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Atari 8-Bit Computers: Frequently Asked Questions |
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Maze Epyx
Micro Illustrator Chalkboard
MicroMaestro Chalkboard
Monkey Wrench Eastern House
Monster Maze Epyx
Ms. Pac-Man Atari
(has problems with newer XE/XEGS computers!)
M.U.L.E.(early release only) Electronic Arts
Nautilus Synapse
Pac-Man Jr. Atari prototype
Picnic Paranoia Synapse
Pool 1.5 IDSI
Pool 400 IDSI
Protector II Synapse
QS Forth James Abanese / [QS] Quality Software
Rack 'Em Up Rocklan
Shamus Synapse
Slime Synapse
Snapper Silicon Valley Systems
Space Dungeon Atari
Squish 'Em Sirius
Super Pac-Man Atari prototype
Synassembler Synapse
Text Wizard Datasoft
Zaxxon (early release only!) Datasoft
Konrad M.Kokoszkiewicz writes:
XL/XE software won't work on 400/800 if:
1) it uses shadow RAM at $C000-$CFFF and $D800-$FFFF
2) it uses RAM expansions at $4000-$7FFF controlled by PORTB $D301
3) it uses specific XL OS functions (like JNEWDEVC)
4) it uses illegal XL OS addresses.
5) it uses European Charset :)
Andreas Magenheimer adds:
To get an overview or see a chart of OS changes from the 800 to the XL
line, refer to Antic magazine Volume 3, Number 2 (June 1984), pages 10-14;
(online: http://www.atarimagazines.com/v3n2/insideatari.html )
Also note, that some software will not work correct (or not at all) on
newer XE/XEGS versions (which have a new OS with a new version number,
a new selftest/memory-test/keyboard-test, larger RAM chips, etc. etc.);
Thomas Richter contributes further details (16 Jan 2004):
There are a couple of reasons why some games don't run on the XL/XE
models. I try to order them by "likeliness", of course biased by my
personal observations:
i) The printer buffer of the XL Operating System in page 3 is a couple
of bytes shorter. The additional bytes are used for extended OS
variables not available in the 800 series. Most prominent is the $3fa
location, holding a shadow register of GTIA's TRIG3 signal. While a
true joystick trigger line in the 400/800 series, this signal is used
as "cart inserted" signal for XL/XE models. Unfortunately, the OS
compares GTIA trig3 with the shadow register at $3fa in each vertical
blank, running into an endless loop if the register contents don't
match. This causes hangs for games using page 3 either as copy-buffer
or for player-missile graphics. (Hangs by Ms. Pac-Man and
Bacterion! are caused by this, and many others...) This is "fixable"
either by the translator disk, or by a quick hack into the game,
replacing the OS vertical blank or poking TRIG3 frequently into its
shadow. The reason for the OS behaviour might be that Atari wanted to
prevent crashes if the cartridge is inserted or removed while the
machine is running. The 400/800 is powered down when a cart is
inserted, the XL/XE lacks the cover of the older models that triggered
a little switch to interrupt the power line.
ii) Similar to the above, writes to $3f8. This OS equate defines
whether on a warm start, the BASIC ROM shall be mapped back in. If
its contents are altered, a program triggering a reset as part of its
initialization will find itself then with 8K less RAM occupied by
a BASIC ROM, making it crash. Similarly, writes to the cartridge checksum
$3eb could cause a cold-start on a "reset initialization". This is
fixable by the translator disk.
iii) Some games use a four-joystick setup, or at least initialize
PIA itself. If this happens inadequately, PIA Port B, bit 0 gets changed,
disabling the ROM, and thus crashing the machine. This is not fixable
by the translator since it is a hardware issue.
iv) Direct jumps into the OS ROM, not using the documented vectors in
the $e450 area. Interestingly, this fault is not as common as it may
sound since games hardly ever use the OS. It causes failures of
some "serious applications", most notably "QS Forth" and applications
compiled by it. This is fixable by the translator disk.
As a side remark, it is interesting to note that no such documented
jump-ins exist for the math-pack ($d800 to $dfff). It is not really
part of the OS, but looks more like a part of the BASIC interpreter
that didn't make it into the OS because there was no room left. Thus,
direct jump-ins have to be used here that are documented in the De Re
Atari (for example). Atari never changed them, but it seems likely
that this documentation happened more or less as an accident since the
same source also lists some mathematics-related jump-ins into the
Basic (namely, to compute SIN and COS and related) that are only valid
for the Rev. A BASIC. Thus, the math pack might be a couple of
routines that have been originally intended for "private use" of the
BASIC ROM, but then have been found "too useful" by many others to
remain "closed". Otherwise, it is hard to explain why the otherwise
pretty cleaned-up OS comes with a construction like this.
------------------------------
Subject: 8.5) What programs make use of the Light Gun or a light pen?
Bertrand M. (LEXX) writes:
- Bug Hunt cart. by Atari;
- Barnyard Blaster cart. by Atari;
- Crossbow cart. by Atari;
- Crimebuster cart. by Atari;
- Operation Blood disk by ANG/Mirage;
- Operation Blood II - Special Forces disk by ANG/Mirage;
- Light Gun Blaster (PD from Page 6);
- enhanced Lightgun Blaster (PD from Pedrokko);
- Gangsterville disk by Linda Soft
(an italian game written in BASIC);
- maybe a couple more...
James Bradford mentions:
"On the 400, the light gun /pen will only work in joystick port 4."
This renders much light gun and light pen software unusable on the 400.
Andreas Magenheimer adds:
All Lightgun games can be used with a lightpen (which is not as accurate
as a Lightgun however). And all lightpen programs can be used with a
lightgun. thus add:
- Atari Graphics cart. by Atari
(a painting/drawing program);
- Matrix a PD game by Dave Oblad
(a 4-wins or 5-wins clone!)
- Alien Invaders disk by R.Gore (available from DGS);
- Bembelwo a PD game by Thorsten Butschke
(a sort of golf/minesweeper game, written in Quick);
- Sharp Shooter by Mat*Rat a PD game from Analog,
(also available on cart from Video 61/Lance Ringquist);
- Lightgun Shooter by ??? from ABBUC mag.
(a simple shooter game, at least PD!)
- Flyshot or Flyshoot a PD game by Kemal Ezcan
(a Turbo BASIC game from ZONG, the KE Soft magazine);
- Geisterschloss game+editor disk by KE Soft;
- Lightpen Doodle by ??? from Antic magazine;
- some more PD programs and utilities for Lightpen or Lightgun;
------------------------------
Subject: 8.6) What programs have a track ball mode or support a mouse?
Contributors: Andreas Magenheimer, Mirko Sobe
Title Keystroke Required
-------------- ---------------------
- Missile Command by Atari CTRL-T
- Slime by Synapse [T]
- Shanghai by Activision choose controller type: ST mouse !
(plug it into port 2; if you do not
have one, you have to reboot!!)
- Bombdown by Roemer of Uno choose between Joystick, Amiga
mouse, ST mouse or CX85 numeric
keypad (use port 2 for any mice)
- Minesweeper by Raindorf-Soft use an ST mouse in port 2
- The Brundles by KE-Soft use an ST mouse in port 2
- The Brundles Editor by KE-Soft, PD use an ST mouse in port 2
- Geisterschloss by KE-Soft, PD choose Lightgun (port 1) or ST
mouse (port 2)
- Vanish (ZONG, Vol. 5+6/1993); use an ST-mouse in port 2
- Hong Kong (ZONG, Vol. 5+6/1993); use an ST-mouse in port 2
- Maus-DOS (ZONG 5+6/1993); use an ST-mouse in port 2
- Faecher-Patience (ZONG 1/1993); use an ST-mouse in port 2
- Macao (Zong 5+6/1994); use an ST-mouse in port 2
- Multi-Mouse manager (PD) drivers for mice, TB, etc.
- Multiplayer 2.1 by Madteam supports ST + Amiga mouse in port A
- Unriagh I (german PD adventure) has drivers for ST mouse+Joystick
(stick=port 1, mouse=port2)
- Unriagh II (german PD adventure) has drivers for ST mouse+joystick
(stick=port 1, mouse=port 2)
- little Calculator (AMC-Verlag, PD) uses ST-mouse only (port 2)
- big UPN calculator (PD) uses ST mouse, TB, Touch tab. and
joystick; (there are different COM
files, rename the one you wish to
use to *.EXE; all drivers use port
1 - if I remember correctly)
- Operation Blood (ANG/Mirage) press mouse fire or Select to start
in ST mouse mode (port 2)
- Operation Blood 2 / Special Forces press mouse fire or Select to start
(ANG/Mirage) in ST mouse mode
- Sprint XL (ABBUC Jahresgabe 1992) uses an ST mouse in port 2
- M.O.S. (ABBUC magazine) uses an ST mouse in port 2
- Diamond GOS (Reeve software) all three versions support an ST
mouse in port 2
- S.A.M. (Power per Post) german GUI, supports an ST mouse in
port 2
- G.O.E. (TCS) supports an ST mouse in port 1
- BOSS-X (MS-Software, Mirko Sobe) supports ST-Mouse in Port 2
RE: Missile Command, Andreas writes:
there are many different versions available... I know the old Atari 800
cart version, which works correct with Joystick and Trakball, but not at
all with a mouse. The newer XL version works with Mouse, trackball and
Joystick, also the newest (built-in) XEGS version of MC. But, there is
also a tape version (and maybe a disk version) of MC available. I am not
sure if this tape version behaves like the old 800 version or like the
newer XL and XE/XEGS versions...
And about mice, Andreas adds:
Maybe you did not know, there is a little difference between Trackball
and ST-mouse. Although MC works with both input devices does not mean,
they are the same. they are not !! Connect the TB to an ST computer and
you see: it does not work at all !! You have to do a small conversion to
convert the TB to an ST mouse. (Plans are avaiable from ABBUC, Germany).
------------------------------
Subject: 8.7) What programs have a paddle(s) or Koala Pad mode?
Andreas Magenheimer contributes:
- Super Breakout (Atari) breakout clone
- Live Wire (Analog) tempest clone
- Live wire 2 (Analog) tempest clone
- Planetary Defense (Analog)
- Pong (Antic) Pong clone
- Pong (Analog) Pong clone
- Super Ball (Compy Shop Magazin) Breakout clone
- Arkanoid (Taito/Imagic) Breakout clone
- Koala/Micro-Illustrator (Island graphics/Koala Ware) graphics program
- Chiseler (Antic or Analog) a breakout clone
- Slime (Synapse) a slimy shooter...
- Chicken (Synapse) catch the chicken eggs...
- One on One (Compute!) a breakout/warlords clone
- Paratroop Attack by David Plotkin
- all Pinballs created with the P.C.S.
(use left paddle trigger for left flipper and right paddle trigger for
right flipper; or simply use a joystick and left/right/fire button);
- many more Pong and Breakout clones
(forgot their names, maybe someone can help here!)
- many more programs (which I do not remember right now!)
for Koala Pad only: - Micro-Illustrator / Koala Painter
- other Koala Pad painters or programs
------------------------------
Subject: 8.8) What programs have a CX85 Numerical Keypad mode?
Andreas Magenheimer contributes:
- Bombdown (Roemer of Uno);
- The Bookkeeper (Atari);
- Multi mouse Management (PD);
- UPN calculator (PD);
- Ball Harbour (Zong 8/1992);
- The Big Quest (Zong 7/1992);
- Blob (Zong 2/1992);
- Bomber Jack (KE-Soft);
- Catch (Zong 6/1992);
- Code table (Zong 11+12/1993);
- CX-85-Driver (Zong 7+8/1994);
- CX-85-Keycode-driver (Zong 7+8/1995);
- Donald (by KE-Soft);
- Drag (by KE-Soft);
- Dragon Fire (Zong 1/1993);
- Gravitar (Zong 4/1992);
- Hungry Goblin (Zong 5/1992);
- Invaders (Zong 5+6/1993);
- Joshi (Zong 3+4/1993);
- Lasermaze (by KE-Soft);
- Lost in the Antarctic (Zong 2/1992);
- Mampfman (Zong 8/1992);
- Minipac (Zong 3/1992);
- Minipac 2 (Zong 6/1992);
- Money Raider (Zong 2/1992);
- Monster Tracking (Zong 9/1992);
- Oblitroid (by KE-Soft)
- Pac-Man (Zong 11/1992);
- Schlumpf/Smurf (Zong 5/1992);
- Slurp (Zong 3/1992);
- Techno Ninja (by KE-Soft)
- Transsylvania (Zong 3+4/1993);
- Viro-Mania (Zong 2/1993);
- Zador XL (by KE-Soft)
- Zador II (by KE-Soft)
- many more games from KE-Soft and Powersoft;
(forgot their names, help needed!)
------------------------------
Subject 8.9) What programs have a Touch tablet mode?
Andreas Magenheimer writes:
- Atari Artist (Atari) graphics program
- Pixel Artist Deluxe 1.3 (PD) graphics program
- The Brundles (KE-Soft) Lemmings clone
- Musorqua (Analog computing) educational program
- many more (which I do not remember right now!)
------------------------------
Subject: 8.10) What kinds of RAMdisks can be set up on the Atari?
This section by Andreas Magenheimer.
8.10 Atari Ramdisks - An (incomplete) Overview:
[This is version 2.10 from October 2003]
Right from the start of the Atari 8-bit computer era in the late 70`s,
Atari users wanted to have as much RAM as possible (or as their purse
could afford). Having a 16k machine with a tape device was nice and
cheap, but having full 48k or 64k and a floppy drive was much nicer
(and very expensive). Thus many Atari users began to create selfmade
RAM extensions and enhancements, just to save some money. Also a lot of
firms provided extra RAM, RAM enhancements, RAM extensions and Ramdisks.
Besides Atari there were (and still are) quite a lot of producers,
manufacturers, distributors and authors of such RAM enhancements...
This "short" and incomplete overview does not provide any docs or manuals,
but gives some info about the various Ramdisks on the market. Since these
notes are written by me, they will merely contain the information I have.
And as you all can see - it is still incomplete. So any help and extra
info, as well as corrections, are very welcome. It would be nice to see
this text & info growing. For now let us start here, the info-section is
divided into 8 groups:
1) Name (Name of the RD, e.g. Megaram 2 or Rambo XL or MIO, etc.);
2) Vendor/Author (or distributor, manufacturer, producer, etc.);
3) Size (size of the Ramdisk only; NOT the full computer memory);
4) [Bankswitching] Area (for XL/XE computers usually 4000-7FFF);
5) Banks (hexadecimal input count, as in MyDOS or RAMDTEST.BIN);
6) Control Bits (which bits are used to control the Rambanks);
7) Port (control Port - usually Port B for XL/XE machines);
8) Notes (any extra info, comments, miscelleanous things, etc.);
If you wish to add any other type of info, let me know. The above
information should be enough for most programmers to support a RD in
their programs (especially to support more than just one type of RD).
Hopefully future programs will take care about this info or just use
a small setup program to setup any kind of RD. Now let me begin:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A) Atari 400/800 Ramdisks:
Name Vendor Size Area
Banks Bits Port Notes
- Axlon Axlon/Atari 64k 4000-7FFF
0 thru 3 0,1 (CFFF) plug-in-board
Note: total memory = 96kbytes (32k RAM + 64k RD);
- Axlon Axlon/Atari 128k 4000-7FFF
0 thru 7 0,1,2 (CFFF) plug-in-board
Note: total memory = 160kbytes (32k RAM + 128k RD);
- 288k800 D.Byrd and others 256k 4000-7FFF
0 thru 15 0,1,2,3 (CFFF) selfmade-board
Note: total memory = 288kbytes, Axlon compatible;
- 544k800 various authors 512k 4000-7FFF
0 thru 31 0,1,2,3,4 (CFFF) selfmade-board
Note: total memory = 544kbytes, Axlon compatible;
- 1056k800 various authors 1024k 4000-7FFF
0 thru 63 0,1,2,3,4,5 (CFFF) selfmade-board
Note: total memory = 1056kbytes, Axlon compatible;
- 2080k800 various authors 2048k 4000-7FFF
0 thru 127 0,1,2,3,4,5,6 (CFFF) selfmade-board
Note: total memory = 2080kbytes, Axlon compatible;
- 4128k800 various authors 4096k 4000-7FFF
0 thru 255 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7 (CFFF) selfmade-board
Note: total memory = 4128kbytes, Axlon compatible;
=> Note that all so-called Axlon "compatible" (256k-4096k) Ramdisks
normally do not homebank when RESET is pressed (a fix should be
available somewhere), whereas original Axlon Ramdisks do homebank
properly !! (Special thanks to Lee Barnes for this note !!)
- Mosaic RAMpower by Mosaic Electronics is actually a Ramboard, that
enhances the memory of your Atari 800; avaiable in 3 sizes: 16k,
32k and 64k (where max. 52k can be utilized from 64k). Looks like
these are no Ramdisks, just (normal/main) RAM enhancements. But maybe
the 64k Ramboard can be patched in some way to gain a small 16k or
32k Ramdisk (48k RAM + 16k RD or 32k RAM + 32k RD) ?!?
- ...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B) Atari XL/XE Ramdisks:
Name Vendor Size
Area Bits Port
Banks
Notes
=> Note that bit 4 is always used in all Port B type memory upgrades to
turn on the CPU's access to the extended memory. Thus, it is not reported
in bit use tables as a used bit as it does not control which bank gets
switched into the 4000-7FFF region. This seems to be a standard convention
as the majority of ramdisk users don't want bit 4 counted as a control bit.
And it's not a control bit - its the 'on' bit. Likewise, bit 5 is the 'on'
bit for ANTIC's access to the extended memory for 'compatible' (to 130XE)
machines as well. If bit 5 does show up in a bit use table, one can only
assume that this is an incompatible machine which doesn't have or use ANTIC
access at all. In that special case, bit 5 is then available for use in
switching in the various banks and thus gets counted as a control bit in
bit use tables. (Special thanks to Lee Barnes for this note !!)
- 130XE-Ramdisk Atari 64k
4000-7FFF 2,3 B ($D301)
Banks: E3,E7,EB,EF;
Notes: old=8kbyte chips (west), new=32kbyte chips (east);
XE`s made in China have faulty GTIAs => replace them!;
XE`s and XEGS made in China also have a new OS which causes
some incompatibility problems (try: Encounter / disk version
by Novagen or try: Muad`Dib-Demo by Hurek, etc.); just replace
the new OS with an older XL/XE one if you want less trouble!;
standard Atari RD - available with all XE-compatible ramdisks;
Antic access: YES! Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES!;
- 192k-600XL Compyshop 128k
4000-7FFF 2,3,? B ($D301)
Banks: e3,e7,eb,ef,a3,a7,ab,af;
Notes: early CS upgrade version for 600XL only!;
afaik this was a piggy-back version...;
Antic access: no! Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES!;
- 320k-800XL Compyshop 256k
4000-7FFF 2,3,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: 23,27,2b,2f,63,67,6b,6f,a3,a7,ab,af,e3,e7,eb,ef;
Notes: afaik this was a piggy-back version...;
Antic access: no! Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES!;
- 320k-130XE Compyshop 256k
4000-7FFF 2,3,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: 23,27,2b,2f,63,67,6b,6f,a3,a7,ab,af,e3,e7,eb,ef;
Notes: afaik this was a piggy-back version with sep. Antic!;
(XE meant 130XE only! this excluded 65XE and 800XE!);
Antic access: YES! Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES!;
- 512k XL various authors 448k
4000-7FFF 2,3,4,5,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: ef,eb,e7,e3,cf,cb,c7,c3,af,ab,a7,a3,8f,8b,87,83
6f,6b,67,63,4f,4b,47,43,2f,2b,27,23;
Notes: This 512k upgrade is not the same as the one thats on the
British Underground. That one dont work, I had to fix it years ago.
The new version will replace the 64k main RAM with 512k RAM, thus
you gain 64k RAM and 448k Ramdisk. (A.M.: Afaik, it has the same
problems as the 256k RAM enhancements [with 64k RAM and 192k Ramdisk],
meaning *some* programs will try to use the main RAM as rambanks...)
Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!;
- A.M. Ramdisk Atari Magazin 256k
4000-7FFF 2,3,5,6 B ($D301)
Banks: 83,87,8B,8F,A3,A7,AB,AF,C3,C7,CB,CF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
Notes: manual and schematics, as well as a parts list can be found
in german Atari Magazin 2/1987 (includes a Basic test program!);
bugfixes and updates in Atari Magazin 3/1987, 4/1988 and 5/1988;
Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!;
- Bob Woolley`s Atari 1200XL 1MB upgrade 960k
4000-7FFF 1,2,3,5,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: EF, ED, EB, E9, E7, E5, E3, E1
CF, CD, CB, C9, C7, C5, C3, C1
AF, AD, AB, A9, A7, A5, A3, A1
8F, 8D, 8B, 89, 87, 85, 83, 81
4F, 4D, 4B, 49, 47, 45, 43, 41
2F, 2D, 2B, 29, 27, 25, 23, 21
0F, 0D, 0B, 09, 07, 05, 03, 01
Notes: this upgrade uses 64k as main RAM and 960k as Ramdisk;
Selftest: Yes!, Basic: "no" (not built-in), Antic access: no! ;
- Mathy`s RD M.v.Nisselroy 1024k
4000-7FFF 0,1,2,3,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: EF EE ED EC EB EA E9 E8 E7 E6 E5 E4 E3 E2 E1 E0
AF AE AD AC AB AA A9 A8 A7 A6 A5 A4 A3 A2 A1 A0
6F 6E 6D 6C 6B 6A 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60
2F 2E 2D 2C 2B 2A 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20
Notes: uses a PC-SIMM (30-Pin-SIMM), pin-switching in RD: 4,5;
XL/XE/XEGS: Selftest+Basic=YES, XEGS: Missile Command=YES!;
no use of any switches!; Antic access: YES!; (CS-compatible!);
- Megaram 1 Klaus Peters 256k
4000-7FFF 2,3,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: 23,27,2B,2F,63,67,6B,6F,A3,A7,AB,AF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
Notes: used 16kbyte Chips x16 (very big/huge pcb);
originally designed (and maybe produced?) by Ralf David;
Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!
- Megaram 2 Klaus Peters 256k
4000-7FFF 2,3,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: 23,27,2B,2F,63,67,6B,6F,A3,A7,AB,AF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
Notes: uses 128kbyte Chips x2 (much smaller pcb);
originally designed (and maybe produced?) by Ralf David;
newer MegaRAM version; fully compatible to Megaram 1;
Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!
- Megaram 1,2 => 512k B.Pahl 512k
4000-7FFF 2,3,5,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: 03,07,0B,0F,23,27,2B,2F,43,47,4B,4F,63,67,6B,6F,
83,87,8B,8F,A3,A7,AB,AF,C3,C7,CB,CF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
Notes: upgrade for Megaram 1 or 2 to 512kbytes (which means
a total of 576kbytes memory); requires a small pcb (in
connection with the existing Megaram 1 or 2 pcb) and the
following chips: 2x 414256 (RAM), 1x 74LS138 plus some more
wires inside the computer; additionally one may install a
switch to switch down to 320k or even 64k (no RD!) if needed;
advantage: more RAM, Basic still there, 26AE & 8ACE banks...;
Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!
- Megaram 3 Klaus Peters 256k
4000-7FFF 2,3,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: 23,27,2B,2F,63,67,6B,6F,A3,A7,AB,AF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
Notes: uses 256kx4 Chips (514256-70); fully compatible to
K.P./R.D. Megaram 1+2; originally designed by Ralf David;
Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!
- Megaram 3 Klaus Peters 1024k
4000-7FFF 2,3,6,7 B ($D301)
0,1 (or switches) B ($D600)
Banks: 23,27,2B,2F,63,67,6B,6F,A3,A7,AB,AF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
$D600: F3,F7,FB,FF...
Notes: uses 1Mx4 Chips (514400-70); can be a) 1 Ramdisk of 1 Mb
or b) 2 Ramdisks of 512kb each or c) 4 Ramdisks of 256kb each;
uses four switches; the 1MB mode seems to be very incompatible!!;
Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!
=> Note that all XL-type Megaram-Ramdisks (Megaram 1, 2, 3)
have Refresh bugs/problems which can be solved quite easily
with one 74LS08 chip (see ABBUC magazine 63, pages 19+20);
None of the Megaram Ramdisks do have the separate Antic access
built-in, but XE-types can be upgraded easily for this mode!!;
- Newell Newell Ind. 192k
4000-7FFF 2,3,5,6 B ($D301)
Banks: a) older version: 83,87,8B,8F,C3,C7,CB,CF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
b) newer version: A3,A7,AB,AF,C3,C7,CB,CF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
Notes: replaces the 8 RAM 4164 with 8 RAM 41256 and thus uses
64k as main RAM and 192k as Ramdisk/extra RAM (therefore some
RD-testers will see 240k memory or 15 RD-banks which is untrue!);
the older 256k Newell version was not compatible to Rambo XL,
Buchholz and Peterson, since these were not available then;
Newell was earlier on the market than Rambo and Peterson,
while early Buchholz Ramdisks used 32k banks instead of 16k
banks; all this changed with the appearance of the 130XE
and thus Buchholz designed 16k Rambanks and finally Newell
256k Ramdisks became Buchholz/RamboXL/Peterson compatible !!
Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: YES!
- Newell Newell Ind. 1024k
4000-7FFF 1,2,3,5,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: 01,03,05,07,09,0B,0D,0F,21,23,25,27,29,2B,2D,2F
41,43,45,47,49,4B,4D,4F,61,63,65,67,69,6B,6D,6F
81,83,85,87,89,8B,8D,8F,A1,A3,A5,A7,A9,AB,AD,AF
C1,C3,C5,C7,C9,CB,CD,CF,E1,E3,E5,E7,E9,EB,ED,EF
Notes: uses 8 pc. 1Mx1 Chips (511000-80); Basic: To be able to
select the internal Basic, connect a toggle switch between ground
and the motherboard where PB1 was removed (PIA `Hole' 11). The
switch is not much different than the Option Key, and I found it
more versatile. (Wes Newell) => see also ABBUC mag. 29, page 6+7;
Atari Basic: yes/no! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: YES!
=> Note that so-called "Newell-compatible" Ramdisks (clones or
selfmade ones...) most likely do NOT have Antic access, due to
the lazyness of its creators or their intentions of simply not
needing it. However, original Newell Ramdisks created and sold
by Wes Newell do have the separate Antic access !!
- Newell Newell Ind. 4096k
4000-7FFF 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: 00,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09,0A,0B,0C,0D,0E,0F
10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,1A,1B,1C,1D,1E,1F
20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,2A,2B,2C,2D,2E,2F
30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,3A,3B,3C,3D,3E,3F
40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,4A,4B,4C,4D,4E,4F
50,51,52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,5A,5B,5C,5D,5E,5F
60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,6A,6B,6C,6D,6E,6F
70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,7A,7B,7C,7D,7E,7F
80,81,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89,8A,8B,8C,8D,8E,8F
90,91,92,93,94,95,96,97,98,99,9A,9B,9C,9D,9E,9F
A0,A1,A2,A3,A4,A5,A6,A7,A8,A9,AA,AB,AC,AD,AE,AF
B0,B1,B2,B3,B4,B5,B6,B7,B8,B9,BA,BB,BC,BD,BE,BF
C0,C1,C2,C3,C4,C5,C6,C7,C8,C9,CA,CB,CC,CD,CE,CF
D0,D1,D2,D3,D4,D5,D6,D7,D8,D9,DA,DB,DC,DD,DE,DF
E0,E1,E2,E3,E4,E5,E6,E7,E8,E9,EA,EB,EC,ED,EE,EF
F0,F1,F2,F3,F4,F5,F6,F7,F8,F9,FA,FB,FC,FD,FE,FF
Notes: uses 8 pc. 4Mx1 Chips (541000-80); made by Newell, later by
FTE; seems to be very incompatible to existing software and
bankswitching cartridges (OSS, Atari, etc.), because normal RAM at
4000-7FFF is NOT available - only extra Ram/Ramdisk banks. With one
PIA chip there is simply no bit left to switch between main RAM and
extra RAM / Ramdisk. But with the installation of a second PIA chip
one would be able to do so. Furthermore one may use (almost) any
setup or banks he likes then (with a second PIA chip one could
control up to 256 Megabytes of RAM). Basic: To be able to select the
internal Basic, connect a toggle switch between ground and the
motherboard where PB1 was removed (PIA `Hole' 11). The switch is not
much different than the Option Key, and I found it more versatile.
(Wes Newell); OS: It is possible to maintain OS bankink using 4 Megs.
It requires moving the OS into RAM before any banking of that Bit
occurs. Use MOVEOS File on the [Newell-Software-] Disk. (Wes Newell)
Atari Basic: no! XL/XE Selftest: no (?) Antic access: no!
- Peterson 256k S.Peterson 192k
4000-7FFF 2,3,5,6 B ($D301)
Banks: A3,A7,AB,AF,C3,C7,CB,CF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
Notes: compatible to Buchholz, Rambo XL and newer Newell versions;
replaces the 8 RAM 4164 with 8 RAM 41256 and thus uses 64k as main RAM
and 192k as Ramdisk (most RD-testers will therefore see 240k memory);
Antic access: no!, Atari Basic: YES!, XL/XE Selftest: YES!
- Peterson 320k S.Peterson 256k
4000-7FFF 2,3,5,6 B ($D301)
Banks: 83,87,8B,8F,A3,A7,AB,AF,C3,C7,CB,CF,E3,E7,EB,EF;
Notes: compatible to TOMS (?), incompatible to Compyshop!;
there are still the 64k main RAM plus this 256k extra RAM;
Atari Basic: YES! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!
- Peterson 576k S.Peterson 512k
4000-7FFF 1,2,3,5,6 B ($D301)
Banks: 81,83,85,87,89,8B,8D,8F,A1,A3,A5,A7,A9,AB,AD,AF,
C1,C3,C5,C7,C9,CB,CD,CF,E1,E3,E5,E7,E9,EB,ED,EF;
Notes: should be fully compatible to TOMS-Ramdisk (?);
Atari Basic: no! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!
- Peterson 1088k S.Peterson 1024k
4000-7FFF 1,2,3,5,6,7 B ($D301)
Banks: 01,03,05,07,09,0B,0D,0F,21,23,25,27,29,2B,2D,2F
41,43,45,47,49,4B,4D,4F,61,63,65,67,69,6B,6D,6F
81,83,85,87,89,8B,8D,8F,A1,A3,A5,A7,A9,AB,AD,AF
C1,C3,C5,C7,C9,CB,CD,CF,E1,E3,E5,E7,E9,EB,ED,EF
Notes: fully compatible to Newell and TOMS (?) Ramdisks;
Atari Basic: no! XL/XE Selftest: YES! Antic access: no!
=> Note that (separate) Antic access can be done to all Peterson
and compatible XE-type Ramdisks; just refer to Ed Bachman`s fine
article (supplied with the manual for the Wedge) on how to
update/upgrade your Peterson or compatible Ramdisk for Antic access;
(Afaik only XE-type computers can be upgraded for separate Antic
access, since XL-type computers don`t have the Freddie and Gate
Array chips; the Freddie chip controls the Gate-Array chip; the
Gate-Array chip is responsible for the separate Antic mode...)
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