73 replies to this topic

[Banshee Bullet]

so sexy, so far away

[Darklord]

Those are the 3.0 pods or coffins as we called them back then.
Chicago had the 1.0 - 2.0 pods which were the white long slim type pods.

The one question i have is the cpu hardware in side of them?

Edited by Darklord, 11 October 2012 - 01:56 PM.

[PropWash]

Those are either Mike Wilsons former pods or they are the ones that were warehoused in Salinas about 10 years ago. This is presuming that my former pods that went to GreenDay did NOT make it to this place.

Mikes set was complete and possibly functional with limited work depending on how much damage was done being stored in the T hangar and later outside in 'tent' like storage. Last I knew Mike still had them and was willing to let me raid them, but I was unable to muster the support to go rescue the core parts that we could use for a 2.5 set currently stored in Grand Rapids, MI. Since then he probably gave them the boot.

If they are from Salinas, its tough to say what all was left after Mike and I raided the place. The cockpit boards are likely complete, but the main console was long gone.

I'm THRILLED to see some of them finally making it into the hands of fans who will use them to make MechWarrior environmental pods.

I could go into the technical bits, but it always degenerates into silly arguments

Those that buy pods should know that there is a very tight knit community of cockpit owners that are still around. 3.0 owners are quite rare and most have gone underground (Note: I was a 3.0 owner and operator in 1999).

The optical encoders on the throttle, joystick, and pedals are proprietary to pods and have some value to existing Tesla cockpit owners. Dont throw the blue encoders out!!!!

Darklord. 2.5 and 3.0 were black coffin types.

The only real difference was that the 2.5 pods the audio subsystem was built into the cardcage. In 3.0, it had a stand alone audio board in teh cardcage and the audio bits were no longer on the backplane.

Whomever can visit the place. Decent seats are worth $25-$75 and the encoders are $25-125 each if working.

[PropWash]

Based on the updated stencils, I bet those are 3.0.

Also, how many where there?

[Blaze Misaki]

i live 2 hours away this is so damn tempting

[PropWash]

Blaze Misaki, on 11 October 2012 - 02:02 PM, said:

i live 2 hours away this is so damn tempting

Youll never be able to get them that cheap under any other circumstances. Sellsome parts mentioned above to a cockpit operator and you got the pod for free..or a profit (depending on transportation cost)

[Anders Ooooo]

Darklord, on 11 October 2012 - 01:23 PM, said:

Those are the 3.0 pods or coffins as we called them back then.
Chicago had the 1.0 - 2.5 pods which were the white long slim type pods.

The one question i have is the cpu hardware in side of them?

I think most of the units have all three CPU boards, comprising an Amiga 500 and the TIGA-based 3D graphics board in a card cage in the bottom cabinet and a 68HC11 sitting in the top cabinet. There are a few loose smaller PCBs in some.

Some units have missing CRTs but the first thing I'd do even if I wanted to restore to the original Battletech game is to rip these buggers out and replace them with a couple of bare LCDs and an LVDS converter board like these;

http://www.ebay.com/...w=lvds&_sacat=0

Here are some photos of the internal PCBs and other electronics. Dusty!

http://media.rawbitz.com/btechi01.jpg
http://media.rawbitz.com/btechi02.jpg
http://media.rawbitz.com/btechi03.jpg
http://media.rawbitz.com/btechi04.jpg

Paul

[Anders Ooooo]

PropWash, on 11 October 2012 - 01:51 PM, said:

Based on the updated stencils, I bet those are 3.0.

Also, how many where there?

I'm guessing 8 pods were dropped off there. 7 when I was last there 2 days ago (because I took home one)...

Paul

[ChaosGrinder]

I guess there is no way to get hold of such a thing in germany ? D:

[Blaze Misaki]

PropWash, on 11 October 2012 - 02:03 PM, said:

Youll never be able to get them that cheap under any other circumstances. Sellsome parts mentioned above to a cockpit operator and you got the pod for free..or a profit (depending on transportation cost)

ya now im thinking that i can talk my buddy into this easier

[Anders Ooooo]

PropWash, on 11 October 2012 - 01:48 PM, said:

Those are either Mike Wilsons former pods or they are the ones that were warehoused in Salinas about 10 years ago. This is presuming that my former pods that went to GreenDay did NOT make it to this place.

Mikes set was complete and possibly functional with limited work depending on how much damage was done being stored in the T hangar and later outside in 'tent' like storage. Last I knew Mike still had them and was willing to let me raid them, but I was unable to muster the support to go rescue the core parts that we could use for a 2.5 set currently stored in Grand Rapids, MI. Since then he probably gave them the boot.

If they are from Salinas, its tough to say what all was left after Mike and I raided the place. The cockpit boards are likely complete, but the main console was long gone.

I'm THRILLED to see some of them finally making it into the hands of fans who will use them to make MechWarrior environmental pods.

I could go into the technical bits, but it always degenerates into silly arguments

Those that buy pods should know that there is a very tight knit community of cockpit owners that are still around. 3.0 owners are quite rare and most have gone underground (Note: I was a 3.0 owner and operator in 1999).

The optical encoders on the throttle, joystick, and pedals are proprietary to pods and have some value to existing Tesla cockpit owners. Dont throw the blue encoders out!!!!

Darklord. 2.5 and 3.0 were black coffin types.

The only real difference was that the 2.5 pods the audio subsystem was built into the cardcage. In 3.0, it had a stand alone audio board in teh cardcage and the audio bits were no longer on the backplane.

Whomever can visit the place. Decent seats are worth $25-$75 and the encoders are $25-125 each if working.

Wow, mystery solved! I am like 100% sure these are the ones from Salinas since that's about 15 miles away. I assumed these were stored in some sort of outdoor enclosure because of the accumulation of dust and very little warping/moisture damage but I hope some people can pick these up before the rain do too much damage.

Paul

[cyd]

As one of those aforementioned Tesla pod operators, I would like to help these find loving homes. I am willing to pay for someone’s time to part one or two out for me, I don’t need the cabinet (and have no where to put it) but I would like to have the controls, panels and boards to finish off a museum display I’ve been working on.

So Blaze (or any one else for that matter Drop me a PM. Propwash is right, you will never get a better shot than this one.

Edited by cyd, 11 October 2012 - 04:47 PM.

[PropWash]

Even IF the pod was complete and operational and managed to fully finish its IPL, there is no game code on the boards

To make this vintage Virtual World cockpit work you need the ARCnet network and the console MAC with the custom software and the psuedo-proprietary macintosh A/ROSE ARCnet board

The console would perform 2 load sequences before the pods were used depending on what game was loaded (BattleTech or Red Planet). When the "Full Load" was complete (IE real time compiled flash image from the console dumped to the cockpit RAM) it would the perform a seccond load for a uniquely compiled image for each cockpit for each mission (Short load).

Full Load=Game Engine no change until full reboot
Short Load=Mission Parameters, changed after each mission

There are 4 or 5 console boards known to exist in the US. I used to have 2, VintageVR had 2 (one or two now with Arctic Fox) and at least one with Mike Wilson.

I'm sure he will pop on radar soon to confirm if these were his. (not Salinas).

I suppose I could send him an Email.

Edited by PropWash, 11 October 2012 - 04:19 PM.

[Thom Frankfurt]

Those may have came from San Jose. They used to have them in an arcade here at the Great Mall, but they were gone the last time I went there to get my mechwarrior on...

[Outdatedkero]

So...far...away D:

[ORIGINAL SteelWolf]

Hey Anders Ooooo, I don't suppose you would take paypal for purchase and transport costs to and from your house to pick up a pod? $25 for the pod and about $20-30 in gas? I'd have a delivery company pick it up later from your place.

[Anders Ooooo]

ORIGINAL SteelWolf, on 12 October 2012 - 12:31 AM, said:

Hey Anders Ooooo, I don't suppose you would take paypal for purchase and transport costs to and from your house to pick up a pod? $25 for the pod and about $20-30 in gas? I'd have a delivery company pick it up later from your place.

I'd do it for free if I could save some from destruction but these things are so damn heavy and huge, I just don't have the time and space.

Paul

[PropWash]

Anders Ooooo, on 11 October 2012 - 02:07 PM, said:

I think most of the units have all three CPU boards, comprising an Amiga 500 and the TIGA-based 3D graphics board in a card cage in the bottom cabinet and a 68HC11 sitting in the top cabinet. There are a few loose smaller PCBs in some.

Some units have missing CRTs but the first thing I'd do even if I wanted to restore to the original Battletech game is to rip these buggers out and replace them with a couple of bare LCDs and an LVDS converter board like these;

http://www.ebay.com/...w=lvds&_sacat=0

Here are some photos of the internal PCBs and other electronics. Dusty!

http://media.rawbitz.com/btechi01.jpg
http://media.rawbitz.com/btechi02.jpg
http://media.rawbitz.com/btechi03.jpg
http://media.rawbitz.com/btechi04.jpg

Paul

I stand corrected. Based on those pics, you have a 2.5 pod.

Beware the air circulation fans. Lost many a fingertip to those bad boys.

[Khoresch]

Damn. I'm six hours away in LA at the moment. Any serious interest in these? I'd donate time, gas money, and a few bucks to know these aren't rotting in a landfill. I have a brother-in-law that does long-haul trucking, checking to see if he happens to be near Marina at the moment.. I'll ask him how much it would cost to ship one of these east, just to tease you guys out there.

[Loc Nar]

Damn. I'm six hours away in LA at the moment. Any serious interest in these?

I'm only 2hrs away, but have been on the phone with Last Chance a few times this morning. Of the 4 they had left as of 10am, they are already spoken for and I'm on their backup list for at least one should the buyer flounder...

With his timely post here, Anders was successful in his efforts to ensure they did not go to waste.

-Loc