Anyone try changing ROMs in that new 2600 controller?

[Starman]

Hi all,

I was tempted to pick up that controller with the 10 games in it that you see at GameStop/EB. Has anyone tried making the thing work with more ROMs? THAT I'd love to see.

 

Mike

[PongHit]

I don't think those Jakks controllers are emulations using ROMs -- I think they're recreations.

 

-PongHit

[Susuwatari]

None of those controllers (including Intellivision 25-in-1, Namco arcade, etc) are true hardware but rather a port with modern off the shelf CPU chip. It is *possible* to hack other games onto it but you'd have to port the ROM to work on different CPU, remap the controller, sound, and video, etc.

 

Just stick with portable computer or laptop with TV out.

[Inky]

How many timeshas this question, or a variant of it been asked recently?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

How many timeshas this question, or a variant of it been asked recently?

Often, but maybe it never has been answered well enough. I am quite sure I got a quite good understanding of it now.

 

Basically it's a mixture of using the game ROM and recreating the game. There are plenty of modern CPUs that can execute 6507 code, but no hardware that works like the TIA. So they take a 6507 compatible CPU for executing the code, but analyze the ROMs graphics, sound and input etc. first and adopt that to the modern hardware (GPU, sound, new controller...). There's the part where errors can happen. Some are avoidable (e.g. most graphic glitches), some are not, mainly due to the modern hardware isn't capable of fully emulating the old hardware.

[jsoper]

How many timeshas this question, or a variant of it been asked recently?

 

1) Can I hack my portable to play other roms? I really wanna play Pacman.

 

2) A lot of people say it sucks but does anyone else enjoy 2600 Pacman besides me?

 

3) Do you enjoy ET also?

 

4) I heard millions of unwanted ET carts were buried in New Mexico. Is this rumor true?

 

5) If so does anyone wanna go try to find them with me?

 

6) I only wanted the portable because the real 2600 I bought last month doesn't work.

Does anyone know how to hook up a 2600 to a modern TV?

 

7) Someone said a 2600 could be converted to composite or s-video. I tried this and it doesn't works.

Did I use the right circuit?

 

The power supply might be the problem. Can anyone tell me the ratings and connector

type for a replacement?

 

9) I just got it working but don't have a 2600 joystick. But I did try a genesis controller

and it worked with "B" as the fire button. Is anyone else aware of this incredible discovery about 10+ year old equipment?

 

10) The thrift stores around me are overpriced/drying-up. Does anyone else think the thrifts are

overpriced/drying-up?

 

PLEASE don't get offended by the above, just having fun.

 

PLEASE PLEASE don't respond to them either

[Cootster]

How many timeshas this question, or a variant of it been asked recently?

 

1) Can I hack my portable to play other roms? I really wanna play Pacman.

 

Why in the heck was it not even on there in the first place? Oh, well, the paddle'll be much better.

 

2) A lot of people say it sucks but does anyone else enjoy 2600 Pacman besides me?

 

Yes, they're called "furries."

 

3) Do you enjoy ET also?

 

The movie, no, it's a horrid piece of Hollywood crap . . . Honestly, IMO, the game is better.

 

 

4) I heard millions of unwanted ET carts were buried in New Mexico. Is this rumor true?

 

5) If so does anyone wanna go try to find them with me?

 

Got a few million dollars worth of Interior Department permits?

 

 

 

9) I just got it working but don't have a 2600 joystick. But I did try a genesis controller

and it worked with "B" as the fire button. Is anyone else aware of this incredible discovery about 10+ year old equipment?

 

You know, I figured that out the day I got a Genesis . . . Why? Because it's fun plugging in things where they're not supposed to go.

 

10) The thrift stores around me are overpriced/drying-up. Does anyone else think the thrifts are

overpriced/drying-up?

 

Try Russia. That's where the South's prime thrift chain ships all its old unsold stuff (almost certainly including tons of classic games).

 

PLEASE don't get offended by the above, just having fun.

 

PLEASE PLEASE don't respond to them either

 

This is why . . . We need a sticky FAQ, to answer all the blatant troll responses, questions that can be easily answered on the rarity guide, et al.

 

And the question about the Canadian edition Activision/Coleco carts belongs on it, too.

 

What do the mods think about the idea of a forum FAQ?

[Albert]

What do the mods think about the idea of a forum FAQ?

 

Probably a good idea, I know this sort of thing has been worked on in the past.

 

..Al

[jetset]

What do the mods think about the idea of a forum FAQ?

 

Hopefully not at all. I never understood the problem with people asking questions. People come here to interact, not read faqs. Lets not be so high and mighty as to gripe at someone who asks a question just because it was asked 5 months ago.

Yikes.

[Susuwatari]

I still think there should be a sticky of top 10 most asked question. And an option to beat nOObs with a pointy stick if they ask the same old question.

[Albert]

What do the mods think about the idea of a forum FAQ?

 

Hopefully not at all. I never understood the problem with people asking questions. People come here to interact, not read faqs. Lets not be so high and mighty as to gripe at someone who asks a question just because it was asked 5 months ago.

Yikes.

 

I have no problems with people asking questions, but an informative faq with the most frequently asked questions answered in detail would be more useful than not having it.

 

..Al

[Cootster]

Other forums have them for various things, like the poll about Andrew's book and such . . .

 

If the mods are too overclocked to do it, I volunteer.

 

But what should be included?

 

A pointer to the rarity guide and atariguide.com so people can spot the most common label anomalies that pop up, a bit on mislabeled carts, the debates on whether Pac-Man or ET are good or not, the Easter Eggs we know about, controller/video/stereo modding stuff, those horrid Jakks things . . .

 

Anything else?

[ApolloBoy]

What do the mods think about the idea of a forum FAQ?

 

Probably a good idea, I know this sort of thing has been worked on in the past.

 

..Al

 

I'd like the idea of a forum where n00bs can ask questions without clogging up the other forums.

[+kheller2]

Hmm.. maybe I should dig out the old CAGSFAQ....

 

There are a lot of recent, but common, technical questions that don't have a home. I'll admit I was suprised to learn the 2 Port 5200 isn't 100% compatible because of the OS ROM.

 

May I sugest in addition to this new FAQ, it also be searchable. Often times people are put off from paging through link after link or a huge text file. Adding a search feature for the FAQ makes sense. This is different from searching the forums where the results are much more varied and not as concise.

[Room 34]

I think the biggest problem is not making the information available, but finding a way that newbies will actually SEE it before posting their questions.

 

(I guess I took the opposite approach here... I pored over the archives on this site for many hours over a span of 2 months before I ever even LOOKED at the forums.)

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I think the biggest problem is not making the information available, but finding a way that newbies will actually SEE it before posting their questions.

You could send the FAQs with the welcome mail.

[moycon]

Needs updating:

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13367

[NovaXpress]

Would this mean no more "Pac Man Sucks" threads? Because it's been about four weeks and we're due for another one.

[Starman]

THis topic may come up a lot, but NOTHING comes up in a search.

 

Searched for: "Atari TV Classic" which is the official name of the product from here:

 

http://www.gamestop.com/product.asp?produc...uct%5Fid=321721

 

Response was:

 

"No topics or posts met your search criteria"

 

So....if this topic comes up a lot, then why doesn't the search find it? That's why I asked.

 

EDIT: I see that the topics are listed if I do a search for "Jakks".

 

Mike

[Rob Mitchell]

So....if this topic comes up a lot, then why doesn't the search find it? That's why I asked.

 

EDIT: I see that the topics are listed if I do a search for "Jakks".

 

Mike

 

Hi Mike .. Welcome to Atariage where many experts will be quick to answer your questions!

 

Go to jakkstvgames.com for all your jakks needs!

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[Inky]

What do the mods think about the idea of a forum FAQ?

 

Probably a good idea, I know this sort of thing has been worked on in the past.

 

..Al

Started by, and ball dropped by yours truly.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/viewtopic.p...7&highlight=faq

[Cassidy Nolen]

All the FAQ stuff aside....

 

I tried hacking a TV Boy; for those who don't know, that was a 127 in one 2600 game package that was released about 10-15 years back. It was PAL, but I had pretty good luck tapping into the pcb and getting RCA out that my TV could use.

 

Inside, it was the cursed 'blob' technology; ie, no chips. However, if you looked carefully, the pcb was still wired to work with an eprom. I am sure it could easily have been fitted to the appropriate address lines and worked as a 4K game player. Maybe wrong, but I would love to have tried it further.

 

I do not think the Jakks one would be so successful. However, those old TV Boys would be a great place to start.

 

Cassidy

[jsoper]

All the FAQ stuff aside....

 

I tried hacking a TV Boy; for those who don't know, that was a 127 in one 2600 game package that was released about 10-15 years back.  It was PAL, but I had pretty good luck tapping into the pcb and getting RCA out that my TV could use.  

 

Inside, it was the cursed 'blob' technology; ie, no chips.  However, if you looked carefully, the pcb was still wired to work with an eprom.  I am sure it could easily have been fitted to the appropriate address lines and worked as a 4K game player.  Maybe wrong, but I would love to have tried it further.  

 

I do not think the Jakks one would be so successful.  However, those old TV Boys would be a great place to start.

 

Cassidy

Kevin Horton worked on this way back when. Here is his 1996 post to usenet:

Well, I got my TV Boy in the mail yesterday; of course, I couldn't wait

to rip it apart!!! But before I broke out the screwdriver, I decided to

play it. I hooked it up, tuned to channel 13, and turned it on. Oh joy!

I got a numerical entry screen. I flip to the back of the box and

peruse the list of games. 'Tom Boy'? Hmm... looks intresting. I enter

the number, and up comes Pitfall! But, it's in black and white. I try

a few other games- the same story; all are in B&W. I try another TV,

as well as a VCR with the same results. I then try my old 'clunker'

13" colour TV, and I finally get colour. Seems I was overdriving the

front-ends on the newer TV's, since the TV boy puts out a much higher

wattage signal than the TV's like. I can't use an external antenna,

'cause ch 13 is broadcasting in our area. I think I'm going to have to

use an attenuator. I'll make an update wether it works or not...

 

Anyways, I open the thing up. It's got 5 chips- an odd 274001 (more on

this in a sec.) a 74HC273 to latch the current game, a 74HC00 and 74HC32

for address decode and reset control, and a 40-pin 'chip'. Said chip is

really a little 40-pin-chip-shaped circuit board with a little black

blob on it covering the actual chip. Guess they couldn't get chips in

real packages done in time for production. :-) There's also a 21.47727Mhz

crystal that's hooked up to the main chip. This main chip appears

very much to be a complete 2600 on a chip. The 274001 is odd, because

it has a positive enable, as well as a negative enable! The negative

enable is connected to ground, and the positive enable is connected to

A12. (Or what I presume is A12) I tried to read out the chip as a

normal 274001, but of course all I got was all FF's. I soldered a

7400 onto the top of the ROM and stuck that into my EPROM programmer.

Didn't have a problem reading it out after that!!! Oh yeah, forgot

to mention that I had to desolder the TV Boy's ROM. It was marked

like so:

 

NS-31(N)

TV-BOY(127G)

NICS. 59874

 

The NS-31 is the TV Boy's model #, and I think the N is for NTSC

TV-BOY should be obvious, and the 127G is short for 127 Games, I think

NICS is the manufacturer of the TV Boy, and the 59874 is a date code of

some sort.

 

Hmm... Oh yeah, the joystick ports are wired in parallel, with seperate

select lines; I was quite suprised to see the sticks multiplexed in this

manner; guess they had to do it to save pins on the main chip. The internal

controller is hardwired across the player 1 joystick port.

 

The modulator is definately *not* FCC certified, as it broadcasts on

channel 13, with quite a bit of power. Also intresting, was the adapter

is rated for 100VAC, 50Hz. Rather than 120V, 60Hz. Still works, tho.

 

Well, that's about it for the guts of the TV Boy.

 

I did a little code-snooping on River Raid that came out of the TV Boy

against the Activision one. *most* bytes are the same, but the games

are definately taylored to the TV Boy's hardware. For instance, on all

the games I saw, SEI (78h) was replaced by 7Fh. AFAIK, that's the

only instruction that has been changed.

 

The games in the ROM are stored one right after another, every 4K. Each

game is 4K. 2K games are doubled-up to make 4K. Game #0 is the

selection screen. I don't think the games go in order in the ROM, but

I could be wrong. Game #2 (2000h-2FFFh) is River Raid, which is what

is indicated on the box, so they could be. Looking at the board, somehow

I don't think so. :-) The board is a single-sided one, with about 40-50

wire jumpers. :-) Further testing is definately in order here.

 

Oh yeah, if anyone wants it, I can uuencode and send 'em a ROM image

from my TV Boy. It's a 512K zipped file (about 335K after zipping).

 

BTW, as an intresting note- you can still hit the 'dot' on Carnival!

(game #56). Because you press the fire button to select a game,

Carnival thinks you held down the button while you turned it on. As

a result, the dot always appears. Shooting it reveals the classic

'Programmed by S. Kitchen' message. Kinda funny they left that one

in. :-)

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Oh yeah, if anyone wants it, I can uuencode and send 'em a ROM image from my TV Boy.  It's a 512K zipped file (about 335K after zipping).

Is that file available somewhere?

[sku_u]

I don't understand why so many people get so offended when someone who doesn't visit this site 100 times a day asks a question that was answered several months ago. Big f'n deal. We were all new here once. Not everyone has the time to sift through 100s of pages of old threads.