Batocera is a great system.  I'm getting a lot of use out of it.  Just got Clone Hero installed, been playing a lot of it lately.  The Atari as an emulation system is amazing.  I've got all old systems running, up to Dreamcast, GameCube, PS2.  Batocera supports Xbox and PS3 but I've not tried setting them yup yet.  PS2 can run at 2x resolution.  I had Wii working, but without working wiimotes, it's kind of pointless.  Batocera also has integrated Kodi.  And the best part about being on the VCS.. if you want to play the VCS side of things you just have to go into the BIOS and swap it over.  "Some" of the VCS games will run natively through Linux, so you can link to them inside the Ports menu, and still be able to play them without access the BIOS.  All good.

[Draco1962]

Is there a list of games that you can link to via Ports?

I wish there was a dedicated forum instead of Discord. Finding useful information there sucks. 

I need to figure out how to redirect RA to the M.2 drive for ROM and other content storage.

Much, much to learn!