Exomizer is a program that compresses files in a way that tries to be as efficient as possible but still allows them to be decompressed in environments where CPU speed and RAM are limited. For some popular 8-bit computers using 6502 compatible CPUs it can also generate executable files that decompress themselves in memory when run.
- 2011-02-06: Exomizer v2.0.1 released
Changes since the 2.0 release:
- Fix bug in log.c that caused the desfx command to loop if the log level was lower than debug. Bug report by iAN CooG.
A complete changelog is included in the zip file.
source: exomizer
Exomizer is a program that compresses files in a way that tries to be as efficient as possible but still allows them to be decompressed in environments where CPU speed and RAM are limited. For some popular 8-bit computers using 6502 compatible CPUs it can also generate executable files that decompress themselves in memory when run.
- 2011-01-22: Exomizer v2.0 released
Changes since the 2.0 beta 7 release:
- Fixed a bug in sfx decruncher setup where data was copied unnecessary.
- Added the i_line_number symbol to be able to change the default line number of the basic line of the sfx decruncher.
- Added various improvements and documentation of the desfx command.
A complete changelog is included in the zip file.
source: exomizer
The HxC Floppy Drive Emulator is a software and hardware system created by jfdn aka Jeff.
The aim of this project is to replace the floppy disk drive by an electronic device emulating the floppy disk drive (list of supported Computer/Hardware).
There are two differents emulators:
- A USB version which allows to connect the floppy disk drive interface of the computer to a PC via a USB cable.
- A SDCARD version which allows to emulate floppy disks which images are stored in a SDCARD.
Release notes for the HxCFloppyEmulator software v1.5.2.0/v1.5.2.1:
- BUG : Floppy dump tool broken. fixed.
- New files Support : Atari ST DIM image (*.DIM) added.
- New files Support : TI99 V9T9 (*.V9T9 / *.PC99) added.
- IPF File format (http://www.softpres.org/) overlap bug corrected.
- Internal : Tracklen is now the number of bit in the track.
- Internal/HFE generator : Track encoding code now set correctly.
- ISO/IBM track generator : ISO FM track data mark value corrected/changed to 0xFB.
Release notes for the SD HxCFloppyEmulator firmware upgrade v1.5.0.0:
- SDcard : Init frequency corrected.
- SDcard : Multi sector read & Write access added.
- SDCard access time improved (Slow sdcard issues corrected)
- Some important parts of the floppy write support fully rewritten : Important codes improvement (speed & size)
- New MFM/DD write support bitrate added.
- FM write support added.
- E-mu write support added (E-mu emulator, E-mu emulator II,…)
- Two floppy drive emulation improvement/bug corrected.
- SDCard HxC Floppy emulator settings (sound/blacklight…) are now stored into the eeprom and used at power up. At power up the last known settings are used.
- … full release notes here
source: hxc2001.free.fr
CTetris4 is a very Nice Tetяis clone for Atari 8 Bit Computers. The game is developed by Hayden Doan.
from Wikipedia:
Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow.
He derived its name from the Greek numerical prefix tetra- (all of the game’s pieces, known as Tetrominoes, contain four segments) and tennis, Pajitnov’s favorite sport.
source: atariage.com wikipedia
Tomasz “Tebe” Biela has released an update of the program Graph2Font v3.9.0.5.
This project began many years ago as a simple graphics converter for Atari but over the years the features are significantly increased. The converter runs under Windows.
source: g2f.atari8.info
Contiki is a small, open source, highly portable, multitasking computer operating system developed for use on a number of memory-constrained networked systems ranging from 8-bit computers to embedded systems on microcontrollers, including sensor network motes.
The name Contiki comes from Thor Heyerdahl’s famous Kon-Tiki raft.
The Contiki 2.x contains only very little assembler coding and even less target-specific assembler coding. This allowed for easy porting to targets beside the C64 namely the C128 and Apple II. Porting to other cc65 targets wasn’t done due to missing Ethernet hardware.
The major changes are:
- Support of the Atari 8-bit machines with the ethernet cart described on http://www.atari8ethernet.com
- FTP client app (only download although UI suggests upload too)
- Twitter client with OAuth workaround (using SuperTweet.net)
- New high contrast color scheme for Contiki UI apps on the C64.
source: lemon64.com wikipedia cbm8bit.com
Jason “Gwobby” Kendall has released a new Version of his game Gwobby Strikes Back! with a lots of new features and fixes.
What’s New in this Update?
- Over one hundred and thirty thousand different levels.
- Improved animation, sprites.
- Additional sequences assassination.
- Hard platforms are maintained by the first 4 levels.
- The ball can give extra power force.
- The ball under renewed at the early levels.
- Press any key during the boot screen to go intros.
- The game is a little faster, better jumps and many other minor improvements.
source: atarionline.pl
This is the 5th edition of the New Years Disc for Atari. In this issue you can find a lots of interesting things to begin a new year with our beloved Atari.
In this issue you can find:
[Disc one]:
- Kleeblatt and Schneemann done by me.
- Jacfield Badekapp Miel and 3 by JAC!.
- Atallax to map & PG.
- 2011 Intro to Heaven.
- Happy New Year by Sikorski.
[Disc two]:
source: atarionline.pl
“NRV” from Chile has started a new project on Atari 8bit machines called “Project M”.
This is basically a clone of very well popular Wolfenstein 3D PC game. This update of Project M v2 contains improvements and several bugs
source: atariage.com youtube.com
Floppy Emulator (PCB by Lotharek):
The HxC Floppy Emulator is very smart device, designed by Jean-François DEL NERO. It allows you to emulate any 34 pins floppy disk drive. The SDCard HxC Floppy Emulator can replace different kind of floppy disk drive and allows you use SDCard media instead of floppy disk.
This emulator is actually used on Amiga, Atari, CPC, PC computers, different keyboards and samplers, CNC machine tool, and scientist instruments. The full list of supported host computer/instruments are on the project website.
source: hxc2001.free.fr lotharek.pl
Autopsy:
Thank to Lynx of Nightfall for your generous donation.
The Atari Lynx has several innovative features including its being the first color handheld, with a backlit display, a switchable right-handed/left-handed (upside down) configuration, and the ability to network with up to 17 other units via its “ComLynx” system (though most games would network eight or fewer players).
from Wikipedia:
The Atari Lynx is a 16-bit handheld game console that was released by Atari Corporation in 1989. The Lynx holds the distinction of being the world’s first handheld electronic game with a color LCD. The system is also notable for its forward-looking features, advanced graphics, and ambidextrous layout. The Lynx was released in 1989, the same year as Nintendo’s (monochromatic) Game Boy.
However, the Lynx failed to achieve the sales numbers required to attract quality third party developers, and was eventually abandoned. Today, as with many older consoles, there is still a small group of devoted fans, creating and selling games for the system.
source: wikipedia
I had to make this change to get the Expansion Ram 320XL running on my Atari 800XL:
source: atariage.com
Autopsy:
The Expansion Ram 320XL is a external plug and play 320kB memory expansion card for Atari 600XL and 800XL machines designed by ctirad a user of AtariAge Forum.
Additionally there is a possibility to disable internal memory and remap it onto card (switchable via jumper), thus one can “fix” many failing XLs without even looking inside. Also, an unexpanded 16kB 600XLs can be upgraded to 320XL without any additional work.
The Expansion Ram 320XL uses banking via bits 2,3,5,6 and 4 of PORTB. As you can see this is compatible with “Atari magazine” expansion rather than a most common RAMBO or Compy shop setup, however I have to say the comaptibility with both old and new software is excellent. There can be only problem with some programs, which does use the separate Antic/CPU banking.
The Installation is very easy. The Atari 600XL users will just plug it into PBI port. For Atari 800XL is a bit more complicated, because Atari decided to remove 5V power from the PBI connector from it. Thus 800XL users will have either to use additional power cable which will fit into joystick port or solder one wire inside atari to make the PBI port powered like on 600XL (look photo).
For more information and price visit the atariage.com.
source: atariage.com
Autopsy:
from Wikipedia:
The Philips P2000T home computer was Philips’ first real entry in the home computer market, after the Philips Videopac G7000 game system (better known in the U.S. as the Magnavox Odyssey2) which they already sold to compete with the Atari 2600 and similar game systems.
There was also an P2000M version with an additional 80-column card for use with a monochrome monitor. This version shipped with a monitor cabinet also housing a dual 5.25″ floppy drive. Basically the P2000T was a Z80 based home computer that used a Teletext display chip to produce the video picture and a small Mini Cassette recorder for mass storage (42 kByte).
The mini cassette was seen as a floppy drive from the user perspective using the automatic search for a program (CLOAD command) or free space (CSAVE). A command to display the directory of the cassette does also exist. Philips used components they already produced for other markets (television sets and dictation machines) to quickly design a small computer system. It was partially designed by Austrian professor Dieter Hammer.
They also copied the ROM cartridge system from their Videopac G7000 game system. One of these cartridges contained Microsoft BASIC. It was also possible to use cassette tape floppys.
source: wikipedia
Autopsy:
from Wikipedia:
The Atari Portfolio is the first PC-compatible palmtop computer, and was released by Atari Corporation in 1989. The Portfolio was licenced from Distributed Information Processing (DIP) based in Guildford, Surrey, England. The original founding member of DIP was Ian Cullimore, fresh from his experiences at helping design the early Organiser products at Psion.
DIP officially stood for “Distributed Information Processing”, although secretly it actually stood for “David, Ian and Peter”, the three founding members of the company, all ex-Psion. The original founder of the company (first called “Crushproof Software”) was Ian Cullimore, and the other two David Frodsham and Peter Baldwin. It was built around an Intel 80C88 CPU running at 4.9152 MHz and ran a variant of MS-DOS called “DIP DOS 2.11″. It had 128 kB of RAM and 256 kB of ROM which contained the OS and built-in applications. The on-board RAM had to be divided between system memory and local storage (the C: drive). The LCD was monochrome without backlight and had 240×64 pixels or 40 characters x 8 lines.
source: wikipedia
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