Xebec

OK - Tried the SIDE2; and Yoomp still says to turn off BASIC. I've tried the SIDE2 with Basic OFF and Basic ON just in case something was flipped. I used ANT.EXE to try both 128KB XE and 1024KB modes, linear memory on or off - and no differences. Does Antonia normally respond to OPTION for turning off basic with no cart? Any other ideas/suggestions? Thanks!

I can try a SIDE2; However my Antonia+1200XL has BASIC on regardless of whether I hold OPTION or not -- without a cartridge installed.

Hey there just wanted to check in and see if you were ever able to resolve this? I've started another dialogue with bob1200xl just to see if there is a path forward. I did verify my 1200XL has a fully functioning OPTION key, and I also replaced the PIA chip..

Hey Bob! I replaced the PIA from another system; no change - I still can't get the 1200XL to boot without BASIC being loaded with Antonia and XLOS. I also used DEBUG to verify that I could change $D301 back and forth between FF and FD. (CD301<FF, DD301, etc) I don't see a way to reboot the system after making this change without powering off.. I do remember someone else had the same problem with Antonia and the 1200XL -- legacy or lower memory software seems fine, but anything requiring 128KB or more fails. Any other suggestions? I appreciate the help here. FWIW, I did re-verify that the Antonia is replacing the MMU (ribbon connection), and my 1200XL has no ROMs installed, so it's getting the default Antonia OS ROM which should allow disabling of BASIC :).

Paul, I am very sorry to hear this. Reading the story of Sue using AtariWriter, and both of them being involved with Atari for a long time hit home a bit. This is a great community and I wish I knew many of you back in the day when these things were new, but I'm happy to have made some acquaintances today. Take care..

Thanks all. I removed the 1200 ROMs as recommended and am just using Antonias default XLOS. I can try flashing in additional ROMs using ANT.exe just would need to know which files to use. I have a parts 800xl and another 1200xl (bad keyboard membrane but otherwise good) - can I pull the PIA from the 800xl and use in the 1200?

Thanks Jeff! I guess the LED must be doing something to enable the circuit to completely work. I assume this didn't work without the LED? is that switch a button, or an actual switch - like you flip it one way, and it swaps, flip it back and nothing happens?

Hey folks, I've got an Antonia 4MB upgrade in a 1200XL, and I'm using the AVGCart to try various programs. However, I can only reliably get 64KB or less programs to run correctly. If I try running programs like Yoomp, it tells me to disable BASIC before loading. Bosconian also appears to load but then crashes. I can use ANT.EXE to select different RAM amounts - I've tried XE / 128KB, Rambo 320KB, Rambo 1MB, but none make any difference. I also noticed that if I boot the system without AVGCart, it default to BASIC - even if I hold down the OPTION button. I've verified via the atari diagnostic screen that the option key is working. How do I disable BASIC? P.S. I'm running the stock XLOS ROM (the only ROM) that the hardware comes with.

ATR Swap question time - for testing purposes, I've got a wire connected to pin 3 of P6, and have tried tapping it / touching it to the ground point exposed on the 800 board that connects to power board pin 22, but the swap doesn't work. I've also touching to the ground ring right on the power board right next to the main 22 pin connector and no luck either. (Circled both below) Why would a quick tap of wire from P6 pin 3 to these ground points not work to activate an ATR swap?

Thanks I may try to extend the cables but was hoping just for a simple cable purchase so i don't have to reopen any wiring . It's working, Safer to just leave it be at this point :). I think these are 2.54mm pitch pins? I guess I could try something like this https://www.amazon.com/Duttek-Separate-Motherboard-Extender-Extension/dp/B06Y66LZ2L

Thanks -- any ground then inside the 800? doesn't really matter where? Can I use the ground side of the HDD led on the P6 connetor or not? (i.e. I have some pre-made headers that I could re-use pretty easily)..

Dear Atarians, I've installed and have a working Incognito on my 800 - this thing is *awesome*! However, the (two of the) wires provided are a bit too short to allow me to plug in the 6-pin connector when the plastic cartridge/slot piece is in place. The short wires are the ones running to the ANTIC chip. I'd like to buy a short extension cable but I'm not sure what wording to use to try to find such a thing? Also, I definitely do not have the skill (or sanity/patience) to try to do the ATR swap button internally; if I bought an external switch or button, how do I wire an external ATR swap button? My plan/hope was to run the wires out the back where the RF cable usually goes out and just have a button hanging out the back, or even mounted in that back hole. Any special recommendations for buttons? Thank you! John

Any idea if the RetroTink 2X works on PAL-50 outputs? (PAL ANTIC-only swaps?) Also, for Atari 8bit (and Sega Genesis) usage -- NTSC monitors - what exactly does the Pro give over the non-Pro? (The original post says the Pro adds component and s-video support, but I see the regular 2X has that already..)

Re-read and got it now.. Thanks! it'll basically flip back/forth too quickly between the disks without that ground is what i'm reading now.. and i'm guessing too complex to put something in software that says you can only change disk once per <time period>. I appreciate the answers.

Hmm I guess I was thinking that since Joy 3+4 aren't used in XL/XE mode - that there might be a possibility of an option in the BIOS that would 'read' the fire button of joystick 3 or 4 as the disk swap button? no solder, modifications, or other changes required? Turn it off if you didn't want it?

Dear Atarians - Is there any technical feasibility or possibility to ask that a joystick attached to port 4 on the Atari 800 w/Incognito could be used as a button for the floppy disk swap (rather than wiring in a button or similar)? Can that be done via software only?

I'm finally getting around to my "had an Incognito for a long time, let's install it" stage :). (After repairing an 800XL I'm feeling brave again). What cartridges don't work if you don't replace the RD4/RD5 pulldown resistors during the install? I need to sort through my resistors and see if I have something adequate.. Additionaly, you may want to replace RD4/RD5 pulldown resistors to something ranging from 1.5k to 2.2kOhms. It will improove compatibility with cartridges, as protection resistors on Incognito board form with original ones voltage divider that may render some carts unusable.

Wrathchild - just wanted to say thanks for working on this port! So good even just to see screenshots for the Atari 8bit Just curious - why is the A8 keyboard less than ideal for Elite compared to other 8bitters?

Hey folks - Where do you recommend I go to read up on how 6502 bus access and instruction timing works on the 8bit? I know very basics - that instructions on 6502 are variable latency, that the bus is shared with other chips, and ANTIC can effectively halt the CPU / executes it's own instructions. I'm specifically looking to learn / understand a little more about : - How often can the 6502 read/write from main memory (typical use, and with "graphics off") - Knowing that 6502 instruction timing is variable - learn about which instructions are bus limited and which aren't (are any?) - Review the definitive list of how many clock cycles different instructions on 6502 take - Also curious about the instruction set of ANTIC - what it can do Thanks! John

Wow! You are awesome Rybags! Thank you so much!!

I am willing to learn how to do this - I assume using some kind of disassembler or program that real-time shows me what code is running; any recommendations where to start / what software to use? I'll go from there and try to self-learn.. Thanks (I have old C Programming experience, understand some assembler instructions, and assume I would need to follow the code until the point that it halts, and figure out how to get a 'pass' into either RAM or a change to the original XEX that just works).

Thanks, I will order one. With PAL and GTIA both swapped but everything else 'NTSC/original' - how does the experience compare to either original NTSC or a 'full PAL' ?

Hey Atarians, I have a PAL ANTIC swapped 800 XL w/U1MB ("NTSC 50" I think), and I've been enjoying some of the more modern demos (Near and Far Away - which is beautiful on a real CRT btw!); but unfortunately Cyberpunk by LAMERS halts as it detects an NTSC system and says 'PAL required'. I'm curious what Cyberpunk might be using to detect PAL vs NTSC, and if there is any thing I can do with a SIDE2/U1MB to fake out the demo to see what happens when it runs? Thanks!

Attainable: - An Atari 810 disk drive with the middle 1/3rd flip lid (Rather than the "barn door") + Happy Mod upgrade - so many memories of that with my original 800 (which I still have). I bought one (no happy upgrade) a few years ago but it was damaged in transit :(. - (Not Atari) My first modem - which I believe was a Bell Atlantic 300 bps acoustic coupler device; I thought it was a black case with blue buttons or a blue label on it. - Atari SC1435 monitor Never attainable: - I was lucky enough as a kid to have access to harddrives on the 8bit - a Supra 10MB, and later Supra 20MB; would like them to magically reappear with my BBS Express stuff on it :). Oh, and a couple pages of 'logs' from the BBS generated by our dot matrix printer. - The 1040ST I lent to someone that never came back. Just want a short taste: - Atari 8bit touch tablet. We had one, and I remember using it for a bit. - Atari Falcon and TT; no nostalgia as I never owned one, but I would love a few hours of hands on time just to see what might have been. I am likely going to thin out my 8bit collection a little bit later this year.. reduce an 800XL or 2, and maybe a 1200XL, though I feel like I should keep those.

This looks great! Looking forward to it!