ParanoidLittleMan

Looks interesting - not bad for such small RAM usage. Especially if watching on some old TV :-)

Game uses for sure some kind of delta system (storing only differences to previous frame). I can try to make all frames from ST version, since I dealt little with this game. However, much better is to do it with better source - with more than 16 colors in frames. It is possible to DL diverse Space Ace videos of original laserdisc version. And even new, HD one, with high res. It looks avesome. Then you can extract frames with some tool (Virtual Dub for instance) and convert them to suitable format for 8-bit Atari. I was on idea to make better version of Space Ace for Atari ST - with DMA audio and more than 6 frames per second, but it is on ice currently, Not to mention that Atari ST version is much shorter than original. And even so called Space Ace 2 is just part of original P1 .

What I wrote is intended to Windows XP. Vista, 7 users. If floppy (image) has 10 sectors/track you can not write it onto USB connected floppy. So, not 800K or 400K sized images. And we have a lot of such. I don't think that just because of floppy writing problems people will start now to install and learn to use Linux (myself have it) . So, problem is not only possibility of writing DSDD disks, but 10 sectors/track too. And ... even Linux can not help over HW limits of USB floppy adapter. You will still need to extract files from 400/800K floppy images. Instead Linux (what is good thing for sure) I can recommend to get some older PC, with internal drive and best with Windows 95. It can work with 800K floppies even without extra SW !

To do test of floppy drive in ST self with some SW you don't need Steem (although may do with it too). But because you have USB floppy drive, you can not use most of floppy imaging SW. What will work for sure is: writing files onto regular DD floppy, formatted to 720KB. So, type in command prompt: format a: /t:80 /n:9 . Then copy some shorter text file (few KB long) onto and try to read it on ST. Of course, may try some game too - but then need to know which can be copied filewise. There is many of such. Bot online you will find mostly floppy images. You can extract files from images with Steem, but simpler is with FloImg or Winimage. For instance Flight Simulator 2 will for sure work if you copy all files onto 720KB floppy, since it is not protected at all.

Early STMs had larger metal box, which contained RF modulator and PAL/NTSC encoder - on top, soldering side visible whne removing cover. In versions without M there was big space on board empty. Later ST machines + STE serial etc. had much smaller metal box, with only RF modulator, while PAL/NTSC encoder was on MB - as on mod. page is visible. What is possible, and I did, is to take out PAL/NTSC encoder from some broken ST and use only encoder, without RF. Or using external encoder box, which will convert RGB to S-Video.

In some Ataris PAL(NTSC) encoder is on MB, is some others is in modulator case.

You can do mod for S-Video in ST(E): http://atari.8bitchip.info/stvid.php The quality is significantly better than composite. You may see lot of captures made with S-Video mod on YouTube: (MrPetari uploads) .

OK, here is another case of game not working in emulators, but this time with solution and explanation too. http://atari.8bitchip.info/ASTGA/M/mpgolf.php There may DL STX images with patches for Steem, MSA images of deprotected and patched for emulators + hard disk installable (HAGA version soon). The problem with emulators is not perfect MFP emulation - Steem, Saint, Hatari - all crash during intro.

There should be some SW for MAC what can do it. Most important is to be aware that ST format is same as some others, like DSK . In fact, it is just content of all sectors in order. No any header. So, you may need just to rename ST to some other extension, and may be that SW can deal with it. There are sites where can gain more info about all this - formats, SW for platforms. Google in hands !

Right. Here is what I found so far: Warp writes $60 to PSG reg. Then jumps there ($FF8800) . On real HW then $60FF executes, what makes address error . In Steem it executes $6060 and jumps, but then makes address or bus error (don't remember at moment which exactly). But address/bus error is not perfect emulated. So, at least 2 errors. Blood Money: first error is by jsr (a6) with odd a6. Address error has 2x PC on top of stack instead 1 . Additionally FC bits on stack bottom by address/bus error are not correct always. Then comes bus error when code writes to $400000 - similar errors in emulation. I set correct values on stack, according to tests on real STE. And reached loading of third sector, but it loads likely in wrong area . Maybe because some bad value still on stack, maybe there is some DMA emul. problem too ? It seems that FC (function code) bits are not well emulated in Steem. What may be biggest problem in all this. I don't think that intention of programmers was to prevent running in emulators (which did not exist around 1990). But to confuse crackers, tracing SW.

And how I should know about it, when no info about it - googleable for instance. Then, we now have Steem sources, so possibility to fix errors. Fixing Steem bugs with Address/Bus error emulation will be not easy. And that's the point. Considering Warp - tricky code jumps in PSG address space, and it is not correctly emulated too. I guess that posting those few not working in emus STX images will not overload AM

I just checked Blood Money (upped by DarkLord, I guess) - it works fine with USB HxC and STE. So, DarkLord, your effort was not for nothing :-) Warp: it shows GrandSlam logo, Thalion logo and music, but then stucks at level load. Still, more than with Steem. Third game: Knight Force : works well via HxC (what means not that is playable too, but that's another story) . In any case, tracing on real ST(E) may help in finding what is exact point when fails on Steem. I will try with Blood Money, when will have some time. Easier with STX than seeking and buying original floppy

Yes, there are some games which fail in Steem because of protection not perfectly emulated (or possible bug). Another example is Warp by Thalion. Still, we need their Pasti images. There is HxC emulator with improved STX support, so may happen that it will work with HxC. Then, someone may go into solving Steem problems with this few titles (sources are online almost for year). And having Pasti image helps in knowing protection type of game and other things, not possible to see from cracks. So, we need absolutely Blood Money to be Pastified. I'm sure that AM crew can add note about problems with Steem by this couple titles.

Here is fresh missing Pasti images list at AM : http://www.atarimania.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=17781 So, please take look into and in your collection and help to have more titles online. I will make some smaller list, based on titles only - for easier overview, and to ensure at least one version of game. There are still some popular games missing, like Blood Money.

The problem with SD version of HxC is that can not emulate all variations of floppy bitrates. Since protections like Copylock are based on 1 sector written with about 3% smaller bitrate than others, and checking it, it will fail with SD HxC . And Copylock is used a lot. This is what I know. People having SD HxC should check some titles - with and without Copylock. Will be some updates about it ? Who knows ?

SD card based HxC does not need PC. At least not while playing on Atari. But I guess that must have some PC or MAC to fill SD with floppy images. Quote by Official Ninja: "Unless its the Atari 8 bit. Sio2pc works just perfectly. I guess because the sio is serial communication it just works good with no mods to the hardware at all." . USB is serial too. And no mods in HW needed, when you attach HxC to Atari. So, I don't know what is your point. I'm sure that USB HxC could be made so, that can write onto floppy images. Why it is not so, Jeff knows best. In any case, as said nothing is perfect. Every way has it's goods and bads. Floppies are most standard, but very unreliable and drives are usually in not good shape. HxC has it's flaws, as mentioned. Hard disk based solutions can not run all SW. Kryoflux is good for people having many originals, but is based on using exlusively floppies.

We went little off topic, as it is usual. If you want to discuss about HxC, start new topic, or go on HxC forum. Pasti sucks ? Working PC - that must be rare thing in homes Real ST is awesome - let's say that you are right, and that it is awesome even today. But how will be after 10 years. I'm afraid that only choice for most of people will be PC and emulation. Now, if you don't like Pasti, get Kryoflux and copy originals as much you want. Myself hate floppies, and will never buy any more. Pasti is very useful for making hard disk adaptations, for instance. But I guess that it is something what not much people experienced What is wrong with your observation - many, even just to mention . I don't think that good Atarian is someone who talks totally biased. Hating PC means not beeing better Atarian, believe me.

Unfortunately, nothing is perfect: USB HxC has one big flaw - writing onto virtual floppies (actually images on PC) is not possible. Writing is possible only with SD HxC . But it is another argument for Pasti - as Pasti images are not writeable. So, I guess that who prefers originals, can live with USB HxC. And likely it is possible to solve writing - but I never tried this: use HxC together with real floppy drive set/connected as B . Then may write gamesaves on B. Still not perfect - some games write only on A .

All what I can say after looking it: forget it, it is very old. In meantime new, more powerful emulators like Steem and Hatari appeared. In them is already support for 10-11 sector/track formatted floppies (images), and all it with regular ST or MSA formats. Even it there is something more, protection related done in Winston, it surely can not compete with Pasti.

That sounds highly unlikely. IPF format specs are just recently published.

Yes, HxC now can run a lot of STX (Pasti) images. And it can still be improved - all depends from Jeff and how Atari people can motivate him in this not easy task. Why Pasti in first place ? Because it has much better perspective than Kryoflux. Pasti has one big advantage: no need for special HW, and ST(E) in good shape may serve. Another thing is that Pasti will be usable even after 50 years, when working Atari will be real sensation. I don't have anything against Kryoflux or cracks, menu disks. But they are on opposite sides: Kryoflux is strictly original oriented, and allows not distribution of images. My problem with menu disks is that they are product of specific era, where squizing as much possible on floppies was priority. It results in slow work (depacking is usually slow), then not rare cases that game is incomplete etc. Additionally, it is not rare to see cracker's messages in middle of game, pictures. Kryo is strictly for exact copy of original, what can be written onto floppies. It is nice, and would be even more nice it it would happened some 10 years ago. Now floppies are pretty outdated. Then, Kryoflux has own SW base, and as I know everyone who contributes there may get other titles (in IPF image format). So, let them to do they preservation project as they know best, and contribute if can, want. Fact is that we still miss many Pasti images, and sad thing is that most of available online is not verified. It was idea at start that Pasti images will be validated on some way, but it never happened. But myself dealt with many-many Pasti images, and I know about lot that they are flawless, complete. And know few, which are not OK. Some are even reimaged in meantime, and we have now 100% OK Kid Gloves STX at Atarimania, for instance. The point is that it is for me just little plus work to write in some database my Pasti and other image validation results. To get more new images, we need one central database, where everyone can quickly find what games, titles are already Pastified or MSA-ed (if no copy prot.), which are verified, which are with errors. So can without wasting much time know what to send from his collection. As it is currently. with sites, forums hosting Pasti images, but missing easy searchable databases, is not really motivating.

This is something about what I worked, thinkered for some time. Something what Atari people needs. Place where can find relevant infos about good old SW, diverse problems related - like compatibility, problems with some images, cracks, where to get games, etc. Instead new page, expanding existing Game Archive : http://atari.8bitchip.info/ASTGA/astgam.php The idea is to link from there to AtariMania for STX images, to host decent floppy versions - without intros, and especially without changes, writings in game (screens) by crackers. With better TOS compatibility than many old cracks etc. Then, infos about known problems, verification of completeness etc. There may be even infos about on which menu disk is game available - but it is lower priority. Priority is to sort out existing mess with tens of thousands of images avaialble online. Quality opposite to quantity. We don't need 15 sites where can DL same, unchecked images in 3-5 versions, while versions differ often only in listed cracker, and bootsector. Unfortunately even some 'official' sites suffer from same problem. See Lankhor site - there are some 5 versions of Maupiti Island listed as different cracks, while all is made by one person. Instead like above, I want to see checked content, where games self are in first place. So, need user feedback, informations about what is good, tested. What is bad, on what, when and similar. I guess that there are still many floppies in good shape of originals. But it is hard to find now what to image, make Pasti. Not much people will go, and seek what is already on sites. Best is to have central "Pasti image needed" list, updated regulary. Background, reasons: not much happened in last 6 years, except Atarimania . They have really a lot of Pasti images. But all it may be better - we need verification, some lists (as mentioned above) etc. During adapting games for hard disk, I encountered many bad images, and even fixed some games from multiple sources. It would be too bad that all that knowledge just waste. If we not doing this in oncoming decade, it will be never made. As everyone know, floppies last not forever. It will for sure go slowly - and who expects that will see soon thousands of stuff there, or even just thousands of infos there, will be disappointed. Useful infos, reliable and checked content, up to date solutions is what we need.

In old Atari times, before STE arrived, I did several RAM upgrades in 520 ST machines. Piggy back is not really recommended methode. It is so reliable as solderings. Not skillful man can even damaging chips by overheat. I used mostly boards with RAM, and connected them with lot of wires. But I can understand that this is today aside - not much interest, too much handwork = high cost. Solderless solutions will not fit in any machine - there are those without sockets.

Next step in HAGA development: support for TOS calling games. First releases: H-A-T-E Nightdawn Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge Lotus 2 Lotus 3 Flying Shark . Since 2/3 of Atari ST games are TOS calling type, expect soon mass of updates from gamex to HAGA and new titles. Parallel with it there is improved TT, Falcon support. So, can play even good old Vroom for ST on Falcon (who needs vroom30 ?) , TT . 50 fps, not les' :-) http://atari.8bitchip.info/fromhd.php

Changing only crytals will not solve anything. For instance crystal responsible for color encoding has no influence on CPU clock, or any other clock. But in practice, crystal which generates source clock for CPU (usually it is 32MHz for shifter, MMU, then divided by 4 for CPU) has some slight variations - to decrease interference. So, if you want PAL, you need to change not only crystal for color encoder but some other parts - like filters in encoder (usually it is in modulator case by older STs) . And TOS version too, otherwise will boot still at 60 Hz. "1. "Koyo 32.0424 MHz" -location is OSCI to compare from BEST listings, number 1 is referred to for a Mega, but their value is 32.04245 MHz. They also have mine version, but its not pinpointed out for a Mega in their description. In my keyboard, (the raster, custom ikbd chip from Atari) it also have crystal, in 4.000 value. From BEST site i see both 40mhz and 50mhz, wich i believe is also PAL/NTSC." Wrong. As said, it is for shifter, CPU. And you can not put there some different without having lot of side effects - least is interference. 50 Hz for video, or 50 is result of some programmed dividings in shifter/Glue combination. To get 50 instead 60 you would need much less that 32 MHz, and then whole machine would work slower, many SW would not work. And worst, you will loose horizontal sync. So, forget it, and get another Atari, PAL one. Or use RGB monitor.