Getting back into Atari 8 Bit Computers

[Bee]

Atari Reentry FAQ ish ..

 

My opinions =

 

Who is this for?

 

"I have an old Atari and I want to fire it up and rescue my old disks.  I’m looking at the technology that has changed and it’s making me dizzy trying to wrap my head around it.”

 

What I am not - paid for any part of this opinion or directly involved with any vendor here.

 

To just fire up the Atari - 

Lots has changed. There are many solutions and I will share what I have learned.

 

Path of least resistance.

 

Tap N play -

 

DriveS - Max - Arduino Uno with a touch screen.  

 

Make it:

https://atari8bit.net/everything-sdrive-max/

 

Buy it:

https://thebrewingacademy.com/collections/atari-800-xl-xe-xel-xld/products/atari-sdrive-max

 

This one comes with a printed case and connector, USB cable, SD card, and Stylus - I will at some point wire it internally to the SIO port.  You use the stylus to load files of disks into drive slots.

 

Dump the Power Supply and use a Phone Charger:

https://thebrewingacademy.com/collections/atari-800-xl-xe-xel-xld/products/atari-xl-xe-replacement-power-via-usb

 

Get a Power Strip with USB:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VM5DJS7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I went with this as it has 10A usb Power Supply

 

Fire it up!

 

Once you have the Old Atari booting form the SDrive-Max, you can add a Floppy Drive in line and save files to the SDrive-Max.

 

What’s next - 

 

World of options, for me I have the following that were plugged into a dual cartridge port of my 130XE.  Sparta Dos X, RTime 8, Basic XE.   I have an Action! Cart too.  

 

All this and more can be had in the Side2 Cartridge.  I also had a ICD MIO 1 MB - it afforded ma a HD, and Ramdrives with all of my content in one place.  The Side2 is a plug into the Cartridge port solution providing a HD via Hot Plugable CF memory, Sparta Dos X, A Real Time Clock, and more.  Spartados has undergone a lot of development since I used it on the 80’s.  This is the fastest, easiest upgrade to my Atari 8 Bit computers. I will mention I got the FJC firmware and suggest it.  Also I think I ordered on Thursday and had it on Monday with Express shipping.  I can’t speak highly enough for this vendor.

 

https://lotharek.pl/productdetail.php?id=245

 

Part 2 -

SIO2PC is a USB to Serial link that uses a PC as the virtual disks.  If you want to back up old disks this is a good way to get the files over to the PC and leverage the Hardware on the PC.  There are 2 major vendors,  I knew I was going with the Side2 from Lotharek so it was a no brainer and the Rev2 is the cleanest piece of kit out there.  In addition to sharing the PC as virtual drives with Atari he provides Program to hook the floppy rive directly on the PC and backup the floppy disks.   I will check out the other vendor in the near future, the software provided by the other vendor requires a pricey purchase in addition to the hardware, the freeware version penalizes the user from what I have read to get you to upgrade.  There are strong proponents for both camps.  Eventually I’ll own it all.  Baby steps.  I’m trying to guide you thought the forest I stumbled into and find others are as well.

 

https://lotharek.pl/productdetail.php?id=157

 

My goal is to see if the Atari  8 Bit can be a secure platform for some basic data storage, secure because once the data platform is developed it will not have any connection to the outside world.

 

For whatever reason you are on the path of getting a 40 year old platform running.   I was looking for the most Bang for my Buck.

 

"But I heard of product X and it has Y feature.”  There are many other choices out there this is the most powerful collection I could find to give me flexibility.  I have a bunch of Atari Hardware, I decided to focus on 5 Machines.  My original Arati 800XL with a Circa 90’s Transkey PS2 keyboard adopter on it, no other upgrades.  3 130XEs 1 that is firing up reliably but the Q key is non functional, I will sort that ASAP.  A 100% as new Atari XE Game System.  I have no Memory upgrades at this point.  I have a working Indust GT floppy drive and it checks out 100%.

 

What I’m leaving off the table, my original 400,800,600XL,1200XL, Mega 2 ST.

 

So let's concentrate on the 130XE, the XEGS and 800XL can become 130XE compliant with a memory upgrade.  Many of the tools and utilities I use need the memory of the 130XE.

 

Let’s talk displays for a moment.  My original set up as a kid was a 9 inch color display on the main 40 column coming from my CPU and a side Green Screen with an XEP80 80 Column to my right.  I intend to go back to that.  All doable - XEP80 is still available as NOS from Best Electronics.

 

There are a few different current video upgrades available.   I think it is important to point out that there are differing solutions and depending on where you live and what you want to look at influences what the choices are.  First is just a upgrade to the quality of composite video output.  Depending on your TV you may not have composite as an option.  On one of mine it has a connection but it simply can’t sync so a $11 USD Composite to HDMI converter got me something to look at on that TV.

 

Next the most popular I’d say is the VBEX, this is a RGB output choice and seems to be hooked to Component input.  It is more popular due to it adding some new capability and works for many users world wide.

 

The other but less popular Sophia Rev. C because it gives you a video display out as DVI but this is still the same feature set of you Atari 8Bit outside the new connection, the DVI can be easily adapted to HDMI and I have lots of that so this is my direction.   It is available in Wide Format or 3:4 aspect ration and is a fixed programed core.  I’m interested in my original experience so I’m going choose the 3:4 at 1280 x 1024.

 

The next space to consider is the popular Transkey 2 PS2 Keyboard upgrades allowing you to ditch the Atari keyboard for a newer PS2 standard.

 

This would allow me to use the 5 Machines I have outlined after I stabilize them with generic peripherals - I will probably upgrade 2 for HDMI connection.

 

There is one more upgrade to mention.  The Ultimate 1MB upgrade will probably get installed on my EXGS as it works in concert with the Side2 cart and gives you flexible choices once again to use that 1mb in many ways.

 

https://lotharek.pl/productdetail.php?id=246

 

Beyond fixing / upgrading / resucing Old Hardware there is another dimension - New Ataris hand made, Atari Bespoke.  The 1088XL and 1088XLD.  This is Nirvana and why I’m trying to learn if the Atari still has a place in my tool set.  If all the above works out I will end up with a 1088XLD.

 

This in now way represents the only choice or path.  I highly suggest the missing manual in this thread it helped get my feet on the ground again.

 

 

Please feel free to reach out if I can be of help.  Note - I’m dyslexic, I could not read books as a child, I could read the computer screen, computers have improved my life.  They don’t fix the dyslexia, if I have spelling mistakes here, I own them.

 

Enjoy flipping bits 8 bit bytes at a time. Long Live Atari 8 Bit Computers!

 

 

 

[777ismyname]

If you happen upon a source for the XEP80 for very cheap by chance, please post a link. I didn’t buy one years back when B&C was selling them mega cheap. 

[Mclaneinc]

7 hours ago, Bee said:

Please feel free to reach out if I can be of help.  Note - I’m dyslexic, I could not read books as a child, I could read the computer screen, computers have improved my life.  They don’t fix the dyslexia, if I have spelling mistakes here, I own them.

Excellent attitude...

 

Welcome Bee.....

[Gavin1968]

And for even better versions of the SDrive-MAX come check out my store:

https://www.vintagecomputercenter.com/sale

 

[Bee]

So first Happy Holidays to everyone. 

 

Gavin? Chopper Commander?  I'm not sure how to refer to you properly, sorry.  I'm not trying to start a fight but you have stepped into my lane.  My Wife would say - "Ho Dear"

 

Clearly you are marketing.  You are free to do so, however you said "better".  I want you to qualify that.  Are you offering something to me for review?  From visiting your site your prices are higher than the vendor I have originally pointed to.

 

There are several products marketed and available here, for instance:

 

I'm working on getting a few of these, they look very clean, have great user comments and should work well for my needs on any systems I leave at 64k.

 

I helped launch the 3D home printing market.  Visiting your site you don't identify who's filament you are using or what printer you are using or what the resolution your prints are made at.

 

I run a custom made prosummer FDM with all linear rail bearings using both direct drive and bowden driven e3d water cooled heads in a 12 x12 x22inch volume with a max resolution in the neighborhood of 90 microns max resolution. It's impractical under 100 microns until you jump to resin printing.  I use several brands of Filament but I keep going back to ProtoPasta the Empire Strikes Black.  Polymaker is a good go to Filament for other tasks for me.

 

Please show us how your products are better.   Compel me to help market your products.  I have no Social Media presents or desire to participate.  I found what I found with Google independent of this forum.  Your products did not show up.  So at the time they were not considered.   I invite you to create your own thread, something like " 5 Reasons my Sdrive-Max is better" link to it from this thread and I promise I will read it.  If it's compelling I will try your products.  Currently my next purchase is from ALSP.

 

My point is you can have your own thread.  If it's relevant it will get traffic.

 

I'm sorry I'm unimpressed with " buy my MObetta' " with no substance.

 

I ask others to not derail the original intent of this thread, either create your own post or if you want to agree with this set of statements just tag it by liking it.  Let's not have a debate of the best forum etiquette beyond this.

 

Thx

[Bee]

I found this while looking up how to add the ROMs(files) to the Side2 cart.

 

 

I see it includes a list of all of the suppliers of popular choices in this forum.  Including Gavin.  Please correct me if you want to be called Chopper Commander.  

 

Thx

[Bee]

This video is perfect!  - It drives me further to jump to a Sophia Rev. C

 

 

Thank You -FJC

[kogden]

8 minutes ago, Bee said:

This video is perfect!  - It drives me further to jump to a Sophia Rev. C

 

 

Thank You -FJC

I've been wanting one of those for a while.  Can either this or the VBXE  emulate artifact colors in hirez?  I still like to play a few games that depend on artifacting for colors so I've kept my CRT around and leave svideo and composite both hooked up so I can switch them.  

 

I have a few ST monitors so VBXE could be fun.  I'd much rather have DVI/HDMI than RGB tho.  My ST monitors won't last forever.

[Bee]

This brings up a fun issue I'm learning about.  I'm US based,So NTSC.  I have always been aware of PAL but now I find the Atari 8 Bit is truly a world wide stage.  For instance a enhance floppy drive in the US but bought form a source in Egypt.  Why all this NTSC/PAL banter?  Knowing where you are located is likely relevant.  I'm unsure if the Artifacts are relevant to the Video standard.  Anyone with dual experience want to chime in please?  

 

Kogden are you NTSC or PAL?

 

Thx

[kogden]

38 minutes ago, Bee said:

 

 

Kogden are you NTSC or PAL?

 

Thx

I'm a US NTSC user.  PAL had higher resolution but a lower frame rate.  PAL machines had a slightly slower clock rate but could do more between frames than the NTSC machine.  IIRC palette is slightly different as well.

 

Unfortunately all the REALLY cool demos were written in Europe and most won't run properly on our machines.  Most games run fine.  

 

Artifacting was used to generate a couple colors in hirez mode but those colors aren't visible when using svideo, only composite.  So with video upgrades you generally don't get these colors, just gaps between pixels in games that relied on artifacting.  I was wondering if Sophia or any video upgrade really emulated artifacting to produce the color on RGB or DVI displays?

[Mclaneinc]

Artifacts are relevant for the reason Kogden said, games like AE, Pinball Construction set, drol and other rely on the artifacting to show colours defined by the NTSC standard but there are a small number of PAL games that use artifacting for PAL standard. So it depends if you don't mind losing the ability to see colour in the games as I'm not aware if that upgrade emulates artifacting as by its nature it upgrades the display so removing it.

[mimo]

2 hours ago, kogden said:

 

Fortunately all the REALLY cool demos were written in Europe

Fixed 

[Mclaneinc]

Nicely done sir...

[Bee]

OK - New update, with some advice from FJC I have the side 2 Cart running on a 130EX with the OSS carts.  However I'm seeing lockups in Basic XE.  I will take that up in an existing thread elsewhere.  The main point is I have the Side2 working the way I need it to for now.   Onward and upward!

 

Thx

[+Nezgar]

On 12/25/2019 at 2:36 AM, 777ismyname said:

If you happen upon a source for the XEP80 for very cheap by chance, please post a link. I didn’t buy one years back when B&C was selling them mega cheap. 

I got a shrinkwrapped NIB XEP80 from Best Electronics in April 2018, price then was $49. (before shipping)

 

.... It's still in the box, the search is on for a nice amber monitor...

[777ismyname]

5 minutes ago, Nezgar said:

I got a shrinkwrapped NIB XEP80 from Best Electronics in April 2018, price then was $49. (before shipping)

 

.... It's still in the box, the search is on for a nice amber monitor...

I’ve got an old Amdek monochrome monitor and no XEP80 ? 

[Bee]

I have a XEP80 on the way from Best - A Green Screen and Amber waiting for 80 Column fun

 

Thx

[777ismyname]

I may pick one up for the going price...not sure yet. I hadn’t used one in 30 years until trying it again in Altirra recently. I should probably just put that $50 towards a VBXE.

[sl0re]

I remember the paperclip word processor was pretty good. 40 col but I was happy using it into the 90s. 

 

Edited December 29, 2019 by sl0re

[Bee]

Paperclip was a favorite.  Not sure if it will run in 80 column mode.  I got a copy of Atariwriter 80 coming with the XEP80.  There seem to be a few other Word Processors more popular in 80 columns.  I may default to just using the Action editor.

 

Thx

[flashjazzcat]

[Coughs]

 

Have you tried this one?

 

https://atari8.co.uk/the-last-word/

[Bee]

I have now, and I like it.  However I need an upgrade to get to 80 Columns.  I'm playing with a XEP80 and it's not working with a monitor they worked with before - Oh the joys ...  I will need to get VBXE at some point. 

 

Thx 

[Bee]

Joyfully the XEP80 is running - 

 

 

Took an Apple monitor to sort it out.

 

 

[xrbrevin]

31 minutes ago, Bee said:

Took an Apple monitor to sort it out.

That Apple monitor looks much better with Atari software displayed on it

Stick a Fuji decal over the Apple logo ?