_The Doctor__ Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 A compilation of all his works would be in order.... This fellow made all kinds of useful utilities..... from something to keep a bbs from timing out, editors, and on to os managers and switchers. Tons of anwers and insights. Just search Matthew J.W. Ratcliff, Mat-Rat, Mat Rat, Mat*Rat, and the variants. Probably a good Idea to get all we can backed up because the list of Greats is dwindling and the utilities they created are being lost forever. Many sorely needed useful utilities are lost because people didn't propagate them like they did the games. Mat not only answered people in magazine articles, but also answered people on BBS systems of time. Where he found the time is a mystery. Another very driven articulate and busy Atarian who left way before his time... so busy... so little time... and always putting others before himself. We all were blessed to have him around and while many may just be learning about him now can come to realize what he did. I for one feel sad about the loss all over again. CARRIER LOST 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratinthehat86 Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 So something crazy happened today. I have a friend that owns a retro game store in St Charles. He sent me a message today. Four years ago he bought some atari 800 stuff off craigslist. He just now finally decided to open up the tub and look inside. It was all my dad's old stuff. Books, games, programming guide with hand written programs in it. 800xl console touch pad, controllers, floppy discs and disc drives. I'm just dumbfounded. I'll try to go through it over the weekend and post some stuff. I'm not savvy to it at all so I'm not sure what's important but hopefully some of u can help me decide what is and isn't. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snicklin Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 Wow, that is amazing. Are you able to access everything that he has? Or is he selling it / giving it to you? I hope that you find some personalised things in there. I guess that the people here would be most interested to see if there's any unreleased programs or partially completed programs. I hope that you find things that are very personal to you. This is a touching real-life story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 How cool is that? Everything is important. Some things more than others, perhaps, but I can't imagine anyone around here throwing anything out. My $.02. Bob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted November 28, 2014 Share Posted November 28, 2014 That's just inconceivable!!!!! Wow! Congrats! You'll get plenty of help here. Allan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilmoo Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Everything is important. Some things more than others, perhaps, but I can't imagine anyone around here throwing anything out. Seconded. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratinthehat86 Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 I can't access anything yet. The guy is a friend of mine. Four years ago he won a decent amount of money at the casino, then the next day he got this lot of 800 stuff off of craigslist. He's only had this store open since this summer. He just now decided to look at the stuff, I guess he was going to put it in his store inventory. I've talked to him before about my dad so he recognized the name when he saw it on the program guide. My dad wrote his name on everything he owned. He was kind enough to give me everything. I've got his atari 1050 disc drive, the 800xl console, a ton of games. There's a had written program, written on graph paper in basic in the basic reference guide. It's titled "joystick move smile face". I'll post it here. There's a bunch of discs, I don't think any of them are original programs tho. I have the power supplies for the disc drives as well as the interface cables, I have an av cable from my Sega Master System that fits in the monitor out port on the console, but I don't however have the atari co61982 power adapter for the console so i can't power it up yet. It has a really weird looking plug on it. It looks like the plug for the av out on a model 1 Sega Genesis. Anyway I'll probably wind up getting one on ebay very soon unless I can find one locally so I can fire it up. I'll post that move smile face code up here, should I put it in this thread or is there a different area in the forum I should post it to? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 I can't access anything yet. The guy is a friend of mine. Four years ago he won a decent amount of money at the casino, then the next day he got this lot of 800 stuff off of craigslist. He's only had this store open since this summer. He just now decided to look at the stuff, I guess he was going to put it in his store inventory. I've talked to him before about my dad so he recognized the name when he saw it on the program guide. My dad wrote his name on everything he owned. He was kind enough to give me everything. I've got his atari 1050 disc drive, the 800xl console, a ton of games. There's a had written program, written on graph paper in basic in the basic reference guide. It's titled "joystick move smile face". I'll post it here. There's a bunch of discs, I don't think any of them are original programs tho. I have the power supplies for the disc drives as well as the interface cables, I have an av cable from my Sega Master System that fits in the monitor out port on the console, but I don't however have the atari co61982 power adapter for the console so i can't power it up yet. It has a really weird looking plug on it. It looks like the plug for the av out on a model 1 Sega Genesis. Anyway I'll probably wind up getting one on ebay very soon unless I can find one locally so I can fire it up. I'll post that move smile face code up here, should I put it in this thread or is there a different area in the forum I should post it to? It is not recommended to use the CO61892 version commonly known as the INGOT, it is known to fail with an over-voltage output and damage the computer. At the minimum test the voltage output before using. Also don't use a C64 power supply, it has the same plug but has 9VAC on 2 of the pins which will definitely damage the 800XL. You don't need an Atari made power supply for the 800XL, it just needs to be regulated +5V with minimum 1A(if stock) and a correctly wired DIN-7 plug. I would recommend 1.5A(possibly more depending on hardware upgrades) which is what Atari shipped with most XL/XE systems. The main power supply to avoid 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratinthehat86 Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 It is not recommended to use the CO61892 version commonly known as the INGOT, it is known to fail with an over-voltage output and damage the computer. At the minimum test the voltage output before using. Also don't use a C64 power supply, it has the same plug but has 9VAC on 2 of the pins which will definitely damage the 800XL. You don't need an Atari made power supply for the 800XL, it just needs to be regulated +5V with minimum 1A(if stock) and a correctly wired DIN-7 plug. I would recommend 1.5A(possibly more depending on hardware upgrades) which is what Atari shipped with most XL/XE systems. The main power supply to avoid Thanks for the info. Do u know of a website where I can get this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Thanks for the info. Do u know of a website where I can get this? OEM Atari power supplies are available on eBay, are higher priced and shipping costs are also quite high. Shipping cost may be more reasonable direct from B&C/myatari.com or Best Electronics instead of through eBay. Versions 1&2(the White/Black Brick), are highly recommended. They share the same Atari part# as the INGOT and the Box, but are not often available on eBay. As already mentioned, version #3(the INGOT) is NOT RECOMMENDED. eBay Auction -- Item Number: 140966936256 Version #4(the Box): eBay Auction -- Item Number: 140957761006 Version #6(the Logo): eBay Auction -- Item Number: 140954042315 Version #5(the Mini): eBay Auction -- Item Number: 140954042322 I don't know of any websites currently selling(though ABBUC used to) non-Atari power supplies complete with an XL/XE DIN-7 plug, though I have occasionally seen them for sale on eBay. These power supplies/plugs are readily available from eBay/online electronics suppliers and should also be available at electronics stores near you, it is easy to replace the output plug with a DIN-7 male. Dipmicro (Niagara Falls Ontario & New York) Switching DC Wall Power Adapter 5V / 1A Switching DC Wall Power Adapter 5V / 2A eBay.com 5V @ 2A, US plug: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 141480414238 5V/9V/12 @ 1A/2A, US/EU/UK plug: eBay Auction -- Item Number: 400796977883 7-pin DIN plug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratinthehat86 Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Thank you very much BillC for the info this is very helpful. The last thing I want to so is toast this thing. I'm considering getting a different 800xl for use just to keep the wear and tare of this one since it's very sentimental. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilsaluki Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Your dad was THE Atari King. Royalty for those of us that have been around since the first few days of the XL's introduction. I have many an Antic with his articles. He was always a great resource. Still is. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 ratinthehat86 - GRAB THE REINS, BROTHER! It's already great that you're here. I'll bet your dad would be proud. I encourage you to embrace the Atari computer and community that so-appreciates your dad's talent. You're amongst a friendly crowd, here! :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratinthehat86 Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 So The video signal is coming through so weak nothing will really show up. I barely get a flicker on the monitor out and through the rf out I barely get a couple bleeps and bloops and a few barely distinguishable blocks if I have a game cart in. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratinthehat86 Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Ok nevermind it was just the rf switch. If I bypass the rf switch and just go from RCA straight to coax the signal comes in fine black and white but for some reason the monitor out doesn't seem to work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+bob1200xl Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 If the RF works, the monitor out should work. Is this your dad's system? He may have modified it a little. What kind of cable are you using for the monitor out? They usually have four RCA plugs, only two of which will give you video. You won't hurt anything - just try them one at a time on the video jack of your monitor. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratinthehat86 Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Yeah this was my dad's system. The monitor out cable I have is from a sega master system it only has two cords coming out of it, is that not the right then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratinthehat86 Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 And I guess it doesn't help that I'm using a tv and not a monitor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 The Sega video cable may be connecting to the pin Atari used for the Luma/monchrome signal. Some electronics/stereo stores have DIN5M to 4xRCA cables, and 8-Bit Classics sells Atari video cables with the audio signal split to 2xRCA for connection to L/R stereo inputs. 8-Bit Classics cables: DIN5M to 5xRCA(Composite/Chroma/Luma/2xAudio) DIN5M to MiniDIN4(s-video) + 3xRCA(Composite/2xAudio) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defender II Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Wow! What a great thread. Son reunited with his Dad's legacy. Thanks for all of the comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoTonah Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Hey BillC, it's good to see another Atarian from the Okanagan on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillC Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Hey BillC, it's good to see another Atarian from the Okanagan on here! There's not many of us left, I know that Erazmus(not active since Sep2013) and OldSchoolRetroGamer are in Kelowna although I've never met either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Definitely do a direct connect to the tv's rf coax connector, the automatic switch boxes of nintendo and sega as well as the jaguar degrade the signal, manual switch box or slider box is the way to go! If you use the tv's rca connector make sure you use and Atari monitor cable... they are cheap as chips... this keeps you from having to get all technical and will get you up and running the fastest.. Later on you might putz about making special stuff but for right now I think just getting it running is the way to go. Make sure to have all disk drives on before you insert or remove a disk..... if you turn them on or off while a disk is in you risk killing the data on the disks. I hope you find your dad's work as interesting as we all did. You have a great start! We all will enjoy the journey with you... Just remember to post what you find interesting. An upload here or there will help us all as well. I am so very happy his stuff ended up back with a person who cares, and especially back with you! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratinthehat86 Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 I can't get anything to load from the 1050 disk drive. I'm not 100% sure I'm doing it right. Is there a guide someone can point me towards, atari dos for dummies or something like that. I had the console turned off, powered on the 1050, waited for the busy light to go away. Inserted the disk operating disk master II, powered on the console. Just did the same thing it always does, says ready. Is there a prompt or some other type of indication that it loaded correctly? Do I need to disable atari basic first? I've also tried loading several .bas files with no luck. Just says error 130. Which I think is a drive not found error. Thanks again everyone for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam242 Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 If it's not even trying to load DOS (no 'BOOT ERROR' message?) it may not be seeing the 1050 as Drive 1. If the drive ID is set as anything else, the computer won't boot from it. On the back of the 1050, there are two small slide switches, a black and white, one in front of the other. They both need to be slid to the left to set the drive as Drive 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.