Ultimate Cart - Users thread

[ijor]

32 minutes ago, tmp said:

my random videos are always confusing although this one had at least some description (that is not visible when embedded)

...

the reason you saw ACTION CAR was that sdx was seeing the same directory as the avgcart browser (same fat32 partition on sd card)

this is all W(N)IP so the final behavior is still subject to change

 

Thanks. Not confusing anymore! Yeah, I watched the video embedded and then I missed the description (my fault).

 

Not very important, but while we are here ... I don't see the SDX CAR image there? It was on another directory, or it is integrated in the hardware?

[tmp]

another directory, it was autoloaded from a hardcoded location (/_AVGCART/SDX.CAR)

[flashjazzcat]

1 hour ago, ijor said:

You are correct, of course, but I don't see how this is related to pass through cart support.

It's related to the usability of SDX on the respective platforms; I mention it because when the desired pass-thru support presumably fails to materialise on the Ultimate Cart, you may end up purchasing something else. The reason I suggested SIDE3 as a solution is that it has SDX built into the ROM, and has an RTC which keeps the date and time. You can turn on the machine and boot immediately to the SDX prompt with the date and time already set, and when auto-mount carts are implemented, typing CAR will silently load the chosen emulated cartridge without recourse to the loader.

 

I only mention these things in light of AVG subsequently being presented as the solution to your problems.

[ijor]

43 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said:

It's related to the usability of SDX on the respective platforms; I mention it because when the desired pass-thru support presumably fails to materialise on the Ultimate Cart, you may end up purchasing something else. The reason I suggested SIDE3 as a solution is that it has SDX built into the ROM, and has an RTC which keeps the date and time. You can turn on the machine and boot immediately to the SDX prompt with the date and time already set, and when auto-mount carts are implemented, typing CAR will silently load the chosen emulated cartridge without recourse to the loader.

 

I only mention these things in light of AVG subsequently being presented as the solution to your problems.

 

Fair enough. But in this particular case, AVG would actually be a solution to my problem. The reason I might not end buying one is because it is not open source. I don't always avoid closed source projects, but in this particular case it is important to me. As a matter of fact, being open source, I might end implementing pass through support for the Ultimate Cart myself.

[flashjazzcat]

17 minutes ago, ijor said:

As a matter of fact, being open source, I might end implementing pass through support for the Ultimate Cart myself.

That would be great! It's kind of a shame when a product becomes totally stagnated once it's released and the kinks are ironed out. Ironically, in this case, it's the open-source carts (Ultimate and UNO) which have seen zero further development to the best of my knowledge, while SIDE2, SIDE3, U1MB, Incognito, Sophia, and other closed source projects (including AVG, which one could hardly accuse of standing still for more than five minutes) have seen constant development. What this tells us about the momentum of open-source I do not know, but good luck if you decide to rise to the challenge.

 

[Wrathchild]

I think the issue was more the initial f/w didn't support refreshing, e.g. from a file / without additional h/w

[tjlazer]

On 9/26/2020 at 12:08 AM, GoldenGraham said:

Hi, I'm looking for an XEX rom download of this game 'Crypts Of Terror' for the Ultimate Cart in my 800xl. Enjoyed this game a lot back in the 80s but can't find file format anywhere that's compatible with my Ultimate Cart. I've tried the conversion tools too without any joy. Supported file formats are CAR, XEX, ROM and BIN. If anyone knows of a download of any on these formats anywhere or can create one for me or advise how to create/convert one that works with the Ultimate Cart, ideally XEX format, that would be fab.

It's on Homesoft's site.

http://www.mushca.com/f/atari/index.php?idx=6

[tane]

10 hours ago, Wrathchild said:

I think the issue was more the initial f/w didn't support refreshing, e.g. from a file / without additional h/w

That's right. Just thinking about using a USB Blaster is cumbersome.

 

[MrMartian]

4 minutes ago, tane said:

That's right. Just thinking about using a USB Blaster is cumbersome.

 

Yes.. If I could ever dedicate time to my hobbies, I would get through this. My Ultimate lives with the blaster connected, and I hack on it occasionally. The ability to self-update the FPGA is what I've been working on the most. I already made an SPI master to talk to the SD card directly from the Atari but should now look at the way the SIDE3 does it to see if I can make it compatible to that?

[GoldenGraham]

On 12/20/2020 at 8:37 PM, tjlazer said:

It's on Homesoft's site.

http://www.mushca.com/f/atari/index.php?idx=6

That's awesome @tjlazer many thanks, you just made my week!  Have been looking for that for ages. Such a top game, takes me right back.

[ijor]

On 12/20/2020 at 7:22 AM, Wrathchild said:

I think the issue was more the initial f/w didn't support refreshing, e.g. from a file / without additional h/w

Sorry to ask, but I don't understand. What you mean by refresh from a file?

[ijor]

On 12/20/2020 at 5:49 PM, tane said:

That's right. Just thinking about using a USB Blaster is cumbersome.

 

 

I wouldn't recommend an USB Blaster clone like that one. They are all known to be problematic. Terasic official USB Blaster is available at Amazon at a reasonable price. The newer and faster Usb Blaster II is quite expensive, but there is, AFAIK, no Usb Blaster II clone. Even those that claim to be Usb Blaster II, they are actually a Usb Blaster I clone.

[Wrathchild]

1 hour ago, ijor said:

Sorry to ask, but I don't understand. What you mean by refresh from a file?

Typically have a certain named file on an SD Card or in a specific folder or with a certain extension. When that file is chosen then the firmware on the micro in the cart is flashed

Edited December 23, 2020 by Wrathchild

[ijor]

11 hours ago, Wrathchild said:

Typically have a certain named file on an SD Card or in a specific folder or with a certain extension. When that file is chosen then the firmware on the micro in the cart is flashed

 

Ah, you mean to update the FPGA core (firmware). Yeah, not being able to update the core without an Usb Blaster can be a problem when the product is not mature enough.

 

In theory it should be possible, the FPGA used in the Ultimate Cart does have a method to update its own firmware. It requires a little bit more resources, but not too much. So it should be possible unless it is currently almost full (if the core is already close to 100% utilization).

[_The Doctor__]

bump  ijor pass thru, previous updates for boot rom etc

[_The Doctor__]

rtime8... avg plugged on top, no problem

 

heh answered to an off topic question earlier in thread   sorry about that...

 

should apply to the ult cart as well...

Edited August 31, 2021 by _The Doctor__