Atari Flashback X Custom Firmware for USB roms and boxart

[sweetf2a]

Had a look at it Ron, i like what you’ve done with the game info but I prefer my set up, the “light fiver” theme Draxxon did is superb.

Surprised you haven’t included Donkey Kong VCS and Scramble in your rom folder, they’re superb imho.

[Ronner51]

Oh yeah i will have a look at these games, i am not really into the vcs homebrew scene. Shame on me.

But for this reason i wanted to make the game.ini easy as possible, so everyone can add or remove games fast and easy.

 

I love the work draxxon did with the romset. The descriptions and covers are great, and for this count of games. This must be work for weeks!

But for me it was to much. I use the atari when i have 30min of time to play a round, i dont want to wait a minute till all the games load up.

 

I dont say that my romset is better than draxxon, i only want to show what i have done for myself. I hope you are cool with that draxxon?

[Draxxon]

I am completely fine with everything everyone is doing. I too built my pack out of work that was already done here before I came. I am no different.

It was weeks and weeks and weeks of work. I focused mainly on box art only. I fully understand that 1100 games is overkill. The whole idea was for you guys to edit your own lists, as you saw fit.

I only supplied a giant base, that still needed a lot of work. I'm glad you guys enjoy it. Keep up the good work, fellas. Happy New Year.

[sweetf2a]

Cheers Draxxon, been doing exactly that - backed up your ini and then edited it to leave in the ones I wanted and can then paste back in any others as I go along.

[sweetf2a]

For what it's worth, here's my current set up - just the theme that Draxxon uploaded that i like and a modified .ini file.

 

Just added back in a couple of Starpath games mentioned in a thread on tha AtariAge facebook page which I tried and enjoyed.

 

All credit due to Draxxon and others for their hard work.

 

There's a back up of Draxxon's ini file, just a matter of pasting them back in to mine if you wish to add any others.

 

You'd also need Draxxon's ATARIV1.1.RAR and ATARIVX.1.RAR from elsewhere in this thread too.

Copy my .ini into the rom folder and you'll have a reduced set which shows artwork and info but it will be quicker to navigate through and the menu will appear faster.

 

sweetf2a.zip

Edited January 2, 2021 by sweetf2a

[Draxxon]

On 3/14/2020 at 11:47 AM, Draxxon said:

Has anyone else noticed that the box art looks jacked up on the Atari FBX? It's really noticeable on diagonal lines on the large box art, M Network games really look bad. I don't remember it looking like this on the AFB9, but I gifted my FB9 to my buddy when I got the FBX going so I don't have it to check anymore. After working so long on the boxart for the FB9, I can't believe I wouldn't have noticed this.

I'm continuing to add Homebrew games to the pack. A lot of them don't have box art so I am creating them as I go. I'm at about ~930 games. I'll post the update when I reach ~1000.

So I finally got un-lazy and figured this out. Out of the box the box artwork is the wrong size. So when i ripped the stock images and made new ones the same size, everything is wrong. you can really tell on the M-Network games like tron with diagonal lines on the box art. It was NOT like this on the Flashback 9/9Gold. Well I tried resizing the box art to the size that the Legends Flashback 2018/19 uses, and low and behold, the images display correctly.

Large Box Art images SHOULD be: 183 x 255 pixels
Small Box Art images SHOULD be: 122 x 170 pixels

I'm working on a 2.0 Pack now with correct box art size. I'm going to try and test, find and remove the non working games. I'll see if i can get the Boot Up time down as well.


To show what I mean, the first image is stock, fresh out of the box. The second image is an M-Network game with the new (legends flashback) box art sizes.


 

Edited January 5, 2021 by Draxxon

[Draxxon]

So, yeah, I noticed this long ago but didn't make a huge deal out of it because I like Atari and AtGames. 
Maybe it's because I spend so much time looking at the box art on the AFB9 and X that I even noticed it at all.

On the AFB9 the box art thumbnails display correctly, but on the X they don't. Everything is screwed up looking because AtGames is using the 

same thumbnail sizes from the AFB9 on the AFBX, but the X actually is looking for the box art sizes that the Legends FB 2018/19 uses.

As a test I tried an M-Network game cover with the Legends FB box art image sizes because that's the only other size I would even think to try out of the blue to test.
I got lucky that it was correct, I don't know what the system really is doing to the images or looking for, but the results are 100% correctly displayed box art images.

I feel like this is something the 9 had over the X, and I also wonder if the late model (rest button on the bottom) AFBX fixed this issue.

I think that this pack is worth sharing and calling a version 2, and it makes all the old art obsolete/incorrect. Even the stock games box art.

Basically anything that came before this is better suited to run on the AFB9 than on the AFBX.

Here is the new pack. I shaved about 5 seconds off of the boot time too. (~25 sec. now)
Fixed quite a few other errors and such, I won't bore you any more though. Happy New Year.

 

(NOTE: THIS IS FOR THE ATARI FLASHBACK X and X DELUXE. THE BOX ART IMAGES & THEMES WILL NOT DISPLAY CORRECTLY ON THE 9 and 9 GOLD.)

A.T.A.R.I. v2.0.21

ATARIv2.rar

 

From here, its testing and removing broken roms or replacing them with working versions, and finding errors in file names that prevent games from launching.

Then its on to finally sorting the all-games.ini file entries and entering the game info text.
A shit ton of boring ass work, I'm not promising anything.

Edited January 5, 2021 by Draxxon

[Brad_from_the_80s]

Glad everybody is enjoying the mod, I know I've been away a while.  I'm not caught up on what the scoop is on AtGames releasing any more of these, but if there has been a newer firmware for FBX I can maybe take a look at that soon if an updated mod is needed/possible. 

 

I was foolish enough to back the Atari VCS, which has surprisingly just arrived, so I have that to mess with now too -- seems like it should run Stella 6 really well, whereas with the FB units it was always pretty iffy and so far has never worked.

[Draxxon]

well, over one year (and 2 consoles) later, the art pack is finished. I'm about 3/4 of the way through testing and fixing/removing broken file paths/roms.
I don't have the new VCS, but if you need any help with images for it just ask.

As far as new official firmware, there is none on AtGames firmware portal website. There was a late model, 2019, reset button accessible from the outside on the bottom of the unit quietly released (at menards). It comes out of the box with firmware version "V.0.1.7". I have no idea what is different as far as firmware changes. But, I can tell you the Box Art is jacked on the AFBX and they SHOULD fix it with a firmware update. (the thumbnail sizes changed from AFB to LFB on the "sdcard.png" and "sdcard_blue.png" in the emulator folder. That was my clue what to try to fix it.)

So, the swapping of the emulator on the AFB is a bust? Also just wondering... how much free space in on the NAND. Happy New year, bud. Thanks for everything.

Edited January 9, 2021 by Draxxon

[Draxxon]

I have finished testing all 1100+ games. All the roms and box art are now linked correctly.

That being said, I noticed that you get a black screen on game launch and you have to power off the system to exit if you've browsed a large number of games.
For the few times I heard that there were "quite a few errors", there weren't that many. A couple were file name mismatch errors and a couple missing large box art images.

There weren't even all that many broken games. There were a few, as I suspected, but I wonder if people were instead encountering the black screen loading error.

 

I removed multi cart games, clone games (but there are a few left), utility cartridges and tech demos.

The "Atari Games" section and "Paddle Games" section have also been finally sorted out. There were also a handful of new homebrew titles added.

980 games remain. ~25 Sec. (Approx.) boot up time. And its super stable. No more games that fail to launch.

 

I tried to streamline and finish everything as much as possible for this pack.

I tweaked the "Sans Boom" theme. That's what comes set up with this download. All the box art looks fantastic now. You won't be able to go back and un-see the stock error.
All that is left is sorting the all-games.ini file entries and adding all the game descriptions and info text. (And hopefully remove the rest of the clone games.)
That's gonna take another year, I bet.

 

NOTE: THIS IS FOR THE ATARI FLASHBACK X AND X DELUXE ONLY!

A.T.A.R.I. v2.1

ATARIv2.1.rar

 

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by Draxxon

[Draxxon]

So how do we get "flashback x" and "firmware" tags on this topic?

Shouldn't this topic be "pinned" at this point? Just wondering.

[Monteh]

I am wanting to patch my FBX that I got for Christmas. It has this listed for the firmware.

 

Firmware version:  AR3060_v0.1.9

 

Is this newer than what I would be updating to using the firmware update from atgames site.

 

I tried setting up a usb drive using the instructions from the atgames website. But it dosen't see the usb drive on boot up. The games I have on there are *.bin files.

 

Would you think I still have to change it to v0.1.8 to be recognized.

 

Would it work with the files from here ?

 

Sorry for all the questions. Just want to seek info on where to start.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by Monteh

[Draxxon]

you have AR3060_V.0.1.9?

 

website has V.0.1.18

AFZ - Registration && Download (atgames.net)

 

 

or do you have the deluxe model? Also is your cpu reset button accessible from the bottom and outside of the system?

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by Draxxon

[Monteh]

It dosen't have a hole anywhere unless it is really small under sticker.

 

It dosen't see the usb drive with a *.bin file. I will see if I can find .a26 file for there.

 

I am getting power through the OTG cable but no usb recognition.

 

Here are the two Burgertime images.

[Draxxon]

sorry i looked closer and edited my post.

I'm guessing you have the standard unit and you want to update from the website with the AR3060_V.0.1.18 

that will give you OTG and "game" folder support.

come back here to page one of this topic and update with the same version custom firmware if you want to add games with box art and/or change the main menu elements.

[Monteh]

So I do their firmware update and then do  yours, correct ?

 

Having trouble with update. I have tried two computers a windows 7 and a windows 10 with no luck in seeing the device. Might have track down a different cable.

 

I will be back to get your files. I got my atari 2600 on December 21st, 1981. We got married on the 19th. I talked my wile into letting me trade two crock pots and a toaster oven for it. I told her she got all this kitchen stuff and I didn't get anything. She fell for it. ?

 

 

[Draxxon]

as far as i know "theirs" and "ours" is virtually the same thing. but, that is how I did my system. official, then custom via flash drive/otg. But i bet you could just replace the initial AtGames update with the custom one.

newest driver is here:
 

Rockusb_Driver_v4.7.zip

 

 

 

P.S. youre gonna miss that toaster oven.

Edited January 10, 2021 by Draxxon

[Draxxon]

Just to reiterate, here is what the fixed art looks like.

It blows my mind that everyone can notice a 1/8 second of lag but didn't notice the art was wrong.

 

[+MrZarniwoop]

I just want to say thank you to @Draxxon for work on the Flashback X and Flashback X Deluxe custom firmware. I too sometimes get driven nuts by fit and finish not being perfect, and that combined with the curation of the game list is wonderful.

 

I think this little box with this custom firmware is the best "new" 2600 retro experience, beating RetroPie/RetroArch (although it can be configured pretty close), Retron 77, and the new 2020 Atari VCS, and dare I say a real 2600 with a Harmony cartridge and video mods. I say that because of the unbeatable combination of a mini "woody" 2600 with real switches, recreations of the original joysticks, and ability to rewind play, HDMI connection, and then this custom firmware to select games from an amazing collection. The only thing missing is the ability to use physical cartridges for that physical media experience, like the Retron 77 does or the Flashback 2 could be modified to support, but 99% of the game ROMs are easily available.

 

Fingers crossed that the AtariAge Store someday finds a way to sell Atari console ROM image files in an ecommerce fashion to help complete the collections!

[Draxxon]

With real 2600s getting more and more expensive and harder to find, and harder to hook up to a TV in your current living room, this is a cheap and modern alternative.

personally I loved Astroblast, Warlords and especially Kaboom! with paddles on the original Atari, so for me, its hard to beat the original system. I can live without the newer version of stella and the newer homebrew titles, but the flashback really is lacking in the paddle games support department. So for "gamers", original hardware will always be king.

Having said all that, I really did try to help make the AFBX experience just a little something like the NES Classic and PSX Classic for the "modders".  I feel this little box is as cool as those.
And maybe for the Atari "collectors" as well. Like the AFB2, Hopefully the 9 and X are flashbacks that the die hard collectors may not pass on anymore.

Edited January 11, 2021 by Draxxon

[+MrZarniwoop]

I'm ok with paddle games on the AFBX, although the controller swapping experience is less simple than with a real Atari 2600/7800 console and somehow the same paddle controller isn't quite as smooth travelling across the screen. It almost gets a little "sticky" at one point on the AFBX, but barely perceptible. It's weird the same paddle controllers on a real Atari 2600/7800 console or on RetroPie with a 2600-dapter D9 are perfect.

[Draxxon]

What you're describing is what I mean. It's not a big deal until you're on level 10 of Kaboom! and "In the Zone". Lmmfao. 

 

You wanna know what really blows my mind, is that the 9 and X have been hacked for over a year and there are hardly any videos of it.
You can find tons for console reviews, or for creating a 'game' folder and adding roms, like that is somehow hard or secret. but just a couple only recently of the CFW and ATARI Pack.

What also blows my mind is that I'm not stranger to the modding scene. You constantly get reminded that you shouldn't share rom packs. Not once has anyone said anything about the Atari games. Not even once.
 

Edited January 11, 2021 by Draxxon

[MrFister]

I just wanna say thanx to @Draxxon and who ever else involved in this mod.

I just finished my setup and I love it.

Thanx again !!!

[MrFister]

I just wanna say thanx to @Draxxon and who ever else involved in this mod.

I just finished my setup and I love it.

Thanx again !!!

 

I do not know why this double posted so can a mod take this one down?

Edited January 12, 2021 by MrFister

[Brad_from_the_80s]

On 1/9/2021 at 2:20 PM, Draxxon said:

So, the swapping of the emulator on the AFB is a bust? Also just wondering... how much free space in on the NAND. Happy New year, bud. Thanks for everything.

At this point it would pretty much take a custom kernel and a working gpu driver in a customized firmware.  It's non-trivial, but basically what was done for the R77.  I've certainly compiled kernels and I think I have the kernel source used in these devices, but I don't claim to be expert in this stuff or these embedded devices.  I've dabbled with it a bit but not progressed too far.  Although probably not unrecoverable, it's possible to brick the device this way also.  I think I had an extra FB9 so, given the time, I'd probably prefer to try that first, but it requires some soldering to have any console or rockchip tools access.  And when it's all said and done, it's a crapshoot whether or how well Stella 6 would work, or if the existing software would continue to work.

 

As for NAND free space, I think maybe I posted about it before, but I'd have to go look at the hex ranges again.  It varied by partition, but the whole thing was less than 100-200MB as I recall.  The /emulator and /rom partitions had at least a few MB free each.