XM has shipped!

[XM has shipped!]

23 hours ago, RevEng said:

Now you're just being silly. 🙄 It's the name of the new MacOS release.

I thought it was Catalina? 

 

[XM has shipped!]

On 2/16/2020 at 12:50 PM, leech said:

Just nuke it all from orbit, it is the only way to be sure.

Ummmm...    Yeah, but then I'd need to order more!!!  LOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[XM has shipped!]

WOW !!!  Just checked again, they are finally done!  Hopefully they'll ship soon... will have my gloves and N95 mask ready when they arrive for complete spray down with disinfectant (Not kidding!)

 

 

[XM has shipped!]

18 hours ago, Synthpopalooza said:

OK, sound demo done ...

 

This is my rendition of the Area 1/Area 3 music from the NES shooter Zanac.  It's been heavily redone in 8 channels.  Most of the sounds are converted from my Yamaha DX-100 library but some had to be heavily altered.  The kick, of course, is 100% identical to the demo song I posted earlier.

 

Attached is an mp3, , a.vgm module, and a Deflemask .dmf module.  Now ... can someone on here convert this to 6502 code and test this on an XM?  If this actually comes out of an Atari 7800 ... OMG.

 

 

zanac - area 1 and 3.mp3 1.17 MB · 18 downloads zanac.vgm 19.31 kB · 4 downloads zanac.dmf 1.31 kB · 3 downloads

This is the perfect background music for a 7800 version of Zippy the Porcupine 🙂

 

Still hoping someone does Marble Madness on the 7800....  or...

 

7800 Crystal Castles, which was actually an early launch title but never materialized...

 

If we are going to have all these new capabilities, the 7800 needs new games (but enhancements to existing one will definitely be welcomed!) 

 

Oh...  7800 Vanguard 🙂

 

 

[XM has shipped!]

I just checked out SunStone and Advanced Circuits... boards range from $23 to $46 each to be made, what a bargain 😞

 

I checked with PCBWAY, they are back up in limited resources, they will be do 2 layers green only, so I may just go back to them while I wait for JLCPCB to either get back up and running or become permanently shutdown by the bat soup zombie plaque 😞

 

 

[XM has shipped!]

17 hours ago, Synthpopalooza said:

OK, sound demo done ...

 

This is my rendition of the Area 1/Area 3 music from the NES shooter Zanac.  It's been heavily redone in 8 channels.  Most of the sounds are converted from my Yamaha DX-100 library but some had to be heavily altered.  The kick, of course, is 100% identical to the demo song I posted earlier.

 

Attached is an mp3, , a.vgm module, and a Deflemask .dmf module.  Now ... can someone on here convert this to 6502 code and test this on an XM?  If this actually comes out of an Atari 7800 ... OMG.

 

 

zanac - area 1 and 3.mp3 1.17 MB · 15 downloads zanac.vgm 19.31 kB · 3 downloads zanac.dmf 1.31 kB · 3 downloads

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

if games on the 7800 with the XM can have sound like that it’s going to be incredible!

 

 

[XM has shipped!]

On 2/14/2020 at 6:04 PM, Sean39 said:

Hi Curt

I have been trying to write you back as you ask but it saying you cannot take messages right now.

What is going on. Please let me know what has happen since we were talking.

 

Thanks

 

Im out of here and let you all have your thread back

 

Good By

 

 

I got your msgs Sean & replied 

 

book on its way 🙂

[XM has shipped!]

11 hours ago, DrVenkman said:

The Coronavirus outbreak will affect every Asian fab house for months. Very few US-based PCB manufacturers these days, I think. And even those may be affected by component shortages or shipping issues if Curt intends to have the fab stuff part of the board during manufacturing.

I may have to just bite the bullet and order from Advanced Circuits...  gonna cost me a bundle, but what choice do I have, I need these out there to people.

[XM has shipped!]

Hi Everyone...  just checked with the PCB fab, still sitting at 87%, its been like with for almost 2 weeks and I just emailed their customer support.   I explained that I know the virus is making things difficult, but could they please try to complete my order.   Not much else I can do right now, sorry everyone.

 

[XM has shipped!]

21 hours ago, PacManPlus said:

Hi guys:

 

Here is my video on demoing the XM...  sorry it's in 4 parts (and yes, I know I need to vacuum the rug).

 

Part 1: 

Part 2: 

Part 3: 

 

Part 4: 

 

 

Curt, if I missed anything, please let me know - I did these kind of quickly.

Bob,

 

I finally got to see someone else struggling with the one handed gameplay while videoing...

 

I love how you proped up your console with it... at least it’s not a doorstop! 😂

 

On the BIOS- users will only see the BIOS screen when no cartridge is installed.

 

the Top slot detect routine will run automatically when a cartridge is plugged in and directly load the cart up without the user having to do anything.

 

youve got the coolest game room ever!  You truly are Pac Man Plus!!

 

 

[XM has shipped!]

On 2/1/2020 at 12:37 PM, leech said:

Now that I have 1 fully working and 1 without a case 7800, I'm looking forward to this!  While waiting, I'll see if I can put my meager CAD skills to work and create a bottom replacement for the other 7800, probably will make one model that is normal and one that has holes for the composite mod...

Hi everyone,

 

got a notice from JLC PCB - they have closed their factory until Feb 10th due to the Coronavirus in Wuhan.

 

So the next batch of XM boards is delayed for a little bit.  Once they start up again and I get boards I’ll get the next batch out.

 

[CC2 Menu generate in Java]

I luckily found my old backup, with the pdf manual, utils and source code.

[Cuttle Cart 2 resurfaces!]

So I did the mod.    Soldered the 3 far right legs together as shown in the video.  Solder the 7 center legs to the CC2 board and the 2 far left lefts I just left as is.   CC2 is now seeing the card installed.  I'm having load errors, I think I need to gen a new card.   Anyone have the utlities for this, this is the first time I'm getting to use my CC2 in 10 years and I don't remember how to do this.

 

Update:

 

Actually I found all of the CC Generator files and my full backup image of my old MMC card, so I'm up and running.  If anyone needs anything, please let me know.  If you need the slots, I got 10 of them in from the UK, PM me if you need one to fix your CC2, its a very simple solder replacement.

 

[CC2 Menu generate in Java]

Anyone have the CC2 generator utlis, I'm trying to get my CC2 back up, finally repaired it after 10 years of it being sidelined.

 

[XM has shipped!]

12 minutes ago, Synthpopalooza said:

ok.  can someone point me to some good docs on doing Yamaha sound in 6502?

Perry is working on some of that and we've been talking with Commander X-16 guys as some of them are writing tools for using their 2151 on the 6502/65816 computer (its kind of like a C64'ish clone)

 

 

[XM has shipped!]

Still hoping someone will do Marble Madness, maybe Gyruss on the 7800

[XM has shipped!]

11 hours ago, Atariboy said:

I've never gotten around to installing a POKEY in my Cuttle Cart II. Will I get POKEY audio now with this just like standalone cartridges like Super Circus AtariAge?

Yes

[XM has shipped!]

I updated my original cartridge guide design.  I did an exact duplicate of the Atari design not realizing that tons of 3rd party carts can't fit in the 7800 because the Atari guide is just way too narrow and the corners angle in on their radius too far inward. To I adjusted the draft on the front and back sides to match the left and right sides, redid the top lip to accomodate and more squared off the bottom corners to accomodate the more squared cornered carts.    Bob (PacManPlus) is going to do a 3D print and test them out and then send one to Perry and me to evaluate. 

 

If they work out as they should, this means 7800 owners can finally play all of the Imagic, Spectravideo, Coleco and some Activision cartridges that just never fit in the 7800's, plus these will make good upgrades for everyone who cracked their cartridge guides.

 

 

[XM has shipped!]

5 hours ago, Synthpopalooza said:

Would it be possible to have double POKEY?  Meaning, XM POKEY plus a cart onboard POKEY?

No, the XM will turn off its onboard Pokey if it see's an external since they'd both reside in the same locations and conflict with one another.   You could have both the XM Pokey and Yamaha both work together, now THAT would make for some serious ear candy!  🙂

 

[XM has shipped!]

Got a lot of good news from Bob and Perry over the weekend, they've been testing a great deal of games and so far they've all worked.   Perry also testing a game I've been concerned about which was Serpentine because it has its own onboard memory on the cart and it plays perfectly well with the XM.   Would be interesting to look into doing an XM version of Serpentine where the cart won't need the RAM but can use the onboard XM RAM instead and reduce the cost of the cartridge.

 

One final thing being implemented is creating the signature for the POKEY boards being sold and to have the XM recognize them and have the XM check for POKEY and turn off its own, so that's being worked out and should be implemented shortly.   But so far nothing seems to be holding back from continuing forward with completing the final BIOS.  I just ordered in a new batch of boards with the fixes to the 3 straps that were needed and added a nested footprint for future FRAM chips for the High Score function so Dallas or FM chips could be used and both footprints are there.

 

Mytek suggested looking at JLCPCB he uses for the 1088XL's... their prices are fantastic, only downside is they don't have purple soldermask.  No one is really going to be seeing the boards much, so color doesn't really matter so I'm giving them a short and did a run of boards with them and I'll have them in by Monday or Tuesday to build out another batch of boards.

 

Will give another update next Monday or Tuesday when there is more to report...

 

 

[XM has shipped!]

22 hours ago, Synthpopalooza said:

So I noticed this has an SIO port.  Will current 8-bit Atari peripherals work with this?  Does this mean that Atari 8-bit formatted disksvare readable?  or a Lotharek SD reader?

 

And with the keyboard... maybe might see games using it, or ports of Atari utilities like TurboBASIC or Action!

If a coder makes the SIO protocol driver and makes applications to access it, yes, you would be able to use drives, printers, etc...    You could conceivable see someone doing a word processor, terminal program or maybe creating developer tools to actually do coding on the console or coding on a PC and then loading the game or application into the XM's 128K of onboard memory, running the file to test and debug on the real hardware.     The potential is there, if coders are willing to tap into it.

 

[Atari Pole Position - Car Detail Enhancement Ideas]

On 11/25/2018 at 12:33 AM, MrFish said:

It'd be nice if the source code was available for the Atari 8-bit version.

Sorry... I unfortunately do NOT have any sources to 5200 or 800 Pole Position.  I only have the sources to 2600 Pole Position, which is of no help for this 😞

[#FujiNet - a WIP SIO Network Adapter for the Atari 8-bit]

6 hours ago, mytek said:

I agree. Some things are just way easier to do on a modern computer. I guess being able to do this on your A8 is an accomplishment, and would have been uber cool back in the 90's but in my opinion not worth the trouble from a text based entry method now days. Better to concentrate on things that really make sense. For instance, why would I browse the internet on my A8 vs. my Linux box with it's high resolution screen and very fast processor. However text based email, chat, IM, networked gaming, and a wireless SIO2PC ability would make sense, but not much more beyond that is really practical on our A8's.

 

I was actually having this very discussion with Thom... having something akina to a Fujinet version of Google, but yes, like Gopher for finding and going to various servers.  We'd have to establish a FujiDNS type server system and have a Foogle type search engine of sorts...    It would DEFINITELTY be great to have email, chat/IM which should'n't be an issue, we all had those going back to the Compuserve and even into the AOL days, so those don't require any graphics and as for webpages and such, ATASCII could do the trick...

 

[Fatal Run cart doesn’t work]

41 minutes ago, AtariBrian said:

Obviously clean the contacts with atleast 91 percent several times. Make sure to use some force. If that does not work try DeoxIT. And then isopropyl again.

Definitely agree with Brian...  q-tip with some Isopropyl alcohol should do it.  The best is electronics contact cleaner.   If its a PAL cart, there should be a P in the cart model# or a P label on the back of the cart.

 

[Does anyone make new Atari 8-bit cartridge shells?]

Last but not least, #4:

 

So you have both versions of the cart design Atari, Inc did back in 1982 that Atari Corp used in 1987-1992.    You have to understand, with the exception of their ST's, much of the stuff Atari Corp did was use things Atari Inc had already developed.