Wanted: 600XL Basic ROM (probably 800xl compatible, maybe more)

[R.Cade]

BASIC does not work in my 600XL. The machine goes into self-test whether it is installed or not. I've swapped it from my 800XL and it works, so it's just a dead ROM.

 

Does anyone have a spare?

 

I do have a BASIC cart from my 400/800, but it doesn't seem to work exactly right in the 600XL. It will come up to the ready prompt and you can write and execute code, but trying to load and run BASIC programs from disk does not work- it just crashes. I suppose the 600XL is still trying to switch to internal ROM instead of using cart BASIC?

[BillC]

BASIC does not work in my 600XL. The machine goes into self-test whether it is installed or not. I've swapped it from my 800XL and it works, so it's just a dead ROM.

 

Does anyone have a spare?

 

I do have a BASIC cart from my 400/800, but it doesn't seem to work exactly right in the 600XL. It will come up to the ready prompt and you can write and execute code, but trying to load and run BASIC programs from disk does not work- it just crashes. I suppose the 600XL is still trying to switch to internal ROM instead of using cart BASIC?

The 600XL should be fully socketed, try removing the internal BASIC ROM before using the cartridge. The problem could also be your BASIC programs, you say you also have a 400/800, maybe these programs use commands that require a 400/800 OS.

 

The brown label Revision A BASIC cartridges for the 400/800/1200XL and the Revision B ROM found in most XL's had bugs, the later silver label Revision C BASIC cartridge and the ROM in the XE's was supposed to have fixed them. There was a program in either ANTIC or ANALOG which read from the Revision A cartridge, then wrote a DOS executable Revision C BASIC file to floppy.

B&C/myatari.com and Best Electronics can supply BASIC ROM chips/cartridges, or you can make you own if you have access to an EPROM burner, I don't believe there is a commonly available EPROM that is pin compatible with the BASIC 2364 mask ROM, but a DIP 2764 can be used with the proper adapter: http://store.go4retro.com/2364-adapter/

 

I hadn't noticed before but while this site has reasonable prices for product, they charge quite a bit for shipping even if the order is only for a few adapters.

$7.50 for US orders <$150, $25 for international orders <$150

Edited May 20, 2014 by BillC

[Joey Z]

At least one revision of 600XL motherboard can be converted to 2764 though, with replacement of a socket, two trace cuts, and the addition of jumper pins. Then you can select 2564/2364 or 2764 with two jumpers. Mine had that, your's might too if you can do the soldering work. Look for a dual footprint by the BASIC ROM.

[SoundGammon]

With the cart version, try loading your program then LIST it to the floppy disk, type NEW, then ENTER the program back to the computer. This should clear up any garbled variables or tokens. Then SAVE it to disk. Should work then. On my 600XL, I use rev A or C on cart. There was a program from Compute magazine years ago that would "copy" the internal basic rom to ram, disable the rom, and patch it with rev C in ram.

Edited May 20, 2014 by SoundGammon

[BillC]

With the cart version, try loading your program then LIST it to the floppy disk, type NEW, then ENTER the program back to the computer. This should clear up any garbled variables or tokens. Then SAVE it to disk. Should work then. On my 600XL, I use rev A or C on cart. There was a program from Compute magazine years ago that would "copy" the internal basic rom to ram, disable the rom, and patch it with rev C in ram.

There is also an article in the September 1985 ANTIC, the program in this article converts the internal Revision B ROM into a Revision C DOS executable to be run from floppy.

 

http://www.atarimagazines.com/v4n5/revisioncconverter.html

[BillC]

At least one revision of 600XL motherboard can be converted to 2764 though, with replacement of a socket, two trace cuts, and the addition of jumper pins. Then you can select 2564/2364 or 2764 with two jumpers. Mine had that, your's might too if you can do the soldering work. Look for a dual footprint by the BASIC ROM.

I found I do have a 600XL board with a 28-pin BASIC socket, and there are no trace cuts required to use a 2764. There are 5 holes behind and to the right of the BASIC socket, when jumpered 1-2 & 3-4 it's 2364, when jumpered 2-3 & 4-5 it's 2764(27128/27256 can be used too). There is silkscreening on the circuit board to indicate the 2 jumper configurations, this is on a Revision X9A 600XL board made in Hong Kong. The jumpers are simply solid wire between the adjacent holes which need to be relocated for the change. This is similar to how jumpers were used in the 1050 to select between ROM(2332) or EPROM(2732)

[Joey Z]

I found I do have a 600XL board with a 28-pin BASIC socket, and there are no trace cuts required to use a 2764. There are 5 holes behind and to the right of the BASIC socket, when jumpered 1-2 & 3-4 it's 2364, when jumpered 2-3 & 4-5 it's 2764(27128/27256 can be used too). There is silkscreening on the circuit board to indicate the 2 jumper configurations, this is on a Revision X9A 600XL board made in Hong Kong. The jumpers are simply solid wire between the adjacent holes which need to be relocated for the change. This is similar to how jumpers were used in the 1050 to select between ROM(2332) or EPROM(2732)

yeah, mine is similar, but there were actual traces on the board rather than jumpers, so those had to be cut and I put in jumper pins.

[Binarygeek]

The 600XL should be fully socketed, try removing the internal BASIC ROM before using the cartridge. The problem could also be your BASIC programs, you say you also have a 400/800, maybe these programs use commands that require a 400/800 OS.

 

The brown label Revision A BASIC cartridges for the 400/800/1200XL and the Revision B ROM found in most XL's had bugs, the later silver label Revision C BASIC cartridge and the ROM in the XE's was supposed to have fixed them. There was a program in either ANTIC or ANALOG which read from the Revision A cartridge, then wrote a DOS executable Revision C BASIC file to floppy.

B&C/myatari.com and Best Electronics can supply BASIC ROM chips/cartridges, or you can make you own if you have access to an EPROM burner, I don't believe there is a commonly available EPROM that is pin compatible with the BASIC 2364 mask ROM, but a DIP 2764 can be used with the proper adapter: http://store.go4retro.com/2364-adapter/

 

I hadn't noticed before but while this site has reasonable prices for product, they charge quite a bit for shipping even if the order is only for a few adapters.

$7.50 for US orders <$150, $25 for international orders <$150

Just ordered two of the 2764- 2364 adapters. Shipping was a reasonable $2 and change.

[+Larry]

How much ram do you have? Done the 64k upgrade? I'm asking because you mention "disk" and if you have not upgraded the memory then that can cause problems running any programs.

-Larry

[russg]

BASIC does not work in my 600XL. The machine goes into self-test whether it is installed or not. I've swapped it from my 800XL and it works, so it's just a dead ROM.

 

Does anyone have a spare?

 

I do have a BASIC cart from my 400/800, but it doesn't seem to work exactly right in the 600XL. It will come up to the ready prompt and you can write and execute code, but trying to load and run BASIC programs from disk does not work- it just crashes. I suppose the 600XL is still trying to switch to internal ROM instead of using cart BASIC?

Pardon if this is too obvious. You don't mention loading/booting a DOS before trying to LOAD or RUN a BASIC program from disk.

Edited March 1, 2015 by russg

[R.Cade]

Hi guys-

 

Thanks for reminding me that my 600XL was still not working in BASIC. Tonight I removed the 24 pin socket and installed a 28 pin. My board just had the traces, so I had to cut them and join the others.

 

I burned a "new" 27256 (smallest I had) with 4 copies of BASIC, and away it went...

 

I also burned a patched OS rom with the Hiassoft hi-speed SIO patches, and the inverted option/basic patch. I also added very simple transistor amp for a composite output, and made a new SIO2USB from a little FT232 board.

 

Working great- here is the finished machine...

[Kyle22]

the 68764 and 68766 EPROMs are 8K 24 pin.

[hueyjones70]

Where does the transistor amp get installed.