Atarimax/Multicart

[jatari87]

Hi all - kind of new here. This is my 1st forum topic. Getting ready to go for this Atarimax Ultimate SD for the 5200. I guess I will ultimately figure it out, but weary of wasting {free} hours/days, which will translate into month(s) before I get it all figured out and can focus more on simply enjoying the games. I'm not finding a lot of how too info. on this stuff, and the Atarimax forum topics seeking help when problems do arise don't seem to get much attention. Anyway-Is my worry for naught? Is the finding and downloading games process pretty straight forward? Any other tips or guidance on best places to grab games (should I be saying ROMs??) or how to do it if/when I do get it? Not as clueless s I may be seeming, but I just don't have much interest in having a "can not open/access file"-type experience right now. I hope I got this out in a way that can be found by others here & Thanks in advance for any help anyone can offer.

Also-If anyone has Sean Kelly or the like that they might be happy to part with in order to build funds to get their own Ultimate SD, I may be able to help towards that end. {but, I should note that I may move on this before the 7/27 deadline they currently have going, which could, but not necessarily, affect my interest in that regard} - Thanks again.

[Everett1954]

Not sure what your real concern is here. I have an Atarimax and there is plenty of support for it. It is as simple as downloading the rom files (most can be found right here on AA and copying them onto a SD card. You can put the in folders to help organize them if you'd like.

 

Don't overthink a $60 cartridge, works well and is simple to use.

[PhoenixMoonPatrol]

https://www.atarimax.com/5200sd/documentation/chapter4.html

This should pretty much explain how to go about adding roms to the Atari max cart.

Its pretty easy stuff really. I was sort of the same way when I ordered a colecovision atari max cart,but its beyond easy. You drag and drop your roms in the cart,you can even save your current Atari Max list of roms youre presently adding to the cart to any area on your PC. So that you can to reload the games later onto the cart should the cart somehow have a glitch and lose its roms you had put on it.

 

As for where to get games or roms. Atari Age is the place really. Lots of WIP(Work In Progress and Beta progress roms) you can load onto the cart.

 

Two places that game roms are shared here would be:

http://atariage.com/forums/forum/67-atari-5200-hacks/

http://www.atariage.com/system_items.html?SystemID=5200&ItemTypeID=ROM

http://atariage.com/forums/forum/3-atari-5200/

[phoenixdownita]

For the lazy among us you can use SmokeMonster pack:

https://mega.nz/#F!dBcHTLJA!4E1fHpN1gZ9drbi5JEfUCw!1c9nnAaZ

[rayik]

Don't worry about support. I'm the last person who posted for help. While thee is no response in the forum, Steve emailed me telling me he would exchange the cart for free under his lifetime warranty.

[jatari87]

Great. Thanks everyone. I'll make the move on this ASAP, check back here when I do, and I definitely appreciate the tips and any more that may follow. I haven't gotten too technologically averse yet, but I'm getting to where I need to keep an eye on myself. Thanks again.

[+DrVenkman]

Don't overthink a $60 cartridge, works well and is simple to use.

 

I'm new to the 5200 (though not to the A8 platform by any stretch). It looks like the AtariMax Cart is $129. Not the most expensive thing in the world, but also not quite as easy as $60 for most to pull the trigger.

 

Unless I'm missing something ... ?

[Everett1954]

Sorry, had a brain fart, paid $130 for mine but was well worth it. I have flash cartridges for all of my systems and this one is the most compatible. Yes, I did wait awhile , because of the price before purchasing mine.

[atariron82]

One odd thing of note to be aware of, that I haven't seen discussed concerning the Atarimax 128-in-1 USB Flash Multicart(not sure about the SD upgrade), is the fact that it will NOT work on a standard unmodified 4-port console(with auto switch-box). The title screen comes up when powered on, but when you select a game, all you're gonna get is a nice black screen unfortunately. All other cartridges work with the 4-port model to my knowledge, with the exception of the 'Mean Hamster Software 5-in-1 multi-cart', which also suffers the same issue: the dreaded 'black screen of death'. There is also an Atarimax 128-in-1 preloaded multi-cart that although I haven't yet tested, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it doesn't like my 4-port.

[rayik]

One odd thing of note to be aware of, that I haven't seen discussed concerning the Atarimax 128-in-1 USB Flash Multicart(not sure about the SD upgrade), is the fact that it will NOT work on a standard unmodified 4-port console(with auto switch-box). The title screen comes up when powered on, but when you select a game, all you're gonna get is a nice black screen unfortunately. All other cartridges work with the 4-port model to my knowledge, with the exception of the 'Mean Hamster Software 5-in-1 multi-cart', which also suffers the same issue: the dreaded 'black screen of death'. There is also an Atarimax 128-in-1 preloaded multi-cart that although I haven't yet tested, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it doesn't like my 4-port.

I have both the 128-1 and SD flashcarts. Both work just fine with an unmodified 4 port console.

[atariron82]

I have both the 128-1 and SD flashcarts. Both work just fine with an unmodified 4 port console.

That's cool. I suspected there may be 4-port consoles out there that do work with Atarimax multicarts. I think 'unmodified' may be an ambiguous term.

Does your 4-port model work with the 2600 adapter? Mine does not. It is an early launch 'glossy panel' model, SN:0119080 SV-432. I have no other 4-ports to compare to, and this may help solve an old mystery.

[+DamonicFury]

That's cool. I suspected there may be 4-port consoles out there that do work with Atarimax multicarts. I think 'unmodified' may be an ambiguous term.

Does your 4-port model work with the 2600 adapter? Mine does not. It is an early launch 'glossy panel' model, SN:0119080 SV-432. I have no other 4-ports to compare to, and this may help solve an old mystery.

I think I can help you with this mystery. I had that exact problem with the USB cart five years ago and contacted Atarimax about it. Steve told me he had seen the problem before. Turns out it's an issue with certain 6502 chips, usually ones made by Synertek. I went ahead and swapped the 6502 in that 5200 with one in a 600XL... and sure enough that fixed the issue! Been using the Atarimax cart with that 5200 ever since.

[atariron82]

I think I can help you with this mystery. I had that exact problem with the USB cart five years ago and contacted Atarimax about it. Steve told me he had seen the problem before. Turns out it's an issue with certain 6502 chips, usually ones made by Synertek. I went ahead and swapped the 6502 in that 5200 with one in a 600XL... and sure enough that fixed the issue! Been using the Atarimax cart with that 5200 ever since.

Amazing. Nine year old mystery solved. Thanks sdamon! I had a working theory that there may be electronic differences between early consoles of different manufacture, that might be causing this. Leave it to Steve, with his modern Space Age retro tech to weed them out

I have an old 800XL and a 2-port mother board(with other problems) as possible donors...

[+DrVenkman]

I think I can help you with this mystery. I had that exact problem with the USB cart five years ago and contacted Atarimax about it. Steve told me he had seen the problem before. Turns out it's an issue with certain 6502 chips, usually ones made by Synertek. I went ahead and swapped the 6502 in that 5200 with one in a 600XL... and sure enough that fixed the issue! Been using the Atarimax cart with that 5200 ever since.

 

 

Amazing. Nine year old mystery solved. Thanks sdamon! I had a working theory that there may be electronic differences between early consoles of different manufacture, that might be causing this. Leave it to Steve, with his modern Space Age retro tech to weed them out

I have an old 800XL and a 2-port mother board(with other problems) as possible donors...

 

That's very interesting. There's actually an Atari Tech Tip in the 5200 Field Service Manual but it addresses a timing defect with certain date codes of Rockwell-made 6502 chips, not Synertek.