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joelm

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Posts posted by joelm

  4. Posted

     

     

    XL's show 48 blocks for the 48K not under the 16K OS ROM.

    The OS ROM has gone through several changes, and there is a version on the XE's that test 128K (or is it 64 + 48?)

    It is interesting that the 600XL doesn't show all the blocks after being upgraded the same as an 800XL. But then some 600XLs had early OS versions too. I have yet to upgrade one of my 600XLs. I wonder if the 1064 would show up differently.

    I have no idea, as I said, some of the early 48K software doesn't work but XE carts and later 48K+ software works just fine. In fact, Rescue on Fractalus actually seems to run much better now, despite the fact that Beach Head doesn't recognize the memory upgrade. I suspect the OS is the root of the problem with the memory test but, apparently, the full 64K (or whatever should be available) is capable of being utilized so the computer must be able to address is properly. Regardless, the upgrade seems to be working as good as can be expected.

  5. Posted · Edited by joelm

    RodLightning- Thank you for that response, I had assumed all 64K would show up on the built-in RAM test. I read that 800 XL's apparently don't show the full 64K on the built-in test either. It got me thinking and I tried out a couple titles from later in the 80's and they worked just fine. I did some checking and found out that some earlier software for the Atari 8-bits doesn't work right on the XL line because if the way it's programmed. So, it appears that the upgrade I installed IS actually working. Sadly, Beach Head and Combat Leader don't work on my upgraded 600 XL. Thankfully Rescue on Fractalus does work.

     

    One thing I noticed is that my video is much noisier than it was before the upgrade. Now my screen has some lines on the left when I'm running certain programs (especially cartridges) and the screen has some light "snow". Is this a result of the upgrade or do I just need to adjust a POT somewhere?

  6. Posted

    Any chance that someone with a working 64K upgrade could run a memory test and verify that 4 lines of 16 memory blocks will show (in addition to the two ROM blocks) when the test is complete?

     

    As an aside, when I access the test by typing "bye" after basic loads, it shows 8 fewer RAM blocks than when I boot directly to the test by holding down option during power-up.

  9. Posted · Edited by joelm

    Yes, they are. Strangely, they were bent out and pre-jumpered to pins 4&5 on the R8323 chip when I opened up the computer for the first time. I've never seen that variation before but I tested it after removing those jumpers and it worked fine so I proceeded with the 64K upgrade.

  10. Posted

    So, I'm not sure where I went wrong. I installed the 64k upgrade in my 600XL but the memory test only shows 48K and 48K games on floppy won't load (Beach Head) says "48K RAM not available, please rectify".

     

    Everything works fine except it acts like it's still only 16K when turned on, except the memory test which shows 48K as I mentioned above.

  12. Posted

    Some of this configuration talk is above my head. I guess what I'd like to know boils down to, is there a configuration where my 600 XL will be fully compatible with original 400/800/800XL software requiring more than 16K of memory? I'm thinking, put the 48K floppy in my 1050, turn everything on like normal, and have the 600 XL operate just like an 800 XL with more memory? My main concern is having something to act as a day to day replacement for my current 800, which I would like to preserve by using less.

  14. Posted

    On the advice of Kevin Savetz I'm putting the word out about my search for a software title my Aunt Ann McBain Ezzell wrote back in 1984 (I'm not sure why it didn't occur to me to post this earlier).

     

    My Aunt was a Contributing Editor for the Michigan Atari Computer Enthusiasts newsletter (MACE Journal) for many years and wrote numerous articles and reviews in that publication (many issues are currently available online at Archive.org)

    The software is a math game, called "Count With Bunky", written for a competition being held by Verbatim and Scholastic looking for educational software. Winners received a bunch of hardware and the potential for their title to be published.

     

    aunt_ann_software_contest_zpstmfvrm8s.jp

     

    According to my Aunt, it's partially written in Basic with some assembly for the animations. It was listed as being published by Swifty Software INC, out of Melville NY, in The Blue Book For the Atari Computer, 1983/84 Edition.

     

    Aunt_ann_software_listing_zpswwx4rmlm.jp

     

    If anyone knows of this title, or has a copy or disk image somewhere, please let me know.

     

     

    • Like 1

  20. Posted

    oh miss understood your question, it would be nice if we playtesters get a copy of the cart(I was one as well,but didn't do much with it)

    No worries. I had fun with the playtesting, I actually played it on Stella the other day and it made me wish I had more time to get back into programming... maybe I'll have time this summer.

  23. Posted

     

    I picked up a bare Junior at a yard sale and I don't like the select and reset buttons at all. It feels like there is a dried up and hardened piece of foam under the buttons. It's terrible. I'm going to be getting rid of mine but if I were to keep it I'd find a way to mod it with microswitches if that's even possible.

     

    Yeah, there is a layer of foam used in lieu of a spring under the buttons. This gives an odd feeling but it is a dense foam and I doubt it breaks down easily. The garbage pressure switch is really my only complaint. The two Juniors I presently have are dated 1983 on the motherboards, one I fixed the other needs a great deal more work and will likely end up modded. I feel like the Juniors do perform well, our first Atari was a Junior and we played it endlessly until we sold it to help fund the 7800 I still use (that was in 86 or 87). Here is a switch which got some corrosive fluid on it, I suspect cola. The adhesive is broken down and the traces are corroded and dissolved in some places. This is a huge weakness of the the Junior design and I find most "broken" Juniors are suffering from bad select/reset switches.

    bum_switch_zpsk7a9msze.jpg

     

    Still, if you find a working example, I think the Junior is an excellent system and saves space.

  24. Posted

    The biggest problem I've had with Juniors is the reset/select pressure switch. The design isn't all that great and they don't age well. I've fixed one by going back over broken traces using a conductive ink pen but some are too far gone to be fixed. I'm working on making a few copies of the switch from scratch but it's a lot of work and time. A working Junior is a good purchase but I would avoid any that have issues with the select/reset buttons.

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