Thorsten Günther

I use pure isopropanol. Thorsten

The only mod that gave me a good to very good picture was the "CD4050 mod w/o CD4050" as done by alex_79. Depending on the TV type, s-video or composite video may give you better results (s-video causes major scaling artifacts on my LCD TV, but is crystal sharp on my CRT). To get composite, just wire chroma and luma together through a 470 pF capacitor. I have also tried the Lynx mod, but the result is not nearly as good, esp. on the LCD. Thorsten

Hello (or "Moin, moin" as we say here)! When I had my first experiences with videogames, it was with the Atari 800 of a friend. Then with a VCS2600 (which was weaker, but "felt" similar). The first system I bought was an Interton VC4000 - waaay worse, but the "Combat" clone on it was still fun. Finally, I could afford an 800XL. From what I have read on Wikipedia etc., the Colecovision and Intellivision were perceived as much better systems than the VCS when they appeared, but when I check the games on Youtube, none of them impress me - even the presumed highlights seem pale in comparison to the XL versions of the same titles, and I know a lot of VCS titles that look and play more than OK on both the VCS and XL (many Activision titles, e.g.) - admittedly, there are also many rushed titles on the VCS and many more where graphics are kept crude to save ROM space (as the VCS version of "Donkey Kong"), but when programmed by experts, it's simply awesome what is possible on the VCS. On Colecovision and Intellivision, on the other hand, there seems to be no single such title. Surely, both these systems have more RAM and are presumably much easier to program, but is there any real showcase title, any title that "pushes the borders"? And title on either of the systems that has soft scrolling in either direction, e.g.? Thorsten

I'm getting one of those this week. I already have an XEGS. I'm mostly a cartridge collector, not really into disks. Are there carts that won't play on an 800XL? There are some carts/discs/tapes that will only work on a 400/800 http://www.atarimania.com/faq.php?p=67 Also I can't get BC's Quest for tyres to work on my XLs unless I switch to 800 mode with my 32-in-1 OS. However most games have been cracked to work on an XL/XE (well the disc versions at least) Thanks. It mentions Ms pacman not working on XE/XEGS but my mspacman cart works just fine on my XEGS. Yes, this list is not entirely correct. "Shamus" e.g. works if you push "SELECT" when switching the computer on. Thorsten

LCD TVs tend to create vertical scaling artifacts instead. At least my 1024x768 Toshiba 15" does, and believe me: the b/w default screen of an Atari ST or games like Lode Runner on the XL look pretty ugly this way. Thorsten

I may be wrong but IIRC Dragons Lair and Space Ace do not work on systems with a PAL (50) Jaguar because they were written with specific timing based on a 60Hz system thus the timings are out making the game unplayable. You are correct: a simple switch soldered into any PAL Jaguar to toggle 50/60Hz vertical frequency will make Dragon's Lair playable (though not better). This is no problem with any A/V connected Jaguar on most European TV sets, but may give some picture distortion through RF connected Jaguars or really, really (and I mean really) old TVs that do not sync to 60Hz. Thorsten

BJL was the same, it just lacked the launch animation and you could select levels over 16 to start with - ah yes, and one version had "ystems on/off" while the other had "[E]ngines on/off". In early levels (both versions), all aliens have green helmets and can be killed on sight by turning the engines/systems back on. In later levels some aliens have white helmets like the real pilots. Star Raiders II doesn' t have the "frontier" (a grid of defense satellites in the movie) from TLS, which causes major differences in gameplay. In TLS, you often jump to the frontier to hinder enemy squadrons from entering the Rylos system, in SR2 you have to attack them directly. plus, there's many more motherships in SR2, but they are easier to kill. Thorsten

David's Midnight Magic. The Atari version uses artifacting to get four colors in 320-wide mode. The Commodore version tries, but artifacting doesn't work on the C64. Almost anyone here in Europe hates Graphics 8 artifacting for the simple reason that artifacting doesn't work on PAL TVs the way it does on NTSC TVs - it just give black, white and something ugly changing between blueish and brownish. Some guys hence hacked Drol and several other games (Crossfire, Hard Hat Mack spring to mind) to Graphics 15 - Lode Runner (cart) was even officially converted to that mode. Sadly, Tower Toppler is not (yet) on that list. A game way better on the Atari is Amaurote - the C=64 version doesn't even have the fancy isometric graphics from the Amstrad(?) original. Thorsten

As three of the controllers all have the same symptoms, I don't believe they all just broke. Yes, The buttons stick in when I mount the controller without the springs. Constructing something like in the fourth controller also was my idea, but I haven't considered ballpen springs yet - are they really strong enough? Will try one now, as they cost nothing :-). That didn't work, so I bought a roll of 0.5 mm spring wire - cost me 11 Euros, but I guess that will surely solve the problem, as I will simply build copies the spring in the fourth controller. Thorsten

As three of the controllers all have the same symptoms, I don't believe they all just broke. Yes, The buttons stick in when I mount the controller without the springs. Constructing something like in the fourth controller also was my idea, but I haven't considered ballpen springs yet - are they really strong enough? Will try one now, as they cost nothing :-). Thorsten

Several modern CRT TVs will automatically hold the picture at 50 or 60 Hz vertical frequency, but the colours will be all wrong regardless of that because Atari gave the PAL TIA an entirely different colour palette. To fully enjoy PAL carts, you'll have to get either a true multi-norm TV set or check the manual if your existing one does accept PAL via Composite/S-Video (mine all accept NTSC through this input), get yourself a PAL VCS (a naked Jr. would be cheapest to ship), apply the CD4050 mod w/o CD4050 as alex_79 proposed, and in case your TV set doesn't have S-Video, solder a 470 pF capacitor between Y and C to get a composite signal. Thorsten

As the XE Game System is simply an XL/XE computer with a detachable keyboard and built-in "Missile Command" ROM, a must-buy is an SD card reader like the SDrive or SIO2SD. This way, you'll have thousands of titles to choose from. Bad ports were an issue especially in the later 1980s, as many companies then only seemed to port to the XL/XE line for fast money, "Gauntlet" and "Battlezone" being prime examples of the grade of awfulness that can be achieved on this system. Current games (like "Yoomp!") and conversions (like "Bomb Jack" or "Sabre Wulf") and early ones (like "Donkey Kong" - with all four screens(!) -, "Defender" or "Pooyan") usually are great to outstanding. Plus: virtually any original 5200 game has also been converted inofficially. All these conversions are 1:1 except for the controller scheme. Thorsten

Yes, one of my controllers has one spring with a loop on either end, but the others contained two springs of differing length and with only one loop each. Apparently the loop side is held by one of the protrusions of the lower case half (while the spring with the two loops runs directly from button to button), but I seem to be incapable of putting over it again and then close the case, so I assume there has to be a trick. Thorsten

Hello! I purchased a Sears Video Arcade II on eBay and tried to clean the controllers (due to jittering in paddle mode). But I have problems assembling the controller due to the two metal springs that repeatedly get loose before I can close the case. Anyone have a hint on that one? Thorsten

Yes, most of the 5200 games are 1:1 conversions of their 400/800 counterparts, and most of the few exceptions (like Centipede 5200) are also available for the 400/800 through unofficial conversions by e.g. "Glenn the 5200 Man" and "Homesoft". Thorsten

I tried the Lynx mod in the meantime and the quality of the CD4050 mod is much higher. Still, I need to modify it to composite, as my LCD TV does show me a great picture via SCART (as video apparently, since the vertical gridding is gone when connected via a cheap s-video/video to SCART adaptor like this one. I tried jsopers method of putting the chroma into the same transistor as the chroma/csync leads (bad picture), a simple wire between the chroma and luma outputs (very bad b/w picture) and also an 18K resistor and 100 pF capacitor (hardly any color, very noticeable flickering). Anyone got a good idea? Thorsten

I experienced the same problem when using S-Video, but on my LCD TV the vertical lines disappeared in composite mode - which still hat a way better picture than Lynx' 0,68 Euro mod, though it is some more soldering required.. Thus, I intend to wire the Chroma and Luma together internally (perhaps with a resistor/capacitor - anyone have a hint what would be best?) and this will be my definite mod. On the skematic for the Atari 800 it shows a 100pf cap and a 18k resistor between the chroma & the luminance. Maybe that'll help! Nope, that gave me a much worse picture. Oh, BTW, the vertical gridding disappeared giving me a good picture when I connected the s-video cable via an s-video/video to SCART adaptor like this one, but not using this s-video to video adaptor. Thorsten

I experienced the same problem when using S-Video, but on my LCD TV the vertical lines disappeared in composite mode - which still hat a way better picture than Lynx' 0,68 Euro mod, though it is some more soldering required.. Thus, I intend to wire the Chroma and Luma together internally (perhaps with a resistor/capacitor - anyone have a hint what would be best?) and this will be my definite mod. Thorsten

You might want to check Fandal's Site. You will find most old games in fixed versions there. I got a working "Capture the Flag" from the Homesoft Site only. Thorsten

Update: I have installed this mod into a PAL Atari Jr. console first. The picture is excellent in colour and clarity, though for my taste it's a little too sharp, as the brightness of colured objects, e.g. in H.E.R.O. of the same colour varies horizontally when fed into the TV via S-video, while the same blocks look homogenous when I switch my TV to video (or did I simply make a mistake? It is the same for all scan lines though, and grey objects are not affected). This changing is extremely visible on my LCD TV, yet far less on my CRT TV. Probably, I'll try "Lynx's 0,68 Euro ATARI 2600 Junior Composite Mod" next. Thorsten

After seeing how Bomb Jack turned out, I'd love to see how well a new Gauntlet could be done. Just having a look at Firebird's "Druid" gives me an idea how "Gauntlet" should have looked like, as does "Unicum" for "Arkanoid". Thorsten

The title most similar to "Bosconian" is Synapse Software's "Survivor". Sadly, it's nowhere as exciting. Like too many other great arcade titles (Galaga, Phoenix, Tempest (OK, WIP now), Time Pilot, Elevator Action, etc.) this sadly was never ported to the Atari 8-bit computers. And some ports - like Battlezone or Gauntlet - were just plain awful and several others - like Xevious or Arkanoid - mediocre. Thorsten

I've heard alot about Battlemorph. Also about Attack of the Mutant Penguins. What is that like? Also, i've never heard of Zero 5. Whats that one like? Attack of the Mutant Penguins is weird and I don't get it. Come on, my came used w/o a manual and I figured it out in a few minutes. Basically, this game ist just the opposite of the "Lemmings" series: stop the alien penguins before they reach the end of the level. But you first need your weapon: depending on the character you chose, it's either a bat or a pan, you get it after opening the crates containing the three letters of each word - and to do so, you got to collect the blue gremlins and drop them onto the crates first. This game also features "real penguins" that help you against the alien ones, ridiculous death traps and gimmicks and cheesy costumes the alien penguins disguise themselves with. Ah yes: the pan/bat is only deadly if you beat several aliens, collect at least ten or so of those blinking "coins" (or whatever they are) dropped by them in a row and then beat them again with your now powered-up weapon. That's why I never really got warm with this one - as opposed to Iron Soldier (despite the lack of textures, it has a very balanced learning curve and fluid gameplay, so it's still fun to play after fifteen years). Thorsten

Errrr.... when do they realize on your side of the channel that Poland is a European Union member and thus also a member of the EU Customs Union? Surely it will be some time after the British tabloids find out about Hitler's death and the fall of the Nazi regime... SCNR. Thorsten

OK, I'd like to name a few also: - Ninja Master(how Speccy can you get on the A8?) - Gauntlet (I really like this type of game, but the A8 version simply sucks) - Adventures of Robin Hood - Mythos I Thorsten