Skip to content

Atari Projects

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

  • Welcome
  • Projects
  • About
  • Contact

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

Read more

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

Read more

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

Read more

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

Read more

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

Read more

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

Read more

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

Read more

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

Read more

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

Read more

Run the CP/M Operating System on Your Atari 8-Bit Computer using FujiNet and RunCPM (15-30 minutes)

January 31, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Software, Utilities

Task: Run the CP/M Operating System on Your Atari 8-Bit Computer using FujiNet and RunCPM Needed: Web browser, FujiNet, DT-80 cartridge Time: 15-30 mins Introduction CP/M was one of the early operating systems available for computers with 8080 and Z-80 processors. It was developed by

Read more

Flash the Firmware of a FujiNet for the Atari 8-Bit Computers (5-10 mins)

January 31, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Utilities

Task: Flash the Firmware of a FujiNet for the Atari 8-Bit Computers Needed: Web browser, FujiNet, microUSB cable Time: 5-10 mins Introduction I have previously posted about the revolutionary FujiNet SIO peripheral emulator and network device for Atari 8-bit computers. This is still a work

Read more

Upgrade an Atari 600XL to 64K of RAM (1-2 hours)

January 30, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Modifications

Task: Upgrade an Atari 600XL to 64K of RAM Needed: 64K RAM board from Lotharek, soldering iron, wire Time: 1-2 hours Introduction Many Atari 8-bit computer fans love the 600XL given its small footprint. It is perfect if you don’t have a lot of desk

Read more

Download the Atari 8-Bit ROM Collection by Ghostware (5-10 mins)

January 16, 2021 moorejh Games, Software

Task: Download the Atari 8-Bit ROM Collection by Ghostware Needed: Web browser Time: 5-10 mins Introduction There are tons of game and utility ROMs available online for download. We have previously posted about the Atarimania resource, for example. Downloading multiple ROMs can be tedious. Fortunately,

Read more

Explore the Atari History Timeline (10-15 mins)

January 9, 2021 moorejh History, Web Resources

Task: Explore the Atari History Timeline Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction The history of Atari is fascinating. I always learn something new and important every time I dig into it. Michael Current maintains a web page with a timeline of events in the

Read more

Explore Error Codes for Atari 8-Bit Computers (10-15 mins)

January 9, 2021 moorejh Programming, Web Resources

Task: Explore Atari Error Codes Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction If you have spent any time programming for the Atari 8-bit computers then you have experienced error codes generated from typos or bad code. There is a nice page on the Atari Wiki

Read more

Explore SpartaDOS X on an Atari 8-bit Computer (15-30 mins)

January 5, 2021 moorejh Software

Task: Explore SpartaDOS X on an Atari 8-bit Computer Needed: Altirra or Atari 8-bit computer with 64k of memory Time: 15-30 mins Introduction I have previously posted about the different Disk Operating Systems (DOS) which were available back in the 1980. These are fun to

Read more

Purchase and Install an Ultimate Atari Video (UAV) Board for Better Composite Video from an 800XL (1-3 hours)

January 2, 2021 moorejh Hardware, Modifications, Video

Task: Purchase and Install an Ultimate Atari Video (UAV) Board for Better Composite Video from Your 800XL Needed: Web browser, soldering iron, UAV board Time: 1-3 hours Introduction As I have previously reviewed, all of the Atari 8-bit computers have a monitor port that outputs

Read more

Purchase and Install an Ultimate 1MB Board for Your Atari 800XL (1-3 hours)

December 30, 2020 moorejh Hardware, Modifications

Task: Purchase and Install an Ultimate 1MB Board for Your Atari 800XL Needed: Web browser, soldering iron, drill, U1MB board Time: 1-3 hours Introduction Modifications or mods are a great way to expand what your Atari 8-bit computer can do. The Ultimate 1MB (U1MB) mod

Read more

Purchase a Hyperkin Ranger Gamepad for your Atari 8-Bit Computer or Console (10-15 mins)

December 27, 2020 moorejh Hardware

Task: Purchase a Hyperkin Ranger Gamepad for your Atari 8-Bit Computer or Console Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction Finding a solid controller for your 8-bit computers and consoles can be a problem. This is especially true since the original controllers can break or

Read more

Play Joust on an Atari 8-bit Computer (10-15 mins)

December 27, 2020 moorejh Games, Software

Task: Play Joust on an Atari 8-bit Computer Needed: Joust ROM and emulator or cartridge and computer Time: 10-15 mins Dedication: My good friend Steve Nash (RIP) Introduction I turned 16 in 1984 and was fortunate enough to be able to drive a 1980 Formula

Read more

Explore Bugs in Atari BASIC (15-30 mins)

December 13, 2020 moorejh Programming

Task: Explore Bugs in Atari BASIC Needed: Revision A of Atari BASIC Time: 15-30 mins Introduction The first version of Atari BASIC (revision A) for the Atari 400 and 800 computers had a number of bugs which could be quite annoying for serious programmers. I

Read more

Connect an Atari 2600 to a TV via an RF to Coaxial Cable Adaptor (10-15 mins)

December 12, 2020 moorejh Hardware, Video

Task: Connect an Atari 2600 to an TV via an RF to Coaxial Cable Adaptor  Needed: Web browser, RF to Coaxial Cable Adaptor Time: 10-15 mins Introduction The Atari 2600 outputs a Radio Frequency (RF) modulated TV signal which can be quite difficult to convert

Read more

Display a Digital Photo on an Atari 2600 (10-15 mins)

December 6, 2020 moorejh Graphics, Programming, Software, Utilities, Web Resources

Task: Display a Digital Photo on an Atari 2600 Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction I am always amazed at the modern software tools people have created to expand the capabilities of the Atari 8-bit computers and consoles. I recently posted about the coding

Read more

Explore the 8-Bit Workshop Web Page (10-15 mins)

December 6, 2020 moorejh Books, Media, Programming, Software, Utilities, Web Resources

Task: Explore the 8-Bit Workshop Web Page Needed: Web browser Time: 10-15 mins Introduction This is a must browse web page with some amazing resources for those interested in programming and game development for the Atari 8-bit consoles including the 2600, 5200, and 7800. Other

Read more

Posts navigation

«Previous Posts 1 2 3 4 5 … 9 Next Posts»

Search the Projects

Project Categories

Advice Books Collecting Competitions Demos Documentary Emulators Events Games Graphics Hardware History Magazines Media Modifications News Newsletters Podcasts Programming Software Sound Troubleshooting Utilities Video Web Resources Welcome

Links

Antic The Atari 8-Bit Podcast

AtariAge

eBay

Internet Archive

Vintage Computer Center

Copyright (c) 2022 Jason H. Moore, Ph.D.