Choice of machines. Which to install an Ultimate 1MB into?

[UKRetrogamer]

I'm on the verge of buying one of Lotharek's Ultimate 1MB upgrades and have a collection of machines I could (potentially) fit the board into.

 

Question 1:

Of the machines listed below, which would the Ultimate 1MB suit the best/give the most additional flexibility to?

NTSC 1200XL, PAL 130XE, PAL 65XE, PAL 800XE, PAL 800XL or PAL 600XL (would need upgrading to 64K internally first).

 

I'd like to think there'd be some benefit in fitting the Ultimate 1MB into the 1200XL which was recently fitted with a new keyboard; although It's already had an Atarimax APE WarpOS 32-in-1 upgrade fitted by a previous owner.

 

Would the 32-in-1 upgrade clash with an Ultimate 1MB? Would I need to remove this first?

 

I noticed from his YouTube videos, FlashJazzCat has a 1200XL which (IIRC) is fitted with Ultimate 1MB. Maybe some pointers from FJC? (being a UK resident like myself with an NTSC 1200XL)

 

Question 2:

I have 2 x SIDE cartridges (both v1). Apart from the benefits of hot-swapping, are there any other differences from version 2 which would stop me using my v1 SIDEs to full potential with the Ultimate 1MB? I don't want to spend extra to get a SIDE2 if the only benefit is hot-swapping.

 

Are there other benefits to be had from a SIDE2 over SIDE1 when paired with the Ultimate 1MB?

[flashjazzcat]

What immediately jumps out from the selection is the 1200XL: since it lacks a PBI port, fitting the Ultimate to that machine will immediately give you a hard disk option (by using the SIDE cart) which would otherwise be very difficult to accomplish with what is probably the nicest Atari of the lot.

The 32-in-1 would need to come out, I'd say, since it's gonna be clashing with Ultimate, which offers you four different OSs anyway, with the option to change the selection (very easily, using new tools).

My 1200XL is actually PAL now and has a PBI fitted, but the above still stands. I prefer the 1200XL to anything else, and regularly use the Ultimate/SIDE HDD solution with it.

As for the second question: Not a lot of functional advantages with SIDE2 over SIDE1, but SIDE2s have:

• MUCH better build quality than the old carts
• Better media compatibility and stability
• Better placement of switches and buttons

Another correction which SIDE2 brings is moving the cart banking register out of the way of Ultimate's banking register (they clashed with SIDE1). This makes updating Ultimate and the cart a bit less fraught with peril.

 

Caveat regarding all of the above: you'll have to take a file to the 1200XL's cart tunnel to get either SIDE1 or SIDE2 pushed into the connector. Not difficult, however, if you have patience.

Edited April 24, 2014 by flashjazzcat

[UKRetrogamer]

Thanks for this.

 

IIRC, the 32-in-1 replaced an IC which I won't have, due to the previous owner fitting the upgrade. I'm pretty sure BEST would have a replacement but what's the part no? (I don't remember who I bought the 1200XL from.)

 

How easy is the 1200XL PAL conversion? I like the sound of this.

 

I'm not sure I'm up to reverting the 32-in-one AND a PAL conversion, so I may have to fit the U1MB into another micro.

 

Filing the cart tunnel seems trivial compared to the rest of the work involved.

 

Regarding the SIDE1/Ultimate clash, I can always upgrade the SIDE1 in a different Atari - I have other solid-state options open. (SIO2SD, etc.)

Edited April 24, 2014 by UKRetrogamer

[flashjazzcat]

The Ultimate replaces the MMU anyway, and you won't need either of the original 8K OS ROMs, so you shouldn't need anything else.

 

The PAL conversion just requires a PAL Antic, GTIA, master crystal, and one of these.

 

If the work's off-putting, I've just done major work on someone's 1200XLs.

 

The 32-in-1 should pull right out, and require no more than the removal of a few jumpers. Neither Ultimate nor the GTIA adapter are especially soldering-heavy.

[UKRetrogamer]

The Ultimate replaces the MMU anyway, and you won't need either of the original 8K OS ROMs, so you shouldn't need anything else.

 

The PAL conversion just requires a PAL Antic, GTIA, master crystal, and one of these.

 

If the work's off-putting, I've just done major work on someone's 1200XLs.

 

The 32-in-1 should pull right out, and require no more than the removal of a few jumpers. Neither Ultimate nor the GTIA adapter are especially soldering-heavy.

I've PM'd you regarding some upgrade work I may want you to carry out.