Atari Smeghead Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 Hey, I got my cart today! Thanks for the prompt shipment! It's a sharp looking cart. Well with the 1Mb cart, if you make a disk-cart, that is, convert a disk game like say Zork I to cartridge, it takes up the whole cartridge.... You're refering to, um, store bought original disks here, right? Not, say, a disk with a bunch of individual game files that I have no idea how they ended up in my collection? Those, once SIO2PC'd and saved onto a PC hard drive, could then be used in a multi-cart format on this cart, correct? If you make a multi-cart out of exe files, it depends on how large the EXE file is... In regards to file types, you mention "EXE" files. Will 8 bit emulator files such as ".atr" files or the Hollex Cart ".hlx" files work with this cart? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classics Posted August 14, 2003 Author Share Posted August 14, 2003 Hey, I got my cart today! Thanks for the prompt shipment! It's a sharp looking cart. Thanks Well with the 1Mb cart, if you make a disk-cart, that is, convert a disk game like say Zork I to cartridge, it takes up the whole cartridge.... You're refering to, um, store bought original disks here, right? Not, say, a disk with a bunch of individual game files that I have no idea how they ended up in my collection? Those, once SIO2PC'd and saved onto a PC hard drive, could then be used in a multi-cart format on this cart, correct? You can make a disk game in ATR format into a cartridge using the -diskpacker option. If it needs any sort of patching there is a tutorial in the documentation, or just post the ATR on the message board on the web site someone will probably take a crack at helping you with it. If you make a multi-cart out of exe files, it depends on how large the EXE file is... In regards to file types, you mention "EXE" files. Will 8 bit emulator files such as ".atr" files or the Hollex Cart ".hlx" files work with this cart? Thanks! EXE files can be made into multicart images using the -exepacker option of the build script. If you have a rom dump in 'hollex' format just follow one of the software archive links in chapter 9 of the documentation to find an exe version of the same game, you can pack that into a multicart image. Pretty much every game that was dumpable off cartridge can be found in EXE format. Most disk games that were single-loaders are also found that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 I just bought the Multicart and have a couple of questions before it arrives. 1st, I have many 5 1/4" floppies that have multiple games on them already. Is it possible to upload more than one of these multiple game disks as long as I don't exceed 1 mb? 2nd, being a Mac user i don't have the luxury of using a sio2pc at the moment. In the past, I download ATR images and transfer them to my Atari via a null modem connection with the 850. I then have exploded the ATR's into real disks. If I transfer the ATR's in a similar fashion, but don't make them into real disks, can I then upload them to the cart? BTW, I hope to have a sio2pc set up very soon. I am currently converting a dead Atari 810 into a Mini-ITX PC. I've replaced the floppy drive with a slot loading DVD drive from an iMac. I've retained the spring loading door from the 5 1/4" and have installed a 2.5" ide HD under the cast aluminum housing. I've order a 800mhz Mini-ITX board that measures only 6 3/4" x 6 3/4". I plan on mounting the board on the underside of the roof of the housing, thus allowing room for the DVD-Rom to remain in the shell of the 5 1/4" drive's aluminum housing. I'll show you all some pics as I progress over the next month or so. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATARIeric Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 WOW, my cart came in today, number 27/100 thanks steven for your fast replies to my emails, will talk to you soon thanks eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffJewell Posted August 15, 2003 Share Posted August 15, 2003 Cart #33 is home safely. Thanks, Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon Posted August 15, 2003 Share Posted August 15, 2003 Got mine the other day.. Not sure when I'll have time to play with it. Still need to install all that stuff on my pc so I can write to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krawhitham Posted August 15, 2003 Share Posted August 15, 2003 Got mine the other day.. Not sure when I'll have time to play with it. Still need to install all that stuff on my pc so I can write to it. I take it you have to put the cart in an atari to find out what # you have? have not had time yet, but I see no # on the case, maybe I missed it on the packing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krawhitham Posted August 15, 2003 Share Posted August 15, 2003 nevermind it was on the static bag, odd that it was not printed on the cartridge, oh well 36/100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon Posted August 16, 2003 Share Posted August 16, 2003 Hmmm strange... I thought the number was on the cart. I stashed it in my "out of reach" box. It's the box I keep stuff in that I want to get to, but do not want my 5 year old son getting too. I don't know how many times the last month he has come walking out of my room with some game I accidently left laying out wanting to play it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oesii Posted August 16, 2003 Share Posted August 16, 2003 #12/100, didn't he know that 11 is my lucky number? Won't have a chance to try it out until tomorrow night, can't wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon Posted August 17, 2003 Share Posted August 17, 2003 Mine is #23 for what it is worth. I wont be able to test it till mon-tues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classics Posted August 18, 2003 Author Share Posted August 18, 2003 I just bought the Multicart and have a couple of questions before it arrives. 1st, I have many 5 1/4" floppies that have multiple games on them already. Is it possible to upload more than one of these multiple game disks as long as I don't exceed 1 mb? 2nd, being a Mac user i don't have the luxury of using a sio2pc at the moment. In the past, I download ATR images and transfer them to my Atari via a null modem connection with the 850. I then have exploded the ATR's into real disks. If I transfer the ATR's in a similar fashion, but don't make them into real disks, can I then upload them to the cart? If you have multiple EXE type game files then you can use the build script to pack in as many games as possible upto 1Mbit. You can download the exe files from one of the online archives, or if you use sio2pc or APE you can transfer your files from flopped to the PC, then use them that way. Uploading to the cart is done by programming it with a 'programming image' that is created using the maxflash.pl script. This generates a new ATR image that is used to program the cartridge. Once you have generated the programming ATR image, you can load that with sio2pc and program the cartridge. In your case since you dont have a pc->atari setup, you would have to transfer the ATR image to the Atari somehow and write it to a real disk, then boot that disk. BTW, I hope to have a sio2pc set up very soon. I am currently converting a dead Atari 810 into a Mini-ITX PC. I've replaced the floppy drive with a slot loading DVD drive from an iMac. I've retained the spring loading door from the 5 1/4" and have installed a 2.5" ide HD under the cast aluminum housing. I've order a 800mhz Mini-ITX board that measures only 6 3/4" x 6 3/4". I plan on mounting the board on the underside of the roof of the housing, thus allowing room for the DVD-Rom to remain in the shell of the 5 1/4" drive's aluminum housing. Sounds interesting. Dont forget to post a link to some pictures of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetboot Jack Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Carts 5 & 6 have landed safely -- maybe I'll paly with them this weekend sTeVE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 Got mine today (#45 of 100) and downloaded all the documentation and apps. I'm looking forward to trying it out! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 Flash and ROM are rated in mega-bits not mega-bytes. A '1 meg' rom cartridge has 16 banks of 8k, a 8mb cartridge has 128 banks of 8k. For example a Spartados X cart is a 512kb cartridge, it has 8 banks of 8k controlled from D5E0 - D5E7. It might help in the confusion if you use the proper naming conventions. The cart says MB, and doccumentation on your site and posts here have used mb and Mb as well. MB = Megabyte Mb = Megabit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATARIeric Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 edited out my post, wrong topic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classics Posted August 21, 2003 Author Share Posted August 21, 2003 It might help in the confusion if you use the proper naming conventions. The cart says MB, and doccumentation on your site and posts here have used mb and Mb as well. MB = Megabyte Mb = Megabit Thanks for the lesson. All the abbreviations on the web site that said 'MB' or 'mb' were changed to 'Mb' or 'Mbit' some time ago. As for the label there are no lower case characters in the SF Atarian font. Yep, thats it, its the fonts fault. Nobody seems to have a problem with calling some cartridges 'mega-carts' when they are mega-bits... perhaps I should pick up that designation. Steve (with tounge firmly in cheek) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goblin Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 I'm on the fence about buying one now or waiting for the higher capacity one. Has anybody who has one managed to get Bounty Bob Strikes Back to work? If so I'll order one tonight, and leave it dedicated to this game. Then I'll get another when the higher capacity is released. I have an SIO2PC set up now, which I don't mind loading games through, I just have never had any luck with BBSB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classics Posted August 21, 2003 Author Share Posted August 21, 2003 I'm on the fence about buying one now or waiting for the higher capacity one. Has anybody who has one managed to get Bounty Bob Strikes Back to work? If so I'll order one tonight, and leave it dedicated to this game. Then I'll get another when the higher capacity is released. I have an SIO2PC set up now, which I don't mind loading games through, I just have never had any luck with BBSB. I believe I posted a 1Mb multi-cart image in the forum that has BBSB on it along with a few other games. If you already have a SIO2PC setup then flashing the cart is pretty easy, just load the ATR image and run it on the Atari to burn the cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goblin Posted August 21, 2003 Share Posted August 21, 2003 Sold!!! I just ordered mine. I can't wait to play BBSB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super-Genius! Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 Nobody seems to have a problem with calling some cartridges 'mega-carts' when they are mega-bits... perhaps I should pick up that designation. Steve (with tounge firmly in cheek) Just to make things PERFECTLY CLEAR, our Mega-Cart is 1M x 8, and NOT 128K x 8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, our cartridge is also a FLASH cart. We are finishing up the documentation and will be released shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
analmux Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 And, our cartridge is also a FLASH cart. We are finishing up the documentation and will be released shortly. How easy is it to reprogram your cartridge? Do you use the same bankselecting system as 'classics'? ----- mux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super-Genius! Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 It is VERY easy to bankswitch our Mega-Cart.... The cartridge works this way: When you write $00 to $7F into address $D5xx it will map a 16k bank into $8000 - $BFFF. For example, writing $00 to $D5xx will show the first 16k of the EPROM at $8000 - $BFFF. When you write $01 to $D5XX the second 16k bank of the EPROM will show at $8000 - $BFFF. If you write $80 to $d5xx the cart will be "switched off" and the original RAM will show at $8000-$BFFF. You can write to the cart by changing the state of R/W. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXG/MNX Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 And, our cartridge is also a FLASH cart. We are finishing up the documentation and will be released shortly. How easy is it to reprogram your cartridge? Do you use the same bankselecting system as 'classics'? ----- mux Nope the selection is different the Flash-card of Steve will use switching banks by selecting an address like SDX. The other cartridge will select using the XE-style cartridges. So both carts are very nice, but I would prefer a version I could build inside my computer. TXG/MNX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetboot Jack Posted August 22, 2003 Share Posted August 22, 2003 SG -- cool news, can't wait, all these new cart tools and carts are really awsome thanks SG and Classics for brining the new items to the 8bit! sTeVE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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