NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31

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Path: sparky!uunet!mcsun!uknet!doc.ic.ac.uk!agate!spool.mu.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!usc!aludra.usc.edu!not-for-mail From: rjung@aludra.usc.edu (Robert A. Jung) Newsgroups: rec.games.video Subject: Atari Lynx Frequently-Asked Questions file Message-ID: <1i7c4bINNcab@aludra.usc.edu> Date: 3 Jan 93 18:43:23 GMT Organization: Southern California Lynx Enthusiasts Lines: 709 NNTP-Posting-Host: aludra.usc.edu Another new year, another updated rendition of the Lynx FAQ. Read and enjoy. (Note: This article is NOT cross-posted to alt.games.lynx because my site has suddenly declared it a bogus newsgroup. Until someone sends out a "create newsgroup" message over here, I'm stuck. C'est la vie) ||| ||| ATARI Lynx "Frequently Asked Questions" File! Updated: 1/2/93 / | \ Created by Darius Vaskelis, who saw the need and filled it. Maintained by Robert Jung (rjung@usc.edu) ============================================================================== This file is not maintained by, overseen by, endorsed, or otherwise associated with Atari Corp. or any of its subsidiaries. It's just a collection of questions and answers, with a few news tidbits thrown in. This file is posted on a monthly basis, usually around the first of the month. It is maintained by Robert Jung at rjung@usc.edu on USENET. Send corrections, news, updates, comments, questions, or other stuff to that address. All mail is welcome! Updates since the last publically posted FAQ on rec.games.video have a vertical bar in the first column. ============================================================================== Q. What is the Atari Lynx? A. The world's first hand-held color video game system. Sold by Atari, the Lynx offers true multi-player competition, built-in 3D and distortion graphic effects, reversible controls, and fast arcade action for under $100. ============================================================================== Q. What's the relationship between the Atari Lynx and Epyx? A. The Lynx was originally conceived by Epyx in 1987. It was called the "Handy" at that time. Two creators of the system, Dave Needle and R.J. Mical, were also members of the Amiga design team. Atari bought the rights, and the rest is history. Epyx is still required by its contract with Atari to provide technical support, which it still does. ============================================================================== Q. Are Lynx game cards encoded with any encryption scheme? A. Yes and no. Most of the game card is not encrypted, just a few hundred bytes. The game-card verification system was introduced to enforce game quality, which Epyx perceived as a major threat after looking at what happened to the Atari 2600 (VCS) towards the end. Epyx still performs the encryption of the game cards, using a proprietary encoding system. Epyx makes no judgement on what is encoded, but does everything Atari requests. ============================================================================== Q. What are the differences between the original Lynx ("Lynx Classic") and the new Lynx ("Lynx II")? A. The new Lynx is a bit smaller and lighter than the original Lynx. It has a slightly longer battery life, and can also just turn the screen off during a game pause to save batteries. (The original Lynx had a five minute auto-power shut-off that would have prevented this from being useful. It is gone in the new Lynx). A power LED has been added (which also blinks when battery power is low), and cartridges are easier to insert. The only differences in a technical sense is that the new Lynx has a more efficient internal design, and the headphone jack supports stereo sound. The speaker in new Lynx is also not as loud as the original Lynx, although it's more than adequate for all but the noisiest situations. Also, the new Lynx can experience what is called "blinking pixel syndrome". With certain game cards, one pixel on the screen (usually stationary) cycles through all the colors very quickly. It does not affect game play, and isn't always noticed unless it's looked for. It seems to be fixed in later Lynxes, making it even less of a factor. The power consumption in the new Lynx is only slightly less than in the original Lynx, and is not enough to account for an extra hour of play time. The extra hour is claimed by assuming that the user will turn off the backlight for some of the running time, which could be counted as dead time, not game time. ============================================================================== Q. What are the specifications of the Lynx? A. Physical dimensions: Size: 9.25" x 4.25" x 2" (10.75" x 4.25" x 1.5" for original Lynx) Screen: 3.5" diagonal (3.25" x 1.88" approx.) Speaker: 2" diameter Buttons: Two sets of fire buttons (A and B) Two option buttons (OPTION 1 and OPTION 2) Pause button (OPTION 1 + Pause = Restarts the game OPTION 2 + Pause = Flips the screen, which allows the Lynx controls to be reversed) Power on light (Not on original Lynx; indicates unit is on) Power on button Power off button Backlight button (Not on original Lynx; turns off the screen, but does not turn off the game. This saves electricity use when a game is paused) Joypad: Eight directional Controls: Volume Brightness Ports: Headphones (mini-DIN 3.5mm stereo, mono on original Lynx) ComLynx (multi-player) Power (9V DC, 1 A) Game card slot Battery holder (six AA) For the technically minded, the Lynx has two basic chips that form a cooperative set of co-processing subsystems that maximize the Lynx's performance by sharing the work of executing a game program. These chips are called Mikey and Suzy. Mikey (16-bit custom CMOS chip running at 16MHz) - MOS 65C02 processor running at up to 4MHz (~3.6MHz average) 8-bit CPU, 16-bit address space - Sound engine 4 channel sound 8-bit DAC for each channel (4 channels x 8-bits/channel = 32 bits commonly quoted) Range of 100Hz to well above the range of human hearing Stereo with panning (mono for original Lynx) - Video DMA driver for LCD display - System timers - Interrupt controller - UART (for ComLynx) - 512 bytes of bootstrap and game-card loading ROM Suzy (16-bit custom CMOS chip running at 16MHz) - Blitter (bit-map block transfer) unit - Graphics engine Hardware drawing support Unlimited number of high-speed sprites with collision detection Hardware high-speed sprite scaling, distortion, and tilting effects Hardware decoding of compressed sprite data Hardware clipping and multi-directional scrolling Variable frame rate (up to 75 frames/second) 4096 color (12-bit) palette 16 simultaneous colors (4 bits) from palette at one time 160 x 102 "triad" standard resolution (16,320 addressable pixels) (A triad is three LCD elements: red, green, and blue) Capability of 480 x 102 artificially high resolution - Math co-processor Hardware 16-bit multiply and divide (32-bit answer) Parallel processing of single multiply or divide instruction The Lynx contains 64K (half a megabit) of 120ns DRAM. Game-cards currently hold 128K (1 megabit) or 256K (2 megabits) of ROM, but there seems to be a capability of up to 2M (16 megabits) on one game-card. With alkaline batteries, the reasonable average battery life is 5 hours. (4 hours with the original Lynx) The Lynx can run off rechargeable Ni-Cad batteries, but average battery life drops drastically to 1.5 hours per recharge (1 hour for the original Lynx). Your mileage may vary. ============================================================================== Q. Why does the Lynx use a 6502 and not a 68000? A. From R.J. Mical, one of the Lynx's creators: "Some people believe it's less of a processor than the 68000, for example. That series of chip was used in the Amiga, but it wouldn't make our machine do things any better. In fact, it would only make the unit larger and more expensive. It's also harder to write 68000 code, so we definitely made the right decision. | From Stephen Landrum, an author of portions of the Lynx operating system | and of several Lynx games: "The real answer for the choice for the 6502 vs. 68000 was price. Secondary considerations (that did not really enter into the decision making process): 68000 code is very fat compared to 6502 code. An application that takes 1K of 6502 code averages 2.5 to 3K of 68000 code. The 6502 is very bus-efficient, the 68000 has lots of dead time on the bus. As for it being harder to write 68000 code, that is probably not true, and in any case was not part of the reason the decision was made." ============================================================================== Q. Is the Lynx an 8-bit or 16-bit system? A. If 16-bit refers to the main CPU, (such as the Sega Genesis/MegaDrive) then the Lynx is an 8-bit system. If 16-bit refers to the graphics engine, (such as the NEC TurboGraphix-16/PC-Engine) then the Lynx is a 16-bit system. ============================================================================== Q. What can I use to carry my Lynx game cards? A. A cheap and easy solution is the plastic cases used to hold trading cards. They're transparent, sturdy, and lock shut when closed. Most hobby and comic book stores will sell them; a large case costs $0.50 to $1.00, and can hold up to 14 Lynx cards. Another solution are Lynx card wallets. Sold by Realm, a wallet costs $5.95, holds up to 18 cards, padded for protection, and folds flat. Write to Joey Sherman at Realm, 10504 Easum Rd., Louisville KY 40299. On GEnie, send e-mail to REALM. ============================================================================== Q. What other accessories exist for the Lynx? A. The following products are known to be available: * ComLynx cable. Connects multiple Lynxes together for multiplayer games. * AC adaptor. Powers the Lynx from any AC wall socket. * Cigarette lighter adaptor. Powers the Lynx from any automobile cigarette lighter. Will support one or two Lynxes simultaneously. * Atari Lynx Sun Shield. Folds down to protect the Lynx screen, and pops open to shade the Lynx screen from sunlight for outdoor play. (NOTE: There are two models; you need the one appropriate for your Lynx) * D-cell battery pack. Holds six D-cell batteries, and can be attached with a belt clip. Alkaline batteries provides power for up to 20 hours of playing. * Atari Lynx carrying pouch. Holds a Lynx, several game cards, and a ComLynx cable. Attaches with a wrist strap/belt loop. * Atari Lynx Kit Case. Holds a Lynx, up to 24 game cards, and assorted accessories. Padded interior with Velcro dividers, can be customized. Carried with a handle or a shoulder strap. ============================================================================== Q. What do I get when I buy a Lynx? A. The Lynx is available in two packages: The Lynx "Deluxe Package" costs $129.95. It includes the Lynx unit, a copy of the CALIFORNIA GAMES game card, a carrying case, a ComLynx cable, and six AA Alkaline batteries. The Lynx "Base Package" costs $89.95. It comes with only the Lynx, and includes no accessories. ============================================================================== Q. Is there a TV tuner option for the Lynx? A. No. Atari's official position is that market research shows that a TV tuner, while a neat idea, would not be bought by most players. The unofficial word from Stephen Landrum is that the Lynx screen display is not capable of handling a broadcast television picture. ============================================================================== Q. Do all players "Lynxed"-up via ComLynx need a copy of the game being played? A. Yes. All players need a copy of the game card. ============================================================================== Q. What's the ComLynx port like? A. There is limit of 18 players via ComLynx. In practice it may be possible to connect more units together, but to operate within specifications, the drivers in the Lynx cannot drive over more than 17 units with pull-ups on the serial ports. ComLynx runs from 300.5 to 62.5K baud. It works on a "listen and send" structure. Data transmission between Lynxes is done in the background, freeing up the CPU to run the game instead of communicating. It's called "RedEye" in-house at Atari, named after an early idea of having Lynxes communicate with infra-red transmissions. It uses a three-wire cable (+5V/Ground/Data) and allows for bi-directional serial communications. The system frames messages in terms of 11-bit words, each consisting of a start bit, eight data bits, a parity bit, and a stop bit. The ComLynx port is used solely for communications; it can't be used to control other aspects of the Lynx, though in theory it can be used to send signals to external devices. ============================================================================== Q. Sometimes a multiplayer ComLynx game will freeze up. Why? A. A ComLynxed game will freeze if communication between the Lynxes is interrupted. If communications can be restored, the game will continue. The most common cause of this problem is a fray in one of the ComLynx cables, or a loose seating in one of the ComLynx jacks. Communication is broken, and the game "freezes". Jiggling the cable or reseating the jacks may fix the solution temporarily, but the best cure is a new cable. ============================================================================== Q. What are all of the current Lynx games available in the United States? A. Current Lynx Games List (The notation "(x)" means to refer to footnote number x): Title Stereo? Players Description ----------------- ------- ------- ----------------------------------- A.P.B. no 1 Patrol the city and look for felons Awesome Golf no 1-4 Go for par on three 18-hole courses Baseball Heroes no 1-2 The all-American sport for one or two Basketbrawl no 1-2 Shoot hoops and slash opponents Batman Returns no 1 The Dark Knight Returns again Block Out no 1 Three-dimensional Tetris Blue Lightning no 1 High-speed jet combat Bill & Ted's no 1-2 A non-heinous adventure through time Excellent Adventure California Games no 1-4(1) Harmless fun in the sun and sand Checkered Flag yes 1-6 High-performance Indy auto racing Chip's Challenge no 1 144 block-pushing puzzles Crystal Mines II no 1 180 dirt-digging mining puzzles | Dirty Larry: yes 1 Blow away the punks and scum | Renegade Cop | Dracula the Undead no 1 Escape from the Count's castle Electrocop no 1 3-D rescue adventure Fidelity Ultimate no 1-2(2) Kings, queens, and pawns on the go Chess Challenge Gates of Zendocon no 1 Side scrolling space shooter Gauntlet: The no 1-4 Fight through dungeons for a gem Third Encounter Hard Drivin' no 1 Stunt and speed driving simulator Hockey no 1-2 Hot action on the cold ice Hydra no 1 Pilot a flying boat over the seas Ishido: The Way of no 1-n(4) Place colored tiles in matching sets the Stones | Joust no 1-2 Air warfare on the back of an ostrich Klax yes 1 Catch and position color tiles Kung Food no 1 Bouts and routs in the refrigerator Lynx Casino no 1-2 Try to beat the odds the safe way Ms. Pac-Man no 1 Run the mazes and eat the dots NFL Football no 1-2 Pigskin action with real teams Ninja Gaiden no 1 Martial arts in the big city Pac-Land no 1-2(2) Run and jump through Pac-Land Paperboy no 1 Deliver newspapers to keep your job Pinball Jam no 2 Two real-life pinballs on one card Qix no 1-2(2) Draw lines and trap the helix Rampage no 1-4 Ravage cities as a giant monster Rampart no 1-2 Build a castle and defend it Road Blasters yes 1 Auto racing with guns and rockets Robo-Squash yes(3) 1-2 3D racquetball Robotron:2084 yes 1 Save the humans from robots Rygar no 1 Run and battle beasts of the land Scrapyard Dog no 1 Run and jump to rescue your pet Shadow of the Beast no 1 Explore and fight the Beast Lord Shanghai no 1-2 Remove all of the tiles Steel Talons no 1 Helicopter combat flight simulator S.T.U.N. Runner no 1 3-D tunnel warfare at 700mph Super Skweek no 1-2 Paint tiles to save the day Switchblade II no 1 Slash through Havok's forces of evil Todd's Adventures no 1-8 Explore slimy caves for treasure in Slime World Toki no 1 A spitting monkey saves the day? Tournament no 1-4 Futuristic robot football Cyberball 2072 Turbo Sub no 1-2(4) 3-D shooter in the sea and air Viking Child no 1 Jump and fight to save your family Warbirds no 1-4 WWI biplane flight/combat simulator World Class Soccer no 1-2 Soccer with 100 international teams Xenophobe yes 1-4 Destroy aliens in the space stations Xybots no 1-2 Destroy robots in a 3-D maze Zarlor Mercenary no 1-4 Shoot enemies for big bucks Footnotes: (1) Manual says 1-2 players, 1-4 is possible (2) Multiple players on one Lynx, alternating turns. (3) Stereo sound does not match game action. (4) Players can compare scores, but not interact directly ============================================================================== Q. What are some of the upcoming Lynx games? A. Upcoming Lynx Games List: Note: This list is hardly definitive. It's based on many sources, and in some cases, it just might be dead wrong. Games also often change from pre-release to production. Title Players Description ----------------- ------- ------------------------------------------ Aliens v. Predator 1? Two mean monsters, head-to-head! Battlezone 2000 1-2 Update of the classic tank battle Blood & Guts Hockey 1-2 Hockey with the violence knob turned up Cabal 1-2 Shoot for your country and your freedom Cards 1? Cribbage, Gin, and Solitaire Daemonsgate I 1? Fantasy role-playing Defender/Stargate/ 1? The arcade classics from Williams Defender II Dinolympics 1 Use your brain and lead your cave clan Double Dragon 1-2 Street fighting game Eye of the Beholder 1 First-person dungeon-exploring adventure European Tournament 1-2? Realistic soccer action through Europe Soccer Full Court Press 1-2 Fast action basketball Basketball Gordo 106 ? ??? The Guardians: Storms Over Doria 1-4 Large scale role playing-type game Heavyweight 1-2 First-person boxing action Contender Jimmy Connors Bad 1-2 Hit a ball over a net, while Connors comments Boy Tennis Krazy Ace Minature 1-4 Putt for par against zany obstacles. Comes Golf with course construction kit Lemmings 1-2 Save the green haired dudes Malibu Beach 1-2 Ball-bouncing fun on the beach Volleyball Ninja Gaiden III: 1-2? Sequel to the martial arts game Ancient Ship of Doom (port from the Nintendo) Ninja Nerd 1 Time-travelling, nerds, and ninjas Operation Desert 1 The UN vs. Saddam! Storm Outpost Mars ? ??? Pit Fighter 1-2 Fight in the underworld arenas Power Force ? ??? R.C. Destruction 1-4 Radio-controlled car-blasting Derby Rabbit Quest ? ??? Relief Pitcher 1-2 Realistic baseball action from the arcade Rai-Den 1-2 You vs. the aliens in a scrolling shooter Road Riot 4WD 1-2 Off-roading mania with a stun gun! Rolling Thunder 1 One agent against the evil empire 720 degrees 1 Skateboarding for fame and profit Spacewar 1-2? Warfare in the final frontier Spot: The Video Game ? 7Up's mascot goes on an adventure Starship ? ??? Strider II 1 Run, jump, swordfight the techo-enemies Super Asteroids & 1? Two updated classics on one game-card Missile Command Super Off-Road 1-4 Off-road racing on the Lynx Ultra Star Raiders 1? Enhanced version of the computer classic Vindicators 1-2 Use your tank to destroy space stations ============================================================================== Q. My Lynx screen is badly scratched! How can I fix it, what can I do? A. Get some "plastic scratch remover" or "plexiglass scratch remover". You can find it in hardware stores, or look in your Yellow Pages under "Plastics." ============================================================================== Q. Agh! My Lynx is broken! How can I fix it? A. For $50, plus $5 shipping and handling, and your old/broken Lynx, Atari will repair it or replace it with a new Lynx II unit. Send your Lynx to: Lynx repair service Atari Computer Corporation 390 Caribbean Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94088 ============================================================================== Q. Where can I get a review and/or comments about <insert game name here>? A. Robert Jung has written detailed reviews for every Lynx game ever released. They are available on-line at the Cleveland Free-net's Lynx Support Section (see below). If you cannot reach the Free-net, you can contact Robert at rjung@usc.edu on USENET. ============================================================================== | Q. Where can I find secrets, tips, and hints for <insert game name here>? | A. Kevin Dangoor maintains a comprehensive list of Lynx cheats, secrets, and | tricks. He will accept new tricks and tips, and the file is periodically | posted to rec.games.video. Contact Kevin at tazzzzz@eecs.umich.edu on the | Internet. | ============================================================================== Q. How can I reach Atari Corp.? A. Customer Service: (408) 745-2000 Mailing Address: Atari Corp. 1196 Borregas Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94089-1302 The Lynx hot-line in Chicago ((708) CRY-LYNX, a.k.a. (708) 279-5969), appears to have been disconnected. This is probably due to Atari moving their offices from Chicago to Sunnyvale. No new number is known at this time. ============================================================================== Q. What are other sources for Lynx information? A. Publications: - A.P.E. Newsletter Dedicated Lynx newsletter ("A.P.E." 2104 N. Kostner stands for "Atari Portable Chicago, IL 60639 Entertainment"). Write to Clinton GEnie: C.SMITH89 Smith. Published five times per year, cost is $6.00/year. - Atari Explorer Atari's official magazine. Lynx P.O. Box 6488 information is periodic, but often Duluth, MN 55806 early and biased. - AtariUser Atari-oriented magazine. Lynx news 249 N. Brand Boulevard, and reviews on a regular basis. Suite 332 Subscription is $15 a year (12 issues), Glendale, CA 91203 free at newsstands. - Die Hard Game Fan General video-gaming magazine with some 18612 Ventura Blvd. Lynx coverage. Tarzana, CA 91356 - Electronic Gaming Monthly General video-gaming magazine with 1920 Highland Avenue some Lynx coverage. Will often get Suite 222 screen shots and reports of new Lombard, IL 60148 games before other publications. - Gamemaster Dedicated specifically to the Lynx, Gamemaster Computer including reviews, tips, and buy/ Publications Ltd. sell/trade activity. 10 issues/year P.O. Box 2224 for $10, free sample issue available Arvada, CO 80001-2224 on request. (303) 423-6805 - Gamepro General video-gaming magazine with P.O. Box 3329 some Lynx coverage. Redwood City, CA 94064 - On Target Dedicated specifically to the Lynx, 18C Boyle Avenue including reviews, tips, and buy/ Cumberland, RI 02864-2306 sell/trade activity. Bi-monthly, $4/year, checks to "Matthew Szewczyk", (401) 658-3917 and talk to Matt. - Portable Atari Gaming System PAGS is a quarterly newsletter with P.O. Box 37692 reviews, editorials, news & info, Raleigh, NC 27627-7692 and gaming tips. One year costs GEnie: E.SCHOFIELD $12.00. - Video Games & Computer General video-gaming and computer- Entertainment gaming magazine. Lynx news often in 9171 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 300 news articles and in the dedicated Beverly Hills, CA 90210 portable-gaming column. Usenet newsgroup: - rec.games.video often contains Lynx reviews and discussions - alt.games.lynx Lynx-related discussions, often crossposted to rec.games.video Internet FTP sites: - atari.archive.umich.edu or terminator.cc.umich.edu (141.211.164.8): /pub/atari/portadd has back-issues of Portable Addiction, a newsletter about the Atari Lynx, Sega Game Gear, and Atari Portfolio. Subscribe by sending a note to tjerk@nikhef.nl. /pub/atari/misc contains lynx.txt.Z, a compressed file with some GEnie roundtable discussions on the Lynx. Internet TELNET site: - Cleveland Free-net AtariSIG freenet-in-a.cwru.edu or cwns16.ins.cwru.edu (129.22.8.82) freenet-in-b.cwru.edu or cwns9.ins.cwru.edu (129.22.8.75) freenet-in-c.cwru.edu or cwns10.ins.cwru.edu (129.22.8.76) You can log on as a visitor to explore the system. At the opening menu ("Please enter 1 or 2:"), enter "2" to log in as a visitor. At the next menu, enter "2" again to explore the system. You will then read an opening disclaimer and a login bulletin, then be sent to the main Freenet menu. Once inside, type "go lynx". Follow the menus to read Lynx-related discussions and reviews. BBS: - Star-Linx BBS (602) 464-4817, 300/1200/2400 bps It's located in Mesa, Arizona (USA) and has a Lynx Club. Be sure to have your California Games game-card handy when you call to gain higher access. - Video Game Information Service. (201) 509-7324, 300/1200/2400/9600/14400 bps. Multiple lines Located in West Orange, New Jersy (USA). The BBS is completely dedicated to video gaming, and maintains files of cheats and reviews for all game systems. Carries video-game-related conferences from other computer networks, including Fidonet, Worldnet, and Globalnet. Online service: - GEnie Atari ST Roundtable BBS, Category 36 - CompuServe, Lynx Data Library and Message Group, in the ATARI8 forum. Reviews, discussions, tips, and a monthly contest. (Type "GO ATARI8", and join the forum) International clubs: - Germany: Internationaler Lynx Club Hans-Jorg Sebastian Siegfriedstr. 3 3684 Schmitten 3 Germany - Netherlands: International Lynx Club Leon Stolk Vanenburg 2 7339 DN Ugchelen The Netherlands - Austria: Internationaler Lynx Club Christian Lenikus Obertraun 27 4831 Obertraun Austria - Switzerland: Swiss-Lynx-Info-Club Eugene Rodel Sangeliweg 45 4900 Langenthal Switzerland ============================================================================== Q. How do I disassemble my Lynx II (assuming I want to)? A. The original Lynxes were easy to take apart, for whatever reason you needed. The new Lynx IIs are more puzzling, but not impossible. The following set of (edited) instructions are provided by Ken Small (kens@umich.edu): "It's not hard, but there are a lot of fragile pieces and the electronics are sensitive to all the things that electronics are usually sensitive to, like static. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK. "First, remove the rubber pads from the bottom of the Lynx. They're glued on, but they peel off pretty easily. Beneath them are screw holes -- remove them. Note that it's *very* easy to tell if your lynx has been opened, since you leave holes in the glue stuff. Take off the back of the case. "Remove the screw located inside the battery area. Be careful when replacing this; it can strip easily. Mine is stripped, but the rest of the case holds the battery bay in place. Remove the battery bay piece. "You will see a circuit board with a couple of wires and circuit ribbons attached to it. Carefully unplug all of these. The ribbon in particular seems flimsy. Do not puncture or otherwise damage it. Remove the circuit board. "Beneath the circuit board is an assembly screwed to the inside of the case, which contains the screen, button contacts and buttons. A warning when unscrewing this-- the are LOTS of small pieces in here, and they're particular about how they go back in. In particular, be careful about the A/B buttons, which are slightly different sizes, and the rubber mat around the LCD screen, which has nothing to hold it in place. "The last thing is the joypad contact itself. This is a small rubber mat held in place by a snap-on piece of plastic. You can carefully remove the plastic to get under the apron, where the contacts can be cleaned. Clean in-between the contacts, being careful not to abrase the contacts themselves. They look like half-circles with a small (half-millimeter or less) space between. Grunge between them can register an intermittent false contact, which looks to the player like the joypad is being quickly, repeatedly pressed in one direction." ============================================================================== Q. What's the Lynx developer's kit like? A. Hardware: - Commodore Amiga computer: 3M RAM and hard disk. - "Howard" board: A parallel-interface module that has the electronics of the Lynx, also with debugging tools. A large PC board inside of a metal case with power supply, and connections on the back for cable to connect to the Amiga, and to the "Howdy" unit. - "Howdy" unit: A small PC board in a plastic case with buttons and a Lynx display, and a cable that connects to the "Howard" board. Software: - Handy-Bug: A powerful symbolic debugger, also contains a disassembler. - Handicraft: Graphics translator that takes IFF files and turns them into coded Lynx sprite definitions. - HSFX: Sound editor - Macro libraries - Example programs - Notebook of system documentation ("about 3 1/2 inches thick... we've stopped counting pages") plus updates A full Lynx Developer's Kit currently costs around $5,000. ============================================================================== --R.J. B-) //////////////////////////////////////|\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Send whatevers to rjung@usc.edu | If it has pixels, I'm for it. --------------------------------------+------------------------------Lynx up! "You weren't chosen because you are the best pilot in the Air Force. You were chosen because you are the class clown and frankly, you're expendable."