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LTO Flash! User Interface Version 1.0

The LTO Flash! User Interface Software (LUI) offers a rich set of capabilities for even more than getting the most out of your LTO Flash! hardware! Because the software is designed to be extended, more features can be added in future updates. Here you will find complete documentation–aside from directly referencing the source code.

Requirements


  1. User Interface Layout
    1. The The Ribbon
    2. The ROM List
    3. The Menu Layout Editor
  2. LTO Flash! Features
    1. Sending your Menu Layout to LTO Flash!
    2. Download & Play immediately without updating the menu
    3. Getting the Menu Layout from your LTO Flash! onto your computer
    4. Device Configuration
    5. Backup and Restore
    6. Updating the firmware
  3. Intellicart Support

User Interface Layout

The first time you launch the LTO Flash! User Interface Software (LUI), it will look something like this:

LTO Flash! User Interface Software

LUI provides three primary work areas:

  • The Ribbon: Quick access to features
  • The ROM List: Your Intellivision ROM library
  • The Menu Layout Editor: Arrange your ROMs for use on your LTO Flash!

Ribbon / Toolbar

Along the top of the application window, you will find easy access to perform the actions you need most frequently. This part of the user interface is called the Ribbon.

Home Tab (no device)

The Ribbon (Home Tab selected)

The Ribbon is a user interface element that is common in modern Windows application software, so hopefully you are already familiar it. The Ribbon's content is divided into different categories of Commands. A Command is simply an action you can perform in the program, such as Add Files or Play. The high-level groupings of commands, which you see named along the top of the window, just under the title bar, are called Tabs. Each Tab offers access to features available in the program. Within each Tab, you will also find smaller groupings of related commands, with the groups divided by a vertical line, and the name of the group underneath the commands within it.

The following table briefly describes the Ribbon's Tab groupings.

Tab Name What It's For
The "Jewel" When you click this, you will see a menu that provides access to features that may not appear in the Ribbon. These are typically infrequently-used or advanced features. Who knows what you'll find hiding in there!
Home The tasks you're most likely to frequently perform are here.
LTO Flash! Features specific to LTO Flash! that you may only occasionally need to use are accessible when you click this tab.
Intellicart! Configuration and other Intellicart!-specific features are available when you click this tab.

When a command can be used, you will be able to click on it to perform the implied action. Some actions, for example the Play command, can only be used when your LTO Flash! is connected to your computer and plugged into an Intellivision console with the power turned on while at the menu. Don't worry–LUI will do its best to determine when a command is available and ready to execute.

The commands in the Home tab are:

CommandDescription
ROMs Group
PlayWhen LTO Flash! is connected to both your computer and a powered-on Intellivision-compatible Master Component, and if you have a ROM selected in the ROM list, you can click this button to immediately play the selected ROM on your Intellivision console.

Note: You cannot use this command if a game is already running on your Intellivision system–LTO Flash! must be at the menu screen.
If you click on the small arrow, you can choose to either play the selected ROM, or browse on your computer to choose another ROM.
Add Files...Click this button to choose one or more ROMs to add to the ROM List.
Add Folders...Click this button to add one or more folders containing ROMs to the ROM List. As the folders are searched, all folders contained within them are searched as well.
Remove ROMsRemove the selected ROMs from the ROM List. The files remain on your computer at the original location–they are merely removed from this list.
Show ROM DetailsControls whether the ROM List displays additional detailed information about ROMs.
Edit ROMView or edit detailed information about the ROM, such as compatibility with various Intellivision peripherals.
Add to MenuClicking this will add the selected ROMs in the ROM list after the currently selected item in the Menu Layout.
Menu Layout Group
New DirectoryCreate a new directory (folder) in the Menu Layout.
Remove from menuRemove the selected item from the Menu Layout.
Edit NameChange the name of the selected item in the Menu Layout.
Select ColorSet the color of the selected menu item when displayed in the LTO Flash! menu.
Send to LTO Flash!Send the Menu Layout to the LTO Flash! connected to your computer.
LTO Flash! Group
Find DevicesSearch for LTO Flash! devices connected to your computer.
If you have multiple devices, you can select which one to connect to by clicking on the small arrow at the bottom of the icon.
DisconnectDisconnect from the LTO Flash! currently connected to your computer. Doing this merely stops communication between LUI and your LTO Flash!.
Active Device Group
NameYou can call me HAL! Or any other name that fits in 18 or fewer characters!
OwnerIf you like, you can put your name, or anything else you can type, up to 60 characters, in here.
Unique IDThe unique identifier for your LTO Flash! device, i.e. a "serial number".

ROM List

The ROM list is where you keep track of your Intellivision ROM collection. LUI ships with a relatively complete internal database of ROM information, including identification of ROM variants, compatibility issues, and more. This additional information can be displayed by choosing the Show ROM Details option. When enabled, the following information will be presented:

DetailROM Information
TitleThe name of the ROM.
VendorOriginal publisher of the title.
CopyrightCopyright date of the ROM, usually directly from the ROM itself.
FeaturesCompatibility, hardware requirements, and other information, represented as a series of icons.
ROM FileThe name of the ROM file on disk; the full path will appear as a tip strip when you pause the mouse over the name.

The most commonly encountered feature detail icons are described in the following table. As you move the mouse over these icons in LUI, a short description will appear. You can find a complete list of the features here.

IconCorresponding Feature
General
Universally Compatible ROM No known incompatibilities or special features
Unknown ROM ROM not found in database
Video Standards
Incompatible with PAL Consoles Will not run on PAL consoles (e.g. Dreadnaught Factor)
Incompatible with NTSC Consoles Will not run on NTSC consoles
Intellivision II
Incompatible with Intellivision II Incompatible with Intellivision II (e.g. Coleco's Donkey Kong)
Non-standard behavior on Intellivision II Non-standard behavior on Intellivision II (e.g. Shark! Shark!'s sound effects)
Sears Super Video Arcade
Non-standard behavior on Sears Super Video Arcade Non-standard behavior on Sears Super Video Arcade (e.g. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons title screen)
Intellivoice
Intellivoice Enhanced When Intellivoice present, offers enhanced game play experience (e.g. World Series Major League Baseball)
Requires Intellivoice Requires Intellivoice for proper game play (e.g. B-17 Bomber)
ECS Features and Capabilities
Incompatible with ECS Incompatible with ECS (e.g. Defender)
ECS Enhanced When ECS present, offers enhanced game play experience (e.g. Space Patrol)
Requires ECS Requires ECS for proper game play (e.g. Mind Strike)
JLP Features and Capabilities
Uses JLP Flash Storage if Possible Uses JLP Flash storage if possible (e.g. Christmas Carol vs the Ghost of Christmas Presents)
Requires JLP Flash Storage Requires JLP Flash storage (e.g. The Lost Caves of Kroz)

LUI offers the ability to edit the features reported in the ROM list. Changes you make will be stored in your ROM list. To edit a ROM's features, you can right click and choose Edit ROM Features... to show a user interface to view and modify them. You can use the feature editor to undo any local changes as well.

Note: Use caution when modifying features! When a ROM is prepared to be run on, or sent to, LTO Flash!, the ECS, Intellivision II and JLP feature settings may change how the ROM behaves. ROM feature editing is useful for developers creating new ROMs, or for special handling of unrecognized ROMs.

When you click the right mouse button in the ROM list, various actions are available to you via the context menu. These options are described in the table below:

ROM List Context Menu
Menu CommandWhat it Does
Play on LTO Flash! If your LTO Flash! is connected to your computer and inserted into an Intellivision console with the power turned on, and waiting at the menu screen, you can choose this command to run the selected ROM.
Play on Intellicart! If your Intellicart! is connected to your computer and inserted into an Intellivision console with the power turned on, and waiting at the menu screen, you can choose this command to run the selected ROM.
Rename Change the name of the ROM as displayed in the list. This does not rename the file or alter anything other than the name displayed in the ROM List.
Edit ROM Features... Displays a dialog in which you can modify various information about the ROM, such as compatibility with different peripherals or other features. In most cases, this is for informational purposes only. Depending on how your LTO Flash! is configured, it may affect how a ROM executes in the presence of the ECS.
Add to Menu Adds ROMs currently selected in the ROM list to the Menu Layout.
Remove from List Removes the selected ROMs from the ROM List. The ROM files remain in their original locations–they are merely removed from this list.
Delete All ROMs... Removes ALL ROMs from the ROM List! If you want to start over and re-add everything, go right ahead.
Add ROMs... Browse your computer's file system to choose individual ROMs to add to the list.
Add Folders... Browse your computer's file system to choose folders containing ROMs to add to the list. This also searches all folders contained within the chosen folders.
Show in File System Shows the ROM file in Explorer.

Menu Layout Editor

You can easily add ROMs from the ROM List to the Menu Layout in several ways:

  • Have LUI automatically add ROMs to the Menu Layout when you add them to the ROM list
  • Select ROMs in the ROM list, then drag them into the Menu Layout Editor using your mouse
  • Select ROMs in the ROM list, then right click on the ROMs and choose the Add to Menu menu item
  • Select ROMs in the ROM list, then right click in the Menu Layout and choose the Add Selected ROMs from ROM List menu item
  • Select ROMs in the ROM list, then the Add To Menu button in the ribbon
  • Select ROMs in the ROM list, then use a keyboard shortcut (Windows: Alt+→)

In the Menu Layout Editor, you can set both a "long" name (up to 60 characters) and a "short" name (up to 18 characters) for your game. You can also assign color for the ROM's or directory's icon, associate a manual with a ROM, and more.

When you right click in the Menu Layout, you will see the context menu for the selected item. These options are described in the table below:

Menu Layout Context Menu
Menu CommandWhat it Does
Play on LTO Flash! If your LTO Flash! is connected to your computer and inserted into an Intellivision console with the power turned on, and waiting at the menu screen, you can choose this command to run the selected ROM.
New Directory Creates a new directory (submenu) to put ROMs into.
Add Selected ROMs from ROM List Adds ROMs currently selected in the ROM list after the item you right clicked on.
Remove from Menu Removes the item from the Menu Layout. If you remove a directory, the entire directory and all of its contents are removed.
Empty Menu Layout... Removes everything from the menu. If you want to start over, this is the way to go. But be careful!
Edit Long Name Edit the long name for the menu item. This name can be up to 60 characters long.
Edit Short Name Edit the short name for the menu item. This name can be up to 18 characters long.
Set Item Color Set the color of the icon for the menu item. You can select from White, Blue, Red, Dark Green, Green, Yellow, Tan or Black.
Set Manual... Choose this option to browse your computer for a manual for the selected ROM. This file will also be copied to your LTO Flash! and can be viewed directly on your Intellivision console! For best results, you should format the instruction manual to have 20 characters per line.
View Manual If you have associated a manual with a ROM in the Menu Layout, you can view it on your computer by choosing this option.
Remove Manual If you no longer wish to have a manual file associated with the ROM, choose this option. The file will remain on your computer, but will be removed from your LTO Flash! the next time you use the Send to LTI Flash! command.

Using the New Directory button, you can create a hierarchy of menus to arrange your ROMs as you see fit. And feel free to put the same ROM in as many different menu locations as you wish. The file system on LTO Flash! has the intelligence to avoid making unnecessary copies of the same ROM.

To rearrange ROMs in your Menu Layout, simply drag and drop them. To delete an item from your menu, click it and use the Delete key on your keyboard, or the button in the Menu Layout Editor.

Once you're ready to put your ROMs and Menu Layout onto your LTO Flash! device, connect it to a USB port and click the Send to LTO Flash! button. LUI will send the ROMs to your LTO Flash!.

Note! If your LTO Flash! is also plugged into your Intellivision console, the power to the console must be turned off in order to update its contents. The user interface should prevent you from attempting to do this if such is the case.


LTO Flash! Features

The LTO Flash! delivers the most advanced cartridge platform for the Intellivision to date. With LUI, you can easily define the menu layout for your ROMs and copy them onto your LTO Flash!. Not only does LTO Flash! put all your games into one convenient cartridge, but it can work around common incompatibility problems, too! Do you long to show your friends the tragedy of the original Coleco version of Donkey Kong, but only have an Intellivision II? Lament no more! LTO Flash! fixes the incompatibility! Or, do you impress your coworkers with your Intellivision ECS setup with Intellivoice and Music Synthesizer, but find the process of disconnecting everything to show them how great the Atarisoft version of Pac-Man is? You're covered! LTO Flash! also addresses common ECS compatibility issues.

LUI offers much more than defining the menu layout for your LTO Flash!–it also makes it simple to configure the features available on the cartridge, and download and play games without updating the menu layout.

One especially useful features for game developers is the ability to simply Download & Play your game. Simply have your LTO Flash! connected to your development computer and your Intellivision, select your ROM, and press "Play"!

In addition to configuring your LTO Flash!, LUI provides other utilities so you can backup or restore the contents of your devices, update the firmware, and more. These capabilities are covered in detail here.


Intellicart Support

Many Intellivision fans have enjoyed playing their ROMs on real hardware ever since Chad Schell shipped the Intellicart! Intellivision Cartridge Emulator back in 2000. Nearly all games can still be played on the Intellicart, but as time passes, the download program has not been updated for newer operating systems. In appreciation for the groundbreaking work accomplished with its release, LUI includes the ability to download ROMs to an Intellicart!. Simply select the appropriate serial port and baud rate, choose your ROM, and download it! Most modern computers no longer have a standard D-sub 9 (DE-9/DB-9) COM port, but inexpensive USB-to-Serial adapters, such as this one, can be used to connect to your Intellicart! So, if you haven't gotten your LTO Flash! yet (shame on you! :D), or simply wish to relive the nostalgia of using the original Intellivision cartridge emulator, don't fret about locating the download software. It's here!