Kyle22 Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 It must have gotten deleted and the numbers shifted to keep it contiguous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Small update to AVGcart cost - it seems to have gone up to 50EUR from 40EUR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 20 hours ago, leonk said: Small update to AVGcart cost - it seems to have gone up to 50EUR from 40EUR Confirmed and updated, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted October 16, 2019 Share Posted October 16, 2019 On 4/25/2019 at 10:10 AM, _The Doctor__ said: best to wait on your cable, the ingot power supply is the only system killer supply for the Atari, and don't use a commodore supply on an Atari ever. Don't use a Commodore power supply on a Commodore either! I do think power supplies would be a good thing to add to this mini-guide. The USB power cable adapters are pretty cool. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Gillman Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 On 11/18/2011 at 9:58 PM, BillC said: For well built and sturdy you will not be able to beat the 800, unfortunately it will not run later software that requires a 64K or larger XL/XE system. The ability to have 4 players for Mule is in its favor though. There have been discussions about a replacement OS upgrade board which allows the ability to select between 800 mode and XE mode with up to 576K, the design of which is complete and some prototypes built, but which has not been produced. There are also limited upgrades available for this machine. My next choice would be the 1200XL, followed closely by the 800XL. The quality of the XL circuit boards is superior to those of the XE line, and the XLs can be upgraded with extra memory which was their main disadvantage in comparison to the 130XE. The quality of the XE lines circuit board is a major disadvantage when installing mods/upgrades, it is much easier to damage when doing so. Bill I have a random idea - why has nobody built a remake of the 130XE or 800XL using modern parts like a RasperberryPi or other core to emulate it exactly without being an actual emulator but real hardware - same joystick plugs, same connectors etc. Seems like it could be a straightforward and simple build plus since all parts are modern creations replacement parts become much cheaper and simpler to find. Maybe use a simple USB keyboard. The idea came to me when I added a usb keyboard/mouse to my classic Xbox with an 8bit emulator and was like whoa this is just like a real 8bit almost and the controllers are a lot cheaper to replace than classic joysticks. OK so I shared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Robot Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 Well there's the EclaireXL Or if you'd rather have all original chips in a modern reincarnation theres the 1088XEL/XLD machines There are other FPGA based devices like MiST and MiSTER that have Atari 8-bit cores available but they dont have Atari specific ports. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavin1968 Posted October 24, 2019 Share Posted October 24, 2019 On 2/2/2011 at 10:25 AM, Philsan said: AtariAge user Gavin1968 (SDrive-MAX, $85 with case, color LCD, PSU) FYI, my pricing has drastically changed since this was posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gozar Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 On 10/24/2019 at 2:52 PM, Ray Gillman said: I have a random idea - why has nobody built a remake of the 130XE or 800XL using modern parts like a RasperberryPi or other core to emulate it exactly without being an actual emulator but real hardware - same joystick plugs, same connectors etc. Seems like it could be a straightforward and simple build plus since all parts are modern creations replacement parts become much cheaper and simpler to find. Maybe use a simple USB keyboard. The idea came to me when I added a usb keyboard/mouse to my classic Xbox with an 8bit emulator and was like whoa this is just like a real 8bit almost and the controllers are a lot cheaper to replace than classic joysticks. OK so I shared. Can you read carts with the GPIO pins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PE1PQX Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 On 10/24/2019 at 8:52 PM, Ray Gillman said: I have a random idea - why has nobody built a remake of the 130XE or 800XL using modern parts like a RasperberryPi or other core to emulate it exactly without being an actual emulator but real hardware - same joystick plugs, same connectors etc. Seems like it could be a straightforward and simple build plus since all parts are modern creations replacement parts become much cheaper and simpler to find. Maybe use a simple USB keyboard. The idea came to me when I added a usb keyboard/mouse to my classic Xbox with an 8bit emulator and was like whoa this is just like a real 8bit almost and the controllers are a lot cheaper to replace than classic joysticks. OK so I shared. Google for RetroPi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newtmonkey Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 (edited) Hello everyone, I've got a UNO Cart for my 800XL and it works great. Next, I'd like to get a multicart for my XEGS in the living room, so here's my question: Is there any multicart that lets you select and run a game from the menu using the joystick? I do have the XEGS keyboard, but I'd prefer to use it just as a game console (i.e. no keyboard attached) if possible. Any options out there? Edited November 14, 2019 by newtmonkey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 (edited) 11 hours ago, newtmonkey said: Hello everyone, I've got a UNO Cart for my 800XL and it works great. Next, I'd like to get a multicart for my XEGS in the living room, so here's my question: Is there any multicart that lets you select and run a game from the menu using the joystick? I do have the XEGS keyboard, but I'd prefer to use it just as a game console (i.e. no keyboard attached) if possible. Any options out there? Probably more than one. One that comes to mind is AVG cart Edited November 14, 2019 by manterola 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Posted December 2, 2019 Share Posted December 2, 2019 On 11/13/2019 at 10:43 PM, newtmonkey said: Is there any multicart that lets you select and run a game from the menu using the joystick? The Ultimate Cart has a joystick driven menu. On the disk emulator side, a SIO2SD has an onscreen joystick driven menu and a SDrive-MAX has a built in touchscreen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 Compared to other old computers, I don't think accessories are expensive. With a $6-15 SIO2PC-USB you can connect the Atari to the PC and load 99% of the software. Good stand-alone solutions cost circa $50. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YSG2020 Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 Im new to this board and have my original still amazingly working 800XL and 1050 Drive just out of their boxes and set back up with all my original floppies from over 35 years ago. (replaced my power supplies though to ensure proper voltages!) I see there is a tremendous wealth of Atari 8-bit software online available these days as disk images on various sites. Id like to download some of it to original floppy disks to keep the experience authentic. What is the easiest and cheapest way to get the downloaded disk images on my PC over to my 1050 so I can write some new disks. Ive seen the SIO2PC hardware and software which looks like it is about $100. Is this my best option. Or should I hack a SIO cable and splice it to a USB cable and download a file transfer app. Thanks for any advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted January 25, 2020 Author Share Posted January 25, 2020 SIO2PC-USB (do it yourself or by Lotharek) not only is very cheap but it's the best solution, as long as you have a PC near your Atari. You only have to make disks so it's OK for you even if you don't want to keep a PC nearby. Eventually you can buy other solutions (for example a multicart if you want instant or very fast loadings). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YSG2020 Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 Thank you. Is there a link to this cable or hardware you recommend? Which software would you recommend using with it! Thx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted January 25, 2020 Author Share Posted January 25, 2020 I use SIO2PC-USB by Lotharek and RespeQt software. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimfil Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 Im new to this board and have my original still amazingly working 800XL and 1050 Drive just out of their boxes and set back up with all my original floppies from over 35 years ago. (replaced my power supplies though to ensure proper voltages!) I see there is a tremendous wealth of Atari 8-bit software online available these days as disk images on various sites. Id like to download some of it to original floppy disks to keep the experience authentic. What is the easiest and cheapest way to get the downloaded disk images on my PC over to my 1050 so I can write some new disks. Ive seen the SIO2PC hardware and software which looks like it is about $100. Is this my best option. Or should I hack a SIO cable and splice it to a USB cable and download a file transfer app. Thanks for any advice! 100$ for a sio2pc? I bought mine from Lotharek for way less money... Sio2pc is your best bet for transferring images to real floppies. If you are located in the USA then it could possibly be expensive to buy one from Europe, so a good alternative would be to buy an SDrive max. Else, your last option (and quite cheap) is indeed to hack an sio cable and a usb-to-serial adapter to make your own sio2pc... RespeQT is the software to go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manterola Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 I agree. SIO2PC is the cheapest and most efficient way to get your setup running, a good start. Later, probably, you will be tempted to get a multicart (like unocart, or avgcart). If you want to go very cheap and you are in USA you can get something like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/FT232RL-FTDI-USB-3-3V-5-5V-to-TTL-Serial-Adapter-Module-for-Arduino-Mini-Ports/232428575643?hash=item361dd29b9b:g:6PcAAOSwL5pZfM4~ or this (no need to supply your own USB cable): https://www.ebay.com/itm/PL2303TA-USB-to-TTL-RS232-COM-UART-Module-Serial-Cable-Adapter-for-Arduino/382768151970?hash=item591ec27da2:g:sfIAAOSwOShcWLXN And if you don't want to waste an Atari SIO connector, you just need to connect 3 signals: TX->DIn(pin3), RX->Dout(pin5) and GND->GND(pin4) (do not connect +5Vdc) and download and run RespeQt. That is the cheapest you can go if you are inclined to build and play with cables and circuits. If you are in Europe, Lotharek (https://lotharek.pl/) sells a nice sio2pc via USB in his website. Regards, 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eightbit Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 I started out with the SIO2PC over a decade ago. I purchased the APE software from Steven Tucker. Still to this day I consider it to be one of the best software purchases I have ever made. It still gets updates and Steven actually emailed me a personal link to my latest registered version only a few weeks ago. I also have an SDrive Max, but to be honest I prefer the APE software and SIO2PC. It is just faster and more convenient to load various software on the fly. This is only possible of course if you have a PC near your Atari 8-bit as I do. If not, the SDrive Max is a great solution as well. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted April 2, 2020 Share Posted April 2, 2020 Both have their uses, but Atarimax and steves ingenuity have made the only device thus far that let's me emulate the XF and write directly to the XF at high speed, same goes with albeit as an experiment in regard to the indus drive.... Everyone knows how tough I am on the prices in the retro realm... I bought more than one and paid to register APE as well. I think it's one of the best purchases ever made. Steve has lent his expertise to all things Atari without fail, supporting not only his products but helping with just about any ancillary thing as well. I probably own the man more than either of us could calculate in terms of time and technical chats over the years. I love respeqt... but I go back to APE all the time... just about anyone can use it, and if need be you can get into so many settings and adjust so much, it becomes indispensable for quick tinkering and testing. I say you NEED both. But that's just my opinion :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rietveld Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 I just picked up my very first Atari 600 xl and 800 xl. Used your advice to find a multi cart and roms. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Philsan Posted April 23, 2020 Author Share Posted April 23, 2020 7 hours ago, rietveld said: I just picked up my very first Atari 600 xl and 800 xl. Used your advice to find a multi cart and roms. thanks Hi! Here's the short answer, for average users, without special needs or hardware add-ons. First of all, A8 software is available in those formats: ATR/ATX: files that are reproductions of floppy disks XEX/COM: files that are reproductions of single executables CAR/ROM/BIN: files that are reproductions of cartridges CAS: files that are reproductions of tapes. If you are interested in games, almost all are available in XEX/COM format. Some of them are available in ATR format only. Therefore If you need to load ATR only games (download Homesoft collection with "Download all" button to find out which of the best games are ATR only) or applications, buy a SIO device (SIO2PC-USB if you have a nearby PC or an external SIO device if you want a stand-alone solution: SDrive-Max at the moment seems the best solution). If games only available on ATR format aren't important for you, if you like fast or instant load, if you like to play some cartridge format games that otherwise would need a memory expansion, buy a multicart (AVGCart at the moment seems the best solution: cheaper, has a limited ATR compatibility and disk swap button - developer is working on adding full ATR compatibility). Regarding where to download games, the best repository of always updated and cleaned files is Homesoft (click on "Download all" button on the right). If you are interested on infos and manuals, check-out Atarimania. At the end of point 4 of this topic's first post you can download a good collection of homebrew games. More infos on points 2, 3 and 4 of this topic's first post. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari8guy Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 When I first got back into the ST, I found "The Essential Software" list very helpful. It's listed over at that other Atari forum, and it's not game based (I think it's hosted on its own now though). I've scrolled through this thread and not seen anything similar for the 8 bit, would it be of value? Even for me, a life long 8 bitter, it would be fun/helpful to see a list of key/important/best-in-class non-game software. Thoughts? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neopeius Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 I love my USB SIO2PC (had serial for the longest time...) How would I copy disk images to floppy? Aside from the copy command, if I wanted to actually duplicate disks, do I need Happy? Warp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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