Retro console and games thread

Matt Van Dam · 26 May 2017 at 08:36

Hope you don't mind me sharing this, but I think it will be relevant to lots of group members. The latest RGDS Podcast is now out, where I interview Colin Dimond, one of the co-founders of Console Concepts. This was one of the most important UK based importers of video-game consoles and games in the late 80's-early 90's and his stories of the industry are fascinating.

If you read any UK video games magazines back in the day, you will almost certainly remember their glorious full page adverts. Hope you enjoy!

http://retrogamingdailyshow.libsyn.com/194-golden-age-of-imports

talizker · 26 May 2017 at 18:11

Matt Van Dam said:
Hope you don't mind me sharing this, but I think it will be relevant to lots of group members. The latest RGDS Podcast is now out, where I interview Colin Dimond, one of the co-founders of Console Concepts. This was one of the most important UK based importers of video-game consoles and games in the late 80's-early 90's and his stories of the industry are fascinating.

If you read any UK video games magazines back in the day, you will almost certainly remember their glorious full page adverts. Hope you enjoy!

http://retrogamingdailyshow.libsyn.com/194-golden-age-of-imports

Thanks for the heads up, will get that listened to over the weekend. I was an occasional customer of Console Concepts and always loved their adverts in the games magazines.

Matt Van Dam · 26 May 2017 at 20:14

Nice one Tali, do let me know what you think

shuffle · 27 May 2017 at 12:13

Same, ordered lots of games from console concepts .. street fighter 2 jap on snes, hundred pound.
Another one was ' pc engine supplies' I think

Matt Van Dam · 27 May 2017 at 17:54

shuffle said:
Same, ordered lots of games from console concepts .. street fighter 2 jap on snes, hundred pound.
Another one was ' pc engine supplies' I think

Same business, PC engine supplies was the original name.

talizker · 27 May 2017 at 19:11

What an amazing podcast and interview, so many awesome memories! Thanks to Matt and the RGDS crew and of course to Colin.

I don't think I ever visited the store but I definitely bought from them mail order from time to time and seem to remember in the later days selling / trading a US TurboDuo collection to them for a Japanese Saturn.

My first Japanese system, a Super Famicom was from Supervision Electronics / Megacom in Nottingham where I was blown away every visit by multiple Sharp SF1 TV's playing the likes of F-Zero, Actraiser and Super Mario World. I then bought a bunch of Japanese systems and games from a shop in Goldthorpe, Rotherham (which later opened in Doncaster) which I believe was called International Computer Entertainment (there is virtually no mention of them on Google now). When the N64 launched I started buying my US and Japanese systems and games from NCS in New York and Flashback in Cleveland (which I visited several times and am still in contact with some of the old staff).

Anyway, here's a few PC Engine Supplies adverts from some of my old magazines:

Thanks again

Matt Van Dam · 27 May 2017 at 19:19

Very nice, mate. Thanks for sharing those ads, and the kind words. Really glad you enjoyed it. :cool:

Cavallino · 27 May 2017 at 20:07

Matt Van Dam said:
Hope you don't mind me sharing this, but I think it will be relevant to lots of group members. The latest RGDS Podcast is now out, where I interview Colin Dimond, one of the co-founders of Console Concepts. This was one of the most important UK based importers of video-game consoles and games in the late 80's-early 90's and his stories of the industry are fascinating.

If you read any UK video games magazines back in the day, you will almost certainly remember their glorious full page adverts. Hope you enjoy!

http://retrogamingdailyshow.libsyn.com/194-golden-age-of-imports

Console concepts? The same from Newcastle Under Lyme?

Ah man... memories

Matt Van Dam · 27 May 2017 at 20:31

Cavallino said:
Console concepts? The same from Newcastle Under Lyme?

Ah man... memories

Yes, the very store! Was my local import store. Very lucky to have grown up in Newcastle-u-L and have Console Concepts and Millenium Computers/OcUK on my doorstep

Cavallino · 27 May 2017 at 21:11

Cool

I was only but a kid with pocket money @ a tenner a month....

All those Neo Geos, PC Engines etc and the like were a pipedream

Street · 29 May 2017 at 20:08

Quick question.. I dug my old Mega Drive out to see if it still works and surprisingly it does, after not being turned on for at least 10 years! However, it only has the RF cable which is a bit of a faff. What's the best way of connecting this up to a modern TV? Is it a composite cable I need or is there a better way?

andshrew · 29 May 2017 at 22:20

Street said:
Quick question.. I dug my old Mega Drive out to see if it still works and surprisingly it does, after not being turned on for at least 10 years! However, it only has the RF cable which is a bit of a faff. What's the best way of connecting this up to a modern TV? Is it a composite cable I need or is there a better way?

I believe the best you'll be able to get will be from an RGB SCART cable such as this one.

Neil79 · 29 May 2017 at 23:31

Went on holiday, got up at 5am for the local booties

- Could see the resellers though, acting like vulchers

Got to be fast to get anything good and we were, all going towards our collection!

Street · 29 May 2017 at 23:58

andshrew said:
I believe the best you'll be able to get will be from an RGB SCART cable such as this one.

Awesome, thanks!

ShiWarrior · 30 May 2017 at 21:05

regarding the GBA Pokemon games on page 501

this is worth looking at, use this to check yours :

ShiWarrior · 30 May 2017 at 21:08

Neil79 said:
This also relates to retro computers as well such as the Amiga, Atari, Amstrad and C64. Has anyone used a Scart/HDMI to HDMI 720P 1080P HD Video Converter for upscaling Composite/Component/Scart to HD on modern TV's? What was your experiences?

My HD TV doesn't have a Component connection, just standard Scart/HDMI. (Composite Scart sucks)

i use the exact same one (maplin branded but is identical)
and i use it for nes, snes and PSX. worth the money , frees up my one and only scart socket

Digital X · 30 May 2017 at 21:39

@SHi, thanks, pretty sure mine are both duds, or the battery has had it.

ShiWarrior · 31 May 2017 at 14:28

Street said:
Quick question.. I dug my old Mega Drive out to see if it still works and surprisingly it does, after not being turned on for at least 10 years! However, it only has the RF cable which is a bit of a faff. What's the best way of connecting this up to a modern TV? Is it a composite cable I need or is there a better way?

Mega Drive 1? - https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk...a-genesis-1-stereo-rgb-av-scart-cable-tv-lead
Mega Drive 2? - https://www.retrogamingcables.co.uk...e-2-sega-genesis-2-rgb-av-scart-cable-tv-lead

Street · 31 May 2017 at 23:05

That's the one I ordered for the Mega Drive 1, hopefully it should be here tomorrow. I had a play through Sonic 2 tonight, still as fun as I remember! Although it didn't last long before the missus kicked me off to play, despite saying she doesn't like games! Annoyingly I seem to have lost a few of my old games so I might have to hunt some down on eBay. I also need some controllers with longer cables as I have to sit about a metre away from the TV at the moment.

pingwing · 2 Jun 2017 at 07:07

Rebel=UK= said:
Added a new game to the saturn collection today with some credit I had at cex. Took a risk with just the boxed version but it came with manual and it ok shape so im happy.

How much did you pick this thing of beauty up for?!?! Still gutted I lent my pc version to an ex girlfriend 10 years ago and never saw it again