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
- Your autofolder should have the following programs in the following order:
- INIT.TOS, REDIRECT.PRG, NVDI.PRG, SLCT_DEV.PRG.
- 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
- 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.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- There's a whole bunch of smaller games that are working with the TT.
- 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:
- CPU caches: just try to turn them off in the desktop
- 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.
- external/internal video sync: 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.
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...
- Backup all your stuff. It's possible to install around AHDI partitions on your drive, but really you don't want to do this.
- 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).
- Gunzip sysinst.fs.gz and netbsd-ATARITT.gz.
- Format a 1.44mb floppy and use rawrite to write sysinst.fs to it.
- 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.
- 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.
Storage subsystem
What is the speed of a CF on TT?
https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16366#p144306
This is a comparison of IDE CF, IDE HDD on a SCSi-IDE convertor and the original SCSI HDD on a stock 32MHz TT.
- The SCSi-IDE convertor used is the IO-Data IDSC21-E.
- The IDE CF is a Toshiba 128MB 4X CF (purchased 4 years ago).
- The IDE HDD is a Maxtor 31024H1 10GB 5400 rpm UDMA HDD (manufactured Dec 2000).
- The original SCSI is a Quantum LPS540S 5400 rpm.
- OS Environment for all scenario: Mint 1.16, XaAES & Teradesk 4 with same disk driver.
- Test program : Xferrate 1.1 by Roger Burrows (Anodyne) running on TOS box in Mint.
Results:
- CF on SCSI-IDE = 1190 -1240 KB/s (66% of Original SCSI HDD speed)
- HDD on SCSI-IDE = 1730 - 1800 KB/s (99% of Original SCSI HDD speed)
- Original SCSI = 1750 - 1810 KB/s
Conclusion = Original SCSI is still fastest but replacement IDE HDD is much better then a CF.
Ultra Satan on a TT machine lun issues with the intern scsi.
https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=17739
- ACSI and SCSI IDs are completly independant from each other, you can mix ACSI and SCSI IDs in any combination and they wont cause a problem with each other. HDDRIVER uses [BUS.DEVICE] (eg 0.1 for SCSI ID 1), ICD uses 0-15 to represent SCSI ID 0-7 & ACSI ID 0-7
- There is a firmware update on Ultra Satan that fixes the usage issue on TT.
Hardware
why does my TT is not detecting my RAM correctly?
https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9070
- Cleaned the area around the mem-chips. Use some alcohol may help.
- Take out the TT RAM card and dusted the slots and mem sticks and re-seat them. The original Atari RAM boards dont seem to seat the memory sticks as secure as they could.
How to terminate SCSI in the TT?
https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=11813
- If you use both internal/external drives, you should leave it empty.
- If you use only one drive, termination is not always necessary. As long as the drive is terminated, it usually works if no other units are present.
Where are the Speaker and Power header in the TT?
https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=15836
- Right next to the PSU Connector block, is a pair of headers... a 2-pin and a 3-pin
- The 2-pin header is for Power LED. Red wire towards powersupply.
- The 3-pin header is the speaker.
How to configure the settings for a CCMegTT 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
- You can use a 250watt ATX Flex PSU. Which is basically a small ATX PC power supply.
- with a little modification it will fit inside the standard PhiHong/Atari PSU chassis. So it looks and fits exactly like the stock PSU, but gives you better line regulation, more efficient, more power capacity, potential for a remote/soft power on switch. Cost was about £40 including the new fan.
- More information over at Dexterlab's site.
How to repair a TT keyboard?
https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=18584
- you'll need to trace and find the break in the track.
- once you have the membrane out of the keyboard you can use a fiberglass pencil to remove the green insulator from the membrane and apply conductive paint to fix the tracks. I'd recommend putting tape over the repair to hopefully stop it happening again.
- It may also be worth opening and applying tape to stop working keyboards to prevent then failing in the first place.
Networking
Why can't I install Riebl card with STING?
https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9375
When you want to install Sting on a Riebl card : do NOT use version 1.26 It bombs you away (4 bombs).
Download an older version, such as sting 1.20 for a working Riebl driver.