Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Game Gear TV Tuner - In Memorium

This Friday, June 12th, marks the end of an era. With the United States shutting off analog television signals, the SEGA Game Gear TV Tuner will be rendered obsolete. I was reminded of this revolutionary piece of hardware while browsing the local used games store last night. A TV Tuner was selling for $47, a rather high price when compared to the average $25 price on ebay. I was unable to talk down the price, even when noting that in four days it will create nothing but screen snow. Had I bought the tuner, I'd still be unable to use it as my Game Gear is one of the later Majesco models which were incompatible with the TV Tuner as they lacked a video pass through.

So in the Game Gear TV Tuner's final days, smoke 'em if you got 'em! Enjoy the morning news, watch that baseball game or catch that tear jerking episode of Days of Our Lives.


6 comments:

  1. Analogue TV here in the UK still has a couple years to go, so us Brits could still use this for a little while for now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I should get Obama to round up all the TV Tuner's for deportation to England. Think you can find homes for them?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I actually have one of these and have used it on a number of camping trips. In the right light, at the right angle it makes for a pretty efficient portable TV. For it's time, an amazing piece of kit. (I live in the UK and can therefore still use it!)
    The best story I ever heard was about a guy who managed to pick up porn on one in Germany in the early nineties, LOL!

    I expressed my own love for the Game Gear back in the days when I was still a keen blogger...

    http://pocketgaming.blogspot.com/2006/12/game-gear-rises-from-grave.html

    ReplyDelete
  4. Here in Portugal it's going to be shut down in 2012, so there's still time to enjoy this wonderful piece of hardware

    ReplyDelete
  5. You can still use this VIA the AV in thingy.

    I hooked up a PS1 to my GameGear via the TV tuner. I am going to do a video on it soon.

    ReplyDelete
  6. So you made the Game Gear act as a TV for the PS1?? Trippy. You could totally screw with friends making them think you have a portable PS1.

    ReplyDelete