Unusual GCE MB Vectrex (or is it?)

[nubian]

Archived from groups: rec.games.vectrex (More info?)

Hey All,
I used to own 7 MB Vectrex units but now I am down to three because of
financial reasons. One of the Vectrex units that I have refused to sell
is different from all of the other units I have owned.

When starting up the MB Vectrex you are greeted by the usual short da
da daa sound. Then in the normal Vectrex here in Australia you are
greeted with the Vectrex startup screen (you know with the word
'VECTREX' in the visual centre of the startup screen with the broken
lines border).

But on this unusual Vectrrex that I have refused to sell, on the
startup screen, it still has the 'VECTREX' in the visual centre of the
screen, and the broken lines border, but it has something else too. It
states 'GCE ENTERTAINING NEW IDEAS' written on the bottom third of the
main startup screen. This is weird as it is an Milton Bradley machine
and not a GCE one

I think I remember Jeroen telling me he had a Vectrex with similar
tendencies but I have not seen another one apart from the one I have.
And I used to play in a little Vectrex arcade promoters used to set up
i m y hometown, and I can't remember any of those Vectrex units have
this kind of startup screen either. So what I am asking is, does
anybody else have a Vectrex like this which is MB and displays 'GCE
ENTERTAINING NEW IDEAS' on the startup screen.

It would be cool to have a rarish Vectrex but I would like to know if
anyone else has a Vectrex like this so as to judge whether it is
uncommon or not.. I have never seen a GCE Vec in the flesh so I can't
comment on those.

PS. I also have a Limited Edition Protector, with overlay, box etc, and
I won't sell it. I would have though they'd be worth at least US$300 by
now though. Maybe that last one on ebay was only a 3 day auction so
that's why it din't go so high due to the lack of overal coverage. I
refuse to sell it mine though. It's way to cool.

Regards,

Daniel Foot.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.vectrex (More info?)

Nubian wrote:
> Hey All,
> I used to own 7 MB Vectrex units but now I am down to three because of
> financial reasons. One of the Vectrex units that I have refused to sell
> is different from all of the other units I have owned.
>
> When starting up the MB Vectrex you are greeted by the usual short da
> da daa sound. Then in the normal Vectrex here in Australia you are
> greeted with the Vectrex startup screen (you know with the word
> 'VECTREX' in the visual centre of the startup screen with the broken
> lines border).
>
> But on this unusual Vectrrex that I have refused to sell, on the
> startup screen, it still has the 'VECTREX' in the visual centre of the
> screen, and the broken lines border, but it has something else too. It
> states 'GCE ENTERTAINING NEW IDEAS' written on the bottom third of the
> main startup screen. This is weird as it is an Milton Bradley machine
> and not a GCE one
>
> I think I remember Jeroen telling me he had a Vectrex with similar
> tendencies but I have not seen another one apart from the one I have.
> And I used to play in a little Vectrex arcade promoters used to set up
> i m y hometown, and I can't remember any of those Vectrex units have
> this kind of startup screen either. So what I am asking is, does
> anybody else have a Vectrex like this which is MB and displays 'GCE
> ENTERTAINING NEW IDEAS' on the startup screen.
>
> It would be cool to have a rarish Vectrex but I would like to know if
> anyone else has a Vectrex like this so as to judge whether it is
> uncommon or not.. I have never seen a GCE Vec in the flesh so I can't
> comment on those.
>
> PS. I also have a Limited Edition Protector, with overlay, box etc, and
> I won't sell it. I would have though they'd be worth at least US$300 by
> now though. Maybe that last one on ebay was only a 3 day auction so
> that's why it din't go so high due to the lack of overal coverage. I
> refuse to sell it mine though. It's way to cool.
>
> Regards,
>
> Daniel Foot.
>
Hi Daniel,

The first series of MB vectrex has the GCE Entertaining new ideas
startup because they have GCE Roms inside (and the minestorm bug).

A later series has the MB startup. I have both here, and I noticed that
the MB version has also a lesser buzz.

Here in the netherlands i see both frequently.

Jeroen

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.vectrex (More info?)

Nubian wrote:
> Hey All,
> I used to own 7 MB Vectrex units but now I am down to three because of
> financial reasons. One of the Vectrex units that I have refused to sell
> is different from all of the other units I have owned.
>
> When starting up the MB Vectrex you are greeted by the usual short da
> da daa sound. Then in the normal Vectrex here in Australia you are
> greeted with the Vectrex startup screen (you know with the word
> 'VECTREX' in the visual centre of the startup screen with the broken
> lines border).
>
> But on this unusual Vectrrex that I have refused to sell, on the
> startup screen, it still has the 'VECTREX' in the visual centre of the
> screen, and the broken lines border, but it has something else too. It
> states 'GCE ENTERTAINING NEW IDEAS' written on the bottom third of the
> main startup screen. This is weird as it is an Milton Bradley machine
> and not a GCE one
>
> I think I remember Jeroen telling me he had a Vectrex with similar
> tendencies but I have not seen another one apart from the one I have.
> And I used to play in a little Vectrex arcade promoters used to set up
> i m y hometown, and I can't remember any of those Vectrex units have
> this kind of startup screen either. So what I am asking is, does
> anybody else have a Vectrex like this which is MB and displays 'GCE
> ENTERTAINING NEW IDEAS' on the startup screen.
>
> It would be cool to have a rarish Vectrex but I would like to know if
> anyone else has a Vectrex like this so as to judge whether it is
> uncommon or not.. I have never seen a GCE Vec in the flesh so I can't
> comment on those.
>
> PS. I also have a Limited Edition Protector, with overlay, box etc, and
> I won't sell it. I would have though they'd be worth at least US$300 by
> now though. Maybe that last one on ebay was only a 3 day auction so
> that's why it din't go so high due to the lack of overal coverage. I
> refuse to sell it mine though. It's way to cool.
>
> Regards,
>
> Daniel Foot.
>
And the level design of minestorm is different,
GCE - level 2 not magnetic shooting thing
MB - level 2 magnetic star

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.vectrex (More info?)

I remember reading some internal MB notes about shipping the first MB
version from Hong-Kong or Taiwan with the US Roms because they were late
on their aim. So, Europe and Australia got their first series with US
Roms. Soon after, they could put the right Roms inside (with the
corrected Minestorm version). As far as I can remember, the late MB
version had the Minestorm II game included. I think it was the best
reason for MB to make a new internal ROM so they don't get calls from
complaining buyers.

Here in France, MB people were totally aware of the wave 13 bug. They
had Minestorm II cart ready to ship in case someone would call them. I
still have the handwritten card from MB that came with the Minestorm II
cart where they were apologizing. Why apologizing ? It's a nice piece of
collection.

Here was a summary I made about the Vectrex version I found in Europe:


http://sap1.club.fr/vec/vecinside.htm

And also this one : http://sap1.club.fr/vec/vec.htm

Nico
Sap1

Jeroen (vectrex.nl) wrote:

> Nubian wrote:
>
>> Hey All,
>> I used to own 7 MB Vectrex units but now I am down to three because of
>> financial reasons. One of the Vectrex units that I have refused to sell
>> is different from all of the other units I have owned.
>>
>> When starting up the MB Vectrex you are greeted by the usual short da
>> da daa sound. Then in the normal Vectrex here in Australia you are
>> greeted with the Vectrex startup screen (you know with the word
>> 'VECTREX' in the visual centre of the startup screen with the broken
>> lines border).
>>
>> But on this unusual Vectrrex that I have refused to sell, on the
>> startup screen, it still has the 'VECTREX' in the visual centre of the
>> screen, and the broken lines border, but it has something else too. It
>> states 'GCE ENTERTAINING NEW IDEAS' written on the bottom third of the
>> main startup screen. This is weird as it is an Milton Bradley machine
>> and not a GCE one
>>
>> I think I remember Jeroen telling me he had a Vectrex with similar
>> tendencies but I have not seen another one apart from the one I have.
>> And I used to play in a little Vectrex arcade promoters used to set up
>> i m y hometown, and I can't remember any of those Vectrex units have
>> this kind of startup screen either. So what I am asking is, does
>> anybody else have a Vectrex like this which is MB and displays 'GCE
>> ENTERTAINING NEW IDEAS' on the startup screen.
>>
>> It would be cool to have a rarish Vectrex but I would like to know if
>> anyone else has a Vectrex like this so as to judge whether it is
>> uncommon or not.. I have never seen a GCE Vec in the flesh so I can't
>> comment on those.
>>
>> PS. I also have a Limited Edition Protector, with overlay, box etc, and
>> I won't sell it. I would have though they'd be worth at least US$300 by
>> now though. Maybe that last one on ebay was only a 3 day auction so
>> that's why it din't go so high due to the lack of overal coverage. I
>> refuse to sell it mine though. It's way to cool.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Daniel Foot.
>>
> Hi Daniel,
>
> The first series of MB vectrex has the GCE Entertaining new ideas
> startup because they have GCE Roms inside (and the minestorm bug).
>
> A later series has the MB startup. I have both here, and I noticed that
> the MB version has also a lesser buzz.
>
> Here in the netherlands i see both frequently.
>
> Jeroen