Bally/Astrocade Maxflash Files

The 2K Bally/Astrocade cartridge "Machine Language Manager" (MLM) by Bit Fiddlers has been placed into the last bank of both a 256K and a 512K Flash Cart. Using this ML monitor and a Flash Cart, it is possible to switch the banks and examine the ROM and RAM. An understanding of how a ML monitor works is required to use this program.

I do plan to write a short tutorial so that anyone can use this program, but I don't have time at the moment. In the meantime, if you read the manual, you can figure it out. If you have machine language monitor experience, then you can just browse the commands and not have to read the manual at all.

For full details, including links to "Machine Language Manager" information, read the following information:

MLM Cart Information and Links

Note that this document does not make note of the 256K or 512K flash cartridge, but the information provided here will be extremely useful to anyone using MLM.

This useful utility program lets you observe the various areas of ROM and RAM using a small font set. This allows much more memory to be observed at one time.

This program is extremely useful for testing the Flash Cart's various banks, but it can also be used to explore RAM from $4000-$4FFF. A special, separate version, of "Memory Monitor" has the first 63 banks pre-loaded with useful information.

1. Joy left/right/up/down - Change address range to view.
2. Joy Trig + Knob - Change active bank.
3. $3FC0-$3FFF not monitored to avoid unwanted bankswitching.

There is also a separate version that will work in MESS.

For full details, read the full text:

"Memory Monitor" Documentation

Since this ROM requires a 512K Flashcart, this version of "Memory Monitor" is mainly for use by Steve Tucker for testing a 512K bankswitched cart.

This useful utility program lets you observe the various areas of ROM and RAM using a small font set. This allows much more memory to be observed at one time.

This program is extremely useful for testing the Flash Cart's various banks, but it can also be used to explore RAM from $4000-$4FFF. A special, separate version, of "512K Memory Monitor" has the first 127 banks pre-loaded with useful information.

Notes on Use:

1. Joy left/right/up/down - Change address range to view.
2. Joy Trig + Knob - Change active bank.

Basic Information about this 512K ROM (without pre-loaded data):

1. Banks $00-$3f (00's)
2. Bank $40 (filled with sample code)
3. Banks $41-$7e (00's)
4. Bank $7f main code chunk ($2000-$2fff)

For additional information on version with the pre-loaded data in banks 0-126, which is extremely useful for test purposes, see this document:

512K Memory Monitor (Pre-Loaded Notes).txt

This graphics demo is for the Bally/Astrocade. It requires the 256K Maxflash Cart.

This demo, which is an animation, isn't complete and polished, but it is a GREAT example of what can be done with extra ROM space and some graphics tools.

For full details, read the full text:

256K GFX Demo 01.txt

Differences between version 1.0 and 1.20 (Sept. 3, 2011) of the 256K GFX Demo:

1. New picture added. "Riffraff" now scrolls using pre-shifted artwork as a performance test.
2. The image is 160x90 and is scrolling 1 horizontal pixel at a time.

The source code for version 1.2 of the GFX Demo is also provided as a separate download. Don't be intimidated by all the files that are included when the directory is unzipped. Simply navigate via the command prompt to the directory and type MAKE.BAT or double-click MAKE.BAT and the 256K binary will automatically be created using all the necessary files.

This program requires the Atarimax Maxflash Astrocade cartridge to work. This program will NOT work properly as a regular cartridge.

"Bank test" will assemble as a 4K program. In order to create the proper 256K file with the required string in the correct location, the batch file "256kcart.bat" must be run (it is included in the archive).

"Bank Test" displays a short string, depending on if Bank 32 of the Maxflash cartridge has been properly bankswitched to be in the Astrocade memory area $3000-$3FFF.

For full details, read the full text:

BankTest.txt

This program requires the Atarimax Maxflash Astrocade cartridge to work. This program will NOT work properly as a regular cartridge.

Complete source is included in the zipped file. The 256k binary is in the "released" directory. mess.bin is a version that runs in Mess.

This is an example of a BAVE welcome screen, splash screen, and a version of the Memory Monitor.

Lists the 64 banks of the 256K carts memory ($00000-$3FFFF). The map also includes the information required to switch the 64 banks to be in the Astrocade's cartridge area from $3000-$3FFF.

Lists the 128 banks of the 512K carts memory ($00000-$7FFFF). The map also includes the information required to switch the 128 banks to be in the Astrocade's cartridge area from $3000-$3FFF.

This batch file is used to create a 256K file for use with the AtariMax Astrocade 256K Bankswitched Flashcart, which is copyright 2011 by Steven J Tucker.

The batch file takes a 4K (or less) Bally/Astrocade program file and places it at $3F000-$3FFFF of a 256K file. This location is the 64'th bank (Bank 63) of the cart, which is mapped to $2000, the start of the Bally/Astrocade console's cartridge area.

Two batch files ("Make256k.bat" and "Make512k.bat") are used to create either a 256K or 512K file that can be used to create test data for a Bally / Astrocade bankswitched flash cart.

For complete details about these two batch file, read the documentation, here:

How to Create the Test Data ROMs