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sup8pdct

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Posts posted by sup8pdct

  3. Posted

    I have done about 3 of these.

    What I did was to split each 16K game in half. Then append all the upper half to gether, same with the lower half makeing sure that each game half aligned with each other. I then burnt 2 27512 eproms, marking each low and high.

    I then got a 16K atari cart, modded it to take 2 eproms. I soldered resistors to the upper 3 address lines of both eproms to ground.

    Got a 4 way dip switch, made one side at +5v, the other side soldered to both eproms with wires.

    Had to set up a list on the front of the cart for the dip switch combo for each game.

    Also did the same for 8k cart games as well.

     

    James

     

     

     

    Hello all,

     

    I would like to make a cart that will hold a lot of 16K game images. Through the years, I've downloaded a lot of 16K cart dumps that I want to use. All the Atari 16K carts that I've looked at have 2 8K chips on the board so it looks like a straight replacement with a 16K file won't work. I have a Miner 2049er cart that I think is 16K and has the 2 chips socketed. My plan is to divide the 16K cart dump images in half and use 2 large eproms to hold each 8K high and low image. I would use double pole switches to simultaneously switch the 8K pieces. One eprom would hold all the high parts and the other the low parts. Does this sound like it will work? I think that it would be hard to stuff the 2 eproms and associated wiring with the pullup resistors etc. into the Miner cart so I would probably put the board from the Miner cart into a bigger box and run a ribbon cable to something like and old Basic cart that would be gutted just to use the contact fingers. What do you think? Thanks for listening.

     

    Redman

  4. Posted

    I have had mixed results using HD disks mostly in the negative.

    I have heard that HD disks need a stronger head current to write properly.

     

    James

     

    But eh...

     

    Mislabeled high density disks? The last two years I only use high density 5.25" disks, and I have never had any trouble with them.

     

    Isn't it a right idea to use HD 5.25" disks?

     

    Marius

  5. Posted

    So what prize do we all win? :D :D :D

     

    James

     

    OOps, I spoke too soon, the drive will now read disks fine, but when I go to write, ProSystem will just give the same "Drive Failed Format" error. Any ideas what would make it read but not write? Could it be out of allignment? I will give it good cleaning and see what happens.

     

    UPDATE: I cleaned it and the same thing still happens. I also forgot to add that it sometimes makes a knocking noise when it's attempting to format. ANy clues?

     

    UPDATE II: After a VICIOUS cleaning involving a tonne of alcohol and a cleaning disk as well as a program that let me manually step the head one track at a time, I finally have made it consistently write to disks. It doesn't help that a TONNE of the disks I was using were mislabeled HIGH DENSITY disks :x :x :x I ended up cutting a write notch into the disk my Happy 1050 software came on, and at first it wouldn't write to that either, but after the afformentioned vicious cleaning, it now works. So you were all right in a way. I had a misplugged cable, incorrect disks, and dirty heads. You all win. COME ON DOWN!! *price is right music*

  6. Posted · Edited by sup8pdct

    You can start with checking for a dirty head.

    You said you have installed the happy mod, I would check you have the connector from the head is the right way around and is on the pins properly just in case. (thick black earth brade to the rear from memory)

    Another thing to try tho unlikely is to reseat/replace the FDC (2793 or 2797)

    Other posiabilitys are problems with the circuit board or the head itself.

     

    James

     

     

    Hi there guys, I've got a problem with my 1050 that is quite unlike the other 1050 threads on this forum. My 1050 powers up fine, passes self diagnostic fine, accesses disks fine, but will not read data from any disks. It only gives boot errors when connected to my XEGS, and when I access it with ProSystem, it gives me a "Cannot determine disk type" error. When I try to write to it with ProSystem, it spins up the drive and says it's formatting, but then halts with a "Drive Failed Format" error. Any idea what the problem is? I just installed a Happy 1050 mod in it, and would really like to start using it.

  8. Posted

    Every 800 and my 400 I have ever seen has had rev A in it. a cross referance with best catalog with the part numbers confirms this.

    Also, the rom part number also included either the letter A for rev A and B for rev B. The annoying part is that the floating point Math rom had the rev B part number.

    The 400 (my first computer) also has the rev A bug that has to do with the cassette.

    Am not saying rev B never arrived here, just saying I personally have never seen it in rom.

     

    James

     

     

    Are you sure about this PAL OS-A thing?

     

    I'd have thought few or no PAL machines had Rev A.

     

    Remembering here that PAL machines came out later as well.

     

    Also, maybe don't rely on utilities that identify the OS... the 400/800 had stuff like baud rate table and key repeat rate hard-coded dependant on region, so it's entirely possible that an otherwise identical OS could be misidentified.

  11. Posted

    I would love to help but every 800 i have ever come across has rev A roms. I do have a modded rev B that includes Supermon and another modded rev B that includes the John Nickols monintor. The supermon resides at $Cxxx and the board includes a switch to enable the monintor so the rev B can work without supermon present. The JN monintor is 8K in 2 4k banks, It is hidden till called so it should work provided the required key combination isn't pressed.

    I can send you one or both of these if you want me to.

    I think the FP routines (rom) are not included with the rom files.

     

    James

     

    For the PAL folks, I'm going to need an 8K OS dump from your PAL 800 of $E000-$FFFF as all I seem to find is NTSC OS-B ROMs.

     

     

    How about a PAL 800 in your hands? ;)

     

    Thanks for offer-- I'd only need the personality module for five minutes. I was hoping someone could just dump their existing ROM.

  12. Posted

    Bugger about the rom It is only 2K so will only apear in a small window as long as the chip select lines are the right way round.

    I just fired up my 810 to remember what it is supposed to do at turn on.

    The head is supposed to step back to track zero then to track 40 (mine has the archiver chip in it so could be different).

    Noted yours has a data seperater board.

    Maybe something is wrong the 6532 in your drive.

    Just make sure the 2 5 pin sockets are on the right header pins on the side board. The rear one goes to the head stepper motor.

    Could try swaping the 3086 chip.

     

    James

     

     

    Tested again - no change.

     

    Could it be something on the power board, given that it acts strangely (keeps spinning) if connected to a powered up computer when I turn it on, but seems normal otherwise (although of course, isn't responding to any commands).

  13. Posted

    You said the head only steps once. I would start by swaping the common major chips with a working 1050 then looking at the driver chip for the stepper motor. Scope the power rails for ripple. If you have an atari cart with chip sockets, remove the rom and put it in one socket and see if the rom compares ok with a known good one.

     

    James.

     

     

    Nah. Just cheapie $8 jobs from Dick Smith/Jaycar.

     

    'Scope is the base $155 one from Jaycar... 10 MHz, more than enough for Atari stuff.

     

    Would have liked one of the multi-channel USB-based samplers but you're looking at $400+ for anything decent.

  15. Posted

    The contacts are gold plated over the copper track under it, so i wouldn't do that unless the contact is worn away.

     

    James

     

    Those edge connector contacts don't look so great.

     

    Try a cloth + isopropyl alcohol (aka video head cleaner).

     

    Supposedly, pencil erasers are also good for cleaning them.

     

    I have tried with isopropyl alchol and head cleaner, but nothing...its not works!

    I will try to rebuild the contacts using varnish of silver...i hope to be luck. :)

     

     

    thx

    Maurizio

  16. Posted

    Do you have a logic probe? One trick that sometimes works for me is to check each data and address line from the processor while going to see if each is pulsing.

    The ram, processor and 6532 are common with the 1050. Maybe an option there if you are willing to swap them.

     

    James

     

    OK. Voltage Regulators checked. Reading around 12.25 and 5.25.

     

    Can't really "swap out parts" since this is my only 810 - only got 2 x 1050s.

     

    I guess I can replace stuff on the side-board if they happen to be generic LS off-the-shelf ICs.

  17. Posted

    Sounds like both drives need to be looked at from the inside so pulling them apart is a must do.

    The 810 is different to the 1050 in the fact that the 810 can have 2 or 4 boards. the 4 board model has an extra plug in board on the side board under the shielding. The 810 is also a little harder to pull apart. Try the usual stuff that applies to the 1050, capactors, voltages etc.

    A 810 also normally parks it's head at track 40 (closest to the spindle) and doesn't have a track zero sensor, just a stop (hence the grind when the head bangs against the stop)

     

    james

     

    I recently acquired a 1050 and an 810. The 1050 powers up, but fails to do much of anything else when I turn on the computer. The 810 powers on, spins, grinds and appears to TRY to read the disk, but I get single beeps and BOOT ERROR messages.

     

    I'm going to try some of the above suggestions for both. Any other troubleshooting ideas before I pull the drives apart, though?

  18. Posted

    First thing I would do is to is to check the power supply is suppling 5V when the consol is switched on. Try with out the keyboard connected. (reset could be held for some reason). If still nothing then more work is required. Maybe ask some close to you from this list to have a look.

     

    James

     

    I pulled the motherboard out (first time I ever opened it up!) and there is no discernible rust, no cockroach carcasses, etc. Seems like it's in fine shape. And this is a Rev D board with absolutely no socketed chips, so there's nothing to re-seat.

     

    Is there anything I can do to diagnose the problem? Should I just get a new board?

  19. Posted

    I have found a chip here that may be the one used. A 4031B. Need to test it to make sure but it has been kicking around in the draw for years so it may be dead from static.

     

    James

     

     

     

    I have just found the remains of the dongle i made, pins 1,2,3,4,6,7,8 are used on the joystick port and are connected as follows.

    1 -2 & 11

    2 -3 & 10

    3 -4 & 15

    4 - 6

    6 - 7 , 1 ,12,13,14

    7 - 16

    8 - 8

    I cannot remember what type of chip it was.

     

    James

  20. Posted

    The paper clip dongle is a type of serial input/output memory chip. I made (copied) one many years ago but as usual, have either lost it or used the socket for something else.

    Paper clip easy to crack tho. the code to change actually ends up at $C000. The code sends a byte to the chip (keyboard input?) then recieves the byte back and displays it.

     

    I have just found the remains of the dongle i made, pins 1,2,3,4,6,7,8 are used on the joystick port and are connected as follows.

    1 -2 & 11

    2 -3 & 10

    3 -4 & 15

    4 - 6

    6 - 7 , 1 ,12,13,14

    7 - 16

    8 - 8

    I cannot remember what type of chip it was.

     

    James

     

    I long ago lost the joystick dongle that comes with Paperclip (Batteries Included) and I was wondering if anyone had a extra or new how to make one or if.....THIS would work. And just out of a curious nature....how did that thing work anyway.

     

    Thanks.

    • Like 1

  21. Posted

    The little interface that I was selling (took it over from the guy who designed it) was a add on plug in to the rom board. remove all 3 roms and the LS138, plug this board in and solder 2 wires. the rom/ram switching was handled on board via a LS74 and some decoding logic to $D301. The orignal PIA was left alone as an input for joyports 3 and 4. The os was a slightly modded os/B and Supermon. 2 switches are provided. one for extra ram enable/disable and Supermon enable/disable.

     

    James

     

     

    Hey James, I had come across the description of your upgrade years ago but never knew what you did. I went down the same route with the RAM under the ROM (hacked OS board here http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...t&id=49750) but then as the design began to mature I finally decided to consolidate everything to one board. In the early stages I too had hacked the original XL OS to handle the NMI reset (which was a pain with some games because they had custom NMI routines which would disable the reset key). At this point I handle the NMI reset and cart interlock in hardware so I can use the stock XL OS without any modification.

     

    I'm going to rework a bit implement the 800 mode via a jumper so that you can switch the architecture back to a 100% stock 48K 800 without swapping boards. I'll need to make sure I put the PAL OS-B for those that need it.

  22. Posted

    I personally had done this years ago. Had to add the NMI reset, 4 joystick ports, 8 paddles and memo pad. Lucky there was just enough room to add them after deleting the selftest call and basic on/off and over writing the copyright and date notice at the very start of the rom. I had done this for a little add on board called Super 800 xl emulator That was made here in australia. It was a bit of a hack and only added ram under the roms. I didn't keep what I had done tho :(

     

    James

     

    Question for WareRat. You had mentioned that you had put an XL bios into your 800. Did you encounter any gotchas on that? I want to use some self booting SIO devices in mine and need to use (or upgrade to) an XL bios so if you have any tips on that I'd appreciate them.

  23. Posted

    On my Indus , The plugs with wires are from front to rear, J9, J12, J11 with the printed numbers on top. Each one is a 4 pin socket. Not sure if that will help you.

     

    James.

     

     

     

     

     

    In taking my indus apart to fix the front benzel, i pulled the wired for J7, J8 and J9 not realizing there are four prongs for each 2 prong connector and need help to get it reconnected properly.

     

    Anyone know or how one apart to take a look?

     

    Thanks

     

    Ron

     

     

    I found the answer. There is a schematic for the indus gt on: http://atariwiki.strotmann.de/xwiki/bin/vi...s+GT+Schematics.

     

    J7, J8 and J9 are all switched on leads 3 and 4.

     

    Ron

  24. Posted

    I know Frogger had both a 16K and a 32K version. The 16K version had continous music playing removed and a couple of game elements removed.

    These were cassette and disk versions tho.

    I also know Zaxxon was another one that came in 2 versions.

     

    James

     

     

    Many early Atari cassette programs had both 16K and 24K versions (such as SCRAM), does anyone know what the difference is between them? Less loading maybe? 24K is an odd number (yes I know it's 8K more than 16K) because unless you did some odd combo of memory carts on your 800, you'd normally only have either 16K, 32K, or 48K.

     

    Tempest

  25. Posted

    First thing I would do is to see what happens when you turn on the drive with the top removed and the front facing towards you.

    If the head moves towards you then away again, then you have some sort of logic problem.

    If it doesn't move at all, the problem is in the stepper motor area, either the 12V or the drive circutry.

    If the head only moves towards towards you or bounces when very close to the disk spindle, then the problem lays in the track 0 sensor area. See if you can manually move the head (with the drive turned off to make sure it isn't stuck).

    One big thing you may have picked up in the other theads is the capactors. replacing these may fix your problem.

     

    james

     

     

     

    Hi everyone -

    I'm totally new to Atari, but recently wound up with a pair of 800XL's and a single 1050 Disk Drive that a professor of mine was about to throw away. In any case, the 800XL's both turn on and boot to BASIC just fine, and operate from there without a hitch, and they can both load cartridges without any problems. The 1050, however, acts strangely. When I turn it on, the power light comes on, and the busy light turns on too, and you can hear the drive spinning for a moment. It stops spinning and the busy light turns off after a second or two, but then, a little while later, will come back on and the disk drive starts spinning again. And then it stops again, and starts again, and keeps doing that. I've tried turning it on with and without a disk inside of the drive, and it doesn't change this behavior. When used with either of the 800XL's, before the word "Ready" comes up in BASIC, there's a noise that I think was described here as "farty", which from what I understand is an error code? What I'm trying to figure out is whether this is a problem with the SIO cable, or if something is mechanically wrong with the Drive, and if so, what I can do to fix it. Thanks a lot for your help!

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