447 replies to this topic

[ATARI7800fan]

I was wondering, When this is finished were will I be able to buy it. Will it be listed on the Atari age store.Thank you for your time.

[Chickybaby]

Atari7800, Exciting isnt't it. Keep updated in the main thread for info as it progresses and please be patient. We're so lucky! Thanks.

[ATARI7800fan]

When will they announce a list of games for the expansion, I hope they do some arcade games like Tempest and some side scrollers/platformers/action/adventure.Would love to see a side scrolling shooter like contra on the system and also maybe a shooter like R-type. That would be awesome. Can not wait for it to come out. Hopefully it is more around Christmas as that is when I will have the money. It will be nice to see what the system can do with the parts Atari Had probably originally planed for it before Jack took-over. Like the Pokey chip, though I really do not think they would have put the arcade sound chip in the system. Good job so far.

Edited by ATARI7800fan, Sun Jul 25, 2010 2:49 PM.

[lisalover1]

I am really anxious to see some tech demos for what the expansion module can do! I'm so glad I chose to get a 7800, especially with all the cool stuff coming out for it.

[GroovyBee]

lisalover1, on Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:13 PM, said:

I am really anxious to see some tech demos for what the expansion module can do!

Me too . If things go to plan there will be some software at CGE 2010 in Vegas if you can get there.

[Rex Dart]

Enduro Deluxe!
Montezuma's Chaotix!

VIRTUA KARATEKA!

[S1500]

It's a 32X for a previous generation!

[DracIsBack]

S1500, on Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:40 PM, said:

It's a 32X for a previous generation!

No. More like an 8-bit era cartridge enhancement in one unit vs. multiple units.

[Bruce Tomlin]

Curt Vendel, on Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:34 PM, said:

Okay, units are assembled, I'm waiting for delivery of the PLCC socket and DB9 connectors to arrive. New HSC design is done, working on the TTL version of the RAM/Pokey system, then need to look at the secondary audio processor...

Purrrty. I like the backplane bus idea for prototyping.

Carey85, on Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:00 AM, said:

Yeah, if I recall correctly, Tigervision carts won't fit into the 7800 cartridge slot at all.

It's the slot opener pins. I've opened up a Tigervision cart and the piece of plastic with pins has a long side and a short side. You literally just have to flip it around so the short side is down. The 2600 cart guide has holes going all the way through the circuit board apparently.

However, the main problem is usually that the plastic from the top case is too tight.

Also, you can't use a 2600 cart guide because the slot isn't wide enough.

[ATARI7800fan]

I was wondering if there will be any videos of this and the demos taken at this years CGE 2010 and put up on youtube, I will not be able to go this year.Thank you for your time.

[Madaracs]

AdeptRapier, on Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:58 AM, said:

Hey guys! Aside from programmers, how would this be of interest to the "average" 7800 user?

Thanks!!!

AdeptRapier

My interest is high.

[classics]

Is there a guide anywhere that explains the basic differences between Maria and Antic, for those of us who have done 5200/8-bit programming with Pokey/Antic, but no 7800 programming?

Edit: Oops I posted this in the wrong thread... I'll ask for it to be moved.

Steve

Edited by classics, Mon Aug 2, 2010 9:44 PM.

[nichtsnutz]

Hello all,

may I ask what chip fits into the 68p PLCC socket? Is it an CPLD/FPGA ? Is it from Altera/Xilinx/Atmel/Lattice ...

I also find this a very interesting project and I would like to read more details about the implementation,
like the mapper modes,etc...
Is it intended to make more details public or will this details be only available to game developers?

Greetings,
Vassilis

[GroovyBee]

classics, on Mon Aug 2, 2010 9:42 PM, said:

Is there a guide anywhere that explains the basic differences between Maria and Antic, for those of us who have done 5200/8-bit programming with Pokey/Antic, but no 7800 programming?

I'm not aware of such a document. The best place to start with the 7800 is the MARIA documents :-

http://www.atarimuse...maria_specs.pdf
http://www.atarimuse...handy_hints.pdf

And to a lesser extent the Atari documentation (which has errors) :-
http://www.atarimuse...00_software.pdf

Feel free to ask questions in the 7800 programmers section too.

[GroovyBee]

nichtsnutz, on Tue Aug 3, 2010 2:04 AM, said:

I also find this a very interesting project and I would like to read more details about the implementation,
like the mapper modes,etc...
Is it intended to make more details public or will this details be only available to game developers?

All expansion module register information will be made public. I'll be providing source code, documentation and demo binaries soon after launch.

[ATARI7800fan]

I was wondering if anyone is planning of putting up any videos of the demonstration at CGE 2010. I probably would not buy the expansion until I have seen some videos of it so I know what it is capable of and if it is worth it. Have a nice day.

[philipj]

How much will this gizmo cost... I need to know so I can save money ahead of time and have ready when it's released. I think it would be a good idea to put a USB connector on it for homebrewing.

[GroovyBee]

philipj, on Mon Aug 9, 2010 10:11 AM, said:

How much will this gizmo cost... I need to know so I can save money ahead of time and have ready when it's released. I think it would be a good idea to put a USB connector on it for homebrewing.

Curt is aiming for less than $100. However, you'll need to factor in the price of games too.

How will a USB connector help homebrewers?

[Madaracs]

GroovyBee, on Mon Aug 9, 2010 10:20 AM, said:

philipj, on Mon Aug 9, 2010 10:11 AM, said:

How much will this gizmo cost... I need to know so I can save money ahead of time and have ready when it's released. I think it would be a good idea to put a USB connector on it for homebrewing.

Curt is aiming for less than $100. However, you'll need to factor in the price of games too.

Hell, at $100 I'd send money right now if I thought it would help!

[philipj]

GroovyBee, on Mon Aug 9, 2010 10:20 AM, said:

philipj, on Mon Aug 9, 2010 10:11 AM, said:

How much will this gizmo cost... I need to know so I can save money ahead of time and have ready when it's released. I think it would be a good idea to put a USB connector on it for homebrewing.

Curt is aiming for less than $100. However, you'll need to factor in the price of games too.

How will a USB connector help homebrewers?

It'll help by making provision of loading homebrew games on it.

GroovyBee, on Tue Aug 3, 2010 2:36 AM, said:

classics, on Mon Aug 2, 2010 9:42 PM, said:

Is there a guide anywhere that explains the basic differences between Maria and Antic, for those of us who have done 5200/8-bit programming with Pokey/Antic, but no 7800 programming?

I'm not aware of such a document. The best place to start with the 7800 is the MARIA documents :-

http://www.atarimuse...maria_specs.pdf
http://www.atarimuse...handy_hints.pdf

And to a lesser extent the Atari documentation (which has errors) :-
http://www.atarimuse...00_software.pdf

Feel free to ask questions in the 7800 programmers section too.

With the extra memory added, will it be possible for the 6502 to continue running from the expansion module memory without having to halt when maria is in use?

Edited by philipj, Mon Aug 9, 2010 6:04 PM.

[GroovyBee]

philipj, on Mon Aug 9, 2010 5:58 PM, said:

It'll help by making provision of loading homebrew games on it.

The 128K of RAM cannot be mapped above 0x8000 so its not going to work for homebrew games. To implement it you'd need RAM above 0x8000, USB to serial/parallel conversion, BIOS support and a PC downloading app. All of which adds time and cost to the project.

[GroovyBee]

philipj, on Mon Aug 9, 2010 5:58 PM, said:

With the extra memory added, will it be possible for the 6502 to continue running from the expansion module memory without having to halt when maria is in use?

Nope! Sally will be halted as per normal.

[PAC-MAN PRIME]

This looks like it'll be the best thing to happen to the 7800 since it came out. I cannot wait to get one! Awesome work Curt!