Atari Forum TT FAQ

Here are some answers to question asked by the forum users. The answers links back to the postings on the Atari Forum.

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Graphic system

Where to get drivers / how to use Crazy dots graphics card ?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16371
The latest driver for Crazy dots will be from NVDI 5.02. Download a nvdivga.inf (for nvdi driver) for your monitor here.

How to get ET4000 Crazy Dots working with NVDI?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16693 https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16636

1. Your autofolder should have the following programs in the following order:
   1. INIT.TOS, REDIRECT.PRG, NVDI.PRG, SLCT_DEV.PRG.
   2. Redirect simply changes output to your SVGA monitor. NVDI starts the drivers and Slct_dev enables you to switch to another resolution at the end of boot
2. Create your own VMG-4000 file. For 1024x768 @ 60Hz (perfect for LCD monitor), try the following:

VESA XGA Timing are:
Horiz Front porch 24
Horiz Sync pulse 136
Horiz Back porch 160
Vert Front porch 3
Vert Sync pulse 6
Vert Back porch 29

To convert to VMG timings:
Schwarzsch = Total length of black area (Front Porch+Sync Pulse+Back Porch)
Impulsstart = Start point of sync pulse (pixels or lines + Front Porch)
Impulslange = Sync pulse length (Sync Pulse)

so in this case the numbers for VMG would be (with the pixel clock set to 65Mhz):
Horiz Schwarzsch = 320
Horiz Impulsstart = 1048
Horiz Impulslange = 136
Vert Schwarzsch = 38
Vert Impulsstart = 771
Vert Impulslange = 6

Attention to sync polarity should also be noted, though i just select these to get the best picture, rarther than following the spec.

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Compatibility

Which game is compatible to the TT ?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=20735&p=183605
The first post in the above thread contains a list of TT compatible games.

How compatible is the TT?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=10013

1. Compaitibility-wise its somewhere between a MegaSTE and a Falcon. Its got everything the ST has got plus the STE's hardware scrolling and DMA sound but no blitter chip.
2. Gem programs will work most probably, games won't usually. 'Empire - Wargame of the century' and 'Monkey Island' are exceptions. Monkey will run in TT medium btw without probs.
3. There's a whole bunch of smaller games that are working with the TT.
4. A trick to get those programs working, may be just needing the load-bits set, and some experimenting.

How to increase compatibility of ST programs in TT?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=13401
Three common problems for ST programs not working on the TT are:

1. CPU caches: just try to turn them off in the desktop
2. 32-bit bus: up to the Falcon, it was no problem to have something other than $00 in the high byte of an address or address register. On the TT, this will give a bus error when this address is accessed. This is usually caused by sloppy coding. Would have to be fixed per program.
3. external/internal video snyc: lots of games/demos write to $820a.w. On the TT, bit 0 is just the other way round as it is on other machines: it has to be 1 to get a picture on screen.

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Desktop

Can I install Falcon AES in a TT so that I have 3D & colour icons in my TT?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=14603
Quick answer: No. Falcon TOS won't run on a TT.
Longer answer: If you want a newer AES try MyAES (I think it runs under TOS) or even better, MiNT.
For colour icons and other TOS desktop enhancement, Check out COLOR_TT.

Can I install NetBSD on the TT?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=15791
Yes, NetBSD on Atari lives! Here's the gist of how to do an install...

1. Backup all your stuff. It's possible to install around AHDI partitions on your drive, but really you don't want to do this.
2. Copy files from ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-daily/netbsd-5/[latest dir with an atari directory in it]/atari to a local machine. You'll need sysinst.fs.gz and the appropriate kernel (I use netbsd-ATARITT.gz).
3. Gunzip sysinst.fs.gz and netbsd-ATARITT.gz.
4. Format a 1.44mb floppy and use rawrite to write sysinst.fs to it.
5. Boot the TT030 and use loadbsd.ttp with the -b flag to load the appropriate kernel. The kernel won't fit on a floppy so you'll need to drop it on a CD, a HD, or access it via Ghostlink.
6. Follow the steps on my Wiki (http://netbsd-ataritt.wikia.com/wiki/Ne ... tari_TT030) to load the sysinst floppy, then go through the menu system. I install via FTP using a Riebl ethernet card, but you can also install via CD-ROM, etc.

If you hit an issue doing an install, definitely reach out to the port-atari mailing list (http://www.netbsd.org/mailinglists/#port-atari) for help.

Some information on Mint installation on a TT.

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16437
EasyMiNT is a GEM based Installer for FreeMiNT that makes installing , well, Easy.
I can warmly recommend the EasyMiNT install, it gives you a solid working setup out of the box. Of course you can tweak it to be more functional or make it look different.

EasyMiNT installs a full FreeMiNT 1.16.3a, if you want incl. MiNTnet and even X11(which is, imho too slow on TT).

As desktop there comes the free and stable TeraDesk. TeraDesk is available in a newer version in the meantime. Easy to replace the older version with new.

As AES EasyMiNT sets up XaAES which is very good and the one i use. You can , of course, setup your copy of N.Aes as well as the promising MyAES. Its possible to login to MiNT console and choose the wanted AES from there, in case you like to check them all out. I'd recommend to go with th full release of XaAES. The one out of the EasyMiNT package is reduced by some window designs and a full documented example configfile.

I run a Matrix VME graphics card with NVDI5, but had it running with NVDI3 before i got my graphics card. I guess you can get you CrazyDots II run with NVDI3, too. (NVDI5 recommended, though)

You need some MB space on your BGM C: partition and a LNX D: partition.
A free D: partition can be changed to LNX during EasyMiNT setup (will get erased, make your backup)
I have a 400M BGM C:, 1G LNX D:, 400M BGM D: and a 34G FAT32 for my pics and music (wave files). Okay, a 10.000turns, 36 GB UWSCSI HD in a TT is overkill. But i had it here....

I have to say, access to LNX partition is faster than the FAT32 one. So, after testing this, i'd not make a FAT32 partition anymore.

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Storage subsystem

What is the speed of a CD on TT?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16366#p144306

Ultra satan on a TT machine lun issues with the intern scsi.

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=17739

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Hardware

why does my TT is not detecting my RAM correctly?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9070

How to terminate SCSI in the TT?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=11813

Where pins are the Speaker and Power header in the TT?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=15836

How to configure the settings for a MegTT memory slots for TT?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=15844

Can I use a ATX PSU on the TT?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16739

How to repair a TT keyboard?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=18584

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Networking

Why can't I install Riebl card with STING?

https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9375

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