Atari 2600+ Beta Update 1.1 REV2

[John Stamos Mullet]

On 3/29/2024 at 5:44 PM, Glorkbot said:

How much is a "cheap PC"? Even $100 seems too much to pay just to update the firmware on the 2600+. It would almost double the cost of the system. And I suppose one would need a monitor too...

You already spent $1500 on a Mac that only does 1/10th of what a $400 Windows PC does. Surely you have an extra $100.

[TornadoTJ]

I thought there were three choices, pick two. Good, fast, cheap.

[Glorkbot]

4 hours ago, John Stamos Mullet said:

You already spent $1500 on a Mac that only does 1/10th of what a $400 Windows PC does. Surely you have an extra $100.

lol. Wouldn’t I need a monitor too, though? And when I’m done I guess I could chuck them in a landfill.
 

(And my iMac is definitely more powerful and much more robust and reliable than my son’s $1500 pc laptop which gives him endless trouble. But I can probably talk him into letting me update if the process is more streamlined for the finalized firmware release. He said no to the betas though.)

Edited April 3 by Glorkbot

[NicodemusLegend]

15 hours ago, Glorkbot said:

lol. Wouldn’t I need a monitor too, though? And when I’m done I guess I could chuck them in a landfill.

Honestly, for the purposes we're talking about, I'd just connect the cheap PCs HDMI output to the HDMI input in my regular TV set, do what I need to do, and then disconnect and put away until I need it next time. With HDMI all-but universal, there really isn't any need to buy a monitor for such an occasional usage.

Edited April 3 by NicodemusLegend

[AtariYMás009]

So... Going back to the main point of this thread. Is there gonna be a new official / beta update soon?

[+OLD CS1]

2 hours ago, AtariYMás009 said:

So... Going back to the main point of this thread. Is there gonna be a new official / beta update soon?

Sorry.

[daorriss]

On 4/5/2024 at 3:55 PM, AtariYMás009 said:

So... Going back to the main point of this thread. Is there gonna be a new official / beta update soon?

 

Been wondering the same thing.. hopefully soon as @OLD CS1 said... 

[MrChickenz]

So... Going back to the main point of this thread. Is there gonna be a new official / beta update soon?

 

Edited April 7 by MrChickenz

[+LS650]

There has been no word yet, and no ETA.

[+MrZarniwoop]

I am hopeful Plaion and Atari adopt the experimental firmware as basis for the updated firmware, as it's outstanding.

[m.o.terra kaesi]

how about updating the first post in this topic so the audience who is not spotting daily here can see, where we are standing right now with firmware/dumper updates?

[TornadoTJ]

On 4/7/2024 at 8:35 PM, MrZarniwoop said:

I am hopeful Plaion and Atari adopt the experimental firmware as basis for the updated firmware, as it's outstanding.

Except it killed Medieval Mayhem

[DEANJIMMY]

35 minutes ago, TornadoTJ said:

Except it killed Medieval Mayhem

Only certain carts.

 

My Juno 1st only worked once, no matter which release or dumper.

 

My Medieval Mayham worked on any release and dumper.

 

Others have different experience.

 

I guess quite a few PCB/Shell of these carts have issues with the connectors on the PCB or how the PCB is placed in the shell.

E.g. the PCB does not sit 100% in the center of the shell but a bit too far to the right, so some Juno 1st (like mine) work better if moved to the far left in the slot while inserting it.

 

Depending on the dumper FW reading finicky carts might work better with old dumpers, other carts work with any dumper release.

 

My Medieval is a 100%, my Juno 1st a 1%

I wish it would be the other way around.

On ebay prices for another Juno cart are insane. One day I will open the shell to have better access to clean the contacts and to wildly move it around in the slot 😊

Edited April 9 by DEANJIMMY

[MrChickenz]

1 hour ago, DEANJIMMY said:

Only certain carts.

 

My Juno 1st only worked once, no matter which release or dumper.

 

My Medieval Mayham worked on any release and dumper.

 

Others have different experience.

 

I guess quite a few PCB/Shell of these carts have issues with the connectors on the PCB or how the PCB is placed in the shell.

E.g. the PCB does not sit 100% in the center of the shell but a bit too far to the right, so some Juno 1st (like mine) work better if moved to the far left in the slot while inserting it.

 

Depending on the dumper FW reading finicky carts might work better with old dumpers, other carts work with any dumper release.

 

My Medieval is a 100%, my Juno 1st a 1%

I wish it would be the other way around.

On ebay prices for another Juno cart are insane. One day I will open the shell to have better access to clean the contacts and to wildly move it around in the slot 😊

If Juno First works with original hardware 100% it’s not your cartridge. 
 

Juno First

Circus Convoy

Medieval Mayhem

Only work for my console with dumper 1.1.0.2 with experimental update.

if I use dumper 1.1.0.9 they stop working

 

Robot Tank

Time Pilot 

need dumper 1.1.0.9

 

it also depends if your using Beta Update or Experimental Update.

 

But they all work with my original hardware

 

 

[DEANJIMMY]

15 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

If Juno First works with original hardware 100% it’s not your cartridge. 
 

Juno First

Circus Convoy

Medieval Mayhem

Only work for my console with dumper 1.1.0.2 with experimental update.

if I use dumper 1.1.0.9 they stop working

 

Robot Tank

Time Pilot 

need dumper 1.1.0.9

 

it also depends if your using Beta Update or Experimental Update.

 

But they all work with my original hardware

 

 

My Juno 1st works with my 2600 Jr and VCS but fails on my 7800 and 99% on my 2600+ (any dumper).

 

Finicky cart...

[raz0red]

3 hours ago, TornadoTJ said:

Except it killed Medieval Mayhem

That was a change to the dumper, not to the experimental firmware. It should be addressed in the next dumper update.

 

Chris.

[infinite.pies]

It looks like Microsoft is about to announce a major push on new PC's running Windows on Arm.

 

So unless Windows Arm drivers are released for these updates, it's not only Mac users running Windows who won't be able to install the firmware, it's also users of Microsoft's upcoming new hardware. Even though the x86 emulation in Windows Arm has improved a lot, unfortunately this doesn't extend to hardware drivers.

[Trebor]

10 hours ago, infinite.pies said:

It looks like Microsoft is about to announce a major push on new PC's running Windows on Arm.

 

So unless Windows Arm drivers are released for these updates, it's not only Mac users running Windows who won't be able to install the firmware, it's also users of Microsoft's upcoming new hardware. Even though the x86 emulation in Windows Arm has improved a lot, unfortunately this doesn't extend to hardware drivers.

Roughly 10-11% of new PC's.  The "lion's share" of Arm-based processors for PCs are shipped by Apple inside Macs.

 

The sky is not falling just yet.

[daorriss]

On 4/7/2024 at 5:06 PM, LS650 said:

There has been no word yet, and no ETA.

And that is what worries me.. Ben last said "lots going on" at Plaion (I would presume) but I'd really like to see completion of the investment on the work on the 2600+ otherwise I threw money away... 

[TornadoTJ]

20 hours ago, raz0red said:

That was a change to the dumper, not to the experimental firmware. It should be addressed in the next dumper update.

 

Chris.

I know it's the dumper, it's just disappointing. We've had to revert back to Warlords for now.

[Gamma Ray]

On 4/8/2024 at 2:36 PM, m.o.terra kaesi said:

how about updating the first post in this topic so the audience who is not spotting daily here can see, where we are standing right now with firmware/dumper updates?

There's more? Have they done anything to improve paddle controls?

[Raz333]

Hi, 
I am trying to update my Atari 2600+ so it can play some of the games correctly.  I have found out how to do this on the atariage blog page regarding beta update 1.1. The problem I am running into is when it tells you to do the following: 
“Browse your PC and click on the DriverAssitant_v5.12 (unzipped) and press Open.” This is to allow my PC to “talk” to the Atari 2600+ so it can be updated.  The problem I’m having is I am unable to get my computer to find and install that driver.  I have found out it is a Rockchip driver.  How do I get a Rockchip driver on my PC so I can actually do the update?  Any help or link for this driver would be greatly appreciated.  I am really enjoying the games but a few won’t work unless I get this update.  Thank you.

[daorriss]

On 4/10/2024 at 4:38 PM, Gamma Ray said:

There's more? Have they done anything to improve paddle controls?

Nothing other than the first post from @Ben from Plaion on this thread. 

[shane857]

On 4/15/2024 at 4:15 AM, Raz333 said:

Hi, 
I am trying to update my Atari 2600+ so it can play some of the games correctly.  I have found out how to do this on the atariage blog page regarding beta update 1.1. The problem I am running into is when it tells you to do the following: 
“Browse your PC and click on the DriverAssitant_v5.12 (unzipped) and press Open.” This is to allow my PC to “talk” to the Atari 2600+ so it can be updated.  The problem I’m having is I am unable to get my computer to find and install that driver.  I have found out it is a Rockchip driver.  How do I get a Rockchip driver on my PC so I can actually do the update?  Any help or link for this driver would be greatly appreciated.  I am really enjoying the games but a few won’t work unless I get this update.  Thank you.

 

[m.o.terra kaesi]

Is the impression misleading or has the topic and the corresponding further development of the firmware/dumpers fallen asleep?

In other words: are we still a long way from...
- all ChampGame releases could run?
- most 3rd party joysticks could run?
- special cartridges like Pitfall 2 could also run?