rdemming

Can it have something to do with the PIA's PORT B register? On the Atari 400/800 this port is configured as input and reads joystick port 3 & 4. The XL and XE series don't have joystick 3 & 4 and there port B is configured as output to enable/disable the OS/Selftest and extended memory. Maybe the ramdisk detection routine falsely detects extra ram because PORT B is configured as input instead of output. An addition thought, the extended memory is on $4000-$7FFF. On 16KB machines, there is no RAM here at all. An extended ram detection routine might get confused by this too because reading/writing to non existing memory returns undetermined results. If this is the case, then this problem could also arise on 16KB 600XL machines. Robert

Too bad that it didn't work out I did not yet got a reply although Nosty said in the beginning of this thread that he would start replying. But I only asked how to order and did not yet pay. Maybe I should try again in a month or so Robert

Candle, you always tease us with interesting hardware I hope that it emulates the XE game bank-switch too so I can upload an XE cart to the ram and play it as intended. Robert

LOL @Rybags If the core can't be detected in version lower than 1.21 there would be another way to detect if VBXE ram is used for RAMBO extended memory. Assuming, the full 512KB VBXE ram is still usable with RAMBO emulation on, you can write a test value in VBXE RAM. Then read the equivalent memory location in extended RAM. If the read in the extended RAM is the test value, then the RAMBO ram is the same as the VBXE ram. Of course, if you need to preserve the extended memory contents, you should store the value at the test location in extended ram before writing to the test location in VBXE ram. After the test you should restore the extended ram test location. Repeat the test with a different test value, in case the test value you choose was accidentally the same a the value already in memory. Robert

Connecting wires to the PIA is not needed if a memory expansion "shadows" write actions to the PORT B register in its own extra hardware. The old Turbo-Freezer from 1986 was available with 256KB expanded memory and connected to the PBI bus of a 800XL. No need to solder anything, it just shadowed writes to PORT B in its own register. Robert

I believe the VBXE2 does or can emulate a Compy 320K machine on its own, but I have one of Lotharek's 1MB upgrade boards fitted alongside VBXE and I'm completely happy. The VBXE can indeed emulate a memory expansion using its own VBXE ram (Only if you have a 64K machine (800XL, 65XE, 800XE), not if you have already have 128KB like the 130XE). Good for "regular" programs that use extended memory. But what if there is a VBXE program that uses extended memory? Then you can't use the VBXE ram as extended memory and then you need a regular memory expansion. Robert

Thanks Christos... I have the flashback engine on my accelerated (CT60) falcon (and another world of course)... I had that game once on the Jaguar but as I use my Falcon more often and a good friend wanted it, I gave it to him... Ah, I see. It is a REminiscence port. Too bad it is too slow on a stock Falcon Robert

Are you that you have Flashback on the Atari Falcon and that you are not confused with "Another World"? As far as I know Flashback was never released for the Falcon or Atari ST. And the Flackback demo for the ST is not the same as the Jaguar Flashback game Robert

If you don't have any VB experience or if you already have C, C++ or Java experience, consider using C# instead of VB.NET. C# has in my opinion a much cleaner syntax similar to Java and C++. And with C# you can do the same as with VB.NET and a little more. And if you learn C# instead of VB, it will be easier to learn the syntax of Java and C++ in the future. Robert

Only looking at the very sexy VBXE hardware gives me already a warm feeling :D You are not the only one. I only desoldered the ANTIC before I had to pick-up my girlfriend. I hope to continue Wednesday evening. Robert

Don't worry. I like the RGB output as it is I started sunday with desoldering the ANTIC so I'm on my way. But progress is slowly since I've lots of other things to do. But one thing confuses me. Maybe the answer is buried in this thread but I can't find it. I have a 130XE with the big 14MHz oscillator in the bottom left corner (without the resistors) of the board instead of the small one with the resistors. On the photo of the 130XE 1-bit board it says you should move the small oscillator to the VBXE board but if you have the big one, it should stay on the motherboard. Now it also says "14MHz out (Left pad of X1 on VBXE2, the J6 should be left unconnected)". From this I understand pin 2 of FREDDY should be soldered to the left X1 pad on the VBXE2. But then it says: "Please let me know if you have this type of oscillator in your XE, or you'll have to buy crystal because VBXE won't work!". Does this mean I need to buy the small oscillator as shown in the "Option" box to place it on the VBXE board or don't I need an oscillator on the VBXE board because I have the big 14MHz oscillator on the motherboard? I think if you have the big oscillator you should solder FREDDY pin 2 to X1 on VBXE board and no connections to J6 and no oscillator on the VBXE board. And if you have the small oscillator it should be moved to VBXE board, remove Q4 and R8, FREDDY pin 2 should go to J6 pin 3 and GND to J6 pin 4. But the remark about buying a crystal confused me. When do you need to buy a new crystal? Thanks, Robert

You are right. The easiest would then to add some A/D converters on the boards to convert analog pokey audio to digital. But a quad pokey/covox replacement with digital out would be cool too Robert

I think the next version of the VBXE board should include HDMI digital output since that is AFAIK a world-wide standard Robert

Yes please I'm now using the Cuttle Cart II on a PAL system. When I run a HSC PAL game with HSC enabled, then the screen is garbled when displaying the hi-scores part. So a PAL HSC rom would be appreciated so I can play the HSC PAL games as intended. Robert

I think Krewat was saying that Atari's PAL version was a binary hack of the NTSC version as he was not involved in the PAL version. So the "Possible Mission" NTSC was a binary hack of a binary hack That makes me wonder how they could make the (fixed) PAL version from the NTSC binary without recompiling the source. I assume Atari had the source but was Atari really unable to compile it because they didn't have the X6502 system Krewat used? Robert

I don't think so. The MARIA was developed outside Atari by GCC. Besides that, the 7800 uses a TIA chip next to the MARIA chip. Thus the MARIA is not a TIA with extra things, it a completely different beast. The TIA graphics is not even used in 7800 mode. The 7800 is in my view a 2600 with an extra graphics chip (MARIA) while the SS1000 has an advance version of the TIA chip. The other improvements that a 7800 and SS1000 have in common are more RAM (both 2 KB) and a full 6502 processor instead of the "crippled" 6507 of the 2600. So in that sense the look similar but certainly not in the graphics department. I wonder if the STIA also improves the audio and not only the video. If that was the case, it has a plus compared to the 7800. Robert P.S. Curt, why is the name of the "drawer" of the schematics made unreadable?

You call it a RGB output device? It is a high performance graphics board allowing many pixels, colors, BLOBS (BLitter OBjectS) and blitter effects. RGB output is only a side effect Robert

You can also burn a few "homebrew" CDs to test it e.g.: Native Do the Same DiamJag Orion Collection Robert

Indeed, I received it yesterday. Many, many thanks. The quality of the CD and booklet is outstanding! It found a good home in my collection Robert

Also read the "sub title" of this thread. It is not new, just different

:thumbsup::thumbsup: Mmmmmm, "FROG"???

Dont know yet. Possibly though. Let me get the NTSC working right first. I hope you will be able to fit automatic PAL/NTSC detection in. I think that is neater than a separate PAL and NTSC version. And then I don't have to wait longer than the NTSC guys to play the game Robert

The carts sold by here are indeed reproductions. Actually, TeleGames sold some games on a circuit board. I've Bubble Trouble like this and Krazy Ace Golf. Later they had more advanced circuitboards where the Eprom chip was in a hole in the circuit board. Raiden and Fat Bobby is an example. This just seems the first SatanDisk. Not the UltraSatan. So nothing "super" about it. The schematics are available from Jookie's website so everybody can make them. Robert

What is the difference between the pal/ntsc version? Robert The game runs too fast on ntsc, making it sort of unplayable So you want ElectraGlide for the Jaguar that optionally is too fast making it sort of unplayable? Robert

I believe this thread is what you are mentioning too. IIRC the Blitz cable connects the data out signal of the source drive directly to the data in signal of the destination drive. Thus the data bypasses the floppy controller altogether. Indeed more like duplicating audio tapes. Thus using non matching drives (slightly different speeds) is causing the pattern written to be condensed or expanded. Which will only get worse when you make a copy of a copy. When this is too much the bit rate will be out of specs and the disk can't be read. Robert