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Atari 2600 CD Machine with Cuttle Cart


mvigor

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I finally had time to complete my project last night! Woo-hoo! Well, stage 1 anyway.

 

I was very tired of messing around with too many wires when setting up the 2600, CD player and Cuttle Cart. Mainly this is because I can't just leave the 2600 sitting out, I always have to pick it up and put it away when I'm done playing.

 

Now, I only have to mess with the RF cord, 2600 power cord and the joystick cords. I have eliminated the need to mess with the CD player itself, the CD player power cord and the Cuttle Cart and its audio cord. The system looks a lot cleaner and is a lot faster to set up.

 

Picture this. There is a small "walkman" sized CD player mounted on the 2600's deck (it's a four switch 2600). No wires are visible because I ran them through the bottom of the player and inside the 2600.

 

Inside the 2600 I wired a second cart port, which is plugged into the Cuttle Cart. A switch on the back of the unit lets me use the built-in cart port instead. The Cuttle Cart was not modified, it just simply "lives" inside the 2600. There is more than enough room.

 

I also mounted an audio jack on the back of the unit to use for playing BINs from a non-CD source such as directly from a computer, laptop, palm, iPOD, etc. My only concern here is that someday someone will plug the 9V power supply into the cuttle cart and fry it (same size jacks).

 

Future plans for this unit include adding a 2 player Camerica wireless IR joystick so that I can stop messing with joysticks cords as well. I'd also like to add a power LED, if I can find one with low enough power.

 

I'll have my digital video camera back on Friday, but there really isn't much need for pictures since it's not what you see but what you don't see!

 

Thanks to Chad Schell and others for their help in the hardware forum! Thanks again to Chad for making the Cuttle Cart! I sure wish I had a spare.

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Inside the 2600 I wired a second cart port, which is plugged into the Cuttle Cart.  A switch on the back of the unit lets me use the built-in cart port instead.  The Cuttle Cart was not modified, it just simply "lives" inside the 2600.  There is more than enough room.

 

....

 

I also mounted an audio jack on the back of the unit to use for playing BINs from a non-CD source such as directly from a computer, laptop, palm, iPOD, etc.  My only concern here is that someday someone will plug the 9V power supply into the cuttle cart and fry it (same size jacks).

 

Future plans for this unit include adding a 2 player Camerica wireless IR joystick so that I can stop messing with joysticks cords as well.  I'd also like to add a power LED, if I can find one with low enough power.

 

The switch that allows you to switch from the cartridge port for the Cuttle Cart and the Atari 2600 main cartirdge port, how is the switch wired? Is it done by simply connecting the power to the proper cartridge port pin? Did you simply use a DPDT (Double Pole Double Throw) switch and wired the power to center poles, Cuttle Cart cartridge port on one side of the poles, and the Atari cartirdge port on the other poles?

 

Very interesting all around. :D To bad the Cuttle Cart is no longer made, and is hard to find. Otherwise I could make my Ultimate 15 VCS system really great by adding a Cuttle Cart/CD Player internally, simular to what you described.

 

To keep people from plugging the power supply into the audio jack you added, you could simply make a label from tape and put it next to the audio jack. If you want to get fancy you could make a label from one of those label machines (K-mart has them for only $19.95), or you could print one out on your computer and laminate/glue it into place.

 

To add a power LED to the Atari system it is easily done. You need to pick-up a 5V "High Voltage" LED. No resistors are needed, they wire directly to +5V. You can get them at Radio Shack (But they Cost $0.99 each and only come in Red). On the package they say, "Red 12 Volt Light Emitting Diode" and the catalog number is 276-209

 

To wire the LED you connect it right above the power switch area. You can try around, it won't hurt anything. I have a modified 4 Switch with a LED, so if you need a picture to find it let me know.

 

Good Luck on Your Project Matthew :D

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So what the heck.. did you sit there and make audio files for 1500+ bins and burn them to cd? If so, you I tip my hat to you as that's a bear of a task!

 

Personally I just have a laptop next to my 2600 and use Playbin.exe to select the files and play them as needed. :P

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Is it done by simply connecting the power to the proper cartridge port pin? Did you simply use a DPDT (Double Pole Double Throw) switch and wired the power to center poles,  Cuttle Cart cartridge port on one side of the poles, and the Atari cartirdge port on the other poles?

 

Exactly. Thanks to Chad for help with that. I had to remove the cart port from the internal 2600 as well as another cart port from a donor 2600 (because I didn't know then that Best Electronics could sell me one). On the main cart port I bent the 5V pin up and added it to one side of my switch, and I wired the 5V pin on the other cart port to the other side of the switch.

 

Thank you for your helpful hints!

 

-Matt

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So what the heck.. did you sit there and make audio files for 1500+ bins and burn them to cd? If so, you I tip my hat to you as that's a bear of a task!  

 

Personally I just have a laptop next to my 2600 and use Playbin.exe to select the files and play them as needed. :P

 

I have a copy of the "Cuttle Cart Underground CD set" which is almost 600 bins. If I want more, or newer ones, I'll have to burn another disc. I can also hook up a laptop, but it's not necessary to play most games.

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Exactly.  Thanks to Chad for help with that.  I had to remove the cart port from the internal 2600 as well as another cart port from a donor 2600 (because I didn't know then that Best Electronics could sell me one).  On the main cart port I bent the 5V pin up and added it to one side of my switch, and I wired the 5V pin on the other cart port to the other side of the switch.

 

Thank you for your helpful hints!

 

-Matt

 

Thanks for clearly that it up, that knowledge may come in handy one day. :wink:

 

No problem, glad I could help. If you are stuck on something when modifying the Atari system, or whatever, send me a e-mail and I'll try to help. Of course you can always post here on the board as well :D

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Very interesting all around. :D To bad the Cuttle Cart is no longer made, and is hard to find. Otherwise I could make my Ultimate 15 VCS system really great by adding a Cuttle Cart/CD Player internally, simular to what you described.

 

Junie-

 

It just occured to me that you can still do this. All you have to do is wire up the internal extra cart port, and let the buyer use his or her own Cuttle Cart or Supercharger. The buyer would have to open the case and install their Cuttle Cart or Supercharger onto your extra cart port, plug in the audio cable and then close it up again.

 

OR . . .

 

As easy as Superchargers are to find, you could offer this product with a modified SC already installed and a set of CDs much like "Worship the Woodgrain". Your cost would be $25 per SC, $30 per CD player, plus a 2600 unit, extra cart port, your time and other parts. You could probably sell them for well under $200.

 

The Supercharger would have to be removed from its case in order to fit, I'd suppose.

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Junie-

 

It just occured to me that you can still do this.  All you have to do is wire up the internal extra cart port, and let the buyer use his or her own Cuttle Cart or Supercharger.  The buyer would have to open the case and install their Cuttle Cart or Supercharger onto your extra cart port, plug in the audio cable and then close it up again.

 

OR . . .

 

As easy as Superchargers are to find, you could offer this product with a modified SC already installed and a set of CDs much like "Worship the Woodgrain".  Your cost would be $25 per SC, $30 per CD player, plus a 2600 unit, extra cart port, your time and other parts.  You could probably sell them for well under $200.

 

The Supercharger would have to be removed from its case in order to fit, I'd suppose.

 

That is a really great idea Matt! :D I didn't even think of the SuperCharger, I guess that is because I don't have one of those.

 

Where can I find SuperChargers, at eBay and such, or do you know of a place that stocks them? The CD Player can be simply any audio CD player right? If so I can pick those up in any deparment store. Are the game CD's like "Worship the Woodgrain" and such still available?

 

Looks like I better get to looking for the modification instructions for the SC and learn more about it, as I don't know much because I don't have one.

 

Very interesting indeed. Please send me any links that can. :wink: If you want simply e-mail me at junies_c@hotpop.com to help keep this thread clear for messages about your system.

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The CD Player can be simply any audio CD player right? If so I can pick those up in any deparment store. Are the game CD's like "Worship the Woodgrain" and such still available?

 

From http://home.earthlink.net/~resqsoft/wtw.htm

 

LATEST NEWS:

March, 2002

Worship the Woodgrain "3rd Eye Edition" is SOLD OUT

Plans to do yet another run are pending depending upon demand.

 

Are there many games on it that aren't on CCU?

 

Also, regarding the CD Player thing. I have a Sony Discman that won't play CCU discs 1 and 6 -- it adds noise. I thought there was something wrong with the disks until I played them on my Playstation, just to listen and they sounded much better. Then I hooked up a splitter on the left channel of my switching box and loaded a game from disc 6 via my Sega Saturn. Worked fine.

 

I wonder if there's enough airspace in a Mega CD II to fit an Atari 2600 Jr board and a Cuttle Cart...

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"Also, regarding the CD Player thing. I have a Sony Discman that won't play CCU discs 1 and 6"

 

this is correct!! not All walkmans/discmans play cdr's i found that out while helping lee on his 2nd WTW set!!

 

and FYI Lee is NOT making anymore CCU's!! and we are sold out of them!!! :(

 

Take care,

 

Rick

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and FYI Lee is NOT making anymore CCU's!! and we are sold out of them!!!

 

Since staying below 100 tracks on a CD (as required by some players) means that not a lot of each CD is used, I was thinking of making a CCU Jr that uses 8cm discs. I was only intending for it to be for personal fun, but maybe I could do something for the community.

 

Thoughts?

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Here are some links to learn more about the supercharger:

Intro: http://www.atari-history.com/videogames/su...percharger.html

Basics: http://members.cox.net/rcolbert/schookup.htm

Heavier reading: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/1698/cy...rpunks/faq.html

 

From Bob Colbert's Web Page ( http://members.cox.net/rcolbert/ ):

http://members.cox.net/rcolbert/scmod.htm

 

This is one place where I thought you could get a Supercharger, but they are now sold out:

http://www.jackbergsales.com/toys/Starpath...orAtari2600.htm

 

You might try this lead, but it's over 2 years old now:

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/1698/cy...faq.html#sec2.3

 

This page seems to be selling at least one for $35:

http://coleco.tripod.com/atari.htm

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Since staying below 100 tracks on a CD (as required by some players) means that not a lot of each CD is used, I was thinking of making a CCU Jr that uses 8cm discs. I was only intending for it to be for personal fun, but maybe I

could do something for the community. Thoughts?

 

Good idea. If you do that, let me know. I'd help out. I'll donate and design my artwork for the CCU to fit inside the new packaging so the only thing you would have to do is add any new roms and such... and of course pay for printing :D

 

Regarding WTW. I am thinking of making a small run for CGE. I need to find some time right now, which is very hard to come by. I am inthe middle of a big home remodel (yes, a new game room/museum is in the works) and the start of climbing season has begun here in WA state. Somewhere between painting, sheet rocking, and climbing Mt Rainier, I will have to find the time to make more WTW.

 

BTW: The difference between the CCU and WTW, is that the CCU contains all the bankswitched games which are not supported by the SurperCharger. Unfortunately, no new Cuttle Carts are being made, so I made very few CCU's. Mainly for friends and a few extras to cover the manufacturing costs. If I do make another copy of WTW, it will contain a couple more surprises like unreleased protos and demos and such.

 

Take care,

-Lee

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I also have the Cuttle Cart .. but have no plans to build inside my console. It is already full of circuits: Lumina/ Chroma/ out. Stereo 2 channel audio out/ Battlezone tread control circuit in/ autofire built-in. One thing I am thinking of adding is a normally closed/ momentary open pushbutton to the left of the power switch. This will make it easy to turn off/on my console now that I am using the Cuttle almost exclusively. You may wish to do the same.

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

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and the start of climbing season has begun here in WA state

 

(takes this thread fully off topic...)Hey, cheers! NYC is so devoid of climbing, save some bouldering in Central Park, and of course the Gunks up North if I had time. Quite jealous! Where do you climb?(wait for it...)

 

And, isn't Crazy Climber a sweet game? :)

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Good idea. If you do that, let me know. I'd help out. I'll donate and design my artwork for the CCU to fit inside the new packaging so the only thing you would have to do is add any new roms and such.

 

Cool. Quick questions:

 

* Will any of the CCU stuff work on a modified supercharger, or are the audio tracks encoded with something CC-specific?

 

* Are there any ROMs you specifically didn't included because of copyright issues?

 

* Are the images used on the CD labels original artwork or scans of box covers? The image on the back of the manual/catalogue looks to be the only peice of original artwork...

 

* Is there anywhere I can download all the ROMs in one big archive? (RAR preferred). Or perhaps all the CDs as Nero projects? -- It'd take me a while to download, but it would make adding ROMs so much easier.

 

* I don't suppose you know which, if any, ROMs don't get encoded properly, automatically, by makewav..?

 

* Is there anywhere I can download a soft copy of the manual/catalogue?

 

* Is there any (legal) reason why you didn't include a data track with game manuals? (I'll probably run out of space, but that's my problem)

 

* Did you get anything done by an outside company, or did you burn CDs, print labels, print inserts, etc all yourself?

 

That's all I can think of for the moment. I'm now going to think about how I'm going to label the 8cm Discs, and how I'm going to package them.

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