Task: Try BASIC Programming on the Atari 2600 Needed: BASIC Programming cartridge, keyboard controllers, Atari 2600 Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction Programming in BASIC on the Atari 2600 is one of the most interesting things I have done with that machine. The BASIC Programming cartridge was
Read moreExplore Antic Magazine (30-60 mins)
Task: Explore Antic Magazine Needed: Web browser Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction I very much looked forward to each and every issue of Antic Magazine after we got our Atari 400 and then 800 in the early 1980s. These were the days before the internet, and
Read moreAdd Missiles to Player-Missile Graphics in BASIC (30-60 mins)
Task: Add Missiles to Player-Missile Graphics in BASIC Needed: BASIC Time: 30-60 minutes Introduction I have previously demonstrated how to implement player-missile graphics (PMG) in BASIC, and how to combine a player with a background or playfield using redefined character sets. The latter post includes
Read moreRead the Book “Atari Inc.: Business if Fun” (10-15 hours)
Task: Read the Book “Atari Inc.: Business if Fun” Needed: “Atari Inc.” book Time: 10-15 hours Introduction This book is a tour de force in Atari stories and history and is a must-have for any Atari enthusiast bookshelf. As Curt Vendel states in the Foreword,
Read moreLearn About Display List Interrupts in BASIC (1-2 hours)
Task: Learn About Display List Interrupts in BASIC Needed: BASIC Time: 1-2 hours Introduction Atari was far ahead of its competitors when it was released with superior graphics. This was largely due to the ANTIC chip that served as a graphics processor with its own
Read moreConnect Your Atari Computer to a PC (15-30 mins)
Task: Connect Your Atari Computer to a PC Needed: SIO2PC Time: 15-30 minutes Introduction Cartridges and floppy disks are great but sooner or later you will want to tap into the huge archive of software that is available on the internet. You can certainly boot
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