Side2 cartridge for Atari - introduction as I use it for my software development

[@takingbytes1265]

I'm sure you have more important things going on in life, but I can't wait for more assembly videos. Though at this point make a video about anything and I'll be happy!

[@flashjazzcat]

Great video, and thanks for the kind appraisal. :) Nice to see you enjoying the software, and demonstrating it clearly. I'm a little puzzled by the huge 2 million sector APT partitions, though. :) The SpartaDOS X file system (SDFS) can only address 65,535 sectors, so anything beyond this will not be used. The maximum volume size is therefore 32MB (assuming the use of 512 byte sectors). 'External' FAT entries are an exception, though, since clusters are used (a 512MB FAT16 partition works well with FATFS.SYS, for instance). In that case, you pull in existing FAT16 partitions while building the partition table.

[@8bitandmore]

LOL, I totally screwed that partition size up! thanks

[@flashjazzcat]

@@8bitandmore Heh - no worries.

[@opentheskyy7]

cool t-shirt! 👍 There is also SIDE3 right now - like SIDE2 but with SD Card and works also like Ultimate Cart.

[@ChrisPatti]

This is really good to know! I have a bunch of SD cards and have been thinking about buying a 130XE. Been too many years since I've had an Atari :)

[@jaredgraywest]

Great channel - the 800XL was my first computer and I still enjoy it to this day. Subscribing!

[@8bitandmore]

Awesome!

[@BartechTV]

It was my first computer too, I got it for Christmas. I spent Christmas day playing Eastern Front 1941 and Lone Raider. They were fun times.

[@elkino1]

I bought the SIDE3 cart. This instructions have been very useful to me. I just have an stock 65XE. To create the APT partitions in a SD card with FDISK, I use Altirra and SIDE2 emulation, then write the resulting image to an SD, works great. Now I transferred all my games, sources, disks, etc. everything to the cartridge and works at light-speed. I don't need SIDECFG.XEX with SIDE3, I just mount a .car file with control-enter and then boot to SDX with ctrl-x. Great product.

[@8bitandmore]

Thanks for sharing

[@robertdulany6811]

I appreciate the video, and since I own a Side 2 and Mac/65 cartridge, but had not used them together (since they both take the cartridge port), naturally I was keen to follow along. I didn't have my Side 2 flashed with OSS roms, so had to take care of that. After that, I noticed your post on AtariAage about hitting reset and later the DOS command taking you to self diagnostics rather than DOS, and the work around. That is also much appreciated, that'll save me from what would've been an unexpected confusion.... All in all, I've now got my 130XE setup with Side2 and Mac/65. Time to start coding a bit...more videos! more videos!

[@8bitandmore]

Great!

[@Vulpecular]

Great shirt. Fantastic Atari content....as an 80’s child in the UK, i was forced down the Z80 route by my parents, the 800XL was pricey. Now have one and your vlogs are kickstarting the 80’s knowledge... Great job!

[@8bitandmore]

Exellent!

[@Vulpecular]

@@8bitandmore Picked up a 130XE today and ordered a SIDE3. Be good to finally get off the emulator, as finding SpartadosX and Mac-65 cartridges here are ridiculous. Looking forward to the next instalment.

[@billkendrick1]

Love seeing Spartados, which I never got into back in the day. (Went Atari DOS 2.5 to MyDOS.) It's this whole 'nother world.

[@8bitandmore]

Yes those other dos's were good but I just prefer Sparta myself...

[@patrickstahle1624]

Unfortunately, I didn't even know that spartados existed back in the day along with a lot of software the Atari 8bit actually had. I remember being somewhat disappointed with Atari losing out to the C64, only to find out much later with the internet, what really was available. I simply didn't know about all this quality software existing. or had a way to get it.

[@st1ckman67]

Great video as usual, I would be interested in a more in depth video for the cartridge.

[@Doug_in_NC]

One warning for anyone thinking of using a Side 2 or a Side 3 so they can run SpartaDOS and do some programming - make sure you either have a 130XE or a 600XL/800XL/65XE with a memory upgrade to at least 128kb. If you just run in on a standard 64kb machine, you won't have much memory to play with.

[@elkino1]

You are right, FDISK (for example) needs a 128kb machine, but there is a workaround: To create the APT partitions in a SD card with FDISK, I use Altirra and SIDE2 emulation, then write the resulting image to an SD, now it works great with my stock 65XE.

[@arcanatic1675]

Hey. Really like your vids... you and Jonathan (FJC) got me to find used XE's and start playing around with them again. :-) You know there's a slightly more powerful SIDE3 as well? Jonathan also did the FW for that one. Works really well... (I have both) PS... Lotharek sells the carts but the HW was actually designed by Candle'o'sin

[@8bitandmore]

Cool, thanks!

[@ukcroupier]

Another great vid - thanks.

[@mjtorn1]

I hope the lack of updates means a sick coding video is in the works ;) Either way, keep these coming, please!

[@8bitandmore]

Will do!

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

Great video! You should check the SIDE3 cartridge with Ultimate 1MB upgrade. That setup is crazy!

[@patrickstahle1624]

Next up SIDE3, lol... Just wanted to say I really appreciate your videos. They are a very good learning tool. One question, why not put the programming environments directly on the hard drive? I have seen instructions on how to do it with MAC65, but have not checked if the others (Action, Basic) can be done that way....

[@JoeHillman2112]

Man, I wish my Atari 800 could run Side2 cartridge.

[@atariandre5014]

It can if you install an Incognito. Sold by same seller and you should go SIDE3 now for ultimate joy.

[@armedbushido]

I know you are busy, but we are all looking forward to more videos.

[@8bitandmore]

Coming soon!

[@JosephTyson]

I'd love to see a more in depth use of the SIDE2 (upgrading F/W, more howtos, etc), and usage in conjunction with the FujiNet.

[@8bitandmore]

New video added this week that shows FAT32 partition usage. more to come!

[@JosephTyson]

@@8bitandmore Fantastic! Just got my Atari 800XL w/ U1MB, SIDE3, and FujiNet. Trying to figure all this out. :)

[@8bitandmore]

@@JosephTyson nice setup enjoy

[@Doug_in_NC]

I bought an 800XL with a Side2 last year and finally got the 800XL working properly yesterday after much tearing of hair and waving of multimeters and soldering irons, and was following your video to set it up, and I noticed something I think you missed. You can FDISK an ATR partition as large as you like, but when you format it, it will only format 65536 sectors, which with the largest sector size, 512 bytes, limits you to a drive size of 32MB. With the 256 byte sectors you were using in your demo, you are only getting 16MB at a time. A lot of space for a computer with 128K of RAM but not the gigabyte you FDISKed. That's why the FDISK utility allows you to create a huge number of partitions - even with a small modern card, you are going to struggle to come close to filling it with 32MB blocks. You can create lots of them but if you don't assign a drive letter, then they remain hidden, so you can switch partitions in and out whenever you want with FDISK,

[@StLouisRod1]

Great channel ! I followed your link to the Side2, but saw the Side3 available, and purchased it instead. Hope you still get the credit :). I have known and written Atari 800 machine code since 83, but never had an assembly cart to do it right. I'm now using your instructionals to set up my 130XE to convert my best Atari turbo BASIC games to pure assembly. Time to dust off my old Mapping the Atari book and others. This will be an adventure. I would really appreciate any general instructionals on writing an assembly program/game (i.e. which components to store in separate .ASM files, where to place the program in memory, etc.). My goal is to create a standalone .XEX that I can sell via retail with no licensing issues. I'd like it to load and store files for level loading, high score saving, etc., but not sure if including DOS within the .XEX is allowable. Keep up the great work!

[@brianwild4640]

hope you are all ok. not seen you in months. keep well and come back soon

[@8bitandmore]

Just busy with life and work, working on some new videos!

[@rager-69]

I like watching FJC's videos. If I'm not mistaken, he had a disagreement with Lotharek recently so I'm not sure what that means for Side2/3 support.

[@8bitandmore]

I did not know they had beef with each other?

[@richard1113]

Cool video. A few questions/comments... I thought that Jon had released SIDE3 (regardless if it is on Lotharek's web site). Or is that still pre-release? Where did you get that Bruce Lee mug??? Very cool! Is it still available? Cool Atari T-Shirt. Find it funny that it features Nintendo characters though. I'll look into ordering that one. Where did you get your 130XE? The only good condition ones I see advertised on eBay these days are from Venezuela. After being scammed from some dude in CA I don't know if I can trust sending money down there.

[@Doug_in_NC]

The Side 3 is released. Mine should arrive tomorrow from thebrewingacademy.com here in the US

[@TonyRudzki]

How does the SIDE2 work with games? Can you store ATR images on the CF and run them?

[@8bitandmore]

You need the Ultimate 1MB upgraded to use ATR images

[@imranonthenet]

Which monitor are you using in your videos ? Does it connect directly to the Atari 130 XE or you installed some kind of MOD to provide HDMI output ?

[@FelipeBalbi]

Are you using Ultimate 1MB?

[@michaelstoliker971]

If you have a SIDE cart, you really need to have a Ultimate 1MB as they are designed to work together. In addition, the U1MB enables systems with less than 128KB to work fully with extended SpartaDos. The only thing missing is a 80 column display device that integrates with the E: device.

[@8bitandmore]

No just a stock 130xe

[@FelipeBalbi]

@@8bitandmore ah, that’s explains it. I was confused because U1MB already gives you spartadosX and RTC, so I was thinking “what’s the benefit of the SIDE2?”