For questions about different versions of, and products for, Atari consoles and home computers.
4
votes
1answer
312 views
Fastest way to write 0x00 to a zero-page memory location? (6502, Atari 2600)
I have a kernel in my 6502 game that writes two dots to a sprite, so for example:
........
........
.XX..XX.
.XX..XX.
........
........
Either 0, 1, or 2 dots can be on at a time. This is done one ...
7
votes
2answers
461 views
Were external floppy drives for Atari ST and Amiga inter-compatible?
Were external floppy drives for Atari ST and Amiga inter-compatible?
For example, Commodore 1541* had its own serial bus protocol. But what about the external 3.5" DD floppy disk drive on 23pins D-...
5
votes
2answers
688 views
What changes made some Atari ST software incompatible with the Atari TT?
The Atari TT was based on the earlier ST line of computers but with a 32 MHz 68030 instead of an 8 or 16 MHz 68000. There were a number of extensions made (e.g. new video modes) and the memory ...
6
votes
3answers
538 views
How to rip sounds from Atari 2600 ROMs and save it in a modern format?
I want to create HTML5 versions of some classic Atari 2600 games and I wonder if there is any possibility to rip all sound effects from a game (ROM file).
Until now, I used Stella + Audacity, but is ...
1
vote
1answer
318 views
Amiga versus Atari ST computer introductions [closed]
I'm interested in the time, place and manner in which some historically important computers were introduced to the world. For example, the Macintosh was presented in January 1984 by Steve Jobs, first ...
12
votes
1answer
363 views
Where are the blueprints of MOS chips?
Atari historians have been able to find documents and tapes of chips and hardware developed at Atari. E.g. http://atariage.com/forums/topic/154479-new-gtia-chips/ .
Nothing like this is happening ...
16
votes
6answers
819 views
What monitor did Atari recommend for its 8 bit product line?
I am curious what Atari recommended to users as an appropriate monitor for their 8 bit computers (400/800/800xl/etc).
For example, my Commodore 64 pairs nicely with a Commodore manufactured 1702 or ...
7
votes
3answers
632 views
Atari 800XL, black screen on power on - how to diagnose the problem?
I've got an atari 800 XL that is broken - when I power on, there's no reaction. It seems there is at least something sent to display, as TV detects a signal, and turns full black.
The chips are ...
19
votes
2answers
1k views
Why did the Atari 800 designers choose such a radical system design?
The physical system design of the Atari 800 was pretty radical, when compared to the 3 other canonical home computer designs of the late-1970s: TRS-80 Model 1, PET, and Apple ][.
As the photo of the ...
11
votes
2answers
210 views
Order of powering down Atari ST and hard drive?
I am wondering if the order is important, which do I turn off first? The Atari ST computer or the external hard drive attached to it? It is on an SCSI adapter.
28
votes
2answers
1k views
How did “Ballblazer” pull off fast, smooth, first-person, solid-model 3D on Atari 8-bits?
I remember the first time I saw Ballblazer, the 1984 game, running on a friend's Atari 800. The split-screen 3d graphics and fast action blew my socks off.
Looking back, I get the impression there ...
10
votes
1answer
187 views
Remote Debugging on the Atari ST
Were there ever any remote debugging tools for the Atari ST line of machines? When developing games in full screen modes, switching away to a debugger seems quite cumbersome if you need to remember ...
11
votes
1answer
392 views
What API did the POKEY module provide?
The POKEY module was used in many, many Atari arcade games, including most that contained the Atari Math Box. It could be used to sample potentiometers, scan matrices of switches and, more famously, ...
20
votes
3answers
891 views
Why did the Atari 8-bit computers make beeping noises while accessing the disk and cassette drives?
If you've ever used an actual Atari 8-bit computer with either a cassette or disk drive, you would have noticed that it made a variety of "beeping" noises while accessing the devices. Specifically, ...
13
votes
1answer
168 views
Can Extra Joystick Ports be Added to the Atari XL/XE Series of Computers?
The original Atari 400 and Atari 800 machines each had four joystick ports, which was frankly ahead of their time and made for some amazing experiences. M.U.L.E. with four players was an absolute ...
11
votes
2answers
393 views
Troubleshooting and reparing an Atari 800XL with a single key not working
I recently purchased an old Atari 800XL off eBay. The machine was untested/as-is and not guaranteed to work, but it was cosmetically in mint condition with original box, manuals, and even the ...
8
votes
2answers
495 views
Atari Centipede Video and the GBS-8200 didn't seem to work - looking for ideas
So I ordered the GBS-8200 (It's a v4.0) and tried to use it to convert the 15KHz RGBHV monitor output to VGA. I did a direct connect to P11 with Red, Green, Blue and Hsync and Vsync and Video return ...
5
votes
2answers
390 views
Is it possible to use the RGB inputs on a Sony PVM with an Atari STE?
As the title states, can the RGB lines on the monitor port of the Atari ST be used with the RGB inputs on a Sony PVM CRT monitor?
10
votes
1answer
533 views
How to identify size of a 30 pin SIMM (Atari 1040 STe)
I have recently acquired an Atari 1040 STe with 1MB of RAM.
I read that you can extend its RAM with 30 pin SIMM up to 4MB. But it can be done only with 256KB or 1MB SIMM, and that 2MB, 4MB, 8MB and ...
9
votes
3answers
368 views
How can I copy software which is too large for one Atari ST floppy disk?
I have downloaded the STOS game creator from the STOS download page. I'm trying to copy the software from my computer to a floppy disk formatted on an Atari ST, but I get an error message saying the ...
8
votes
2answers
435 views
Cleaning Atari ST mouse and experiences with the USB/PS2 adapter
I am user a Atari ST computer and my original mouse has a very slow movements and little range for each movement, for this reason it is needed to move multiple times the mouse, I have tried to clean ...
13
votes
5answers
864 views
Tool used to develop videogames with an Atari ST
I am a owner of Atari ST, and I would like to know software and tools used for the programmers for this computer to program mainly video games.
For example:
IDE used
Language (I think it was Basic, ...
4
votes
1answer
825 views
Atari 2600 shows no signs of life when power is applied?
I have an Atari 2600 that does not appear turn on at all. I bought it from some guy in a garage sale. I believe he said it stopped working after a storm. I bought a new power supply in case the ...
19
votes
1answer
893 views
Can I hook up an Atari 8-bit computer to a flat-screen tv
I'm interested in getting an Atari 8-bit (like I had 30 years ago), but have only LCD TVs (and computer monitors).
Can I hook this Atari to a flat screen TV, or do I need an analog CRT?
13
votes
1answer
494 views
What did POKE 842,13 on Atari do? (Jamming the Return key)
In quite a few programs on Atari, I found the self-programming trick:
10 GRAPHICS 0 : REM clear the screen, enter standard text mode
20 POSITION 2,4 : REM place cursor 4 lines from ...
19
votes
1answer
411 views
What did the cassette bootloader in 8 Bit Ataris do?
...or for that matter, what didn't it do, so that you'd use the "bootloader/main program" separation instead of loading everything at once.
Normally, when loading games or any non-BASIC software from ...
15
votes
3answers
449 views
Atari 800XL showing a red screen
My friend has a Atari 800XL in mint condition. When the device was turned on, the only thing that appeared was a dark red screen. Another friend of mine figured that the memory chips were to blame, ...
13
votes
1answer
362 views
How can I interface with an old Atari from a modern computer?
I have an old 8bit Atari at my dad's house which would be fun to play with.
It has a keyboard, computer and screen, turn it on, and program BASIC.
But I'll possibly want to load the code from a ...
9
votes
1answer
248 views
Differences in disk storage between systems
Coming from the TRS-80/TandyColor Computer lines, I had always heard of how slow some other systems disk storage were, regarding data transfer rates, etc... The CoCo lines disk storage was pretty fast ...
11
votes
1answer
232 views
What was the difference between CLOAD and LOAD “C:”?
8-bit Atari Basic had three different formats of storing programs on tape.
CLOAD/CSAVE
LOAD "C:"/SAVE "C:"
ENTER "C:"/LIST "C:"
I understand the specifics of the last one - it behaved as if the ...
10
votes
1answer
351 views
How does one convert Atari assembly to A=USR(ADR(“[garble]”)) style BASIC wrapper?
Some small utilities, tools etc for Atari were distributed as BASIC programs that would consist of just one line, that looked something like this:
10 A=USR(ADR("p$PHHLéúÿÿÇEéúÿÿ@éüÿÿ2A$éòùÿÿE°U´è§...
13
votes
3answers
850 views
How did Atari cassette “turbo without hardware mods” work?
There were some cassette copying programs for 8-bit Atari, that boasted saving the games in a way that would load it at up to 1800baud - versus the standard 600baud, which was a significant ...
18
votes
1answer
570 views
How does the 4MB mod for 8-bit Atari work?
On the local auction portal I have spotted ads for some "supercharged" 8-bit Ataris (800XL, 65XE etc) - modified to support 4 megabytes of RAM.
The auctions were scarce in details, more concentrating ...
10
votes
1answer
333 views
How to convert Atari (65XE) tapes to ATR?
I still have some tapes for my Atari 65XE and I'd like to play some of the old games I got. But I don't have the Atari anymore.
I have a tape recorder of quality surpassing the Atari one by quite a ...
