PCBWay Super SALT cartridge. I have questions.

[Justin Payne]

Hey all,

 

I recently watched a guy do a YouTube video on the Super SALT cartridge by C64iSTANBUL. This seems to be a very useful diagnostic tool for the 400 and 800 which didn't have built in diagnostic tool but since the XL/EX lines did, what is the point of this cartridge aside from the few other tests like ports and graphics, although even the graphics test is limited. Additionally, on his PCBWay page, his has a zip of many ROMs. I would assumed I would want the latest version of the ROM and the rest are just there for archival purposes but figured someone here could skool me a bit.

 

[+DrVenkman]

There are 20+ years of topics archived on AtariAge. Start here:

 

 

[Justin Payne]

@DrVenkman So, here is my take-away from reading that thread. Please correct me on anything I misunderstood.

1. I can run the Super SALT from a cartridge like an Ultimate Cart and there is no need to have a dedicated cart that you'll need to burn the ROM to.
2. The Super SALT works for all machines so it appears that one doesn't need that specific ROM for the specific machine you'll be testing it on.
3. The Generic 2.07 will be fine to test for any Atari machine
4. If I wanted to burn this to its cart, I'd be better off getting the short board version because then it would work on all of the Atari 8-bit machines.

The only thing I didn't get an answer to from that thread is "What is the point of the Super SALT since the XL/XE machines have a built in diagnostic" aside from the extra two diagnostic tests made available on the cart?

[Beeblebrox]

I'd read up on these as per DrVenkman's post above.

 

I purchased one from Ebay for around £17 here in the UK. The one I have is pretty limited as far as I can tell. I've only used the Graphics, RAM, ROM and keyboard tests. The port tests work in conjuntion with hardware you have to build as far as I can tell so you can't use that test out the box.

 

This is mine:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255786641363

Atari 400 / 800/600 XL/XE - 4 in 1 - Super Salt Diagnostic Cartridge

Diagnostic Cartridge for Atari 400 / 600 / 800 / 65 / 130 XL/XE 

Contains 4 diagnostic ROMs which are selectable using the DIP Switch

  DIP   Switch

1 OFF   2 OFF     Atari 65/130XE R.2
1 ON     2 OFF     Atari 600/800 Super Salt SE.02
1 OFF   2 ON       CPS Super Salt test
1 ON     2 ON       Atari 400/800 System Test 2.04

 

It is cheap so that's one thing going for it and IMHO it's not worth building one as they aer so eradily available.

 

 

Personally I'd go for Syscheck II. 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[Justin Payne]

@Beeblebrox Ah, so you do need to use the correct ROM for the correct system. That IS kinda limiting unless you have that dipswitch on the board and even then it does seem as if the tests themselves are only useful for systems without built-in diagnostic capabilities (AKA: 400/800) and as you mentioned, I'd need to build extra hardware to test the ports.
As far as paying for it, someone was going to gift me one so the price isn't a concern. 😁
As far as Syscheck II, that states that it's only for the XL and XE systems and would set me back $54. Probably a very useful diagnostic for those systems but seeing the SALT cart is free, that's sorta why I was interested in if it was worth the guy sending me one. I had actually forgotten I had watch the Nir video on this device a year ago. Signs of failing memory, I guess. Maybe I need a SALT cart for my own brain. 😄

So, any idea if you can run the SALT tests from an Ultimate Cart? That would solve my 400/800 diagnostic needs.

[+DrVenkman]

To elaborate a bit, and going from memory, in one of the (many) SALT cart posts/threads over the years, it turns out there was at least one preliminary or prototype 1400XL-specific SALT cart ROMs floating around, as they identify themselves as such on the title screen. I don't recall if they tested the speech synthesizer or modem stuff. But aside from that, they all basically test the same thing. Absent some obscure stuff in the loopback tests (like the SIO clock stuff) pretty much anything that goes bad on an A8 can be checked and figured out with a couple of carts (a four-way stick game, BASIC to check the keyboard and general functioning, and something like Super Breakout to check paddle input), a disk drive, a joystick and a pair of paddle controllers. That is, everything most modern hobbyist have anyway. Sure it's nice to have a single cart to check things, but most problems will manifest themselves anyway even without a cart.

 

And for an XL or XE with a PBI/ECI connector, a SysCheck board offers better and more thorough tests and diagnosis (unsolicited plug here as I don't even own one myself). 

[Beeblebrox]

@Justin Payne  Yup the Syscheck is more expensive but as alluded to it offers much more. The Ram diagnostic is especially precise, (far better than standard XL/XE diagnostics and SALT); and of course the unit also give your 600XL/800XL and XE machine 512K of plugin ram.

 

I believe you can run the Salt rom from the likes of Ultimate cart yes. (Seem to recall reading this on AA very recently).

 

EDIT: The battery back up version of Syscheck II is the one to go for ideally for anyone interested in it.  Also Syscheck can be flashed with other O/S roms I believe.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Beeblebrox

[hueyjones70]

I have the diagnostic cart from Best, it checks several different functions of the GTIA and IIRC the ANTIC. Do those other diagnostic carts perform the same checks.