Cart ROM Images

[GadgetUK]

Hi,

Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere - I have read a fair bit on here about the atari 8bit but there's one thing I've not worked out yet. I have an Ultimate 1Mb from Lotharek, and an SIO2SD and that allows me to play everything except for rom images (eg. Commando). Do I need a SIDE2 cart, or is there anyway to use the RAM and SIO2SD to achieve playing rom cart images? I did wonder about flashing some of the 4 slots on the 1Mb ultimate but that feels like a painful way to achieve this?

[Gunstar]

There are file versions of all XEGS super cartridges. With 256K or more memory XL/XE all of these games, including Commando can be played via the.xex file. if you have 320K or more, there is even Commando+, which gives you a new title screen and title music.

[+DrVenkman]

To run cartridge rom images on real hardware, there are currently two actively-available solutions, both designed by AA user "electrotrains". The first is the "Ultimate Cart" and supports loading and running pretty much any sized cartridge rom or .XEX file you can throw at it. Runs about $100 - $115 or so. There's an ordering thread or the US-based builder has an eBay store as well. The second is a cost-reduced version called the UNO Cart that supports running up to 1 megabit (128K) roms (which include all vintage original commercial releases), .XEX files and limited .ATR support as well. I think the same seller is making both. At any rate, both designs are fully open-source if you want to build your own from scratch; code and design files are on GitHub.

 

In addition, AtariMax sells 1Mbit and 8Mbit flash carts as well, but I believe programming them is bit more complicated than the two above (which are drag-and-drop to a microSD card). I think it requires a separate USB programming widget, but perhaps someone who owns one can add more.

 

Lotharek is currently advertising on his site for a "SIDE 3" cartridge which will ostensibly do all the current SIDE 2 does, but also allow loading cartridge roms. Not yet available to purchase.

 

There have been any number of other mulit-cart type solutions. Over the past several years but I don't know if any of them are still available.

[flashjazzcat]

MYIDE II is also able to launch cartridge ROM images.

[GadgetUK]

Thanks for the help guys =D I will wait for the SIDE3 cart, but in the meantime I found downloads for hacked versions of all the cart games I couldnt boot - so they use the additional RAM and run from there! Thanks =D