Updates

October 26 2024:

I've been busy acquiring more stock and reviewing the board layout for the next batch. Many of you have asked for easier access to the SD card and some type of cartridge shell offering. Hope to have something out soon!

September 14 2024:

Another batch sold out. I want to thank everyone who has supported this project and especially want to thank those on the waitlist putting up with the continuous out of stock messages. I'm working with Tindie to make this process smoother and rest assured I will keep making them as long as people want them.

September 10 2024:

Getting ready to put up another batch. After many requests I've added a new feature:
Ability to play multiple files from a single card. Simply press the 'SELECT' button to switch to the next video file.

For those of you who currently own a MovieCart and want to try this new feature, simply follow the instructions here:

https://github.com/lodefmode/moviecart/blob/main/firmware/patches/notes.txt

with file: https://github.com/lodefmode/moviecart/blob/main/firmware/patches/patch1_multifile/update.frm

Thanks!

Watch Any Full Length Color Movie On Your Atari

This started as simple project in 2017 to see how far a nearly 50 year old machine could go. It's been quite fun to re-imagine an alternate history in which Atari got into the home movie business instead of gaming.

Check out these early youtube reviews from John Hancock and ZeroPage HomeBrew !

The movies are only 80x192 with severe limitations on color + sound quality, but if you squint your eyes and take a few steps back, you'll be rewarded with watching all your favourite videos on your favourite vintage console.

In order to keep costs down, the cart (case) is not included but the board is drop-in compatible with original Combat-style cartridges with little to zero modification. See my youtube video on how to encase it in your own cart, including replacing the label it ships with. It still works fine without the case, just plug it in bare (with the component side facing the switches!)

Package Contents

• Fully assembled PCB board (CART CASE NOT INCLUDED, but fits in standard carts with little to zero modification, eg COMBAT)
• SD card (minimum 4GB) with full length color public domain movie, ready to watch. "Night of the Living Dead" (colorized, 1968)
• Cart labels (vinyl)

Successfully tested on:

• Atari Heavy Sixer
• Atari Light Sixer
• Atari Vader
• Atari 2600 Jr
• Atari 7800 Pro
• ColecoVision Atari Adapter
• Modded Flashback 2
• PAL Atari 2600 Heavy Sixer
• PAL Atari 2600 Light Sixer
• PAL Atari 2600 Jr
• Intellivision II using System Changer

Please note: This cart does NOT work on modern emulation devices (Atari 2600+, Retron77, etc). Just works on the real thing!

Making your own content

The movie is just a specially encoded file on the SD card, so you can encode your own using free software with a plugin I wrote. You'll need a Mac or PC to encode the files, and an SD card reader to drag them back onto the SD card. (Make sure the SD card is formatted in FAT32 format and the MVC file is no larger than 4GB. This should give you about 4-5 hour play length.)

Follow the full step-by-step youtube tutorials or the github links below.

If you discover you've picked the wrong format sample movie in your delivery, not to worry just replace it.

Thanks and happy lo-def viewing!

Rob.