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Post by jasonbar on May 28, 2013 14:14:36 GMT -5
Howdy-
I'm trying to gauge how much interest there is in making reproduction color wheels for the Vectrex 3D Imager. I believe I've got it figured out & am going to start the process of design & manufacture to see where it takes me.
Two questions:
1 - How many color wheels would you buy? Note that there exist 2 different color wheels: 1 for 3D Minestorm, & 1 for Narrow Escape/3D Crazy Coaster.
2 - How much would you pay? I recall seeing only 1 eBay auction for a loose color wheel, & it hit $100 or so. I could certainly sell repros for less than that, but what would you be comfortable paying?
Thanks,
-Jason
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Post by gliptitude on May 28, 2013 17:13:24 GMT -5
I don't yet have a 3D imager but would still have moderate interest in this. I don't think you should base your price AT ALL on what vintage items are selling for though. Classicgamecreations sells Polar Rescue carts for $15.
I would pay maybe $40 or $50 for THE PAIR of them reproduced.
If you add up your hard costs and multiply by two, (for your profit), could you sell 50 to 100 pairs for this price or less? ... That's about where I'd start in my figures if I were you, unless this really adds up to a lot of time and labor on your end.
... Might be fun to play around with different color configurations, swapping reds and greens etc, to come up with something new and/or distinguished from the originals.
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Post by plazma on May 29, 2013 15:08:38 GMT -5
I had an idea of using small LCD screens for this. Remove the backlight layer and look through the display. One small display for both eyes. Then you can have the color controlled by a microcontroller. You can emulate the original disks or use transparent, black, red, green or blue for both eyes.
This would be neat for new homebrew games. You could control when the color is changed.
One other crazy idea. I have extra iPad1 displays. I'll see if I can remove the backlight. This could make a TFT color overlay. Different overlays are programmed with a microcontroller. Actually I have an compatible android board for the display.
I just have to finish my garage first so I have access to my tools.
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Post by VectorX on May 29, 2013 16:51:19 GMT -5
I'd be interested in some point once my money situation was ok, even though I don't have a 3D Imager or modern day reproduction. However, it'd be good to have those in case I'm able to come across those one day (fat chance, but we can all hope...) and have them for backups in case the wheels were badly damaged or something. Plus I already have one full 3D Imager game and the demo on Vector 21 to check out, so I would be almost there in getting 3D Imager stuff  I wouldn't know what a good price would be though, unless glip was on the mark (unless those end up costing you more than he mentioned). |
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Post by gliptitude on May 29, 2013 20:10:13 GMT -5
I had an idea of using small LCD screens for this. Remove the backlight layer and look through the display. One small display for both eyes. Then you can have the color controlled by a microcontroller. You can emulate the original disks or use transparent, black, red, green or blue for both eyes. This would be neat for new homebrew games. You could control when the color is changed. One other crazy idea. I have extra iPad1 displays. I'll see if I can remove the backlight. This could make a TFT color overlay. Different overlays are programmed with a microcontroller. Actually I have an compatible android board for the display. I just have to finish my garage first so I have access to my tools. Heh, well this is a bit off topic and also I think I have no idea what you are talking about!  ... But I am interested to hear more. Programmable overlay??? |
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Post by TrekMD on May 29, 2013 23:29:49 GMT -5
I have a 3D Imager and I'd be interested. Though I have the original wheels, I'd rather have reproduction ones as backups.
That programmable overlay idea sound quite interesting!
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Post by desfeek on May 30, 2013 0:18:22 GMT -5
I had an idea of using small LCD screens for this. Remove the backlight layer and look through the display. One small display for both eyes. Then you can have the color controlled by a microcontroller. You can emulate the original disks or use transparent, black, red, green or blue for both eyes. This would be neat for new homebrew games. You could control when the color is changed. One other crazy idea. I have extra iPad1 displays. I'll see if I can remove the backlight. This could make a TFT color overlay. Different overlays are programmed with a microcontroller. Actually I have an compatible android board for the display. I just have to finish my garage first so I have access to my tools. WHOA. Ingenious. Please keep us updated, this sounds like an inventive, exciting project. I just had two (crazy) ideas about two (very new) pieces of (expensive) equipment, but how cool would it be to do some Vectrex/Oculus Rift or Vectrex/Google Glass projects? If I had the time/money/know-how... |
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Post by VectorX on May 30, 2013 7:24:26 GMT -5
I just had two (crazy) ideas about two (very new) pieces of (expensive) equipment, but how cool would it be to do some Vectrex/Oculus Rift Heh, had to look that one up. Makes me wonder if that one will make it, since the closest thing to it of virtual reality pretty much crash and burned back in the late 1990s, yet tech people kept on thinking it'd be the next big thing. |
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Post by sj on May 30, 2013 8:31:51 GMT -5
Going back to the original question... This is a pretty 'niche' area of Vectrex ownership. There can't be too many people who've got an Imager. I'm not sure producing copies of color wheels would be viable. I reckon there's probably more games and wheels out there than Imagers. An Imager popped up on UK ebay recently for a shade under 500 quid (if I remember correctly). It looked in pretty good shape, but I'm personally not able (or should that be willing) to spend that kind of cash on what is now becoming pretty ancient equipment. Does that make me a bad person?  |
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Post by jasonbar on May 30, 2013 12:04:29 GMT -5
I've finished the CAD modeling of the originals & my proposed repros. The repro hub will be one piece instead of 2 that snap (glue?) together around the wheel. The wheel will be bonded to the hub on one face. Superglue will be more than adequate. A one-piece hub will be much cheaper.
If I get time today, I'll send the files to an old colleague to quote. I know he can print the solid opaque plastic hubs just fine. I'm sure he can laser-cut the wheels, but I'm not sure if he can simultaneously print both opaque & translucent ink onto a thin Acrylic sheet. I don't want to use stickers!
Thanks,
-Jason
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Post by desfeek on May 30, 2013 12:45:41 GMT -5
Going back to the original question... This is a pretty 'niche' area of Vectrex ownership. There can't be too many people who've got an Imager. I'm not sure producing copies of color wheels would be viable. I reckon there's probably more games and wheels out there than Imagers. An Imager popped up on UK ebay recently for a shade under 500 quid (if I remember correctly). It looked in pretty good shape, but I'm personally not able (or should that be willing) to spend that kind of cash on what is now becoming pretty ancient equipment. Does that make me a bad person? I agree full-heartedly with this. I think there is more of a need for actual imagers than color wheels. If you think about it, there should be more Crazy Coaster/Narrow Escape color wheels in existence than imagers. I honestly don't know if I'd buy a set: Like sj, I'm nowhere close to affording (wanting to spend that type of cash on) a 3D imager to use the wheels. Of course, if you were thinking about producing home-made imagers, that'd be another story...  |
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Post by sj on May 30, 2013 13:11:55 GMT -5
I've finished the CAD modeling of the originals & my proposed repros. etc etc.. Thanks, -Jason Good luck with the project anyway! |
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Post by vectrexmad on May 30, 2013 20:32:58 GMT -5
I've finished the CAD modeling of the originals & my proposed repros. etc etc.. Thanks, -Jason Good luck with the project anyway! If you could make and sell a repro 3D imager as well than I think you would be able to generate a lot of interest. Otherwise I think the demand for the colour wheels will be low. Generlally, low numbers means high manufacturing price. I've got the Madtronix 3D imager and colour wheels. The Madtronix colour wheels are bigger than the original so there wouldn't be a requirement for your repro wheels from Madtronix imager owners. |
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Post by vectrexmad on May 30, 2013 20:50:09 GMT -5
I had an idea of using small LCD screens for this. Remove the backlight layer and look through the display. One small display for both eyes. Then you can have the color controlled by a microcontroller. You can emulate the original disks or use transparent, black, red, green or blue for both eyes. This would be neat for new homebrew games. You could control when the color is changed. You know that this was part implemented with a purpose built adaptor so that the Vectrex could be used with Sega Master System 3D glasses? See www.pelikonepeijoonit.net/files/vec/kevec3d.htmlIt uses two black and white LCD screens to shutter the Vectrex screen from the eyes. I've got one and it actually works very well although of course it only offers black & white 3D. But I do like your idea for colour and in theory something not completely out of reach for a homebrewer to implement. |
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Post by ledzep on Jun 8, 2013 16:46:20 GMT -5
I would think that the more need there is for the color wheels the more demand there would be. Meaning a homebrew game or two made for the 3D Imager, especially if the color wheels were unique. Backups are always a good idea, I think I'd buy a set of color wheels just so I could avoid risking damage to the originals.
This has intrigued me for a while. We have someone out there who makes overlays for Vectrex games, a few homebrew people, a couple people who have figured out boxes, I'm surprised there isn't a more cooperative market out there where a homebrewer makes his game, gets the carts made, gets someone else to make boxes and overlays, and then the game is sold with those parties getting their cuts or at least some money for their parts of the release. At the very least, making the homebrew game and selling the cart but also "licensing" the overlay guy to sell an approved overlay and another to sell an approved box if the buyer wants them.
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... But I am interested to hear more. Programmable overlay??? 
