HappyCart FAQ

• What is the HappyCart?
  The HappyCart BSW2000 allows you to play 2K, 4K, 8K (F8 bankswitch), 12K (FA bankswitch), and 16K (F6 bankswitch) ROM images on your real, existing, physical Atari 2600 console (VCS). In addition to the aforementioned bankswitch methods, the HappyCart supports emulation of Atari's SuperChip (needed for many games such as Millipede, Dig Dug, etc) and CBS RAM+ (needed for Mountain King, Omega Race and Tunnel Runner).
  
  
• Why the heck would you want to do that?
  Due to the proliferation of PC-based emulators, it's very easy to find ROM images on the internet for the Atari 2600. Remember, legally you need to own any game in cartridge form that you are emulating, either with PC emulators like Stella, or with the HappyCart. So why would you want to play 2600 games on a real VCS console? PC emulators aren't perfect, for one thing. Additionally, you lose some of that nostalgia factor of parking your butt on the floor in front of the television and getting repetitve stress injuries from Atari's questionably designed un-ergonomic joysticks. The HappyCart BSW2000 also makes a great platform for developing new 2600 games on a real 2600. Unlike PC software-based emulators, the HappyCart BSW2000 lets you run your game on the actual Stella hardware, much easier than burning EPROMs for each test.
  
  
• This is a joke, right?
  Hardly. What you see here represents the 4th generation hardware! This is a serious project for both Mike and Steve. Well, as serious as you can be playing 2600 games, anyway.
  
  
• What game cartridges will the HappyCart emulate?
  In short, close to 500 games. HappyCart BSW2000 will emulate any 2K or 4K cartridge, any 8K cartridge using F8 type bankswitching, any 12K cartridge using FA type bankswitching, and any 16K cartridge using F6 type bankswitching. In addition it supports CBS RamPlus and Atari's SuperChip RAM expansion emulation. Please see the HappyCart supported cartridges list for a complete list.
  
  
• Why the name HappyCart? Is BSW2000 some kind of German luxury car?
  This dates back to Steve's days with Atari 8-bit computers. There was a product on the market -- a sort of hacker's tool -- that allowed one to copy diskettes that were supposedly copy-protected. This product, called the "Happy" enhancement, turned your drive in to a "Happy Drive". Consequently, it probably turned you in to a happy, pirating, 8-bit user, but that's another story.
  
  The "BSW" in "BSW2000" stands for Bank SWitching. This is the biggest improvement in the latest revision of the system. The "2000" is there because our marketing gurus insist that any product with "2000" in the title yields an 11% increase in sales volume over the exact same product, sans "2000" in the title. These same marketing gurus also convinced us to put LEDs on the product, as they predicted a 6% sales increase (per LED). This would have doubled to 12% per LED had we used blue LEDs, but they were outside of the budgetary constraints. Hope that clears things up.
  
  
• How does it work?
  2600 cartridges are little more than a ROM (Read Only Memory) or an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), some optional bank switching logic, and a printed circuit board to hold and connect all of the components. No matter what your weird friends told you when you were 6, Atari cartridges are not "tapes." HappyCart BSW2000 replaces the ROM/EPROM with SRAM (Static Random Access memory). SRAM is volatile, meaning that once you disconnect power from it, it loses the contents of its memory. This is in contrast to ROM or EPROM, which are non-volatile - they hold the information stored within for quite some time. The bankswitch logic found in many more advanced cartridges has been replaced with advanced CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) technology. This allows one cartridge to support many types of bankswitching technologies without a bunch of extra chips. The CPLDs are programmed from a PC using special software. Their functionality is determined with custom code written in VHDL (Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language). The HappyCart connects to a host PC through its parallel port (which must support EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) mode). On the PC, you run a Windows program called HappyExplorer, which lets you browse through game titles, view VGR's ratings on rarity/graphics/play, read documentation, see cartridge label/box pictures etc. HappyExplorer allows you to upload images to the HappyCart for play on your VCS, or launch your favorite emulator for play on your PC.
  
  
• You mention 4th generation hardware. What of the first three?
  Check out the history page for the answers.
  
  
• Is there any cartridge artwork for the HappyCart?
  Yes. The latest artwork is in full color!
  
  
• Can I buy one? Can I build my own?
  You can't buy one yet, but there are 6 unpopulated Rev 4 boards that may be stuffed and sold in the near future. Due to the relatively high costs of building electronics hardware in prototype quantities, HappyCart BSW2000's can not be sold for any less than $100USD each. This may seem extreme, given that you could probably buy a whole truckload of Atari 2600's and cartridges for that price, but if you're a serious collector or 2600 developer, it's probably worth it. Remember: Atari sold a LOT of 2600's to get their prices down, not to mention that it's technology that's over 20 years old. HappyCart BSW2000 uses technology that is more advanced than the 2600 itself! If you are seriously interested in purchasing one, please let us know.
  
  You may be able to build your own, it depends on your ability. At this time we don't offer kits, schematics or VHDL code. At some point in the future, we may offer some or all of the above.
  
  
• So, two of you worked on this. To whom do we give credit?
  Steve designed the hardware for all revisions, built the prototypes, did the HappyCart BSW2000 PC board layout, wrote the VHDL code, wrote a bunch of the PC software, and wrote these web pages.
  
  Mike offered useful advice and debugging skills on the hardware design for Revs 1-3, wrote the initial versions of the software, and still pastes Steve's butt all over the screen in Combat.
  
  
• Have you ever received any strange email relating to HappyCart?
  No, never. Especially not this one:

  Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 03:08:32 -0500
  Subject: [address removed]requestinforonHappykart for atari 2600vcs video game
       cartidge
  
  Yes I wanted to ask You a favor.
  My Name is [name removed] and I am having a bit of a problem to get certain video games
  cartidges called Prototypes video game cartidges.
  What I have done is I have gotten some of The screenshots of The Original
  Images from The Actual video game Pictures stills of The rom Images.
  Now they are only still pictures like Monster cise, Peek a boo
  Good Luck charlie brown, certain Titles That I do have The screen Images.
  I was wondering When Are You going to Release The Happycart?
  Will it be release This fall? Or comming Later in The fall in October 1999.
  You see I do have some of The Screenshots but I donot have all of The
  Screenshot for The atari 2600 vcs. If You going to release The Happycart
  I would like to purchase The Happycart. I do have The Still Image of
  The video games. I need You to email Me if You want Me to make a copy and
  provide a copy of The original title. I will help You out if You want to goahead
  and email Me as fast as quickly as possible. Also if You do get The 2600
  happycart working can You goahead and atleast try to get The Happycart release.
  You see I AM Having a hard time in finding these Prototypes video games 
  cartidges like tempest,Cloak and dagger,Save Mary,monster cise andpeek a boo
  and miss piggys wedding,good luck charliebrown.
  The Only ones I wasnot able to get is I was not able to get cloak and dagger
  and Turbo,put out by coleco for atari 2600.
  Zookeeper and swordquest airworld AND ALSO LADYBUG FOR THE ATARI2600.
  WITH WHITEWATER MADNESS. I AM JUST SORRY THAT I COULDNOT GET
  A PICTURE OF THESE VIDEO GAMES. I HOPE YOU ARE COMMING OUT
  WITH THIS 2600 HAPPYCART AND I HOPE IT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE
  ATARI 2600 VCS. IS THE HAPPYCART COMPATIBLE WITH THE ATARI
  2600 UNIT? How do You hook it Up to The Computer to The computermodem?
  How will it work? Will it work 100% with no defects?
  Will The system work 100%?  WILL THE 2600 HAPPYCART BE ABSOLUTELY
  FOOLPROOF WITH NO TECHNICAL PROBLEM?
  If You market This Happycart I will support The Happycart if You show Me
  how it works and How do You Hook The Happycart from The Modem to The
  atari 2600? I Would also need instructions how to work The video game of
  The Happycart? I would need to Know how to attach each attachments to
  The 2600. Do You hookup The Modem from The computer to The Happycart
  in order to do this I would need instructions in how to hookup everything
  where There should also be a garunteed That The Happycart willnot shut My
  Computer down where it willnot erase The data. I would have to be garunteed
  That The video game cartidge of The Happycart will work 100% with no defects
  and it willnot shutdown My atari 2600 vcs Unit. Until I see Until I get proof
  of That The Happycart will work. I would have to see somekind of Demonstration.
  I would have to find out That I Would have to see somekind of videotape showing
  That The Happycart will work. I would have to have somekind of garunteed of a
  live demonstration on Showing How The Happycart works and how do You hookit
  Up to The 2600? If You need the images I can send them to You The ones that
  I do have. I would have to make a copy and send to You. I need Your complete
  name address,citystate and zipcode and a Phone Number to contact You.
  In fact everyonce of a while there are special convention being held in Dallas,TX
  SOMETIMES THERE ARE COMPUTERS AND SOFTWARE CONVENTION
  BEING HELD IN DALLAS. BUT IF YOU HAVE THE ITEMS INSTOCK PLEASE
  GET THE HAPPYCART RELEASE SOON. BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN WAITING
  FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO COME ALONG. WHAT I WANTED TO SEE
  IS A SEPERATE FOUR VERSION MULTICART LIKE A CARTIDGE THAT
  FITS LIKE VOLUME ONE ATARI PROTOTYPES VOLUME 2 PARKER BROTHERS UNRELEASE VERSIONS CIRCUS CHARLIE,THE INCREDIBLEHULK
  MC.DONALDS TWO VIDEO GAME FORMATS, THE LORD OF THE RINGS
  JOURNEY TO RIVENDELL,STARWARS EWOKS ADVENTURE
  THE COLECO TITLES FOR ATARI 2600 OR RELEASE THESE ALL OF THESE
  TITLES IN ONE VIDEO GAME CARTIDGE OF THE HAPPYCART.
  YOU CAN EMAIL ME AT [email address removed] REQUEST INFOR ON
  THE happykart atari 2600. I Have been waiting for someone to come out with a
  completed video game of The Happykart. Please contact Me as fast as quickly as
  Possible. I sure do Thank You very very much.
  If You do come out with This Product it may Help very very much.
  I hope You come out with it either in Sept or Oct Pretty soon.
  I just cannot wait. If it works 100% I will be very very interesting in Purchasing
  The Happykart. Please respond as fast as quickly as possible.
  

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