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Fun projects for your Atari 8-bit home computers and video game consoles

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Explore ChatGPT for Augmenting Your Atari 8-Bit Computer Hobby (15-30 mins)

August 20, 2023 moorejh Utilities, Web Resources

Task: Explore ChatGPT for Augmenting Your Atari 8-Bit Computer Hobby Needed: Web browser  Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction Chatbots have been around for a long time as early artificial intelligence (AI) researchers and programmers sought to develop apps that could carry out a conversation. I have

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Listen to The 8-Bit Files Podcast (1-2 hours)

August 15, 2023 moorejh Podcasts

Task: Listen to The 8-Bit Files Podcast Needed: Web browser or podcast app Time: about an hour per episode Introduction I love listening to retrocomputing podcasts. The good news is that new podcasts are being launched regularly so we never have to go without something

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Build Your Own AtariLab (1-2 hours)

August 6, 2023 moorejh Hardware, Programming

Task: Build your own AtariLab Needed: Arduino UNO, Arduino IDE software, Jumper wires, Breadboard, Arduino Sensor Kit  Time: about 1-2 hours with all components ready Introduction I have previously posted about the wonderful AtariLab kits that made it possible to conduct experiments through light and

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Augment an Atari 8-Bit Computer Program with an LED Array Connected Through the Joystick Port (1-2 hours)

July 30, 2023 moorejh Hardware, Programming

Task: Augment an Atari 8-Bit Computer Program with an LED Array Connected Through the Joystick Port Needed: Arduino UNO, Arduino IDE software, Atari joystick, Jumper wires, Breadboard, Atari XL computer, LED Array Time: about 1-2 hours with all components ready Introduction The goal of this

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Explore the Goto 10 RetroComputing Website (1 hour)

July 28, 2023 moorejh Web Resources

Task: Explore the Goto 10 RetroComputing Website Needed: Web browser Time: One hour or more Introduction I always get excited when there is a new Atari podcast, web page, or resource to explore. I highly recommend take some time to explore and read the Goto

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Use an Arduino to Read Digital Output from an Atari 8-Bit Computer Joystick Port (1-2 hours)

July 23, 2023 moorejh Hardware, Programming

Task: Use an Arduino to Read Digital Output from an Atari 8-Bit Computer Joystick Port Needed: Arduino UNO, Arduino IDE software, Atari joystick, Jumper wires, Breadboard, 10k ohm resistor, Atari XL computer Time: about 1-2 hours with all components ready Introduction In a previous post,

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Control a Servo Motor With a Joystick from Your Atari 8-Bit Computer Using an Arduino Connected to the SIO Port (1-2 hours)

July 16, 2023 moorejh Hardware, Programming, Uncategorized

Task: Control a Servo Motor with a Joystick from Your Atari 8-Bit Computer Using an Arduino Connected to the SIO Port Needed: Arduino UNO, Arduino IDE software, SIO cable, Jumper wires, Breadboard, 10k ohm Resistor, Servo Time: about 1-2 hours with all components ready Introduction

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Connect Your Atari 8-Bit Computer to an Arduino Microcontroller (1-2 hours)

July 9, 2023 moorejh Hardware, Modifications, Uncategorized

Task: Connect Your Atari 8-Bit Computer to an Arduino Microcontroller Needed: Arduino UNO, Arduino IDE software, SIO cable, Jumper wires, Breadboard, 10k ohm Resistor  Time: about 1-2 hours with all components ready Introduction I have always been interested in non-standard devices connected to and controlled

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Watch the “Stella at 20” Atari 2600 Retrospective (1-3 hours)

January 23, 2022 moorejh History, Media, Video, Web Resources

Task: Watch the “Stella at 20” Atari 2600 Retrospective Needed: Web Browser Time: 1-3 hours (or more) Introduction The Atari 2600 was launched in 1977 and enjoyed many years of success. For its 20th anniversary in 1997, a group of former Atari employees got together

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Play a New First Person Shooter on an Atari 8-Bit Computer (10-15 mins)

January 16, 2022 moorejh Games, Software

Task: Play a New First Person Shooter on an Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: Web Browser, emulator, or real hardware with SD card device Time: 10-15 mins Introduction Castle Wolfenstein (3D) and Doom were my first experiences with first person shooters (FPS). I also loved Rise

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Explore Mandelbrot Set Fractals on an Atari 8-Bit Computer (10-15 mins)

January 8, 2022 moorejh Graphics, Software

Task: Explore Mandelbrot Set Fractals on an Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: Web Browser, Emulator Time: 10-15 mins Introduction I have been a fan of fractals since I discovered them in college. I even wrote some software for exploring the fractal features of DNA sequences when

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Play Seven Forgotten Atari 8-Bit Computer Gaming Classics (30-60 mins)

January 1, 2022 moorejh Games, Magazines

Task: Play Seven Forgotten Atari 8-Bit Computer Gaming Classics Needed: Web Browser, Emulator Time: 30-60 mins Introduction One of my favorite things to do is to play an Atari 8-bit game I have never played before. Benj Edwards reviews seven classics in this PC Magazine

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Celebrate Christmas with the ‘A Very Retro Computer Yule Log with Atari 8-Bits’ Video (8 hours)

December 23, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Software, Video

Task: Celebrate Christmas with the ‘A Very Retro Computer Yule Log with Atari 8-Bits’ Video Needed: Web Browser Time: 8 hours (or less!) Introduction A modern Christmas internet tradition is to play Yule Log videos on your computer or TV to help set the mood

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Print Atari 8-Bit Computer Text and Graphics to a Modern Printer Using FujiNet (15-30 mins)

December 12, 2021 moorejh Graphics, Hardware, Utilities

Task: Print Atari 8-Bit Computer Text and Graphics to a Modern Printer Using FujiNet Needed: Atari 8-Bit Computer, FujiNet, Web Browser Time: 15-30 mins Introduction Printing text and graphics to an Atari-compatible printer is certainly possible assuming you have a functioning printer with paper and

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Listen to Atari 8-Bit Computer Chiptunes (10-15 minutes)

December 12, 2021 moorejh Demos, Emulators, Sound

Task: Listen to Atari 8-Bit Computer Chiptunes Needed: Web Browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction Sound on the Atari 8-bit computers was produced using the Pokey chip which output four channels each with a square waveform. Emulators of the Pokey chip have allowed modern Atari sound

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Try an Atari 815 Disk Drive using the Altirra 8-Bit Emulator (10-15 mins)

November 27, 2021 moorejh Hardware

Task: Try an Atari 815 Disk Drive using the Altirra 8-Bit Emulator Needed: Altirra Emulator Time: 10-15 mins Introduction The Atari 815 dual disk drive was developed for release in 1980 but never made it to market. The 815 featured two single-sided and double-density drives

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Play Gold Rush! from Compute! Magazine on an Atari 8-Bit Computer (10-15 mins)

November 26, 2021 moorejh Games, Magazines, Software

Task: Play Gold Rush from Compute! Magazine on an Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: Web Browser, Emulator, and/or Floppy Disk Time: 10-15 mins Introduction It was common in the early 1980s to get software by typing in program listings from magazines like Antic or Compute!. This

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Try the PILOT Programming Language for the Atari 8-Bit Computers (15-60 mins)

November 26, 2021 moorejh Programming

Task: Try the PILOT Programming Language for the Atari 8-Bit Computers Needed: Web Browser, Emulator, and/or PILOT Cartridge Time: 15-60 mins Introduction I received the Atari Programming Inquiry, Learning, or Teaching (PILOT) programming language cartridge for Christmas in 1983 or 1984 and absolutely loved it.

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Purchase a New 4-in-1 OSS Programming Language Cartridge for Your Atari 8-Bit Computer (5-10 mins)

November 21, 2021 moorejh Programming, Software

Task: Purchase a New 4-in-1 OSS Programming Language Cartridge for Your Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: Web Browser Time: 5-10 mins Introduction Optimized Systems Software (OSS) made the best programming languages for the Atari 8-bit computers in the early 1980s. Some of their products included BASIC

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Play Prince of Persia on an Atari 8-Bit Computer (30-60 mins)

November 13, 2021 moorejh Demos, Games, Software

Task: Play Prince of Persia on an Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: Altirra emulator or Atari 8-bit computer with 128K of RAM Time: 30-60 mins Introduction Prince of Persia is a platformer game developed and released for the Apple II in 1989. It was soon after

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Explore the 8-Bit and More YouTube Channel (30-60 mins)

October 24, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Modifications, Programming, Software, Video, Web Resources

Task: Explore the 8-Bit and More YouTube Channel Needed: Web Browser Time: 30-60 mins Introduction I love watching YouTube videos when I am learning a new Atari 8-bit programming trick or hardware mod. There are so many awesome YouTube channels out there for the Atari.

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Watch “The Magic Room” Documentary about the Atari Summer Camp (30-60 mins)

August 22, 2021 moorejh History, Media, Video

Task: Watch “The Magic Room” Documentary about the Atari Summer Camp Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction Atari ran several summer computer camps during the early 1980s and produced a documentary featuring kids at the first one. There are three versions of the film

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Diagnose and Fix an Atari 1050 Disk Drive (30-60 mins)

August 8, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Troubleshooting

Task: Diagnose and Fix an Atari 1050 Disk Drive Needed: 1050 Disk Drive Time: 30-60 mins Introduction Everyone hates that dreaded moment when an Atari disk drive won’t boot. Fortunately, there are a number of common issues which are relatively easy to address. I finally

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Purchase and Boot an Atari 576NUC+ 8-Bit Computer (15-30 mins)

August 7, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Modifications

Task: Purchase and Boot an Atari 576NUC+ 8-Bit Computer Needed: web browser, composite video cable, PS2 keyboard Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction Several industrious folks have been building Atari 8-bit computers in small modern footprints. These feature new circuit boards with original Atari chips. One of

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Copyright (c) 2023 Jason H. Moore, Ph.D.