|
|
Post by vectrexmad on Jun 25, 2013 20:37:50 GMT -5
Hey, I just had an idea. If you suspect a faulty cable how about connecting it to joystick controller port 1 and at the other end connecting a known working vectrex controller. If the operation of the controller is not fully operational, then you know it is definitely the cable. If it works, then try the cable in joystick controller port 2, to check it is fully working there. If not working there it could be the port.
Also don't forget to check all the pins in the cable and the Vectrex controller port to verify they are not bent.
|
|
|
|
Post by VectorX on Jun 25, 2013 22:16:25 GMT -5
Good idea. I had checked the pins and they're fine, but not the other one.
|
|
|
|
Post by KQ on Jun 27, 2013 7:20:02 GMT -5
I'd love a VecVox/AtariVox+ but sadly not had any response from the guy making them despite emailing several times. Hopefully they will be available soonish.
|
|
|
|
Post by VectorX on Jun 27, 2013 7:29:01 GMT -5
Contact wolfpackmommy on Atari Age, she's the one taking care of them now.
Meanwhile, I was able to 100% confirm this problem is definitely the cable.
I hooked up a controller to it, turned on Y*A*S*I, and couldn't start up Y*A*S*I; button 1 wouldn't function. It didn't read correctly on the calibration screen, giving me a screwed up display, and I couldn't get out of that screen either.
Then I just shut off the Vectrex, plugged the same controller back in (without the cable) and everything was back to normal.
Off it goes!
|
|
|
|
Post by KQ on Jun 27, 2013 8:57:06 GMT -5
Thanks VectorX, planning to try adding initial AtariVox/Vecvox support to Nagoya Attack tonight now I know ParaJVE supports it, though I'd love a real one to play with  |
|
|
|
Post by VectorX on Jun 27, 2013 9:03:35 GMT -5
Oh wow! Sounds like you've really got plans for your game package there By the way, are you just not signing in here? |
|
|
|
Post by KQ on Jun 27, 2013 12:53:46 GMT -5
I signed up but not seen a confirmation email. I'll check my junk folder again.
|
|
|
|
Post by KQ on Jun 27, 2013 17:06:09 GMT -5
Thanks again. Atarivox+ ordered. Also added initial vecvoice support to Nagoya Attack, sounds good |
|
|
|
Post by VectorX on Jun 27, 2013 17:38:07 GMT -5
That was quick! Looking (and hearing) forward to whatever you did with it! |
|
|
|
Post by VectorX on Jul 22, 2013 22:59:54 GMT -5
Ok, I finally got the replacement cord today. I'm not going to go through what happened from the time I sent it until I got the replacement yet, since my head nearly hurts through a bunch of stuff I've gone through. First off, the new one looks different: the sides weren't shaved off and there's now a plastic piece where you plug it into a console. That wasn't there on my first cord. Makes me wonder if they incorporated that into it just recently or something. This one I can plug in without having to shave it, but it's not a real firm fit; when adjusting the volume on my Vectrex, I usually have to hold the plug in; it could pop out if I brush against it too much. First was starting a game on Space Frenzy to the same crap: the graphics were still screwed up on the alien and no additional voices came out during gameplay. Load of crap! I tried the regular version to nothing. Fine. I put in Y*A*S*I (I'll get back to this later) to having it work with no problem. I had some good laughs over the added speech. I later tried Frenzy again, pressing reset and all to nothing, only getting the announcement when I first turn on my Vectrex. Is there a way to tune this in or something? Then I went through every post on this thread. I saw where wazzal remarked on how it says on John D.'s web site that S. Frenzy works with the VecVoice, which actually isn't right, it's the VecVox. Gee, don't you know your own game?! Thanks John!! So I changed the dip switch settings (and SPEAKING of "dips", John...  ) and it worked fine since. I've been playing a bit of that. A little disappointing though, since it just recreates all the original arcade game's speech, but once it gets to the last phrase it just repeats from there. It seems like "I'm speechless" could have been added or something. I've got quite a few things to ask, but I'll do that later, as I'm going to assemble as much info as I can for a stub of an AtariVox+ page for the wiki. Right now I just want to see how many results we can get out of the several voice modules for the Vectrex: Boulder Escape Terror Hazard-results using a voice module? Colorclash–? Debris-sound effects? (I think without one of the modules, there's only music during gameplay but I could be wrong) Debris Revisited–ditto? Pythagoran Theorem-? Shifted–wiki page says improved sound effects (meaning what? I didn't write the page) Space Frenzy-same speech as Space Fury V-Hockey-? Vectoblox-? VecVox Xmas-is this the "We wish you a Merry Christmas" lyrics? And last but not least, as it has a lot...Y*A*S*I! During attract mode: "insert coin" Beginning of a new level: "we are the invaders, the human race will be exterminated", "we are the superior race", "resistance is futile", "all your base are belong to us" Hitting a saucer: "lucky", "you will regret that", "got you, space cadet" Getting hit: ha ha ha ha Game over: "game over" There's one or two more I'm missing from either the beginning of a new level and/or hitting a saucer; can anyone fill these in? |
|
|
|
Post by gliptitude on Jul 23, 2013 12:55:16 GMT -5
I'm glad you got it working at least to some extent, VectorX. Like I said I think already, I didn't have any technical problems with mine, and I was particularly impressed with the build and assembly of the board itself.
I did bring it over to a friend's house recently and couldn't get it to work on his Vectrex. But I was not able to verify if his speakers work.
I agree that the software support of this device leaves something to be desired, but I kind of knew that going in. It's just not a terribly useful peripheral for the Vectrex at this time. Much more useful for VCS gamers I think.
But it looks like we can get excited now about new Vox/Voice capable games in the near future!
Again, I am happy with my purchase and to me it is just a lot of fun to see new Vectrex hardware emerge, and see that it works and what the possibilities are. The availability of the AtariVox+ has been much better than a great deal of other Vectrex related hardware projects, so it's cool to me to actually have had the chance to get in on one of these projects for once.
... If somebody could make a solid "Speak and Spell" program for Vectrex/AtariVox+, either in ROM or Cartridge form, I think that would really justify the AtariVox+ as an essential peripheral for all Vectrex fans.
|
|
|
|
Post by gliptitude on Jul 23, 2013 13:03:22 GMT -5
... If somebody could make a solid "Speak and Spell" program for Vectrex/AtariVox+, either in ROM or Cartridge form, I think that would really justify the AtariVox+ as an essential peripheral for all Vectrex fans. Heh, and along these lines, a TEXT game could actually be fun on Vectrex if all the text was also spoken through the Vox unit. ... Maybe some images or a few animated cut scenes in vector graphics to help justify it being a Vectrex game. |
|
|
|
Post by VectorX on Jul 23, 2013 13:52:00 GMT -5
I was particularly impressed with the build and assembly of the board itself. Same here, it's amazing how people have gone to the trouble with it. But then, like the saying goes, "if you've got it, flaunt it", so you might as well make something if you're able to and have the knowledge to do so. I did bring it over to a friend's house recently and couldn't get it to work on his Vectrex. But I was not able to verify if his speakers work. Well, that's cool that you have someone that has one, at least! And that's one thing that's been fun to do, is trying it out on different setups, as I think it's really hilarious to hook up this thing to a pair of stereo speakers that are about 2 1/2 times the height of the Vectrex! But that's not a real good thing for me though, since they have a short in them, and at times voice will only come out of one speaker; for running my Genesis through it, it's not a big deal, I just get up and jiggle the volume knob and fix it then. But it's not real viable with a Vec game that doesn't have a pause, and even one that does (YASI), if you hit the saucer and speech comes out through the further away speaker, it's too late to fix it then. Also, I have a small pair of speakers that came with a walkman ages ago, which is my best setup, I just put them on a stool right next to me. The worst is a set of headphones that I need to replace, or at least get new ear cushions for, since those are worn away. Still have to try it out on everything possible though! I agree that the software support of this device leaves something to be desired, but I kind of knew that going in. Same here, which is why I was surprised the original VecVoice (or maybe it was the Vox) only cost $25. I thought they would be $100, which is about what they go for on ebay now. But it looks like we can get excited now about new Vox/Voice capable games in the near future! Yep, as Nagoya (sp?) already got voice put into it! |
|
|
|
Post by VectorX on Jul 28, 2013 23:07:37 GMT -5
Well, it looks like no one knows the answers to my questions from a few posts back, so lets go on with the last ones! *Do you have to turn your Vectrex off in order to reboot any of the voice modules in case they cut out? Because I hit reset once during a crappy game of Space Frenzy and it wouldn't work after that, so I had to turn my Vectrex on and off for it to work again (hadn't tried it with YASI since I'd have to change the settings for it, but I assume that happens with that too). *What was the deal with various modules being discontinued? I know one was discontinued for whatever reason, then another one was discontinued because one of its components became obsolete so that certain module was no longer made afterwards, I just need to know which is which, and for what reasons. I have to take back what I said about the added voice to S. Frenzy not doing much to the game, as I like it a lot better now I think I was just initially disappointed since it sounds robotic and nothing like the arcade original with the AtariVox. The Digispeech version sounds really close to the arcade original (or maybe it's the same sound files that John somehow brought them over to the Vectrex?) but you don't get the in-game speech and the rank at the end. It'd probably just take a massive undertaking in order to get in the various intonations of someone speaking and sounding like a real person for the SpeakJet, so I assume no one's bothering with that (or is the SpeakJet sounding more human nowadays? I've no idea). Because with the arcade original of Space Fury, someone just picked up a microphone, said those few phrases, and those were stored in chips. Here the SpeakJet is just saying words as they are, rather than trying to sound human. |
|
|
|
Post by TrekMD on Jul 29, 2013 6:14:34 GMT -5
Well, it looks like no one knows the answers to my questions from a few posts back, so lets go on with the last ones! *Do you have to turn your Vectrex off in order to reboot any of the voice modules in case they cut out? Because I hit reset once during a crappy game of Space Frenzy and it wouldn't work after that, so I had to turn my Vectrex on and off for it to work again (hadn't tried it with YASI since I'd have to change the settings for it, but I assume that happens with that too). I had to do that once with mine. For some reason the voice just stopped and it needed a "reset." *What was the deal with various modules being discontinued? I know one was discontinued for whatever reason, then another one was discontinued because one of its components became obsolete so that certain module was no longer made afterwards, I just need to know which is which, and for what reasons. Not sure about this one. I have to take back what I said about the added voice to S. Frenzy not doing much to the game, as I like it a lot better now I think I was just initially disappointed since it sounds robotic and nothing like the arcade original with the AtariVox. The Digispeech version sounds really close to the arcade original (or maybe it's the same sound files that John somehow brought them over to the Vectrex?) but you don't get the in-game speech and the rank at the end. It'd probably just take a massive undertaking in order to get in the various intonations of someone speaking and sounding like a real person for the SpeakJet, so I assume no one's bothering with that (or is the SpeakJet sounding more human nowadays? I've no idea). Because with the arcade original of Space Fury, someone just picked up a microphone, said those few phrases, and those were stored in chips. Here the SpeakJet is just saying words as they are, rather than trying to sound human. Glad to "hear" it!  |
|
) and it worked fine since. I've been playing a bit of that. A little disappointing though, since it just recreates all the original arcade game's speech, but once it gets to the last phrase it just repeats from there. It seems like "I'm speechless" could have been added or something.
