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

[desiv]

10 hours ago, M4rvin1979 said:

Yesterday Ive got my Atari 2600+, unfortunately the 10in1 game dont start  "Error loading Game".

Hope, the update will fix these problems. 😃

The DIP switches has more possibilities than there are games on it.

So make sure they are in the right settings.  And if you think they are, then try flipping them to the opposite. 
(I've gotten dip switches backwards before)

 

If it still doesn't work, you probably have a bad cart.  The 10-n-1 that came with the 2600+ should definitely work with the 2600+ without any updates needed... 

[tradyblix]

23 hours ago, Raphowl said:

I have some issues with this in the UK. Pole position has a black road instead of grey so you can’t see the car and Defender has all the sprites flashing continuously. Wondering if my console is faulty or PAL cartridges don’t work properly. No TV settings make any difference and I tried it on 3 different TVs. 

That actually may be an improvement on the car graphics lol 

[tradyblix]

52 minutes ago, desiv said:

The DIP switches has more possibilities than there are games on it.

So make sure they are in the right settings.  And if you think they are, then try flipping them to the opposite. 
(I've gotten dip switches backwards before)

 

If it still doesn't work, you probably have a bad cart.  The 10-n-1 that came with the 2600+ should definitely work with the 2600+ without any updates needed... 

Just replug it a few times. you probably plugged it badly. "you're holding it wrong" -- steve jobs

[KainXavier]

On 12/25/2023 at 11:37 AM, Ben from Plaion said:

Well I'm in the right forum for people to air their greviences!

Does this mean the firmware update will be released once you're pinned?

 

(But seriously, please take your time.  I'm sure you and your team have already put in some serious hours.)

 

 

[boggis the cat]

22 hours ago, M4rvin1979 said:

Yesterday Ive got my Atari 2600+, unfortunately the 10in1 game dont start  "Error loading Game".

Hope, the update will fix these problems. 😃

My 10in1 cartridge didn’t work at first.  I tried it in a real 2600 and it worked, then it started working in the 2600+.

 

Unsure why, but my suspicion is slightly janky contacts.

 

Most of the old carts I tried worked (PAL carts, as that is what I had to hand) and I suspect the non-working are the janky behaviour on a real 2600 ones.

[+LS650]

5 hours ago, boggis the cat said:

My 10in1 cartridge didn’t work at first.  I tried it in a real 2600 and it worked, then it started working in the 2600+.

Unsure why, but my suspicion is slightly janky contacts.

I wonder if some of the 10in1 carts leave the factory with a clear coating on the pins that needs to be scrapped clean by a few insertions?

[John Stamos Mullet]

1 hour ago, ls650 said:

I wonder if some of the 10in1 carts leave the factory with a clear coating on the pins that needs to be scrapped clean by a few insertions?

Virgin carts.

[boggis the cat]

13 hours ago, ls650 said:

I wonder if some of the 10in1 carts leave the factory with a clear coating on the pins that needs to be scrapped clean by a few insertions?

Some others have said that the contact force of the tines in the 2600+ cartridge slot is weaker than the original machines.  If so, then that could cause some issues.

[+Atari2600PAL]

Probably been said already, but I hope those of us without access to any kind of Windows machine won’t get left behind regarding updates

[OldSchoolRetroGamer]

22 minutes ago, Atari2600PAL said:

Probably been said already, but I hope those of us without access to any kind of Windows machine won’t get left behind regarding updates

Well, most support will always go through Windows, has been this way for a long time, sure it sucks if on Mac or Linux etc but when any OS outside of Windows is supported for things like this consider it a BONUS. While I understand people who wish to have anything to do with Windows there is a cost that comes with that along with any perceived advantage. Just curious, when you say no access to any kind of Windows machine....really? You don't know anyone, a single friend, relative, or neighbour that could give you such access, even enough to just get the job done using an old laptop or something? I am not doubting or questioning you but I also think there will be others stuck with this "problem". 

[JetmanUK]

5 minutes ago, OldSchoolRetroGamer said:

Well, most support will always go through Windows, has been this way for a long time, sure it sucks if on Mac or Linux etc but when any OS outside of Windows is supported for things like this consider it a BONUS. While I understand people who wish to have anything to do with Windows there is a cost that comes with that along with any perceived advantage. Just curious, when you say no access to any kind of Windows machine....really? You don't know anyone, a single friend, relative, or neighbour that could give you such access, even enough to just get the job done using an old laptop or something? I am not doubting or questioning you but I also think there will be others stuck with this "problem". 

100% agreed.

 

Windows PCs ARE computers, if you decide to be edgy or cool and have a Linux or MAC based machine, well you decided to go none mainstream, so you have none mainstream issues. 🤷🏻🤪

[+Atari2600PAL]

Hi @OldSchoolRetroGamer

 

Unfortunately I don't have access to a windows machine thru family/friends as when I had to up sticks and become a 24/7 live in carer I had to sell up and move away. The few neighbours here I know well enough don't have computers (1 has a Mac)

 

I'll wait and see what happens with the official update when it's released, as all I was doing was making a comment (I have no idea what Atari's plans are, but hopefully they are more inclusive)

 

I've worked with Windows since the very first version, and don't really want to ever use it again

 

I'm NOT "having a go" at windows (I made a good living from all it's iterations), it's just that I don't personally want to use it any more

 

[lucienEn]

Would be great if OTG would be supported and use a SD card with the FW update on it. That should work cross platform and just requires cheap OTG cable (similar to Flashback updates).

 

Not to go on a platform debate, but sadly Apple has been super exclusive with anything they do while gradually increasing market share. Pretty often it's iPhone and their walled ecosystem only, so I know how limiting that feels.

[AtariNerd]

You'd be surprised how many people around the world make do with an Android or Apple phone. I would think, as long as there is an option to either browse the 2600+ directory through a USB C/or B to C adapted connected device and drop any downloaded firmware there, or have it on external flash device (have it be the only file or have an appropriately set up folder system) ,then flash/boot it, things would be fine.

 

I have a feeling, though, that it needs an active external push, through proprietary software.

Edited December 29, 2023 by AtariNerd

[Sean_1970]

5 hours ago, lucienEn said:

Would be great if OTG would be supported and use a SD card with the FW update on it. That should work cross platform and just requires cheap OTG cable (similar to Flashback updates).

if the 2600+ OS just looks like a volume when connected with USB that should make the source OS irrelevant as well. A drag and drop update solution would be neat, but I guess that depends on whether firmware updates were planned from the get-go and how easily they were planned to implement.

 

If I end up stuck with three unsupported games to flog and just need to avoid PAL 7800 carts for the couple of games I want for that platform I can live with that, but it would be nice for non-windows users to have an update method.

[John Stamos Mullet]

The anti-Windows crowd seems to love being vocal about it when nobody asked. Kinda like Vegans of the computer world. 

[Sean_1970]

25 minutes ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

The anti-Windows crowd seems to love being vocal about it when nobody asked. Kinda like Vegans of the computer world. 

Well it IS a shit operating system, however I think the main concern is that any firmware update not only cater to Windows fanboys. I think only one poster was moaning about not wanting to work with it again, but thanks for reminding me about what online forums were like in the 90s 👍

[scifidude79]

1 hour ago, Sean_1970 said:

Well it IS a shit operating system, however I think the main concern is that any firmware update not only cater to Windows fanboys. I think only one poster was moaning about not wanting to work with it again, but thanks for reminding me about what online forums were like in the 90s 👍

Yes, it is a crap operating system. However, Bill Gates is a friggin' genius not only at software but business as well, and he was able to get most OEMs to install it by default on computers starting in the 90s. By doing so, he convinced the world that it's not a crap operating system. That's why it's still the number one computer operating system, beating out OSX and Linux.

 

I was anti-Windows for years. But I eventually realized that the world as a whole doesn't give a crap if I like it or not, the majority of software is written for Windows. So, I got over my hatred of Windows, accepted it back into my life, and now I'm running Windows 11.

 

Having said that, I wouldn't tell anyone else what to do. Free will is a right. If someone wants to run OSX, Linux, or even go deep down with some BSD, that's their business. They just have to realize that some stuff isn't going to work for them. But, most of them should know that already.

Edited December 30, 2023 by scifidude79

[+LS650]

24 minutes ago, scifidude79 said:

Yes, it is a crap operating system. However, Bill Gates is a friggin' genius not only at software but business as well

Most people hate Bill Gates, but I think he's great - thanks to Microsoft I've had a job my whole adult life.  🤣

 

I think the real problem here is simply a matter of numbers.  Atari only have a handful of people working on the firmware updates, and they have to hit the maximum number of users with the least amount of work.  Rightly or wrongly, about 85-90% of all personal computers are Windows-based, while perhaps 5-10% of personal computers are Apple, and even fewer are Linux.  They'll concentrate on a Windows-based update based on those numbers, and Mac or Linux will be strictly an afterthought.

[+bent_pin]

I won't be satisfied until there's an update option for those of us running OS/2 warp, and it would be nice if we remembered the Temple OS crowd too.

 

JK, but srsly.

 

@ls650 and others have it right, it's just a majority win. What nobody is asking for, that would make the most sense, is a Python based updater. A single archive and a USB controlling Python script. Then it could be run on a toaster.

[+karri]

Naah. The update should be printed in some Atari magazine. Then everybody can type in the bytes like in the old times... So no need for Windows!

[Sean_1970]

17 minutes ago, bent_pin said:

I won't be satisfied until there's an update option for those of us running OS/2 warp, and it would be nice if we remembered the Temple OS crown too.

 

JK, but srsly.

 

@ls650 and others have it right, it's just a majority win. What nobody is asking for, that would make the most sense, is a Python based updater. A single archive and a USB controlling Python script. Then it could be run on a toaster.

See that’s why I’d be surprised by an app-based approach to the update, but I haven’t tried connecting the 2600+ to my Mac to see if it’s a target or not. If the updater is an app and not a self-contained binary then even if I had some way to get it on my works laptop (pretty sure I have none since they not only blocked USB key connections, but the ability to download from iCloud), I couldn’t install it so I really would have to buy a windows machine for this one purpose (no, I don’t know anyone who owns a Windows computer to use theirs).

 

I suppose if there was a domestic company that serviced the 2600+ taking it to get flashed would be an option?

[alonsothepoet]

Just saw that they are doing a beta update now. Unfortunately, they are not fixing any of the things most important to me. I'm hoping that the next update includes fixes for the driving controller, video touch pad and trak ball. These are all accessories I have and remain nonfunctional. Both the indy 500 and star raiders cartridges are listed as functioning but they cannot truly function if their associated controllers do not work.

[Sean_1970]

5 minutes ago, alonsothepoet said:

Just saw that they are doing a beta update now. Unfortunately, they are not fixing any of the things most important to me. I'm hoping that the next update includes fixes for the driving controller, video touch pad and trak ball. These are all accessories I have and remain nonfunctional. Both the indy 500 and star raiders cartridges are listed as functioning but they cannot truly function if their associated controllers do not work.

Agreed. The only thing the proposed update might do for me is let me play Onega Race and my NTSC Robot Tank cart. Star Raiders seems like it should be more of a priority to me given what a big release it was on the 8-bit computers back in the day.

Edited December 30, 2023 by Sean_1970

[Sean_1970]

1 hour ago, scifidude79 said:

Yes, it is a crap operating system. However, Bill Gates is a friggin' genius not only at software but business as well, and he was able to get most OEMs to install it by default on computers starting in the 90s. By doing so, he convinced the world that it's not a crap operating system. That's why it's still the number one computer operating system, beating out OSX and Linux.

 

I was anti-Windows for years. But I eventually realized that the world as a whole doesn't give a crap if I like it or not, the majority of software is written for Windows. So, I got over my hatred of Windows, accepted it back into my life, and now I'm running Windows 11.

 

Having said that, I wouldn't tell anyone else what to do. Free will is a right. If someone wants to run OSX, Linux, or even go deep down with some BSD, that's their business. They just have to realize that some stuff isn't going to work for them. But, most of them should know that already.

If IBM hadn’t used off the shelf parts to make their PC it would have been a very different story. That and his genius was combined with some fairly uncompetitive practices that later cost the company in legal battles. We’re still suffering with browser compatibility issues from that attempt to hijack HTML in the 90s; despite Microsoft finally putting IE to bed.
 

But I don’t hate it as much since I only use it for work and then only for email and Teams and some web-based apps. Most of my issues are created by corporate policies restricting what I can do with it that isn’t the fault of the OS. The penchant for retaining old config menus and utilities so half the time it feels like you’re dealing with Windows 98 is baffling to me - I mean just cut the cord abd move on, who cares if longtime users are unhappy with change if you’re making it actually easier to use and more secure? I find it telling that in 30 years of working in IT I’ve never met a Windows admin who liked it either.

 

Until we know how firmware updates are to be deployed, however, it seems premature to get up in arms about it.

Edited December 30, 2023 by Sean_1970