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

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Run the CP/M Operating System on Your Atari 8-Bit Computer using an Upgraded Indus GT Floppy Drive (30-60 mins)

June 20, 2021 moorejh Software, Utilities

Task: Run the CP/M Operating System on Your Atari 8-Bit Computer using an Upgraded Indus GT Floppy Drive Needed: Web Browser, Floppy Disks, ProSystem Software or Similar, DT-80 Cartridge or Similar Time: 30-60 mins Introduction I have a fascination with the CP/M operating system because

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Purchase and Install a 64K RAM Upgrade for an Indus GT Floppy Drive (30-60 mins)

June 20, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Modifications

Task: Purchase and Install a 64K RAM Upgrade for an Indus GT Floppy Drive Needed: Web Browser, Screwdriver Time: 30-60 mins Introduction The Indus GT is the Cadillac of Atari 8-bit computer floppy drives. I have previously posted about some of its features and some

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Purchase the Book “Art of Atari” (5-10 mins)

June 20, 2021 moorejh Books, History

Task: Purchase the Book “Art of Atari” Needed: Web Browser Time: 5-10 mins Introduction I loved looking at the box art of Atari 2600 games and imagining playing them. Atari did an amazing job with the artwork. As such, I was very excited when the

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Purchase or Download the Atari 8-Bit Programming Reference Book “Mapping the Atari” (5-10 mins)

June 20, 2021 moorejh Books, Programming

Task: Purchase or Download the Atari 8-Bit Programming Reference Book “Mapping the Atari” Needed: Web Browser Time: 5-10 mins Introduction Any serious programming on the Atari 8-bit computers requires interacting with various memory locations on the Atari. Some of these memory locations are free for

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Watch Curt Vendel’s Exhibit Presentation at VCF-East (30 mins)

June 12, 2021 moorejh Hardware, History

Task: Watch Curt Vendel’s Exhibit Presentation at VCF-East Needed: Web Browser Time: 30 mins Introduction I was able to attend the Vintage Computer Festival (VCF) East in Wall, New Jersey in 2019. This was a special VCF because it celebrated the 40th anniversary of Atari

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Update the Firmware of Your Ultimate 1MB Upgrade for Atari 8-Bit Computers (5-10 mins)

June 6, 2021 moorejh Modifications, Software, Utilities

Task: Update the Firmware of Your Ultimate 1MB Upgrade for Atari 8-Bit Computers Needed: Ultimate 1MB, Web Browser, SIO2PC or SIDE Cartridge Time: 5-10 mins Introduction The Ultimate 1MB upgrade for Atari 8-bit computers is one of the most useful modern mods you can do.

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Upgrade an Atari 400 to 48K of RAM (1-2 hours)

June 5, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Modifications

Task: Upgrade an Atari 400 to 48K of RAM Needed: 48K/52K RAM Card for Atari 400, soldering iron Time: 1-2 hours Introduction As I have previously posted, the Atari 400 is a stylish computer but limited by RF video, a membrane keyboard, and only 16K

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Read the Book “The Creative Atari” (30-60 mins)

May 31, 2021 moorejh Books, Programming

Task: Read the Book “The Creative Atari” Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 mins Introduction As I have previously posted, Creative Computing magazine was published from 1974 until 1985 and covered all of the major computing platforms including Atari. They had a number of great articles

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Read Creative Computing Magazine (30-60 mins)

May 31, 2021 moorejh Magazines

Task: Read Creative Computing Magazine Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 mins Introduction Creative Computing magazine was published from 1974 until 1985 and covered all of the major computing platforms including Atari. We didn’t subscribe to this one, but I do recall reading several issues we

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Upgrade an Atari 400 to Composite Video with the Super Color CPU Card (1-2 hours)

May 30, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Modifications, Video

Task: Upgrade an Atari 400 to Composite Video with the Super Color CPU Card Needed: Super Color CPU Card and cables, soldering iron, Dremel or drill Time: 1-2 hours Introduction The Atari 400 was my first computer. It is an aesthetically pleasing computer but limited

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Listen to the Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast (1-2 hours)

May 23, 2021 moorejh Games, History, Media, Podcasts

Task: Listen to the Atari 2600 Game by Game Podcast Needed: Web browser Time: 1-2 hours Introduction If you are like me you can’t get enough Atari. Podcasts are one way to satisfy the Atari itch. I have previously posted about the Antic, Floppy Days,

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Purchase a 3D Printed Case for your SIO2PC (10-15 mins)

May 22, 2021 moorejh Hardware

Task: Purchase a 3D Printed Case for your SIO2PC Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 minutes Introduction I have previously posted about the SIO2PC which is a very handy device for connecting your Atari or floppy drive to your PC for writing and reading files. This

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Explore ANALOG Computing Magazine (30-60 mins)

May 16, 2021 moorejh Magazines, Media, Web Resources

Task: Explore ANALOG Computing Magazine Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction I have previously posted about the popular Antic Magazine covering the Atari 8-bit computers. Equally important was the ANALOG Computing magazine which covered Atari computers from 1981 until 1989 with a total of

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Explore Demoscene Demos (15-30 mins)

May 2, 2021 moorejh Demos, Programming, Software

Task: Explore Demoscene Demos Needed: Altirra  Time: 15-30 mins Introduction The demoscene is notorious for pushing the limits of 8-bit computer hardware. Fortunately, there are a number of demos from this community for the Atari computers. I find these mesmerizing and inspiring. How do they

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Purchase and Assemble a SpartaDOS X Cartridge (15-30 mins)

April 25, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Programming, Software, Utilities

Task: Purchase and Assemble a SpartaDOS X Cartridge Needed: SpartaDOS X cartridge circuit board, battery, and cartridge shell Time: 15-30 mins Introduction I have previously posted about SpartaDOS and its modern successor SpartaDOS X (SDX). This is an incredibly powerful and flexible DOS for interacting

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Purchase an Evercade Retro Handheld Console (10-15 mins)

April 16, 2021 moorejh Emulators, Games, Hardware

Task: Purchase an Evercade Retro Handheld Console Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction Playing Atari games on modern handheld devices has a lot of appeal. I have been particularly excited about the cartridge-based Evercade handheld device which was released in 2020. I got one

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Play Caverns of Mars on an Atari 8-Bit Computer (10-15 mins)

April 10, 2021 moorejh Games, Software

Task: Play Caverns of Mars on an Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: Altirra or Caverns of Mars cartridge or disk Time: 10-15 mins Introduction Caverns of Mars is one of my favorite games because of its simple yet effective graphics and relatively simple and fun gameplay. The

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Learn to Implement Page Flipping in BASIC on Atari 8-Bit Computers (30-60 mins)

March 28, 2021 moorejh Graphics, Programming

Task: Learn to Implement Page Flipping in BASIC on Atari 8-Bit Computers Needed: Altirra emulator Time: 30-60 mins Introduction We previously covered moving data on and off the screen as part of coarse horizontal and vertical scrolling by changing the memory address of the screen

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Learn to Implement Horizontal Scrolling in BASIC on Atari 8-Bit Computers (30-60 mins)

March 27, 2021 moorejh Graphics, Programming

Task: Learn to Implement Horizontal Scrolling in BASIC on Atari 8-Bit Computers Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 mins Introduction Scrolling games like Defender, Caverns of Mars, and Eastern Front are tons of fun and I always wondered how the cool scrolling effects were programmed. This

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Read “How Atari took on Apple in the 1980s home PC wars” by Benj Edwards (5-10 mins)

March 21, 2021 moorejh History, Media

Task: Read “How Atari took on Apple in the 1980s home PC wars” by Benj Edwards Needed: Web browser Time: 5-10 mins Introduction There have been a number of popular press pieces on various aspects of the Atari story. There is a great piece by

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Learn about Vertical Blank Interrupts in BASIC for Atari 8-Bit Computers (30-60 mins)

March 19, 2021 moorejh Programming

Task: Learn about Vertical Blank Interrupts in BASIC for Atari 8-Bit Computers Needed: Altirra emulator Time: 30-60 mins Introduction One of the frustrating aspects of programming in BASIC on Atari 8-bit computers is its speed. This particularly true for moving players through memory as part

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Learn to Implement Vertical Scrolling in BASIC on Atari 8-Bit Computers (30-60 mins)

February 28, 2021 moorejh Programming

Task: Learn to Implement Vertical Scrolling in BASIC on Atari 8-Bit Computers Needed: Turbo BASIC XL Time: 30-60 mins Introduction I never learned how to program scrolling playfields in BASIC back in the day, but have decided to take the plunge. Over the last few

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Try Programming in FastBasic on an Atari 8-Bit Computer (15-30 mins)

February 13, 2021 moorejh Programming

Task: Try Programming in FastBasic on an Atari 8-Bit Computer Needed: Altirra emulator Time: 15-30 mins Introduction I have previously posted about the diversity of different BASIC programming languages for the Atari 8-bit computers. Among these is FastBasic which is a modern BASIC for the

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Program in 80 Columns of Text on Your Atari 8-Bit Computer with the ACE-80 Cartridge (5-10 mins)

February 6, 2021 moorejh Graphics, Software, Utilities

Task: Program in 80 Columns of Text on Your Atari 8-Bit Computer with the ACE-80 Cartridge Needed: ACE-80 or ACE-80XL cartridge Time: 5-10 mins Introduction The Atari 8-bit computers all display a maximum of 40 columns of text which can be limiting for some applications

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