My ADAM

[SlowCoder]

After the last 25 years my ADAM has been in storage, it is now unmothballed, cleaned internally, and functioning. Quite a feat considering it was stored in an attic with wildly changing temps. It's in great cosmetic condition with barely a scratch, and even the covers are not dryrotted! Whats even more surprising is that the original ribbon still works.

 

The bad side of this story is that it appears that over time all of my tapes, cartridges and controllers have been misplaced and as reported with 99% certainty by my father, were trashed many years ago.

 

Now I need to figure out what to do with the system. I don't want to get rid of it. I'd like to recover some functionality to it.

 

I have some questions:

- How easy is it to recover some of my old tape programs like BASIC? I also had tape based games called Buck Rogers and Mach 3. Are these programs out of copyright and can they be copied for my use?

- I remember the tapes the system uses are proprietary tapes. Can a regular cassette be modified for use?

- If I began collecting carts for it, are all CV carts compatible?

- Is there a different power supply available so that I can bypass the printer?

 

Any help is appreciated.

[NIAD]

After the last 25 years my ADAM has been in storage, it is now unmothballed, cleaned internally, and functioning. Quite a feat considering it was stored in an attic with wildly changing temps. It's in great cosmetic condition with barely a scratch, and even the covers are not dryrotted! Whats even more surprising is that the original ribbon still works.

 

The bad side of this story is that it appears that over time all of my tapes, cartridges and controllers have been misplaced and as reported with 99% certainty by my father, were trashed many years ago.

 

Now I need to figure out what to do with the system. I don't want to get rid of it. I'd like to recover some functionality to it.

 

I have some questions:

- How easy is it to recover some of my old tape programs like BASIC? I also had tape based games called Buck Rogers and Mach 3. Are these programs out of copyright and can they be copied for my use?

- I remember the tapes the system uses are proprietary tapes. Can a regular cassette be modified for use?

- If I began collecting carts for it, are all CV carts compatible?

- Is there a different power supply available so that I can bypass the printer?

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

Glad to hear that another ADAM Computer has been resurrected and will be put to good use. I've heard so many stories about these systems being salvaged from garbage cans, etc. and this just proves to me even more so that Coleco really did a good job constructing it... they just didn't survive the punishment heaped on them for all the initial problems that were experienced. A lot of the early problems can also be attributed to end user error or simple lack of computer knowledge.

 

Concerning your questions:

 

1) Replacement Data Packs (and Disks if you are lucky enough to own a disk drive) can be bought from two very reliable Coleco/ADAM vendors:

 

ADAM Services (Rich Clee) - http://ann.hollowdreams.com/adamservices/adamsvcs.html

 

ADAM Supplies (Bob Slopsema) - http://ann.hollowdreams.com/

 

2) You can use a stereo dual cassette deck to make copies of data packs or to make new data packs, but you have to use a good quality tape and drill four holes in the plastic. See the following:

 

http://www.theadamresource.com/manuals/Modifications/Audio%20Cassette%20Tape%20to%20a%20DDP%20Pack.htm

 

3) There are two ColecoVision carts that do not work on the ADAM, Defender and I think Super Cobra. These cartrs were dumped to data pack/disk format and modified to run on an ADAM. All the rest work fine.

 

4) Check out this eBay item for a very nice and affordable replacement power supply (they have 3 left, so hurry):

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 370425712921

 

 

Your first purchase should be the AtariMax Ultimate SD Cart if you do not want to spend a lot of time hunting down games on eBay, garage sale, flea markets, etc. Follow the provided link for full details:

 

http://www.atarimax.com/

 

Also, a gentleman that goes bu the name "Else" has created an ADAMnet SD Card Drive and production was supposed to start soon on this device. It similar in concept to the SD Cart, but will work with all ADAM software. All you would have to do is download an archive of ADAM software from the web and copy it onto the SD Card and then plug it into the ADAMnet SD Card Drive which connects to the ADAM. Hopefully there will be more info coming soon on this one.

 

Hope this helps get you started. Also, follow the two links in the footer of this message for a ton of ADAM related information!

 

Jim/NIAD

[SlowCoder]

Very good information, NIAD! I appreciate it all!

 

Question about the Colecovision Ultimate SD Cartridge. Is it basically the same as the Harmony Cart for Atari, but for Coleco, allowing all of your Coleco games to be compiled into one physical cartridge? If so, that would be EXCELLENT, except for the part where my wife gingerly asks where $129 went, then brings out the shotgun when I tell her the truth ...

 

Yep, I'll just have to lie.

 

 

Is there a place I can download a copy of the original ADAM manual for viewing? I'm not sure the tech manual is what I'm looking for. Just looking for an operations manual.

 

And I'll also look up this Else guy and see what he's got coming ...

Edited September 6, 2010 by SlowCoder

[Mark_Coleco]

http://www.theadamresource.com/manuals/index.htm#hard

[NIAD]

Very good information, NIAD! I appreciate it all!

 

Question about the Colecovision Ultimate SD Cartridge. Is it basically the same as the Harmony Cart for Atari, but for Coleco, allowing all of your Coleco games to be compiled into one physical cartridge? If so, that would be EXCELLENT, except for the part where my wife gingerly asks where $129 went, then brings out the shotgun when I tell her the truth ...

 

Yep, I'll just have to lie.

 

 

Is there a place I can download a copy of the original ADAM manual for viewing? I'm not sure the tech manual is what I'm looking for. Just looking for an operations manual.

 

And I'll also look up this Else guy and see what he's got coming ...

 

Yes, The AtaiMax Ultimate SD Card Cart is similar. As it is supplied, it comes with a 32Mb SD Card which is plenty space to hold all the original ColecoVision cart rom images and every homebrew and demo that has been made (although I only have about 3Mb free on mine!). You can also store picture files (screenshots, etc.) and text files (game instructions, cheats, high scores, etc.) on the SD Card and view their contents on the ColecoVision!

 

While it's not the same as actually owning the individual cartridges (especially Complete in Box), it is a great way to quickly have every game and be able to play them on the ColecoVision or ADAM Computer. If you really want to start collecting the actual carts, then you can start hunting them down on eBay, etc. The AtariMax Ultimate SD Cart is well worth the price of $130 especially when you consider you could easily spend a lot more purchasing the actual carts.

 

Just make sure you get the Ultimate SD Cart and not the USB Cart (a tremendous product in it's own rights but now overshadowed by the SD Cart).

 

Check out the link provided by Mark (above) for a slew of info, also.

 

And most importantly... HAVE FUN!! and try to keep the credit card/paypal bill outta the wife's view!

 

Jim

Edited September 7, 2010 by NIAD