400/800 CPS supersalt Technical manual

[+Allan]

I just uploaded the 400/800 CPS supersalt Technical manual if anybody needs it. It's the one in an 850 case.

 

http://www.atarimania.com/documents/CPS_Supersalt_Technical_Users_Manual.pdf

 

https://archive.org/details/CPSSupersaltTechnicalUsersManual

 

Allan

 

[DavidMil]

Thank you very much Allan.

 

David Milsop

Kingwood, Texas

[+MrFish]

Yes, many thanks Allan.

 

Minor correction: it's 400/800/XL.

[KLund1]

Hi,

  Sorry bring back an older thread, but I just received one of these CPS test units (in a 850 case) with carts.

In looking over the manual quickly, it looks like this unit just checks the joystick and SIO ports. But these can be easily checked with a joystick and a game loaded from disk.

It looks like the SALT cart does most of the tests without needing this unit attached. Is there other features with this unit I did not see?

[+tf_hh]

On 11/4/2019 at 8:17 PM, KLund1 said:

Sorry bring back an older thread, but I just received one of these CPS test units (in a 850 case) with carts.

In looking over the manual quickly, it looks like this unit just checks the joystick and SIO ports. But these can be easily checked with a joystick and a game loaded from disk.

It looks like the SALT cart does most of the tests without needing this unit attached. Is there other features with this unit I did not see?

 

The external fixture for the C.P.S. Super SALT test cart does a lot more:

 

- Measuring the power consumption in Ampére of an Atari 400, 800 oder 1200XL

- Checking correct voltages of SIO and joystick ports

- Checking correct baudrates using SIO

- Checking analogue pot inputs (joystick ports)

- more I forgot now

 

The SIO interface is completely tested (motor on signal, interrupt line, clock signals). Of course you can just plug a diskdrive to it, but you didn´t know then, if the other signals are okay.

 

IMHO the external fixture is not mandatory, if you just repair or check 1 or 2 systems per month. But if you have a lot repairs, then it´s really a good help. Specially when you set the tests to endless loop and let it run overnight. For example, I have had defect PIAs or POKEYs which made errors only after 3 hours of intensive use. And then it´s a great help, because the SALT error list shows which signal is affected.  Or spurious ROM access failures and other stuff.

 

 

[KLund1]

Understood.

 Many thanks. I see you very valid point about using this unit.

Is this unit helpful for 600XL, 800XL, XE systems? obviously hot for PBI testing.

[+tf_hh]

On 11/7/2019 at 12:23 AM, KLund1 said:

Understood.

 Many thanks. I see you very valid point about using this unit.

Is this unit helpful for 600XL, 800XL, XE systems? obviously hot for PBI testing.

 

The CPS SuperSALT supports all Atari 8-Bit computers, but only "base features" are detected/shown.  It detects an Atari 400/800 or XL system, but not exact which model, of course. The RAM test will check always only the lower 32 KB, because it can´t switch off itself (standard 16 KB ROM in $8000-$BFFF) and memory "under the OS" (XL, XE systems) won´t bei recognized, also the 130 XE memory expansion is ignored. But all other features will be tested. PBI? No. But except contact issues... when the system is fine, the PBI too.

 

[Kwilk6]

Thanks for the upload!  Still useful today!

[+kheller2]

Wow. This document is from Feb 1984.  I would have thought they would be working on the XL diagnostic board by then.  Only a few months away from abandon ship and Atari, Inc sinking.  

[+MrFish]

11 minutes ago, kheller2 said:

I would have thought they would be working on the XL diagnostic board by then.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread already, this is not just 400/800 as the thread suggests. It works with all XL machines. The manual states it and the cart says 400/800/XL when you boot it up.