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SDrive-MAX ATX support


Farb

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  • 2 months later...
On 3/7/2021 at 3:12 PM, Gregkrkpl said:

Hello.
I dug up my old XEGS Atari. I built the Sdrive-MAX. looks like it works. But I have a problem. does not load sdrive.atr and other files. I've tried everything. I checked the connections, even with a meter, I bought 2 arduino boards, I bought another card, I tried other files. I marked 1050 options in config etc.
interestingly, CAS files are loaded. it takes the same amount of time as with a real tape recorder. so I assume it works. power supply from atari and usb (not all at once). when I turn on the atari and "farts" I see that the TX diode is flashing quickly on the arduino board .
what am i doing wrong, how to fix it.
Regards Greg

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I know this is a very late reply to this post, but just in case it might be useful for others at some time - here is my experience.

I had this problem also, I was only able to load .cas files on the Sdrive max!   - After a lot of head scratching and trial and error it turned out to be a faulty PIA chip on my 800xl - once I changed that PIA chip to a new one purchased very cheaply on ebay - sdrive.atr started working (800xl now boots into Sdrive.atr menu when it would not before!) as well as all other .atr files now load fine. I have no idea why or how it still managed to load .cas files and not .atr files (I was initially using external power for the Sdrive max before figuring out that I actually had a bad PIA chip on my 800xl). Hope this helps someone!

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  • 2 months later...
On 5/19/2023 at 12:38 AM, JagChris said:

Found another one that doesn't like the screensaver mode.

 

Seven Cities of Gold.

Seven Cities of Gold! Mwah! Decades ago I loved that game. So strange to boot it up today and am authentically horrified at how really bad it is. I have this excited memory for when I discovered a highly advanced native civilization way down some river and manage to establish trade relations with them and I'm like "Oh yeah winning!" but now I can't get past the Europe docks interface because it's just so 1979 crude and awkward and fake looking and I know there will be no jazzed memory revisited today - that empty feeling like why was there never a remake on this thing?!

Edited by Ray Gillman
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On 8/8/2023 at 9:17 AM, Atari800xl-1985 said:

I know this is a very late reply to this post, but just in case it might be useful for others at some time - here is my experience.

I had this problem also, I was only able to load .cas files on the Sdrive max!   - After a lot of head scratching and trial and error it turned out to be a faulty PIA chip on my 800xl - once I changed that PIA chip to a new one purchased very cheaply on ebay - sdrive.atr started working (800xl now boots into Sdrive.atr menu when it would not before!) as well as all other .atr files now load fine. I have no idea why or how it still managed to load .cas files and not .atr files (I was initially using external power for the Sdrive max before figuring out that I actually had a bad PIA chip on my 800xl). Hope this helps someone!

My SDrive from Ebay is on the way - hope I don't have an issue - but wow so many people said it is so easy to build I had to resist dusting off my old soldering iron and ordering parts. The risk reduction of knowing I start with a working unit makes debugging issues like this easier is why I resisted trying to build something. Because I knew if I built one this post would be MY post 100% - I realized one of the things my advanced age gives me is crazy good patience (that and arthritis - humor). I got the SIO2PC working today 99% and easily resisted running into the other room to connect the PC to the 800XL because I enjoy triple checking everything and waiting another day before trying it out. Once upon a time the wish to go try it out immediately would have been an automatic. Now I was reviewing all the settings on Windows 11 on the Com3 or Com4 9600 or 19200. Getting files ready and mounting them on the AspecQT menu. 

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15 hours ago, Ray Gillman said:

Seven Cities of Gold! Mwah! Decades ago I loved that game. So strange to boot it up today and am authentically horrified at how really bad it is. I have this excited memory for when I discovered a highly advanced native civilization way down some river and manage to establish trade relations with them and I'm like "Oh yeah winning!" but now I can't get past the Europe docks interface because it's just so 1979 crude and awkward and fake looking and I know there will be no jazzed memory revisited today - that empty feeling like why was there never a remake on this thing?!

Hello Ray Gillman,

 

Floppy 95A start seven city of gold 95B is world map data you can restart rebuild for use. The game is pal i am from the Netherlands.

floppy 95A.ATR floppy 95B.ATR

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On 11/1/2023 at 1:31 PM, marcokitt2000 said:

Hello Ray Gillman,

 

Floppy 95A start seven city of gold 95B is world map data you can restart rebuild for use. The game is pal i am from the Netherlands.

floppy 95A.ATR 130.02 kB · 6 downloads floppy 95B.ATR 90.02 kB · 7 downloads

Will PAL games run on an NTSC machine (I'm in Texas) - if not I'll try it under Altirra - we will see.  Either way thank you for the update.

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15 hours ago, Ray Gillman said:

Will PAL games run on an NTSC machine (I'm in Texas) - if not I'll try it under Altirra - we will see.  Either way thank you for the update.

AFAIk that depends on screen usage and vertical blank timing.  Seven Cities should work as US titles usually didn’t get a separate PAL version. They might detect PAL/NTSC and adjust the speed but then they would run in NTSC mode on your machine anyway. I have never heard of a US title being released in a PAL only version. 

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On 11/10/2023 at 8:01 AM, slx said:

AFAIk that depends on screen usage and vertical blank timing.  Seven Cities should work as US titles usually didn’t get a separate PAL version. They might detect PAL/NTSC and adjust the speed but then they would run in NTSC mode on your machine anyway. I have never heard of a US title being released in a PAL only version. 

Yes some games run on pal and ntsc. thanks for the info.

 

Gr.

Marco

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  • 3 months later...

Hello,

 

I have a Sdrive Max with a SIO Mod v 1.0 outbreak board but it doesn't work anymore. The display works but the sio output not anymore. I mixed up 2 wires by mistake. Can it be fixed or is it possible to buy a new one? 20240310_215245.thumb.jpg.78cba9ddd3370ec11b756904476210e8.jpg

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16 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said:

probably is time for another run of the sio pcb, or make yourself, while smd is nice you can roll you own full size

I'm not good in making it myself. Is it possible to buy such a sio pcb board somewhere?

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11 hours ago, Jfcatari said:

I build sdrive Max's.  I use the uno2sio boards in them.  These are available. 

 

I have not seen this add on board before.

It's an UNO2SIO board made by Gavin at VCC. He's no longer trading.

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49 minutes ago, Jfcatari said:

Should be possible.   

Make sure the Uno R3 is still working before doing this with the screen added.

You will need to remove the old one and use the uno2sio from the gerbers above.

Ok. I can also buy a new Arduino Uno. But I only need a uno2sio bord then. If I use the one from Gerber is it possible to connect the 2 leads with leds to one of the 2 boards? And which one? It is not necassary with the connectors like Gavin did. If I have to solder it is also fine. I only have no clue how and where to do it. I only know I need 2 leds, wires and 2 resistors. Leds and wires I have. I can cut the connectors of. Only I have 2 red leds now. I prefer the Power led to be red and the activity led to be green or Orange.

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On 3/12/2024 at 12:29 PM, Mr Robot said:

It's an UNO2SIO board made by Gavin at VCC. He's no longer trading.

You have an idea how to come to the same result with your version 4 uno2sio board and a Power and activity led connected to arduino or uno2sio? It is ok to solder. No need for connectors like Gavin had.

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This explains how to build one.  I follow this for the unit I produce and sell on ebay:

 

https://atari8bit.net/tutorials/de-re-sdrive-max/#programming

 

Or here:

 

https://en.devzine.pl/2019/05/08/how-to-build-sdrive-max/

 

 

Here is my site on the Sdrive Max

https://sites.google.com/view/jfcretro/sdrive-max?authuser=0

Edited by Jfcatari
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53 minutes ago, Jfcatari said:

This explains how to build one.  I follow this for the unit I produce and sell on ebay:

 

https://atari8bit.net/tutorials/de-re-sdrive-max/#programming

 

Or here:

 

https://en.devzine.pl/2019/05/08/how-to-build-sdrive-max/

 

 

Here is my site on the Sdrive Max

https://sites.google.com/view/jfcretro/sdrive-max?authuser=0

Nice info. But for me it is interesting now how to add the Power and activity led to an arduino with uno2sio board that has the switch. I want to keep the switch inside but I want to mount the leds on the case. To bad Gavin seems to be the only one who had the modification with leds. 

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