Atari 2600+ Beta Update 1.1

[+remowilliams]

Looks like the 2600+ (beta 1.1) is dumping Realsports Boxing as an F8 (8K) cart rather than an F6 (16K) - so half the game is missing.

[+Ripdubski]

Updater needs MacOS support as well.

[Blinky]

Updated my 2600+ and tested several PAL games. Color brightness is much better. I also experience the missing sprites issue. Looks like at some point the frames get out of sync and the same frame is displayed twice while the one that should have been displayed is skipped. The effect can be very good observed while playing dodge 'em game 3 (2 player vs mode) at round/heat 3 (when 2 computer cars are displayed) and moving the player car to an inside lane so it doesn't crash. At first it's super smooth 50Hz sprites (so awesome to watch), then one computer car dissapears and the player starts stuttering. after a while it returns to smooth again and the process repeats.

[flaggskull]

3 hours ago, bent_pin said:

Only thing I saw on that was someone trying to push a linux image onto it. Do you have another source where someone bricked it? Also, there is a recovery process to unbrick them.

I saw this on one of my facebook groups.  He is currently looking for a process to unbrick his console.  

  

https://www.facebook.com/groups/143156022413203?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=7173404869388248

 

[Plumbob]

I tested with an Atari 7800 ProSystem along side an updated 2600+ both hooked up to different inputs on the same TV so I could compare.  I found:

1. For 2600 Astroblast (Mattel Inc.), the paddle input works great but the joystick doesn't work at all. 
2. Homebrew 2600 Hero2 (Game Select) just shows a black screen after it says Loading Game. It does NOT say Loading Game Failed. I retried several times.  The cartridge works just fine in my 7800. 
3. Dig Dug for the 7800 no longer has a random line at the top of the screen. So that is good!

 

I realize this update was mainly focused on 7800 homebrew but wanted to provide feedback on what I found. 

 

I had a lot of trouble with updating the 2600+ until I realized that I wasn’t following Ben’s instructions closely enough. I guess I need new glasses!

 

Overall this is great work and I really appreciate that Plaion is providing updates to get it working perfectly!  I’m really enjoying “participating” on this forum. 

[+bent_pin]

38 minutes ago, flaggskull said:

I saw this on one of my facebook groups.  He is currently looking for a process to unbrick his console.  

  

https://www.facebook.com/groups/143156022413203?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=7173404869388248

 

Don't have Facebook so I can't look. The solution is in this thread:

 

 

[Gr1ff]

13 hours ago, AtariYMás009 said:

Did you tested pac-man, Crystal castles or other title with disappearing sprites?

No, but from what I have read so far anyone with PAL games should not apply the beta until they fix the known issues with PAL games. Thanks again to everyone contributing to this forum. 

[flaggskull]

10 minutes ago, bent_pin said:

Don't have Facebook so I can't look. The solution is in this thread:

 

 

Good to know.  Thank you. 

[Sean_1970]

3 hours ago, Ripdubski said:

Updater needs MacOS support as well.

I suspect they’ll have a more streamlined update method worked out first that incorporates driver installation and firmware upload into a single app. The existing process outlined in this thread definitely doesn’t seem consumer-friendly to me, though I personally have no issues with installing a driver so that the computer can see the 2600+.

 

I can imagine a future iteration of the 2600+ would have either an SD card slot or when attached to a USB controller on a computer go into “target mode” for a drag-and-drop upgrade solution.

[Glorkbot]

11 hours ago, Sean_1970 said:

I suspect they’ll have a more streamlined update method worked out first that incorporates driver installation and firmware upload into a single app. The existing process outlined in this thread definitely doesn’t seem consumer-friendly to me, though I personally have no issues with installing a driver so that the computer can see the 2600+.

 

I can imagine a future iteration of the 2600+ would have either an SD card slot or when attached to a USB controller on a computer go into “target mode” for a drag-and-drop upgrade solution.

I might be a fool but I’d probably want to rebuy the Atari 2600+ just to get improved firmware. Although I'd have to resist because I know it would be wrong to do so.

[DEANJIMMY]

On 12/31/2023 at 4:28 PM, DEANJIMMY said:

You are absolutely right.

They are PAL and start with 60p indicating NTSC on my TV.

Pac Man and Space Invaders don't have a PAL sticker but show as PAL in my order history on Atariage 👍

 

The escape sequence make them all 3 work👍

Pac Man and Space Invaders shift up and Scramble stops to flicker🤗

So starting them as PAL in next release will fix them.

 

Many thanks I am very happy now.

Have not tested all of my homebrews yet but from my top ones they all work except Popeye now.

Good job👍

So far I found the follwing7800 PAL homebrews with down shifted screen or flicker (starting as NTSC):

Scramble, Space Invaders, Pac Man Collection, Moon Cresta and Crazy Brix.

Padles on port two for Crazy Brix don't work.

The escape sequence works on all 4 games.

 

Pac Man Jr 7800 PAL runs fine.

 

Dungeon Stalker 7800 runs fine.

 

Realsports Boxing 2600 PAL works!

 

Xevious 7800 PAL works but colors are off.

What should be green is displayed as yellow/brown.

 

Commando 7800 PAL runs fine but the background flickers in secret rooms when the screen scrolls up.

Same happens to Midnight Mutants PAL when you walk up the road after start. First some parts of the green then the windows of the mansion flicker when scrolling up.

 

Edited January 2 by DEANJIMMY

[DEANJIMMY]

No changes to 2600 PAL (60) homebrews on V1.1

 

Fall Down does not load.

Lead does not load.

Conquest of Mars black screen (before it loaded but did not work).

Bee Ball Player sprite corrupted.

Zippy black screen.

Space Instigators bullets missing and other glitches.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

34 minutes ago, DEANJIMMY said:

Space Instigators bullets missing and other glitches.

IIRC it only works if started in the correct bank. Without properties, Stella cannot know that.

[DEANJIMMY]

17 hours ago, -^CrossBow^- said:

I believe 2.3c is the newest that was released on actual carts but @darryl1970 would have to confirm that along with @Albert. Mine is the first release from PRGE 2022 and it is version 1.3 so it is older and has the bottle score bug on stage 2 present. I think only 1.3 and 2.3 exist on physical carts.

 

My Popeye version is 2.3c and freezes after start.

Not sure if it is PAL but the colors were correct on my real PAL 7800.

[daorriss]

On 12/30/2023 at 3:26 PM, Ben from Plaion said:

Hello all, 

 

Thanks for all the offers to try out the 1.1 beta software. More people have offered then I thought so probably best if I just provide the instructions and files here.

 

How to Update

Dumper:

 

With Power Switch off on the 2600+ connect the USB lead from the 2600+ to a Windows Laptop/PC. 

 

TV TYPE lever in B W

 

Hold down GAME SELECT lever and power on the 2600+, You should hear a windows connection jingle from your Laptop/PC

 

 

Question - will there be an easier way to update this when it's out of Beta? I do not run a Windows machine (I'm a mac user) and even then I cannot fathom this would be considered a straightforward process as it stands for any but the more technical users out there.

 

 

[+Intellivision Master]

6 minutes ago, daorriss said:

 

Question - will there be an easier way to update this when it's out of Beta? I do not run a Windows machine (I'm a mac user) and even then I cannot fathom this would be considered a straightforward process as it stands for any but the more technical users out there.

 

 

Hopefully there will be an easier method to do the update.  There needs to be a simple way for the average consumer.  Not everyone is tech savvy.  For those who buy the console later on would have to go on Atari.com to get the update.  That is once the final version is out.  Otherwise how will they update it?  Most people aren't going to a forum to update the console.  So it makes sense for Atari to make is easy and just have the update instructions on their site.  And here's hoping the final version isn't as many steps for the update.  I thought about doing the beta, but I'm just going to wait.  There's no rush for me as I don't have many games to test right now.

[TPR]

3 minutes ago, Intellivision Master said:

Hopefully there will be an easier method to do the update.  There needs to be a simple way for the average consumer.  Not everyone is tech savvy.  For those who buy the console later on would have to go on Atari.com to get the update.  That is once the final version is out.  Otherwise how will they update it?  Most people aren't going to a forum to update the console.  So it makes sense for Atari to make is easy and just have the update instructions on their site.  And here's hoping the final version isn't as many steps for the update.  I thought about doing the beta, but I'm just going to wait.  There's no rush for me as I don't have many games to test right now.

I'm hoping something like the 8bitdo web-based firmware updater.  That works pretty well.  Just connect the USB cable to your computer and the controller, open up the browser on either a Mac or Windows machine and it works pretty hassle free! 

[DEANJIMMY]

17 hours ago, remowilliams said:

Looks like the 2600+ (beta 1.1) is dumping Realsports Boxing as an F8 (8K) cart rather than an F6 (16K) - so half the game is missing.

My PAL 2600 Realsports boxing had the same problem on V1.0 but it works fine on V1.1🤔

[John Stamos Mullet]

18 hours ago, phuzzed said:

I had good success with my Homebrews except for "Possible Mission", which is the fixed version of Impossible Mission for the Atari 7800 NTSC.  I received my copy from Good Deal Games a few years ago. I verified that it does work on my original 7800.

 

It states loads successfully, but just comes up with a black screen.

 

Anyone else try this port on their 2600+?

Works fine on mine, but I didn’t get mine from good deal, so can’t verify it was made the same way. I bought mine from another user here who made it for me years ago.

[chad5200]

1 hour ago, DEANJIMMY said:

My PAL 2600 Realsports boxing had the same problem on V1.0 but it works fine on V1.1🤔

Looks like they fixed the PAL version but not the NTSC version.

[Thran]

20 hours ago, phuzzed said:

I had good success with my Homebrews except for "Possible Mission", which is the fixed version of Impossible Mission for the Atari 7800 NTSC.  I received my copy from Good Deal Games a few years ago. I verified that it does work on my original 7800.

 

It states loads successfully, but just comes up with a black screen.

 

Anyone else try this port on their 2600+?

 

My copy of Possible Mission is also from Good Deal Games.  The 2600+ loads the rom but stops on a black screen until I power cycle the console.

 

 

[raz0red]

4 minutes ago, Thran said:

My copy of Possible Mission is also from Good Deal Games.  The 2600+ loads the rom but stops on a black screen until I power cycle the console.

There is a potential fix that was added for that, it will appear in an upcoming update. 

 

Thanks,

Chris.

Edited January 2 by raz0red

[+sramirez2008]

Update v1.1 was sucessfull on my Windows 11 laptop. I can confirm that 7800 Asteroids now works with the Starplex controller, however hyperspace (whether using the Starplex or the single button CX-40+ by pulling back) does not work.

 

A.R.T.I. works, but without music

Ballblazer works and sounds as amazing as ever.

Danger Zone works, but without music

Donkey Kong PK works and sounds excellent (POKEY chip)

EXO and Rikki & Vikki do not work for me on this release v1.1. 

Froggie works and sounds amazing (POKEY chip)

Frenzie works.

Galaxian Arcade works

Keystone Koppers works, but without any tunes, like ARTI and Danger Zone. Maybe the HOKEY chip is not recognized, as my POKEY. - Apologies, just realized that the HOKEY vs POKEY issue has been discussed earlier in the thread.

Klax works

Moon Cresta Works

Popeye works and sounds great! My cart is one of the originals from PRGE with the bottle bug.

Possible Mission (can confirm that screen says Loading Game and then goes blank)

Serpentine works

Millie & Molly works, but no tunes as well. The only SFX I hear are when I enable the rewind feature.

 

I have quite a few more 7800 titles (original and homebrew) to test, but I've been under the weather. Will try to test more later today or tomorrow. 

 

@Ben from Plaion Thanks again for providing the community with the update. It's nice to see and confirm the prgress that has been made.

 

[tradyblix]

5 hours ago, DEANJIMMY said:

So far I found the follwing7800 PAL homebrews with down shifted screen or flicker (starting as NTSC):

Scramble, Space Invaders, Pac Man Collection, Moon Cresta and Crazy Brix.

Padles on port two for Crazy Brix don't work.

The escape sequence works on all 4 games.

 

Pac Man Jr 7800 PAL runs fine.

 

Dungeon Stalker 7800 runs fine.

 

Realsports Boxing 2600 PAL works!

 

Xevious 7800 PAL works but colors are off.

What should be green is displayed as yellow/brown.

 

Commando 7800 PAL runs fine but the background flickers in secret rooms when the screen scrolls up.

Same happens to Midnight Mutants PAL when you walk up the road after start. First some parts of the green then the windows of the mansion flicker when scrolling up.

 

Desert devious is kinda cool !

[Blinky]

20 hours ago, remowilliams said:

Looks like the 2600+ (beta 1.1) is dumping Realsports Boxing as an F8 (8K) cart rather than an F6 (16K) - so half the game is missing.

The problem is caused by the dumper and not the emulator. Did you successfully update the dumper firmware using AtariDumper1.1.0.2.exe ?

To check this you can run the tool again and repeat the 1st instructions for detection and check the device version: