How Does the ATARI 2600 Keep Time? | 8Blit

[@tonyreynolds1339]

Hi Kyle- you're the real deal. I understood the videos so far enough to add wrap-around on all four sides to 8blit-s02e03-Stable Screen - With Timer.asm. Now my ghost can do donuts around the corners (e.g. go to corner in the top right, wrap to left, up, wrap to down, left, wrap to right etc). It was a lot of fun to make the changes and I definitely attributed it to your energy, starting code, and knowledge. So, I subbed your patreon. Thanks a ton!

[@8Blit]

That's awesome Tony, I'm glad you're getting value out of my videos!

[@anactualmotherbear]

I found the video interesting, as I have all your videos, so hit the like button and now I'm commenting below. Get that engagement up!

[@8Blit]

Awesome, thanks for the support!

[@tangreen7267]

Awesome, new video !

[@8Blit]

Thanks, I really appreciate it!

[@sohl947]

Kyle: You mentioned the fast countdown if you miss the zero count state... that can be rather confusing if you miss the zero (taking too long before checking it). If you are rather late checking the count, it can be low enough to look like a valid time, then you might wait for (another) zero, which will be quite hard to catch, being only one-cycle long in the fast-countdown state. Just thought I should mention this, because it can be hard to troubleshoot if you assume the count will be something like $FF to $F0 if you miss the zero... it can be just about anything!

[@8Blit]

That's a great point, thanks for that. I'll see if I can address that in a future video!

[@Atari2600_Dude]

Interesting video, very informative:)

[@8Blit]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

[@PhotonicNoodle]

Hi! Nice video! What are the books between racing the beam and making games for the atari 2600? (already have those two)

[@8Blit]

Thanks! Those print versions of the Atari 2600 Programming for Newbies by Andrew Davie, and the Stella Programmers Guide.

[@Jimbaloidatron]

So you get within 60mc of the target with the timer and the WSYNC does the rest because horizontal blank (23mc) + playfield (53mc) is more than 60mc in total?

[@8Blit]

At that point we're just wasting the last 60mc with the WSYNC. WSYNC will actually pause the 6507 until the start of the next scanline. Alternatively we could have used those 60mc for other code, but for such a simple example we didn't have any other work to do.

[@KeithPhillips]

I feel cheated that I never saw that BurgerTime commercial growing up 😞

[@8Blit]

Haha, I know what you mean! I wish companies would think outside of the box these days and make memorable commercials like that!

[@8Blit]

I think this was one of the lamest thumbnails I have created... so far. lol

[@8Blit]

@Count Fuckula that's a name I haven't heard in a looong time!

[@emobassist]

KZbin algorithm strikes again

[@8Blit]

I hope in a good way! lol