khryssun Posted September 5, 2001 Share Posted September 5, 2001 Was the cart originally sold with the controllers ? Does the Keypad (Star Raiders) is compatible with the cart ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parcel Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 I have been looking into this exact same thing. From what I gathered they are all compatible but each game came with overlays to put on the controllers. I want to know if the Basic Programming overlays are rare and expensive(havent found any on ebay yet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 I used to own Basic Programming. It was mainly for novelty purposes. The one I bough didn't come with the keypad controllers, and the overlays were standard looking, but the one wierd thing was the "rotate" button at th bottom of the keypad overlays. Worked like a 4-way shift button. They needed a way to fit all..36+ keys onto the keypads so this color-coded rotate button was the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ze_ro Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 I don't actually have this cartridge, so I'm not 100% sure... but I believe the Video Touchpad (Star Raiders), the Keyboard Controllers (Basic Programming), and the Kids Controllers (Various Sesame St. Games) are all compatible. Of course, you'll need two Touchpads to actually use them with Basic Programming, and the overlays won't fit. In case you just want to the overlays, you can print them out. For something close to the original, print them on a transparency (reverse the image so that you see it from the shiny side), and then paint the back white (the side that was actually printed on) with spray paint. Check here for a scan of the overlay. --Zero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyXB Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 I have buy my new (I think, it was shrinkwrapped). And there was 2 overlays for the controllers, but no controller itself. And yes, I think too that the keypad is compatible. I think is the same. I think too that the Kids Controller is compatible too. But I can't tell it exactly. I think this only. Matthias Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osbo Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 what kind of programs could you write with that cart? It always interested me, but I never got the chance to use that cart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcprs1 Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 From what I heard you could only use 9 lines of code. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parcel Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 I want to use it for what its for, and thats to teach me basic programming. I tried the rom but its confusing on a keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parcel Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 Lol, I dont intend to start a career based on a Atari game. I only want to see how far it goes and what I can do on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari70s Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 Hey some people start liking computers by way of atari . and want to do computing from atari ( not that i will be working atari my life but it got me interested in it and now i am Majoring in Computer SCience and Accounting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 Actually, you could write programs for it (as long as a whoppin' 63 bytes long). And you could use two displays at the same time (one for text output & one for "graphics"...a large blue area with two square sprites)...something for ZX81 users to envy. And I think that it's the only Basic to forgo the optional LET statement in favor of an arrow symbol...a wet dream for algebra instructors everywhere ("A does not equal A plus one, damnit! Use LET A=A+1!!!"). One of the bad lessons it could teach you is that bad programming nets more RAM (the two "blobs" of code can be erased to give you 65 total memory). Does anyone know who wrote the program example in the catalog? What the heck was that about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nateo Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 I tried using the Video Touch Pad with my Basic Programming cart, but it doesn't work! I don't understand it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parcel Posted September 6, 2001 Share Posted September 6, 2001 Maybe you need both plugged in to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvigor Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 I bought a NIB copy of Basic Programming in a B&W box and it came with NO overlays, NO controllers, just game, box and manual. I was very surprised that there were no overlays. A copy of the overlays was printed (in black and white) in the manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voch Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 I've got Basic Programming and the actual keyboard controllers. I'm pretty sure that the controllers are wired the same as the Video Touch Pad controllers. What's nice about the keyboard controllers is they can be attached to each other (there's a controller-height-long tab on one side of the controller and a corresponding controller-height-long slot on the other side) to sorta make one 24-key keyboard. I think this is why they're prefereable for Basic Programming. I can post a picture later today of the attached controllers if anyone's interested. I'm at work now. Voch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 I'm pretty sure that the controllers are wired the same as the Video Touch Pad controllers. The Keyboard Controllers came out in 1978. They were sold separately and were not packaged with carts initially. They were sold at Sears also .. does anyone know if the Sears Keyboard controller is different in appearance from the Atari one? The first carts to use the keyboard are CodeBreaker (Sears and Atari), Memory Match (Concentration), and Brain Games --- all 1978. Later came Basic Programming (1981?) with overlay. (I made my own overlays.) Some time later there was a combo programming package with pack-in Basic Programming cart and keyboard controllers. Still later came Star Raiders (1982?)with pack-in video touch pad controller (electronically equivalent to Keyboards.) After that came the Sesame Street games (1983) with overlays that use the Kid Controller (electronically equivalent to the Keyboards) separately sold. Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Mitchell Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 I'm pretty sure that the controllers are wired the same as the Video Touch Pad controllers. The Keyboard Controllers came out in 1978. They were sold separately and were not packaged with carts initially. They were sold at Sears also .. does anyone know if the Sears Keyboard controller is different in appearance from the Atari one? The first carts to use the keyboard are CodeBreaker (Sears and Atari), Memory Match (Concentration), and Brain Games --- all 1978. Later came Basic Programming (1981?) with overlay. (I made my own overlays.) Some time later there was a combo programming package with pack-in Basic Programming cart and keyboard controllers. Still later came Star Raiders (1982?)with pack-in video touch pad controller (electronically equivalent to Keyboards.) After that came the Sesame Street games (1983) with overlays that use the Kid Controller (electronically equivalent to the Keyboards) separately sold. The big crime is that Atari did not program the Basic Math cart (1977) and later Grand Pris Math cart to use the keyboard controllers. Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voch Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 Still later came Star Raiders (1982?)with pack-in video touch pad controller (electronically equivalent to Keyboards.) That makes sense now that the Keyboard Controller came out first. I guess the Video Touch Pad redesign over the Keyboard Controller was that overlays could easily be used for Star Raiders (looks more futureistic or something like that). I wonder if I have the Basic Programming overlays at home. I'll check in a few hours. I'm pretty sure I have at least the manual. The online manual here at AtariAge includes the key layout at the end of the document. Voch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voch Posted June 20, 2002 Share Posted June 20, 2002 I've posted pics of my keyboard controllers (176K). They're half together in the pic. I don't have the overlays for BASIC Programming (I bought the loose cart and the controllers together). Voch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somePUNK Posted June 21, 2002 Share Posted June 21, 2002 nice i wish i had anything like this i could progarm my game guess the number on atari right guys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.