08-23-2026, 08:13 PM
My 7800 research journey continues before I've even managed to start the console! I'm lacking a suitable RF monitor and hence the composite mod in the other thread that I'm waiting on before I can even see if it works.
I wanted to purchase a multi cart solution and this is where the architecture of the 7800 becomes interesting. To make the 7800 console backward compatible with the 2600 a TIA chip as used in a 2600 has been used to provide that compatibility but sadly, also limites the the sound for 7800 games to the 2600 sound. The idea Atari had was games that wanted enhanced sound could add a Pokey chip to the game cartridge but this of course comes at a cost for the games developer and only 2 original games (as far as I can find) included a Pokey onboard
in the game cart - Ballblazer and Commando. A few homebrew games have since used Pokey or Hokey chips to unlock enhanced sound. Hokey is a modern replacement for the Pokey that is no longer being manufactured.
List of sound chips - Wikipedia
I managed to find a Concerto Plus cartridge that has a Hokey onboard and seems to provide a wealth of other enhancements. Ordered and is on its way from the US to the UK. Let's see how quick that will be but could find any locally.
Concerto - 8BitDev.org - Atari 7800 Development Wiki
I'll report back once I've managed to get this all together.
Mark
I wanted to purchase a multi cart solution and this is where the architecture of the 7800 becomes interesting. To make the 7800 console backward compatible with the 2600 a TIA chip as used in a 2600 has been used to provide that compatibility but sadly, also limites the the sound for 7800 games to the 2600 sound. The idea Atari had was games that wanted enhanced sound could add a Pokey chip to the game cartridge but this of course comes at a cost for the games developer and only 2 original games (as far as I can find) included a Pokey onboard
in the game cart - Ballblazer and Commando. A few homebrew games have since used Pokey or Hokey chips to unlock enhanced sound. Hokey is a modern replacement for the Pokey that is no longer being manufactured.
List of sound chips - Wikipedia
I managed to find a Concerto Plus cartridge that has a Hokey onboard and seems to provide a wealth of other enhancements. Ordered and is on its way from the US to the UK. Let's see how quick that will be but could find any locally.
Concerto - 8BitDev.org - Atari 7800 Development Wiki
I'll report back once I've managed to get this all together.
Mark