AtariMax 8MB Flashcart or SIO2PC interface? (Mac/PC)

[Serblander]

Hi,

 

I would like to play all the Atari games downloaded from my Mac and onto my actual Atari 8-Bit (800XL, 130XE but Primarily my XEGS).

 

What i am unsure of is what exactly i would need in order for me to do this. As far as i can make out, i would like/need either:

 

8MB Flashcart (but how do i get the images accross) and/or SIO2PC interface

Now, i am using a new Mac Book Pro and i understand that its more 'complicated' than from using a PC, so my question is:

 

"What do i need in order to run games from my Mac on my Atari?"

 

I would like a 8MB Flashcart but do i also need the SCIO2PC interface (i guess to connect the device)? Or would i only need the interface?

 

I was given this website for Mac specific use by a fellow member on here:

 

http://www.atarimac.com/sio2osx.php

 

That says i need:

 

--> to buy the Mac shareware software

--> buy a USB-serial adapter dongle from yet another site

--> and buy an SIO2PC interface.

 

This seems like a lot of bother but i am prepared to do this if the results are good. But, is there an easier option?

 

 

Now, i have constant access to my girlfriends PC laptop but it would be a constant hassle to use it (unless maybe i also get the 8-MB Flashcart and just load MultiCart sompilations). The thing is my MacBook Pro is always with me so it would work MUCH BETTER if it all ran smoothly on Mac. But, what would i need for the PC use/option?

 

 

Another question for you experts out there:

 

What are the advantages/disadvantages of both the Flashcart (8MB) as well as the SIO2PC interface? Is one better than the other and which do YOU use and why?

 

Any help or suggestions on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

[c0nsumer]

Another option for you, which is a little more standalone than an SIO2PC, is the SDrive or one of the variations thereof. Currently available are both A8Maestro's SDrive PCBs / kits and my (gratuitously self-linky) SDrive NUXX. There's also talk over here of user pseudografx putting together a lower cost assembled SDrive, although that project is just getting started.

 

The SDrive allows you to put images on an SD card and run as virtual disks from an external device connected via SIO, appearing as floppy drives. This is similar to the SIO2PC setup, but without the need for a PC.

Edited June 23, 2009 by c0nsumer

[mimo]

You need an SIO2PC interface to get the game images onto the flashcart (using APE) not sure how you would do that on a mac as I dont own one.

Much simpler is the Sdrive, SIO2CF,SIO2USB etc etc as they are stand alone products

SIO2PC can do more, such as acting as an interface so you can use your PCs printer, getting your Atari onto a BBS, copy images from/to real discs, I have one and it is great, I also have an 8mb atarimax flashcart, and to be honest it gets very little use. Some games you have to try several different versions (images) to get it to work, and you can't add/delete one file at a time, you have to make a flashable image then flash the whole cart again. If there is anything that does not work, you have to go through the whole process again.

I love my sdrive_nuxx, I use it every day, and adding games is a simple drag and drop to an SD card.

 

I don't know what sio2pc + flash cart+ USB2serial adapter(and finding the right one) will cost, but if it gets anywhere close to the cost of an sdrive then I would go for that

Edited June 23, 2009 by mimo

[spookt]

You need an SIO2PC interface to get the game images onto the flashcart (using APE) not sure how you would do that on a mac as I dont own one.

Much simpler is the Sdrive, SIO2CF,SIO2USB etc etc as they are stand alone products

 

Providing you can get the right USB to serial adapter it's as easy as with a PC. There are several threads here on AA where folks have posted success with various adapters.

 

As for ease though I'd agree with something like the SDrive.

[mellis]

Hi,

 

I would like to play all the Atari games downloaded from my Mac and onto my actual Atari 8-Bit (800XL, 130XE but Primarily my XEGS).

 

What i am unsure of is what exactly i would need in order for me to do this. As far as i can make out, i would like/need either:

 

8MB Flashcart (but how do i get the images accross) and/or SIO2PC interface

Now, i am using a new Mac Book Pro and i understand that its more 'complicated' than from using a PC...

 

<snip>

 

Any help or suggestions on this matter will be greatly appreciated.

 

I have a Mac, and I soldered together my own SIO->USB adapter. It's just a matter of getting the right hardware (and then installing the drivers).

 

Check out this thread:

SIO2USB on Mac OS X

 

That link provides information about a little $20 board that you can wire up to an SIO cable. I'm using that right now, and it works great. What's more, with this approach, there is no need to have both a USB->SERIAL adapter and then an SIO2PC cable in the loop in.

 

Once you have the cable configured, you can use the SIO2OSX shareware application on your Mac to host Atari disk images. We are currently working on a freeware option that will run under Mac OS X and Linux, but you shouldn't wait for that (it will be released when it is done).

 

I need to talk to Steve (classics) to see what the chances are that his SIO2USB hardware will work with the software we're developing. It'd sure be nice to send folks that need the SIO2USB hardware to him.

 

So as you can see, the outlook for SIO2PC on Mac OS X is actually pretty good.

[+wood_jl]

What are the advantages/disadvantages of both the Flashcart (8MB) as well as the SIO2PC interface? Is one better than the other and which do YOU use and why?

 

You need one (SIO2PC) in order to use the other (Flashcart), generally. The Flashcart is programmed in the Atari, using a huge disk image that it reads from the PC. So, you must have access to some type of virtual drive to program the flashcart.

 

I have a few flashcarts, but I have yet to program any of them myself. ONE of them I have programmed using someone else's game image - that I downloaded from the Flashcart forum. It is a little more involved to create your own flashcart combo, but I don't think it's too bad; I have just been lazy!

 

Unfortunately, I do not know much about Macs and what software there is vis-a-vis the SIO2PC. The software (APE) for the PC is EXCELLENT. I would highly recommend it. I think you can get it to run on the Mac over one of those PC emulation things - in a Mac window running Windows..... Someone else please chime in on this.

 

Of course, once you get the Flashcart programmed, you don't have to hook it up and fool with it all the time - which is how I do it!!!

 

There are multiple SD card solutions. I have yet to play with them on Atari. I think they are more expensive than SIO2PC, generally. I like the ease of changing disc images with the SIO2PC because you have the PC screen and mouse to browse through hundreds (thousands??) of disc images easily - with ample space to read lengthy filenames - rather than wading through a tiny LCD display on the SD card device, and having to pre-determine which disc images you will be using and pre-loading them on the SD card. You have easy access to ALL the disc images, but you must be tethered to the PC! I use and old laptop permanently as an Atari peripheral; it would be worthless to sell, but serves quite well as an Atari device. I may be prejudiced because I have never used the SD card solutions. I am somewhat intrigued by the SD card devices, and I may "go there" but I am glad I got the SIO2PC first, and I recommend it highly.

[+bcombee]

I built a SDrive NUXX from one of c0nsumer's PC boards, and it's a great solution. I found it much simpler than either SIO2PC or the flash cart, especially since I didn't have a PC near the Atari 130XE which was hooked up in the living room. You can get a 2GB SD card and pretty much hold any game you'd ever want to play on the old Atari.

[mimo]

sdrive has an on screen menu, you can use long file names to show the files, i think it is just as easy as ape to use

[+orpheuswaking]

Another option for you, which is a little more standalone than an SIO2PC, is the SDrive or one of the variations thereof. Currently available are both A8Maestro's SDrive PCBs / kits and my (gratuitously self-linky) SDrive NUXX. There's also talk over here of user pseudografx putting together a lower cost assembled SDrive, although that project is just getting started.

 

The SDrive allows you to put images on an SD card and run as virtual disks from an external device connected via SIO, appearing as floppy drives. This is similar to the SIO2PC setup, but without the need for a PC.

 

I hear a rumor there will be another SDrive coming that is all SMD parts and will be smaller than a box of matches

 

but yes I love my SDrives (a8maestros kit version)... probably the easiest way as you just put your SD card in the pc and them move it to the drive... Although I Would recommend everyone having an SIO2PC (either serial or USB)... If you want to lower costs you can make your own serial version of the SIO2PC with about three components and a DB9 port

[c0nsumer]

I hear a rumor there will be another SDrive coming that is all SMD parts and will be smaller than a box of matches

 

I'm curious about how this will be done with the SIO connector.

 

That said, it'd be interesting to see some tiny little thing which plugs right into the SIO connector. That scale of device is definitely out of the hobbiest assembly realm, though.

 

One of the big size limiting factors for the SDrive NUXX was the SD connector. I originally wanted to do it with microSD, but I couldn't find any hand-solderable slots for them.

[Mark Wolfe]

I'm a Mac user primarily too and I have the cheapest method I have found for playing games on my Atari 8bit computers

 

I have a SIO2PC cable, a USB serial dongle and the free software from atarimac

 

http://www.atarimac.com/sio2osx.php

 

I even went ahead and bought the $25 license fee for the software but you don't have to if you're on a budget like I was.

 

check this previous thread where we discussed these issues...

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...=139018&hl=

 

and this thread discussing the various dongles

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...=139406&hl=

[Serblander]

Thanks for all your help guys.

 

I will either go for a SIO2PC or SDrive NUXX by the looks of it. Would prefer the NUXX (ready-made) but will have to wait for the extra cash that is needed for it.

 

In the meantime i just found a guy who has some old SSI AD&D RPG's for the new Mac's so that may keep me busy until i save up for the hardware.

 

Thanks again for all your input.

[WizWor]

Just to add one more option, Steven preloaded my first maxflash cart. This let me try the cart solution without thinking about external connections. Since then, I have purchased a second cart and sio2pc/usb plus APE. I posted my cart image here. It was built for and tested on an XEGS. If a lot of your favorite games are in that image, I suspect Steven would send you a loaded cart.

 

The cart is a great solution as it makes your favorite games available instantly. No need to boot a host PC -- just flick the switch and you are in the menu. For this reason, I play more frequently. If I feel like a little River Raid, I boot my cart and play.

Have fun...len!