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Syndicate ZMagazine Issue 206
| (((((((( | Z*Magazine International Atari 8-Bit Magazine
| (( | ---------------------------------------------
| (( | March 24, 1992 Issue #206
| (( | ---------------------------------------------
| (((((((( | Copyright (c)1992, Rovac Industries, Inc.
| | Post Office Box 59, Middlesex, NJ 08846
| (( |
| (((((( | CONTENTS
| (( |
| | * The Week In Atari History.................Ron Kovacs
| ((( ((( | * Atari 8-Bit Hard Drives....................Don Lebow
| (((( (((( | * The Bookkeeper..............................Ron Bell
| (( (( (( (( | * Modem Noise Killer..................................
| (( (( (( | * Lock And Key For The ST................Rick Flashman
| (( (( | * Using A Percom On Your 8-Bit........Andrew C. Diller
| | * ....................................................
| (( | * ....................................................
| (( (( | * ....................................................
| (((((((( |
| (( (( |
| (( (( | ~ Publisher/Editor..........................Ron Kovacs
| | ~ Contributing Editor........................John Nagy
| (((((((((( | ~ Contributing Editor......................Stan Lowell
| (( | ~ Contributing Editor........................Bob Smith
| (( ((((( | ~ Newswire Staff......................................
| (( (( | ~ Z*Net New Zealand.........................Jon Clarke
| (((((((((( | ~ Z*Net Canada.........................Terry Schreiber
| |
|-------------| $ GEnie Address..................................Z-NET
| ONLINE | $ CompuServe Address........................75300,1642
| AREAS | $ Delphi Address..................................ZNET
| | $ Internet/Usenet Address................status.gen.nz
|-------------| $ America Online Address......................ZNET1991
| |
| Z*NET | * Z*Net:USA New Jersey...(FNET 593).....(908) 968-8148
| SUPPORT | * Z*Net:Golden Gate......(FNET 706).....(510) 373-6792
| SYSTEMS | * Blank Page.........(8-Bit FNET 9002)..(908) 805-3967
=======================================================================
* THIS WEEK IN ATARI HISTORY by Ron Kovacs
======================================================================
1985 - ATARI MEETS BCS USER GROUP
The Boston Computer Society General Meeting featured Leonard Tramiel of
Atari, as well as Digital Research's Bruce Cohen, and Bill Bowman from
Spinnaker, and marked the east coast unveiling of the new 520ST
Computer. The meeting filled Boston's New England Life Hall to
capacity. Tramiel reiterated the specifications mentioned in previous
reports. I won't repeat any more than I have to. It appears that
Atari is still on schedule and is still predicting release of the new
machines in late April. Unfortunately, Mr. Tramiel did not have a
formal demo package available with him, so the actual demonstration of
the machine was exceptionally weak. Tramiel described that the
versatility of the ST's was enhanced by the multiple ports which
include: 128K ROM slot, Hard Disk DMA Port (10 Megabit/Sec!), Floppy
Disk Port (Daisy Chain), Standard RS232C Port, Centronics Printer Port,
Monitor Output, RF (TV) Output, (2) MIDI Ports, In/Out, Joystick Port,
and Joystick/Mouse Port. Bruce Cohen, from DRI explained the GEM
operating system in detail, including how it was being developed in
other applications. He indicated that the IBM PC would have a GEM
system available in April.
1985 - 32-BIT ATARI PLANNED
The first look at the new 32-bit Atari computers will come in April at
a computer show in Hanover, Germany. Sam Tramiel privately confirmed
that this machine would utilize the new National Semiconductor 32032
and would be a -VAX in a box.- The next step for Tramiel, after his
current plans, is to -turn around mainframe technology for a hand-held
computer.-
1987 - ATARI IBM CLONES
The ATARI IBM CLONES may NOT be a reality, on the other hand... for a
while, anyway. Two problems are are the major hangups: negotiations
for GEM for the machine, and FCC acceptance. Neither area has had any
positive movement, despite ATARI's optimistic projected -spring '87-
release of the $500 do-it-all PC compatible.
1987 - ATARIFESTS IN TROUBLE
AtariFests for Detroit and Chicago are in trouble. After a long siege
of difficulty in negotiations with Atari, Detroit's 400-plus member
M.A.C.E. club threw up their hands and pulled out of the effort,
cancelling a planned August '87 show for the Southfield Civic Center.
1987 - MORE PANIC IN DETROIT
Antic Magazine's publisher Jim Capperell wrote to Detroit's M.A.C.E.
to notify them that they had to remove any and all ANTIC programs from
their BBS. He reaffirmed that they are copyrighted, and to exchange
them is PIRACY.
1987 8-BIT DOS ON A CART
Mike Wheeler of Alaska has put Atari DOS 2.5 on a cart and added true
double density support and a ramdisk handler. Although it is memory
- greedy (16k when resident), the cart can be switched out manually.
1989 - TOS 1.4 UPDATE
All developers should take note that the latest release of TOS 1.4 is
the December upgrade. This will be the version that goes to Eprom.
Developers should contact Cindy Clavern for more information.
1989 - WORLD OF ATARI
The Anahiem World of Atari show has been expanded from 12,000 sq ft to
28,000 sq ft. At the same show, there will be a live concert after
with Fleetwood Mac and 2 other name groups.
1990 - ATARIFESTS TO BE MORE CAREFULLY SCHEDULED
Atari has discussed and announced the intention to exert more control
over scheduling of Atari shows that request Atari's involvement. After
some hard lessons last year that resulted in the cancellation of both
user and commercial shows due to time conflicts, Atari now intends to
firmly stand behind a policy of NO SHOWS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF OTHER SHOWS.
1990 - ATARI SOFTSOURCE READY TO GO
Charles Cherry, Atari Corp Developer Support mogul, says that the
SOFTSOURCE Program is ready to premier on a major telecommunications
network. The system is 100% completed and is in private testing to be
sure that it is fully operational when it is formally introduced in
April.
1990 - DAVE SMALL/HAPPY COMPUTER LAWSUIT SETTLED
A ground breaking lawsuit involving charges of defamation via
international telecommunications message systems was settled by a Court
Order that also forbids the parties to discuss the details. Dave Small
of Gadgets By Small was sued by Richard Adams of Happy Computer over
statements posted as messages on GEnie last year.
1990 - 68030 ATARI LIKELY TO BE SHOWN AT WOA DISNEYLAND
Late word from TWO locations both point to the 68030 computer(s) to be
shown at the Anaheim World of Atari... one from Atari (the TT) and one
from Dave Small.
1990 - ATARI REPORTS NET INCOME OF $5.7 MILLION
Atari announced last week that income from continuing operations of
$5.8 million or 10 cents per share on sales of $170.6 million for the
quarter ended Dec. 31, 1989.
1991 - ST -GEMULATOR- IN PROGRESS FOR IBM
Darek Mihocka of Branch Always Software (Quick ST) has confirmed rumors
that he has a functional 68000 emulator working on an IBM platform.
1991 - APPLE STRIKES BACK AT SCHOOLS AND ATARI NEW ZEALAND
Apples distributor in New Zealand CED, hit back this week at claims that
they are over charging the education sector for their products.
Responding to the criticism from Alex Davidson the Managing Director of
Software Supplies (the New Zealand Atari distributor) Mr Crowe of CED
said -At $NZ1895 the Macintosh Classic are as inexpensive as any machine
on the market-.
1991 - CEBIT '91
Atari surprised everyone with their announcement and demonstration of
two exciting new 68000 based computers. ST Notebook - This is to be
the smallest 68000 based computer in the world. Its size rivals any PC
Notebook style computer. ST Pad - This is similar to ST Notebook and
shares most of the features but has a futuristic interface. Although
Z*NET has not received final reports from several correspondents at the
Hannover CEBIT computer show, early comments include more hints and
announcements of new hardware from Atari. Spied or discussed were:
CDAR-505, a new CD-ROM player to be released SOON; -ATARIFILE 200-, a
Megafile with 200 meg hard disk (the clumsy name will be changed, but
the -Megafile- moniker will be abandoned soon as well); TT030 machines
with 28 meg of RAM and 1.2 GIGABYTE hard drives, available this fall;
UNIX for the TT030; IBM emulation for the TT; and more.
1991 - DIAMOND BACK II
Oregon Research Associates announces that it will assume the
distribution and support of Diamond Back II effective immediately. To
celebrate this occasion, Oregon Research Associates will release a
major new version of Diamond Back II.
1991 -THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ATARIFEST ANNOUNCED
Vancouver, Canada is hosting the first ever Pacific Northwest Atari
Festival over the weekend of June 15th. and 16th. 1991, to be held at
the Steveston Senior Secondary School, in the beautiful suburb of
Richmond, B.C.
=======================================================================
* ATARI 8-BIT HARD DISKS by Don Lebow
=======================================================================
HARD DISK? MOI???
Recently, I've run across several messages from folks wondering whether
it was worthwhile to upgrade their 8-bit to a Hard Disk. For those who
might have been asking themselves the same question, here are some
personal notes on how I got mine, and how I use it.
First consideration is cost, of course. How much? With a little
shopping around, mixing and matching components, you can keep the price
relatively low ... assuming you're savvy enough to do the matching, the
cabling, and other elements of installation yourself.
What you need:
The HD itself
Controller Board
Power supply
Interface to allow your XE or XL to access the HD (it's problematic to
hook up an older 800 to a HD.)
If you're not already, you'll also need to use a DOS that will support
the LARGE partitions on an HD. That narrows it down to exactly 2: MYDOS
4.5 or SPARTADOS. (I use SpartaDOS X)
Buzzword: a -Partition- is a block of storage on a Hard Drive which is
assigned a drive number, and accessed by DOS just as if it were a
separate drive. HD partitions often run to THOUSANDS of -free sectors-,
thus the need for a supportive DOS.
I'm no techie, so after some checking around, I decided to opt for a
-package deal- from Computer Software Services in Rochester. Cost was
$399. For this I received a 10 meg Seagate drive (complete with an IBM
logo on the faceplate to make me feel <SPECIAL> .. heh), Xebec
controller board, power supply, and, most usefully, a Black Box (aka the
-Bob Box,- after Bob Puff, who designed it) which provides the
interface.
Added costs: I also opted for a case for the BB, which is a bare circuit
board in stock format. A plastic shell to neaten things up adds $39.95.
Since the BB supports a parallel interface for a printer (and includes a
Print Screen button!) and serial RS-232 for modems and such, you'll
probably want cables. CSS sells ready built cables for each, but
they're also VERY easy to build yourself, given a bit of ribbon cable
and some crimp on connectors. And with that RS232 interface out there
just begging for a 2400 baud modem ... ok, I had one already, but if you
don't it's hard to resist.
The package is advertised as -ready to run-, and that proved to be the
case. All cables (except for having to plug the power supply into the
HD, which even *I* was able to handle) were in place. I also got a disk
including some vital HD support files:
HD FORMAT (rarely needed)
PARTITION FORMAT (often used)
PARK (move the heads in your HD to a safe spot before powering down.)
Once I'd unpacked everything, connected the BB to my 256k XL (via the
PBI slot in the back), AND found room for all this stuff in my work area
(both the HD and power supply are BIG boxes, approx 10 x 6 x 4), I fired
up the 'puter and ... nothing.
Oh dear.
Back to recheck the seating on all the cables, cross fingers, close
eyes, power up, and VIOLA! It works!!
Now for the fun part. CSS had pre-formatted the drive, of course (else
it wouldn't have booted when I turned it on.) But, of course, I wanted
to customize it to meet my own needs.
The BB docs are great, explaining the ins and outs of setting up an HD.
They are general, but CSS also provided the basic stats for my specific
drive, so I was able to forge ahead with confidence.
With my trusty calculator by my side (aided by that Print Screen button,
which let me keep a running record) it was a matter of deciding how many
sectors I wanted for each partition, adding that to a starting sector
number, then inputting the info into the BB configuration screen.
Once done with allocation, I used the FMTDIR program on the included
disk to initialize each partition, then started copying files from
floppy over to their new homes.
What did I end up with? This will, I think, give you an idea of WHY an
HD can be so addicting:
D1: 4000 sectors
D2: 5000 sectors
D3: 5000 sectors
D4: 4000 sectors
D5: Pseudo floppy
D6: Floppy #1
D7: Floppy #7
D8: 5000 sectors
D9: 7000 sectors
Those are *Double Density* sectors, mah friends. My XF-551 shows 1440
sectors in DS/DD sparta format. Add it up and that makes ... lessee
here ... the equivalent of around *20* DS/DD floppies! A whole disk
box, all in one spot, instantly accessible! Neat, no?
D6: is actually my ol' trusty XF, still with it's back switches set to
being D1:, wherein lies a point.
The BB (like the MIO, the other popular 8-bit HD interface) has the
ability to -remap- drives. What does that mean? With multiple
partitions, you suddenly have a system with anywhere from 2 to 9
-drives- all on line at once! Once you get over the shock <g>, the
possibility of having any ONE of those be -D1:- or -D2:- to match
requirements of whatever you might be running is irresistible. Unlike
software -swap- commands, these remaps are -permanent- (i.e. until you
change them again.)
So if you decide you want to reboot with another partition as D1:
(perhaps to boot Turbo Basic? Maybe a program that ASSumes AtariDOS,
like AMP?. Or even *eek!* a copy protected floppy) No problem.
D7: is actually RamDisk, as defined by DOS
ABOUT THAT D5:
-Pseudo Floppy- refers to a special feature of the BB. You can define a
partition, specifying density, to match floppy specs (I use both 720
sector SD for AtariDOS, and 1440 DD sector for Sparta.) Use a sector
copier (or DISCOM) to duplicate a floppy to the partition, and you have
a -pseudo floppy- on your HD!
That's not unusual. But the bonus is that the BB supports more than
-active- partitions. In fact, it lets you define up to 96(!)
partitions, all kept in a special -partition list- (touch of a key to
access, even in the middle of a program), and swap them in and out of
the -active- drive map at any time. I actually have <14> partitions set
up on my HD. Waiting to be swapped in at need are 4 DOS 2.5 SD -disks-,
and 4 Sparta DS/DD -disks.- How useful is that? I can specify a couple
of the ADOS -disks- to D1: and D2: and boot DOS 2.5 from HD! Fast. I
like that...
IN USE
Yes, well. Bells and whistles. But absent all the tricks, what are the
more mundane benefits that might justify spending that kind of money?
The biggest thing (and the real reason I bought it) is that having all
that space means no more searching through floppies, trying to remember
where a program is. My experience is probably not unlike yours:
There are a few programs I use everyday. There are others I may use
once a week or so. Then the OTHERS that I need every once in a while
and are inevitably -somewhere- in a pile of 20 floppies. I know, I
*should* have all my disks cataloged, but I don't. Find me looking for
some obscure utility that I suddenly need at 2 a.m., and there I am,
shuffling disks like a Las Vegas blackjack dealer. No more! (well, not
as often, anyway ;-)
I organized the HD in what works for me as a logical order
D1: contains BobTerm and my most used utilities
D2: is a -work disk-, which I use for temporary storage (reformatted
frequently)
D3: is games
D4: is another work disk
D8: has all my TextPro files
D9: is the archive, where I keep those not so often used programs.
et, comme il dit, cetera. I've lowered my -where did I *put* that- time
to just about nil.
Second, but just about as useful, is that I've completely lost my old
worry about wondering whether an UnARC, or a BIG file download/message
capture would run into -disk full- hassles. This is hard to explain
until you actually use it, but trust me. I go whole DAYS without
feeling compelled to use CHKDSK. That's luxury.
And speed, of course. That's a given. It's *not* as fast as a RamDisk,
but, heck of a lot faster than a floppy. I mean, if I can boot up DOS
2.5 in 3 seconds (including RAMDISK.COM ... heh), no complaints.
Matter o' fact, for some things I still prefer the RamDisk. To that
end, I have a batch file on D1: that copies my essential TextPro
program, cnf, and macro files (stored on HD, of curse) to RamDisk.
Since I tend to use a lot of temp files in my macros, saving THIS then
loading THAT, it seems to work better. Not only a bit faster, but
saving a little wear and tear on the drive. With a few thousand spare
sectors dedicated to text, it's also easy to exit and come back later,
without worry.
BOTTOM LINE
Luxury or Necessity is a matter of personal definition. I've talked
about some of the reasons I'm glad I took the plunge. They may or may
not make sense to you. Or you may see possibilities matching your own
situation that I missed. Whatever, this isn't an insignificant amount
of money, especially in terms of the traditional 8-bit market. This is
where the real decision comes in: how much do you (or *will* you in the
future?) actually USE your 8-bit. That's a question you'll have to work
out for yourself. If you answer -a lot-, then I think you should give
an HD some serious thought.
If you have comments or questions, feel free to post...
NEXT TIME: backing up and how I learned to love it ;-)
>>don
=======================================================================
* THE BOOKKEEPER by Ron Bell
=======================================================================
Copyrighted in 1982, THE BOOKKEEPER echoes the basic principles of
modern accounting. Though somewhat clumsy to use, the program is
understandable after, yes AFTER, considerable study of the accompanying
textbook-style User's Manual.
Four floppy disks are provided with the manual-- Data Entry, Recording,
Data Base and Sample Data Base. The first three are absolutely
necessary for implementing the program, the fourth a hands-on practice
program illustrating the methods described in the manual. Data Entry
and Recording are copy-protected and should be carefully preserved.
Designed to work with the Atari 800 computer, one disk drive and an 80
column printer, the program is obsolete by present day standards but is
invaluable to those who necessarily are restricted to outdated
equipment.
The manual provides a crash course in accounting methods based on the
double entry system of balancing debits and credits. Understanding the
contradictions of these entries is the most difficult segment of the
course. Debits do not always subtract from an account as the word
indicates. Conversely, credits do not always add to an account.
However, opposing debits and credits must equal zero, the requirement
for a balance. The program will not permit unbalanced entries.
Depending on the journal chosen, debits and credits are reversed. An
entry to an account in the Checks Written journal, for example, will
subtract the amount from the bank account whereas one in the Cash
Received journal will add to the bank account provided the bank account
was chosen as a control code for those journals.
The General Journal has no provision for a control code and will not
permit unbalanced entries. There's one escape in the program for an
apparent violation of this built-in protection, the avenue used to
initialize the accounts. In this case, the opposing entry must result
in zero but is posted to a transfer account which reflects the
difference between credits and debits which is, in effect, a gain or
loss -- the entire purpose of accounting.
Four journals are available for entries, three of which can be arranged
for automatic credit to a common account. The General Journal requires
manual input of balancing entries. All accounts must be assigned code
numbers conforming to standards set by the accounting industry. This is
fully explained in the manual and is required before the program can
function.
Entering unassigned account codes for an entry are rewarded with a
inverse message line advising that fact. If your code was not a typo,
it's back to your list to assign the code, reason for careful thought in
preparing your codes! All journal entries eventually are auto-posted to
the General Ledger using a command available through the Reporting
program which also permits printouts of the various lists and journals
in addition to End-of-Month and End-of-Year procedures.
Two files may be created to number Vendors and Customers for use in the
various journals at the -From- or -To- prompts. These, however, are not
necessary. Names can be entered. The most aggravating aspect of the
system is frequent swapping of the Data Entry, Reporting and Data disks,
a necessity in the era when 48K RAM was the maximum available to
computer neophytes and floppy disk drives were the ultimate answer to
cassette storage. This time-consuming disadvantage discourages daily
updates of transactions and seriously undermines acceptance of the
program for all but hobbyists and home-based accountants.
Not explained adequately in the manual is the ability to read reports on
the screen rather than exercising the printer with the resulting
depletion of expensive printer paper. Of course, reading 80 columns on
a 40 column screen requires some interpolation but saves considerable
time and money when getting acquainted with the mechanics of the system.
Tapping the letter [Q] at the appearance of two consecutive no printer
error messages sends the data to the screen. An [S] will freeze the
output and [G] lets it continue.
There's no provision for single sheet printouts, built-in tractor feed
being a programmed requirement not mentioned in the manual.
Additionally, only a one-line heading is possible with no font or margin
changes allowed except those selected by the individual printer modes.
Prompts are generously distributed throughout the program at every stage
and close attention to their alert will expedite progress through the
process.
It is next to impossible to crash the orderly advance of the program
with the exception of the Reset key. Use of the [Backspace] and [Esc]
allows easy return if so desired. As is the case with most accounting
programs, human errors in initial entries cannot be corrected with
overwriting. They must be compensated by another entry using the
General Journal. This emphasizes the importance of being certain that
debits and credits are entered in proper order.
The balance, Assets equals Liabilities plus Equity, will always be
maintained no matter what is done, but the figures for each account will
be incorrect.
The Bookkeeper provides color to accent portions of the program along
with sound that signals errors in procedure. It is obvious that a
Certified Public Accountant was consulted by the programmers who
designed this program back in the days of computer infancy. Basic
procedures are followed religiously and even today, The Bookkeeper can
satisfy home and small business requirements while providing a
simplified course in accounting better than illustrations in textbooks.
(Editor's note: Ron Bell recently joined the Mid-Florida Atari Computer
Club and is very knowledgeable in account procedures. His review is
well done and the Newsletter staff extends its welcome and thanks to him
for his valued contribution.)
=======================================================================
* MODEM NOISE KILLER
=======================================================================
With this circuit diagram, some basic tools including a soldering iron,
and four or five components from Radio Shack, you should be able to cut
the noise/garbage that appears on your computer's screen.
I started this project out of frustration at using a US Robotics 2400
baud modem and getting a fare amount of junk when connecting at that
speed. Knowing that capacitors make good noise filters, I threw this
together.
This is very easy to build, however conditions may be different due to
modem type, amount of line noise, old or new switching equipment (Bell's
equipment), and on and on. So it may not work as well for you in every
case. If it does work, or if you've managed to tweek it to your
computer/modem setup I'd like to hear from you.
I'd also appreciate any of you electronic wizards out there wanting to
offer any improvements. Let's make this work for everyone! Please read
this entire message and see if you understand it before you begin.
OK, what you'll need from Radio Shack:
1 #279-374 Modular line cord if you don't already have one. You won't
need one if your phone has a modular plug in its base $4.95
1 #279-420 Modular surface mount jack (4 or 6 conductor) $4.49
1 #271-1720 Potentiometer. This is a 5k audio taper variable resistor.
$1.09
1 #272-1055 Capacitor. Any non-polarized 1.0 to 1.5 uf cap should do.
Paper, Mylar, or metal film caps should be used, although #272-996 may
work as well. (272-996 is a non-polarized electrolytic cap) $.79
1 100 ohm resistor - quarter or half watt. $.19
1 #279-357 Y-type or duplex modular connector. Don't buy this until
you've read the section on connecting the Noise Killer below. (A, B,
or C) $4.95
First off, open the modular block. You normally just pry them open with
a screwdriver. Inside you'll find up to 6 wires. Very carefully cut
out all but the green and red wires. The ones you'll be removing should
be black, yellow, white, and blue. These wires won't be needed and may
be in the way. So cut them as close to where they enter the plug as
possible. The other end of these wires have a spade lug connector that
is screwed into the plastic. Unscrew and remove that end of the wires
as well. Now, you should have two wires left. Green and red.
Solder one end of the capacitor to the green wire. Solder the other end
of the capacitor to the center lug of the potentiometer (there are three
lugs on this critter). Solder one end of the resistor to the red wire.
You may want to shorten the leads of the resistor first. Solder the
other end of the resistor to either one of the remaining outside lugs of
the potentiometer. Doesn't matter which.
Now to wrap it up, make a hole in the lid of the mod block to stick the
shaft of the potentiometer through. Don't make this hole dead center as
the other parts may not fit into the body of the mod block if you do.
See how things will fit in order to find where the hole will go.
Well, now that you've got it built you'll need to test it. First twist
the shaft on the potentiometer until it stops. You won't know which way
to turn it until later. It doesn't matter which way now. You also need
to determine where to plug the Noise Killer onto the telephone line. It
can be done by one of several ways:
A. If your modem has two modular plugs in back, connect the Noise
Killer into one of them using a line cord. (a line cord is a
straight cord that connects a phone to the wall outlet. Usually
silver in color)
B. If your phone is modular, you can unplug the cord from the back of
it after you're on-line and plug the cord into the Noise Killer.
C. You may have to buy a Y-type modular adaptor. Plug the adaptor into
a wall outlet, plug the modem into one side and the Noise Killer
into the other. Call a BBS that has known noise problems. After
you've connected and garbage begins to appear, plug the Noise Killer
into the phone line as described above. If you have turned the
shaft on the potentiometer the wrong way you'll find out now.
You may get a lot of garbage or even disconnected. If this happens,
turn the shaft the other way until it stops and try again. If you don't
notice much difference when you plug the Noise Killer in, that may be a
good sign. Type in a few commands and look for garbage characters on
the screen. If there still is, turn the shaft slowly until most of it
is gone. If nothing seems to happen at all, turn the shaft slowly from
one side to the other. You should get plenty of garbage or disconnected
at some point. If you don't, reread this message to make sure you've
connected it right.
=======================================================================
* LOCK AND KEY FOR THE ST by R. Flashman [the Flash]
=======================================================================
Reprinted from Nybbles & Bytes, September 1987
I was walking by Radio Shack today, and in I went. Under the alarm
section, I saw they sell a round key lock like the ones used on an IBM
AT. Since it is for an alarm, it has the contact on one side, all read
for an electrical wire. Hmmm, I thought. I am always getting annoyed
by people who play with my ST at a show or meeting when I am busy doing
something else...
I bought it... And I found space right over my joystick ports (520) on
top of the RF shielding, and now I have an AT style lock and key on my
ST! Looks very good, was dead cheap, and in the off position, you
cannot turn on the ST!
Actually, so simple it is disgusting. (Lock cost $9.99) I haven't
tried a 1040 yet, so not sure about location. I found two locations on
the 520; on top of the unit, to the back and left, directly above the
cartridge port. Turn your 520 upside down and you will see how much
space there is. I am hoping that the 1040 has the same space.
The other, which is the one I used, is right above the second joystick
port. (The one you DON'T plug the mouse into.) There is enough space,
and it lies right above the RF shielding, it is also next to the power
supply, so not much cable is needed.
The switch has two connectors on its end. I connected two wires to it,
and then opened up the RF shielding. You will notice that the power
switch has three legs coming out of it. The one you want to get is the
smallest one. (This is the one closest to the back of the ST.) I cut
it right where it meets the main board. (Now that took guts!) Then I
soldered one of my wires to it. I then connected the other wire to one
of the wires that comes up from the board to that funny round magnet
that is to the left of the power switch (and about an inch into the
board). The wire that it gets wired to is the one closest to the mouse
port. If you don't believe me, look under the board and you will see
that originally that wire was connected to the leg that we just cut off
the power switch. You NOW have a switch to the power switch. Turn the
key off and the power switch becomes useless.
This will void your warranty. But it works like a beauty. WE are now
offering it as an option for our STs at the store!
======================================================================
* USING A PERCOM ON YOUR 8-BIT by Andrew C. Diller @1992
======================================================================
For a very long time I have been satisfied with the Atari 1050 disk
drive. But that satisfaction came only from the lack of concrete
knowledge about a viable alternative.
Ever since I bought my first Atari computer, an 800xl, seven years ago,
I've pretty much stayed with Atari hardware. I bought a 1050, then
another and a 1020 and an Atari printer. In fact, the first non-Atari
product I purchased for my system was a P:R: connection to allow me to
use a fast Epson printer and a fast modem. Dealing with Atari DOS 2.0s
was simple enough-though 720 sectors never went very far. I knew about
the US Doubler and Happy schemes to speed up and increase the 1050's &
810's, but it always seemed to much of a problem, for the price. When
Atari DOS 2.5 came out, finally taking advantage of the dual density
1050, I felt much better. But you still had to flip the disks. Why
couldn't I use a standard drive? Like the one's on my friends IBM XT?
They weren't even cutting edge; back then, a 360k drive was the most
basic assumption for any system. Using a single density, single sided
drive in the T90s is a little too much behind the times. So I decided
to inquire about all those rumors I had heard about the other drives
for the 8-bit. Those strange 3rd-party drives that I could remember
seeing ads for in the back of Antic. The Indus, the Rana, the PERCOM.
What about the XF551? You might say, why donUt you just get the 551?
It's Atari's official double sided, double density drive. Its the
perfect answer. Not really-although I have never used a XF-551, what
I have heard about them is not too encouraging. Their hesitation to
return to double density is one major point. Besides that, I have
never even seen ONE. I live in a very metropolitan area (Washington
D.C.) and I never saw one advertised, or saw anyone with one of them in
their own system. To me on the east coast the XF-551 might as well
have been vaporware. Besides, if it took Atari this long to come out
with the technology that had been around for so many years, (as I found
out) then they didnUt even deserve my business.
Other Drives
I began to look for alternative means of disk storage for my 8-bit.
What I found was talking to a fellow on my local atari bbs (the best
place to find any answer about atari) I asked him about my search for
greater density. He told me about his experiences with Percoms, and
what was possible with them. Not only that, but he had a number of
Percoms that he had collected, and was willing to part with one. We
made a trade, and I eagerly went over to his house to pick up and
assemble my new drive. The drive itself was old (comparatively
speaking) older than my 800xl!
The Percom was this: a single sided, double density, full height drive,
housed with a controller card and large transformer in a tan metallic
case. The back of the case had two standard Atari SIO plugs, a couple
of dip switches and an on/off switch. All I had to do was plug it into
my Atari and boot up. But I wasnUt interested in the beast of a drive
it had in it. I was sick of single sided drives. The most important
thing the Percom offered was not the drive, but the controller card.
For that card was an interface between the Atari SIO, and ANY standard
IBM type disk drive. When this particular drive was manufactured, the
full height, single sided drive was top of the line. Today, it was
trash.
Assembling My Dream Drive
I had never done any sort of hardware hacks before, but this was as
easy as changing drives on my friends IBM. I located two 1/2 height
360k IBM drives.
You can get them these days for about $20 or less, second hand. I
removed the old Percom drive and shelved it. I got a standard IBM type
floppy ribbon. Any one that goes from the controller to the floppies
will work- the connections on the Percom are all of the standard type.
I then simply spliced the power leads coming out the the transformer,
so that I had two leads, then attached standard plugs on them. Then I
mounted the two 1/2 height drives into the original case, where the
full height drive had been. I plugged them in and put the case back
together. I did have to mess around with the dip switches on the
drives themselves, to sort out which drive was 1 and which was 2.
That is a simple matter of trial & error.
The EPROMS
The EPROMS in the Percom tell it how configure itself when the power is
initially switched on. The EPROMS in this Percom were burned in with
the default drive number one as a double density drive, and the second
drive as a single density drive. You could probably acquire different
EPROMS that were customized for your system, but that might prove a
little difficult - besides you might change your system configuration
in the future.
So now, I had two DS/DD drives, but the controller thought I had a DD
and a SD drive. Normally, with DOS 2.5 I would have been unable to
rectify the situation, but not to worry, I also found the next most
important addition to my Atari system ---> MyDOS 4.5
Using MYDOS4.5
First, let me say that this is the greatest DOS ever written for the
Atari line of computers. Anyone who still uses Dos 2.5 has no real
reason to anymore. Even if you only have 1050Us, you should still use
MyDos. Mr. Puff is a genius (and I haven't even gotten into hard
drives yet!! (BobTerm is excellent also)). MyDos will handle all the
quirks of my Percom. I easily configured the second drive as a double
density drive, using the P command. MyDos also automatically sees the
drives as double sided. The drives stay configured properly as long as
they are on - so I only have to configure the second drive once, when I
initially turn on the equipment. I now had two DS/DD drives, each with
1428 DOUBLE DENSITY sectors. Finally some room to stretch out in - and
no flipping the disks! My Percom is the equivalent to eight Atari 810s
or eight 1050s (using 2.0s). That's a dramatic increase. But it gets
better!
Assuming the the board holds out (it should - no moving parts!) the
drive mechs are just IBM 360k's. If one fails, I don't need to hunt
down a 1050 mech, I only need to go to the closest computer store and
pick up a used 360k drive.
Don't dump your 1050's yet....
I did run into some compatibility problems. Since up until then I had
been using the 1050s, all my disks were flippies. Both sides were
used, but I had to flip the disk myself. The Percom cannot read the
back sides of these disks. It also cannot read a dual density disk
formatted by Atari Dos 2.5 for the 1050. It can however adjust itself
automatically to the density of the disk you insert, provided that its
either single or double density. You can of course, put in any
bootable single density disk and boot off of it- all of the self
booting games, for instance. But some games must be separated onto the
front of single density disks. For example, The HitchHikers Guide to
the Galaxy by Infocom. Normally, just put it in your 1050 and boot up.
Then flip it and play the game. This will not work on the Percom. You
must have side two of the game on the front side of another disk. One
easy solution is to keep one 1050 drive as drive number one, but keep
it turned off when using the Percoms. Then if you need to play a game,
or boot off the flip side of a disk (or boot off a TdualU density disk)
just turn off the Percoms, and turn on the 1050, and voila, you have
drive number one.
I have three 1050Us, plus the two slaves in the Percom- I use the
Percom as drives 1 & 2, the two 1050's as 3 & 4 and keep the third 1050
switched as drive one, and turned off, for booting as I described
above.
I also needed the 1050's for transferring all my files on flippies onto
DS/DD disks. You can force the Percoms into single density, but the
1050's do it much better, plus they still get 999+ single density
sectors using Atari Dos 2.5.
Next: 3.5 inch
As you may have guessed (or known) if the Percom controller will drive
5 1/4 inch 360k drives, it will also drive the high density 5 1/4
drives, plus, the magical 3.5 inch, 720k drive. There is something
special about having your Atari store your files onto 3.5 inch disks.
It feels as if your 8-bit Atari is right up there with the STs and
Macs. Besides, they hold 720k! That means that one 3.5 inch drive is
the same as eight 1050's (in single density). Its as easy as just
connecting the drive to the ribbon, and getting it some power. The
Percom can control up to four drives - of any type. Right now I only
have the two 360k drives, the next step is two 3.5 inch drives.
So Get A PERCOM!
There are plenty of good reasons why every Atari user really needs to
step up from the 1050's. The best thing is a hard drive, but that will
cost you many dead presidents. The next best thing is having some real
floppy power, which is achievable with a Percom. I donUt know exactly
how hard they are to find these days, but there were plenty of them
manufactured, and they can only be about as hard to find as an XF-551.
So start looking for a Percom today, and bring your Atari 8-bit into
the 90's. I know a source that has some Percoms drives. If you are
interested in their availability, leave me a message at:
The Thieves Guild BBS
(301) 984-8516
and I'll get back to you.
Copyright 1992, Andrew C. Diller
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