PROM BLASTER!
So, like, what is this thing, anyhow? It's a 2600 cart copier from around 1983, for which I found an ad in the October 1983 Popular Science (more of this issue is featured in the Popular Science section, for an article about computer add-ons for consoles.) The full text of the ad follows, in addition to a couple images of the ad.
Click here to see a readable image of the ad.
Earn extra money with America's first cartridge computer duplicator.
If you own an Atari 2600 game computer, we've got some good news and a surprise. First the surprise.
Those expensive cartridges you've bought for your game can easily be ruined. Forgetting to turn off your unit when you put in or take out a cartridge can possible destroy the chip. Atari® and others clearly warn you of that in their instructions.
And, what happens when you do blow the cartridge. You're out of luck. And it can mean $35 down the drain. Now the good news.
THE GOOD NEWS
A Houston company has developed an inexpensive cartridge copying system called the Prom Blaster that lets you duplicate your entire collection of cartridges. You simply plug in your Atari® or Activision® cartridge in one slot and a blank cartridge in another, press a button and three minutes later you've created an exact duplicate.
Unlike audio or video copies which lose quality each time you duplicate them, you lose nothing when you duplicate a cartridge. The reason is simple.
The duplicate contains the same digital code as the original. There is no difference in quality, no loss of anything. Each cartridge will play exactly as your original with the same audio and video.
The suggested retail prices of original game cartridges can range from $20 to $40 depending on the amount of memory and the popularity of the game. The blank PromBlaster cartridges sell for only $10 each, so the extra insurance is well worth it.
IS IT LEGAL?
Absolutely. In 1980, Congresspassed an amendment to the copyright act that clearly permitted consumers to duplicate their cartridges. Congress recognizedthat consumers, through no fault of their own, could accidentally destroy a program and they therefore permitted copying for what is called "archival purposes." In short, you do not violate the law if you make one copy of your copyrighted cartridge if that cartridge is retained by you as a backup.
You can't sell, lease, or giveaway a duplicate cartridge produced from a copyrighted original that you own. It's against the law. And if you sell your original, you must destroy your archival copy.
There are two great opportunities for those who purchase the Prom Blaster to earn extra money. First, you can make copies for your friends who wish to own archival copies of their favourite games and charge them for the service.
PROM BLASTERtm GAMES
Secondly, we also offer Prom Blaster games--a series of nine copyrighted games designed for the Atari 2600, but with a new twist. Each game will allow the owner to make copies of the original and sell them to their friends. Each game costs only $15 and was designed by a top game designer.
The Prom Blaster copier first reads the integrated circut or ROM (Read Only Memory) located in the original cartridge, line by line. Then, through a very sophisticated computer program, it electronically "etches" what it was read onto another encapsulated micro-chip (called a PROM) in the duplicate cartridge at a speed of 45 bytes a second.
Devices that duplicate ROMS are common in industry. They often sell for over one thousand dollars. The Prom Blaster system uses a special dedicated duplication technique that keeps the cost of the basic unit and the blank cartridges extremely low. The Prom Blaster copier can copy both the 4K and 8K Atari® 2600 cartridges.
Act quickly and obtain a copier, a set of three games and five blank cartridges. This is one instance when the first person on the block will have a decided advantage.
We will send you a Prom Blaster copier and one free blank cartridge. You may also order as many blank cartridges as you want in boxes of five. When you get your system, see how simple it is to duplicate your cartridges for archival purposes. See how your duplicate cartridge plays exactly as the original in both sound and video. Offer to duplicate cartridges for your friends for archival purposes. If you are not convinced that the Prom Blaster is the perfect accessory to your Atari® system and a device that can pay for itself quickly, you can return the unit (not the cartridges) within 30 days and we will send you a prompt and courteous refund.
JS&A makes available a great opportunity to protect your cartridge investment and earn extra money selling copies of our special games. Order a system at no obligation, today.
To order, credit card holders call toll free and ask for products by number below or send check plus delivery (shown in parentheses) for each item ordered.
| Prom Blaster (3080P $4).........$119 5 Blank 4K Carts (3081P $2)......50 1 Blank 8K Cart (3082P $1).......15 3 Games (set 1) (3083P $2)........45 3 Games (set 2) (3084P $2)........45 3 Games (set 3) (3085P $2)........45
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