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Atari 8-Bit Computers: Frequently Asked Questions |
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reproduce the cart and simulate a ROM. Or the cart might be copied and burned
on the correct type of eprom, to make a plug in cart. 'The Impersonator', the
'Pill' are two cart copy schemes copy the cart to a file, then don't change
the code, but use a 'dummy cart' to fool the software into thinking there is a
ROM present.
Basic tools for copying, then cracking, carts and disks are a sector editor
and disassembler. Carts are usually most easily dumped using a special OS,
like Omnimon, to interrupt the cart and dump memory to disk. There are a few
pd cart copiers that have the user plug the cart in when the program is
running, I don't believe these pd cart copiers are very good or very wise to
use.
So, the basic answer to 'how do I make a copy of my copy protected commercial
software' is don't bother. Find it on the net.
There is one exception, in that this 'solution' involves a minimum of effort
and is relatively safe. I refer to 'Chipmunk' and 'Black Patch' software to
make cracked boot disk copy of commercial disks. HOWEVER, even if you use
these two commercial archival tools, be sure you write protect your originals,
and be careful not to accidentally write to the original disk.
Finally, I'll mention a very modern (I mean 1997) product. The APE ProSystem,
by Steven Tucker, in the registered version of this shareware allows making
disk images called 'Pro' images. APE (Atari Peripheral Emulator) requires a
cable, called the SIO2PC cable, that connects the A8 13 pin serial port to a
serial port on the IBM PC clone. To make 'Pro' images, a special adapter
cable is needed, not just the 'standard' SIO2PC cable. The 'Pro' image can
'capture' the copy protection of an original commercial disk. The 'Pro' image
can then be loaded into an A8 using the APE registered version software, thus
backing up your original disk software. Note the 'Pro' image will only be of
use to person(s) owning registered APE software and 'Pro' adapter cable.
------------------------------
Subject: 10.1) What programs can log in to other computers via modem?
Here are some of the more popular PD/freeware/shareware terminal emulator and
related programs available. Use one of these programs for accessing a dial-up
Bulletin Board System (BBS) with your Atari, or for accessing a dial-up "shell
account" with your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Dial-up shell accounts
are no longer widely available here in the 21st century! (There is no
general-purpose PPP capability for the 8-bit Atari that I am aware of.)
ATAR-Z-MODEM 1.2, 5/29/94, shareware by Larry Black
Emulates: n/a
Text: 40 columns in gr.0
File Xfer: ZMODEM download
Autodial: No
Backscroll buffer: No
Capture-to-disk: no
Summary: Intended to be used as an external ZMODEM receive utility in
conjunction with other terminal programs, especially BobTerm
http://www.umich.edu/~archive/atari/8bit/Telecomm/Protocols/atzmod12.arc
BobTerm 1.22, shareware by Bob Puff
(There's also a 1.23 release that's specific to PC XFormer)
Emulates: VT52
Text: 40 columns in gr.0; 80 col. w/ XEP80
File Xfer: XMODEM, YMODEM, FMODEM
Autodial: Yes
Backscroll buffer: No
Capture-to-disk: Yes
Summary: Feature-filled; best for BBSing
Available: http://www.nleaudio.com/css/ (version 1.21)
ftp://ftp.spudster.org/pub/atari/cth/terminal_programs/BOBTM122.ARC (com only)
http://people.a2000.nl/becotel/archive/bobt123.arc (1.23)
FlickerTerm 80 v.0.51, freeware by LonerSoft (Clay Halliwell)
Emulates: VT100, IBM ANSI
Text: 80 column via a special Graphics 0 screen (no hardware req'd)
File Xfer: None
Autodial: No
Backscroll buffer: No
Capture-to-disk: No
Summary: Fastest and most complete VT100 emulation; readability a minus
ftp://ftp.spudster.org/pub/atari/cth/terminal_programs/FLICK051.ARC
Ice-T XE v2.72 (128K XL/XE) or Ice-T 800 v1.1 (48K)
shareware by Itay Chamiel
Emulates: VT100
Text: 80 column via a fast-scrolling graphics 8 screen
File Xfer: X/Y/ZMODEM download
Autodial: Yes (2.72) or No (1.1)
Backscroll buffer: Yes--8 screens (2.72) or One screen (1.1)
Capture-to-disk: Yes--up to 16K (2.72) or No (1.1)
Summary: Outstanding flicker-free high-speed VT100 emulation.Recommended!
Available: http://www.cs.huji.ac.il/~itayc/
Kermit-65 3.7, PD by John R. Dunning
Emulates: VT100
Text: 40 columns in gr.0; 80 col. in gr.8; 80 col. w/ XEP80 (sort of)
File Xfer: Kermit
Autodial: No
Backscroll buffer: No
Capture-to-disk: No
Summary: Excellent VT100 emulation; rock-solid Kermit Xfers
filenames: k65v37.arc ; k65doc.arc - docs ; k65src.arc - source
OmniCom by CDY Consulting (David Young)
Emulates: VT100
Text: 80 columns in gr.8
File Xfer: XMODEM, Kermit
Autodial: No
Backscroll buffer: No
Capture-to-disk: No
Summary: Only option combining VT100, XMODEM, Kermit
filename: omnicom.arc
PabQwk 2.0, 1 Feb 1994, shareware by Low-Budget Productions (Pab Sungenis)
Requires: 128K XL/XE
Emulates: n/a
File Xfer: QWK upload/download
Summary: The Professional QWK reader for the Atari 8-bits. (QWK is a
packet format created in the IBM BBS community for reading mail
offline.)
http://people.a2000.nl/becotel/archive/pabqwk20.arc
Term80 1.6 (8.25.95), by CTH Enterprises (Tom Hunt)
Requires: MIO or Black Box
Emulates: ANSI
Text: 80 columns in gr.8
File Xfer: XMODEM receive, YMODEM send/receive
Autodial: Yes
Brackscroll buffer: No
Capture-to-disk: Yes
Summary: Designed for calling IBM ANSI BBSs at the highest possible
speeds supported by the MIO and Black Box (14.4 Kbps)
Available: http://cth.dtdns.net/Featured/term80/term80.html
VT850 B1, shareware by Curtis Laser
Emulates: VT100/VT102 (plus complete VT220 keymap)
Text: 40 columns in gr.0; 80 col. w/ XEP80
File Xfer: None
Autodial: No
Backscroll buffer: No
Capture-to-disk: Yes
Summary: Only option for VT100 emulation on the XEP80; 1200bps top speed
filename: vt850b1.arc
------------------------------
Subject: 10.2) What programs can I use to host a BBS on the Atari?
The 8-bit Atari was particularly popular for hosting a dial-up Bulletin Board
System (BBS). Uploading/downloading files, online messaging, even online
gaming services can all be hosted on an 8-bit Atari operated as a dial-up BBS.
This section attempts to list all BBS programs for the Atari. Of these, BBS
Express! Professional and Carina II BBS seem to be programs that stand up well
even today.
Contributors to this section include: Winston Smith, Steven Sturza, Chad
Hendrickson, Don Fanning, Matt Singer, Pete Davis, Jeff Williams
o AMIS BBS -- The Atari Message Information Service, public domain.
The "granddaddy" of BBS programs for the 8-bit Atari.
The AMIS BBS was written in BASIC by people from the Michigan Atari Computer
Enthusiasts. It included designs for a ring-detector. You needed a sector
editor and had to allocate message space by hand, hex byte by hex byte.
Several versions of AMIS:
* Standard AMIS
* MACE AMIS - from the Michigan Atari Computer Enthusiasts
* Fast AMIS
* MPP AMIS by Matt Pritchard
* TODAMIS 1.0, for 1030/XM301, 1986, Trent Dudley
o ATABBS -- Rod Roark writes (3/12/03):
This is really straining my memory -- don't recall exactly
when I wrote the thing (maybe '80 or '81), but as far as I
know ATABBS was the world's first BBS for the Atari 400/800.
I ran it out of my condo in Atlanta on a 48K 400 with an 80K
floppy drive and a 300 bps Hayes Smartmodem. The 48K memory
module was a third party add-on, not Atari's.
It was written in Atari BASIC with a few bytes of machine
language thrown in.
o ATKeep -- An Atari 8-bit version of CITADEL BBS, by Brent Barrett
ATKeep is a Citadel-like BBS system for eight-bit Ataris. ATKeep runs under
SpartaDOS and requires BASIC XE and 128K of RAM. Originally "MBBBS (Message
Base Bulletin Board System) 1.0, March 24th, 1986" MBBBS was changed to Atari
Keep, or, ATKeep for short, around version the time version 4.0 was released
(June 15, 1986).
ATKeep 7.0 finally took the aide and cosysop commands out of a menu section
and put them into extended commands, where they belonged. It also added a
SYSOP level command set. Users were no longer "users" "aides" or "cosysops,"
they had become level "A" (SYSOP) through level "Z" (READ ONLY). The system
had become extremely complex. Public, hidden OR password protected PRIVATE
rooms. Each room now had its own access level (thus keeping people of lower
level from getting in EVEN if they knew the room name). Each room was
assigned a RWRT (or Read WRiTe status), which determined who could enter
messages in it, and whether or not public or private messages, or both were to
be allowed.
Before version 7.0, ATKeep only worked with the Atari 1030 or XM301 modems.
ATKeep 7.0 was rewritten to accomodate the 850 or PRC interface allowing use
of any Hayes compatible modem.
ATKeep version 7.50 was released (1987), was version 8 released?
o BBCS -- Bulletin Board Construction Set, by Scott Brause/Antic, 1985
A machine language program, developed as the Jersey Atari Computer Group
(JACG) BBS system.
BBCS was known for it's great flexibility. The sysop was offered easy
customization by the use of menus. Many BBSes before it required that you had
to actually change the BASIC code in order to customize your BBS.
Unfortunately, it also suffered from a reputation for stability problems.
o BBS Express! -- 1986, Leith Ledbetter/Orion Micro Systems
Written in compiled Action!. 1030/XM301 and 850 versions.
o BBS Express! Professional ("Pro!")--6.0b 1999, Lance Ringquist/Video 61
Originally by Keith Ledbetter/Orion Micro Systems.
See also http://cth.dtdns.net/pro/pro1.html
Written in 100% machine language.
Requires XL/XE, SpartaDOS 3.2+, hard drive highly recommended, or at least a
large ramdisk. R-Time 8 is fully supported.
o Carina II BBS -- v2.7 (1995), David Hunt/Shadow Software
Carina II was originally developed by Jerry Horanoff.
Requires an XL or XE computer, at least 500K of storage capacity (including
ramdisk and drives), and SpartaDOS version 2.3 or greater.
Recommended: 192K ramdisk or greater, and an R-Time cartridge.
Fully supported: An MIO interface and a hard drive.
More Carina II information and links:
http://jybolac.virtualave.net/carina/
Pete Davis writes (15 Aug 2002):
Carina was a pretty powerful BBS system. Though it was written in BASIC (with
a number of machine language routines), it was expandable and had was able to
load new BASIC programs with the BBS running. In fact, it was quite modular
and would load different sections of the BBS at runtime. I actually used it
when I ran a BBS some time back.
o Carnival BBS -- essentially AMIS with an overlay to allow for private
messages and passwords.
o FoReM BBS -- Friends of Rickey Moose BBS. By Matt Singer.
At the time, there were a lot of BBSs around called things such as "FORUM-80"
and "BULLET-80", ergo the name. FoReM BBS was the first truly RBBS-like BBS
for the ATARI 8-bit. It was programmed in BASIC and was somewhat crashy. I
think that this is the great-grandparent of the FOREM-XE BBSs that survive
today.
Matt Singer writes:
FoReM BBS derived from an early AMIS. When multiple message areas were
added the name was extended to FoReM 26M. Then, When OSS released BASIC
XL the program was rehacked and called FoReM XL... Bill Dorsey wrote most
of the Assembler routines (where is he now?).
o FoReM XL BBS -- by Matt Singer.
FoReM BBS updated to take advantage of BASIC XL from OSS.
o FoReM XE BBS -- by Matt Singer
This version of FOREM BBS requires the commercial BASIC XE cartridge in order
to run. It is in the public domain and can import and export messages from
the Atari PRO! BBS EXPRESS-NET (7-bit text only, control ATASCII graphics are
reserved for message data-structure bytes).
o FoReM XE Professional BBS / FoReM XEP BBS -- by Len Spencer
A re-write of FoReM XE BBS, last version was 5.4, Jan 5 1993.
FXEP requires an XL/XE computer with at least 128k of memory, the BASIC XE
cartridge from OSS/ICD, SpartaDOS 3.2 (this program will NOT work with any
other version), and at least 500K of storage.
FXEP is in the public domain, http://members.aol.com/lenspencer/
o NITE-LITE BBS -- Paul Swanson's BBS with RAM disk.
Paul Swanson was a programmer from the Boston, Massachusetts, USA, area.
"1983: Nite-Lite B.B.S. goes on the air. (Was it running A.M.I.S. ?) It is
called "Nite-Lite" because the computer monitor casts an eerie glow about the
room. 1984: Paul Swanson writes his own BBS hosting software for the ATARI
6502 8-bit computer. He names it "Nite-Lite". The Nite-Lite BBS hosting
software goes on to be the most successful commercial BBS software ever
written for the ATARI 6502 8-bit computer. 1989: Nite-Lite BBS puts in a
second line. (MichTron boards eventually take the place of all of the ATARI
Nite-Lite boards.)" - Winston Smith
This BBS was the first to support a RAMdisk, which Paul Swanson called a "V:"
device for "virtual disk". This BBS was written in Atari BASIC and required a
joystick hardware "dongle" device. This was notable as being one of the first
Atari 8-BIT BBSs that could actually go for a week without having to be
rebooted. Pointers to the message base were kept in an Atari "very long
string" (for which Atari BASIC is famous). The BBS would only have problems
(for the most part) if this string became corrupted.
o OASIS (the commercial version) / OASIS Jr. (the pd version)
Originally by Ralph Walden, then Leo Newman took it over, followed by
Glenda Stocks/Z INNOVATORS, then Alf (Jeff Williams).
All machine language. OASIS is very crash-resistant and comes with a "dial
out" screen so that the Sysop can use the BBS as a terminal program to call
and fetch files without having to bring the BBS down and reload a terminal
program. OASIS supports "Door programs" which it refers to as "OASIS PAL
modules". An excellent message system, and a complex file system. It
consists of "file libraries" with suites of "file types". There is quite a
bit of overhead involved in performing a download (which may be a good thing,
as it discourages file hogs). OASIS IV performs networking.
Glenda Stocks writes at http://world.std.com/~snet/glenda.htm :
I purchased the source code rights to OASIS and began marketing the BBS
software to Atari 8-bit enthusiasts around the world. I felt that I had the
superior BBS software because I had programmed in the ability to run external
programs, including online games and user surveys. I also had added color
prompts for IBM clone users who called Atari boards running my OASIS software.
Sometime in 1991...I sold the rights to OASIS to a man in Canada..
Jeff Williams ("Alf") writes: (12/6/02)
OASIS was around prior to either PRO or BBS Express IIRC. I don't know when
exactly it showed up, version 3.09 was the first one I remember seeing. What
made it nifty was it was very fast, being all assembler, and having some
different features that things like Forem & Carina didn't have. Compared to
something like Forem MPP at the time, it was kind of amazing.
Ralph Walden sold it to Glenda Stocks, who chopped it up into modules and sold
it as ver 4.7. PRO was out by then, and was a much more complete offering
imo. Glenda wrote some modules for 4.7, but it never really went anywhere
because the architecture was so cramped with her changes.
Eventually she gave up and sold me the source. I looked it over and realized
it was a mess and nothing was going to happen with it. I worked on a version 5
for a while, but never made much progress.
o SMART BBS -- by Marco Benton.
This program is written entirely in BASIC. It expects to be running under a
SpartaDOS environment. This BBS program uses a "modem clock string" rather
than an R-Time 8 cartridge in order to retrieve the current time. It also
comes with an Atari BASIC game door called "Sabotage".
------------------------------
Subject: 10.3) How can I read/write 8-bit Atari disks on an MS-DOS PC?
There are several programs that allow an MS-DOS system to work with an
Atari-format 5.25" diskette. Each of these work with the Atari SS/DD 180K
format, so you'll need an Atari DOS and disk drive capable of this format.
#1 Choice:
AtariDsk V1.2 (c) 95-12-09 by HiassofT (Matthias Reichl)
http://www.horus.com/~hias/atari/
#2 Choice:
MyUTIL by Mark K Vallevand. Based on Charles Marslett's UTIL.
http://www.umich.edu/~archive/atari/8bit/Diskutils/Transfer/myutil.zip
Includes SpartaDOS disk utility v0.1e to access 180K SpartaDOS disks
Other similar utilities:
ATARIO by Dave Brandman w/ Kevin White - Reads SS/DD 180K Atari disks.
www.umich.edu/~archive/atari/8bit/Unverified/Diskutils-redist/atario21.arc
SpartaRead by Oscar Fowler - Reads SS/DD 180K SpartaDOS disks.
http://www.umich.edu/~archive/atari/8bit/Diskutils/Transfer/sr.arc
UTIL by Charles Marslett - Reads/Writes SS/DD 180K Atari disks.
http://www.wordmark.org/
Here's some advice on using the above utilities from Hans Breitenlohner:
There are two technical obstacles to interchanging disks between
DD Atari drives and PC drives.
1. The Atari drive spins slightly slower (288 rpm instead of 300 rpm).
If you format a disk on the Atari, then write sectors on the PC, it is
possible that the header of the next physical sector will be overwritten,
making that sector unreadable. (The next physical sector is usually
the current logical sector+2). The solution to this is to format all
disks on the PC.
(Aside: Does anybody know how this problem is handled on the
XF551? Is it also slowed down?)
Konrad Kokoszkiewicz answers:
"The XF551 disk drive is not slowed down - these drives are spinning
300 rotations per minute. To prevent troubles with read/write disks
formatted and written on normal Atari drives (288 rot/min), the main
crystal frequency for the floppy disk controller is 8.333 MHz
(not 8 MHz, as in 1050, for example)."
2. If the PC drive is a 1.2M drive there is the additional problem of the
track width.
The following is generally true in the PC world:
- disks written on 360k drives can be read on either drive
- blank disk formatted and written on 1.2M drives can be read on
either kind
- disks written on a 360k drive, and overwritten on a 1.2M drive,
can be read reliably only on a 1.2M drive.
- disks previously formatted on a 360k drive, or formatted as 1.2MB,
and then reformatted on a 1.2M drive to 360k, can be read reliably
only on a 1.2M drive.
(all this assumes you are using DD media, not HD).
Solution: Use a 360k drive if you can. If not, format disks on the
Atari for Atari to PC transfers, format truly blank disks on the PC
for PC to Atari transfers.
Jon D. Melbo sums it up this way:
So a basic rule of thumb when sharing 360KB floppies among 360KB &
1.2MB drives is: Never do any writes with a 1.2MB drive to a disk that
has been previously written to in a 360KB drive....UNLESS... you only
plan on ever using that disk in the 1.2Mb drive from then on out. Of
course a disk can be reformated in a particular drive any time for use
in that drive. As long as you follow that rule, you can utilize the
backwards compatible 360KB modes that most 1.2MB drives offer.
While the above mentioned utilities work with SS/DD 180K Atari-format disks or
SS/DD 180K SpartaDOS disks, the following combination of utilities has been
used successfully to read SS/SD 90K Atari-format disks. So if you only have
standard Atari 810 and/or Atari 1050 drives, you could look into:
AnaDisk -- now a product of New Technoligies Inc. (NTI)
See: http://www.forensics-intl.com/anadisk.html
The current version is "not made available to the general public" (!)
Previously a product of Chuck Guzis @ Sydex, http://www.sydex.com/
Older versions available: http://ch.twi.tudelft.nl/~sidney/atari/
- Reads/Writes "any" 5.25" diskette
DeAna by Nate Monson
Available: http://ch.twi.tudelft.nl/~sidney/atari/
- converts AnaDisk dump files from Atari format
See http://ch.twi.tudelft.nl/~sidney/atari/ for tips on using this
combination of utilities.
Preston Crow writes:
"As best as I can figure it out, if your PC drive happens to read
FM disks (I'm not sure what the criteria for that is), then you
can read single density disks on your PC by dumping the contents
to a file with AnaDisk, and then using Deana.com to convert the
dump file into a usable format.
For enhanced density disks, Anadisk generally only reads the first
portion of each sector, but it demonstrates that it is possible for
a PC drive to read enhanced density disks."
------------------------------
Subject: 10.4) How can I read/write MS-DOS PC disks on my Atari?
Several 3rd-party hardware upgrades add the capability of working with
MS-DOS diskettes to your Atari system:
Happy 1050 upgrade for the Atari 1050
-- read/write 180K 5.25" MS-DOS floppies
CSS XF Single Drive Upgrade for the Atari XF551
-- replace the 5.25" mechanism with a 3.5" mech.
-- read 720K 3.5" MS-DOS disks
see http://www.nleaudio.com/css/products/XFsingdrup.htm
CSS XF Dual Drive Upgrade for the Atari XF551
-- add 3.5" drive without losing the 5.25" drive
-- read 720K 3.5" MS-DOS disks
see http://www.nleaudio.com/css/products/XFdualdrup.htm
CSS Floppy Board, for the CSS Black Box
-- adds support for PC 720K and 1.44MB 3.5" drives to your Atari system
-- adds support for PC 1.2MB and 360K 5.25" drives to your Atari system
-- read/write 5.25" and 3.5" MS-DOS disks in your PC drives with your Atari
see: http://www.nleaudio.com/css/products/floppy.htm
------------------------------
Subject: 10.5) How do I transfer files using a null modem cable?
This section by Russ Gilbert.
Q: How do I connect two computers using a null modem cable?
A: You need a term program and RS 232 ports on both
computers. The RS 232 ports need to be connected
together using a 'null modem cable'.
For up to 4800 baud, no flow control lines need be
connected. Just cross the transmit and receive lines
and join the grounds together. Transmit is pin #2,
receive is pin #3 and ground is pin #7 on the 25 pin
port. 25 pin #2 goes to Atari #4 (XMT to RCV), 25 pin
#3 goes to #3 on Atari (RCV to XMT) and #5 of 850 goes
to #7 of 25 pin (GND to GND).
The right hand pin on the 'long' side of a female 'D'
connector is #1. There are 13 holes on this 'long'
side, 12 holes on the 'short' side. The numbers go
to the left 1 to 13 then #14 is under #1 and left again
so that #25 is under #13.
Most term programs allow a null connection, without a
carrier detect. Notably, '850 Express!' does not. I have
only used 'Procomm 2.4.3' (the last shareware version of
Procomm) on the PC and BobTerm on the Atari, but other
term programs may work.
To check your null modem connection, start both PC and
Atari term programs, set baud to 2400 or 4800 on both
computers. No parity, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit on the PC.
Be sure to use the correct COM port on the PC. Go to
'terminal' mode and you should now be able to type on
either computer and see it on the other screen. To
accomplish a file transfer, use Y-modem probably from
BobTerm, rather than X-modem. X-modem will often append
bytes to a file transfer, an undesirable event. There is
also a very nice Z-modem recieve program for the Atari,
called ATAR-Z-MODEM by Larry Black for the Atari.
A convenient way to make a null modem cable, up to about
30 feet long, is to use two female DB25 connectors
(Radio Shack) some three or more conductor cable. Using
the two DB25 female connectors allows unplugging your
modems and plugging in the null modem cable into the two
modem cables. This also avoids the confusion of
variations in the computer ports. Most computers connect
into the modem end via a standard RS232 DB25 connection.
With this both ends 25 pin cable, you would cross pins 2
and 3 and connect the #7s together to make a null modem
cable.
The SIO port on the Atari cannot be used directly. An
850, P:R: Connection, MIO, Black Box or similar device
that provides an RS232 port must be used.
Following are pin assignments for a DB25 pin RS 232 C
port.
1. Protective Ground 12. Select Alternate Rate
2. Transmit Data 15. Transmit Clock (sync)
3. Receive Data 17. Receive clock (sync)
4. RTS (Request to Send) 20. Data Terminal Ready
5. CTS (Clear to Send) 22. Ring indicator
6. Data Set Ready 23. Select Alternate Rate
7. Signal Ground 24. Transmit Clock
8. Carrier Detect
For higher speed connections, above 4800 or 9600, you
need the flow control lines and Atari term software that
has flow control built in. You also need an MIO or Black
Box, which uses the PBI (parallel bus). A high speed
cable would need not only XMT, RCV, and GND, but also
flow control lines. I suggest a commercial null modem
from computer store to ensure correct lines. A null
modem is a small adapter with the correct lines already
crossed. I don't know how to correctly connect the CTS,
RTS, DTR, DSR, CRX lines for a high speed null modem.
With a null modem, you just plug it into the 25 pin
connectors of the two modem cables you might already
have connected to your Atari and PC or Mac. You may need
a straight thru 25 pin gender changer also.
Following is in this FAQ elsewhere, but I summarize here:
(Figure out or look for pin numbers on the ports.) Note
that these are pin assignments, and NOT null modem
connections with the XMT, RCV crossed and GND straight
thru.
Atari 8-bit PC AT 25 PC AT 9 pin
-------------------------------------
1. DTR 20 4*
2. CRX 8 1*
3. XMT 2 3
4. RCV 3 2*
5. GND 7 5
6. DSR 6 6
7. RTS 4 7
8. CTS 5 8
9. No connect? shield RI
22 RI
Note: * above indicates the difference between an AT 9 pin
and a Atari 8-bit 9 pin cable connector. eg. If you check
continuity from pin 3 of 25 pin end and it goes to pin
4 of nine pin end, you have an Atari serial cable. If pin
3 of 25 pin goes to pin 2 of 9 pin end, you have a PC
serial cable.
(updated 3/1/99)
(DTE = Data Terminal Equipment ie. your computer.
DCE = Data Communications Equipment ie. your modem.)
------------------------------
Subject: 10.6) How can my Atari use my PC's HD using SIO2PC or Atari810?
SIO2PC
======
From the SIO2PC home page, written by Nick Kennedy:
SIO2PC is a hardware & software package interfacing the 8-bit Atari to PC
compatible computers.
The original idea was to have the PC emulate Atari disk drives so Atari
programs could be stored on the PC's hard (or floppy) drives. It turned out to
be quite successful. About 95% of my work was in the software, but a hardware
device to convert logic levels was also necessary. This device is now commonly
referred to as an SIO2PC cable.
Features:
- Emulates 1 to 4 Atari disk drives
- Store your Atari files on PC hard or floppy drives
- Boot from the PC, real drive not needed to start-up
- No software or drivers required for the Atari;
no conflicts: use your favorite DOS
- Twice as fast as an Atari 810 drive and more reliable
- Co-exists with real drives in the Atari daisy chain
- Compatible down to the hardware level: use sector copiers, etc.
- Print-Thru captures Atari print-out and routes to PC's printer
- Convert Atari files to PC files and vice versa
- 1050-2-PC version connects PC directly to Atari disk drive
Nick Kennedy
http://www.cswnet.com/~nkennedy/
Another source for building SIO2PC cables is Clarence Dyson's page at
http://www.wolfpup.net/atari/atari.html
Atari810
========
Atari810 1.4d, by Dan Vernon, is a disk drive emulator in the tradition of
SIO2PC, for the Windows NT/2000/XP platform
http://retrobits.net/
------------------------------
Subject: 10.7) How can my Atari use my PC's HD, printer and modem using APE?
David A. Paterson writes:
"Steven J. Tucker took SIO2PC one better and wrote new software.
The Atari Peripheral Emulator (APE for short):
- lets your PC act as high-speed drives.
- It lets you print to your PC printer.
- And it lets you use your PC modem on the 8-bit."
http://www.atarimax.com/
------------------------------
Subject: 10.8) How can I connect my 1050 to my PC with the APE ProSystem?
The APE ProSystem goes beyond APE. The ProSystem has two components:
- The program PROSYS.EXE is used to create the protected and unprotected
disk images which are then used by APE.
- The ProSystem hardware is a cable designed to allow direct connection
of a stock 1050 disk drive directly to a PC's serial port for use by the
PROSYS.EXE software.
http://www.atarimax.com/
------------------------------
Subject: 10.9) What about interoperating with the Apple Macintosh?
Mark L. Simonson keeps a nice set of web pages which he calls "Mac/Atari
Fusion: Atari 8-bit Resources for Mac Users." Please visit:
http://www2.bitstream.net/~marksim/atarimac/
------------------------------
Subject: 10.10) Are there 8-bit Atari tools for the Commodore Amiga?
'551conv', freeware by Achim Hartel:
Converts a real Atari-800-disk, .xfd-image or .atr-image into a real
Atari-800-disk, .xfd-image, .atr-image or extracts the files of the
disk (-image). All 4 formats of the XF551-station supported: Single,
Medium, Double, Quad. Version 1.03.
------------------------------
Subject: 11.1) How did Atari get its name?
Graham Thornton types:
This article was published in "I/O - The Magazine of the Atari Home
Computer Club" in issue 3 - Summer 1983. The magazine was the official
mouthpiece of Atari UK. The article was not attributed to any one person.
The words are theirs, not mine.
How Atari Got It's Name
-----------------------
The name Atari actually comes from Japan. And yet the company is most
definitely American. Every wondered why? It's an interesting story and
one well worth telling.
In 1972 three friends decided to invent and market the first commercially
feasible video game. They were Nolan Bushnell, Ted Dabney and Larry Bryan.
To become a partner each man had to submit $100 to the project - a
remarkably small sum when you consider the company's success! The next
step was to find a name.
Drinking beer and thumbing through the dictionary one day, the three
friends came across an interesting entry under "S". The word was Syzygy,
or "the straight-line configuration between three celestial bodies". What
a perfect name they thought, for three such astronomically talented people!
Now they could get on with the business of inventing games. Their first,
Computer Space, was produced and all seemed to be going well.
But then things started to get a little shaky. Larry Bryan decided not to
ante up his $100 and pulled out, leaving Bushnell and Dabney to go it
alone.
The set up a shop in Santa Clara, California, and incorporated the
business. A little later they invented Pong.
Busnell and Dabney applied for the name Syzygy to the Office of the
California Secretary of State, which regulates Californian corporations,
but were told that they were too late. The name was already taken.
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