RockfordDash

Hello, I think Atari800 emulator can be fixed to run BBSB cart version. Emulator doesn't handle read from cartridge bank switching areas properly. It always returns 0. That's a s bug. ROM has real values that need to be returned. This looks like a devious copy protection scheme: game almost works, except not quite... Anyways, those two routines: CARTRIDGE_BountyBob1GetByte and CARTRIDGE_BountyBob2GetByte need to have "return 0" statements removed to allow fall through to MEMORY_dGetByte. That should fix it.

I came across this project today and though I'd share it here: WebFPGA Rapid FPGA Development. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ryanmjacobs/webfpga-rapid-fpga-development-system I think it is worth backing, since it simplifies programing FPGAs. Why would I care knowing close to nothing about FPGAs? Because of MIST/MISTER among other things. If it's easier to tinker with FPGAs then maybe we'll see more cool ideas developed for Atari. From video to sound to cartridges there's still room for reinventing the wheel. Thanks, RD

Looks good. The RPi case I found was less than an inch high (25 mm). I think there would be maybe 20 mm for this whole thing to fit in it if you were to use the same one. I'm still curious to see how you connect a cable and make it fit.

I downloaded Raster Music Tracker and I have no idea how to use it. Is there a manual somewhere? All I found was keyboard shortcuts. How would I go about playing a few notes? Thanks, RD

I was looking for a cheap converter, so I bought it too: I tried it with my stock Atari 130 XE: And then with another one, which is modded with Super Video 2: Finally, stock 65XE: Interestingly 65XE looks pretty close to modded 130XE. In short, this is not pretty. I don't know if I can blame the converter, Ataris seem to output very strong color signal distorting solid backgrounds. However, my old Dell with S-Video input provides better results (but it includes sharpening and refuses to handle one of my 130s):

I've been digging in the documentation of the project, but I cannot find info about enabling debug files in atari800. How should I configure it to have dbg files generated? atari800 hangs when booting with cassette tape file attached and I wanted to see what goes wrong in gbd. Thanks, RD

OK, I found more references to Mapasoft: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fc64power.com%2Fforumng%2Findex.php%3Ftopic%3D6335.0 And this is what their offer looked like: Games came in packs.

Thanks for sharing. It seems likely that it was done by them. Whoever did it, did a great job. With Poland being a Wild West (East?) in the 80-ties as far as copyright is concerned, they could get away with it.

Hi, I was wondering if someone knows this Boulder Dash version. Is this the official release or hacked BD? What's Mapa Soft? I couldn't find any references. It looks to me like some enthusiast's work. Thanks, RD

I was thinking about generating game images automatically by running atari800 emulator on RPi and creating them on the fly. Never finished it. Adding start-up ATR image to load may be useful too. Implementing favorites would be nice to have...

@Gavin1968: I don't have 800 XL in my possession. I only tested RPi2SIO on a couple of 130 XEs and one 65 XE. I also use modern power supply rated at +5V @2A to keep it safe. The way this contraption works is, I turn on my Atari, wait for 30s for RPi to boot. At that point I *know* I can go to 10.0.0.176 on my phone, b/c this is the IP WiFi router assigns to RPi (and it can be made consistent by selecting an option on a router to remember this IP assignment). Once web page is loaded server will scan folder for Atari files and present it in a list. Then I choose turbo speed and just click desired entry to "load" image into virtual floppy drive. Next, I reboot Atari so it starts loading. What actually happens is what Hias implemented in his atariserver: HISIO driver gets loaded, patches the OS and reports boot failure to make Atari try again. This time though HISIO driver will be taken out of the way (drive swap) and my selected image will be loaded instead. @Mr Robot: How to secure the SIO cable so it is not yanked out? By leaving some space on HAT for a strap maybe? Would it help if contacts for it were in the middle of the board as opposed to the edge?

I suppose we could use different pins on GPIO for ground and power, but I don't think we can move pins 8, 10, 36, as those are UART's transmit/receive and clear to send signals. No problems with RPi being underpowered/too slow for the task. Initially I had a separate web server (Mongoose) and Hias's atariserver running together, and that combination was not working well on RPi Zero. Since incorporating Mongoose into atariserver, and running just a single process, things run smoothly. Connecting clear-to-send to SIO command made it work at 125 kbaud transfer rates (with HISIO driver). I chose RPi Zero W over bigger 3+ for its size and reduced power consumption. Regarding a diode: I was told here it was needed when daisy-chaining devices, so I included it. But I don't have any other devices to test that out. No clue what would happen then. Perhaps atariserver handles that situation. What I would really like is having SIO to BlueTooth. I know about SIO2BT, but I wish software side was easier to develop and avoided installation (like a web page).

I did use gorilla tape to isolate level shifter and connections, but I agree that overall I did a poor job. Wires could be shorter too. Let's consider this proof of concept. Next version should come out better. BTW, this super cap with diodes isn't strictly necessary. I use it because I wanted to eliminate separate power supply for RPi (after all SIO provides +5V). To let RPi survive Atari power on/off cycle I added super capacitor: I didn't know about SDrive when I started this project. I came across SIO2BSD first. Advantages? Simplicity and UI. With RPi Zero W I can (or have to in this case) use my phone/tablet to select programs. I think this beats tiny display built into SDrive. It also helps to have good software readily available. It turns out Hias created atariserver that can be enhanced to become a web server for UI. It handles communication duties and transmission runs at turbo speed too. Here's GitHub page: https://github.com/mikekov/AtariServer This board by Mr Robot looks positively awesome. Thanks for all your comments. RD

Hello, After finally receiving RPi zero case from overseas it was time to turn my Raspberry Pi Zero W to SIO prototype into a finished product. I had to order a case that can accommodate RPi HAT to have enough room for all the components. It is taller than the smallest one available. Here I try to cram all pieces into it: I used round file to enlarge opening for a cable: Somehow all this needs to fit inside: And it does after rearranging a bit and using tape to prevent short-curcuit: Finished product is unobtrusive: It is powered through Atari. All cables in the background are connected to a computer: s-video and power. If using separate power supply for RPi is acceptable, then the whole thing could be as simple as this: I think this is cost-effective solution for loading Atari programs if you don't mind tinkering with hardware & software a little bit. Enjoy, RD

I think this approach works with RPi Zero, because it runs on 3.3V. I suppose it uses step down converter and happens to work with a range of voltages from 3.3V to 5V, which is a key here. Super cap doesn't charge fully (b/c of the diode) and then it slowly discharges and voltage drops. On RPi I run AtariServer: https://github.com/mikekov/AtariServer

I found parts on Mouser.com: 1 625-SB220-E3 SB220-E3/54 20 Volt 2.0 Amp 2 581-SCMR22G105MRBA0 SCMR22G105MRBA0 7.5V 1F ESR350mOhms 3 603-FKN2WSJR-73-10R FKN2WSJR-73-10R 2W 10 Ohm 5% S&H was $4.99.

I'm sorry, I messed up connections in the first picture I posted. This is what it actually should be, and it is what I assembled: I used 2W 10 ohm resistor, that should be enough. I found all parts on Mouser.com.

Here's my RPi-based atari server prototype: @jvas: sorry, I don't understand your suggestion.

Regarding the switch: I was aiming for simplicity. No need to complicate it further. Just turn Atari on and off, the rest should just work.

Here it is, 1F super capacitor rated at 7.5V: Next to it, standard CR2032 battery to give you the idea how small the cap is. Technology moves on, this is not an oversized electrolytic capacitor.

Hi, Some of new Atari owners may be interested in building AtariServer for loading games and programs into their 8-bit machines. Without real 1050 drive it is still possible to enjoy old games. What's needed is RaspberryPi Zero W (or better) and some hardware components. There are schematics floating on the web, some using SIO2BSD as a server. I had much better experience with "atariserver" by Hias. It allows me to reliably transfer games at very high speed. I decided to extend it to allow program selection through my phone (as long as I'm within my Wi-Fi router's range). Here's the project: https://github.com/mikekov/AtariServer There you'll find schematic, parts and instructions how to put it together. While it is still rough around the edges, I'm hoping it may help somebody rekindle interest in tinkering with old machines. Thanks, RD

Hi, Yes, I did build it. I used 10 ohm resistor, 1 F supercap and two Schottky rectifier diodes. RPi Zero W draws about 100 mA and it can run for several seconds (>13s) after I power off Atari. I use USB power supply rated at 2A to power them. I can remove stubborn games, turn machine back on and RPi is still there to serve the content. No separate power bricks needed anymore. The one thing I didn't realize is just how big 1 F capacity is. It keeps RPi running fore several seconds, but it also takes about 1/2 a minute to fully charge. Not a big deal, but explains why resistor is important.

Thank you for advice. I'll use 10 ohm resistor to limit charging current. According to Atari 130XE schematic (https://archive.org/details/Atari130XE_Schematics/page/n7) +5V pin in SIO is connected to power rail through some choke, so I assume I can draw 0.5 A if I have appropriate power supply unit. LiPos are quite demanding when it comes to storage; they should be partially discharged. Supercap is quite simple to use, has no such reqauirements and should last.

Hello, I have a question regarding supercap scheme. I have built RPi Zero to SIO for loading ATRs with Hias'es "atariserver" and figured I can power RPi through +5V pin from Atari SIO to cut down on a number of cables. I have a new 5V/2A PS for my Atari, and RPi Zero only needs about 100 mA. There's only one problem. RPi takes several seconds to boot, so I don't want to power it down when I power cycle Atari when reset doesn't work. To that end, I thought I'd use super capacitor. I bought one 1F supercap, some Schottky diodes and resistors. This is a scheme I came up with: Does it make sense? I know it works, but I don't know if I need to bother with a resistor to limit inrush current. I don't know what supercap can tolerate. Perhaps just a diode + supercap would suffice. With a 10 ohm R1 it takes about 20s to fully charge supercap, and then RPi can run for about 14 seconds after I turn off Atari. That's plenty of time to power cycle Atari. Thanks, RD

I got it, thanks. There are many types of cartridge extensions available. So far I came across Atarimax Maxflash, The!Cart, Ultimate SD, SIDE/SIDE2 and now AVG Cart. Any reason why AVG is recommended over other ones?