classics

Program the shipping workbook on the cartridge and use the diagnostic program to do the read sector/write sector test. If there are no failures reading or writing to the card with the routines there, its more likely a problem with the implementation of the CF read/write code than a hardware problem. The diagnostic program pretty much uses the example routines that were provided for low level CF access. The SDX image I have here was provided by Trub and was designed to run from ram on the cartridge. It works for me when loaded from the menu using Sijmen's ROM loader, or when loaded directly via the FAT32 loader. I'm just guessing here, but I'd suspect if it works fine in RAM but crashes when flashed to ROM, the program itself (SDX) is programming the memory mode register to RAM mode for the 'left cartridge' and pulling the rug out from under itself as its running, since it expect itself to be in the RAM banks, not the flash banks. The default is flash for left cartridge, page zero. These default should be listed in the hardware text document I posted and I believe they are accurate. If you find any errors please send me a message and I will update it, or fix the core so it is consistant with those values. Steve

All I know about it is that Sijmen forwarded it to me, but I never really looked at it on MyIDE-I either. I've removed the program from the demonstration workbook I posted. Steve

If you want to make your own custom workbooks to modify the boot menu, you can use the Maxflash Studio software, which is free. The USB programmer is an optional add-on that allows you to program the boot flash very quickly by just attaching the cartridge and pressing 'Synchronize'. There are other means to transfer the images to the Atari though, including using SIO2PC. The only function that actually requires the USB programmer would be JTAG programming the hardware core, which you shouldn't ever have to do anyway, unless there is a major update or bug fix to the hardware. In that case I'd also offer a send-in programming service for no charge to people without the USB programmer. The TLDR version is, you don't really need the USB programmer, but it can make things easier if you plan on doing customization of the boot menu. Steve

Hi Ken, You can access the SRAM from any mappable page (right, left, keyhole), either as read/write or read-only. There is programming information posted in the forum here: http://www.atarimax.com/flashcart/forum/ There are also complete reference CF access routines that include media change detection, if you want to write CF aware software. These are the same routines that I use in the hardware diagnostic. If you want your software to run under Sijmen's MyBIOS, you need to avoid the areas in use by MyBIOS. If you want to just use the raw hardware, you can follow the register specification and do whatever you want with the RAM. Steve

You would need a 27256 eprom ( 32kbit x 8 ). I don't have any instructions for modifying ROM boards though. I know Albert used to sell a 5200 PCB that just needed the eprom soldered in and you were ready to go.

Bad RAM chips are probably the most common 5200 failure. Here is a small program that will run on a console even if you take out all the RAM chips and show which chip or chips are not working. This will only identify bad DRAM that are fully non-functional, though most DRAM do fail that way. Bad/missing DRAM will show a red bar, working ones a green bar. The u# shown on the screen are for the 4-port 5200. I don't have a schematic of the 2-port model handy to see if they have different PCB markings. The ROM attached is a standard 32K binary. You can use any type of reproduction board to make a cart. If you can't make a cart yourself Albert may still make them, or you can PM me and I will try to find time to make a few. You can load this from the Ultimate SD menu, but the Ultimate SD already requires working RAM, so running it from there is not possible on a system with bad ram. For those cases I have attached a specially packed core_boot.rom that can be used to replace the Ultimate SD standard boot rom. This requires re-flashing your SD cart back to the standard boot rom after use. More information is in the "readme_first.txt" file in the archive about this procedure. If this program fails to run on the non-working 5200 console then the problem is probably bigger than just a bad RAM IC and you can start looking more deeply for other issues. Steve ZeroRAM.zip

I don't think so. They need to start up like a regular program to run the diag software. Mitch Ok, I threw together a RAM tester that will run with bad RAM chips installed (or even no ram chips at all). I'll post it in a separate thread so people can find it more easily when they are searching for a program to test RAM. Steve

Do any of the 5200 diagnostic roms include an option to test the basic system functionality without RAM present?

Looks like the sort of supply you might find at a surplus electronics place on the right day. What's the new price like?

The .BIN image is a full cartridge image, already ready to use. Attach the programmer and target cartridge, then go to the top menu Cartridge->Program->8mbit Flash Cartridge When prompted, select the cartridge .BIN image from the posting above. That should be all that's required. :-) Steve

I built this from the sources on Chris's web site with ATASM 1.07. The only changes are to bank000.asm and bank127.asm, which are also attached. It seems to start fine from bank 0 or bank 127, but should be play tested. The build command was "atasm -f255 -r" Steve Space Harrier (Bank 0 Start Patch).zip

Just checked it on one of the carts that's going to get reprogrammed, works perfectly! :-) Steve

Ok, I am rebuilding all of the 8mbit cartridges I have in stock before any more go out. There are a few recently manufactured 8mbit carts out now that will start in bank 0x00 instead of 0x7F. This is not an issue with programs/menus created with the Maxflash Studio software, as it will handle start in either bank 0x00 or 0x7F. However, programs that expect bank 0x7F at startup will not work and crash on startup. Those cartridges will need to be exchanged for new ones, or the programs patched to work with startup in bank 0x00. I have tracked down the problem to a change in the 22V10 used. I didn't notice it in FQA because the carts work perfectly fine with Maxflash Studio generated software. Sorry guys. Once I have rebuilt all the carts in stock and those still boxed up waiting for the post office I will report back again as I will be testing all of them with SH to make sure the issue does not crop back up. If you are holding one or more of these carts and want them exchanged, please contact me at classics@atarimax.com and I will arrange it for you. Thanks, Steve

There were some old stock and some new stock sent out in the last couple days. Since the cart I'm holding is new stock and has the behavior of starting in bank zero, I'm guessing you have the old stock carts. I'm going to open up a few momentarily and check the hardware. If there is an issue I'll rebuild them all before any more go out. If someone can rebuild the SH sources to include a startup stub in bank 0 as well as bank 127, it will work fine on these carts. Steve

Looks like the cartridges start in bank zero, but Space Harrier is expecting it to start in 7F. The Maxflash Studio software will start normally in bank 0 or 7F, which is why the carts work fine but not with Space Harrier. It can probably be worked around easily by just placing a JMP to the startup code in Space Harrier bank 0 code, however I will go through a couple of carts and see if there is a hardware issue. Steve

There shouldn't be any significant difference in the ones made in the last few days. I have downloaded the ATR above and will give it a try. Steve

I believe what I have on hand at the moment are 64MB cards. The limits on the card are: Must be formatted FAT or FAT32 (This probably restricts it to 4GB or less) Must be MMC, SD or SDHC compatible (Also 4GB or less, 8GB+ SDXC cards do not work) You can use any Mini-SD or Micro SD type cards with the standard 'full size' SD card adapters those types of cards usually come with. I've never tested one of those wireless wifi enabled storage cards designed for cameras, but they might work too. Steve

There are some very interesting and valid points on both sides. I think each publisher needs to weigh the pro's and con's and make a decision that works best for them. DRM is certainly possible. Making a ROM image that could only ever run on the SD cartridge is not difficult. However, I also don't think it's wise to pretend that making sales of ROM images available would not impact sales of real games. It will. If there are still unsold copies of new in the box games sitting around, selling the ROM image will probably have a noticeable impact on the sales of those remaining items. Perhaps selling ROM images is something best reserved for the 'end of life' of a product, when the publisher knows he/she won't ever be making any more real copies. For example, I did so many conversions/ports for the Atari 5200 that at some point along the way, I personally doubled the entire library of games available for the system. Most of those ROM images were released when I did the conversions. I also made relatively cheap reproduction cartridges with labels available at the same time for many of them, usually for under $25 shipped. I don't think many of those games ever sold a single cart. In retrospect, if my goal had been to sell actual cartridges, then I think it would have been unwise to release the ROM images at the same moment as the cartridges. A few of the conversions that I didn't release right away did sell copies though. Not a lot, probably less than 30 each over a period of many years, but a significant difference. I also made absolutely zero effort to sell them, so that may have played a part too. An interesting side note to this is that people were so annoyed by those few titles not being available to download, a well respected moderator here actually obtained one of my old ROM multi-carts, made a rig to dump it and started selling copies of those games in Marketplace. This bears some resemblance to the incident in the CV community last year with ROM images being sold, which is why I mention it. It should also probably be considered that there is a somewhat different dynamic in the 5200 community, as the consoles dedicated fan base is much smaller than the Colecovision. Steve

Is there a schematic available? I could make a few if its already done, but I wouldn't have time to write software/support it as my own product. Steve

I would be making another run of SD carts, but an updated design with even more goodies is not out of the question. :-) The original seems to be working very well at this point. Steve

Does anyone have any of the Opcode style Colecovision game cases for sale? Please PM with your asking price if you do, I can buy a few, or up to a few hundred. I'm considering just having my own mold made since these don't seem to be very available anymore, but I figured I'd see if anyone has a bunch left over from the last run before I go to the trouble. Thanks, Steve

What are the colors on the resistor you are picking chroma off of? Steve

Hi Robert, Please e-mail me at classics@atarimax.com or atarimax@gmail.com and I can step you through debugging the problem and/or exchanging your cartridge for a new one. Thanks, Steve

I have a big bin of these in tubes. Mixed speeds and brands, probably not tested. Send me a PM you can have a hundred or so for postage costs. Steve

Awesome... guess thats gonna be the fixed version then! :-) Steve