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Supercharger compatibility list


tkarner

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I'm trying to put together a list of games that are compatiblie with

an unmodified Supercharger.

 

Step one: Only games that are 2k or 4k. Easy.

 

Step two: This is the hard part. I could just try to load all the 2k and

4k games and see which crash and which don't. Problem with that

is that would take much too long. And even if I had the time/patience

to do it that way it wouldn't be definitive. Many games load fine but

don't crash until later in the game. The only way to be 100% sure

would be to play every game to completion. Not practical.

 

So I thought I might be able to tell by looking at the code.

After doing some research I learned that games that use

memory address $FFF8, the bank switching address, crash

on the Supercharger. So I thought I might write a couple

of scripts that would disassemble all the game BIN files,

then search the source code for "$FFF8". Easy enough,

ten minutes to write the scripts and a few moments to

run them. But first I decided to try this theory on a couple

games that are known to crash on the Supercharger,

Pac Man and Demon Attack. I disassembled them and

searched for $FFF8 and the search came up negative.

No sign of $FFF8. Yet the games still crash. There must

be something else causing them to crash. Any ideas from

the programmers out there? Is there another address I

should be looking for? Is my approach too simplistic?

Was I naive to think a simple text search for an offending

memory address would yield the results I'm looking for?

 

Thomas

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The game could access that area without ever having an $FFF8 in ROM through indexing, indirect addressing, code executing in RAM, executing code there, etc. Games that WILL work may have all zeros in that area, but that's still no guarantee it will work.

 

I think you can actually prove that it's impossible to write a program to determine if the program accesses that location (automata theory). But you might be able to write a program that makes a good educated guess if you disassemble and research some games that do and do not work. It will take a lot more than a search for $FFF8 though.

 

-Paul

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It will take a lot more than a search for $FFF8 though.

Yes, and there are also $1FF8, $3ff8, $5FF8...

 

And even games that have $xFF8 code inside might work:

ldx #2

.loop:

lda $FFF8,x

...

dex

bne .loop

 

So, IMO it's nearly impossible to automatically generate a list.

 

Hacking those games who are known to crash shoud be possible (and has been done before) but doing the mod is the easiest way for sure.

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Thanks for all the insight. So a simple text search is out of

the question.

 

Off the Atari topic but it sounds like a job for FormalCheck.

That's a chip verification tool we developed while I worked

at Bell Labs. It checked the logic of VHDL and Verilog designs

with 100% state coverage. There was talk of applying it to software

verification but that never happened as far as I know. Sounds

like a good PhD thesis, any grad students out there looking

for a project?

 

Someone said it would be easier to just mod my Supercharger.

Maybe you're right but I was always better with a keyboard than

a soldering iron so that's why I went in that direction. I'm sure I'm

not alone. Lots of people are afraid to risk the most prized

item in their Atari collection. I wanted to make a CD for myself,

kind of like Worship the Woodgrain, but containing only games that

work on unmodified Superchargers. Now that I think about it, why

limit it to just myself? Would anyone else be interested in such

a CD? (Though I still don't have a guaranteed way of identifying

which games would work).

 

Thomas

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Actually, this is on my todo list - To check and modify all 2K and 4K games to work on the Supercharger (Like Thomas' Pal2NTSC hacks).

 

I think I got through testing up to the letter "B" before getting distracted by other things. (Yeh, the letter "B" - Damn you ADD!)

 

It's a bit tedious...

 

 

Chris...

 

Yep, here it is:

 

Legend

======

Crashes or otherwise does not function correctly

Starts up but not thoroughly tested

Tested thoroughly

Modified to work on Supercharger

 

 

3-D Tic-Tac-Toe (1978) (Atari)

Action Force - Action Man (Parker Bros)

Adventure (1978) (Atari)

Adventures of Tron (Mattel)

Air Raid (PAL)

Air Raiders (Mattel) (1982) [!]

Airlock (Data Age)

Air-Sea Battle (1977) (Atari)

Alien (20th Century Fox)

Alien (CCE)

Alien Invaders Plus

Aligator People (20th Century Fox) (Prototype)

Amidar (Parker Bros)

Apples and Dolls (CCE)

Armor Ambush (Mattel) (1982) [!]

Assault (Bomb)

Astroblast (1982) (Mattel) [!]

Astroblast (1982) (Mattel) [a]

Astrowar (Starsoft)

Atari Video Cube (Atari)

Atlantis (Activision) [a]

Atlantis (Activision)

Atlantis (CCE)

Atlantis (Imagic) [!]

Bachelor Party (Mystique)

Bachelorette Party (Playaround)

Backgammon (1978) (Atari)

Bank Heist (CCE)

Barnstorming (Activision) [!]

Barnstorming (CCE)

Basic Programming (1978) (Atari)

Basketball (1978) (Atari)

Beany Bopper (20th Century Fox)

Beany Bopper (CCE)

Beast Invaders (double shot hack)

Beat 'Em and Eat 'Em (Mystique) [!]

Bermuda Triangle (Data Age)

Berzerk (Atari)

Berzerk (CCE)

Better Space Invaders (1999) (Rob Kudla) [!]

Blackjack (1977) (Atari) [!]

Bobby is Going Home (CCE)(PAL)

Bogey Blaster (Telegames) [a]

Boom Bang (Cooper Black)

Bowling (1978) (Atari)

Boxing (Activision) [!]

Brain Games (Atari)

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Chris, maybe we can collaborate. I did the same testing one

rainy sunday and got a bit further than you. I think I got

through the P's. I can send you my list when I get home

tonight.

 

There also seems to be one more category of Supercharger

games. They load but the vertical hold is messed up. I only have

a modern TV without a manual vertical hold adjustment.

I wonder if these games would otherwise work if displayed

on an old TV and manually adjusted?

 

> Alien Invaders Plus

 

Well, no surprise there. That's an Odyssey2 game!

 

Thomas

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If you have a copy of "Worship the Woodgrain" (http://home.earthlink.net/~resqsoft/wtw.htm), it list all the games that are playable on an un-modified Supercharger. As you folks are finding out, it wasn't a trivial task. :)

 

It takes very little effort to modify a Supercharger. That would be the way to go IMHO.

 

-Lee

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I heard about the compatibility list on the Worship the Woodgrain CD.

But I read in an older thread that it isn't very accurate. I don't know

first hand but I read that it basically lists all games that load on an

unmodified Supercharger but they weren't tested beyond that. Many

games will load but crash further into the game, yet they'd be listed

as compatible. Gorf, for example, plays the first two levels fine

but crashes at the third level. So you see, there's really no way

of telling which games will work unless you play them.

 

I guess I'll just brush up on my soldering skills and modify my

Supercharger. It's just that I have the less common Arcadia

branded model. Don't really want to wreck that one. Maybe I can

find a Starpath model cheap somewhere for this project.

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  • 2 months later...

I have been using an unmodified supercharger with an mp3 player for a while now, I have gradually whittled down the list of compatible games, there might be 1 or 2 that may crash well into gameplay (if you find any let me know)

Currently the list is at 214, I have removed different named duplicates ie combat=tank plus

It would be easy to remove some of the lamer games to make a 2 disk set ala "Worship The Woodgrain Lite"

 

3-D Tic-Tac-Toe (1978) (Atari).mp3

Adventure (1978) (Atari).mp3

Adventures of Tron (1983) (Mattel).mp3

Air Raid (MenAvision).mp3

Air Raiders (1982) (Mattel) [!].mp3

Airlock (1982) (Data Age).mp3

Alien (1982) (20th Century Fox).mp3

Arcade Golf (1979) (Sears).mp3

Armor Ambush (1982) (Mattel) [!].mp3

Assault (Bomb).mp3

Astroblast (1982) (Mattel) [a1].mp3

Astrowar (Starsoft).mp3

Backgammon (1978) (Atari).mp3

Barnstorming (1982) (Activision) [!].mp3

Basketball (1978) (Atari).mp3

Bermuda Triangle (1982) (Data Age) [!].mp3

Berzerk (1982) (Atari).mp3

Bowling (1978) (Atari) [!].mp3

Boxing (1981) (Activision) [!].mp3

Brick Kick (RJPG).mp3

Cakewalk (CommaVid).mp3

Canyon Bomber (1978) (Atari).mp3

Carnival (1982) (Coleco).mp3

Challenge (Zellers).mp3

Challenge of NEXAR (1982) (Spectravideo).mp3

Championship Soccer (AKA Pele's Soccer).mp3

Chase the Chuckwagon (1983) (Spectravideo).mp3

Checkers (1980) (Activision).mp3

China Syndrome (1982) (Spectravideo).mp3

Circus Atari (1978) (Atari) (Paddles).mp3

Coconuts (1982) (Telesys).mp3

Col 'N (HomeVision).mp3

Combat (1977) (Atari) [!].mp3

Commando Raid (1982) (US Games).mp3

Communist Mutants From Space (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Communist Mutants From Space (Preview) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Computer Chess (1983) (Atari) (Prototype).mp3

Concentration (1978) (Atari).mp3

Condor Attack (CCE).mp3

Cosmic Commuter (1984) (Activision) [!].mp3

Cosmic Corridor (Zimag).mp3

Cosmic Swarm (1982) (CommaVid) [a1].mp3

Cruise Missile (1982) (Froggo).mp3

Cubicolor (Rob Fulop).mp3

Death Trap (1983) (Avalon Hill).mp3

Defender (1981) (Atari).mp3

Demons to Diamonds (1982).mp3

Dodge 'em (1980) (Atari).mp3

Dolphin (1983) (Activision) [!].mp3

Dragonfire (1982) (Imagic).mp3

Dragonstomper (1 of 3) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Dragonstomper (2 of 3) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Dragonstomper (3 of 3) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Dragonstomper (Preview) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Dragster (1980) (Activision) [!].mp3

Dukes of Hazzard V2 (Atari) (Prototype) [!].mp3

Earth Dies Screaming (1983) (20th Century Fox).mp3

Eggomania (1982) (US Games).mp3

Eli's Ladder (Simage).mp3

Encounter at L5 (1982) (Data Age).mp3

Enduro (1983) (Activision).mp3

Entombed (1982) (US Games) [!].mp3

Escape from the Mindmaster (1 of 4) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Escape from the Mindmaster (2 of 4) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Escape from the Mindmaster (3 of 4) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Escape from the Mindmaster (4 of 4) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Escape from the Mindmaster (Preview) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Fantastic Voyage (1982) (20th Century Fox) [!].mp3

Fast Eddie (1982) (20th Century Fox) [!].mp3

Fast Food (1982) (Telesys).mp3

Final Approach (1982) (Apollo).mp3

Fire Fighter (1982) (Imagic).mp3

Fireball (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Fireball (Preview) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Fishing Derby (1980) (Activision) [!].mp3

Flag Capture (1978) (Atari).mp3

Football (1978) (Atari).mp3

Frankenstein's Monster (1983) (Data Age).mp3

Freeway (1981) (Activision) [!].mp3

Frogger (1982) (Parker Bros).mp3

Frogger (Official version by Sega) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Frogs and Flies (1982) (Mattel) [!].mp3

Frostbite (1983) (Activision).mp3

Fun with Numbers (1977) (Atari).mp3

Gangster Alley (1982) (Spectravision).mp3

Gauntlet (1983) (Answer Software).mp3

Ghost Manor (1983) (Xonox).mp3

Glacier Patrol (Telegames).mp3

Glib (1983) (Selchow & Righter).mp3

Guardian (1982) (Apollo).mp3

Halloween (AKA Sexta Fiera 13) (Wizard Video) [!].mp3

Hangman (1978) (Atari).mp3

Home Run Baseball (1978).mp3

Human Cannonball (AKA Cannon Man) (1978) (Atari).mp3

I Want My Mommy (AKA Ursinho Esperto) (Zimag).mp3

Immies & Aggies (CCE).mp3

Indy 500 (1978) (Atari) [!].mp3

Inv (V21) (Hozer).mp3

IQ 180 (Homevision).mp3

Kaboom! (1981) (Activision) [!].mp3

Kamikaze Saucers.mp3

Karate (1982) (Froggo).mp3

Killer Satellites (1982) (Starpath) (Preview).mp3

Killer Satellites (1982) (Starpath).mp3

King Kong (1982) (Tigervision).mp3

Laser Blast (1981) (Activision) [!].mp3

Laser Gates (1983) (CCE).mp3

Lochjaw (1982) (Apollo).mp3

Lock 'N' Chase (1982) (Mattel) [!].mp3

Lost Luggage (1981) (Apollo) [a1].mp3

Malagai (1983) (Answer Software).mp3

Marine Wars (1983) (Konami) [!].mp3

Math Gran Prix (1982) (Atari).mp3

Maze (1978) (Sears).mp3

Mega Force (1982) (20th Century Fox).mp3

Missile Command (1981) (Atari) [!].mp3

Music Machine (1983) (Sparrow).mp3

Night Driver (1978) (Atari).mp3

Off Your Rocker (1983) (Amiga).mp3

Okie Dokie (Older) (PD).mp3

Othello (1978) [p1].mp3

Outlaw - GunSlinger (1978) (Atari).mp3

Oystron (V29).mp3

Party Mix (1 of 3) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Party Mix (2 of 3) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Party Mix (3 of 3) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Party Mix (Preview) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Pepsi Invaders (Atari) (Prototype).mp3

Phaser Patrol (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Picnic (1982) (US Games).mp3

Piece o' Cake (1982) (US Games).mp3

Pitfall! (1982) (Activision) [!].mp3

Planet Patrol (1982) (Spectravision).mp3

Plaque Attack (1983) (Activision) [!].mp3

Poker Plus (1978) (Sears).mp3

Polo (Atari) (Prototype) [!].mp3

Qb (XYPE) (2001).mp3

Quick Step! (1983) (Imagic).mp3

Rabbit Transit (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Rabbit Transit (Preview) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

RealSports Volleyball (1982) (Atari).mp3

Rescue Terra I (1982) (Venture Vision).mp3

Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes (1983) (20th Century Fox) [!].mp3

Save Our Ship (Technovision).mp3

SCSIcide 130-cge2k1 (Joe Grand).mp3

SCSIcide 132-Final (Joe Grand).mp3

Sea Hawk (1987) (Froggo).mp3

Shark Attack (1982) (Apollo).mp3

Skeet Shoot (1981) (Apollo).mp3

Skeleton (2002) (Eric Ball).mp3

Skeleton Plus (2003) (Eric Ball).mp3

Skiing (1980) (Activision) [!].mp3

Sky Diver (1978) (Atari).mp3

Sky Jinks (1982) (Activision) [!].mp3

Slot Machine (1979) (Atari).mp3

Sneek 'n Peek (1982) (CCE).mp3

Solar Storm (1983) (Imagic).mp3

Space Attack (1982) (Mattel).mp3

Space Canyon (Panda).mp3

Space Cavern (1981) (Apollo) [!].mp3

Space Invaders (1978) (Atari).mp3

Space Jockey (1982) (US Games) [!].mp3

Space Treat Deluxe (2003) (Fabrizio Zavagli).mp3

Space War (1978) (Atari).mp3

Spacechase (1981) (Apollo) [!].mp3

Spider Maze (K-Tel Vision).mp3

Squeeze Box (1982) (US Games) [!].mp3

Squoosh (Apollo) (Prototype).mp3

Sssnake (1982) (Data Age).mp3

Stampede (1981) (Activision) [!].mp3

Star Ship - Outer Space (1977).mp3

Starmaster (1982) (Activision).mp3

Steeplechase (1980) (Sears).mp3

Strawberry Shortcake - Musical Match-Ups (1983) (Parker Bros).mp3

Street Racer - Speedway II (1978) (Atari).mp3

Stunt Cycle (Atari) (Prototype).mp3

Sub Scan (1983) (Sega).mp3

Submarine Commander (1982) (Sears).mp3

Suicide Mission (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Suicide Mission (Preview) (1982) (Starpath).mp3

Super Breakout (1978) (Atari).mp3

Super Ferrari (Quelle).mp3

Surround (1978) (Atari).mp3

Survival Island (1 of 3) (1983) (Starpath).mp3

Survival Island (2 of 3) (1983) (Starpath).mp3

Survival Island (3 of 3) (1983) (Starpath).mp3

Sweat! - The Decathalon Game (1 of 2) (1982) (Starpath) (Prototype).mp3

Sweat! - The Decathalon Game (2 of 2) (1982) (Starpath) (Prototype).mp3

Sword of Saros (1983) (Starpath).mp3

Tanks But No Tanks (Zimag).mp3

Task Force (1987) (Froggo).mp3

Tennis (1981) (Activision) [!].mp3

This Planet Sucks (Greg Troutman).mp3

Threshold (1982) (Tigervision).mp3

Turmoil (1982) (20th Century Fox).mp3

UFO Patrol.mp3

Vault Assault (2001) (Brian Prescott).mp3

Video Checkers (1978) (Atari).mp3

Video Chess (1978) (Atari).mp3

Video Simon (Mark De Smet).mp3

Wabbit (1982) (Apollo).mp3

Wall Ball (1983) (Avalon Hill).mp3

Wall Defender (Bomb).mp3

Warlords (1981) (Atari).mp3

Warplock (1982) (Data Age).mp3

Warring Worms (2002) (Billy Eno).mp3

Wizard [o1].mp3

Wizard of Wor (1982) (CBS Electronics).mp3

Word Zapper (1982) (US Games) [!].mp3

Worm War I (1982) (20th Century Fox).mp3

Yahtzee (Hozer Video Games).mp3

Yar's Revenge (1981) (Atari).mp3

Zoo Fun (HomeVision).mp3

Z-Tack (Bomb).mp3

 

Dave

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Thanks Thomas, I guess if I had read your earlier post I would have

caught that one.

 

I remember reading a post, I think by you that you had hacked some

games(Choplifter) to work with unmodded supercharger, would I be

correct in assuming that these are PAL only?

 

Dave

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I remember reading a post, I think by you that you had hacked some games(Choplifter) to work with unmodded supercharger, would I be correct in assuming that these are PAL only?

Hm, I can't remember that.

 

But I am sure it's way easier to modify a SC than to find, modify and test all non working games. :)

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I have been using an unmodified supercharger with an mp3 player for a while now,  

Dave

 

I got a question. How do you convert Bin files to Mp3 files? And would I need special software to do it or just what comes with windows (if you used that?)

 

Any help would be appreciated.

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I got a question.  How do you convert Bin files to Mp3 files?  And would I need special software to do it or just what comes with windows (if you used that?)

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

I used Bob Colberts Makewav http://members.cox.net/rcolbert/index.htm

to convert them to wav, make sure you use the options -ts -h2

-ts = type-supercharger

-h2 = 2 second header, I found this helps for use on mp3 players

 

I then converted the wavs to mp3, I used Lame but I'm sure most any

encoder will work fine, use at least 192 kbps

my mp3 player, an old ravemp 2100 will handle 255 tracks

I understand some other players can not handle that many, I'm sure

some of the newer ones can handle more

 

Good Luck

Dave

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  • 1 year later...
I got a question. How do you convert Bin files to Mp3 files? And would I need special software to do it or just what comes with windows (if you used that?)

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

I used Bob Colberts Makewav http://members.cox.net/rcolbert/index.htm

to convert them to wav' date=' make sure you use the options -ts -h2

-ts = type-supercharger

-h2 = 2 second header, I found this helps for use on mp3 players

 

I then converted the wavs to mp3, I used Lame but I'm sure most any

encoder will work fine, use at least 192 kbps

my mp3 player, an old ravemp 2100 will handle 255 tracks

I understand some other players can not handle that many, I'm sure

some of the newer ones can handle more

 

Good Luck

Dave[/quote']

 

This thread was referenced in another SC thread, so I'm asking here...

 

Whenever I try to make Mp3's out of WAV's, the SC doesn't load them. I've used 192Kb sampling, and all that happens is that I usually get the first two tones of the load and then "rewind tape."

 

Suggestions?

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If your computer is nearby you can use this:http://members.cox.net/rcolbert/wplaybin.htm

 

Nope. Mac user. :D Besides, the computer and Atari's are all in different rooms (and indeed, on different floors, no less).

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I disassembled them and searched for $FFF8 and the search came up negative. No sign of $FFF8. Yet the games still crash. There must be something else causing them to crash.

 

You didn't look closely enough. Look at this section...

 

LFFB2: LSR          ;2

      LSR          ;2

      LSR          ;2

      AND    #$07  ;2

      TAX          ;2

      CPX    #$04  ;2

      BPL    LFFE8  ;2

      LDA    LFFF1,X;4

      STA    AUDF0  ;3

      LDA    LFFF5,X;4 <- this instruction

      STA    AUDF1  ;3

 

...and here is that table being read...

 

LFFF5:

      .byte $14; |   X X  | $FFF5

      .byte $18; |   XX   | $FFF6

      .byte $14; |   X X  | $FFF7

      .byte $18; |   XX   | $FFF8

 

So what happens is that X is allowed to be 3 (it's only caught if X=4 or higher...see that CPX instruction)...and then that register is used to index a table at $FFF5. $FFF5+3 = $FFF8...the program tries reading that address and the Supercharger bankswitches the game (crashing it).

 

An easy way to fix it is to edit the first 4 bytes of the B&W info and have the program read from there instead...

 

LFFB2: LSR          ;2

      LSR          ;2

      LSR          ;2

      AND    #$07  ;2

      TAX          ;2

      CPX    #$04  ;2

      BPL    LFFE8  ;2

      LDA    LFFF1,X;4

      STA    AUDF0  ;3

      LDA    LFF36,X;4 <- this instruction

      STA    AUDF1  ;3

 

...and change this...

 

       .byte $0E; |    XXX | $FF36

      .byte $0E; |    XXX | $FF37

      .byte $0E; |    XXX | $FF38

      .byte $0E; |    XXX | $FF39

 

...to this...

 

LFF36: .byte $14; |   X X  | $FF36

      .byte $18; |   XX   | $FF37

      .byte $14; |   X X  | $FF38

      .byte $18; |   XX   | $FF39

 

 

EDIT: question on Page 2 regarding BOING! answered...an animation table runs over the SC hotspots.

LFFF4:
   .byte $9C; |X  XXX  | $FFF4
   .byte $A6; |X X  XX | $FFF5
   .byte $B0; |X XX	| $FFF6
   .byte $BA; |X XXX X | $FFF7
   .byte $C5; |XX   X X| $FFF8
   .byte $D0; |XX X	| $FFF9
   .byte $DA; |XX XX X | $FFFA
   .byte $00; |		| $FFFB

Edited by Nukey Shay
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