DavidMil Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I'd like to know what projects anyone has for 2018. Including new hardware or software, and even suggestions for what you might like to see. I'll start... I've been working on a diagnostic program to test 850's. I have the software for the four RS232 ports finished (including the loop back testers). But I am still having problems with the parallel port software. The parallel port board works fine (it consists of a bunch of LEDs, some 2N2222 and 2N5060 transistors and some normally opened and normally closed switches to set and clear (turn off) the LED's after each part of the test runs. I got some good ideas in another thread so I plan on resuming work on this project after the holidays. DavidMil 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I'm going to finish building, testing and playing with this 1088XEL board I've got started. After I finish the main board, I need to acquire the parts to build an XL-CF internal CF card hard disk interface, then buy an appropriate case, get a custom back panel and breakout cables for the joystick ports, have a top panel and cartridge port tunnel made ... It'll keep me busy and out of trouble for awhile. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Wow that's nice Dr V.... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) Planned projects for me, include the same I've been working on for a while now, when I have the time. Currently I am in the middle of a PBI mod on my 1200XL, I also have a Rambit turbo upgrade planned for my 1010, along with a few other small upgrades for it. I have a 1200XL and 800XL I am in the middle of restoring, inside and out. I'm still finishing up restoring my CX22 trak-ball, I plan on adding a Happy upgrade to my second 1050 this year too. I also intend to upgrade the 1200XL without the PBI mod, the one I am restoring, with all sorts of goodies from Lotharek; U1MB, Rapidus, VBXE, SIDE 3, etc., etc. The 800XL will get similar upgrades as my 1200XL w/PBI as seen below in my sig., except it will remain NTSC. And on the software side, not being a programmer, but productive projects I intend to do include learning and making use of Super 3D Plotter II (CAD), locating documents for Chroma-CAD 3D so I can learn to use it, Movie Maker, Atari Planetarium and several Atari art programs. I hope to have some finished art and animation projects for all this software this year (except Planetarium, that's just self-improvement). I also intend to learn and become fluent with SpartaDOS X and integrate it with one of the desktop software available, most likely Diamond GOS 3, and have it all working properly from my MyIDE II. For the 1200XL getting the PBI mod, I intend to get IDE 2.0 for PBI and hook up a real HDD through it utilizing SpartaDOS 3 and the ATOS desktop. A similar thread was started a little while ago. The question is if your asking about people's personal project plans or if you are really just interested in projects that will be made public or for sale. Edited January 1, 2018 by Gunstar 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMil Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 I'm going to finish building, testing and playing with this 1088XEL board I've got started. After I finish the main board, I need to acquire the parts to build an XL-CF internal CF card hard disk interface, then buy an appropriate case, get a custom back panel and breakout cables for the joystick ports, have a top panel and cartridge port tunnel made ... It'll keep me busy and out of trouble for awhile. IMG_9432.JPG Now that is a PROJECT! Were there any unique chips made for the 1088XEL? I just noticed that Atari had thoughts of changing the SIO to 15 pins... DavidMil 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMil Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) Planned projects for me, include the same I've been working on for a while now, when I have the time. Currently I am in the middle of a PBI mod on my 1200XL, I also have a Rambit turbo upgrade planned for my 1010, along with a few other small upgrades for it. I have a 1200XL and 800XL I am in the middle of restoring, inside and out. I'm still finishing up restoring my CX22 trak-ball, I plan on adding a Happy upgrade to my second 1050 this year too. I also intend to upgrade the 1200XL without the PBI mod, the one I am restoring, with all sorts of goodies from Lotharek; U1MB, Rapidus, VBXE, SIDE 3, etc., etc. The 800XL will get similar upgrades as my 1200XL w/PBI as seen below in my sig., except it will remain NTSC. And on the software side, not being a programmer, but productive projects I intend to do include learning and making use of Super 3D Plotter II (CAD), locating documents for Chroma-CAD 3D so I can learn to use it, Movie Maker, Atari Planetarium and several Atari art programs. I hope to have some finished art and animation projects for all this software this year (except Planetarium, that's just self-improvement). I also intend to learn and become fluent with SpartaDOS X and integrate it with one of the desktop software available, most likely Diamond GOS 3, and have it all working properly from my MyIDE II. For the 1200XL getting the PBI mod, I intend to get IDE 2.0 for PBI and hook up a real HDD through it utilizing SpartaDOS 3 and the ATOS desktop. A similar thread was started a little while ago. The question is if your asking about people's personal project plans or if you are really just interested in projects that will be made public or for sale. Good God man, you have a decade worth of plans there! Are you retired, unemployed, or just incredibly rich? Either way, I envy and applaud your desire to learn and build!!! To answer your last question, I'm just curious as to what people are planning and doing for the old Atari 8 bit computers that helped launch (what I think of as) a Technical Revolution. DavidMil Edited January 1, 2018 by DavidMil 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikor Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I'll plane new pseudo-txt game (Polish, but if anyone wants translate it, when I finish my language - maybe in other too) in SF climate Maybe one or two littler project, maybe I finish too my new game for Abbuc s.c. - but for now I'll plane one txt game... 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) Good God man, you have a decade worth of plans there! Are you retired, unemployed, or just incredibly rich? Either way, I envy and applaud your desire to learn and build!!! To answer your last question, I'm just curious as to what people are planning and doing for the old Atari 8 bit computers that helped launch (what I think of as) a Technical Revolution. DavidMil Semi-retired at the moment, single, with no social life atm, but I'm building a house and running a part-time business and taking care of an elderly mother. So I'm as busy as the next guy, but when I do have free time, I'm really free to spend it how I like too, and this hobby is it about half my free time at least, the rest is for the usual down-time entertainment and relaxing like someone not obsessed with nearly forty year old tech...I probably spend about 15-20 hours a week messing with hardware and playing games. A bachelor's life for me. Edited January 1, 2018 by Gunstar 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I'd like to know what projects anyone has for 2018. Including new hardware or software, and even suggestions for what you might like to see. I'll start... I've been working on a diagnostic program to test 850's. I have the software for the four RS232 ports finished (including the loop back testers). But I am still having problems with the parallel port software. The parallel port board works fine (it consists of a bunch of LEDs, some 2N2222 and 2N5060 transistors and some normally opened and normally closed switches to set and clear (turn off) the LED's after each part of the test runs. I got some good ideas in another thread so I plan on resuming work on this project after the holidays. DavidMil Excellent - I bought an 850 probably 10 years ago now, and have no idea if it works. I'm certainly interested in this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 Now that is a PROJECT! Were there any unique chips made for the 1088XEL? I just noticed that Atari had thoughts of changing the SIO to 15 pins... DavidMil This whole thing is Michael St. Pierre's project ("mytekcontrols" here on the forums). http://atariage.com/forums/topic/261147-1088xel-alternative-mother-board-project/page-1 He started the design project in January, refined it over four or five months, built some beta boards and had volunteers build some and give feedback and bug reports/fixing, then released the finalized version (v1.1) in the fall. He made all the design files, bill of materials andd whole kit and caboodle available as open-source. See also: http://ataribits.weebly.com/1088xel.html Another AA user, MacRorie, has taken on the gargantuan task of buying parts in bulk (including the expensive bits like the Ultimate 1MB boards, UAV video boards and Atari LSI chips) and then selling kits. I ordered a kit right after Thanksgiving and got my stuff on Christmas Eve. Anyway, to answer your specific question, in addition to the 5 usual Atari chips (plus a second POKEY for stereo), this device uses 3 custom-programmed PIC chips to handle the interface with a PS/2 keyboard, a PS/2 mouse interface and a "V-GATE" overscan eliminator circuit. They can be programmed with a PIC programmer or a neat little widget Michael also designed that plugs into the joystick port of a working A8 computer via a set of self-booting .ATR files. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidMil Posted January 2, 2018 Author Share Posted January 2, 2018 This whole thing is Michael St. Pierre's project ("mytekcontrols" here on the forums). http://atariage.com/forums/topic/261147-1088xel-alternative-mother-board-project/page-1 He started the design project in January, refined it over four or five months, built some beta boards and had volunteers build some and give feedback and bug reports/fixing, then released the finalized version (v1.1) in the fall. He made all the design files, bill of materials andd whole kit and caboodle available as open-source. See also: http://ataribits.weebly.com/1088xel.html Another AA user, MacRorie, has taken on the gargantuan task of buying parts in bulk (including the expensive bits like the Ultimate 1MB boards, UAV video boards and Atari LSI chips) and then selling kits. I ordered a kit right after Thanksgiving and got my stuff on Christmas Eve. Anyway, to answer your specific question, in addition to the 5 usual Atari chips (plus a second POKEY for stereo), this device uses 3 custom-programmed PIC chips to handle the interface with a PS/2 keyboard, a PS/2 mouse interface and a "V-GATE" overscan eliminator circuit. They can be programmed with a PIC programmer or a neat little widget Michael also designed that plugs into the joystick port of a working A8 computer via a set of self-booting .ATR files. Well my ignorance is showing here. I always thought that this was an abandoned Atari project that was picked up and modified by someone on AtariAge. My apologies Michael and well done! After we figure out what the damage is from this Christmas, I'm going to see how much it will cost to have a board made and order a parts package. Thanks DrVenkman, David 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 Well my ignorance is showing here. I always thought that this was an abandoned Atari project that was picked up and modified by someone on AtariAge. My apologies Michael and well done! After we figure out what the damage is from this Christmas, I'm going to see how much it will cost to have a board made and order a parts package. Thanks DrVenkman, David No apology necessary. This year has been very busy hardware and software wise, with so many new things introduced for the A8. It simply isn't possible to keep up on all of it, but it sure has been a good year to be an Atari enthusiast . - Michael 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Contemplating moving to the next phase of this, seeing if I can get the in-race rendering working... scr_test.xex 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 (edited) Contemplating moving to the next phase of this, seeing if I can get the in-race rendering working... ScrTest.png Is this going to be a Stunt Racer for the A8? I'm not assuming anything about the graphics, I'm merely referring to the type of game... When I run the ScrTest, I about 3/4 of the track 1, view 1 is drawn, and then nothing is drawn for most other tracks, with little bits a pieces showing up on some, Are all of these suppose to be full tracks being rendered? Testing on a real PAL Atari. Edited January 3, 2018 by Gunstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Thanks for the report... I've only tested in Altirra so far but do try different targets and OS's. How is the xex being loaded (SIO2SD etc)?Oddly, if I exomize the binary and then launch that, the graphics don't render correctly, so possibly I need to initialise some other areas of memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Loading with APE and SIO2PC. I have tried Warp+, XL/XE Rev. C and 800 OS-B with the same results, so far... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Some extra ram clearing added helped the exomizer version when run in Altirra, so please give it a try scr_test.xex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 (edited) No real difference. The garbage graphics that flash before the first track image is loaded is different, but I still get a partial track 1, view 1 and most of the rest empty or with tiny bits of track in random areas showing. The yellow screen, text at the top and bottom all display fine, and whatever the white bit with black squares is up in the top right corner of the yellow window always stays the same. Below are some examples, this time when I ran it to take the pictures, the first track/view did completely display. But it did not the first time I ran this latest scrtest. But I think if we continue here, we need to start a new topic or continue through PM's. Edited January 3, 2018 by Gunstar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 For 2018 I'm contemplating making a CPU piggy-back board for stock A8 systems that will add both the XEL-CF-][ IDE44 as well as the MPBI interface ports which were both introduced in the 1088XEL project. So unlike the 1088XEL, this board will simply incorporate the IDE44 interface directly without also requiring an XEL-CF-][ board. Probably the biggest challenge is to make a solution that fits all machines with as few solder connections as possible (plug'n'play). 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Nice, so something akin to the original MyIde internal board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 Nice, so something akin to the original MyIde internal board? Yes, but it will be done with non-programmable off the shelf components, and of course provide a MPBI expansion port thus creating a common bridge between the 1088XEL and the standard Atari 8-bit line of computers. Of course due to the incredible work FJC has been doing with the U1MB BIOS to support the XEL-CF, the logical choice would be to use this proposed board in a U1MB upgraded system. Although with a patched version of the MyIDE OS, that would likely work as well. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinroh Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 So many awesome projects you guys have going and planned! Probably less impressively, slowly got more work done on my port of M.U.S.C.L.E. during my New Year break. (Which progress has been non-existent for like a year.) PMG Flesh body with Software Sprite Underlay for more colours and moving around is a good start. Eventually we'll have that NES game on the A8. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heaven/TQA Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 That boxing game looks good... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMenard Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 My project(s) for 2018: 1= Stay alive! 2= Learn an instrument. Being able to play some simple tunes is ok. 3= Re-learn to draw. I have that nice pen display to practice on. 4= Learn C and ASM on the Amiga. Long term goal. 5= Stay sane! All in all, I'll be satisfied if I can complete #1 and #5 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinroh Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 My project(s) for 2018: 1= Stay alive! 2= Learn an instrument. Being able to play some simple tunes is ok. 3= Re-learn to draw. I have that nice pen display to practice on. 4= Learn C and ASM on the Amiga. Long term goal. 5= Stay sane! All in all, I'll be satisfied if I can complete #1 and #5 Good plans for the year! I'd like to find some time to finish Carrot Kingdom, M.U.S.C.L.E., and do some 68000 for my Atari ST. That boxing game looks good... Thanks man! It's I think the first Wrestling game for the NES back in the day, so fun cuz it was based on the line of M.U.S.C.L.E. figures as well. :3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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