In article <8811010302.AA03@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> PARS@KSUVM.BITNET (Scott Parish) writes:
About the Turbo-816 upgrade:
> later. They had hoped to convince Atari to put the 816 in new XE's, but > Atari says 'Why would we want to redesign the 8-bit machine to be competitive > with our own ST anyway?' But Apple did it! (Sen. Bentsen: Atari you're > no Apple computer.)]
> Developers and other interested users can contact:
> DataQue
ONLINE
at: Chuck's BBS 'Master 800' > 3306
Bank Avenue West or
419-529-5197
> PO Box 134
GEnie:
R.SHUE > Ontario, OH 44862 GEnie, DELPHI,
>
Compuserve: DataQue >Acknowledge-To: Scott Parish <PARSONS@KSUVM>
"COMPETITIVE"?!?! give me a break! Since when would a somewhat faster 130XE be competitive with an ST? I feel Atari is being foolish for not helping this product along. This could give another boost to XE sales in new foriegn markets, where the C64 is king. One feasable possiblity would be to socket any parts that would have to be moved to install this upgrade, then give a discount if you buy the Dataque and the 8-bit at the same time.
"Why would we want to improve the 2600 to be competitive with the 7800 anyway?" --No One
In article <7@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>, c91a@franny.Berkeley.EDU (john kawakami reader) writes:
> ... > "COMPETITIVE"?!?! give me a break! Since when would a somewhat faster 130XE > be competitive with an ST? I feel Atari is being foolish for not helping > this product along. This could give another boost to XE sales in new foriegn > markets, where the C64 is king. One feasable possiblity would be to socket > any parts that would have to be moved to install this upgrade, then give a > discount if you buy the Dataque and the 8-bit at the same time.
I agree with John - a Turbo-816 upgraded 130XE would not be very competitive with an ST. Not without a lot of s/w that would take advantage of the 16-bit mode. And even then, the 68000 would still prevail. (With the T-816, 8-bit progs. would see only enough speedup to make a perceptible difference, unless they do a lot of floating- point calculations. Chuck, if you are around, correct me if I'm wrong.) I was in the 8-bit conference on Delphi last night, and Matt Ratcliff pointed out that the T-816 has another problem: it requires h/w hacking. It takes special skill and/or tools to remove a chip from a 130XE board and install a socket - I know, I tried it myself and burned the board. (My 2nd XE went to a repair shop, where they had no problem socketing the OS ROM.) It would be nice if Atari would socket the 6502 and OS ROM, but I don't think they could be convinced to do this. Sockets cost extra, and they are extremely cost- conscious. Chips sometimes come loose from sockets.
But if my XE had the 6502 in a socket, I would seriously consider the T-816.
Nick DiMasi n@ihlpm.ATT.COM ...att!ihlpm!njd Uni'q Digital Technologies (Fox Valley Software subsidiary; ^ working as a contractor at AT&T Bell Labs in Naperville, IL) ( | this is an accent mark, supposed to replace the dot over the 'i')
Info-Atari8 Digest V88 #101
1.
Robert allen Jung
More options
Nov 2 1988, 12:54 am
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: r@sal42.usc.edu (Robert allen Jung) -
Date: 1 Nov 88 15:54:09 GMT
Local: Wed, Nov 2 1988 12:54 am
Subject: Re: Info-Atari8 Digest V88 #101
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In article <8811010122.AA01@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> <AXDFM%ALASKA.BIT@Forsythe.Stanford.EDU> writes:
> Ok.... So what's the verdict on SpartaDOS X? I've been using it for about >a week now, and I won't give it up! (Something like "I'd rather fight than >switch)
Well, I've never been a big fan of SpartaDOS, but having used the X-cart for over two months now, it *seems* like a solid performer.
HOWEVER...I've been using SpartaDOS X those two months with a brand-new Seagate hard drive. And if anybody saw my earlier post, I'm having the most MYSTERIOUS problems with said drive (anybody care to re-read that post and tell me what is going on?). I'm not sure if SpartaDOS X is to blame for this, but...
Just a caevat, I suppose.
--R.J.
B-)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: These are my views, and mine alone.
# ## # Mailing address: Beats me, just reply to this message # ## # (r@nunki.usc.edu?) ## ## ##
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In article <Oct.31.18.07.24.1988.@topaz.rutgers.edu> langb@topaz.rutgers.edu (John E. Langbein) writes:
>Could someone tell me the FTP location I can access to get archives of >the Atari Program Postings (Midi, anything, ect). Mail responses >directly to me. Thanks.
>John Langbein >--
Please send the list to me also. thanks for your help.
SDX and Turbo
1.
gbloo Grebo
More options
Nov 2 1988, 7:46 am
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
From: A@ALASKA.BITNET (gbloo Grebo) -
Date: 1 Nov 88 22:46:31 GMT
Local: Wed, Nov 2 1988 7:46 am
Subject: SDX and Turbo
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I have been asked by a couple of people if SDX does work with Turbo BASIC. The answer is yes. If you have an expanded memory machine (greater than 128K not including 128) then it works without any special handling. If you want optimum use of your extra banks or are using a stock 128K XE, then you will be forced to use a different configuration. This is done by creating a CONFIG.SYS file on D1: with the line USE BANKED in it. Others and/or the manual explain it better, but the bottom line is SDX and Turbo are a working combination....
David Franklin Murphy University of Alaska Anchorage
In article <4@bsu-cs.UUCP> cfchi@bsu-cs.UUCP (Christopher Chiesa) writes: >1) You don't need an 'interface' if you obtain an Atari cassette drive - they > are made to plug right into the SIO port, although they have only ONE SIO > connector and therefore "terminate" any daisy chain. (This implies that
The Atari 1010 program recorder (I have one) has two SIO connectors.
> I HAVE heard, however, from a friend who got the new XM551 drive and does NOT > like it...
I have the Atari 1050 disk drive, and DO like it, although I wish it did "true" double density, with twice the data storage of single-density, rather than half again. And imagine what 512-byte sector support could do for program interchange: "Sure, I can read that PC-DOS diskette!" (Happy Computers Inc, are you listening?).
> about Mike W's experience; 'aegnor' is the one who was telling ME.) > complicated; data is stored and retreived as audio tones on, I believe, > the LEFT channel of a standard stereo recording, with capability to play > right-channel audio through the TV/monitor speaker! You should be able > to simply connect the audio inputs, outputs, and ground, to the appropriate > SIO pins, as well as using some kind of control circuit (I do NOT recommend
As already pointed out, the Atari uses the Pokey two-tone mode to output FSK on the serial output pin. (This FSK is, alas, apparently not phase-coherent, which may be why we are limited to 600 bauds.) Thus, you can *record* Atari tapes, with no further electronics, on a standard cassette deck.
To read them back, however, you must present the decoded data to the serial input pin. That requires an FSK demodulator, the only "magic" in the Atari program recorder. Before I bought my Atari 1010, I bought an Exar XR2211 FSK Demodulator chip, and got excellent results writing and reading tapes. In fact, the 1010 gave much *worse* performance than my simple one-chip solution!
One of these days, I'll do some serious experimenting with some custom tape I/O software and the XR2206 (phase-coherent) FSK modulator. If a Bell 103 can do 300 baud in 1.5kHz bandwidth, 12kHz on a tape deck would give 4800bps and using all four tracks in a stereo deck will yield 5 Megabytes on a C-90. -- Charles Green char@c3pe.UUCP {decuac,cucstud}!c3pe!charles
2.
Stan Lackey
More options
Nov 3 1988, 12:02 am
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit, misc.wanted
From: slac@bbn.com (Stan Lackey) -
Date: 2 Nov 88 15:02:56 GMT
Local: Thurs, Nov 3 1988 12:02 am
Subject: Re: Need a cassette tape drive.
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>In article <4@bsu-cs.UUCP> cfchi@bsu-cs.UUCP (Christopher Chiesa) writes: >One of these days, I'll do some serious experimenting with some custom tape >I/O software and the XR2206 (phase-coherent) FSK modulator. If a Bell 103
In my pre-atari, pre-sinclair days, I was fooling around with a home-built 6800-based system. I built a simple mod-demod with a 555 (voltage controlled osc) and 556(?) phase locked loop. I connected a UART to the 6800, and connected the serial I/O from the UART into my widget. I used freq's like 3000Hz for a 1 and 3300 for a 0 or so. It worked totally reliably at 1200 baud! I guess I should have tried it at higher baud rates... I had fun anyway. -Stan
3.
Christopher Chiesa
More options
Nov 3 1988, 1:50 pm
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit, misc.wanted
From: cfchi@bsu-cs.UUCP (Christopher Chiesa) -
Date: 3 Nov 88 04:50:10 GMT
Local: Thurs, Nov 3 1988 1:50 pm
Subject: Re: Need a cassette tape drive.
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In article <3@bbn.COM>, slac@bbn.com (Stan Lackey) writes: > >In article <4@bsu-cs.UUCP> cfchi@bsu-cs.UUCP (Christopher Chiesa) writes: > >One of these days, I'll do some serious experimenting with some custom tape > >I/O software and the XR2206 (phase-coherent) FSK modulator. If a Bell 103
No, I DIDN'T write that. That was written by the person who quoted part of my earlier posting.
Chris -- UUCP: <backbones>!{iuvax,pur-ee,uunet}!bsu-cs!cfchiesa cfchi@bsu-cs.UUCP
In article <4@bsu-cs.UUCP> cfchi@bsu-cs.UUCP (Christopher Chiesa) writes: >> I HAVE heard, however, from a friend who got the new XM551 drive and does NOT >> like it...
>I have the Atari 1050 disk drive, and DO like it, although I wish it did "true" >double density, with twice the data storage of single-density, rather than >half again. And imagine what 512-byte sector support could do for program >interchange: "Sure, I can read that PC-DOS diskette!" (Happy Computers Inc, >are you listening?).^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yes, they have listened. If you format an IBM PC disk single sided, 9 sector double density, you can convert files back and forth between the atari and the IBM PC. Unfortunately, you cannot format IBM disks on the Atari since the 1050 ignores the sector hole, and the IBM doesn't.
BTW, on MS-DOS 3.x, to format a disk single sided with 9 sector tracks, type: format /1 a:
It works quite nicely. I use it to move lots of software from usenet to my atari. (Save the file to my workstation, walk over to the vectra, and FTP the file to the vectra. Take disk home, and convert file to Atari disk. No more fighting with Xmodem, Kermit and other stuff!)
>>I have the Atari 1050 disk drive, and DO like it, although I wish it did "true" >>double density, with twice the data storage of single-density, rather than >>half again. And imagine what 512-byte sector support could do for program >>interchange: "Sure, I can read that PC-DOS diskette!" (Happy Computers Inc, >>are you listening?).^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >Yes, they have listened. If you format an IBM PC disk single sided, 9 sector >double density, you can convert files back and forth between the atari and the >IBM PC. Unfortunately, you cannot format IBM disks on the Atari since the >1050 ignores the sector hole, and the IBM doesn't. >BTW, on MS-DOS 3.x, to format a disk single sided with 9 sector tracks, type: > format /1 a:
Hmm...
I once tried an experiment: I had a double density DOS XL formatted disk (from an Indus GT drive). One side had several programs on it, and the other side was blank (but also formatted double density with DOS XL.) I took the disk to a PC and tried two copy programs. They both gave me errors, but I got the errors in different sectors for the two different copy programs.
I took the disks home to my Atari 800. I found that both copies would give me a correct directory (neither copy program gave me errors for the directory sectors though), and also I found that I could successfully run some of the programs off the copy. The particular programs I could run depended on which copy program I used. In one case I was able to boot the copy and have it work (though some files still could not be accessed.)
So, how do I convert files between the PC and Atari? (And for that matter, can I copy Atari disks on a PC?) In other words, please, please, please supply the details... -- "I don't care if you _did_ do it in a movie once, Gilligan is not breathing through that reed!"
--Kenneth Arromdee (ins_a@jhunix.UUCP, arrom@crabcake.cs.jhu.edu, g49i0@jhuvm.BITNET) (not arrom@aplcen, which is my class account)