LTO Flash! - Intellivision Flash Cartridge Information

[syn]

My cart arrived today!

 

It's easy to set up and use. No problems using the reset to main menu with my Intellivision II. I read a slight concern about that and wanted to mention it in case it was holding anyone back from ordering.

 

The first post offers ordering information.

[+intvsteve]

I've been away and return to see that this released. Excellent.

 

If anyone wants to save me from reading many pages looking for it, where's the instructions on how to order?

http://ltoflash.leftturnonly.info/

[ITAdvantage]

I got my LTO Flash today from Level Up Games today! It came in perfect condition as it was in a box inside a bubble envelope. So I just (finally) got done listening to the Space Spartans episode of the Intellivisionaries, and am wondering if this flash cart will introduce any of the issues that they were discussing regarding the Intellivoice module. They mentioned the sounds were off between the INT 1 and INT 2, etc. I guess I'm wondering if the Intellivoice games work fine with this since that's an issue with emulators.

 

Anyway, just reporting in that if you order from Level Up Games, it appears their packaging/shipping is no longer an issue, as mine came and is perfect! I took a picture of it just because I'm happy to have it.

Edited September 16, 2016 by ITAdvantage

[+SoulBuster]

LTO Flash does not emulate hardware, so I think you are safe. It just pushes ROM code out like a real cart would to be interpreted by actual hardware.

[ITAdvantage]

LTO Flash does not emulate hardware, so I think you are safe. It just pushes ROM code out like a real cart would to be interpreted by actual hardware.

That seems logical, right? I'm wondering based on that episode the best INT console to use. I have a Sears Video Arcade, a couple INTV 1's, an INTV 2, so from what I just heard on their episode, I'd probably be better off playing on either the Sears or INTV 1 because of the timings. Before, I was understanding the INTV 2 was preferred. Any suggestions?

[+SoulBuster]

I prefer any console but the Intellivision II. The only thing the II has to offer is the ability to easily use controllers from the Intellivision Flashback (with an adapter) , but then so does the Sears, and able to use the System changer without modification to the console.

Edited September 16, 2016 by SoulBuster

[ITAdvantage]

I prefer any console but the Intellivision II. The only thing the II has to offer is the ability to easily use controllers from the Intellivision Flashback (with an adapter) , but then so does the Sears, and able to use the System changer without modification to the console.

I agree...the sound was not good on Space Spartans on the INT 2, and I honestly don't like those controllers, they seem even worse than the originals. I couldn't remember if there was some compelling reason to use the 2 over the others, so I'll just use my Sears or INT 1. Cool!

[Descolado]

I agree...the sound was not good on Space Spartans on the INT 2, and I honestly don't like those controllers, they seem even worse than the originals. I couldn't remember if there was some compelling reason to use the 2 over the others, so I'll just use my Sears or INT 1. Cool!

 

Hey! Intv2 is amazing!!! :mad:

 

[Ignorama]

Best INTV is the Sears Version. Case closed!

[ITAdvantage]

 

Hey! Intv2 is amazing!!! :mad:

 

 

I do like that it has detachable controllers!

[Ignorama]

Yeah, but the controller, especially the key-pad, sucks. So I also do like the detachable controllers, because I can detach them and put them out of my sight. The INTV II unfortunately feels very, very cheap compares to INTV or Sears System.

[wolfy62]

This is funny guys, I actually love my INTV 2 especially with the adapters and Flashback controllers!

 

As we all know to each their own preference whatever it is!!!

[m-crew]

This is funny guys, I actually love my INTV 2 especially with the adapters and Flashback controllers!

 

As we all know to each their own preference whatever it is!!!

I agree, plus its compact and it still looks modern... But I like the colour better on the 1..

[Ignorama]

A technical question: Does the cart change the speed of games? PAL Consoles are running slower, do ROMs from the cart run in 60Hz on PAL systems? I am not sure, but I think multi-cards like the SD2SNES for the SNES provide that.

Edited September 16, 2016 by Ignorama

[+intvsteve]

No, the cart can't change the clock speed.

[Ignorama]

Thanks. I am also not sure of SD2SNES really changes something, or is just able to work on all systems and play all ROMs.

[+intvsteve]

No idea what SD2NES is aside from what the name implies...

 

There's a known config file patch for Dreadnaught Factor for PAL. Motocross has two versions-one of which was fixed to work on PAL. There are a few other games with minor issues, but they were originally written improperly. Not sure if patches like the one for D.F. are possible, or if those capable of doing it have the time or inclination to write them.

[+JasonlikesINTV]

I got my LTO Flash today from Level Up Games today! It came in perfect condition as it was in a box inside a bubble envelope. So I just (finally) got done listening to the Space Spartans episode of the Intellivisionaries, and am wondering if this flash cart will introduce any of the issues that they were discussing regarding the Intellivoice module. They mentioned the sounds were off between the INT 1 and INT 2, etc. I guess I'm wondering if the Intellivoice games work fine with this since that's an issue with emulators.

 

Anyway, just reporting in that if you order from Level Up Games, it appears their packaging/shipping is no longer an issue, as mine came and is perfect! I took a picture of it just because I'm happy to have it.

What's uh....what's up with those tiny systems you got there?

[+Special Teams]

What's uh....what's up with those tiny systems you got there?

Rabbit Engineering 3D printed mini-machines. They look pretty cool!

[ITAdvantage]

What's uh....what's up with those tiny systems you got there?

 

 

Rabbit Engineering 3D printed mini-machines. They look pretty cool!

 

Yep! That's what they are! I have a few others, but he's come out with a couple more recently that I haven't picked up yet. I need to get caught up. I don't see any Intellivision surprisingly, but he's even got an Altair 8080 and a TI99/A. Cool little conversation pieces.

[ITAdvantage]

Well, I got it home, put it in my Sears unit and Intellivoice, and man it works perfectly. It's so great to finally have a flash cart for Intellivision available again. The only thing we need now are flash overlays, cause I forgot where I put all mine! I thought FOLED technology was supposed to fix this problem.

[mr_me]

...

So I just (finally) got done listening to the Space Spartans episode of the Intellivisionaries, and am wondering if this flash cart will introduce any of the issues that they were discussing regarding the Intellivoice module. They mentioned the sounds were off between the INT 1 and INT 2, etc. I guess I'm wondering if the Intellivoice games work fine with this since that's an issue with emulators.

....

I'm not aware of any voice or sound issues with the jzIntv emulator. The emulator in the Intellivision Flashback however does seem to have, although minor, general voice and sound problems. As an aside jzIntv does emulate an Intellivision II, if you use an Intelllivision II exec rom file. However it does not seem to duplicate the sound issues in Space Spartans or Shark Shark. And Super Pro Football just crashes with jzIntv and an Intellivision II exec. As others have said, LTO Flash should not create any of these issues.

 

LTO Flash can fix some Intellivision II issues but, not the sound problems.

[intvnut]

I agree...the sound was not good on Space Spartans on the INT 2, and I honestly don't like those controllers, they seem even worse than the originals. I couldn't remember if there was some compelling reason to use the 2 over the others, so I'll just use my Sears or INT 1. Cool!

 

Hmm... now I'm going to have to try Space Spartans on the Intellivision II. I didn't remember there being any sound differences. The Intellivoice should work the same on both; it doesn't depend on anything that changed between the Intellivision 1 and 2.

 

 

There's a known config file patch for Dreadnaught Factor for PAL. Motocross has two versions-one of which was fixed to work on PAL. There are a few other games with minor issues, but they were originally written improperly. Not sure if patches like the one for D.F. are possible, or if those capable of doing it have the time or inclination to write them.

 

I took a brief look at Motocross, and see roughly what they did to fix the issue. Patching the NTSC version to work on PAL will be more involved. If I can get to it in my copious free time, I will...

 

Basically, to patch Motocross, it looks like you'll need to make copies of a couple routines in extra ROM space, and then patch the ROM to use these copies rather than the original. Some STIC-related code got moved between two functions, probably to align it to the VBlank properly.

 

 

Well, I got it home, put it in my Sears unit and Intellivoice, and man it works perfectly. It's so great to finally have a flash cart for Intellivision available again. The only thing we need now are flash overlays, cause I forgot where I put all mine! I thought FOLED technology was supposed to fix this problem.

 

If someone makes some FOLED hand controllers, then it will.

 

 

I'm not aware of any voice or sound issues with the jzIntv emulator. The emulator in the Intellivision Flashback however does seem to have, although minor, general voice and sound problems.

 

Yeah, the voices in particular play really oddly on the Flashback. I did provide some detailed feedback to IP (at their request), and that was in my list.

 

 

However it does not seem to duplicate the sound issues in Space Spartans or Shark Shark.

 

I'll be honest, I don't know that I ever noticed the reported issues w/ either Space Spartans or Shark! Shark! on the Intellivision II. I'll have to pop both in and turn my ears up. If the stated reason (timing differences due to the different EXEC) is true, then using the Inty 2 EXEC with jzIntv should cause the same problems.

 

Some Intellivision II units use an AY-3-8916 rather than AY-3-8914, IIRC. The AY-3-8916 has some other weird behavior that I don't emulate in jzIntv. For example, the unused bits in various registers read back with hand-controller information, rather than 0. Space Patrol, as a result, plays incorrect sound effects on my INTV System III, and probably some Intellivision II units.

 

 

And Super Pro Football just crashes with jzIntv and an Intellivision II exec.

 

Hmm. I thought on a real system, it just caused some players not to appear until the ball's hiked (or something like that). If it actually crashes when it shouldn't, then that's a jzIntv bug. My goal is to have jzIntv faithfully reproduce the bugs introduced by each of the systems, rather than introduce its own bugs.

 

 

As others have said, LTO Flash should not create any of these issues.

 

LTO Flash can fix some Intellivision II issues but, not the sound problems.

 

That's correct. LTO Flash! just works around the Intellivision II lockout, so that all games blocked by that will play on the Intellivision II. If we can put together patches for the few games with timing glitches, so they play correctly, I'll publish them.

 

 

A technical question: Does the cart change the speed of games? PAL Consoles are running slower, do ROMs from the cart run in 60Hz on PAL systems?

It does not. The game speed is determined by the interrupt rate coming from the STIC, and the interrupt rate is directly tied to the screen refresh. Unlike some systems, the interrupt rate is fully dictated by the hardware, and hardcoded at 50Hz vs. 60Hz based on which STIC is in the system (and a few other components like the clock crystal).

That said, the PAL system itself is actually faster. (1MHz cycle rate, rather than 895kHz cycle rate.) It may be possible to patch games to run at NTSC speeds on PAL by running an "extra frame" every 5 frames. I know at least one person who uses that strategy in his homebrew work. I haven't tried it yet with my own stuff, but I've contemplated it.

Games that rely on the EXEC often don't use much of the CPU horsepower, and so it may be possible to "upgrade" them by providing an upgraded EXEC. Of course, that brings all sorts of issues related to the EXEC's intellectual property, so I probably won't touch that myself unless it can be done without including a modified copy of the EXEC itself. Even if I do touch that, that's a waaaay down the road project.

[daldude]

I agree...the sound was not good on Space Spartans on the INT 2, and I honestly don't like those controllers, they seem even worse than the originals. I couldn't remember if there was some compelling reason to use the 2 over the others, so I'll just use my Sears or INT 1. Cool!

What was wrong with the sound on Space Spartans on Intv 2? I did not notice any sound issues on Space Spartans when I was using my Cousins Intv 2 also I never noticed any sound issues with Shark Shark on Intv 2

[freewheel]

Watch the most recent Intellivisionaries podcast, guys. It had nothing to do with the voice. Some of the "noise" type sound effects are noticeably different in the II. Less full, and kinda crappy in my opinion.

 

I've also noticed subtle differences in certain ways of using the PSG between jzintv and the actual hardware (model 1). If you flap the sound channels too quickly, and/or use certain noise effects, it has a similar effect - it sounds really good in jzintv, but kinda hollow, or faint, on real hardware. Yes, I plan on putting together some code some day to send to our intrepid emulator developer that demonstrates this I want to try it on the II, III, and Sears units first, just to get a comprehensive idea of what does what. It surprised me as I've had to "slow down" a couple of things after seeing what it does on real hardware. I've run into similar issues with alternating colors too fast - looks great in jzintv, but kinda cruddy on real hardware.