Experimental 2600+ Firmware and Dumper

[DEANJIMMY]

20 hours ago, Dionoid said:

For me, Crystal Castles PAL also shows a black screen after the title screen. I'm running 1.1x-r5.

My PAL Crystal Castles seems to work on 1.1x-r5

Md5 and Type are different 🤔

Had to clean it, Qtip was black...

Edited Sunday at 04:44 PM by DEANJIMMY

[Brad_from_the_80s]

10 minutes ago, Striker667xbl said:

Sorry if this is buried in this topic somewhere...

I'm on 1.1r3 and Received a Defender 2 cib. It's not being recognized as in the slot.

 

Has this game been verified working? It's the first cart I've received with green on the copper pins. It's probably just going to take a lot of electronic contact cleaner but I want to rule out compatibility too since I've already cleaned it a lot.

 

Thanks!

FWIW my copy of Stargate works fine.  I think it's the green pins.  I had a NOS CIB copy of 7800 Centipede that had that and wouldn't work until some thorough cleaning.

[JetmanUK]

13 minutes ago, Striker667xbl said:

Sorry if this is buried in this topic somewhere...

I'm on 1.1r3 and Received a Defender 2 cib. It's not being recognized as in the slot.

 

Has this game been verified working? It's the first cart I've received with green on the copper pins. It's probably just going to take a lot of electronic contact cleaner but I want to rule out compatibility too since I've already cleaned it a lot.

 

Thanks!

Sounds like a grubby cart to me.

[Striker667xbl]

25 minutes ago, Brad_from_the_80s said:

FWIW my copy of Stargate works fine.  I think it's the green pins.  I had a NOS CIB copy of 7800 Centipede that had that and wouldn't work until some thorough cleaning.

 

23 minutes ago, JetmanUK said:

Sounds like a grubby cart to me.

 

Thanks. The seller said "tested" but I'm not sure if that was 10 years ago or  a day before listing 😂. I didn't want to contact them until I could confirm this should be working on 2600+. I've cleaned it very well and see pitting on the pins. I'm kinda thinking that moisture may have reached the ICs in the cart. Can't see this having functioned on even the robust original hardware.

[tradyblix]

8 hours ago, JetmanUK said:

Sounds like a grubby cart to me.

Defender 2 works. you may need to clean up the cart. 

[raz0red]

On 6/29/2024 at 1:09 PM, Dionoid said:

Here is the debug info. Seems like it's correctly detected as PAL, but the bankswitching type should be F6. Please also see this thread for more info.

Ok, so this appears to be an issue with the bank detection in the dumper. It will be resolved in the next dumper update. While doing a scan of roms, it also appears that Burgertime (NTSC) may have a similar issue. So, if anyone has a BT to test with, would be great to know if it is also failing.

 

Still trying to get some consistency on the Crystal Castles issue. It appears to be working for some, and not for others. For those where it is not working, could you please post the debug info like @Dionoid, so we can see if the failures are consistent?

 

Also, for these types of failures, it will likely be a dumper related issue (as opposed to firmware related). So, if you could please post the dumper version you are using, that would be great as well.

 

Thanks a lot,

Chris.

Edited yesterday at 01:45 AM by raz0red

[Striker667xbl]

1 hour ago, tradyblix said:

Defender 2 works. you may need to clean up the cart. 

Yup.. I've never received a cart with corrosion.. this one looked like a leaking battery after it's first cleaning.  Many many cleanings later, and some scrapping, I was able to get it up and running a few times.. More cleaning and it's getting more consistent. Didn't want to see it end up in a landfill, so thanks to this group for letting me know it should have been working! 😁

[ForceInfinity]

3 hours ago, raz0red said:

Ok, so this appears to be an issue with the bank detection in the dumper. It will be resolved in the next dumper update. While doing a scan of roms, it also appears that Burgertime (NTSC) may have a similar issue. So, if anyone has a BT to test with, would be great to know if it is also failing.

 

Still trying to get some consistency on the Crystal Castles issue. It appears to be working for some, and not for others. For those where it is not working, could you please post the debug info like @Dionoid, so we can see if the failures are consistent?

 

Also, for these types of failures, it will likely be a dumper related issue (as opposed to firmware related). So, if you could please post the dumper version you are using, that would be great as well.

 

Thanks a lot,

Chris.

I have Burgertime NTSC.   It’s very finicky but I can get it started on the rev 3 and it’s dumper.    Do you want me to upgrade everything to 5 and try there?

[raz0red]

34 minutes ago, ForceInfinity said:

I have Burgertime NTSC.   It’s very finicky but I can get it started on the rev 3 and it’s dumper.    Do you want me to upgrade everything to 5 and try there?

If you could capture the debug info on any version, that would be great.

 

Thanks a lot,

Chris.

[JetmanUK]

@raz0red

Here's my Burger Time, works fine.

R5 Experimental 

Dumper 02

 

I should also have PAL Crystal Castles, but it has been missing for over a month. I suspect the bear made it attractive to little fingers. 😬🤣

I will keep looking. For what it's worth my NTSC version is fine. 

 

EDIT:

I have just found a cheap PAL Crystal Castles on FleaBay and ordered it. I will share info when it arrives. I will consider the old copy gone forever, or until the replacement arrives and it inexplicably turns up. 🤷🏻🤦🏻🤣

Edited yesterday at 07:21 AM by JetmanUK

[atwwong]

On 6/27/2024 at 5:34 PM, Trebor said:

As of June 27, 2024, attached is all the files and thorough step-by-step instructions on updating the 2600+ console, whether it is the first time the console is being updated, or it has been updated previously.

 

Complete zip archive: How to Update the 2600+ Console_20240627.zip

 

Included Word document in the above attached archive provides the following information:

 

HOW TO UPDATE THE 2600+ CONSOLE

(As of June 27, 2024)

 

There are two parts to a complete 2600+ console update:

Part I – Dumper --> Reads the cartridge data

Part II – Firmware --> Runs the cartridge data and controls overall functionality of the console

 

Prerequisites & Setup: A desktop or laptop running Windows is required to successfully update the 2600+ console.  If this is the first time the desktop or laptop running Windows is being utilized for an update, it is very likely, a one-time driver install needs to be performed.

 

If the machine has been utilized to update the 2600+ console previously, jump to the next section, “Part I – Dumper” below.  Otherwise follow these steps to install the driver:

1.       Ensure POWER lever switch is set to the OFF position on the 2600+ console.

2.       Connect included USB cable to the 2600+ console and the other end to a laptop or desktop running Windows.

3.       On the 2600+ console, set the TV TYPE to COLOR.

4.       While HOLDING DOWN the RESET GAME lever on the console, move the POWER lever to the ON position.

5.       Wait to hear an audio jingle indicating a device connected from the computer running Windows.

6.       Decompress the file: DriverAssitant_v5.12.zip, noting where the folder and files are placed.

7.       Go to ‘Device Manager’ on the machine running Windows and click on the ‘Unknown Device’ listed.

8.       Select ‘Update Driver’ for the ‘Unknown Device’ opting to Browse for Driver.  Navigate to the folder where the DriverAssitant_v5.12.zip file was decompressed and select the OK button.

9.       A confirmation pop-up message should be received indicating a successful driver update.

10.     Proceed with the section “Part I – Dumper”

 

Part I – Dumper

1.       Ensure POWER lever switch is set to the OFF position on the 2600+ console.

2.       Connect included USB cable to the 2600+ console and the other end to a laptop or desktop running Windows.

3.       On the 2600+ console, set the TV TYPE to B+W.

4.       While HOLDING DOWN the SELECT GAME lever on the console, move the POWER lever to the ON position.

5.       Wait to hear an audio jingle indicating a device connected from the computer running Windows.

6.       Double click/Open the file: dumper-061424-x.02.exe

7.       The “Atari 2600+ Dumping Tooling” application Window will appear on screen:

                               a.       Version: = Version of dumper software that will be installed

                               b.       Checksum: = Validation data of file running.

                               c.       Device Version: = Version of dumper software currently installed on the 2600+

                               d.       Status: = Whether a 2600+ console is detected as connect to the computer.

8.       Ensure “Status: Detected” in green is present.  If “Not Detected” in red is present, go back to Step 1.  If the issue persists, try a different Laptop or Desktop running Windows.

9.       With “Status: Detected” in green shown, click on the “Download” button.  Download will take several seconds.

10.     Status will now show “Not Detected” in red.  This is normal, expected, and indicates a successful update.  To double check, proceed to Step 1 again and note when under step 7, both “Version” and “Device Version” will match, and “Status: Detected”.

 

Part II – Firmware

1.       Ensure POWER lever switch is set to the OFF position on the 2600+ console.

2.       Connect included USB cable to the 2600+ console and the other end to a laptop or desktop running Windows.

3.       On the 2600+ console, set the TV TYPE to COLOR.

4.       While HOLDING DOWN the RESET GAME lever on the console, move the POWER lever to the ON position.

5.       Wait to hear an audio jingle indicating a device connected from the computer running Windows.

6.       Decompress the file: RKDevTool_Release_v2.74.zip, noting where the folder and files are placed.

7.       Navigate to folder where RKDevTool_Release_v2.74.zip was unzipped, and click/Open the file: RKDevTool

8.       The "RKDevTool v2.74" application window will appear.  A status message at the bottom of the application window should state “Found One MASKROM Device”.  If not, go back to Step 1 and try again.  If the issue persists, ensure the “Prerequisites & Setup” section above has been performed.

9.       With a status message of "Found one MASKROM device" shown, click on the tab “Upgrade Firmware”

10.     Under the “Upgrade Firmware” tab, click on the “Firmware” button, locate and Open the file: update-062624-1.1x-r5.img.

11.     The firmware update-062624-1.1x-r5.img should now be listed under “Firmware” information section of the “Upgrade Firmware” tab.

12.     Click on the “Upgrade” button under the “Upgrade Firmware” tab. To the right, lines will be displayed indicating it is processing the update, of which should take about 30 seconds.

13.     Status message of “No Devices Found” will likely appear.  This is normal and expected.

14.     Congratulations!  Having completed Part I – Dumper and Part II – Firmware, your 2600+ console is fully updated!

 

Notes:

-          It has been discovered that computers which have been utilized to update Evercade devices, install a driver which conflicts with performing the 2600+ update successfully.  It is strongly recommended to either uninstall the driver for that Evercade device, or utilize a different computer.

-          The USB cable that is included with the 2600+ console, provides data transfer support.  Many USB cables on the market are for powering or charging devices only.  If not using the USB cable included with the 2600+ console, it is crucial to ensure the cable being leveraged provides data transfer support.

-          If utilizing a USB 2.0 port with a computer, and the update is not working, try leveraging a USB 3.0 port instead.

-          There is an alternative ‘debug’ version of the firmware.  This is for assisting with testing and informational purposes, which details MD5 checksum and ROM size data.  It is included in the archive in a separate 'Debug' folder, but not required to be installed.

 

Hope this is found useful and beneficial for any in need of it.

 

@Ben from Plaion feel free to utilize or/and modify for anything official from Plaion/Atari.

I finally got around to updating the dumper and firmware! I had to uninstall the rockusb driver that Evercade installed on my PC and then reinstall it for the Atari 2600+. Thanks for that invaluable tip, otherwise I would have probably been stuck.

 

So far I have successfully enjoyed playing my 7800 PAL Ballblazer, PAL Food Fight, and 2600 NTSC Haunted Adventure Trilogy, Gyruss, Montezuma's Revenge, Pitfall II, Mountain King, Hero, and Xonox Double-Ender Ghost Manor Spike's Peak cartridges. Just tested some titles that I was curious about. Of course I'll test more.

 

The only one that is not working correctly so far is a 7800 PAL Crossbow cartridge; it exhibits the rectangular block instead of character error previously posted elsewhere.

 

Thank you to everyone who has worked on the updates to the 2600+! Impressive effort so far!

[raz0red]

9 minutes ago, JetmanUK said:

@raz0red

Here's my Burger Time, works fine.

R5 Experimental 

Dumper 02

 

I should also have PAL Crystal Castles, but it has been missing for over a month. I suspect the bear made it attractive to little fingers. 😬🤣

I will keep looking. For what it's worth my NTSC version is fine. 

Ok, great, thanks a lot!

 

Chris.

[CPUWIZ]

You can tell by the weight, which version of Burgertime you have, one of them is a very packed PCB and the other is "blob style" and much lighter.

 

It looks similar to the Locomotion prototype, that I scanned for Matt decades ago.

[+Philsan]

I tested L.E.M. PAL60 with firmware R5.

Last grey row is missing, perhaps there's a problem with palette, grey colors ($00-$0E) should not change between NTSC and PAL.

Thanks in advance.

 

2600+ firmware R3 vs firmware R5

 

 

Real console and Stella

 

[shane857]

14 hours ago, raz0red said:

Ok, so this appears to be an issue with the bank detection in the dumper. It will be resolved in the next dumper update. While doing a scan of roms, it also appears that Burgertime (NTSC) may have a similar issue. So, if anyone has a BT to test with, would be great to know if it is also failing.

 

Still trying to get some consistency on the Crystal Castles issue. It appears to be working for some, and not for others. For those where it is not working, could you please post the debug info like @Dionoid, so we can see if the failures are consistent?

 

Also, for these types of failures, it will likely be a dumper related issue (as opposed to firmware related). So, if you could please post the dumper version you are using, that would be great as well.

 

Thanks a lot,

Chris.

I have updated to 1.1 r5 and using dumper x.02. Crystal Castles PAL still goes black screen for me.

My copy of Crossbow 7800 PAL has some strange audio lag.

[raz0red]

1 hour ago, Philsan said:

I tested L.E.M. PAL60 with firmware R5.

Last grey row is missing, perhaps there's a problem with palette, grey colors ($00-$0E) should not change between NTSC and PAL.

Thanks in advance.

 

2600+ firmware R3 vs firmware R5

 

 

Real console and Stella

 

Thanks for pointing this out.

 

I have a fix, it will be in the next update.

 

Thanks a lot,

Chris.

[Brad_from_the_80s]

FWIW my BurgerTime feels heavier than my other 10+ M Network carts, and it works fine with r3, r5

[DhaemonX]

7 hours ago, raz0red said:

Thanks for pointing this out.

 

I have a fix, it will be in the next update.

 

Thanks a lot,

Chris.

Hey, any idea if the video gamepad is in the works to run on the 2600+ in the near future?