Atari 2600 SARA Superchip

[AtariMan1976]

What is it and what does it do?

[CPUWIZ]

It's a RAM chip, it provides games with an extra 128 bytes of RAM. You can see a list of games that utilized this chip, in my store...

 

http://www.atariservice.com/Shop/index.php...products_id=167

[AtariMan1976]

It's a RAM chip, it provides games with an extra 128 bytes of RAM. You can see a list of games that utilized this chip, in my store...

 

http://www.atariservice.com/Shop/index.php...products_id=167

wow thats cool, what would be the difference between these games and regular ones?

[mimo]

will there be any more PCB's available?

[CPUWIZ]

will there be any more PCB's available?

 

I have to order more, I just haven't gotten around to it, next run will be gold plated too.

[mimo]

[pepax]

will there be any more PCB's available?

 

I have to order more, I just haven't gotten around to it, next run will be gold plated too.

 

I've been waiting for it to reappear in the shop for some time, too!

[mimo]

will there be any more PCB's available?

 

I have to order more, I just haven't gotten around to it, next run will be gold plated too.

You can order it with 7800 Commando PCB's

[CPUWIZ]

will there be any more PCB's available?

 

I have to order more, I just haven't gotten around to it, next run will be gold plated too.

You can order it with 7800 Commando PCB's

 

I actually just started routing that, no promises though.

[A Sprite]

What would be the difference between these games and regular ones?

 

 

You can't see it in this picture, but there are three enemy ships and a humanoid. My own ship disappears when I fire. The game is trying to murder me, but moves slower than Jason Voorhees' gumless greatgrandfather.

 

 

With the superchip, I don't stand a chance. The VCS gains consciousness. Humanity is doomed. But epileptics can safely play the game too, during their last hours alive.

 

It is our only comfort.

Edited July 7, 2007 by A Sprite

[AtariMan1976]

What would be the difference between these games and regular ones?

 

 

You can't see it in this picture, but there are three enemy ships and a humanoid. My own ship disappears when I fire. The game is trying to murder me, but moves slower than Jason Voorhees' gumless greatgrandfather.

 

 

With the superchip, I don't stand a chance. The VCS gains consciousness. Humanity is doomed. But epileptics can safely play the game too, during their last hours alive.

 

It is our only comfort.

[+Mitch]

will there be any more PCB's available?

 

I have to order more, I just haven't gotten around to it, next run will be gold plated too.

You can order it with 7800 Commando PCB's

 

I actually just started routing that, no promises though.

 

Cool, now I can bug you about that until you get it done.

 

Mitch

[ANDYRYALS]

Is the superchip something which can be added as a mod, or is it fitted to the PCB of games? I'm a newbie so I have to learn at some point!!

[A Sprite]

It's built in. I owned a few of these games. Until I saw this thread, I thought the reason for the improvement was entirely due to programmer skill.

 

[ANDYRYALS]

It's built in.

 

 

What it's built into the cart of a few games?

[CPUWIZ]

It's included with all the released games from the list I linked to. Yes, it's on the board, with the game...

[Shawn]

It's included with all the released games from the list I linked to. Yes, it's on the board, with the game...

 

nice! You hire a guy named Dug to dig threw that box?

[ANDYRYALS]

It's included with all the released games from the list I linked to. Yes, it's on the board, with the game...

 

Thanks dude! I'm learning new things all the time about this great little machine

[Keatah]

Exactly how many bytes/bits of RAM does the SARA Superchip add to a cart? This thread says 128 Bytes - which I'm inclined to believe is correct. But point #2 in this blog says 128K Bytes - which is huge when talking VCS games.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/blog/107/entry-6412-perfect-harmony/#

"To provide a cart capable of running Batari Basic games that use the SARA superchip. The SARA superchip provides 128K extra RAM for games, but these chips are difficult to obtain and require a special PCB. The Harmony cart emulates the SARA superchip in software, which allows homebrew SARA games to be mass-produced for the first time."

Edited July 14, 2017 by Keatah

[CPUWIZ]

Bytes

 

I have well over 200 of them and boards that support them up to 256K.

[Keatah]

Are any "monster sized" games on the drawing board? And would Harmony support games beyond the 32K Bytes? If not, could the architecture be extended (cheaply) with external memory?

 

Would that ZaxxonHD demo be a candidate for such a beefed-up Harmony/Melody?

[CPUWIZ]

User theloon had something planned, which is why I designed the board, but he seems to have disappeared.

[+Gemintronic]

User theloon had something planned, which is why I designed the board, but he seems to have disappeared.

 

Sorry to necropost on this. Caught it at random while doing a search on 256k a couple days ago.

 

Mid 2017 is when stuff really hit the fan with my mothers cancer and the job I thought I'd retire from. I did indeed go into lurk mode.

 

@CPUWIZ:

Just to make sure we're on the same page I messaged you yesterday about pricing. This is still very much a project I am actively working on!

[CPUWIZ]

Yep, replied. Didn't see it.