TechTools Archives: Re: Atari orange test fixture

From: John Robertson <jrr_at_flippers.com>
Date: Mon Nov 29 1999 - 22:48:05 EST

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As for the Orange Box, I have the documents for that machine....about two hundred 11 X 17 pages and 8 1/2 X 11, covering most of Atari's games up to around Tempest and MH that could be tested with this monster (it stands about four feet high!) weighs a ton... I got lots of duplicate plugs with it that I have cannibalized to make universal test plugs for Pacman and other common games. I don't know about copying the docs, it would be a rather large run about three inches of paper thick altogether...BIG favour needed. I also have some notes about the mods I did to make it work with both colour and b&w as well as the vector mods for b&w and colour XY games... 
 
I also have the Atari Pinball simulator PBS-1, it is handy for the older pin games prior to Superman. 
 
I should make a list of my test equipment I guess, someday... 
 
John :-#)# 
 
At 06:27 PM 11/29/1999 -0500, ayeckley wrote: 
<blockquote type=cite cite>>I'm in the process of acquiring that orange Atari test fixture that was 
>just on eBay, and I'm wondering who has any documentation on this?  Or 
>even the correct name?  John Robertson - I know you have one of these, 
>and I know it's strictly for raster games, but what else can I do with 
>it?  Am I correct in assuming it is basically a test rig?  Here's a link 
>to the auction: 
<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=205478827" eudora="autourl">http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=205478827</a> 
 
 
>>Yes that's a picture of a CTF 1 (Computer Test Fixture) or as we use to 
>>call it 'a boat anchor'... It uses a program plugs like the ones on the 
PAT. 
>>The plugs are not compatible and if mistakenly plugged into the PAT could 
>>do considerable damage to the PAT. 
 
 
>>I own a PAT 9000, and all the game adapters only use one of those plugs 
per 
>>game.  This unit uses 3 per game.  I would suspect that the plug adapters 
for 
>>this unit would be nearly impossible to come by.  I also did some research 
on 
>>the parts required to make one of the adapters for the PAT 9000.  You can 
>>order all the parts needed from ITT Cannon, but they will cost about $125 
per 
>>plug.  Just multiply that by 3 for each plug you need for this unit. 
 
 
To add to what Scott said: 
 
I have a brochure for the CTF-1 (could scan if anyone wants), and according 
to 
it, the monitor is B&W.  Perhaps the "Expansion Module" converts RGB to 
Composite 
Video? 
 
I too have a PAT9000.  I have found the plug housings for $49.29, and $0.26 
*per 
pin*.  My solution was to adapt two of the Amp MR 36-pin connectors to the 
Canon 
connector - I don't use all 156 pins.  Since the eBay pictures show lots of 
the Canon 
connectors included, you could probably cannabalize enough to work.  That 
brings 
your per-harness cost down to about $10 per (not including the cost of your 
time).  It is several hours' work to build such an adapter - that's why I 
consider the Pat9K a 
mixed blessing. 
 
On a similar topic, has anyone ever seen/have an Atari PBS-1 Simulator (for 
testing 
Atari Pinballs)? 
 
Alex 
<a href="http://home.neo.lrun.com/ayeckle/" eudora="autourl">http://home.neo.lrun.com/ayeckle/</a> 
ayeckley@neo.lrun.com (Play) 
yecklea@diebold.com (Work) 
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Received on Mon Nov 29 22:48:05 1999

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