When will there be a scheduled firmware update for the 2600+?

[+swlovinist]

I see that there are several people testing carts and showing what the 2600+ can and can't play.   Is there going to be an scheduled update for the 2600+?  Just wondering if there is a date scheduled.   Looking forward to playing my 2600+ more!   

[Brad_from_the_80s]

According to @Ben from Plaion he will post here first in the next couple of weeks what the plans for a forthcoming software update.

 

Also, a lot of carts just need to be cleaned.  The 2600+ cart slot is finicky about that.

[Flyindrew]

The issue goes beyond the carts. The 2600+ doesnt accept some controllers (ie:driving controller, Star Raiders keypad, not sure about keyboard controllers), and maybe a firmware update can address this. Im not complaining at all about 2600+. Its a fine system but like any new product, it just needs a little tweak here and there which hopefully the firmware update can provide.

[Ben from Plaion]

54 minutes ago, swlovinist said:

I see that there are several people testing carts and showing what the 2600+ can and can't play.   Is there going to be an scheduled update for the 2600+?  Just wondering if there is a date scheduled.   Looking forward to playing my 2600+ more!   

No date, but like everyone else I want it asap - its all hands on deck on these main points as follows;

 

7800 emulation upgrade 

7800 dumper upgrade to fix reported PAL cart errors and enable homebrew

2600 PAL colour palette change to z26

2600 dumper upgrade to fix Realsports Boxing, Circus Convoy, CBS RAM Plus and M-Network games

2600 difficulty switch reversal

2600/7800 auto detect cart region for 50/60hz display

 

Maybe elements within these points we run into difficulties, maybe more fixes are added, at this moment in time I just need to become bit clearer on whats acheivable and in what timeframe.

 

I'll be posting in the main AA 2600+ thread with more details on these points and giving an indication of when a update will be available in the next few weeks.

 

[tradyblix]

Don't forget about the reversed buttons on 7800 controllers/games apparently. I actually haven't tested this myself but I've heard about it. 

[Brad_from_the_80s]

19 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

Don't forget about the reversed buttons on 7800 controllers/games apparently. I actually haven't tested this myself but I've heard about it. 

Oh yeah, I think I also saw somebody mention the two buttons on a 7800 CX-24 had reversed behavior.

[chad5200]

3 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

I'll be posting in the main AA 2600+ thread with more details on these points and giving an indication of when a update will be available in the next few weeks.

If I could offer some suggestions...

 

It would be nice if when a cartridge is not present or a cartridge is removed, instead of saying "Loading Game Failed", it should say "Please Insert Game Cartridge".

 

When a game is loading, instead of saying "Loading Game..." it would be nice if it said "Loading 2600 Game (NTSC)..." or "Loading 7800 Game (PAL)..."  Just more information overall about what it thinks it is trying to load.

 

Also, when a load does fail, it would be nice if there was more information as to why it think it failed.  "Unable to read cartridge", "Invalid game cartridge", etc.

 

[Ben from Plaion]

36 minutes ago, chad5200 said:

If I could offer some suggestions...

 

It would be nice if when a cartridge is not present or a cartridge is removed, instead of saying "Loading Game Failed", it should say "Please Insert Game Cartridge".

 

When a game is loading, instead of saying "Loading Game..." it would be nice if it said "Loading 2600 Game (NTSC)..." or "Loading 7800 Game (PAL)..."  Just more information overall about what it thinks it is trying to load.

 

Also, when a load does fail, it would be nice if there was more information as to why it think it failed.  "Unable to read cartridge", "Invalid game cartridge", etc.

 

These are excellent suggestions. Not sure if I can include them on the next update as I just keep getting more and more great suggestions like this and I have to draw the line somewhere otherwise I'll keep deliberating forever lol! And of course its conceivable that we address more issues and fine tune with subsequent updates.

 

But so funny you should write the first comment....I was ranting only the other day about why when the machine boots without a cartridge inserted the machine displays "Loading Game Failed" in RED - such a negative message! oh of course I wrote the text and choose the colour, no one to rant too really apart from myself!

[Ben from Plaion]

3 hours ago, tradyblix said:

Don't forget about the reversed buttons on 7800 controllers/games apparently. I actually haven't tested this myself but I've heard about it. 

Ugh so embarrasing, honestly I shrink into a corn cob with cringe at these findings. This is one exception where I'm updating that list above.

[Ben from Plaion]

4 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

No date, but like everyone else I want it asap - its all hands on deck on these main points as follows;

 

7800 emulation upgrade 

7800 dumper upgrade to fix reported PAL cart errors and enable homebrew

7800 button remap

2600 PAL colour palette change to z26

2600 dumper upgrade to fix Realsports Boxing, Circus Convoy, CBS RAM Plus and M-Network games

2600 difficulty switch reversal

2600/7800 auto detect cart region for 50/60hz display

 

Maybe elements within these points we run into difficulties, maybe more fixes are added, at this moment in time I just need to become bit clearer on whats acheivable and in what timeframe.

 

I'll be posting in the main AA 2600+ thread with more details on these points and giving an indication of when a update will be available in the next few weeks.

 

 

[Brad_from_the_80s]

9 hours ago, Ben from Plaion said:

 

Maybe at some point also consider there is seemingly no way to pause a 7800 game, which was a basic feature of that console and its competitors.

[Dionoid]

On 11/27/2023 at 4:10 PM, Ben from Plaion said:

No date, but like everyone else I want it asap - its all hands on deck on these main points as follows;

 

7800 emulation upgrade 

7800 dumper upgrade to fix reported PAL cart errors and enable homebrew

2600 PAL colour palette change to z26

2600 dumper upgrade to fix Realsports Boxing, Circus Convoy, CBS RAM Plus and M-Network games

2600 difficulty switch reversal

2600/7800 auto detect cart region for 50/60hz display

...

Impressive list for a single update!

On 11/27/2023 at 4:10 PM, Ben from Plaion said:

2600/7800 auto detect cart region for 50/60hz display

Do you mean changing the HDMI signal to 50Hz when a 50Hz PAL game is played? Because Stella already auto detects 50/60Hz carts, right?

[John Stamos Mullet]

On 11/27/2023 at 10:10 AM, Ben from Plaion said:

No date, but like everyone else I want it asap - its all hands on deck on these main points as follows;

 

7800 emulation upgrade 

7800 dumper upgrade to fix reported PAL cart errors and enable homebrew

2600 PAL colour palette change to z26

2600 dumper upgrade to fix Realsports Boxing, Circus Convoy, CBS RAM Plus and M-Network games

2600 difficulty switch reversal

2600/7800 auto detect cart region for 50/60hz display

 

Maybe elements within these points we run into difficulties, maybe more fixes are added, at this moment in time I just need to become bit clearer on whats acheivable and in what timeframe.

 

I'll be posting in the main AA 2600+ thread with more details on these points and giving an indication of when a update will be available in the next few weeks.

 

Any chance of currently not working 2600 games like Pitfall II and Robot Tank and other currently incompatible 2600 games working?

[jaek_3]

I don't understand, who's going to release this update and is it official?

[xboxiso]

Not asking for the next update as it looks like you already have a lot to work on @Ben from Plaion, but is there a chance that in a future update the Harmony Cart and / or the 7800 Gamedrive could eventually work on the 2600+? That would be incredible and make an already amazing system even better.

[John Stamos Mullet]

47 minutes ago, xboxiso said:

Not asking for the next update as it looks like you already have a lot to work on @Ben from Plaion, but is there a chance that in a future update the Harmony Cart and / or the 7800 Gamedrive could eventually work on the 2600+? That would be incredible and make an already amazing system even better.

The harmony cart already works for all games up to 4K when you load them individually using the harmony cart app for your pc in developer mode. 

[Laner]

7 hours ago, xboxiso said:

Not asking for the next update as it looks like you already have a lot to work on @Ben from Plaion, but is there a chance that in a future update the Harmony Cart and / or the 7800 Gamedrive could eventually work on the 2600+? That would be incredible and make an already amazing system even better.

I believe there is a fundamental incompatibility between the 2600+ and those multicarts.

The best solution I can see is updating the firmware to allow more direct access to the emulators and run ROMs from a USB drive (or internal memory, if there is enough space available), similar to how the NES/SNES/PS1 mini devices were hacked a few years ago.

[Microjak]

2 hours ago, Laner said:

I believe there is a fundamental incompatibility between the 2600+ and those multicarts.

The best solution I can see is updating the firmware to allow more direct access to the emulators and run ROMs from a USB drive (or internal memory, if there is enough space available), similar to how the NES/SNES/PS1 mini devices were hacked a few years ago.

Or would it be possible to make a larger memory version of the 10 in 1 cart (included with the console ) but instead of dip switches have an up down button/scroll wheel with a small screen on the end of the cart where the end sticker normally sits to display the current game?

[Gordo]

On 11/27/2023 at 10:48 AM, tradyblix said:

Don't forget about the reversed buttons on 7800 controllers/games apparently. I actually haven't tested this myself but I've heard about it. 

The reversed button mapping is a major program. It also effects single button joysticks in 2 button 7800 games. So games like Asteroids (warp drive only) and Xevious (bombs only) are now unplayable with single button sticks. 

[tradyblix]

19 minutes ago, Gordo said:

The reversed button mapping is a major program. It also effects single button joysticks in 2 button 7800 games. So games like Asteroids (warp drive only) and Xevious (bombs only) are now unplayable with single button sticks. 

Luckily, you can play Xevious with a one button controller in the "bombs and shots at once" mode. That's what i'm doing with my Hyperkin ranger atm.

 

There's a few that use both buttons and those are going to be an issue, granted, but surprisingly many don't (ie, robotron - uses dual sticks on 2 controller ports, etc) 

 

One game I can't play properly on my one button is Dark Chambers. This is causing me to hold back on Commando and a few others in favor of some rarer 2600 games I want 

Edited November 29, 2023 by tradyblix

[Gordo]

6 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

Luckily, you can play Xevious with a one button controller in the "bombs and shots at once" mode. That's what i'm doing with my Hyperkin ranger atm.

 

There's a few that use both buttons and those are going to be an issue, granted, but surprisingly many don't (ie, robotron - uses dual sticks on 2 controller ports, etc) 

 

One game I can't play properly on my one button is Dark Chambers. This is causing me to hold back on Commando and a few others in favor of some rarer 2600 games I want 

Oh yeah.. how do you do that? I was only getting bombs on the 2600+ is it in the game settings? 

[tradyblix]

2 hours ago, Gordo said:

Oh yeah.. how do you do that? I was only getting bombs on the 2600+ is it in the game settings? 

It just it just works like that by default with a one button controller. I confirmed this with both the controller that shipped with the 2600+ (the cx40+) and also my hyperkin Ranger. why anybody would not want to use a Ranger is beyond me, it is so much better of a controller for precision games, but that is another topic.

 

The only downside of this is constantly hearing the bomb going off, but I don't mind that.

Edited November 29, 2023 by tradyblix

[Chemical Burrito]

3 hours ago, Gordo said:

Oh yeah.. how do you do that? I was only getting bombs on the 2600+ is it in the game settings? 

 

If you're talking about Xevious, it's a difficulty switch setting.  If you're only getting bombs you're in two button mode - flip the difficulty switch to the other side.

[Chemical Burrito]

On 11/27/2023 at 2:48 PM, Ben from Plaion said:

Ugh so embarrasing, honestly I shrink into a corn cob with cringe at these findings. This is one exception where I'm updating that list above.

[7800 button reversal]  Oh thank heavens.  This one drives me absolutely insane, probably because I've been playing my real 7800 in anticipation of the 2600+ coming out.  That one bug is the reason that my 2600+ is currently back in its box for right now.

 

I'm also waiting to see if fixing the reversal also fixes the bad behavior on Asteroids.  (I suspect there's a second problem with how controllers work in 7800 mode that will still need to be addressed for proper compatibility, but there's not much point trying to sort that out until the button reversal is corrected.)

[Gordo]

2 hours ago, Chemical Burrito said:

 

If you're talking about Xevious, it's a difficulty switch setting.  If you're only getting bombs you're in two button mode - flip the difficulty switch to the other side.

Thank you! I figured it was something like that. Got it working with one button.