Any good guides for BASIC beginners?

[anthonyplep]

This is probably the best way to set up a simple Atari system:

 

http://www.atarimax.com/sio2pc/documentation/

 

Once it's hooked up you select the disk image on the PC and turn on the Atari and it boots as if a drive was connected- and it's much cheaper than $85.

 

It has to be connected to a pc though?

So if I'm correct you connect it to the computer, and load a disc image like an emulator and it appears on my console, where I can play it? What formats does it support? I got a few 8-Bit ROMS a few weeks ago and they were in different formats.

[Bryan]

This is probably the best way to set up a simple Atari system:

 

http://www.atarimax.com/sio2pc/documentation/

 

Once it's hooked up you select the disk image on the PC and turn on the Atari and it boots as if a drive was connected- and it's much cheaper than $85.

 

It has to be connected to a pc though?

So if I'm correct you connect it to the computer, and load a disc image like an emulator and it appears on my console, where I can play it? What formats does it support? I got a few 8-Bit ROMS a few weeks ago and they were in different formats.

Yes, you connect the computer to the PC. The software allows loading of diskette image files (ATR, XFD) and executable Atari files (usually named *.XEX). There's a huge library of game images here:

 

http://www.atarimania.com/pgemainsoft.awp?type=G&system=8

 

You'll still be limited to games that will run in 16K, however.

[anthonyplep]

This is probably the best way to set up a simple Atari system:

 

http://www.atarimax.com/sio2pc/documentation/

 

Once it's hooked up you select the disk image on the PC and turn on the Atari and it boots as if a drive was connected- and it's much cheaper than $85.

 

It has to be connected to a pc though?

So if I'm correct you connect it to the computer, and load a disc image like an emulator and it appears on my console, where I can play it? What formats does it support? I got a few 8-Bit ROMS a few weeks ago and they were in different formats.

Yes, you connect the computer to the PC. The software allows loading of diskette image files (ATR, XFD) and executable Atari files (usually named *.XEX). There's a huge library of game images here:

 

http://www.atarimania.com/pgemainsoft.awp?type=G&system=8

 

You'll still be limited to games that will run in 16K, however.

 

 

I heard of a thing from this thread called the 320XL, if I buy that and get this, would that be a good investment?

The only problem is the desktop computer in my house is in my parents room, and going in there just to play Atari doesn't seem that great of an idea. I'd have to unscrew the cable from the back of the TV and plug in the Atari every time I'd want to use it. My mom has a laptop, but my brother and I only use it so I guess that would be the better way.

 

I assume the thing plugs in to the peripheral port on the XL then a plug that goes in the computer. Does the SIO2PC thing come with both cables if so? If not how much are they?

 

I probably will get this over a flash cart because it seems like it will load more games than what a cartridge would, right?

[Bryan]

There are two options with the SIO2PC: Serial and USB. With most laptops, the USB option is simpler. At the Atari end you'll need an SIO cable. This is the standard cable for connecting Atari peripherals (they chain one to the next). Steve at Atarimax may be able to sell you one or you can find them on ebay:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 130572319119

 

The 320XL is a good option. You could also probably find another machine for about the same price. This is what I recommend:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 140599381679

 

It's got Audio/Video ports on the back so you don't have to use the lower-quality Channel 2/3 RF connection. It's got 64K so it plays 99% of what's out there. Add an SIO2PC and you've got access to thousands of games.

[+bob1200xl]

There are many cartridge games for the 600XL - most are reasonably cheap, particularly if you buy up a box full from e-bay or some such. BASIC will really require a disk drive so you can save/load programs that you want to play with. You can boot DOS 2.0 from BASIC and still have 7698 bytes free for your programs. Without DOS, you have 13326 bytes, but you would have to type everything in every time you turned on the computer.

 

So, bottom line, you can run a reasonable selection of cheaper games and do some BASIC programming just the way you are. Be very nice to have a disk drive, though. Some games may even load from the disk if they are small enough. Lots of PD games, there.

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

 

This is probably the best way to set up a simple Atari system:

 

http://www.atarimax.com/sio2pc/documentation/

 

Once it's hooked up you select the disk image on the PC and turn on the Atari and it boots as if a drive was connected- and it's much cheaper than $85.

 

It has to be connected to a pc though?

So if I'm correct you connect it to the computer, and load a disc image like an emulator and it appears on my console, where I can play it? What formats does it support? I got a few 8-Bit ROMS a few weeks ago and they were in different formats.

Yes, you connect the computer to the PC. The software allows loading of diskette image files (ATR, XFD) and executable Atari files (usually named *.XEX). There's a huge library of game images here:

 

http://www.atarimania.com/pgemainsoft.awp?type=G&system=8

 

You'll still be limited to games that will run in 16K, however.

 

 

I heard of a thing from this thread called the 320XL, if I buy that and get this, would that be a good investment?

The only problem is the desktop computer in my house is in my parents room, and going in there just to play Atari doesn't seem that great of an idea. I'd have to unscrew the cable from the back of the TV and plug in the Atari every time I'd want to use it. My mom has a laptop, but my brother and I only use it so I guess that would be the better way.

 

I assume the thing plugs in to the peripheral port on the XL then a plug that goes in the computer. Does the SIO2PC thing come with both cables if so? If not how much are they?

 

I probably will get this over a flash cart because it seems like it will load more games than what a cartridge would, right?

[anthonyplep]

There are two options with the SIO2PC: Serial and USB. With most laptops, the USB option is simpler. At the Atari end you'll need an SIO cable. This is the standard cable for connecting Atari peripherals (they chain one to the next). Steve at Atarimax may be able to sell you one or you can find them on ebay:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 130572319119

 

The 320XL is a good option. You could also probably find another machine for about the same price. This is what I recommend:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 140599381679

 

It's got Audio/Video ports on the back so you don't have to use the lower-quality Channel 2/3 RF connection. It's got 64K so it plays 99% of what's out there. Add an SIO2PC and you've got access to thousands of games.

 

 

Thanks for the recommendation but I dont want to spend money on another system. I'm only 17 and getting money right now isn't easy as I don't have a job. I can really only rely on birthday money from relatives and christmas. The USB version sounds good enough to me and since getting a RAM upgrade will be beneficial to me I think im going to invest in the 320XL (if it didn't run out) and the USB SIO2PC one.

 

 

Thanks for all you're help. It's a relief there are forum sections dedicated for these kinds of things, that are still active up to today.

[Bryan]

No problem. Let us know when you get it running.

[anthonyplep]

No problem. Let us know when you get it running.

 

Will do, I really don't know when I will get all of the money to buy this but I won't bump this thread if it takes awhile, I'll PM you or something. thanks a bunch

[Hatta]

Good choices. You'll be able to do almost everything the Atari 8-bit has to offer with that setup. Much better than trying to wrangle a vingtage setup for RAM and floppies. I know some people also upgrade the OS, but I haven't found a reason to do that yet. Anyway, congratulations that will shape up to be a really nice rig.

[Bryan]

Here's a good batch of reading to get you going:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 220850141295

[russg]

[quote name=Sub(Function()' timestamp='1315501872' post='2367883]

 

Nope, don't think 8K carts will run on 600XL, they load at $A000-$BFFF and have a display list maybe $9xxx. 16K RAM only goes to $4000.

 

Huh?

 

The cart has it's own read only memory (eprom/rom) on board. And you usually program Dlists from the top of RAM (RAMTOP?).

 

The Stock Atari 400 only had 16K RAM, and that ran carts, no probs.

I realized the mistake I made and edited it out of my post, but apparently not quick enough. Right $A000-$BFFF 8K cart is a ROM and uses RAM in the less than $4000 area

for display, display list, whatever it needs.

[russg]

Thanks everyone but to be honest I am most likely going to buy a flash cart for the system, because the games aren't that cheap and I'm not made of money. I can just spend the high amount of money that it is than spend more or less for cartridge lots.

 

If I buy said cart, I won't need any upgrades will I?

 

I really only want to use basic to mess around with, nothing very serious but would still love to learn a lot about it.

Unless you buy a flash cart that is already loaded with games, you'd need a USB burner (what's it called?) for the cart, or a USB APE interface.

[anthonyplep]

Thanks everyone but to be honest I am most likely going to buy a flash cart for the system, because the games aren't that cheap and I'm not made of money. I can just spend the high amount of money that it is than spend more or less for cartridge lots.

 

If I buy said cart, I won't need any upgrades will I?

 

I really only want to use basic to mess around with, nothing very serious but would still love to learn a lot about it.

Unless you buy a flash cart that is already loaded with games, you'd need a USB burner (what's it called?) for the cart, or a USB APE interface.

 

 

my original idea was to buy one of these:

http://www.atarimax.com/flashcart/documentation/

 

the first one available to buy is the Maxflash USB Cartridge Programmer Kit

 

It seems like I'd run low on space if I used that but with the SIO2PC addon I wouldn't have to worry, It's just a shame it would always have to be connected to a computer

[Thorsten Günther]

[quote name=Sub(Function()' timestamp='1315466293' post='2367642]

if you know your way around a soldering iron you can fit a memory upgrade in side bay replacing the existing memory with larger capacity ones but this is not really beginner work

 

Well, if one knows which side of a soldering iron becomes hot, it is quite easy - only needs replacing the 2 RAM chips on board (which are usually socketed inside 600XLs anyway) with 4464 RAMs and adding three wires, see these instructions. BTW, it is unnecessaary to unsolder and socket the three other chips in question, even if they are not socketed - unsoldering or cutting (as close to the pcb as possible) the three pins mentioned and bending them up works as well and is much easier than unsoldering entire chips.

 

Thorsten

[emc]

If you're mainly interested in BASIC and have a disk drive issue, you can consider just using an emulator and leaving the 600xl in the closet until you get everything else you want/need.

 

Good luck!

[anthonyplep]

If you're mainly interested in BASIC and have a disk drive issue, you can consider just using an emulator and leaving the 600xl in the closet until you get everything else you want/need.

 

Good luck!

 

 

I don't have a drive issue, and I plan on getting games for it, which is why I'm going to buy an SIO2PC peripheral

[+therealbountybob]

Hi and welcome

 

I started BASIC programming using the 130XE's manual - it has some simple concepts and programs and was a good place to start. Also the Invitation to Programming series is good for beginners. Then go on to the magazines, most are archived on atarimania.com - start looking at the very early issues as they often have Beginners Guides/articles and kinda re-live the time

 

Have fun

 

p.s. forget the emulator and stick with the hardware - pay someone to do the RAM upgrade (at a later stage) but it's fine for learning on as it is.

[anthonyplep]

Hi and welcome

 

I started BASIC programming using the 130XE's manual - it has some simple concepts and programs and was a good place to start. Also the Invitation to Programming series is good for beginners. Then go on to the magazines, most are archived on atarimania.com - start looking at the very early issues as they often have Beginners Guides/articles and kinda re-live the time

 

Have fun

 

p.s. forget the emulator and stick with the hardware - pay someone to do the RAM upgrade (at a later stage) but it's fine for learning on as it is.

 

 

I downloaded 98 guides that I saw via torrent on here, I'll look into the ones recommended on here and see if they show up on the list.

 

While emulators are nice, you can't "emulate" the experience of playing on real hardware. I have an NES with over 75 games and it's my most prized retro collection. It's just so awesome to have access to this stuff if you didn't grow up with it. I also have a Virtual Boy but the games are too expensive, I have it as a novelty more than anything

[Hatta]

Agreed, programming a lot more cool on real hardware.

[emc]

I guess you guys missed the part where I said until you get everything else you need.