Zektor ZVG Limited Run - Hurry!

[Equites]

These are now available again for a limited time, grab one while you can (I did). Dont forget monitor cables!!

Apparently there will no further production runs;

http://www.zektor.com/store/shopping.shtml
Equites2011-03-15 23:37:25

 

[trm]

Eeek! Am very tempted to buy one and cross my fingers I'll get a cab that's suitable for this in the future.

Nice spot dude and thanks for sharing!

 

[Equites]

Even if you don't Tim, you will easily shift it and get your money back. These have been changing hands for good money on the used market.

Apparently only 42 units have been manufactured.

Only downside is that shipping is around 85 USD.
Equites2011-03-15 18:54:59

 

[trm]

Have just placed my order. With regards to the shipping, I'm very lucky to have a bud who will re-ship things for me (I definitely save it for the good stuff so I don't use up my favours - hopefully, in case you're reading this mate

) so I was able to get away with the default shipping option.

Hopefully we got in before they sold out

(where is the fingers crossed smiley?).

Out of interest, how did you find out about this?

cheers

 

[Alpha1]

Tim,

Obviously Black and White but I have 2 G05's in my garage. You are welcome to one.

 

[virtvic]

Ba$tard$!

I have 2 cabs AND a Vectrex I could use one of those beauties on. Shame I have a kitchen to pay for, oh and the cabs I have just bought...

 

[trm]

Thanks very much Oll! I'll sort this out with you.

I figure I'll use an oscilloscope until I've got my VectorMAME build sorted so I don't pop anything important. That's assuming my order got in before they ran out of units - I got a confirmation email but don't know whether that actually checks stock or not.

 

[Purity]

Interesting!!! But sadly no cash either :-(

 

[trm]

Just saw this from the manufacturers which explains where this last run of 42 came from - they found some PCBs lying around. I'm going to ask if they'll open the code for the microcontroller.

Sender: owner-vectorlist@vectorlist.org
	Reply-To: vectorlist@vectorlist.org
	
	Hey all,
	
	We're populating the last of our ZVG PCBs, and this has to be our last
	run. Some parts are becoming hard to get, and the cost of assembly is
	getting high.
	
	We found 42 ZVG PCBs and were able to get all the parts we needed.
	They're currently being manufactured and, since I'm keeping two of them,
	40 will shipping in 2 to 3 weeks.
	
	The website is taking orders now (zektor.com/zvg), and we're selling
	them on a first come first serve basis.
	
	We're making these because we found these PCBs while doing some spring
	cleaning, but we're not going to have any more PCBs made, so this it!
	
	We're also out of Vectrex cables and won't be making anymore, but
	they're easy to make and all the info, including Digikey part numbers,
	is available online in the download section.
	
	-Zonn

 

[trm]

Heh. I sent a mail direct to the manufacturer after his post on VL and he replied (copying my email to the entire list

). But the good news is that Zektor have thought about the IP rights should they stop producing the unit which has to be a good start!

- - -

Hi Tim (and all),

We're not quite ready to release the design just yet, but if / when we decide to kill the ZVG, I will open source the hardware / firmware. I won't let it just fade away into obscurity... I'll let it fight its way into obscurity!

-Zonn

On 3/15/2011 2:49 PM, Tim Matthews wrote:

Hi Zonn,

I placed an order this afternoon so hopefully I got in before they'd all been allocated, but myself and some fellow arcade collectors had been wondering (prior to this announcement) about the feasibility of reproducing the ZVG if you were no longer interested in making them any more.

I just wondered if you had any thoughts on this? Our intention was to do this in limited quantities so that people who really wanted them could obtain one, not to go into mass production and make thousands of them. Would there be any interest on your part about us doing this? If this ever got off the ground we would be selling them at cost as this is strictly not for profit - it's about getting them into the hands of VACers who need them but have been unable to buy any of the limited stocks, so we would be quite happy to agree some licensing agreement but the margin would be slim i.e. basically whatever you wanted in terms of licensing costs would be added to the unit price.

Is this a complete no-go or would you possibly be interested?

thanks,

tim

 

[Jodo]

cross my fingers I'll get a cab that's suitable for this in the future.

Seems to be tied to 19" tubes or have I misunderstood? I'm guessing it won't be suitable for (shock / horror) ever using in a SW Cockpit

but an upright with an amp would be fine...

 

[trm]

I'd have thought with all the adjustable options it would work with pretty much any analogue vector display, but there's no way I'm going to risk frigging my SWC for this Plus the controls would be an interesting challenge - sitting in the cockpit with an MDF strip on my legs holding the various control devices

 

[Jodo]

Plus the controls would be an interesting challenge - sitting in the cockpit with an MDF strip on my legs holding the various control devices

Aye. It's times like this that I wish more of RAM Controls' SW Yoke to USB adapters had gotten out into the wild - I've only ever seen 1 for sale

EDIT: Ah - TOG has them...
Jodo2011-03-15 22:55:01

 

[Equites]

Have just placed my order. With regards to the shipping, I'm very lucky to have a bud who will re-ship things for me (I definitely save it for the good stuff so I don't use up my favours - hopefully, in case you're reading this mate

) so I was able to get away with the default shipping option.

Hopefully we got in before they sold out

(where is the fingers crossed smiley?).

Out of interest, how did you find out about this?

cheers

Hi Tim

Sorry for the late reply, but just got back home, been busy implementing a new CMS system at work.

Hopefully, we were able to secure a ZVG, fingers crossed indeed. I have been trying to source a ZVG for well over a year, with no luck. Not even a stab at KLOV came up with anything, although a KLOVer did offer me a used one for $450 but got cold feet once he realised I was in the UK. Nobody wants to part with one, a bit like an Atari Star Wars

I got the heads up from a KLOVer who told me about the new limited run, however I thought maybe it was just a rumour. However, I did check the website regular just in case!

My plan is to construct an Atari Space Duel/Gravitar replica cab, and use a custom CP to house much of the controls needed for most of the games. Quantum would require a CP of its own for the trackball.

Hopefully, if I managed to secure a ZVG, I will source a WG6100, an Amp would be ideal but not realistic.

Nice one on the VectorList message, I did not realise they had 'found' the unpopulated PCBs. This really must be the last run then.
Equites2011-03-15 23:34:59

 

[trm]

Cool! Thanks for sharing it too. The cab sounds like a fun project! I've got a vague notion of magically finding a Space Duel table that I can keep original but create a secondary wiring harness for

Am hopeful by the VL message that at some point this will be Open Source so we can have a go at getting them into the hands of people who missed out. Just wonder what the pricing would be, although as it's not for profit there doesn't need to be any margins, or it could be done in a DIY kit option.

All positive stuff though. I'm just crossing my fingers I ordered before they ran out. I'm trying to convince myself their shopping cart includes a stock count query

.

 

[Equites]

I'm trying to convince myself their shopping cart includes a stock count query

.

Hmm, Im not so sure, the website is still showing stock. Surely all 40 should have been snapped up by now? Especially after the VectorList message going out??

 

[trm]

Don't say that!!!!

 

[Equites]

Don't say that!!!!

I will keep you posted Tim.
Equites2011-03-15 23:58:52

 

[guddler]

They're a LOT of money in these times. And 40 odd is, whatever anyone might think, quite a few. Obviously I'm sure they'll all go soon enough though.

 

[Equites]

They're a LOT of money in these times. And 40 odd is, whatever anyone might think, quite a few. Obviously I'm sure they'll all go soon enough though.

Yes you are right, but these will always hold their value, myself and Tim are hoping we got the golden ticket

Equites2011-03-16 00:04:24