Need help with atari and intellivision

[alonzomourning23]

My parents just gave me their old atari and intellivision systems. I'd always known they had them, but that's about it. I did play the atari once when I was a little kid. They had 37 games (39 actually, but two duplicates) combined between the two systems. The problem is, when I tried to hook up the intellivision there's this black cable. It fits into the a/v plugs, but looks like a coaxial, except the piece that connects into the tv is thicker. Then I tried the atari and noticed the same thing. What is this and where can I buy an adaptor?

[Heyricochet]

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F006%5F003%5F003%5F000&product%5Fid=15%2D1268

Thats what you need for anything pre-nes. You might be able to get it for cheaper on ebay or something, but thats just the quick link I know of.

[elprincipe]

Once you get that Atari VCS hooked up, Alonzo, if you don't have Cosmic Ark, Dragonfire and Fathom, get them!!!

[erehwon]

AtariAge (http://$$$$$$$$$$$$/dhllp) has some good info. Here (http://$$$$$$$$$$$$/7quyy) is a link for an article on connecting older consoles (with some good pics).

[alonzomourning23]

Thanks for the help. I found the piece I needed. I called up my father and I asked if there was a box attached to the old tv. He said no, but said there was a game switch box in the closet. He seemed to know what it was. I should get it either tomorrow or tuesday, then I can figure out if the systems work. They were stored well but, from what I've read, a lot of them have just died in recent years.

Once you get that Atari VCS hooked up, Alonzo, if you don't have Cosmic Ark, Dragonfire and Fathom, get them!!!

I was looking at dragonfire last night, it seemed interesting. A complete one seems to only go for a few bucks, so I'll probably pick that up.

I just looked up fathom, it seems to have something to do with a dolphin. What's the purpose? Are you avoiding enemies, shooting them, what? Also, what's cosmic ark about? The images on gamefaqs don't seem to show much.

There's a local record store chain that sells some atari stuff, but the cheapest they ever go on games is 6 bucks. I don't really really want to spend that on cart only atari games unless I really know what I'm buying, especially since I can't return them if they suck. Maybe I should try some roms first.

[elprincipe]

I just looked up fathom, it seems to have something to do with a dolphin. What's the purpose? Are you avoiding enemies, shooting them, what? Also, what's cosmic ark about? The images on gamefaqs don't seem to show much.

In Fathom, you start out as a dolphin and also turn into a bird in an effort to free a mermaid at the bottom of the sea. First you have to avoid and kill jellyfish, sharks and coral, then you take to the skies, avoiding evil birds and volcanoes.

Cosmic Ark is about traveling from planet to planet, avoiding asteroids, and then going to the surface to capture two beings from each planet for your Ark. There are two segments, one involving some of the greatest twitch/reaction gameplay of any game (the asteroids part) and then the planet surface part which also requires you to avoid planetary defenses and capture the residents under a strict time limit. It's my fav VCS game and IMO one of the greatest games ever made.

Really any game by Imagic is awesome. Riddle of the Sphinx and Atlantis rule too.

[alonzomourning23]

Ok, I had to buy a new converter box since the box that was with the system just had those two prong connectors that old tv's have on the back. I hooked it up and the picture is grainy, is that normal or just due to the system wearing down?

[elprincipe]

It shouldn't be grainy, but it's hard to tell you what to do from a distance, you know?

[alonzomourning23]

It shouldn't be grainy, but it's hard to tell you what to do from a distance, you know?

I hooked up my nes and that seems a little grainy (never really paid much attention before), and so did the intellivision. The atari seems a little worse than the other two, but I think the reason it looks grainy is because it's a coaxial hookup on a big screen tv.

One thing though, atari is much easier to play with a master system controller than a regular atari controller.