TheRealAnubis
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Posts posted by TheRealAnubis
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Sometimes when I use the SD2IEC and load FB the screen scrolls automatically which makes it difficult/impossible to control. Any idea why this would happen? I do not have any stuck keys, etc... as the computer works great until I load FB.
Hmmm.. I haven't gotten any screen rolls, but on some of the older 64's the letters will randomly change colors as soon as you move the 'cursor'. It could be exposing a weak component in your 64 possibly? Is it the 8 pin video, or the older version? And, how do you have it connected - RF or DIN cable?
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I didn't do that, but I'm assuming if shorting the pins on the console isn't working then the controller wouldn't matter at this point...
You're probably right, but I always like to try a couple of ways just to make sure...
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Did you try to use the old eraser trick on the start button? If not, try getting a pencil eraser and gently erase the traces on the mylar contact sheet, then get some isopropyl alcohol and an qtip and clean the freshly erased area and the contact pad. You can usually resurrect any controller this way - but depending on the degradation of the contact pad / mylar trace sheet, it may not last long..
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Thank you so much. It get's very expensive trying to archive this stuff. I had a recent computer crash and my Windows XP on my Mac no longer works. I have to get a new version of Parallels which runs Windows XP. The program which I use to update Atarimania.com is Windows-only. So once I get it all fixed I will re-post the full version. For now at least it's here.
Thanks again.
Allan
I'm glad that I could chip in at least a little and contribute! Good luck on the WinXP/Mac thing. I sometimes had troubles running XP on a PC -
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Got any good links to NTSC fixed games I might have missed RealAnubis?
Hmmm.. My links are probably all long dead now - Anything in particular that you're looking for? I'll try to do some digging in my Commodore stuff later this week...
Most often they don't run or have unbearable headache inducing graphical glitches. I have been able to get several to work but Ive had to go through 7 or 8 files,loading,resetting,loading resetting just to get to one that works.
I have yet to get multi-disk games to work.
Anyone got any advice?
Building a 'library' of working games is always a challenge, but once you've straggled through tons of images, you'll have something that many do not take the time to have - a lot of really working games!
Multi disk games are a bit of a pain - you have to name them correctly - I usually put the game in a folder with that game name, then just name the disk sides 001, 002, 003, etc. Then sometimes it seems you have to press the 'next' button to go to the next disk twice. I hope that helps a little..
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So I bought that sd2iec from Greg2600 and love it but I am having trouble getting multidisk games to work. Might just be the files I'm using.
Also having trouble finding certain games in NTSC.
Anyway LOVE IT!
Nothing like replacing a clunky 1541 with a slick little SD card drive!
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Hi,
I went ahead and sprung for the $15 and just got the manual in the mail! It was the same revision as the one that I already found online.
I've added the schematics and silkscreens (4 additional pages) to the Field Service Manual that I found online - Thanks again Allan!
1010_cassette_recorder_field_service_manual_Schematics_and_Silkscreens_NEW.pdf
This manual was new and the pages I added were folded and stapled to the front cover using the same staple that holds it all together!
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I bet there are plenty of experts that can list all the differences- the ones I know are:
4 ports instead of 2
4 port model needs fix to use 2600 adapter
(* models, plus you can DIY)
4 port model plays all 5200 games (I understand that the 2 port models won't play a few fames)
4 port model has power combined into the RF switch- there's no power connector on the 5200 itself.
That's all I know for sure. If anyone can add to this info, or correct any mistakes, please feel free to do so. I'm pretty new to the 5200, but I've already repaired 3 of them, including one 2 port model.
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That got me as well... None of the 10 or so games that I had made a sound until you hit start! You may be fine! Let me know what happens once you get a working controller hooked up..
I thought that it was strange that they were all so quiet, but this being my first 5200, I didn't know.
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so just clarify this with me.... if you have a 4 port model, and it has a power supply hookup in the back, then its one of the asterix versions?
and just as a side note, i recently did one of those RCA video output mods to it.... not sure if that really effects the value, but it doent matter much to me since it looks and sounds sooooo damn good!
As far as I know, the asterisk models were 'fixed' 4 port versions, modified so that you could use the 2600 adapter to play 2600 games. Without the fix it would apparently fry the adapter.
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I replaced the caps with a pair of these (http://console5.com/store/820pf-50v-polystyrene-film-capacitor.html) as I was getting no sound. But even after replacing the caps I still have no sound.
Any suggestions of what else it could be?
Thanks!
Those look like the right ones.. Have you swapped the POKEY out to see if that's a problem? Also, try (gently) removing and then replacing the POKEY - sometimes they get corroded a bit and don't connect well.
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Commodore and Atari had very different approaches to drive design.
Atari used a Western Digital floppy controller to allow standard FM and MFM encoding of the disk. They put in a single sector buffer (128 bytes) and a 6507-based controller to send sectors back and forth. The whole thing is neat and tidy but has some drawbacks. For one, you cannot easily copy protected disks because there's no way to make the drive write anything out of the ordinary. You can format, and you can write standard sectors, and that's it. So, people made hardware enhancements to give the drive more features and disk capacity. The main disadvantage is that a standard FM disk is only 90K, and the 1050's Dual Density is only 130K.
Commodore also put a CPU in their drive, but they emulated the floppy controller in software. The drive was extremely slow by default, but it had 2K of RAM and new code could be uploaded leading to Fast-Load routines and custom copiers for protected software. Besides the slow firmware, the big disadvantages were that it had no Track 0 sensor and would knock itself out of alignment, the built in transformer tended to make the drive run very hot, and it could not be easily set to any other drive number. These things were fixed in later models. A 1541 disk holds about 160K.
I agree with you - I know that the Commodore drives were a lot 'smarter' than typical drives, and they could do quite a bit - maybe it was just the sensor being left out that was the main cause of their problems? I can't understand why they didn't implement that feature since it seems most other drives of the day had them...
I am a little sorry upon learning about the artifacting methods - the colors used (at least in the few games I've tried) look awful in comparison to the C64. I played a LOT of Ultima III, so when I loaded it up on the Atari I thought something was wrong with the machine, so I tried my other one with the exact same results. I wonder if it would look any better on a standard computer monitor (Commodore 1702) instead of my LCD TV, which doesn't get along well with many of my vintage systems...
I'll try the 1702 sometime today and report back, as I don't want to blame the Atari for my monitor being picky...
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Well,
if a disk or program has "needs fix XL" written on it, this means the program requires an old 400 / 800 OS, also known as translator-disk, to run on an XL/XE machine. The FIX-XL is actually an old-OS (afaik it comes as a file-version). You may load it (or any other old OS version for the XL/XE computers) from DOS or Gamedos, then press e.g. Select to boot your program disk with old OS and Basic or e.g. Option to boot your program disk with old OS but without Basic...
I'll see if I can find it on any of these disks that I just got. It's a big box stuffed full, so it'll take a bit..
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I feel like I had a bad case of noob-itis, but hey, if you don't know, you don't know! I'm still getting used to the row of keys down the side of the 800XL as well - Reset, Option, Select, etc.
I will say that these 1050 drives are workhorses. I've had plenty of experience with Commodore 1541 drives, and I think they may be a little more problematic than the Atari ones. It could be a better design, or the Commodore owners just fooled with theirs a lot more..
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If they are for another (non Atari) system they won't load at all. So, either the disks are damaged or the 1050 is acting up. It's not unusual for some brands of diskette to have failed by now. Also consider cleaning the head in the 1050 since bad disks can shed a lot of their oxide coating.
Good information! I made sure to clean the heads, and then I left the top cover off so I could see if any of the disks were polluting the head. But my real problem was.....
You'd want to be holding Option until the blue startup screen to disable Basic.
Pre-XL games, it's a must do in many cases, later on a lot of the programmers were just lazy and printed it in the manual to do so rather than spending the entire 8 bytes or so of program code to do the same.
For some reason I was holding 'Select', and so there you go! I thought holding down 'Option' just took you to the self test. Sweet! Now I can actually load all of those games! The only question I have now is - how do the colors look on these games? I have C64 as a reference, so I'm not sure how they are supposed to look on Atari. On both 800XL's that I have, the Lode Runner screen is mostly red, and the Ultima III screen seems more green than anything else. Both have the correct appearance on boot. Anyone have any screenshots of an actual 800XL playing either of these games? Maybe I need to do some adjustments...
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Hi,
I just got a large box of floppies and a 1050 drive. While trying to load the disks, some work, some don't some kind of work. For example - Loderunner loads up, but the screen is reddish and all of the graphics are scrambled - this floppy is a copy, so that may be it. Forbidden forest starts to load and then hangs - this is a factory disk that states 'for all atari computers'. Some of the disks are labeled 130xe, but most just have a user printed label with the game name.
The Ultima I disk (copy) has 'needs fix XL' written on it, and Ultima II or III won't load all the way either. Epyx Dragonriders of Pern doesn't finish loading (original).
I've tried 2 different working drives and 2 different working 800XL's.
Is there a way to check which system these games are supposed to be used on?
Thanks!
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Just a quick update - I just saw one of these listed on ebay pretty cheap -
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I don't understand how that other guy (previously mentioned in the thread) can sell a replacement power supply for $100; he must be socking away a lot of profit.
As far as I know, he uses only top quality parts and hand builds and tests them. I'd consider anything Ray makes and sells as the Cadillac of Commodore items. If you want the very best, made in the USA by a pro, then you buy his stuff!
This is just my opinion, as I've dealt with Ray on several occasions and he's a great guy and absolutely knows his stuff.
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external powered USB hub usually have 5v DC 2.5A or more, and Atari 2600 or Nintendo NES for the AC output. It does need to be AC, a square wave DC with a small transformer to convert that to AC doesn't work at all, people tried and failed. It had to be AC all the way from original 110/220v source.
I agree- if it originally takes AC, I don't mess with it - I just get AC again!
I've been going to the thrift stores and rummaging in the wires and cords bin. I'm finding 5VDC 2+ Amps, but the 9VAC ones are a little tougher to find - at least here in FL.
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I'm sorry about this post, but after reading the title, I thought - "maybe it's a prude!" Hahahaha!
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If you're handy, you can make your own out of modern wall-wart type supplies. Get the correct DIN plug end, a 5VDC 2Amp, and a 9VAC 1Amp, then wire it up to the DIN. Just make sure to check and double check the voltages and pins are correct before you connect it to your 64!
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I do repairs, but the PS needs tested as well.. If the PS is still good, I'd recommend one of Ray Carlsen's power savers, or as stated above, a better PS. You can get a good older one that's Commodore brand by looking for a PS that came with the 1764 RAM expansion (tough to find) to a c-128 PS - you can either add the correct din plug yourself (the 128 has a square plug), or get the adapter cable on eBay. Not the cheapest options, but these types of PS' don't die and fry stuff like the old brick style ones do.. Don't be fooled by the tan ones that look just like the black bricks- they are just 64c ones that will kill your 64.
The black screen is the toughest one to troubleshoot- it can be RAM, PLA,VIC II, CPU, along with almost anything else. That's where a working socketed test board comes in handy..
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You can soft mod the Xbox - do a search for "xecuter2". I picked one up at a flea market that was modded with this. When I took it apart to replace the clock capacitor and redo the thermal paste, there was no hardware mods at all. Have fun!
You can also search something along the lines of "how to soft mod my XboX" as well...
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Anyone need 5.25" floppies? I found a stack of them (a couple dozen) that need a new home. Not sure the shipping. I imagine I could find an envelope and have them sent media mail for a few bucks.
PM'd
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Atari Indus GT disk drive - equivalent to a 'Happy' drive? Better?
in Atari 8-Bit Computers
Posted · Edited by TheRealAnubis
Hi,
I picked up an Atari IndusGT floppy drive that's not working (repair soon to come!), but I have a few questions about it as I've never owned one.
1. Can this make copies of games similar to the abilities of the 'happy' drives?
2. Does it use more of the floppy than the standard 1050? (formatted size is larger)
3. Other than looking cool, and having a track readout, what are the benefits of having one as opposed to a standard 1050?
I know that I always wanted one for my C64, but to this point I've never laid eyes on one...
Thanks!