[Atari 2600+ Beta Update 1.1 REV2]

On 4/10/2024 at 12:07 PM, daorriss said:

And that is what worries me.. Ben last said "lots going on" at Plaion (I would presume) but I'd really like to see completion of the investment on the work on the 2600+ otherwise I threw money away... 

The system has only been out for 4 months, and it's had 4 different updates released already.

 

You will see it, but they are working to make sure the next update includes big things, not just one thing here or there like the previous ones.

[Atari 2600+ Beta Update 1.1 REV2]

3 hours ago, Goochman said:

Champ Games with the ARM chip wont ever run from Cart so you can mark that off your wish list

This is false.

 

They're literally working on that right now, and from what I've heard it's very close. There's absolutely no reason why they can't get it to work.

[Experimental 2600+ Firmware]

7 hours ago, LynnInDenver said:

I can actually, honestly, see his point... it's TWO pieces of software, with written instructions on a website. To us, it's not complicated... to anyone else, who's only ever dealt with Windows Update, it's hella complicated (two reboots, two different switch configurations), is fraught with issues dealing with various computer USB configurations, and is well beyond what most other devices on the market ask you to do. Even the MiSTer update process is fewer manual steps.

 

I do hope that the official (not beta testing) firmware update is a single program that walks you through the process of doing this, and that the update process on the 2600+ itself after that becomes "the machine will do the first update, and then be more capable of running through the multistage process automatically".

This product isn’t tageted at people who aren’t already capable of reading a single page of instructions. Shit, every original Atari 2600 game came with a multi page manual of instructions. 
 

doing this update is less complicated than playing Raiders of the Lost Ark

[Experimental 2600+ Firmware]

1 hour ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

There is an update coming soon that is pretty close to complete. If you spent 5 minutes reading the forum instead of spouting off you would have seen that. Also - the difficulty switches were fixed like 4 updates ago. 
 

the updates couldn’t be easier. You plug your 2600+ into your console, and put the switch on b/w and hold down one button the run a single program to update the cart dumper. 
 

then turn it off, put it back on color mode hold down reset, turn it on, and run the tool to dump the latest firmware.  It takes all of 2 minutes tops, and only requires reading. It’s not complicated.

*into your computer

[Any update on getting Concerto to load single 7800 games with the harmony software?]

On 4/20/2024 at 5:10 AM, batari said:

For the past month or so, I have been able to use a Concerto to play games onto the 2600+.

 

You'll need a firmware update for this to work, and I am still working out some kinks but it should be available before too long.

 

How it works: rename the game you want to play to autorom.a78, and put it in an SD card. With new firmware, the game will then run on the 2600+.

 

I will post a video shortly.

New firmware for the Concerto - or for the 2600+?

[Experimental 2600+ Firmware]

4 hours ago, Mr. Christmas said:

Can you guys please focus on finalizing the tools and do an interim release of the firmware itself?  You don't have to release an "everything works now" firmware but it's a better media look if the process to update said firmware isn't extremely kludgy.

 

Yes I'm just a guy writing for a tiny newspaper in Southern Illinois but when the standard is "plug this in and run this easy program" for everything else?  Can we please get an easy to run solution that even a 60 year old could do?  From an outsider perspective it looks sort of sloppy.

 

Edit:  I want to be able to write an utterly glowing positive sparkling article about why people should buy this thing and try and dovetail to the homebrew scene, but the emergent market share for this sort of thing ain't so tech savvy.

There is an update coming soon that is pretty close to complete. If you spent 5 minutes reading the forum instead of spouting off you would have seen that. Also - the difficulty switches were fixed like 4 updates ago. 
 

the updates couldn’t be easier. You plug your 2600+ into your console, and put the switch on b/w and hold down one button the run a single program to update the cart dumper. 
 

then turn it off, put it back on color mode hold down reset, turn it on, and run the tool to dump the latest firmware.  It takes all of 2 minutes tops, and only requires reading. It’s not complicated.

[What do you think of the Atari 2600+ at the moment...]

I'm pretty close to ditching my UAV modded  7800 for this system.

 

7800's starting show it's age, and the 2600+ support from Ben and the various Devs here on the forum have made it a blast to dig into and test the crap out of games.

 

I got too bored with the 7800 because SD carts made it too easy. I like buying and using real carts.

[Dreadnought Assault (WIP)]

Holy shit.

[Is there a list of DPC+ 2600 games anywhere?]

I know of some, but I would like a list so I can do some testing.

 

Thanks,

[New(ish) 7800 Games and Accessories announced by Atari and Plaion compatible with the 2600+]

[Label Replacement acceptable or verboten?]

2 hours ago, 82-T/A said:

 

 

Oh man... you do not know what you're asking. Here goes...

 

For one... what is your goal in collecting them? I think most game hoarders collectors have a fantasy of opening a game museum in the future. Some do, some die of heart disease and most of their games find their way to a dumpster after the estate sale, and others eventually realize it's not what they want and blow them out on eBay.

 

I came to at least one of those conclusions many years ago... but not after I individually wrapped every single one of my Atari 2600 games in a special plastic bag, and then placed them in two large Tupperware bins. At least I did that in the top one.

 

 

Eventually it occurred to me that if I wanted to actually play all... 220 games? I'd have to take them out of the plastic bags.

 

 

So clearly... what you need to do here is... buy duplicates of everything, and keep the nice one wrapped, and the shitty one to play.

 

No! Sorry... scratch that. Figure out what your goal is... do you want to play these games... or are you just collecting them / so you can look at them fondly?

 

 

If you want to play them, and the labels are already trashed, you're only making it better by replacing them (my opinion). 

 

And if you're collecting them for the purpose of waiting until they gain value so you can profit on someone else's lack of impulse control, then you leave the shitty old label how it is, because in some completely irrational way, the price gougers have convinced the lost souls who can't help themselves that "shitty original condition" = high value.

[New(ish) 7800 Games and Accessories announced by Atari and Plaion compatible with the 2600+]

6 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

Well, the next Mainboard IMG and Dumper Chip EXE I received this morning thats going to be the next release. 

 

There is some internal testing happening right now and then my hero @raz0red will likely be starting a new thread making the files available.

Gimme

[Label Replacement acceptable or verboten?]

On 4/13/2024 at 8:01 PM, MrChickenz said:

Show a photo if you can!

 

[Label Replacement acceptable or verboten?]

3 hours ago, MrChickenz said:

Good questions. Some I purchased online look great as far as artwork and fonts is concerned. Although I noticed background color on some is a bit off. 
 

And some labels seem a bit thin compared to originals but pretty durable.

 

And some labels are spot on I can’t see a difference.

 

These are a few I made just for Activision. I have a double set of Activison carts that I purchased over time. I made sure to get ones with torn or bad labels. I like the artwork on the labels 

 

 

These look exactly like the ones I made for my Actiplaque label carts about 12 years ago.

[Label Replacement acceptable or verboten?]

It’s perfectly fine. The only people who care are the price gougers and scumbag profiteers who prey on collectors with no impulse control. 

[New(ish) 7800 Games and Accessories announced by Atari and Plaion compatible with the 2600+]

any idea when orders will start shipping, Ben?

[AtariAge Store Last Chance Sale!]

Still waiting on A.R.T.I. here. Mine hasn't been outstanding as long as the last chancers, but it's been a few months. Maybe for a Birthday present in June?

[New(ish) 7800 Games and Accessories announced by Atari and Plaion compatible with the 2600+]

3 hours ago, hizzy said:

 

 

Or even the font of the title on the box

 

 

Bezerk had the red box font, bit the early bauhaus style font doesn't seem to show up much.

7800 games and boxes never used that font. The one they are using is accurate to Atari Corp. 1987

[Has anyone received cartridges purchased directly from Atari?]

I ordered the Berzerk Enhanced cart along with the 2600+ and both arrived early.

[What do you think of the Atari 2600+ at the moment...]

I've noticed my OG 7800 dropping it's signal occasionally lately, and so I can't wait until the 2600+ compatibility is closer to perfect, because I don't know how much longer the 7800 has.

[Experimental 2600+ Firmware]

7 hours ago, DEANJIMMY said:

No... a tighter/better slot!

The age old pursuit!

[Atari 2600+ Beta Update 1.1 REV2]

On 3/29/2024 at 5:44 PM, Glorkbot said:

How much is a "cheap PC"? Even $100 seems too much to pay just to update the firmware on the 2600+. It would almost double the cost of the system. And I suppose one would need a monitor too...

You already spent $1500 on a Mac that only does 1/10th of what a $400 Windows PC does. Surely you have an extra $100.

[Atari Officially Announced that Commando 7800 will be re-released for the 2600+]

3 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

You got me!

[Atari Officially Announced that Commando 7800 will be re-released for the 2600+]

I can’t wait!!!!

[What Atari 2600/7800 game have you been playing the most today?]

Been playing Spider-Man 2600. This game is tough but addictive.