jetset's "Please help me" thread

[jetset]

Remember that you need to disable the XL's built-in BASIC for many games.

Yep, I actually posted at a few places and found that out.
Many thanks for the reply my friend. You have to remember though...I have the brain function of a four year old with this stuff, so....

Had I not found out already...I would have said...
"Great" disable Basic! Got it!
signed off, tried it...or...oh, wait....
log back in...clicked onto atarimania, and...

Excuse me deathtrappomegranate... how do you disable basic exactly?
..."hold down the option key"

Ahhhhhhh!! OK!

Hey, speaking of 4th grade brain function....the new unit is not too terribly yellow, but somewhat yellow. PLUS there are some paint/ink stains that regular cleaner wont remove...How save would it be to apply a little acetone on the surface? (obviously not on the keys....dont want to erase the lettering!)
Also - if I wanted to take the unit apart to blow compressed air and get the funkies out, clean the contacts, etc...is this something advisable, or are there "surprise" parts that would be impossible to get the unit back together???

[deathtrappomegranate]

Hehe!

Should have mentioned how to disable BASIC. Actually, that' something that Atari should have made more obvious for the XL and XE machines. It's easy when you know how, but who has a manual these days? And who read it back then anyway? A BASIC on/off LED and corresponding keyboard button would have been very cool.

As for dismantling the XL machines, it's not a problem. You've already delved into at least one 800, and the XL machines are, if anything, simpler. Compressed air is the way to go, too. The main thing to watch for is the keyboard connectors.

A number of cleaning products can help with the yellowing problem, but we have different brand names here, so I don't know what to recommend for the US. I've never tried acetone myself (the smell!). The top portion of the case can be removed and cleaned without affecting the keyboard.

[jetset]

I cleaned the unit pretty nicely...at least enough that I dont mind much....The acetone worked well...basicially it lifted the top layer of plastic (just a smidge) so the yellow, the paint, the ink, everything went with it.

NOW the buh-zillion dollar question.

Using the 1050 to save games...
When playing (a text/graphic) adventure game and I type "save game", I get a prompt to save to A-D. I've tried each, and though the disk drive spins and hums, it never seems to save as when I go back to load it, I get a "bad save" error. Is it possible I'm using the wrong disks (5.25 DS/DD)? Or do they need be formatted ?
Um...and if they need formatting....um...well.....you know....

How do I ?

[deathtrappomegranate]

You will need to format your disks before using them.

Fortunately it's easy to do. Just boot the computer with a DOS disk in the drive, and once the menu appears, you can replace the DOS disk with a new one, and then choose "format" from the menu.

[jetset]

You will need to format your disks before using them.

Fortunately it's easy to do. Just boot the computer with a DOS disk in the drive, and once the menu appears, you can replace the DOS disk with a new one, and then choose "format" from the menu.

Easy enough!
Um...where can I get a 'dos' disk ?
I remember when having the basic cart in my 800 there was a menu which one of the choices of A-K was "format disk", but it did not work...

[deathtrappomegranate]

Hmmm...

You just need a disk that's been formatted as a DOS system disk, or an original DOS disk, or a copy.

If you don't have them, you can use software (eg Prosystem, SIO2PC) to format disks, if your SIO2PC setup can also function as a 1050-2-PC.

I can help you out if you want a real DOS disk.

[jetset]

Hmmm...

You just need a disk that's been formatted as a DOS system disk, or an original DOS disk, or a copy.

If you don't have them, you can use software (eg Prosystem, SIO2PC) to format disks, if your SIO2PC setup can also function as a 1050-2-PC.

I can help you out if you want a real DOS disk.

I tried the APE software (prosystem disk drive) and I'm not sure if its working correctly. Funny thing, I was able to load some atr files onto disk, then boot the game directly from disk, so I know its working...I really wish this stuff came with manuals!
I may take you up on that disk offer. What I need to really do is grab a plane ticket to Scottland for a week of live tutorials.

Oh, and ANOTHER question...
I recently realized, though most games work fine...there are a handful (Demon Attack, Dreadnaught Factor, etc...) that work on the 800, but not the XL. I found out there is also a "translator" program, which I tracked down, and turns out is an ".XFD" file.
Any hints on how to use it ?

[deathtrappomegranate]

.xfd files are for the Xformer emulator.

There's a utility to convert them to .atr - http://members.home.nl/stack/atarixle.html

You're right - some programs only work with the 4/800, usually because they rely on calls to the BIOS, which was changed for the XL and later models.

[edit] The easy way to format disks with APE is to get hold of an .atr of a formatted disk...

[jetset]

.xfd files are for the Xformer emulator.

There's a utility to convert them to .atr - http://members.home.nl/stack/atarixle.html

You're right - some programs only work with the 4/800, usually because they rely on calls to the BIOS, which was changed for the XL and later models.

[edit] The easy way to format disks with APE is to get hold of an .atr of a formatted disk...

Oh, I actually have such a program, Ken Siders' "makeatr", which I use often to convert "xex" files.
So, now that I have converted the file to "ATR" format, how do I essentially load 2 files at once? I have to load the "translator.atr" file to make the XL read as if it is an old 800, but then how would I load the actual program I want to run ?

[deathtrappomegranate]

IIRC Side A of the Atari translator disk allows "reset" to be pressed without losing the translator program...

[jetset]

IIRC Side A of the Atari translator disk allows "reset" to be pressed without losing the translator program...

YOU are absolutely correct sir! I actually tend to post in panic mode without thinking, and 5 minutes after my last post, I tried it and everything worked fine. I ran Atlantis with the translator program.
Unfortunately I had to run into work before I could post back

Anyway, thanks again DTP !

[jetset]

He's Baaaaaa-aaaaaack!!!!

Real easy question for you all.

NTSC v. PAL. My 800XL is NTSC. Do 800 carts "know" the difference? IfI were to purchase PAL carts, would they "roll" on American TV's ? I know the Atari consoles (2600, 7800) are region specific, but I know that other consoles, such as the Colecovision somehow don't read a difference, meaning a PAL CV cart would play fine on an NTSC television with no screen roll.
In truth, it doesnt matter much to me since I have an older TV set and can adjust the vertical hold anyway, but I would like to know either way.

[Atari Frog]

Actually, the cartridge games we got in Europe were exactly the same as the ones sold in the US. There were very, very few games on ROM in Europe anyway and they're not really worth mentioning given their rarity...

BTW, be careful with European tapes and disks if you plan to buy any, you may encounter problems in this area...

--
Atari Frog
http://www.atarimania.com

[ijor]

NTSC v. PAL. My 800XL is NTSC. Do 800 carts "know" the difference? ... meaning a PAL CV cart would play fine on an NTSC television with no screen roll.

The issue is different than on the VCS. Your display will never "roll". The software can't change the frame sync rate. It will always be 60 Hz or 50 Hz depending on the computer, and disregarding the software.

However, many games play at a different speed when run at the "wrong" computer. That is, many NTSC games are slower and sometimes too easy on PAL systems. And many PAL games are too fast on NTSC computers.

Some games have other kind of problems when run on the wrong systems. And a few don't run at all.

Again, as Frog said, many games sold in Europe are actually NTSC. That is, they are exactly the same as the original US version. Or the difference is just in the titles and other cosmetic changes.

BTW, be careful with European tapes and disks if you plan to buy any, you may encounter problems in this area...

What kind of problems?

[Atari Frog]

What kind of problems?

In addition to the ones you mentioned, I seem to recall some games not loading at all in NTSC mode (tapes and disks).

--
Atari Frog
http://www.atarimania.com