Someone define the dilemma here...

I've traversed my fair share of forum posts. The one that constantly comes up is piracy...of older game console's games.

My question is this...Why is such a hot-button issue?

Take, for instance, the original Sega CD.

Sega no longer supports the console.
They don't re-release games from CD to, say virtual console.
They don't get a dime from any sales made today.

Who wins from all this?

Sega? No. They're getting monies from new games for new consoles (New Sonic, anyone?)

Does Nintendo get a cut of an NES or SNES cart I just picked up from a thrift store?

Will Sony and Rockstar Games get a cut of the $1 I spent to get GTA 3?

The one thing I can only think of that piracy of older games hurt is the resellers.

You know, the ones that sell "graded" stuff for 100x more than the game was worth at it's initial release date, now it's stuck inside a plastic case, never to be played?

Or the ones that sell loose games for 20x more than retail because it's rare? Do I want this rare game, even if it's crappy?

I might be missing something here, but really. If I want a flash card for all my cartridge based systems, or burn a CD/DVD for my disc based system, I'm going to do it. The company that produced it 20 years ago isn't getting a cut from its sales anymore.

CTFD, you nonchalant resellers. Someone will be suckered into buying your overpriced wares.

...however, Windy Gaming isn't pulling this crap. The owner is truly a gamer, and only sells to gamers, not other resellers. Top notch.

...now what...

I sit here contemplating on what console to hunt for next...Well, I guess it doesn't matter, really. If I see something that's not in my console collection, I'm scooping it up...within reason of price, of course.

Several options here:

Wonderswan
Neo Geo Pocket
Atari 2600 (proper console)
Atari 5200
Atari 800
Atari Lynx
Atari Jaguar
3DO (FZ-1)


....really, the possibilities are endless.

Portland Retro Gaming Expo...

So I went to PRGE this past weekend. I feel I should take the whole weekend next time, but eh. Whatev.

This was also the first expo of...anything...I've ever been to. Never went to PAX or SDCC or even RCCC (Rose City Comic Con).

Needless to say, it was fun. There was a whole section with Podcasters and others, a HUGE reseller area, a freeplay arcade, pinball, and console area, main stage where some DJs and Chiptuners did their thing, and a tournament area.

I figured while I was there, I sat through couple of panels. Joe DeCuir was one, who helped develop the Atari 2600, Amiga, and USB. Also sat through a Podcast of "Watch Out For Fireballs". Pretty funny.

I mainly went there for consoles, the biggest one I was hunting for was a 3DO. Well...

And yes, I talked the guy down. So I got the 3DO at half of what eBay auctions are going now, Return Fire for the 3DO (my personal favorite game) for $6, and GTA III and Gologo 13 for $1 each. I also got a manual for GTA: San Andreas because the one I got was missing it...and I was anal about that.

I got all the hookups for the 3DO. Clean on the outside...but the controller however...

Hmmm....Doesn't affect the gameplay at all, but I'm real anal about my controllers and having them be clean. 

The inside of the 3DO was a bit dirty too, so I may have a crack at that later, too. 

All in all, it was fun. Hey, I even got to see some cosplayers do this:

Yup...Halo Spartans playing DDR.

It's something...

Several things here:

First off, I had a nephew on my wife's side pass away in a car accident at the beginning of the month. Very sad. Really good kid. RIP, Tanner.

Second, I got a dresser from a family member that was the perfect height and strength for the big ass TV I got the other day. Using the drawers to put my bins of games and accessories for the consoles in it.

I got around to playing with whatever S-video modified consoles I had. Of course, like when I played the CMVS in component for the first time, everything in S-video shined pretty nicely. The Genesis was a little bright, so I may or may not go back in to swap out components.

The Master System worked really well, and that's with using the original schematic for both Sega systems.

I just got though playing on the TG-16 through S-Video tonight, too. I played 1943 Kai, which worked out well with all the bright colors and movements. I got so caught up in the game that I finished it outright. At least I know my region mod is holding up.

I may jump in again and try out the SNES and N64 on that TV though S-Video. I'm also contemplating leaving my Dreamcast inside to use with my main HDTV since I did the VGA mod to it...might as well play at a higher res, right?

Anyway, playing on the TG-16 reminded me that I still need to clean up the internals from all my mods. I may have to redo the LED power indicator I made for it.

Oh, I also need to add that I'm still actively hunting a PVM monitor. The CL deal I've been eyeballing has fell on the wayside. There was a couple that posted up in the free section, but after I contacted them, the "seller" changed his tune and wanted money instead of just giving them away....S**T! Oh well. I'm still gonna pick one up if it comes up on the free section again.

CMVS revisited...

No, not tinkering with it.

Going back on the last post with the Wega I picked up, I decided to do a quick setup with my CMVS, hooking it up through the component inputs on the Wega.

Now, the component outputs from the CMVS did not work on my LCD HDTV. To get a sharper image playing Neo Geo games, the best I could do on it was S-Video.

Tonight, on the Wega, it worked. The image was...WOW! Not really RGB, but damn good enough for it.

Still scouring Craigslist for a worthwhile table for it, but I think we may go a different route instead.

New(ish) TV for old skool gaming...

...or retro gaming, nostal gaming, whatev.

Newest obsession? Checking out the "Free" section in my local Craigslist ads. First score from that? A 32" Sony Wega.

...I know what you're thinking...no, not really, but I got this TV because I was feeling like playing Beatmania and all the Bemani series again. However, because of latency issues with sound, my LCD HDTV sucks for playing music/rhythm games. I'm keeping my "current" gen game consoles inside (in a sense of the Wii, PS3, and 360) for streaming videos and for the kids.

...I gave up cable TV because it was just getting stupidly expensive. That, and there was nothing really on that I thought paying a premium for was worth. I can get stuff streamed through Netflix or Hulu or whatever.

Back to the subject. Now, I'm looking through for a decent sized table to set this beast upon. Also, once in a while, there's a great thing that comes up on the free stuff. Take, for instance, a "possibly" working Neo Geo Big Red arcade cab...I hate myself for double guessing. I should've just jumped on it. There was also a deal for some games that I was hunting for, but I missed out on that also.

I'm staying diligent on the deals there. If I see something in the Free section that I want, I'm nabbing it.

As it goes for modding...I haven't done anything recently. Not sure what to do next...maybe that project my wife is waiting for....

To RGB or not to RGB...

I have several options here. I have a PVM (read: one of the BEST monitors for RGB gaming) I've been eyeballing on Craigslist, and a VGA scaler (read: a little card that ups the RGB on older consoles/JAMMA from 15KHz to standard VGA specs), both of which allows me to upscale my current old skool consoles to RGB quality specs. Both involve heavy modifications (again, read: I have to get RGB from the console(s) to a modified connector to either the PVM or the scaler), but probably well worth it in the end....choices.

I may just get that PVM since it's listed so cheap. But still...