Watching this again today inspired me to have another go at fixing my Vectrex and I've done it! I had the famous white dot issue, a single dot in the center of the screen. Turns out it was the power switch only switching one of the AC lines instead of both. A fiddly switch to put back together but some Deoxit spray sorted it out.
I'm really glad I got a chance to play the Vectrex extensively back in the day. I didn't own one, but a friend down the street loaned me his for the entire summer. He had 8 to 10 games and it was an absolute blast!
This brings back memories. Me and my brother would spend hours on this thing when we were kids. The interesting thing being, this was already retro when we had it back in the mid nineties. Among all the other fancy things out back then, we still loved it. Not sure what happened to it, but I'd love to get my hands on one again just to relive those memories.
When I was 8 I found one of these. I was playing mostly online games on PC and just getting into better stuff but, Vector graphics really caught my eye and I loved how they looked. I sunk soo much time into that thing, great little thing.
Those old vector games, the lines were so bright and vivid it was like they burned into the screen and had a fuzzy bleed that made them look so smooth and nice to look at. That effect is very strenuous to emulate even today. It was like a natural antialias.
I remember at school last day of term people would bring in games, and the rich kid brought in a Vectrex and we queued up to play it ! Thanks for your video's this year and Merry Christmas.
Fun facts about the Vectrex. There is a Light Pen you can get for it that lets you draw on the screen. Not to mention a 3D headset (Clockwork Orange style) that spins a bizarre disc in front of your face, sync'd and colored with the system. Giving a whole new meaning to the term "Active 3D." You should use your time machine to get your hands on that one-of-a-kind contraption. I don't know the veracity of this, but there are also claims that prolonged use of the Vectrex can cause permanent eye damage with even moderate brightness settings. If you're not really playing these, it might be a good thing.
I used to play that built in game till the Vectrex overheated & shutdown. Played it so much that I managed to bend the joystick too using my preferred tactic of spinning the ship while firing continually. The memories! Thanks for your work Mr. Moan.
Brilliant! More, more, more please. Just managed to watch this in my lunch break. I contacted you on your website asking for a Christmas offering comparing your last seasonal treat as something on par with the Xmas Royal Lectures. So am hopeful I may have inspired your video tittle! Thanks
I always enjoy your videos. I can never understand people clicking on dislike. Personally I'm interested in both old and new tech, which you cover. Thanks for another year of videos and have a really good Christmas.
Cool! So nice to see them being cherished. My first "console" was vectrex and my first "PC" was the Atari800. I have such deep nostalgia for these devices. Berserk and Mine Storm on Vectrex are incredible. Those unique displays have to be seen in person to appreciate how they look, on a vectrex or one of the arcade cabinets that used them. It was the wiiU of it's day, letting us kids play while the adults used the TV or the microcomputer using the TV. That was the 80s of course so without the internet I had no idea about the 3d games or the overlays. I though that Master Systems' powered 3d glasses were the first of their kind. Edit: spelling, grammar, spacing.
You describing how many of these technologies were things that you missed-out on at the time but can now obtain.. that describes me exactly! Thanks for the great vid's.
Thank you for the video. I value your technical reviews - but I also love the offbeat items that you sometimes feature. This video was enjoyable, not only from it's technical content, but from your personal involvement and history with the Vectrex. Thank you for spending the time to make such professional and interesting videos. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
I have a few years on you, and I can remember pumping my quarters into a Asteroids game at the arcade. I loved that game. Keep the videos coming. It is always a pleasure. See you next time -John
I got my Vectrex the Christmas of 1984. I don't recall asking for it, but I received it and I loved it. I still have it. The Vectrex was a great system. It's such a shame the gaming demise of the mid-to-late 80's killed it. There were plans for a full color Vectrex. It would've been epic.
Oh wow... I thought I would never see one again. My first console back in 84. That brings back so many memories.... Thanks for showcasing them. I thoroughly enjoyed this!! Cheers
I remember as a kid watching Mike Douglas interview someone on his TV show showing this device. Sort of like watching the Wright brothers fly for the first time..
Brilliant tale, Matt. At 54, I also recently bought one, and for the same reason! I imported it from France to New Zealand, and surprisingly, for such a distance, it arrived in one piece. It ran for a couple of days, then the display collapsed to a diagonal line. It's been sitting under my desk for the past few months while I work up the courage and skill to re-cap it. 🙂
I'm the same age as you Mat and the 'stand out' memory of 80's arcades for me is playing in the sit in Star Wars machine, the vector graphics in that blew my mind. Cool video, thanks.
+Matt W (My name is ALSO Matt W) I'm ALSO the same as as you guys, and I remember seeing Vectrex covered in Video Games magazine. Although I never saw one in person until I was in my 30s.
I definitely enjoyed this, with the back stories and everything, and the vector games are awesome. Particularly welcomed the (all to brief) glimpse of the Star Wars vector console, which I played (rather poorly I'm afraid) for hours and hours on end back in '85 or so, desperately wanting to be an X-Wing pilot when I grew up. Oh well, I ended up driving a taxi for a few years back in the nineties, so I guess that'll have to do.
Really enjoyed this video. It was nice to hear your personal history of the Vectrex and how it is meaningful to you. I'm a lot the same way with game consoles, computers, and other bits of tech. There were several items that I did not get to have when I was young. Now that I have the means, I like filling in the blanks or 'ticking the boxes' as you put it. Not that I use them every day. But that sense of -finally- having the items is... well... satisfying in a really good way. Thanks again.
When I first saw the Vectrex around 1983 it was in a local toy store, and it was playing Scramble. It was glorious! However, it was also quite clear I was never going to get one at that price. A few years ago I was lucky to get a great deal on a system from its first owner, complete with a stack of games and a second joystick. And playing it is as great an experience as I remember from the eighties. The Vectrex is one of those rare retro systems that looks and plays as fresh as the day it was made.
I'm about your age, and had no idea the Vectrex even existed until probably the mid 90s. I would have been blown away to have seen one of these in the early 80s. It's like a proper miniature arcade machine.
If you're interested in vector CRTs, go visit the cockpit of an older Airbus A320/A330/A340. The CRTs used by the pilots are actually a hybrid vector/raster display. It produces very crisp and bright line symbology, plus full color raster fills and images from radar. This was the state of the art technology in 1984. Unfortunately, by the early 2000's, they couldn't get the tubes anymore and switched to LCD.
+VectrexRoli if anyone wants to know more about retro-games, especially new games for old machines like the Vectrex they should visit your channel. You're the expert on this subject.
+Techmoan The only expertise necessary for hobbies like we have is how to get those damn packages from eBay into our homes wthout our wives finding out about them. ;-) BTW, if thats a complete Star Sling Limited edition that came with a box and overlay and you would like to get rid of it, just let me know. I could also offer my complete Eumig P8 + original case + manual and even an original replacement lamp for it, if that would be of any interest for you. ;-)
+VectrexRoli Great offer - but I can't recall how I came to have the Star Sling overlay - but I know I don't have a box for it, as I only have the Protector in a box. I just have the Star Sling cart and an overlay (and at the moment the cart is in the same 'safe place' as all the others - which is currently a mystery).
Techmoan Too bad, was really looking for that version. ;-) Anyway, who knows, maybe you want to make a trade one day and have other nice stuff you want to get rid of, I have that projector also on a "safe place" like you have your Vectrex stuff, I would never sell it, but it would fit your kind of taste I guess. It is more than complete and in nice condition and I can send you photos in case you want to think about it. Not urgent, just an idea to keep in mind... :-D
+VectrexRoli As I was watching this I thought that you would definitely enjoy this video, and lo and behold here you are in the comments! Merry Christmas to you and Mrs. VectrexRoli.
Just came across this vid, although I have been a subscriber for a while. Nice to hear you talk about something you genuinely wanted rather than what seems like you had to review because 'you hadn't' and you were running out of source material. Personally I always fancied owning a Commadore PET, however, now I have the time and even the resources the prices are ridiculous. Having foresight with Tech, as with art would seem to pay off in this day and age!!
I totally relate to that desire of chasing old technology that was out of reach when you were a kid, I picked up a laser disc player a few years back and love it. I also have that feeling about old bikes, cars etc. If anyone watching this is near Springfield Missouri you can stop by and play a Vectrex at 1984 arcade and a nice collection of vector arcade games.
I was in the Scarisbrick Hotel (up your way in Southport) in 1978/79 when the first Space Invaders machine was installed (mind blowing for the time) - we used to have photo's of the high scorers on the machine in those days. A year or so later they put in a few Asteroid machines and from then on I wasted my youth - rotating between Asteroids, playing pool & going to the bar when I should have been at Tech (the segment in the pool room in the film "Dazed & Confuzed" re-triggers the memory - especially as Hurricane was always on the jukebox). Wasted youth put not regretted. I look forward to some more great videos in 2016.
+Film Creator Productions Film Creator Productions (Ilan Vainshtock) thanks, I've been working on it all year. There's a lot to do yet...but it's mostly behind the camera.
I always enjoy a good back story, don't really know a lot my self but there certainly very interesting. Looking forward to more videos in this format :-) Merry Christmas
As a child of a similar age (born '73) I remember with similar fondness the Vectrex system. The toyshop in my home town (Ludlows in Folkestone) had a couple and I always dragged my parents in there at the weekend so I could gaze longingly at it. I think after about a year they realised they were never going to shift them, so they put the display one out in the shop area where for 10p a go you could play the 'asteroids' clone like a miniature arcade machine. :) I seem to recall the technology department of the local Debenhams did the same thing with the Activision games console playing that Tron game it came with.
I remember this machine very briefly. Someone brought one into class back in 1985 for a class party. I only remember seeing asteroids being played. But it wasn’t hugely popular. This is at a time when arcade games was a lot more engaging.
Speaking of tech people, I know exactly what he means about scratching things off one's bucket list. I remember in the late 90s I was a super Apple fanboi, I mean really over the top, lol. The one computer I wanted to bad was the Power Macintosh 9600. I remember looking at it in a sales catalog called "Macmall". 1997: Super fast 200 mhz. PowerPC 604e process, incredible 16MB of RAM and an enormous 4GB hard drive, all for the incredible price of $4,100 shipped straight to your door! 2005: Bought one off eBay for $99.99 (including shipping) topped out with 1.5GB of RAM and a 200GB SATA drive plus SATA PCI controller *and* 500mhz G3 processor upgrade 😁😜
It's kind of neat hearing you talk about getting things you missed out on when you were young. I recently got myself a Sega Saturn for that very reason. :)
The OP-1 Digital Audio Workstation/Synth has this beautiful OLED display on it and all of its graphics are modeled the vector arcade look and it works because of the OLED (black pixels are actually off), nice and punchy. Though, because of the resolution on the display the OP-1 has you can still see the pixels. When technology progresses to create OLED screens affordably with more than twice or even four times regular pixel density, then I think we'll be able to see that real punchiness you were talking about :)
I was blessed to get one as a kid in 83 or 84. I still own it and still enjoy it after 40+ years. Still plays great with the original components. Still my go to console for retro games. Awesome machine and is priceless to me.
Great video, Sir! Then again, I enjoy all of your videos. It's jolly, nice to see you onscreen, in this format though. Thanks again for the great infotainment! Oh and Happy Holidays!!
A vectrex is on my wish list. A friend of mine had one back in the eighties, i absolutely loved it. But with regards to Mame, i have Astoriods and BattleZone, both classic vector graphics games, and i must say they look stunning on my tv, a Samsung led/lcd, i was amazed at how well the display handled it, silky smooth and sharp. but back to the vectrex, when i can justify spending the money, i will indeed be getting one.
I enjoyed this video. I've always had a soft spot for vector graphics in games, when Atari started pushing out their arcade games. I do remember that working on the vector monitors was a bit tricky. Did manage to score a Tempest game, which I always enjoyed, had it for awhile. Too big to keep, tho. My old buddy recently offered me his old Vectrexes.. Maybe I should see if they're still there. Small, easy to store. Your vids are fun and bring back memories, in many cases. (Like the tiny Discman. Had one of those, too!) Been repairing this type of thing for several decades, now, as well as a rabid tech junkie. So you're hitting the right spots for me! Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and keep on doing what you do! Stu
My experience was the same. But I had seen them plugged in at a department store. In those days they were just way too expensive. I still had a advanced pong system when other kids had ataris.. I have seen it in the background a few times. You used to have it on the shelf for awhile in you older vids. And the i saw it in the video and comments about nobody puts it in the corner. My friend got one in the 90's and i was still in love with it then. Thanks for the video.
great video - nice trip down memory lane - I recall being in Rumberlows, WHSmith and Dixons typing in programs from computer magazines that used to list games - playing in the shops on Oric-1s, Dragon 32s, CBM64, Atari 400 and Atari 800s!! Remember when Vectrex was out for sale alongside ColecoVision and Intellivision! I'm sure the Intellivision soccer games was 45 mins each way in realtime!!
I've only ever seen one Vectrex in my life, at a retro swap meet in late 2014, but I was really impressed by the smoothness and sharpness of the image. You could see why they thought it would be able to hold its own against the Atari 2600 even without the ability to do color graphics. And if they'd ever made a follow-up with the ability to display colored vectors like you had on the arcades, you could have had a system theoretically capable of doing really nice ports of stuff like I, Robot or Tempest.
The laser entertainment system that techmoan demonstrates might have similar effect. Oh, and those old oscilloscope. I'm sure some one can make a program so that we can play these games with an analogue oscilloscope and a pc.
+Techmoan I enjoyed this video! Feel free to make more in this style. I think you've already established a high degree of quality from your videos that most people would also like this type of video.
I completely understand; we're of the same age. There came a time where I wanted to learn about computers, and NOBODY around me knew anything. When I'd hear such talk in a restaurant, I'd move near. My 'bucket list' called for a Model 1 (or 3) TRS-80. I remember telling dad, "But dad, if we don't get one of these for $600, when will I have one? When I'm old and married and have kids? Later, when I lived in a trailer park with my wife and kids, we saw one who's owner only wanted $25, and I got it ALL...even the cool lower case option! :)
I still have my Vectrex from when my folks got me one in '82. The overlays are long gone however. Have you noticed that if you turn the brightness up you can see these sort of tether lines emanating from the center of the screen to the graphic elements? It's kinda neat and gives a slight clue as to how vector graphics work.
I Love Vector graphics! I had my own Red Baron arcade machine back in the early 90’s. I moved into a very small place and had to get rid of it. Still regret it!
Awesome! Full of information on the Vectrex, something I've been wanting to get my hands on for quite a while now. I've found myself collecting gaming consoles. Oddly enough I've got a copy of a Star Trek game for the Vectrex I found at a flea market. But the Vectrex it was played on was already sold. Still searching, hoping for that rare Vectrex to pop out.
I had a Vectrex, we played I so much that the controlers broke, luckily you could buy replacements. I sold mine or traded it, I really regret doing it.
I totally didn't notice the Vectrex in the 80s, though I do totally remember Woolies (Woolworths). I remember the Atari, IBM-PC and the ZX Spectrum. After that was Commodore Amiga, Atari ST and SEGA/Nintendo systems. I think all of that was in the 80s, maybe into the 90s. It was awhile ago :P
ASTEROIDS !! Man - I loved it ! One night, with only one witness, I actually rolled the points all the way round to zero ..... or to where the points board ran out of numbers .... don't remember which - it was a long time ago ! I'm a leftie, and the only way I could play the game was using my left hand fingers on the right side buttons - and - my right hand fingers on the left side buttons !! My arms actually crossed-over one another at the center of the console ! People used to gather round to watch me play ! ........ the good old days - some 30-odd yrs ago !!!
Yes more please nice i missed this console but remember games of this era in arcades this video sparked an interest in something i didnt even know i had missed but was very familiar ????
Watching this again today inspired me to have another go at fixing my Vectrex and I've done it!
I had the famous white dot issue, a single dot in the center of the screen. Turns out it was the power switch only switching one of the AC lines instead of both. A fiddly switch to put back together but some Deoxit spray sorted it out.
I'm really glad I got a chance to play the Vectrex extensively back in the day. I didn't own one, but a friend down the street loaned me his for the entire summer. He had 8 to 10 games and it was an absolute blast!
This brings back memories. Me and my brother would spend hours on this thing when we were kids. The interesting thing being, this was already retro when we had it back in the mid nineties. Among all the other fancy things out back then, we still loved it. Not sure what happened to it, but I'd love to get my hands on one again just to relive those memories.
When I was 8 I found one of these. I was playing mostly online games on PC and just getting into better stuff but, Vector graphics really caught my eye and I loved how they looked. I sunk soo much time into that thing, great little thing.
Those old vector games, the lines were so bright and vivid it was like they burned into the screen and had a fuzzy bleed that made them look so smooth and nice to look at. That effect is very strenuous to emulate even today. It was like a natural antialias.
I remember at school last day of term people would bring in games, and the rich kid brought in a Vectrex and we queued up to play it ! Thanks for your video's this year and Merry Christmas.
One of my all time favorite Techmoans.
Any plans for Xmas 2019 Lectures?
Thanks again Techmoan! I love all your videos, I could listen to your voice all day and I have with "minitube". Merry Christmas from Colorado
My first console was a Vetrex. My asian aunties who loved gaming bought one and gave it to me. It was awesome!
Fun facts about the Vectrex. There is a Light Pen you can get for it that lets you draw on the screen. Not to mention a 3D headset (Clockwork Orange style) that spins a bizarre disc in front of your face, sync'd and colored with the system. Giving a whole new meaning to the term "Active 3D." You should use your time machine to get your hands on that one-of-a-kind contraption.
I don't know the veracity of this, but there are also claims that prolonged use of the Vectrex can cause permanent eye damage with even moderate brightness settings. If you're not really playing these, it might be a good thing.
A pleasure to watch, even four years later.
And to be honest, you look younger now compared to this 2015 video :)
I agree, very interesting and I like the story element of it. It would be good if he did some "Christmas lectures" again.
You charmer ;)
I used to play that built in game till the Vectrex overheated & shutdown. Played it so much that I managed to bend the joystick too using my preferred tactic of spinning the ship while firing continually. The memories! Thanks for your work Mr. Moan.
Brilliant! More, more, more please. Just managed to watch this in my lunch break. I contacted you on your website asking for a Christmas offering comparing your last seasonal treat as something on par with the Xmas Royal Lectures. So am hopeful I may have inspired your video tittle! Thanks
+Martin Reddick yes, your message was the influence behind the title.
I always enjoy your videos. I can never understand people clicking on dislike. Personally I'm interested in both old and new tech, which you cover. Thanks for another year of videos and have a really good Christmas.
Cool! So nice to see them being cherished.
My first "console" was vectrex and my first "PC" was the Atari800. I have such deep nostalgia for these devices.
Berserk and Mine Storm on Vectrex are incredible.
Those unique displays have to be seen in person to appreciate how they look, on a vectrex or one of the arcade cabinets that used them.
It was the wiiU of it's day, letting us kids play while the adults used the TV or the microcomputer using the TV.
That was the 80s of course so without the internet I had no idea about the 3d games or the overlays. I though that Master Systems' powered 3d glasses were the first of their kind.
Edit: spelling, grammar, spacing.
You describing how many of these technologies were things that you missed-out on at the time but can now obtain.. that describes me exactly! Thanks for the great vid's.
Thank you for the video. I value your technical reviews - but I also love the offbeat items that you sometimes feature. This video was enjoyable, not only from it's technical content, but from your personal involvement and history with the Vectrex. Thank you for spending the time to make such professional and interesting videos. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
I have a few years on you, and I can remember pumping my quarters into a Asteroids game at the arcade. I loved that game. Keep the videos coming. It is always a pleasure. See you next time -John
+Big Guy Review I didn't live near any arcades, so the only time I saw games were at seaside arcades.
I got my Vectrex the Christmas of 1984. I don't recall asking for it, but I received it and I loved it. I still have it. The Vectrex was a great system. It's such a shame the gaming demise of the mid-to-late 80's killed it. There were plans for a full color Vectrex. It would've been epic.
Oh wow... I thought I would never see one again. My first console back in 84. That brings back so many memories.... Thanks for showcasing them. I thoroughly enjoyed this!! Cheers
I remember as a kid watching Mike Douglas interview someone on his TV show showing this device. Sort of like watching the Wright brothers fly for the first time..
Brilliant tale, Matt. At 54, I also recently bought one, and for the same reason! I imported it from France to New Zealand, and surprisingly, for such a distance, it arrived in one piece. It ran for a couple of days, then the display collapsed to a diagonal line. It's been sitting under my desk for the past few months while I work up the courage and skill to re-cap it. 🙂
I imported one from the UK to New Zealand last week! So far so good...
@@AnthonyFlack Good to hear - best of luck!
I'm the same age as you Mat and the 'stand out' memory of 80's arcades for me is playing in the sit in Star Wars machine, the vector graphics in that blew my mind. Cool video, thanks.
+Matt W (My name is ALSO Matt W) I'm ALSO the same as as you guys, and I remember seeing Vectrex covered in Video Games magazine. Although I never saw one in person until I was in my 30s.
I definitely enjoyed this, with the back stories and everything, and the vector games are awesome. Particularly welcomed the (all to brief) glimpse of the Star Wars vector console, which I played (rather poorly I'm afraid) for hours and hours on end back in '85 or so, desperately wanting to be an X-Wing pilot when I grew up. Oh well, I ended up driving a taxi for a few years back in the nineties, so I guess that'll have to do.
love the format Matt. much better in front of the screen
Really enjoyed this video. It was nice to hear your personal history of the Vectrex and how it is meaningful to you. I'm a lot the same way with game consoles, computers, and other bits of tech. There were several items that I did not get to have when I was young. Now that I have the means, I like filling in the blanks or 'ticking the boxes' as you put it. Not that I use them every day. But that sense of -finally- having the items is... well... satisfying in a really good way. Thanks again.
I had a vectrex in the late 80s and early 90s and lost it and my whole video games collection to a house fire. I really want one again.
Really like this video format!!! Happy Holidays, Mat.
When I first saw the Vectrex around 1983 it was in a local toy store, and it was playing Scramble. It was glorious! However, it was also quite clear I was never going to get one at that price. A few years ago I was lucky to get a great deal on a system from its first owner, complete with a stack of games and a second joystick. And playing it is as great an experience as I remember from the eighties. The Vectrex is one of those rare retro systems that looks and plays as fresh as the day it was made.
Indeed, watched the exact same machine in the exact same shop and came to the exact same realization at roughly around the same time. ;)
You were really lucky with the overlays there really were pristine.
Keep em coming, I prefer this sort of random stuff as opposed to the dashcam vids
Best Techmoan you've done so far mate. I want one!
Nice nod to the Royal institution christmas lectures Techmoan.
I'm about your age, and had no idea the Vectrex even existed until probably the mid 90s. I would have been blown away to have seen one of these in the early 80s. It's like a proper miniature arcade machine.
If you're interested in vector CRTs, go visit the cockpit of an older Airbus A320/A330/A340. The CRTs used by the pilots are actually a hybrid vector/raster display. It produces very crisp and bright line symbology, plus full color raster fills and images from radar. This was the state of the art technology in 1984. Unfortunately, by the early 2000's, they couldn't get the tubes anymore and switched to LCD.
My best friend had one and I use to dream about owning one! 😍 Scramble for ever ❤️
Never heard of these until now. It can't stop my yearning for a massive Scalextric set...
I liked this presentation. Different, interesting and very nicely done.
I actually quite like this type of video stories. Keep them coming! Cheers :)
I miss my childhood Vectrex, now ... :(
I had Mine Field, and a Soccer game which was awesome ... :))
Nice, you even got Protector and the Star Sling version with the overlay.
+VectrexRoli if anyone wants to know more about retro-games, especially new games for old machines like the Vectrex they should visit your channel. You're the expert on this subject.
+Techmoan The only expertise necessary for hobbies like we have is how to get those damn packages from eBay into our homes wthout our wives finding out about them. ;-) BTW, if thats a complete Star Sling Limited edition that came with a box and overlay and you would like to get rid of it, just let me know. I could also offer my complete Eumig P8 + original case + manual and even an original replacement lamp for it, if that would be of any interest for you. ;-)
+VectrexRoli Great offer - but I can't recall how I came to have the Star Sling overlay - but I know I don't have a box for it, as I only have the Protector in a box. I just have the Star Sling cart and an overlay (and at the moment the cart is in the same 'safe place' as all the others - which is currently a mystery).
Techmoan Too bad, was really looking for that version. ;-) Anyway, who knows, maybe you want to make a trade one day and have other nice stuff you want to get rid of, I have that projector also on a "safe place" like you have your Vectrex stuff, I would never sell it, but it would fit your kind of taste I guess. It is more than complete and in nice condition and I can send you photos in case you want to think about it. Not urgent, just an idea to keep in mind... :-D
+VectrexRoli As I was watching this I thought that you would definitely enjoy this video, and lo and behold here you are in the comments! Merry Christmas to you and Mrs. VectrexRoli.
I completely forgot about those and now you just made me want one so badly!
Just came across this vid, although I have been a subscriber for a while. Nice to hear you talk about something you genuinely wanted rather than what seems like you had to review because 'you hadn't' and you were running out of source material. Personally I always fancied owning a Commadore PET, however, now I have the time and even the resources the prices are ridiculous. Having foresight with Tech, as with art would seem to pay off in this day and age!!
Love all your vids. Good mix of old tech and dash cam stuff. Merry Christmas!
I could rent these at the video store here in Sweden at the 80s cost like 5 pound for 24 hours and 1 pound extra per game you rented, was pure fun ^^
I totally relate to that desire of chasing old technology that was out of reach when you were a kid, I picked up a laser disc player a few years back and love it. I also have that feeling about old bikes, cars etc. If anyone watching this is near Springfield Missouri you can stop by and play a Vectrex at 1984 arcade and a nice collection of vector arcade games.
I was in the Scarisbrick Hotel (up your way in Southport) in 1978/79 when the first Space Invaders machine was installed (mind blowing for the time) - we used to have photo's of the high scorers on the machine in those days. A year or so later they put in a few Asteroid machines and from then on I wasted my youth - rotating between Asteroids, playing pool & going to the bar when I should have been at Tech (the segment in the pool room in the film "Dazed & Confuzed" re-triggers the memory - especially as Hurricane was always on the jukebox).
Wasted youth put not regretted.
I look forward to some more great videos in 2016.
my vectrex is my most valued possession in my video game/console collection. i regularly turn it on just to have the minestorm demo running...
Defender the best game ever, great video, brought back so many memories, thank you
Ditto that - brilliant Mat well done - great easy to watch and interesting video!
Takes me back to the Royal Academy (?) lectures back in the day, would love to see more. Thanks!
very interesting....totally missed this when it came out.....best wishes for xmas and new year x
I love you're new studio setup
+Film Creator Productions Film Creator Productions (Ilan Vainshtock) thanks, I've been working on it all year. There's a lot to do yet...but it's mostly behind the camera.
I always enjoy a good back story, don't really know a lot my self but there certainly very interesting. Looking forward to more videos in this format :-)
Merry Christmas
As a child of a similar age (born '73) I remember with similar fondness the Vectrex system. The toyshop in my home town (Ludlows in Folkestone) had a couple and I always dragged my parents in there at the weekend so I could gaze longingly at it. I think after about a year they realised they were never going to shift them, so they put the display one out in the shop area where for 10p a go you could play the 'asteroids' clone like a miniature arcade machine. :)
I seem to recall the technology department of the local Debenhams did the same thing with the Activision games console playing that Tron game it came with.
I remember this machine very briefly. Someone brought one into class back in 1985 for a class party. I only remember seeing asteroids being played. But it wasn’t hugely popular. This is at a time when arcade games was a lot more engaging.
Speaking of tech people, I know exactly what he means about scratching things off one's bucket list. I remember in the late 90s I was a super Apple fanboi, I mean really over the top, lol. The one computer I wanted to bad was the Power Macintosh 9600. I remember looking at it in a sales catalog called "Macmall".
1997: Super fast 200 mhz. PowerPC 604e process, incredible 16MB of RAM and an enormous 4GB hard drive, all for the incredible price of $4,100 shipped straight to your door!
2005: Bought one off eBay for $99.99 (including shipping) topped out with 1.5GB of RAM and a 200GB SATA drive plus SATA PCI controller *and* 500mhz G3 processor upgrade 😁😜
Have never seen this console before. You are right still looks good today just like having a arcade machine in the home.
It's kind of neat hearing you talk about getting things you missed out on when you were young. I recently got myself a Sega Saturn for that very reason. :)
aka "why I like going to Disney World".
My favorite Atari 2600 game today is one I never had when I actually had an Atari 2600.
The OP-1 Digital Audio Workstation/Synth has this beautiful OLED display on it and all of its graphics are modeled the vector arcade look and it works because of the OLED (black pixels are actually off), nice and punchy. Though, because of the resolution on the display the OP-1 has you can still see the pixels.
When technology progresses to create OLED screens affordably with more than twice or even four times regular pixel density, then I think we'll be able to see that real punchiness you were talking about :)
Bought mine new from Woolworths in 82. Still got it. Still in original box and original Woolworths card board box 👍
I ended up watching this channel the whole weekend... 😹
I was blessed to get one as a kid in 83 or 84. I still own it and still enjoy it after 40+ years. Still plays great with the original components. Still my go to console for retro games. Awesome machine and is priceless to me.
FInally ! we get to see how Techmoan looks like .
Great video, Sir! Then again, I enjoy all of your videos. It's jolly, nice to see you onscreen, in this format though. Thanks again for the great infotainment! Oh and Happy Holidays!!
Marc at Classic Game Room would love you for this
Was Tempest vector graphics I remember how cool the arcade looked in an arcade back in the day nice video !
A vectrex is on my wish list. A friend of mine had one back in the eighties, i absolutely loved it. But with regards to Mame, i have Astoriods and BattleZone, both classic vector graphics games, and i must say they look stunning on my tv, a Samsung led/lcd, i was amazed at how well the display handled it, silky smooth and sharp. but back to the vectrex, when i can justify spending the money, i will indeed be getting one.
Ever watch the Classic Game Room channel? That guy lives and breathes the Vectrex.
spiff2268 vectrex turbo panther
I enjoyed this video. I've always had a soft spot for vector graphics in games, when Atari started pushing out their arcade games. I do remember that working on the vector monitors was a bit tricky. Did manage to score a Tempest game, which I always enjoyed, had it for awhile. Too big to keep, tho. My old buddy recently offered me his old Vectrexes.. Maybe I should see if they're still there. Small, easy to store. Your vids are fun and bring back memories, in many cases. (Like the tiny Discman. Had one of those, too!)
Been repairing this type of thing for several decades, now, as well as a rabid tech junkie. So you're hitting the right spots for me!
Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and keep on doing what you do! Stu
Your pretty good unscripted, you should totally consider a podcast to expand the techmoan empire.
Sound Trek A podcast sounds amazing. I would love to see that from Techmoan.
Great video, more Xmas lectures please TM. Born in the 70s? Just a lad then :)
great vid... the vectrex a blast from the past amazing back in the day...
My experience was the same. But I had seen them plugged in at a department store. In those days they were just way too expensive. I still had a advanced pong system when other kids had ataris.. I have seen it in the background a few times. You used to have it on the shelf for awhile in you older vids. And the i saw it in the video and comments about nobody puts it in the corner. My friend got one in the 90's and i was still in love with it then. Thanks for the video.
+Wilbur DaPig I had this when other kids had an atari. www.geekvintage.com/coleco-telstar-arcade.php
Thank you, enjoyed. More nostalgic gaming consoles please!
great video - nice trip down memory lane - I recall being in Rumberlows, WHSmith and Dixons typing in programs from computer magazines that used to list games - playing in the shops on Oric-1s, Dragon 32s, CBM64, Atari 400 and Atari 800s!!
Remember when Vectrex was out for sale alongside ColecoVision and Intellivision! I'm sure the Intellivision soccer games was 45 mins each way in realtime!!
I enjoyed this video. I enjoy all of your videos
Before Ebay was a paper called "Loot". People sold stuff in there. I wonder if they still publish it.
I've only ever seen one Vectrex in my life, at a retro swap meet in late 2014, but I was really impressed by the smoothness and sharpness of the image. You could see why they thought it would be able to hold its own against the Atari 2600 even without the ability to do color graphics. And if they'd ever made a follow-up with the ability to display colored vectors like you had on the arcades, you could have had a system theoretically capable of doing really nice ports of stuff like I, Robot or Tempest.
The laser entertainment system that techmoan demonstrates might have similar effect. Oh, and those old oscilloscope. I'm sure some one can make a program so that we can play these games with an analogue oscilloscope and a pc.
Thus coming full circle to "Tennis for Two" from 1958.
+Techmoan I enjoyed this video! Feel free to make more in this style. I think you've already established a high degree of quality from your videos that most people would also like this type of video.
I completely understand; we're of the same age. There came a time where I wanted to learn about computers, and NOBODY around me knew anything. When I'd hear such talk in a restaurant, I'd move near.
My 'bucket list' called for a Model 1 (or 3) TRS-80. I remember telling dad, "But dad, if we don't get one of these for $600, when will I have one? When I'm old and married and have kids?
Later, when I lived in a trailer park with my wife and kids, we saw one who's owner only wanted $25, and I got it ALL...even the cool lower case option! :)
I still have my Vectrex from when my folks got me one in '82. The overlays are long gone however. Have you noticed that if you turn the brightness up you can see these sort of tether lines emanating from the center of the screen to the graphic elements? It's kinda neat and gives a slight clue as to how vector graphics work.
I like this type of content. Telling YOUR story about a device. Please keep these types of videos coming :)
I really like this kid of videos.
I Love Vector graphics! I had my own Red Baron arcade machine back in the early 90’s. I moved into a very small place and had to get rid of it. Still regret it!
Great vid. I always called it the vex-trex when I was a kid never knew the correct spelling. My cousin owned one and I remember it fondly.
Awesome! Full of information on the Vectrex, something I've been wanting to get my hands on for quite a while now. I've found myself collecting gaming consoles.
Oddly enough I've got a copy of a Star Trek game for the Vectrex I found at a flea market. But the Vectrex it was played on was already sold. Still searching, hoping for that rare Vectrex to pop out.
I had a Vectrex, we played I so much that the controlers broke, luckily you could buy replacements. I sold mine or traded it, I really regret doing it.
I totally didn't notice the Vectrex in the 80s, though I do totally remember Woolies (Woolworths).
I remember the Atari, IBM-PC and the ZX Spectrum. After that was Commodore Amiga, Atari ST and SEGA/Nintendo systems.
I think all of that was in the 80s, maybe into the 90s. It was awhile ago :P
Takes me back to when I used to play Tempest in the arcade.
Great vid Mat! Most enjoyable. More like this would be fab.
I remember Vectrex being in video game magazine articles and then I got to play with one in Toys R Us.
ASTEROIDS !! Man - I loved it ! One night, with only one witness, I actually rolled the points all the way round to zero ..... or to where the points board ran out of numbers .... don't remember which - it was a long time ago ! I'm a leftie, and the only way I could play the game was using my left hand fingers on the right side buttons - and - my right hand fingers on the left side buttons !! My arms actually crossed-over one another at the center of the console ! People used to gather round to watch me play ! ........ the good old days - some 30-odd yrs ago !!!
WHAT? Did a year pass so quickly. I just watched those videos. I must be getting old.
Yes more please nice i missed this console but remember games of this era in arcades this video sparked an interest in something i didnt even know i had missed but was very familiar ????
"I don't have time to play games" - Techmoan (Action hero)
I saw one once in the early '80's. I thought about it many years later and convinced myself it was an Apple LISA and left it at that.
I enjoy these talks, cheers
Please do a studio tour!