ACE80-XL?

[+Guitarman]

I've been working on a new label for the 1Mb flashcart, and I think I have a pretty good one -- largely "true to the original," although there are a couple of things I couldn't do with my software and limited artistic skills. I have attached the a .doc file with the new label for anyone who is interested. It just fits in the label area on an Atarimax cart. However, right off, you'll notice that the nice little "running man/computer" ACE logo is missing. So I need some suggestions and/or help from someone more artistically inclined than me.

 

I tried importing the logo from GR. 8 file "LOGO.BAS" on disk one, but by the time it is shrunk to fit, it is just a blur. The logo on the original cart label is fine, but the only way that I have been able to use it it to color photocopy the original cart label then cut out the logo as as small rectangle, and attach it to the label. It's not bad, but certainly could be better. I also tried tracing the logo, but I'm just not good enough to get a nice reproduction. The original label is shown below:

 

Any suggestions? Any offers of artistic help?

 

-Larry

 

 

 

 

Can you get me a higher res scan of the label??

[+Larry]

Can you get me a higher res scan of the label??

 

Look for a PM. (Actually, with the new forum system, it's very, very difficult to miss a PM!)

 

-Larry

[ClausB]

This means you can't program an EPROM and put it in a standard (i.e. Basic cartridge) and make it work,right?

Right. ACE-80 copies itself to RAM, switches off the ROM, and then either uses the recovered 8K of RAM for display memory or enables the XL BASIC ROM underneath.

 

Some folks have put it into old OSS carts, others have already adapted it to new flash carts.

Well, never say "can't." You could hack a BASIC cart to work with ACE-80XL. The attached schematic shows the original ACE-80 right cart ROM/RAM switch circuit. To adapt it for the left cart:

Change A6 to A3.

Swap pins 8 and 9.

 

Wire that one-chip circuit into a standard cart, in the place where one of the ROMs was. In the remaining ROM socket, plug a 2732 EPROM containing ACE-80XL. You'll have to cut and jumper the ROM socket pins 18, 20, and 21 to make it work. If you need more details, I can draw something up in a few days.

Edited April 16, 2008 by ClausB

[ClausB]

I've been working on a new label for the 1Mb flashcart, and I think I have a pretty good one -- largely "true to the original,"

I met with my A.C.E. partner yesterday and we reminisced. He remembers that the original label was printed with black ink on foil and thinks it has faded to magenta.

 

Lance Ward was the driving force behind Amiable Computer Enhancements. He saw the potential of my hobby project and encouraged me to improve it for the marketplace. Lance has the right combination of talents for high-tech business. He made ACE-80 happen (and DT-80 before it) - all I did was sit and code.

 

I met Lance after I built a Sinclair ZX81 kit that came with a newsletter. In it, Lance called on local Sinclair users to form a club. We met, he showed me his nice ZX80 setup, and I showed him the Atari. We then helped start an Atari club, called CHAOS, in Mid-Michigan. Over the last 26 years, Lance and I have teamed up on many projects with several companies.

 

He did not keep any ACE stuff but, wisely, he kept his original ZX80!

[+Larry]

I've been working on a new label for the 1Mb flashcart, and I think I have a pretty good one -- largely "true to the original,"

I met with my A.C.E. partner yesterday and we reminisced. He remembers that the original label was printed with black ink on foil and thinks it has faded to magenta.

 

Lance Ward was the driving force behind Amiable Computer Enhancements. He saw the potential of my hobby project and encouraged me to improve it for the marketplace. Lance has the right combination of talents for high-tech business. He made ACE-80 happen (and DT-80 before it) - all I did was sit and code.

 

I met Lance after I built a Sinclair ZX81 kit that came with a newsletter. In it, Lance called on local Sinclair users to form a club. We met, he showed me his nice ZX80 setup, and I showed him the Atari. We then helped start an Atari club, called CHAOS, in Mid-Michigan. Over the last 26 years, Lance and I have teamed up on many projects with several companies.

 

He did not keep any ACE stuff but, wisely, he kept his original ZX80!

 

Black printing for the label -- that makes things easier!

 

So you were one of the founders of CHAOS. (IIRC) in 1982, the guy that was the president of CHAOS visited our Atari user's group, AUGI (Atari User's Group Indianapolis), and did a demo of the ATR8000. Another user group that I belonged to bought a copy of the whole CHAOS PD library. CHAOS was quite an active group! Let's see, Chapel Hill Atari .... -- what were the last two letters for?)

Those were the days!

 

-Larry

[ClausB]

CHAOS was quite an active group! Let's see, Chapel Hill Atari .... -- what were the last two letters for?)

Those were the days!

 

-Larry

The Capitol Hill Atari Owners' Society was based in Lansing, which is the capital of Michigan but which has no hill. The founder was a Get Smart fan, so the name stuck. CHAOS was large and active and a lot of fun. Even when I lived in Muskegon I made the 2-hour drive to the monthly meetings.

 

Yes, they were the days and you guys really help to recapture them! It's ironic that the PC nearly killed Atari but now, through the Internet, it keeps it alive.

 

BTW, do you remember the President's name? I remember only his face.

[+Larry]

BTW, do you remember the President's name? I remember only his face.

 

Hi Claus-

 

No, too long ago. All I think I remember was that he was probably 30-ish, thin, and I think wore glasses.

 

-Larry

[+Larry]

Well, here is the end of this project for me, I think. Hopefully someone can improve upon my results.

 

Here is my final label design and a picture side-by-side of the new and original carts. I'm not totally happy with the results of my artistic endeavors, but it could be a lot worse.

 

 

 

Also, here is the label file as a ZIPped WORD (.doc) file.

 

 

 

I had two significant problems:

 

First, using WORD for the logo had some definite limitations. Second, when I tried to use Photo/Paint programs, the text lettering was pretty ugly. Ultimately, WORD seemed the better choice.

 

The label is slightly smaller than the flash cart recessed (label) area. I cover the label with 3M packing tape for a nice "glossy" look. I've done this for years, and it never has had any deterioration or yellowing that I can see.

 

Incidently, Mr-Atari did the logo for me -- as well as creating the flasher ATR. Many thanks to him.

 

-Larry

Edited April 24, 2008 by Larry

[+Guitarman]

Larry,

 

What are the dimensions of the label??

[+Larry]

Larry,

 

What are the dimensions of the label??

 

The label area on the Atarimax flash cart is 2-1/8" X 1-3/8". That's edge-to-edge, zero clearance. My label is 2" X 1-1/4".

 

-Larry

[ClausB]

Here is my final label design and a picture side-by-side of the new and original carts.

Nice job, Larry!

[frogstar_robot]

First, using WORD for the logo had some definite limitations. Second, when I tried to use Photo/Paint programs, the text lettering was pretty ugly. Ultimately, WORD seemed the better choice.

 

 

-Larry

 

You may do better with either a vector editor or a true DTP program. Inkscape is a decent free vector editor. It can even do a decent job of importing PDFs and then letting you edit the text. Pretty slick, that.

 

Scribus is a freebie Desktop Publishing package.

 

Either will let you create a graphical label without jagging up the text or doing something horrible to the graphics.

Edited April 24, 2008 by frogstar_robot

[MEtalGuy66]

Or just scan the original label at like 1200DPI or higher, use photoshop to restore it (remove any blemishes) then print it on a piece of silver "sticker sheet" from the art supply place using a regular old ink-jet printer, and then lay a piece of clear laminant (also from the art supply/office supply places) over it to preserve it..

[+Larry]

First, using WORD for the logo had some definite limitations. Second, when I tried to use Photo/Paint programs, the text lettering was pretty ugly. Ultimately, WORD seemed the better choice.

 

 

-Larry

 

You may do better with either a vector editor or a true DTP program. Inkscape is a decent free vector editor. It can even do a decent job of importing PDFs and then letting you edit the text. Pretty slick, that.

 

Scribus is a freebie Desktop Publishing package.

 

Either will let you create a graphical label without jagging up the text or doing something horrible to the graphics.

 

I'll check out Scribus -- never heard of it. Hopefully someone else can do a better job with this label. But I've spent quite a bit of time on it, so I'm pretty burned out for now.

 

-Larry

[+Guitarman]

Here ya go. I laid it out over the original so the placement is pretty much exact. This should work as a decent replacement of the original. It is sized 2" x 1 1/4" at 600dpi.

 

[classics]

Here ya go. I laid it out over the original so the placement is pretty much exact. This should work as a decent replacement of the original. It is sized 2" x 1 1/4" at 600dpi.

 

Nice work, it looks great printed out. Too bad all the labels I have on hand have rounded edges though.

 

Steve

[+Larry]

Here ya go. I laid it out over the original so the placement is pretty much exact. This should work as a decent replacement of the original. It is sized 2" x 1 1/4" at 600dpi.

 

 

Hi Guitarman-

 

Looks terrific! Thanks!

 

Would you mind sharing a few steps of how you did it and what software you used?

 

-Larry

[+Larry]

Here ya go. I laid it out over the original so the placement is pretty much exact. This should work as a decent replacement of the original. It is sized 2" x 1 1/4" at 600dpi.

 

Nice work, it looks great printed out. Too bad all the labels I have on hand have rounded edges though.

 

Steve

 

Hi Steve-

 

Yours printed out better than mine. I'm using an HP 6180 all-in-one, and I can probably tweak it a bit, but what did you print yours on -- laser printer?

 

-Larry

[www.atarimania.com]

Funny you should mention CHAOS... I happen to have six or seven issues of Energy - The Michigan Computer Consortium Magazine which used to sponsor joint activities from different computer clubs in Michigan including CHAOS.

 

--

Atari Frog

http://www.atarimania.com

[+Guitarman]

Hi Guitarman-

 

Looks terrific! Thanks!

 

Would you mind sharing a few steps of how you did it and what software you used?

 

-Larry

 

I used CorelDraw, which I have been using for about 15 years. I set the page size at the 2x1.25 you gave me. I used the original label scan you sent as a background and laid the new label out over the top of it. I have a library of fonts too large to count and found one that was almost identical to the original. I will usually do replica labels for floppies I make for Atari disks I copy. I sold an XM301 modem a while back that I couldn't find an extra XE Term disk for so I copied the one I have and created the following label.

 

[ClausB]

Funny you should mention CHAOS... I happen to have six or seven issues of Energy - The Michigan Computer Consortium Magazine which used to sponsor joint activities from different computer clubs in Michigan including CHAOS.

What years? I was pretty active thru '83 and less so after '84. I vaguely recall the MCC.

[ClausB]

Here ya go. I laid it out over the original so the placement is pretty much exact. This should work as a decent replacement of the original. It is sized 2" x 1 1/4" at 600dpi.

Very nice!

 

I'll pick one nit: The "XL" is not in the same "magnetic ink" font.

[+Guitarman]

Here ya go. I laid it out over the original so the placement is pretty much exact. This should work as a decent replacement of the original. It is sized 2" x 1 1/4" at 600dpi.

Very nice!

 

I'll pick one nit: The "XL" is not in the same "magnetic ink" font.

 

Is that the name of that font??? I just used Arial for the XL.

[+Guitarman]

Revised label

 

[classics]

Yours printed out better than mine. I'm using an HP 6180 all-in-one, and I can probably tweak it a bit, but what did you print yours on -- laser printer?

 

Yes since it was black and white I used an old HP laserjet 1100. Came out pretty good considering the age of the printer.

 

Steve