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Ultimate Atari Cart (Electrotrains) Pre-Order by 18 APR 17


MacRorie

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Hello, Multicart noob here.

I received my cart some time back and just now getting around to trying it out.

 

Could you please direct me toward some help, I've read the pages that came with the cart and did a bit of googling but I'm unclear on what I'm doing incorrectly.

--put some ATR files in folders and they don't show up.

--put some XEX files in folders and I can select from them. When I select any item, it goes to a blue screen rather than start the game.

--I am familar with using Atari 8-bit emulators from Raspberry Pi, so I know I have working files.

 

What am I doing incorrectly?

thank you.

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Hello, Multicart noob here.

I received my cart some time back and just now getting around to trying it out.

 

Could you please direct me toward some help, I've read the pages that came with the cart and did a bit of googling but I'm unclear on what I'm doing incorrectly.

--put some ATR files in folders and they don't show up.

--put some XEX files in folders and I can select from them. When I select any item, it goes to a blue screen rather than start the game.

--I am familar with using Atari 8-bit emulators from Raspberry Pi, so I know I have working files.

 

What am I doing incorrectly?

thank you.

 

 

So, let's take this step by step:

1. Amongst the papers included in the box, there should have been a manual which lists all of the types of files that can be opened on the Ultimate Cart. This will help you in your quest.

2. The reason you do not see the ATR files is because ATR files do not work on the Ultimate. You need its little brother, the UNO, to run those. However, the UNO does not run on the 400/800 and will not run larger files.

3. The primary use for the Ultimate cart is ROM & CAR files. The XEX loader works very well, but some XEX files do not "play by the rules" so some of them might not run. However, I cannot imagine there being too many of them that do that. I do have some files on the BBS (or you can go to AtariMania as well) or even root around here for XEX files that work fine. Check the list of file types in the manual to see which work. Also, ALWAYS keep in mind that the computer you are running the Ultimate on needs to have the capabilities to run the file in the first place (RAM, correct OS, PAL/NTSC, etc).

4. Remember, that this is a Multi-CARTRIDGE, it's primary use in life is to load cartridge files through the cartridge port. Although the firmware is very robust and able to load XEX files as well, those files are still running through the cartridge port. Most can do that without a problem, but some are persnickety.

 

Hope this helps. Let me know if I can answer any more questions.

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the 400/800 work better with the cart port modded, then all kids of stuff works better, on a 400 with no memory upgrade best to use carts as they map in and let you enjoy larger memory programs without the ram, it's memory in the cart after all just read only, not writable. ATR's and (XEX) exe's generally require more ram than the 400 unmodified has to offer.

 

I believe all 400's need the memory expanded and all the other mods and fixes done....

Edited by _The Doctor__
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Great! Thank you.

 

The .rom files from AtariMania are working at least for Galaxian and Pac-Man.

 

What is the keystroke to exit a game back to the cartridge menu? ctr-shft-arrow keys doesn't do it on the Atari 400.

 

 

Good to hear. As far as commands, start to think of the Ultimate Cart like a cartridge. In other words, if you inserted a regular cartridge into an Atari, there would be no keystroke to get back to the Memo Pad or BASIC/DOS, right? (Yes, there are exceptions to this statement, but they are far and few between).

 

Once the Ultimate cart loads a file, it becomes that cartridge/file. Pressing reset will only bring you BACK to that cart because that is what it is designed to do.

 

Just like a regular cart, you can power off ***OR*** press the reset switch on top of the ultimate cart, this will crash the Atari (normal), then press the [Reset] key on the Atari and it will go back to the Ultimate menu.

 

NOW, on a related note, if you are running the Ultimate cart on a unmodified 400, a LOT of files are not going to run simply because the 400 does not have the memory to run the file. This is NOT a limitation of the Ultimate cart, it is a limitation of the 400 not having the memory to run the program in the first place. If you are indeed running this on an unmodified 400, you need to check the memory requirements for that file and see if it will run in 16k. Now that I know you are running on a 400, I suspect the flaw is in the system requirements and not the file.

 

You may say that the files work on the emulator and, I have no doubt that they do, but that emulator is probably set to at least 48k (if not 64). The Ultimate cart is not going to change the limits of your machine, but it will allow you to do everything else.

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Cool.

Pretty awesome.

I'm going to be a fairly light user of the 400. It is mostly here to physically show the kids that computers weren't always iphones. :)

I presume this is unmodified, I simply bought it on ebay a few years back out of curiosity.

I had a trs-80 color computer, but I'm learning that the cool kids were in the C64 camp!

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Great! Thank you.

 

The .rom files from AtariMania are working at least for Galaxian and Pac-Man.

 

What is the keystroke to exit a game back to the cartridge menu? ctr-shft-arrow keys doesn't do it on the Atari 400.

Have you tried holding OPTION key down while loading the other games? I know on the UNO cart there are several that won't load unless I hold down OPTION.

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Have you tried holding OPTION key down while loading the other games? I know on the UNO cart there are several that won't load unless I hold down OPTION.

That is something to keep in mind, definitely. However, since 1500points is operating on a 400, that would not come into play when booting .XEX files (no built-in BASIC that needs to be turned off)

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the problem with alot of these add ons is that they all fight to use common key....for instance select at boot, ICD MIO, etc. well established, Start at boot well established, option to reverse basic also well established.... help was supposed to be just that, why don't they stay away from those key combo's? like option and start etc... grrrr.

why not make it shift help? or shift help option or etc etc.... the only thing that got close to making a solution was mybios with it's time function, People are used to press and hold for phone so they kind of get it for other things the way he did it... sure makes me wish everything had a 1200XL keyboard upgrade path, maybe XE styled but 1200 quality!... none the less.... there it sits... three finger salutes of many kinds do work on the Atari folks, or more actually.

 

for example you can do option select start shift help....and such, but at start up checking for help or shift help or shift escape might be the way to go...

Edited by _The Doctor__
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I've never actually used a 400 but wouldn't you be pretty much limited to 8K and 16K cartridge images on a stock 400?

 

 

 

I mean, I am sure there is some .XEX that would run in 16k of RAM. It's theoretically possible, right? But, yeah, I think that would be the case 95% of the time.

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So I am assuming that a 400 will be able to run the 17k CAR files. Is this true or does the extra 1K header make the image too big for the 400 to handle? Can anyone confirm?

 

 

Ultimate parses the header, so the 400 would never see it as a 17k file/cartridge. Ultimate presents it to the 400 as if it were the 16k cartridge.

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is doesn't have to be 16k or less for a rom image sheesh... the limit to 8 or 16k is only if it's an xex or atr residing on the ultimate... grrrrrrrrrr.

 

"Maybe someone can comment about running cart games off an Atarimax 8mbit cartridge?

That most cart titles don't run? But can be made to run? on a 16K Atari 400?

That the memory address was changed from the original because they were made to run on 48K / etc computers.

AtariBlast! does run fine on the 16K Atari 400 (using the Atarimax 8mbit cartridge - need the programmer kit to write to it) - but I guess you really want to run other games too - like most of the 16K games that came out on cassette - some of these may have had their run address changed? that are in the various archives - but you can modify their load/run address - so that they can run after all?.

Harvey"

 

what more can I say.....

Edited by _The Doctor__
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  • 1 month later...

Howdy! I read the thread, and it looks like you were taking preorders in November of last year. Are you still taking preorders? Is the process for preordering the same?

 

Thanks for all you do!

 

PM sent!

 

If anyone else is looking for one: They are still being sold (still in 3rd run). Contact me for details//also in my .sig below.

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Just received Electrotrains' Ultimate Atari Cart last night!

Amazingly easy to setup and use. Very happy with making this purchase.

Only a few xex files (out of over 150+) haven't worked.

By example xex files for Hard Hat Mack and Zaxxon both fail to load; they're are a couple of others but most work and the Ultimate Atari Cart is really cool technology: loading xex, rom and car files quickly and easily from the menu via keyboard or joystick.

 

Thank you very much MacRorie for a) excellent technology that is a snap to setup and use and b) for getting it shipped out so quickly (i.e. ordered on Tuesday night, arrived Friday!)!!

Edited by Fingolfin
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Only a few xex files (out of over 150+) haven't worked.

By example xex files for Hard Hat Mack and Zaxxon both fail to load; they're are a couple of others

 

Try the Homesoft site. You will be able to find XEX format files of "Zaxxon" and "Hard Hat Mack" (and likely any of your other problematic titles) that will work on your Ultimate Cart.

 

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

 

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

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Try the Homesoft site. You will be able to find XEX format files of "Zaxxon" and "Hard Hat Mack" (and likely any of your other problematic titles) that will work on your Ultimate Cart.

 

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

 

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

 

Thank you very much for this great xex link/site/resource!

Have worked with rom and atr file types using emulators but not so much xex files until recently.

Thanks again!

Edited by Fingolfin
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Bear in mind, too, some XEX files might need OPTION held down during boot to disable BASIC, or (if using a machine with an Ultimate 1MB board in it), might need to the PBI BIOS turned off. But usually for XL or XE machines, well-made XEX conversions "just work." :)

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