STeSearcher Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 I've been going through my old Atari disks and have found some text files that you guys might be interested in reading. Some are Atari Explorers, some GEnie captures of various things and some are just misc stuff. I'll post a few here and if no one's interested, I'll stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STeSearcher Posted March 31, 2007 Author Share Posted March 31, 2007 :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: Volume 4, Issue 6 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE August 21, 1995 :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: :: :: ATARI .............. News, reviews, & solutions ............ ATARI :: :: EXPLORER ............ for the online Atari .......... EXPLORER :: :: ONLINE ................. Community .............. ONLINE :: :: :: :: Published and Copyright © 1993-1995 by Subspace Publishers :: :: All Rights Reserved :: :: """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" :: :: Publisher Emeritus ........................... Michael Lindsay :: :: Editor/Publisher .................................. Travis Guy :: :: Assistant Editor GEnie......................... Ron Robinson :: :: Assistant Editor CompuServe................... Albert Dayes :: :: Assistant Editor Internet.................. Timothy Wilson :: :: Assistant Editor AOL.................. Dimitri M. LaBarge :: :: Assistant Editor Delphi.................... Mark Santora :: :: Unabashed Atariophile .............. Michael R. Burkley :: :: User Group Coordinator .................... Ron Whittam :: :: Jaguar Editor ...................... Christian Svensson :: :: 8-bit Editor .............................. John Hardie :: :: :: :: Contributors: :: :: """"""""""""" :: :: Frans Keylard, Bill Scull, David A. Wright :: :: :: :: Telecommunicated to you via: :: :: """""""""""""""""""""""""""" :: :: GEnie: ST/JAGUAR RT Library 38 :: :: AOL: VIDEO GAMES FORUM Hints, Tips and Tricks II Library :: :: CompuServe: ATARIGAMING Library 10, VIDGAME Library 15 :: :: Delphi: ATARI ADVANTAGE & WORLD OF VIDEO GAMES Libraries :: :: Fnet: AEO Conference, Node 319 :: :: AtariNet: AEO Conference, Node 51:1/10 :: :: :: :: FTP recent AEO issues from: rahul.net:pub/wilsont/AEO :: :: Search gopherspace under "aeo" for back issues :: :: :: :: World Wide Web: http://www.mcc.ac.uk/~dlms/atari.html :: :: http://www.bucknell.edu/~svensson :: :: :: :: :: :: EMail Request address: AEO-by-EMail-request@maximized.com :: :: :: :: >>> To subscribe to AEO, send a message to the request :: :: >>> address, with the following line (no subject): :: :: >>> :: :: >>> subscribe aeo-by-email :: :: >>> :: :: >>> and your address will be added to the list. To :: :: >>> unsubscribe from AEO, send the following: :: :: >>> :: :: >>> unsubscribe aeo-by-email :: :: >>> :: :: >>> to the same request address, making sure you send :: :: >>> it from the same address you subscribed from. :: :: :: :: AEO is also in file format on the Jaguar Mailing List :: :: :: :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Table of Contents * From the Editors ................................... When high-tech fails. * Ted Hoff Interview ............ What's the direction Atari will be taking in the next few months? The new President of North American Operations answers. * Hands on: Jaguar CD & VLM ........ Does the VLM stack up to expectations? A first look at the new Jaguar CD and its built-in lightsynth. * Jaguar Tackboard ....................... AEO development list - Atari PRs and notices - Jaguar Gamer's Guide CONTEST! - Tidbits. * Surfing the Jagged Edge ................... More BattleSphere, the latest Yak update, and the first peek at Mutant Penguins. * White Men Can't Jump ................... Dribble, dive and diss with Mark in a wicked streetball game. * Super BurnOut ..................... Motorcycle around the world at 60fps, as you "Hang On" your controller. * From a Saved Backup ................ Swap meets & Plan 9 - Ooooohh, scary! * The Unabashed Atariophile .................... PD and Shareware files for =your= Atari computer. * HTML Browser ........................ A great way to introduce your Atari to (offline) HyperText browsing. * Atarinet List .............. Node list & file echos for this Fido network. * Rare Gems .......................................... Quotes worth quoting. * Shutdown ............................. Around the world and up your block. --==--==--==--==-- ||| From the Editors ........... Atari Explorer Online: Jaguar Voyagers ||| Travis Guy / | \ GEnie: AEO.MAG Delphi: AEO_MAG Internet: aeo.mag@genie.com -------------------------------------------------------------- Two days later than intended, allow me to welcome you to Atari Explorer Online Magazine, and our latest look at events in the World Atari. It was a fouled attempt at an automatic AEO distribution program that kept this issue from going out last Saturday night. Not noticing this failure until 24 hours later, I used a few minutes to go over the text again. Note to potential editors: it never hurts to read through once more. One positive benefit of the delay is that it allowed the inclusion of a 320x240 True Color TIFF (File SC10.TIF) of a recent version of 4Play's BattleSphere that I found in my mailbox. This space-fighter simulator is starting to gel in its final months of coding, as you can tell from the action going on in the screenshot. Look for a hands-on preview of the amazing BattleSphere very soon in AEO. Several new games have been released since we met last. One of them, White Men Can't Jump, shares review time with another new game, Super BurnOut. Sandwich Islands' new Jaguar Gamer's Guide was also released, but instead of a review, we're giving away two copies - look under the Tackboard for details on how you can win one. "An original game that could be a showcase for Jaguar's abilities..." is one way I've heard Attack of the Mutant Penguins described. For an early peek at what until now has been a hush-hush UK title, check out Dimitri's Jagged Edge. I've waited this long in the editorial to mention it; the Jaguar CD that was about to arrive at the time of my last editorial, did. I've had thirty days to observe the VLM, and... my review of it runs after our interview with Atari's Ted Hoff. Astute Atari computer users will note that Michael Burkley's Unabashed Atariophile column has returned to our virtual pages. Ron Whittam shows that he has more than webs on the brain, and my old friend Bill Scull updates the node list for Atarinet. That's it for me this issue. Start watching your dealer's shelves for the Jaguar CD players that are due to start shipping later this week. Now the fun begins. --==--==--==--==-- ||| Ted Hoff ||| Interview by: Frans Keylard / | \ GEnie: AEO.2 Internet: fkeylard@on-ramp.ior.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- [AEO] Mr. Hoff, let me wish you a belated welcome to Atari! (May I call you Ted?) I hope you are settled into your new job by now. Could you please give our readers who haven't seen your press release a little bit of background on yourself? [Ted] Hi Frans. Thanks for the welcome. By all means, please address me as "Ted." Actually, I have found an uncommonly great number of people, inside of Atari and Jaguar gamers, who are eager to go to work and make changes for the better... just like yourself. There's been no welcome I've experienced better anywhere. With regard to my background, that press release just ran as I recall in the latest issue of AEO. Issue number 0405, wasn't it? Anyway, your readers can refer to it for the formal data. My professional career has been primarily in large corporations related to consumer packaged goods. I first became interested in video games over 20 years ago, when I purchased Pong. I have been an Atari system owner ever since and I have since added game platforms for my entire family to enjoy. (Raising four kids, we've gone through a lot of Atari games! <smiling>) [AEO] How do you feel about being a very desired commodity in the online community? [Ted] Ha! I don't think people consider me to be a "desired commodity", at least I hope not. I think they may like what I represent which is a focused effort to bring quality software to market and to actively promote an expanded user base. This includes luring hot titles and developers, picking up the pace of release schedules, and optimizing every promotional dollar we can pump through the media. [AEO] Well, at least the announced photograph that was supposed to accompany the press release! If it were a baseball card it would be considered a collector's item! Atarians everywhere have been genuinely interested in you, and what you are here to do. [Ted] Thanks. I'm blushing. The mention of a photo is because the onliners see exactly what we send out through formal PR channels. An offer to supply a photo that way is not uncommon. I think Don Thomas has scanned the photo and put it online for everyone. That may have ruined any value as a trading card <smile>, but everyone has access if they want it. [AEO] Given the current next generation machine hype and industry naysayers when it comes to Atari's chances, how are you going to convert 4Q95 into profit for Atari? [Ted] Excellent question. I had to ask and answer similar questions of myself before accepting Atari's offer to join them. What I found was that Atari is in a very good position, especially after having a couple years on the market with a next generation platform system. I welcome Sony's and Sega's efforts in the marketplace, primarily because of the infusion of enormous marketing dollars creating an awareness of new generation platforms. Atari's advantage will be that we will have more titles on the market than Sony or Sega, and the Jaguar is roughly half the price to get into. At about $150, we have a very compelling price point. Distribution is a matter of concern and we're working hard to increase the retail exposure of Jaguar. A concentrated focus is planned with the launch of the Jaguar CD. We expect to hold our retail position and improve our product merchandising at an accelerated pace on through the Holiday buying season. I am proud to say we have new retail outlets carrying Jaguar coming on board on a weekly basis and BIG announcements related to national chains are forthcoming. [AEO] Did you have anything to do with the decision to rework Fight for Life? [Ted] Not really. You did. My staff was telling me what the onliners were saying based on early magazine reviews and I thought the gamers spoke clearly on what they want. [AEO] How many programmers were working on that title, given that its Japanese counterparts usually have teams of programmers on such projects? Also, what is to become of FFL now? [Ted] Francois Bertrand is working with Bill Rehbock and his staff to review their needs on that project. Enough work has to be done that many parts of it will need to be reviewed anew. Since it clearly will not be something ready this Holiday season, I'm demanding that no hasty decisions to be made. [AEO] Can you tell us more about the planned multimillion dollar campaign and new commercials. Is the Jaguar going to be called the "Jaguar 64" from now on? [Ted] Our marketing programs to support Jaguar 64 and Jaguar CD will run from September through the end of the year and will include extensive television and print exposure. A three page introductory campaign will kick off in the fourth quarter. It will expose consumers to the Jaguar 64, Jaguar CD and a broad range of software titles. By the way, I coined "Jaguar 64" to remind people we are the next generation machine. [AEO] Now about the "approaching 100" and "approaching 75 games by year's end" statements in recent Atari press releases. Such claims in the past of "xx games by yy" have proven to be impossible to back up and potentially damaging to Atari's reputation as a company who can deliver the goods. Can this change? [Ted] I personally don't like to expound on a specific number of titles until the titles are available for distribution. I agree that numbers don't really mean anything to gamers until the product is on the shelf. There really are numbers approaching 80 to 100 titles in the works, but how many of them will pass our renewed quality standards in time for fourth quarter cannot be certain. I think we all know that even Bill Gates couldn't accurately predict the launch of Windows '95 for a very long time. <wink> [AEO] I hear about a second controller being offered to people who purchase the Jaguar 64. Is this the anticipated six-button controller? [Ted] We currently have a free controller offer in the retail market. Customers simply mail their proof of purchase of the Jaguar and UPC with the coupon and Atari will mail a "second" controller absolutely free. By the fourth quarter, we plan to begin shipping the "ProController." This joypad, aptly called a six-button controller (which actually has 22 buttons), provides enhanced game playing, new moves and combinations - and will be supported by many of the software titles currently under development. [AEO] What are these new quality standards we hear about? [Ted] I don't know how many people know this, but Atari has an unprecedented team of Jaguar marketing experts. Each product no longer just has producers, developers and testers, but a marketing team leader; a Product Manager if you will. This person is responsible for many aspects of quality review throughout the development process... to the point that they will put a stop to a project if they have to. Tools they use include intense focus groups, private media invitations, and very specific checklists to help insure that every title meets or exceeds minimum visual and fun-factor standards. As more software comes out, the more involvement these Product Managers will have had, and the more we all will enjoy the benefits. [AEO] What is the status on the VR Helmet and CD-ROM? Any idea when they are coming out? Any new peripherals planned yet? [Ted] We are working closely with Virtuality on the development of the VR helmet and software. In my opinion, we're not ready to launch this product until the technology is perfected. As are other companies which are exploring this area, we will continue our efforts, but not launch the product until the time and product is right. The Jaguar CD is in final preparation and should be in the market by the end of August. This would put it into retail distribution and available to customers in early September. Other peripherals include the ProController, Team Tap (already available with White Men Can't Jump), Memory Track and the JagNet adaptors, all expected within the next 45 days. [AEO] Is there anything you would like to add? [Ted] I think the most important internal message I can get across is that I expect my people to stay focused on their projects and to find ways to ensure quality software while picking up the pace to ship at more predictable cycles. It is critically important that software being developed for the Jaguar 64 and Jaguar CD is the highest quality, the most fun, "on time" software on the market. It does us little good to continually slide software dates either because of our own personal schedules or due to some contract developer excuse. Without compelling software, there is no reason to acquire a piece of hardware. All of the decisions I make are with this in mind. [AEO] Ted, thank you for your time and participation. We wish you the very best of luck and hope to see Atari do very well under your expert guidance! [Ted] I expect to see Atari do well under YOUR expert guidance - "your" meaning the Jaguar gaming community. Obviously we cannot do everything we'd like to all at once, but there are very definite things to get done. I know everyone will discover that Atari products, more than any other, are built to the demands of our gamers! Thank you for the opportunity to share thoughts with your readers. --==--==--==--==-- ||| First Hand Impressions - Jag CD & VLM ||| By: Travis Guy / | \ GEnie: AEO.MAG Delphi: AEO_MAG ----------------------------------------------------------------- Several weeks ago, I received a Jag CD unit and a mid-June copy of Blue Lightning, and now two hurricanes and a heatwave later (yep, it's been a busy summer), I'm ready to make my report - well, on the CD and VLM at any rate. First, the physical nature of the Jag CD, and its basic functions. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// A New Boot Won't Bog Down =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The Jag CD is a very compact unit. With a case the same color as the Jaguar itself, the Jag CD slips into the "U" shaped concave top of the Jaguar. An edge connector slips down easily into what was your cartridge port, and a tiny tab snaps into a slot near to the Jaguar's power switch. Although I had been told otherwise, I was not totally sure about how steady the newly mated unit would be when it came to inserting and removing cartridges. You see, with the CD unit attached, the cartridge port sets over the rear edge of the Jag. So far, I haven't noticed any physical instability. (i.e., it doesn't try to tip over backwards when a cartridge is inserted.) And for those who've asked, ICD's CatBox does fit (snugly) under the rear of the Jag CD. There's only one button on the CD unit, and it's used to open the lid. The lid isn't damped, and when opened, it pops up about an inch, and you have to physically open it to get to the CD inside. (The lid doesn't go close to vertical, so as far as I consider, it's =not= a toilet lid! <grin>) Next, you'll have to hook up another 9V AC adaptor, just like the one that powers your Jaguar. That's it - it's time for your new bootup sequence. First, your Jaguar will look for the presence of a game cartridge. If present, Jaguar will run it, and will not spin up a disc. If there's no game cartridge installed, your Jag will then check for a disc. If it finds a Jaguar game CD, the Jaguar will then check for a Memory Track cartridge. If it's an audio CD, the Jaguar will load VLM from the CD unit, and present you with the VLM control screen. Before I forget, I should tell you about the new onscreen logo. Instead of the regular Jaguar startup screen (with the falling letters, jaguar cube, chintzy music, etc.), a different sized Jaguar logo appears when you first boot up - accompanied by a random VLM effect. The logo is the same logo we've all come to know and love, just spiced up. (I prefer the tiny multicolored Jag logo sitting in the moving starfield.) If there's no cartridge or CD present, a picture of a gold CD with a question mark flashing across it will appear under the new Jaguar logo. (Bonus tip: If there's no power applied to the Jag CD unit, a picture of the rear of the Jag/CD unit will appear - with a flashing arrow pointing at the CD's power jack! Well, =I= thought it was cool.) The unit itself was built by Phillips, and I've put it under four weeks worth of use with no problems, and I'm talking -heavy- use. I've found the Virtual Light Machine to be quite an attention getter at parties. Now that I've mentioned the VLM, it's time for a refresher.... The VLM is the latest in a long line of lightsynth programs by Jeff Minter, author of many award-winning shoot-em'ups on various platforms (including the Jag's Tempest 2000), and furry beastie follower. "Trip-a-Tron" & "Colourspace" were two previous efforts I'm the most familiar with, but like many people, I found the weak point of those programs was that the listener had to move the mouse or joystick around to make the pretty patterns dance on the monitor. Heck, you really didn't need any music playing.... That's where VLM breaks away from Minter's previous lightsynth work. VLM was conceived as a part of Atari's new Jaguar CD player. By carefully monitoring the data flow coming off an audio CD, "triggers" could be set to wait for various audio events - "triggers" that could initiate and otherwise influence graphic effects. In effect, the lightsynth would be "listening" to the music, and reacting to it. The effect of each of Jeff's online announcements on VLM's status was interesting. VLM reached "cult" acceptance levels among many of those waiting to buy a Jaguar CD unit. (Which should start shipping from Atari late this week. <This article's timing intended>) In fact, a few Jag owners voiced that they would buy a Jag CD player on the appeal of VLM alone. When my CD player arrived, I felt that I had to Do The Right Thing. So, as I would hope that Jeff would deem worthy, I christened my Jag CD with a playing of my MFSL copy of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Yea verily, the music flowed, the pixels did dance, and my heart was made light. I knew then, that the VLM is everything the Yak had said it would be. Just so everyone knows, the VLM is not part of some magic chip in the Jag CD player. It's a program, stored in ROM inside the CD player, and runs on the Jaguar console just like any other Jaguar program. Also like other Jaguar firmware, the VLM benefits from EEPROM storage - the current volume, and selected VLM bank/event settings are stored, with 100,000 writes possible. I was delighted to find this out. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Taking control =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The VLM controls may seem complex at first, but they quickly become old hat. I managed to figure out most of the functions without referring to the manual, so I don't think they'll be too much bother for anyone. Let me first point out that there are two modes of operation: Audio Control Mode and VLM Mode. Audio Control mode allows most CD-player operations to take place, and VLM mode is where Banks and Effects are chosen. Depending on the appropriate Mode, different functions are assigned to the joypad, to the fire and control buttons, and to the keypad. A tiny "VLM"-logo bug appears in the lower right-hand corner of the screen for a few seconds as you change modes: inverted when you enter Audio Control mode, right-side-up when you're in VLM mode. As for the joypad, while in Audio Control Mode, brief Left and Right taps signal Back and Forward Track respectively. Longer presses signal Cue & Review. (More on that just ahead.) Up and Down on the pad raises and lowers the audio volume level with a "transparent" volume graph appearing on the left side of the screen. Cue & Review skips through 30 seconds of audio in 8 seconds of real time (one second per "tick"), then without letting up on the pad, shifts into 6X scanning speed. Segments of music cannot be "marked" for loop playing. The rest of the buttons are easier to remember. Pause pauses/ unpauses, Option toggles Audio Control/VLM Modes, and the A button cycles between the three different displays. (VLM Only, VLM & Readout, and Control.) In Audio Control mode, the B button initiates Play, and the C button Stops play. In VLM mode, the B button can be used in several bank/ effects to call up a special "Hyperdelic Interactor" effect that the listener can use the joypad to control. (As in the days of Trip-a- Tron.) The C button causes the screen to "strobe-to-black" for a brief moment before continuing with the lightshow. The keypad has two functions, direct entry of track numbers in Audio Control Mode, and direct entry of bank/effect pairs in VLM Mode. //// VLM Displays As mentioned a few paragraphs back, there's three main displays. "VLM Only" is aptly named - only the VLM effects are visible here. "VLM & Readout" superimposes a "digital readout" line of Bank/Effect, CD Track, and Time over the current VLM display. Time is displayed as "m:s since track start" when playing a CD, and "total m:s" when the CD is stopped. There's no way to select a different time value - say, "m:s remaining in track." The final display mode is significant in that a few of the controls operate differently in it. The "Audio Control" display brings up an overlay of "CD player" controls over the current VLM screen. Stop, Review/Back, Play, Cue/Forward icons, along with track and time readouts, fill the top of the screen. Mid-screen are three new buttons which are referred to as Advanced Control Options, while at the bottom of the screen, a 2 deep x 10 wide "music calendar" list of track numbers shows you what's up next. //// Advanced Control Options The Advanced Control buttons are accessed by pressing Option. Doing so, highlights one of the three buttons, cursor-like, and pressing "B" activates the selected button. The first button cycles through the three play modes, Normal, Random and Program. "Normal" plays all tracks in order, from 1 to the end of the disc. "Random" also plays all tracks, but shuffles the order each time you start. "Program" enables you to move your "cursor" into the track list, and create your own playlist. If the 20 visible slots for programmed steps aren't enough, the VLM does allow for up to 190 steps by "paging" the 2x10 list up and down. A very cool thing I noticed is playlists can be edited on the fly. Indeed, you can change between normal, program, and random modes without a hitch. (Although every time you enter random mode, all available tracks on the CD will be reshuffled and displayed.) The second button sets "No repeat", "Repeat disc", "Repeat track". It works as advertised. The last control button lets you set the graphic display to "VLM", "Random VLM", or "CD+G". VLM mode is the standard mode of the unit, where one bank/effect is chosen by the listener, and is displayed until it is changed. Choosing "Random VLM" causes different bank/effects to be displayed every half-minute to minute or so. "CD+G" mode displays encoded graphics on special audio discs - if selected, without a special disc in the player, all you see is a blank screen. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// What's it like? =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= I hit a few local music shops this past month in an attempt to snag -any- CD+G disc to try on the VLM with. No luck finding such here in proximity to AEO Central - but that wasn't totally unexpected. If CD+G is a priority for you, sorry, but you'll have to look elsewhere for a description. But I =can= tell you what you'll see when you watch VLM performing. Lots of different visual effects would be the easy definition. "Cosmic confetti", "pink, ninja throwing stars", "Q's force field wall", "sparkly floating pixels", and "many undulating strings-o'-fire" are just some of events that could be used in any given bank/event. Do+The/Math, there are nine banks with nine effects per bank. (Although Bank 9 is filled with effects that are primarily user-, not music-, driven.) It's hard to put to word just -what- one could see at any given time. I've seen pastel snowstorms and swirling color cyclones and screens that look like a Fruitopia commercial gone awry. Some bank/effects pulsate to the beat and the volume. Some seem to gyrate on their own. My one piece of advice for VLM watching is, don't get stuck in a rut. Go into Random VLM mode every so often. Some bank/effects that didn't appeal to me when playing one type of music (let's say for instance, loud, hard driving rock) have intrigued me when other types (let's say for contrast, sweeping choral pieces) were on. Just the other day in fact, I rediscovered the bold colors of Bank 7.... Overall, the VLM is an often beautiful, sometimes odd blend of light, color and movement - all in some way set afire by the presence of the music. That's probably the best way I can describe it. The VLM can be a nice mood setter, and it wouldn't be out of place to think of it being used in a dance club. (Bank/effect 2-9 works quite well with the included Tempest 2000 CD soundtrack. Try it if you want to check out the response time of the VLM.) In all of the time spent waiting for the release of the Jaguar CD-ROM unit, the harshest criticism aimed at the VLM has been, "Sure, it's going to look Ok, but people will tire of it quickly." Well after four weeks, I haven't tired of VLM. In fact, I listen to my CDs on VLM most of the time now. Sometimes when I listen to music, I want to tune the world out... and lately I have caught myself staring at a pulsating VLM screen for long periods of time. I don't think I'm going to tire of this anytime soon. Thanks Jeff! VLM's well worth the price of admission. //// Final Ratings Title: Virtual Light Machine JagNet: No Design: Virtual Light Company Players: n/a Published by: Atari Availability: Late August Retail: Included with Jag CD Age: n/a A Summary of ratings: "*" is a whole "+" is a half 5 stars maximum Graphics - ***** Often Mesmerizing. (Note to Marketing: VLM should be a hit with ex-hippies.) Audio - ***** CD quality. <g> Control - ***** Loved the ability to edit a program on the fly. Musicplay - ***** The only thing lacking is a CD changer. Overall - ***** It's virtual no more. VLM is here! Key to Ratings: (The musical state of mind.) ***** - Floyd. (With Waters.) **** - Floyd -or- Waters. *** - Rock. Classical. ** - Pop. Country. * - Disco. Rap. --==--==--==--==-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- --==--==-- CompuServe Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- -- -- -- To sign up for CompuServe service, call (voice call) (800) 848-8199. -- -- Ask for operator #198. You will be sent a $15.00 value CIS membership -- -- kit for free. -- -- -- -- --==--==-- CompuServe Sign-Up Information --==--==-- -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --==--==--==--==-- ||| Jaguar Tackboard ||| Confirmed information about Atari's Jaguar / | \ Compiled from online and official sources ----------------------------------------------------------------- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Independent Association of Jaguar Developers =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The IAJD (Independent Association of Jaguar Developers) has started accepting members on GEnie. The IAJD is a private group where confidential discussions can be freely held. (Category 64 of the ST RoundTable is the IAJD meeting place.) Consequently, membership in the IAJD is limited to Jaguar developers who are registered with Atari Corp. To apply for membership, send EMail to ENTRY$ on GEnie (or <entry$@genie.geis.com> if you're not on GEnie). Regular EMail correspondence with the IAJD should be sent to IAJD$ (again, or <iajd$@genie.geis.com> if you're not on GEnie). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// NEW Internet Jaguar Mailing List =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Anyone with Internet EMail access can join the discussions on the Jaguar mailing list. To "subscribe" to the list, send an EMail to the following address: <listserv@bucknell.edu> With the following as the body message: subscribe jaguar FirstName LastName (Where "FirstName" is your real first name and "LastName" is your real last name.) You should then soon receive the subscription information including such options as a digest (for those who have requested that in the past). The actual list address is: <jaguar@bucknell.edu>. All mail will go to the list server and be sent to the over 250 readers of the list. IMPORTANT: If your mail server charges you by the character or by the letter, please be aware that the Jaguar list can generate dozens, and up to a hundred EMails in a day. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Jaguar FAQ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Robert Jung <rjung@netcom.com> maintains the Jaguar FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) file, an updated list of Jaguar specs and facts. The Jaguar FAQ is posted to rec.games.video.atari on Usenet around the first of every month, and can also be found via FTP, address: ftp.netcom.com, in Andy Eddy's /pub/vidgames/faqs directory. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// AEO Development List 2.07 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Editor: The following list of game titles has been confirmed to the best of AEO's ability as of August 16, 1995. Entries in the "S"tatus column reflect any "e"rrors, "u"pdates, "n"ew titles, titles that are in "P"roduction, or "?"uestionable listings since the last AEO list. Entries in the "M"edia column reflect whether the title is "C"D-ROM, "H"ardware, or "V"R software. (Blank entries are assumed to be cartridge software.) ETA dates are dates that have been provided by the developer. AMMV. //// Titles in Development Rating/ S M Title ETA Developer Publisher """ """"" """ """"""""" """"""""" AirCars - MidNite MidNite u C Alien vs. Predator: The CD H1/96 Atari Allegiance - Team 17 u Arena Football League 11/95 V Real Productions Atari ? C Artemis Mid96 Springer Spaniel Springer u Atari Kart 11/95 Atari u Attack of the Mutant Penguins 11/95 Atari u C Baldies 10/95 Atari Atari C Batman Forever 4/96 Atari Atari u C Battlemorph 11/95 Attention to Detail Atari u Battlesphere 12/95 4Play 4Play Battlewheels 1Q/96 Beyond Games Beyond Games C Black ICE\White Noise 11/95 Atari Atari P C Blue Lightning *7* Attention to Detail Atari C Braindead 13 - Readysoft Readysoft u Breakout 2000 12/95 MP Graphics Atari C Brett Hull Hockey 11/95 Atari ? Casino Royale - Telegames Telegames ? Center Court Tennis ? Zeppelin Games u Charles Barkley Basketball 10/95 Atari u C Commander Blood 11/95 Atari C Commando 11/95 Microids Atari Conan - Arcade Zone u C Creature Shock 10/95 Argonaut Software Virgin 'Dactyl Joust 11/95 High Voltage Atari C Dante 6/96 Atari Deathwatch 12/95 Visual Design Atari C Defender 2000 10/95 LlamaSoft Atari u C Demolition Man 10/95 Virgin Interactive Atari C Deus ex Machina 12/95 Silmarils u C Dragon's Lair 9/95 ReadySoft ReadySoft Droppings ? Delta Music Systems C Dune Racer 1/96 Atari Dungeon Depths ? MidNite ? Evidence ? Microids C FIFA International Soccer - Electronic Arts P Flip Out *8* Gorilla Systems Atari u C Formula 1 Racing 11/95 Domark Group Ltd. Atari Frank Thomas Baseball 4/96 Acclaim Atari C Freelancer 2120 Q3/95 Imagitec Design Atari Galactic Gladiators ? Photosurrealism Gotcha! 1996 Hardball 3 - Atari Atari u C Highlander I 10/95 Lore Design Ltd. Atari u C Highlander II Q1/96 Lore Design Ltd. Atari u C Highlander III H1/96 Lore Design Ltd. Atari Horrorscope - V-Real Productions u C Hover Strike: Unconquered Lands 9/95 Atari Atari Indiana Jags - Virtual Xperience u C Iron Soldier II 12/95 Eclipse Atari Ironman/Exoman 4/96 Acclaim Atari C Ishar Genesis 12/95 Silmarils ? James Pond 3 ? Telegames ? Kick Off 3 ? Anco Software Ltd. Legions of the Undead Q4/95 Rebellion Software Atari ? Lester the Unlikely ? DTMC C Litil Divil - Gremlin Interactive C Lobo ? Ocean Software Ltd. u C Magic Carpet - Bullfrog Atari u C Max Force 12/95 Genus Microprogramm Atari C Mind-ripper 2/96 Atari u V Missile Command VR Q1/96 Atari ? Mountain Sports ? DTMC C Mortal Kombat III 4/96 Williams Atari H MPEG - Atari Atari u C Myst 10/95 Atari u NBA Jam TE 12/95 Acclaim Atari Nanoterror ? Delta Music Systems C Need For Speed - Electronic Arts ? Nerves of Steel ? Rainmaker Software u Netwar 11/95 Atari Atari Phase Zero Q4/95 Hyper Image Atari Pitfall 9/95 Activision P Power Drive Rally 9/95 Rage Software Time-Warner ? C Powerslide ? Williams Brothers Telegames C Primal Rage 11/95 Time-Warner Time-Warner ? Rainbow Warrior ? 3D Games P RayMan 9/95 UBI Soft UBI Soft C Return Fire - Alexandria Return of Magic Q4/95 Virtual Artistry C Return to Zork - Activision u C Robinson's Requiem 10/95 Silmarils Atari C Rocky Horror Interactive 6/96 Rollcage - Team 17 u Ruiner 10/95 High Voltage Atari Skyhammer 12/95 Rebellion Software Atari C Soulstar 9/95 Core Design Atari C Space Ace 8/95 ReadySoft ReadySoft Space War 2000 10/95 Atari ? C Starlight Bowl-a-rama - V-Real Productions Sudden Impact 12/95 ? Super Off-Road ? Telegames u Supercross 3D 10/95 Atari T-Mek - Time-Warner u C Thea Relm Fighters 12/95 High Voltage Atari n Towers II 12/95 JV Enterprises ? Ultimate Brain Games ? Telegames P Ultra Vortek 8/95 Beyond Games Atari C Varuna's Forces 11/95 Accent Media Atari C Vid Grid 8/95 Atari Atari ? Virtual Warriors ? Rainmaker Software ? C Virtuoso ? Williams Brothers Telegames ? Waterworld ? Ocean Software Ltd. C Wayne Gretzky NHL Hockey 11/95 Time-Warner Time-Warner ? Wild Cup Soccer ? Telegames C Wing Commander III - Electronic Arts Witchwood - Team 17 ? World Class Cricket ? Telegames ? World Cup ? Anco Software Ltd. Worms Q4/95 Team 17 Zero 5 1996 V Zone Hunter - Virtuality Virtuality Zzyorxx II - Virtual Xperience //// Current Releases (Ratings have been revised) M Title Rated Company Publisher " """"" """"""" """"""" """"""""" Alien vs. Predator 8 Rebellion Atari Brutal Sports Football 6 Millenium/Teque Telegames Bubsy 7 Imagitec Design Atari Cannon Fodder 7 Virgin Interactive C-West H Cat Box / Black Cat Design Black Cat Checkered Flag 4 Rebellion Atari Club Drive 6 Atari Atari Crescent Galaxy 3 Atari Atari Cybermorph 7 Attention to Detail Atari Doom 8 id Software Atari Double Dragon V 3 Williams Enter. Williams Dragon 6 Virgin Interactive Atari Evolution Dino-Dudes 6 Imagitec Design Atari Flashback - NEW Tiertex Ltd. U.S. Gold Hover Strike 7 Atari Atari International Sensible Soccer 6 Williams Brothers Telegames Iron Soldier 9 Eclipse Atari Kasumi Ninja 6 Hand Made Software Atari Pinball Fantasies 6 Spider Soft C-West Raiden 6 Imagitec Design Atari Super Burnout 6 Shen Atari Syndicate 7 Bullfrog Ocean Tempest 2000 10 LlamaSoft Atari Theme Park 6 Bullfrog Ocean Troy Aikman NFL Football 6 Telegames Williams White Men Can't Jump 8 NEW High Voltage Atari Wolfenstein 3D 7 id Software Atari Val d'Isere Skiing... 5 Virtual Studio Atari Zool 2 7 Gremlin Graphics Atari Pts Stars AEO Ratings """ """"" """"""""""" 10 ***** GAMING NIRVANA!!! - You have left reality behind... for good. 9 ****+ Unbelieveable GAME!! - Your family notices you're often absent. 8 **** Fantastic Game!! - You can't get enough playtime in on this. 7 ***+ Great Game! - Something to show off to friends or 3DOers. 6 *** Good game - You find yourself playing this from time to time. 5 **+ Ho-hum - If there's nothing else to do, you play this. 4 ** Waste of time - Better to play this than play in traffic. 3 *+ Sucks - Playing in traffic sounds like more fun. 2 * Sucks Badly - You'd rather face an IRS audit than play this. 1 + Forget it - ... but you can't; it's so badly done, it haunts you. 0 - Burn it - Disallow programmer from ever writing games again. //// The Short Term Schedule Here's the Jaguar software schedule for the next few months. Please bear in mind that these dates represent everyone's best assumptions. "+"ick marks represent a title that (for whatever reason) AEO is very confident in. August: + Jaguar CD player September: Dragon's Lair """"""" + Blue Lightning """""""""" Hover Strike: Unconquered Lands + FlipOut! Pitfall + Ultra Vortek + Power Drive Rally Vid Grid + Rayman October: Baldies November: Arena Football """""""" Charles Barkley Basketball """"""""" Atari Kart Creature Shock Attack/Mutant Penguins Demolition Man Battlemorph Highlander Black ICE\White Noise Myst Brett Hull Hockey Robinson's Requiem Commander Blood Ruiner Pinball Defender 2000 SuperCross 3D Formula 1 Racing Netwar Primal Rage =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// Atari PRs & Notices =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= //// A Letter from Ted A message from Mr. Ted Hoff, President Atari North America """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" A couple weeks back, I sent out a public response to the on-line concerns and confusion I was hearing about "Fight For Life". I want you to know that I appreciate the megabytes of feedback everyone sent back through the channels. You helped reassure me that I was hearing you properly from the beginning and the decision to reexamine the "Fight For Life" project was a good one. Now that I have been with Atari for a short while, I find myself very glad I came on board with my sleeves already rolled up. The people I counseled with told me that consumers were concerned about very specific aspects of Atari development and support. I was told Atari Jaguar users were happy, but they were also hungry and I realized that one of my highest priorities was to set the table. I have now taken a hard look under the hood and I can tell you I agree. The Atari engine needs a tune-up. On the other hand, I found a lot of high-quality polished steel and we have a heck of a lot going for us. Of course all the improvements we need to make will not all happen overnight. I know you've all heard this before, but we continue to need a bit more of your valued patience. I hope everyone realizes I cannot share everything I am working on, but I do feel obligated to stay in touch with our most faithful users. Please allow me to share some of the things I am working on. Not too long ago, Atari hosted a media day at Atari which turned out being a fun and very worthwhile event. It was an opportunity to speak directly to the gaming industry's most prominent media personalities, grant them unusual interviews, offer them previews and answer their questions. I am sure you have read about the event in one of the on-line publications already. Based on that success and addressing my eagerness to entice more publications to cover the Jaguar, Ron Beltramo and our PR agency are helping me to arrange a big media presentation next month. The decision to provide the Team Tap peripheral with "White Men Can't Jump" seems to very popular. I will be looking hard at similar ways to give our loyal gamers great stuff like that in the future. Please check this title out. Don Thomas just sent out a CATnips with an accumulation of kudos collected from all the major on-line services. Look for the latest on-line publications for reprints of that lengthy file. We have just updated our snail mail list again and we have very definite plans to use it soon so watch your mailbox. I have heard from retailers telling me their customers are walking in to stores with the postcards in hand so I know they seem to be working. I think you'll see that entire campaign become more frequent and improve as we integrate the mechanism into our routine. We are taking a hard look at exploiting the growth of the Internet to provide more timely news, unprecedented levels of support and access to our company. I think we have a really cool company and I want people to experience that with us. You should all realize that right now is a very critical 4th quarter planning time. There's the CD-ROM and a lot of software tumbling out of the factories fast. To do it right, we are discussing specific strategies with key retailers to accommodate their marketing plans. Some brand new local and national retailers are coming on board... names you've been telling us need to carry the Jaguar. Don Thomas has been persistent with me with a request to let him know as soon as we can make announcements. I've promised him I will keep him informed. By the way, the Jaguar CD-ROM is still scheduled to begin shipping on August 24th. I know there were once a lot of debates about VidGrid (which just so happens to be a lot of fun), but "Blue Lightning" and the "Tempest 2000" Soundtrack will also be tossed in the mix. On top of that, I've seen to it that a playable Demo of "Myst" is included. The "Myst" demo will help highlight visual aspects of the complete CD-ROM/Jaguar 64 system that are nothing less than astounding. The software which adds up to over $100 value is all part of the CD-ROM package. I am going to make an effort to regularly issue a statement like this to keep people up-to-date. I'm sure you understand I cannot answer everyone's questions individually, but I don't want to be moving forward without knowing how you feel. Make sure your forum/roundtable/topic SysOps collect your questions and forward them to Don Thomas [75300.1267@compuserve.com]. If he cannot answer the question right away, I'll see what I can do to answer it for everyone. Finally, it is most important to once again say "thanks". I want you to know that your word-of-mouth support of the Atari product line is valued very much. --Ted Hoff President, North America Operations Atari Corporation //// Atari Supports Giants ATARI CORPORATION GOES TO BAT FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS COMMUNITY FUND Sunnyvale (August 1, 1995) -- On Saturday, August 12, Atari Corporation will donate $10,500 to the San Francisco Giants Community Fund. With over 300 Atari Corporation employees and their families in attendance, Sam Tramiel, President and C.E.O. of Atari Corporation, will present the donation to Giants' third baseman Matt Williams as the team faces the Chicago Cubs at Candlestick Park. Last year, Atari Corporation committed to donate $250 for every home run Matt Williams hit. Williams met Atari Corporation's challenge, hitting forty-two home runs, and raising a grand total of $10,500 for the Giants Community Fund. "Atari Corporation is a proud supporter of the Giants Community Fund. It is a vital organization, as it champions key programs for all ages," comments Atari Corporation President Sam Tramiel. The San Francisco Giants Community Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of local communities through the funding of the Jr. Giants Baseball Program and other charitable endeavors. In 1994, the Junior Giants program, which focuses on self-esteem training, ethics and teamwork, served nearly 5,000 children in more than 50 communities. Since its inception in 1991, the San Francisco Giants Fund has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to non-profit organizations throughout Northern California. Recipients of the 1995 grant awards include Golden Gate Senior Services, Friends of Recreation and Parks, Hospice of Marin, and the San Francisco Consortium for Elder Abuse Prevention. For over 20 years, Atari Corporation has provided consumers with high-quality value-priced entertainment. Atari Corporation, located in Sunnyvale, CA, markets Jaguar, the only American-made advanced 64-Bit entertainment system. //// Atari Releases WMCJ CONTACT: Dorf & Stanton Communications Jessica Nagel/Jennifer Hansen 310/479-4997 or 800/444-6663 For Immediate Release WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP --- BUT CAN THEY PLAY BALL? Atari Corporation launches "hoops" game with Team Tap peripheral SUNNYVALE, CA (Aug. 1, 1995) --- Today Atari Corporation launched two exciting additions to the Jaguar 64 product line. The quickly expanding Atari arsenal now includes "White Men Can't Jump", a fast-paced, trash-talkin' game of street ball based on the major motion picture from Twentieth Century Fox, and "Team Tap", a peripheral for the Jaguar 64 system that allows up to four players to participate at once. Now, four players can compete in this no-holds-barred hoops tourney where teams try to hustle and shove their way into the street ball hall of fame. "White Men Can't Jump" players must attempt to make it into the Slam City Tournament, the ultimate in street ball play. It costs $5,000 to enter, however, and players start out with only $500 loaned to them from the BREAKLEG BROS, two unforgiving loan sharks. Hoopsters must hit the court and win games to hustle the remaining cash. Players custom design their teams as well as control the scoring, timing and possession rules. The one thing they can't control is the shovin' and trash talkin'. Players must be tough and ready to throw elbows because street ball rules apply --- traveling and goaltending are the only fouls called. Atari also launched "Team Tap", a peripheral for the Jaguar 64 system bundled with "White Men Can't Jump". "Team Tap" enables four players to get in on the jammin' hoops action all at once. A $29.95 value, "Team Tap" is included free with "White Men Can't Jump". With select future titles, players can employ two Team Taps for eight-competitor game play. Two play modes are available for "White Men Can't Jump": Tournament and Versus. Tournament mode lets one or two players compete as a team in a street ball game. With "Team Tap" and Versus mode, three or four players split into two pairs and play against each other. "'White Men Can't Jump' launches our fall line-up of sports and action games for the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STeSearcher Posted March 31, 2007 Author Share Posted March 31, 2007 *** WARNING! FOR ARCHIVAL USE ONLY** I have no idea if this works or not. ************************** I did this modification to my 1040 STe using a TEAC FD235-HF4 1.44 meg drive and it works very well. I did not replace my floppy controller chip. Another text that I read about this mod said that some of the WD 1772 chips are capable of working at 16 mhz, those with 02-02 as part of the number on the chip. Mine seems to be working fine and I have formatted HD disks out 1.66 megs with no problems. Whether or not my WD chip will last very long remains to be seen. I keep a standard floppy in the drive so that the signal to the controller chip is 8 mhz. When I insert a HD floppy, the 16mhz signal is sent to the WD chip. For the STe, I got the 16 mhz signal from pin 2 of the large surface mount chip near the power supply. It is also available at pin 52 of the DMA/shifter chip(U401). The only problem that I have had so far is that drive B(external) does not work with this modification( on my machine). If I do the density switching with a toggle switch, drive B works fine. I don't use B often, so I'm not worried about it. I enabled HIGH DENSITY formatting from the desktop of my machine(TOS 2.06) by closing jumper E6 near the ROM's on the motherboard, but I usually use the DFormat utility that came with Diamond Back. I assume no responsibility for your computer if you do this modification. Your warranty will probably not be worth anything if you try this. If you don't feel comfortable soldering and unsoldering to tiny parts, don't try this. I did have to cut out the case of the computer in order for the faceplate of the new drive to be clear. The following is the original text file that I used as a guide to do this modification. It was written by Wes Newell and is available on his BBS. the WYLIE CONNECTION. PAUL ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Adding a 1.44 meg floppy to ORIGINAL ST's (NOT E's) Things you will need: 1 HD disk drive. Preferably that supports output of density select. 1 Floppy controller chip capable of running 16 mhz (AJAX chip). A TOS that will support HD drives. I use 2.06 with TAB board. A format utility. First let me explain the differences between the Atari (Epson SMD-340) and some other drives. The Epson SMD-340 that Atari is currently selling with the upgrade kit for the MEGA STE, DOES NOT have the capability to provide an output of density on pin 2. This means that if you use this drive you will have to use a switch to switch densities. As it comes from Atari, it is jumpered as follows: Pin 14-15 = Drive Select 0 (drive A) Pin 5-13 = The mode (density) is switched by the HDI input (pin 2) Pin 1-2 = The 2 meg mode (1.44) is set by the HDI input HIGH Other jumper settings: 15-16=DS1, 6-7=DS2, 7-8=DS3, 2-3=2 meg mode set by HDI input LOW, and 4-5=The mode is switched by the internal sensor. As you may have figured out by now there are a couple of ways to hook up this drive. On mine, I removed the 5-13 jumper and installed 4-5. This lets the drive switch modes to 1.44 when a disk with the 1.44 meg extra hole is inserted. The reason I did it this way is so I can easily tell my 1.44 disk from my 720K disk. If you want to use disk without the extra hole for both densities, then leave 5-13 jumpered and configure jumper pins 1-2 or 2-3 depending on how you want to control the density, with a high (+5) or low (ground). You must then manually switch the density. Now you must also be able to switch the 8 mhz clock going to pin 18 of the floppy controller chip to 16 mhz for HD (1.44) operation. I simply bent the pin out and connected it to the center post of a spdt toggle switch and connected the 8 mhz clock (from the empty pin 18 socket) to one side, and connected the other side to 16 mhz (pin 39 of video shifter chip). You could also have a switch to control an IC that would allow you to control both clock rate and density select with one switch, or use a dpdt switch. Drives that CAN output density select on pin 2. Using a drive that can OUTPUT density select on pin 2 will allow you to make the operation of the drive automatic (without a manual switch). Set the jumpers to output density on pin 2. Use this drive output to control an IC that flip-flops the clock to pin 18 of the floppy controller. You MUST use the proper disk, as they are what selects the density. I used a 74F157 chip to control the clock going to the Ajax chip. It was the easiest way I could find with the the TTL chips I had at my disposal. The connections are minimal and simple; pins 8 and 15 to ground, pin 16 to +5v, pin 1 (strobe) to pin 2 of the drive, pin 14 to 16mhz (pin 39 of shifter), pin 13 to 8mhz, and pin 12 to pin 18 of the Ajax (floppy cont.) In the above circuit, the 157 chip will send the 16 mhz clock to the floppy controller when a HD disk is inserted in drive A, and the drive select for that drive goes low (selected). In all other cases, 8 mhz is sent to the controller. This will allow the use of both drive types on the system. There are many different ways to hook up drives. Make sure that you get the jumper settings with the drive that you get. Life can be tough without them. Wes Newell, fidonet 1:124/7028, Atarinet 51:202/0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STeSearcher Posted March 31, 2007 Author Share Posted March 31, 2007 **** WARNING, FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY*** I have no idea if this works or not!!! ************ ========================================================================= © 1995 by Atari Corporation, GEnie, and the Atari Roundtables. May be reprinted only with this notice intact. The Atari Roundtables on GEnie are *official* information services of Atari Corporation. To sign up for GEnie service, call (with modem) 800-638-8369. Upon connection wait for the U#= prompt and type JOINGENIE in uppercase. Answer the ensuing prompts for screen width and country. When asked for the KEY/OFFER CODE, please enter MXC524. You must also supply a valid credit card number. ========================================================================= ************ Topic 4 Tue Feb 03, 1987 JSMODULA (Forwarded) Sub: Technical Questions to Atari Corp If you have a technical question to ask Atari Corp. Ask here. 168 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 1 Thu Dec 16, 1993 B.STOREY [billy B.] at 06:55 EST Does anyone know why my 1040 STe with TOS 2.06 will not update the list for drive "B", when I press Esc? If I read it once, it is engraved in stone no matter what I put into that drive. Billy B. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 2 Fri Dec 17, 1993 R.WATSON15 [Wayne Watson] at 02:38 EST Billy B., Check the serial number on the disk. If they are the same, TOS will not usually update the directory. Get FMC.??? in the libraries and it will take care of your problem also. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 3 Fri Dec 17, 1993 E.MONACO [DataBasement] at 20:08 EST Billy, Hmmm, it might have something to do with the drive you are using as drive B. I remember when I owned a 520STFM I yanked out the SS drive and replaced it with a teac mech I pulled from a IBM external drive I picked up at Radio Shack. As I recall Atari's don't use the normal method for detecting disk changes... the only way I could get the ESC key to function and update the drive window was to pull out the disk that was in the drive, flip the write protect tab and stick it back in... I think there was a hardware fix that involved placing a jumper between a couple of lines. Anyway lets see if anybody has more to add or other ideas. -=Erin ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 4 Sat Dec 18, 1993 M.MASTALER [Mike] at 02:05 EST \Yes Wayne, you're right. My friend with the 520stfm tried FMC.ARC (or FMC.PRG) and it worked !! Thanks everyone for the help. Isn't it great to be a Genie-ite ?? Mike ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 5 Sun Dec 19, 1993 W.ORTIZ [Will] at 07:50 EST Billy B., The drive MAY be bad. MEDIA CHANGE on the drive may be bad. It may still think the same diskette is on the diskette drive. Hope this helps. Will ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 6 Sun Dec 19, 1993 K.KJELVIK at 21:15 EST I've tried elsewhere with No Help... So, Going to the source ... QUESTION ? I have a SC1224 (Samsung) monitor which is starting to have a Rather Bad Pin Cushion problem ... The Service Manual I have talks about Adjusting ( L703 ) for Horiz. Linearity but I believe that is on a (Goldstar) Version and the (Samsung) doesn't have the same coil .. So is their a perticular Capacitor I should be concerned with that could be causing this problem ?? Any Help would be Appreciated !! Thanks... K.KJELVIK ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 7 Mon Dec 20, 1993 T.DEWAR [TOM DEWAR] at 05:35 EST I am having a problem with my Mega STE 4. I bought it from Toad Computers about 1 year and a half ago. It has a High Density Drive. About 50% of the time, when I format a disk and then try to copy files to it, it starts to copy the files, then it gives me an error, that something is wrong with the disk. Then If I try to get a directory, all I get is giberish. Even a directory of the hard drive. If I reboot, I get bombs. The computer can't access the hard drive. The only way I can recover from this is to turn the machine off, and then back on. I was having this problem when I first got the machine, but It was my first experience using High density disks, so I thought that was the problem, because I had bought cheap generic disks. I then bought good ones, still a problem. Since then, my hard drive has a also crashed a few times. Then someone told me it was my revision of TOS. I had 2.05, so I installed 2.06. Still same thing. Now I found someone on a bulletin board who had the same problem, they said they had it when they first got the machine, sent it back to Atari, since he got it back, no problem. I have a two year extended warranty from Toad, so I still have 6 months to get it fixed, but I wanted to know what was wrong. Is it a bad AJAX chip or something? Also, it is a Mega 4STE, with (now) TOS 2.06, and a Maxtor 130 meg Hard Drive, and a High Density drive. Any Help Would be appreciated, this has been making me crazy. Tom ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 8 Mon Dec 20, 1993 S.WINICK at 07:32 EST Tom, Since your MegaSTe is still under warranty from TOAD, why not just bring it back in to them and let them fix the problem? They have an excellent service department, and can certainly do a much better job at diagnosing the problem with the computer on the test bench than anyone possibly could by merely corresponding on GEnie. The AJAX chip may very well be the problem, as could the floppy drive itself, or both for that matter. Or, it could be something else entirely. Send it back to TOAD and let Dave fix it for you. Sheldon (Computer STudio - Asheville, NC) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 9 Mon Dec 20, 1993 MIKE-ALLEN [NM~SysOp] at 14:07 EST Tom, What Sheldon said. (BTW, he also has an excellent service department!) One thing that I have discovered while messing with my MSTe (still TOS 2.05 and 720k drive) is that the operation of the floppy drive can be very dependent on the internal cable routing. There can be cross coupling between the floppy cable and the hard drive cable unless one takes care that the floppy and hard drive cables cross at right angles! I found this out while trying to make my MSTe operate more reliably with certain copy-protected games. Mike Allen ST HelpDesk~Sysop Written: 11:56 AM Mountain Time Monday, December 20, 1993 ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 10 Mon Dec 20, 1993 R.SNYDER6 [Roger S.] at 18:20 EST Tom, It is hard to tell, but it could be a power supply problem. If the power supply is marginal, the additional drain by the disk drive puts it over the edge and messes everything up. (Sometimes if this is the case you can see the disk drive's opperation in the image on the monitor). I'd get it checked out. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 11 Mon Dec 20, 1993 R.WATSON15 [Wayne Watson] at 19:06 EST Tom, I would take Sheldon's advice. There are a couple of things that can cause your problems with the HD disk. Toad is aware of what all can cause it and since it's still under warranty from Toad, I would take it back to them and let them know. They should be able to fix it for you. It can be something as simple as the placement of the cables to a problem in the power supply (screw problem). ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 12 Mon Dec 20, 1993 WALLY.W [ _Wally_ ] at 19:09 EST Howdy, Mike, sometimes I really hate those inductive cross-overs...I ran into a similar problem with my external floppy cable crossing/wrapping around my modem and hard drive cables. It was a nightmare for a while. Best regards, Wally ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 13 Mon Dec 20, 1993 T.DEWAR [TOM DEWAR] at 23:36 EST Well, thank you all for your responses. After the holidays are over, I'm putting it in Dave's hands (TOAD). I figured I had to send it to them anyway, but I was just curious about how bad it was. I'm also kind of reluctant to give it up, since I don't have a replacement while it's gone, but it's driving me crazy enough to want to fixed. Thank you again, Tom ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 14 Tue Dec 21, 1993 E.WELLS at 00:07 EST Anyone, Now that I'm typing, I'm thinking this is really more a TOS question than a technical one, but here goes anyway... Does TOS have a file limit in a given partition? I'm using a TT and recently rendered an animation with 580 frames. I could only access files 1-375 and above that seemed not to exist, even though they were innitially saved (but were gone later). Any clues? Everett O*s ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 15 Tue Dec 21, 1993 DAEDWARDS [Warrl] at 01:43 EST E.Wells: The ROOT directory on any partition (or on a floppy disk) is of a set size. It'll be an integer number of sectors; I think there are 8 entries in a sector; minus one, I believe. What you are seeing would be consistent with a 47-sector root directory, if these numbers are correct. Assuming these files are ALL you have on that partition. Any OTHER directory... is just another file. I doubt that there is a limit other than disk space (any file takes a minimum of 1K). In the unlikely event that there IS a limit, it's going to be very close to a power of two... most likely 2^8, 2^10, 2^12, or 2^16. Minus some small number, less than 8, for overhead. Not anywhere near 375. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 16 Tue Dec 21, 1993 R.WATSON15 [Wayne Watson] at 05:02 EST Everett, The root directory generally has a 256 file limit. A folder does not have a limit but, the desktop drive window does have a limit on the number of files it SHOWS. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there. Using a Command Line interface or other file selectors, you will be able to see all the files. If you run into the physical limit of directory entries, then generally you will be given an error message unless the application doesn't check for errors. If you are trying to see them witht he desktop drive window, use something else. If you are creating your files on the root directory, then create them in a folder instead. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 17 Tue Dec 21, 1993 J.MEEHAN3 [>> Joe M << ] at 05:48 EST Message 186, Tue Dec 21, 1993 E.WELLS As Warrol said the limit on the Root directory is 255. Other than that there are limits but you should not be reaching them at the 300 - 400 range. How about your file selector? Some file selectors have a limit as to the number of files they can display. I believe the desk top also has a limit. Can you access one of the files that are not displayed by typing the name in? How about using a file selector that allows you to filter files. You could try changing the extension of some files to "hide" them to see if others then would be shown. >> Joe M << ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 18 Tue Dec 21, 1993 A.FASOLDT [Al Fasoldt] at 08:32 EST Everett, The TOS item selector has a limit, but the TOS system itself does not have a limit to the number of items in a folder. (There is a definite limit on the number of items in the root area of a drive, however.) NeoDesk lets the user set the number of items that can be displayed in a desktop window, getting around this problem. (I have mine set to 1,000.) Maxifile does not seem to have a limit at all. Warrl, The root limit is either 224 (?) or 512, depending on the drive formatting. (It's not 224; 212? I ran into it years ago, but always keep the roots minimal these days.) Al ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 19 Tue Dec 21, 1993 J.GANIERE1 at 21:46 EST Mike-Allen I am having a problem similar to yours. Any time I play a game I have trouble rebooting to the hard drive. This happens whether I play from floppy or hard drive. I have 2 meg MSTE with 48 meg Seagte internal and internal and external 720 floppies. I mostly use SC 1224 and occasionally SM 124. I use Supra 2400 external modem, and Monitor Master. I use AHDI 6.04, UIS III, Warp 9, and the Atari Control panel. The problem seems worse with these running as TSR. When I play a game and then try to reboot, I get "Data on Drive C May be Damaged' and can go no further. Eventually, if it reboots, it first gives me desktop with a window and no disk icons and wrong colors, or it gives me a corect desktop but wrong colors. If I wait at least an hour, I can usually (though not always) reboot. Less than an hour and I cannot reboot. I am running with 2.05 also. I know nothing about going inside and looking at cables. But I have a friend. Is this in your opinion worth pursuing? The cables I mean? Have you had other reports from MSTE owners? I have a friend who was having problems but different than mine. He crashed a lot, and he had an internal. He converted to an external and he problems stopped. Do you need more info? Jerry Ganiere (J.Ganiere1) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 20 Tue Dec 21, 1993 DAEDWARDS [Warrl] at 23:33 EST If you are getting "Data on Drive ___ May Be Damaged" errors, then I *strongly* suggest that you: (a) do a **FILE** backup (**NOT AN IMAGE BACKUP**) of every file on the affected partition. (b) use ST-TOOLS or some other program to analyze the disk looking for lost chains, orphan sectors (those are actually two terms for the same thing), cross-linked files, wrong-length files, mangled directories, etc. © if you can't do (b), then reformat the partition. In fact, if you are hitting these errors on ANY partition, it wouldn't be at all a bad idea to go through this procedure on EVERY partition. You'll note in (a) I emphasized rather strongly that you don't want an image backup. Image backups are the next best thing to dropping your hard disk on your foot. The only real use I can see for an image backup is if you have software which stores data on your hard drive WITHOUT putting it in files. But this behavior should be regarded as a fatal defect... preferably in the programmer who wrote it. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 21 Tue Dec 21, 1993 MIKE-ALLEN [NM~SysOp] at 23:34 EST Jerry, The problems I was having were not like yours. Yours sound like they are heat related, but I don't know why they would show up only after running a game! What game(s) give you this problem? I use Warp9 and the Atari eXtensible Control panel. I don't have UIS. I am using AHDI 6.05c which, I believe, the latest from Atari. The latest Atari Hard Drive Utilities are available here in the libs as HDX503.TOS, a self- extracting archive. It is file # 28994. I also have lots of other auto folder prgs and accessories. <grin> My problems were with, in particular, Lemmings and Ishar II. With Lemmings I had to reboot many times before it would finally boot up. With Ishar II I have the game installed on the HD. However, Ishar II uses a "key disk" type of copy protection and most often it would fail to read the key disk properly. I first replaced the floppy drive in the MSTe. This improved things slightly, but not enough. (Actually I'm not sure it really improved things - it could have just been my messing with the cables while replacing the drive.) I then went in and carefully looked at the cable routing. There is one ribbon cable that runs from the Host Adaptor card to the hard drive. Its basic path is fore-and-aft. There is another ribbon cable that runs from the mother board at the right of the host adaptor to the floppy drive. Its path is right to left. The problem seems to be the floppy drive cable. After running over to the floppy drive area, it must take a 90 degree turn towards the rear of the MSTe and then makes a 180 degree loop to plug into the back of the floppy drive. If you look in the hard drive bay you should see these two cables. (Easy to do. Loosen the single, captive, screw under the MSTe at the front of the HD bay. Tip the bay cover up.) I arranged mine to keep them as far from each other as I could while insuring that they maintained a 90 degree relationship with each other. Converting to an external only (or an external A, internal B) drive on a MSTe is pretty simple - all it takes is changing a couple of jumpers. I found that out while pursuing my problems. I did find that I had many fewer problems using the external only drive. The problem may be the internal floppy drive cable. I am considering making a shielded cable to replace the one that is in the MSTe to see if that helps. All it takes is a little time - something I am short of at the moment! <g> I still have some problems with these games, but they behave much better now. I wish someone would take the folks at Silmarils and Psynogsis and lash them with a shielded rs-232 cable! These types of copy-protection schemes are unwarranted! Mike Allen ST HelpDesk~Sysop Written: 8:53 PM Mountain Time Tuesday, December 21, 1993 ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 22 Wed Dec 22, 1993 A.FASOLDT [Al Fasoldt] at 03:24 EST Wayne, Thanks for the correction on the root dir. limit. I had been recalling the limit on the number of files in a floppy disk root, which is 112, and had just doubled it, for whatever reason. Al ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 23 Wed Dec 22, 1993 R.WATSON15 [Wayne Watson] at 06:18 EST Al, Actually I wrote the message before I saw yours (Aladdin lag) :-). On a normal format I usually get... 720K 1.44meg Hard Floppy Drive ---- ---- ---- 112 224 256 The directories can handle 16 entries per sector. This is of course not using some formatter for the floppies to change the number of directory sectors. I am not sure what BGM partitions give for number of directory entries as I never use them. I use 32meg or less partition sizes. Of course I only have 330 meg of fixed HD space which leaves me 3 partitions for the Syquest. :-) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 24 Wed Dec 22, 1993 J.GANIERE1 at 21:25 EST Mike The only game I have that does not do it is Empire. I will download the newer AHDI. I think I have a cable problem somewhere. Maybe mine is in worse shape than yours or something. Thanx for the help. I'll take your directions to a friend I hav and try to get it fixed. To Warrl - thanx for your input. I have used Edge extensively and fixed files that are damaged. If other actions fail, I will try your solution. Thanx again. Jerry P.S. As far as heat, it doesn't seem to make much difference on the length of time the computer is on. Jerry ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 25 Thu Dec 23, 1993 M.MASTALER [Mike] at 03:18 EST Hmmmm.... Isn't there a program that fixes the 'bug' in TOS 1.4 where , if you click once in the scroll bar, it moves as though it was clicked 2 times ?? Does anyone know the name of it ? Thanks in advance. Mike ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 26 Thu Dec 23, 1993 J.MEEHAN3 [>> Joe M << ] at 05:22 EST Message 197, Thu Dec 23, 1993 M.MASTALER [Mike] > Hmmmm.... Isn't there a program that fixes the 'bug' in TOS < > 1.4 < BUTTNFIX.ARC. IT believe it was from the boys at CodeHead and it should be in the library. >> Joe M << ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 27 Thu Dec 23, 1993 BRIAN.H [sT~SysOp] at 08:54 EST Mike here is the information on button fix: >Number: 17710 Name: BUTTNFIX.ARC >Approximate # of bytes: 2520 >If you have TOS 1.4 or above, and have had trouble with some >applications receiving "double" mouse clicks when you only click once, >you need this tiny desk accessory! It consumes less than 400 bytes, >and makes the problem go away almost completely. See the enclosed >text file for more information. This utility is FREEWARE from Charles >F. Johnson, based on an idea by Gene Sothan. A Christmas present to >the Atari community. Enjoy! Of course there is a button fix button in MultiDesk. ~~Brian..Written on Thursday 23 December 1993 at 09:21 a.m. ADT ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 29 Fri Dec 24, 1993 A.FASOLDT [Al Fasoldt] at 09:02 EST Thanks, Wayne. I don't know about BGMs, either (although I have some pretty big BGMs at 256 megs each). Al ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 30 Sun Dec 26, 1993 M.MASTALER [Mike] at 02:16 EST Joe and Brian; thanks loads! I'm on my way to the lib. for Buttnfix. Mike ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 31 Sat Jan 01, 1994 J.KERKHOFF [J.Kerkhoff] at 17:10 EST I just aquired an old Mega 2. It's not complete and so I have to piece some things together to finish it. I used to tech Atari equipment but no longer have access to schematics. Perhaps someone can help me here. I have two questions: 1. This board has places for the other two megs of ram and I intend to populate them. I need to know where the additional resistors go for the ras and cas lines. 2. I want to use a 3.5" floppy drive I already have from an IBM clone upgrade. I know that the drive door won't fit the case, but is there any electrical difference between a clone 720K drive and the Atari drives? Thanks for your help -- Jim ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 32 Sat Jan 01, 1994 S.WINICK at 19:48 EST Jim, In addition to the custom faceplate that Atari uses, the jumper settings on the back of the drive mechanism are usually set differently on the Atari systems than typical PC clones. The actual mechanisms themselves, however, are identical. Sheldon (Computer STudio - Asheville, NC) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 33 Sun Jan 02, 1994 J.BRENNER1 [see Flat] at 00:53 EST Sheldon...ahhh faceplate information for drives. I've removed the drive from the Mega case and have it in a tower. (Adscsi is forwing fine...should'nt I have bought a tinyscsi or whatever it's called) Back to the drive....the faceplate is ugly. Is there any way to change it easily. It's a Sony drive with the small button. John B. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 34 Sun Jan 02, 1994 S.WINICK at 11:33 EST John, You'll need a Sony faceplate for the particular model floppy drive that you have. If you can locate that, changing the faceplate isn't a very difficult project. ;-] Sheldon (Computer STudio - Asheville, NC) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 35 Sun Jan 02, 1994 J.BRENNER1 [see Flat] at 15:16 EST Thanks Sheldon, I'll look into it. Did Atari use many different manufacturers for drives. ie; I also have an SF314 but it has the big button in the middle as my 1040STf has. Are these also Sony drives or will I have to find a different face plate for that one too? John B. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 36 Mon Jan 03, 1994 S.WINICK at 06:46 EST John B., Yes, Atari used floppy drives from a variety of manufacturers over the years. Most of the recent drives have been either Sony or Epson models, but earlier systems also may contain drives from Mitsumi or Chinon (you can generally recognize the Chinon's from their usually noisy operation . If you do happen to have one of the newer Epson drive models that you need a 'standard' faceplate for to replace Atari's custom faceplate, we do have those in stock. ;-] Sheldon (Computer STudio - Asheville, NC) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 37 Mon Jan 03, 1994 J.BRENNER1 [see Flat] at 22:09 EST Sheldon, The drive in my original 1040 STf sounds like a seal in hear at times. I'll assume that is a Chinon. I also have an external SF314 and that one has alwyas been extremely quiet. The one in the Mega is a Sony. I'll check the model number the next time I open up the tower. I feel a little silly pulling the drive out of the external. It's seems a waste of box, power supply and all. I should try to sell it to someone or trade it with someone who has a drive I could install in the Tower. Thanks for the info. John B. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 38 Mon Jan 03, 1994 J.PUGH10 at 22:27 EST Hi - I've been browsing around the board for an hour or so now looking for info on how to upgrade my TOS 1.0 to something Notator Softlink likes I just bought an additional 2MB for my ATARI 1040STF and went to run softlink, and it does not like TOS 1.0. I there a software emulator to give me a higher version eg 1.04? I would like to run X-OR and Notator together. I also have Hotwire and Mulidesk, so I'm not looking for any fancy desktop features - Hotwire gets the job done just fine. The ICD guys indicate that there is a TOS.IMG and a CAUTO.PRG available that can be used together with their TOSLOAD.PRG. Can you help please? Happy New Year - MIDIMAN ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 39 Tue Jan 04, 1994 ARCHIVIST [Charlie] at 14:08 EST Midiman, the easiest way to upgrade your TOS version is to buy new TOS ROM chips. Er, that is assuming your 1040STf came with TOS on ROM chips and not with TOS on floppy disk. Check the ROM chips inside your machine. Some machines came with TOS on 6 ROM chips and some on only 2. Then pop over to category 27 and look around for someone selling their old ROM chips. They should pretty well plug in and play, but you could have a dealer do the upgrade for you if you want. I believe there are some files showing exactly what to look for and how to do it in Library #27, Hardware Projects, but I can't recall the file numbers. Hope this helps. Charlie/sysop ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 40 Tue Jan 04, 1994 D.MCNAMEE [Dan @ Atari] at 14:43 EST MIDIMAN, TOS is not available in a disk based form. If you want to upgrade to a newer version of TOS, you will need to replace the ROMs in the computer. Dan ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 41 Tue Jan 04, 1994 AEO.7 [Gregg] at 20:12 EST Dan.... did any of my 'cards' reach you and the gang out there in La La land? Gregg Midiman.... What Dan said... seriously, only the VERY early versions of TOS 1.0 were ever available in DISK form. If you have a copy of ANY version of TOS other than that one then it's a pirated copy. I'm not acusing you of anything you understand, but if a friend gave it to you then my advice is to erase it asap...... why? several reasons.. 1) it's illegal (subtle, right? <grin>) 2) most copies floating around were BETA copies sent to developers that contained serious bugs in them. Use of these copies are inviations to having your hard disk erased... or worse. 3) if #1 doesn't do it then #2 should. Seriously, I've only seen ONE copy of a disk-based TOS newer than 1.0 that I could trust. That one came from Atari itself when I was testing some software for TOS 1.4 compatibility several years ago. Moral: If it's on disk, and it AIN'T TOS 1.0.... DON'T TRUST IT!!!!!!! Gregg ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 42 Tue Jan 04, 1994 J.GANIERE1 at 20:42 EST Mike I was the one having an induction type problem with my MSTE. I had the monitor sitting on the computer box and the floppy sitting on the internal hard drive box - the external floppy sitting on the hard drive box that is. Iheard about people having problems with the monitor on the MSTE box, so got my old bridge type wooden stand out and raised both monitor and external floppy about 4 inches above computer and hard drive case. Problem 80-90% solved. I suspect that when I get inside and can adjust internal cables, I'll be about 98% ok. Thought you might like to know in case anyone else came along with same kind of problems. Thanx for steering me in right direction. Others who responded too all had good ideas in right direction. jerry ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 43 Wed Jan 05, 1994 B.STOREY [billy B.] at 07:43 EST MidiMan, All you need to do is find a set of TOS chips for sale. Softlink probably would like TOS 1.4, or even the 2.xx TOS's. You can get 2.06 from CodeHead, for less than you would imagine, and probably just plug it in. As a matter of fact, send E-mail to J.EIDSVOOG1 at CodeHead, and he can probably tell you exactly what will work. Billy B. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 44 Thu Jan 20, 1994 B.KEYS [bK] at 01:16 EST Hello All! I have a 1040 STe w/4mb, TOS 1.06. What is the latest version (as of Jan.20,1994)? I'd like to upgrade so I can use a 1.44m HD floppy. I've also heard an "AJAX" chip may be req'd. Any comments would be appreciated. In advance...Thanx! Barry Keys. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 45 Thu Jan 20, 1994 ATARI.BENLUX [W. Kilwinger] at 03:41 EST B.KEYS [bK]: > > Hello All! I have a 1040 STe w/4mb, TOS 1.06. What is the latest version (as >of Jan.20,1994)? I'd like to upgrade so I can use a 1.44m HD floppy. I've also >heard an "AJAX" chip may be req'd. Any comments would be appreciated. In >advance...Thanx! Barry Keys. >---------- You need TOS 2.06, special hardware to provide 16Mhz for the AJAX in HD mode and an Atari compatible way of switching between 8/16Mhz (HD-kit) and a AJAX chip and a solder iron to make it work. I'm sure several companies offer these kits. Regards, Wilfred ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 46 Thu Jan 20, 1994 MIKE-ALLEN [NM~SysOp] at 04:02 EST Barry, Without serious hardware hacking the STe cannot handle 1.44meg floppies. This would take a lot more than simply replacing the floppy controller with the Ajax chip. Sorry. The latest version of tos for the STe is 1.62. However 2.06 is can be installed on the STe without much trouble. I believe it is just replace the ROMs and a couple of jumpers. However, still no 1.44 floppy support. Sorry. One way of getting 1.44 on your STe is to add the Insite floptical drive externally. You'd need a host adaptor (ACSI <-> SCSI) with software too. However, besides giving you a 21 meg floptical drive, you also get 720k and 1.44 floppy capabilities all in one device. Mike Allen ST HelpDesk~Sysop Written: 1:50 AM Mountain Time Thursday, January 20, 1994 ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 47 Thu Jan 20, 1994 STEVE-J [DrHfuhruhurr] at 06:24 EST B.KEYS - If you want a 1.44MB HD floppy on an STE, you only have a few options: 1) Get a floptical drive. 2) Rising Star Computers used to have an external HD floppy drive for $119, but I don't know if they still do. 3) Toad Computers used to install one for you for around $180, plus you'd need to get TOS 2.06 for another $60. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 48 Thu Jan 20, 1994 S.WINICK at 06:26 EST Barry, >> I'd like to upgrade so I can use a 1.44m HD floppy. Easiest, and most reliable way to accomplish that would be to simply trade in your 1040STe for a new Falcon030. Not only will you get that high density floppy drive, but you'll get true-color graphics, built-in hard drive, latest operating system (greatly improved over the STe), a 68030 processor running about 4 times as fast as your STe, up to 14mb of RAM, a whole bundle of excellent software, support for a standard SVGA monitor, etc. Sheldon (Computer STudio - Asheville, NC) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 49 Thu Jan 20, 1994 A.FASOLDT [Al Fasoldt] at 13:08 EST Barry, TOS 2.06 is the latest ST TOS. The CodeHeads sell a device that adds this TOS to your computer, and comes with a good manual. Yes, the Ajax chip is needed for 1.44-meg floppy access. (As well as a 1.44- meg drive, too.) Al ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 50 Fri Jan 21, 1994 B.SEMAAN [bOSEM] at 00:43 EST Barry, D & P Computers was advertising an internal 1.44 floppy kit on sale for 103.31 just before the holidays. Its the DreamPark or some such. I'm not sure what all it includes, but their # is 1-800-535-4290. They also sell the TOS 2.06 upgrade. You don't need the TEC board to install it in an STe, its pretty much plug n play. I did one about a year ago (the TOS upgrade, that is). There's a jumper that needs moving or something, but that will be in the instructions with the upgrade. Bob ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 51 Fri Jan 21, 1994 W.DAVIS20 [W.D.] at 00:50 EST Help!! I can't access my HD. I'm using a STacy. Awhile back I installed a 245meg Quantum. I am using ICD Link, because I have a Floptical Drive which I'm using now. It still works. The HD has been working fine for several months. Heres what happened. The computer started acting funny, so I started checking cables and found the SCSI cable to my SuperCharger wasn't properly seated. I reseated it and then rebooted. It wouldn't boot from the HD. Only floppies. Haven't tried to boot from the Floptical, but I'm sure it would if I set it up. I tried running ICDformat to reenter my partitiion info, but the partition button was greyed out. The ICD software knows the HD is there, cause it shows both the floptical and HD and I can choose either when I first run ICDformat. I hope I've given enough info here for some help. If not, ask questions and I'll try to give the answers so I can get this thing working again. Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give. Regards, W.D. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 52 Fri Jan 21, 1994 D.MCNAMEE [Dan @ Atari] at 21:35 EST W.D., I hate to tell you this, but unless you know someone who is real good with a disk editor, the data on your HD is gone. Even if you do know someone good with a disk editor it probably still is gone unless you defragmented your drive fairly recently. I've had this happen to me twice. Basically you have blown your FAT (File Allocation Table) away, and it is basically impossible to rebuild, but it may be recoverable by someone who know what they are doing. Both times it happened to me, it was because of lose cables to my external HDs. I have since gotten into the habit of tightening down the screws on the cables so they can't accidentally pull lose. Sorry for the bad news. If you can't find someone that can recover your FAT, all you can do is reformat and start from scratch. Dan ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 53 Fri Jan 21, 1994 W.DAVIS20 [W.D.] at 23:08 EST Dan, Thanks for the input. I hope your wrong, but your probably not. Before I go and reformat my HD, Does anyone else have any input here. S C R E A M!!! Sorry about screaming. This is such a downer. Regards, W.D. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 54 Sat Jan 22, 1994 J.PUGH10 [MIDIMAN] at 07:10 EST Thanks to one and all for the responses on ATARI TOS.It didn't seem unreasonable to me that ROM could be replaced by RAM based code, however I was keen to upgrade because my MIDI multi-tasking program will not run in TOS 1.0, and it's really useful. So I got TOS 1.04 from the Toads. I assume 1.4 and 1.04 mean the same thing. I see them being used interchangeably. So now I have multi-tasking,hotwire,maxifile,LGSelector (yes I paid my shareware fee)and X-OR and Notator all working together beautifully. All in my lit'l ol' 8MHz ATARI1040STF.(with the upgraded 4MB of RAM of course). Good on yer ATARI. When I'm in my teckie mood I may do the same for my MEGAST2. Finally I can concentrate on making music with my two ATARIs. Thanks again! Midiman ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 55 Sat Jan 22, 1994 B.KEYS [bK] at 09:18 EST Special thanks to everyone who responded! I just captured the messages and will read them offline. Barry Keys ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 56 Sat Jan 22, 1994 WALLY.W [ _Wally_ ] at 13:07 EST Howdy, I have one of the first runs of the 1040STe, and it's ROM chips are socketed (FWIW). Best regards, Wally ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 57 Sun Jan 23, 1994 J.MEEHAN3 [>> Joe M << ] at 09:49 EST Message 54, Sat Jan 22, 1994 J.PUGH10 [MIDIMAN] Yes TOS 1.4 is the common name for TOS 1.04 >> Joe M << ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 58 Sun Jan 23, 1994 R.MORROW10 [bob M.] at 18:38 EST Midiman- TOS 1.04 is the correct way to say it, however people know what you mean when you say TOS 1.4. It's also known as "Rainbow TOS" due to it's rainbow colored /|\ symbol in the "Desk" menu. Beware of vast hard disk speed increases! 1.0 was very slow. The routines were considerably improved in 1.04. However, you need some patch programs, like TOS14FX2.PRG ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 59 Mon Jan 24, 1994 J.PUGH10 [MIDIMAN] at 00:59 EST Bob, thanks for the tip. You mention patch programs (plural). I did notice an improvement in load time after I had plugged the new rainbow proms in, but have not suffered any grief so far. I backed up my most precious partition soon after I got everything back in its place. I guess the patches are in the library here somewhere. What are the other patches I should consider, and thanks, Midiman ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 60 Mon Jan 24, 1994 T.HOPPER at 02:11 EST Hi, Everyone! I hate to break in on threads like this, but I have problem(?) with my stereo sound. I have a MSTE, originally 1Mb, now 4Mb with TOS 2.06, and an external hard drive. I have tried plugging computer speakers into the RCA ports on the back of the machine (using an adapter to go from RCA to headphone jacks), and sound comes out of the speakers OK. However, when I try to access the Sound Setup CPX, I get a message saying that stereo sound is not available. Is there something I'm missing here? -Tom ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 61 Mon Jan 24, 1994 MIKE-ALLEN [NM~SysOp] at 02:42 EST Tom, The latest version of the sound cpx has an error - you need an earlier version. I'm using version 1.0 at the moment. I don't know if the earlier version is in the libs. If you don't have the old version available, EMail me and I'll send it to you. Mike Allen ST HelpDesk~Sysop Written: 12:39 AM Mountain Time Monday, January 24, 1994 ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 62 Mon Jan 24, 1994 O-ZONE [Flakes] at 21:24 EST Oooo rats! I thought I was finally gonna get to answer a problem but the SysOp did it in less than an hour. Fast on the draw there, podner! ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 63 Tue Jan 25, 1994 T.HOPPER at 22:15 EST Mike Allen, Thanks! I have the old version (d-l'd it a couple years ago just to see how a part of NewDesk worked), and never deleted it off my disk. Works much better now. -Tom ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 64 Wed Jan 26, 1994 F.HENSE [FRANK] at 23:27 EST What is the latest version of the control panel laying around here??? Seems I've seem 1.31 around.... Frank ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 65 Thu Jan 27, 1994 MIKE-ALLEN [NM~SysOp] at 01:10 EST Frank, I believe that 1.31 is the latest version of XControl. There may be a 1.32 in Europe. Mike Allen ST HelpDesk~Sysop Written: 10:32 PM Mountain Time Wednesday, January 26, 1994 ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 66 Thu Jan 27, 1994 STEVE-J [DrHfuhruhurr] at 06:19 EST MIKE-ALLEN - Yes, v1.32 is a European version. I ftp'ed it and it took me several weeks before I noticed that it had the date in DDMMYY format (which I actually prefer, though!). ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 67 Fri Jan 28, 1994 A.FASOLDT [Al Fasoldt] at 03:28 EST Frank, 1.31. Al ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 68 Fri Jan 28, 1994 F.HENSE [FRANK] at 22:44 EST Mike, Thanks. ( BTW it has not been hot and dusty here in San Antonio for a while-- how about out there in the land of the hot Jalepeno..) Frank ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 69 Mon Feb 07, 1994 B.KEYS [bK] at 01:52 EST Hello All! I'd like to thank everyone who responded to my questions about upgrading to a 1.44m floppy drive. Thanx! :-) BK ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 70 Mon Feb 14, 1994 H.CARSON1 at 02:32 EST Gentlemen: I am having trouble with running an external SCSI along with my internal 84 meg IDE. After about 3 minutes of normal use writing to the SCSI becomes impossible. I get the message "Your Output Device Is Not Receiving Data." The external SCSI is a Quantum ELS170S. It is properly terminated, SCSI ID is set to 0 and it is high level formatted with HDX. I tried re- formatting several times - with ICD and HDX - to no avail. I managed to write data to the SCSI on several occasions, quite normally. But 3 minutes later I could no longer write to the drive. My internal Connor IDE 84 meg drive works flawlessly. I need more hard disk space however, and the 2.5" IDE drives are ridiculously expensive, compared to the SCSI. What am I doing wrong? My Falcon is TOS 4.04 with 4 meg of RAM My business partner is also using an identical Falcon. Her problem seems to be with the internal clock. It runs slow, losing about 10 minutes per d day. None of the dealers, here in Toronto, seem to know what might be causing the problem - unless its a bad battery. But the Falcon has been like this since the day she bought it. It was purchased 5 months ago. Can you help? Regards, Howard. H.CARSON1 ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 71 Mon Feb 14, 1994 BOB-BRODIE [Atari Corp] at 17:03 EST Howard, The Quantum ELS series of drives is problematic to use because of the parity settings. I believe that ICD has a fix program out for use with this drive that will set things in the proper fashion for you. It might not be in this RT, you might have to either write to ICD, or check in their RT Library. Their address for GEnie Mail is ICDINC. A service memo has been issued by our dealer service department regarding the clock. Have your partner contact the dealer that she purchased her Falcon from to obtain additional information. regards, Bob Brodie ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 72 Sat Feb 19, 1994 G.NORTON [Falcon Systm] at 13:32 EST Howard, Have you tried the drive on her computer to see if it works there. You shouldn't be having any problems with the Falcon and Quantum ELS drives. Unlike the Atari hosts on the Mega STe or ICD Micro or Link the Falcon doesn't have a problem with parity. If it doesn't work on her computer either it could possibly be a defect on the drive. Graham @ Falcon Systems ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 73 Wed Mar 09, 1994 J.DINGA [Jolly Jon] at 23:30 EST I have been told 'NO' elsewhere, but I believe in miracles... I need a 386 for my daughter for highschool work, but DONT like it. She and I both dont want another monitor in her room {AND I dont want to buy a multysync} Is there a graphics card that puts out analog that can be used by a SC1435 on a 386 [ET4000 chip?] ? I _KNOW_ she'll want a jag in there somewhere as well, another reason for keeping the Atari monitor.....hhmmmmm......Jon ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 74 Thu Mar 10, 1994 A.FASOLDT [Al Fasoldt] at 08:35 EST Jolly, Not an affordable card. Cards of a special purpose that can handle sync rates that low are indeed made for video-graphics work, and cost about a grand. Believe me, you're better off with a multisync; a decent one won't cost more than $350 to $400, and a really good one won't cost more than $431. Al ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 75 Sat Mar 12, 1994 R.SNYDER6 [Roger S.] at 20:42 EST Al, I think that is more than $431.26. --Roger ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 76 Tue Mar 22, 1994 J.DINGA [Jolly Jon] at 01:42 EST Al, I took your advise and bought a MultySync for myself. I presented the SC1435 I had already bought to my daughter ;^) Darius TSM-1431 = $280 cdn! Awaiting NVDI ET........ path already worn to the mailbox ;(.....Jon ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 77 Tue Mar 22, 1994 A.FASOLDT [Al Fasoldt] at 10:24 EST Jolly, That's a jolly price. Wonder what the manufacturer really is? There are only a few, and they show up with many different brand names. Al ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 78 Wed Mar 23, 1994 S.FOSKETT [Lancer] at 19:50 EST >That's a jolly price. Wonder what the manufacturer really is? There are only a >few, and they show up with many different brand names. Indeed, Al... Here at WPI we have LOTS of computers and quite a few have "darius" monitors on them. They're a good, plain monitor and work well. Nothing special, they just work and are cheap. .s. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 79 Thu Mar 24, 1994 A.FASOLDT [Al Fasoldt] at 07:18 EST Lancer, WPI? Al ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 80 Fri Mar 25, 1994 J.DINGA [Jolly Jon] at 19:39 EST Our club has obtained a diagnostic cartridge to help in the repair of members' cpu. Is there a 'official' list of which ROMs for the cart are for which computer?.....STill waiting for BEST's catalogue or I would know ;^) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 81 Fri Mar 25, 1994 J.DINGA [Jolly Jon] at 19:41 EST Al, I dont know, and I wont be hooking it up till I get my CD manual back from a friend - making a switcherbox ;^) Jon ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 83 Fri Mar 25, 1994 A.PHILLIPS5 [iNTERCOM] at 20:55 EST I have a 1040ST w/1 meg ram. Will this work with an Infotel 14.4 kbps modem? Thanks! Alan a.phillips5 ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 84 Sat Mar 26, 1994 M.DRYSDALE [Drys] at 09:39 EST >Our club has obtained a diagnostic cartridge to help in the repair of >members' cpu. Is there a 'official' list of which ROMs for the cart >are for which computer? We use 5 different carts here. 1. TT only 2. MSTe only 3. STe only 4. Ver 4.6 for middle aged ST's (MEGA, 1040FM) 5. Ver 3.x for the oldest ST's Also there is a FALCON only cart. Sometimes we'll put the 'wrong' cart into a machine. The 'wrong' diagnostic errors can be revealing. BTW, to accurately check out a ST requires more than the correct cart. One should also have the test fixture and cables, repair manuals, replacement parts, lots of tools, and experience. Mike, GenTech and POWER Computers ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 85 Sat Mar 26, 1994 V.MAYEVSKI [ukrainian] at 16:20 EST Hello, For two month I have tried to contact Atari by phone and all the times I was reffered to Bob Browdie (I hope I spelled it right) but I've never been able to talk with him. I used to live in California but I moved to Oklahoma three month ago. After I moved I decided to buy several programms but I was told by my dealer in California (Steve Kipker) that I need to ask for a permission from Atari in order to buy from him. Well, I am asking for a permission. Thank yuo. Victor (Ukrainian) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 86 Sat Mar 26, 1994 R.WATSON15 [Wayne Watson] at 20:44 EST Victor, I have never heard of having to have permission from Atari to buy programs from a particular dealer. There was a dealer strangulation thing where you had to get permission to buy a Falcon mail order but, that has been lifted. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 87 Sun Mar 27, 1994 S.FOSKETT [Lancer] at 19:32 EST >Lancer, Yes? >WPI? Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Mass, USA) - my school (for another 2 months!) .s. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 88 Mon Mar 28, 1994 A.FASOLDT [Al Fasoldt] at 21:58 EST Lancer, WPI: Thanks for explaining. You know about RPI? I grew up a few miles from it. Al ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 89 Thu Mar 31, 1994 J.DINGA [Jolly Jon] at 00:28 EST Drys, thanks, and as a sidebar, we use the service manuals as well ;^) We are gradually learning as we go..... and helpful hints from the more experienced .... hhmmm.... ? ;^) adTHANKSvance....jon ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 90 Sat Apr 09, 1994 F.HENSE [FRANK] at 08:01 EDT A.phillip5 -- Intercomm, The speed of the modem should not be a problem if you run the the right TOS patchs. You'll something to set up CTS/RTS and the serial port. I run TurboCTS, Poolfix4, and TOS14fx5 in my auto folder on a TOS 1.4 520 (2.5MB} with a SUPRA 14.4 on a BBS. Do you have a Hard drive? Floppys may not write fast enough for the data flow.. What terminal program do you use? Frank ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 91 Sun Apr 10, 1994 R.MORROW10 [bob M.] at 21:17 EDT Frank-- You might want to dump TurboCTS in favor of Serial Fix. They're both by the same author, and in the docs for SerFx he mentioned that TurboCTS only fixed the symptoms of the problems (phantom typist, bogus CPS rates, etc) where SerFx actually fixes them. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 92 Thu Apr 14, 1994 J.VENGROUSK1 [sHOWMAN] at 01:48 EDT Help Help Help Help''' Have a Mega4/Miniscribe65/Syquest44 setup 9 each in it's own housing) my craziness is from the fans. EACH one od these things has more fan noise than any computer system I've been around and TOGETHER they're like living iwith a constantly running vacuum cleaner. The Mega is the worst but they're all pretty bad. hwo much cooling do these boxes really need? How can I cut back on the fan noise/speed without hurting them? ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 93 Thu Apr 14, 1994 J.MEEHAN3 [>> Joe M << ] at 05:44 EDT Showman, There is a file in the library describing how to add a resistor to the fan in a Supra shoebox case. It does make the drive a lot quieter. It has been used by a number of people, including me, with success. The same approach should work with other drives, but remember you are reducing the air flow and therefor increasing the internal temp. This could be a problem if the equipment was running hot to start with, or if it were running on a hot day. You could do as I did and add a switch to the circuit. With the switch I could speed the fan back to full speed if it were a hot day and go back to low when the room temp was cooler. I don't remember the file name, but it would be old (two or three years old?) file and should have Supra, and fan or noise as key words. >> Joe M << ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 94 Thu Apr 14, 1994 F-D-PERCIVAL [Fred P.] at 07:34 EDT Showman, An alternate approach is to drill a hole somewhere in each case and mount a potentiometer in one of the fan wires. That way you can dial up the fan speed you need. I did this to my Toadfile SyQuest unit (equipped with supertubro fan) and have been running very quietly in the winter and not quite so quietly in the summer for a few years now. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 95 Sat Apr 16, 1994 V.MAYEVSKI [ukrainian] at 02:05 EDT The best solution would be to buy a noiseless fan. There are some on the market although I have never looked for them. Victor (Ukrainian) ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 96 Sat Apr 16, 1994 J.VENGROUSK1 [sHOWMAN] at 11:02 EDT thanks all.. the resistor approauch had occured to me pending someone jumping up[ and having a real life reason to yell 'DON'T DO IT!' the only piece with any amount of mnoticeable warmth from it is the MEGA4... maybe i'll get inventive and copy the internal heat-controlled circuit from one of my tourong power amps! ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 97 Sat May 14, 1994 B.MENAGH at 11:44 EDT My mono monitor (SM124) just maid a quiet phssst sound, the picture shrank to almost nothing (a light line horizontal near the middle). Is there any idea what may have happened? Is it worth repairing or sould I consider a new one? Any assistance is appreciated, Bill ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 98 Sat May 14, 1994 M.SLAGELL [Mark] at 19:43 CDT >My mono monitor (SM124) just maid a quiet phssst sound, the picture >shrank to almost nothing (a light line horizontal near the middle). >Is there any idea what may have happened? Is it worth repairing or >sould I consider a new one? Bill, a loss of vertical deflection, which is what that horizontal line means, is not the most discouraging symptom I can think of. I say don't chuck it in the trash just yet. Check the capacitors on the main board. (It could be lots of things, but I'm guessing from the 'phssst' sound.) You might be able to tell by sight that one of them is damaged--it's bloated, cracked, puffed out at the top, no longer quite cylindrical in some way; or it has discharged a pus puddle onto the board. If I remember right there's a 100uF/100V cap in the vertical circuit that gets a lot of exercise. Or, just take it somewhere and have it looked at. <g> ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 99 Sun May 15, 1994 J.MEEHAN3 [>> Joe M << ] at 11:18 EDT Bill, Just as Mark said. The sound was the give a way. >> Joe M << ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 100 Sun May 15, 1994 R.HOUSE4 [Rene] at 14:55 PDT My current set up is a TT030 w/4megs of ST and 4megs of TT ram. I have a HP4M Laserjet printer hooked up to it. Recently, I picked up a good used SLM605 and now have both laser printers hooked up to the TT030. I have been unsuccessful in getting the SLM605 to work however and would like to know what will it take to be able to use it as the primary printer for 'proofing' files from PGS2, WordPerfect, LDW, DataManager, STeno, STalker, & STraight Fax using Speedo GDOS. The HP would then be used for final copy. Is it possible to use both printers? What's it take to get the SLM605 to work? What's it take to switch between printers? If I need programs/files what are they? Can I get them here on GEnie or do I have to order them & from where? Thanks for the help. I also posted this message in Topic 11 (Atari Laser Printers) since I wasn't sure where it should go. ------------ Category 14, Topic 4 Message 101 Tue May 24, 1994 P.BULLOCK2 [PETER] a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 I've been going through my old Atari disks and have found some text files that you guys might be interested in reading. Some are Atari Explorers, some GEnie captures of various things and some are just misc stuff. I'll post a few here and if no one's interested, I'll stop. GEnie was amazing, I sure do miss those days. Good stuff! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tillek Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 GEnie was amazing, I sure do miss those days. Good stuff! I never got to experience those much. Occasionally when there was a free offer (but notice how the free offer barely covered the sign up time and reading all the disclaimers?) When I was old enough and had my own money that I could have chosen to spend, they had already gone by the wayside (or were still on life support but there were better ways). It would be great if someone could actually find archives of that and set it up as a nostalgia piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zap! Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 I never got to experience those much. Occasionally when there was a free offer (but notice how the free offer barely covered the sign up time and reading all the disclaimers?) When I was old enough and had my own money that I could have chosen to spend, they had already gone by the wayside (or were still on life support but there were better ways). It would be great if someone could actually find archives of that and set it up as a nostalgia piece. I have tons of archives that I printed out on my dot matrix printer. This was from early 1993, which is in my opinion GEnie's last good year. I'll have to look for them one day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atarian1 Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 I stayed with GEnie until the end. I actually believed them when they said they wanted to transfer everything over to the web. Well, they started it but never really finished before suddenly shutting it down for good. The sad part is that there was so much good information on that service. I wish I could have downloaded all the message boards before they shut it down. Too bad I was so naive in believing them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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