KERI and MUFFY?

[+Allan]

From the New Interview from the Antic podcast:

 

August 3, 1984

TO : Phil Suen
FROM: V. Wu

RE : 800XL Status Report

SYSTEM ACHITECHTURE

Microdisk Drive - George Nishura wrote a report on the 3 types of
recording methods and their implementation cost. The 3 types
are: FM, MFM, and GCR. In conjunction with Mike Barall, the
disk controller was designed with the WD 1770 and ADC 8049
for MFM recording. The schematic was developed and the
prototype was wirewrapped. This project is on schedule.

MUFFY - this is a 68 pin package, combining FREDDIE with the
functions of the MMU. It was waiting for the disk controller
design prior to its pin specification. Both designs are
completed. In addition, Dave Sovey and Peter Atesian have
draw up a MUFFY functional block diagram. They are working
on the schematic, and they expect to send it to the vendor
by the middle of next week. This project in on schedule.

KERI - John Hinman performed the standard ATARI home computer
burn-in functional test program on a modified 800XL with
KERI. He reported that KERI passed this test.

DOCUMENTATION

SCHEDULE - it will be available on August 6, 1984.

MANUAL - I'll have to identify the marketing support responsible
person to assist with the 800XL manual.

SCHEMATIC - George Kulcher have been drawing up a schematic for
both the 800XL and the 900XL. It is waiting on the pinout
specification of MUFFY. The project is ahead of schedule.

PARTS LIST - this will be generated when the schematic is finished.

BOX & PACKING MATERIALS - same as the manual, I'll have to find
the support displine within the company.

SYSTEM SOFTWARE

DISK FIRMWARE - It is currently being designed by Mike Barall.
While the processor is the same as the 1450, the microfloppy
firmware will be a major re-design because of the lack
of a 2K static RAM and only 128 bytes of internal processor
RAM memory to support 256 byte sector.

OS - We are currently studying the implementation of supporting
DOS like function in ROM. It will be a major OS change
to support MUFFY and the microfloppy controller.

NOTA BENE

KERI and MUFFY will have to have test programs and equipment
to qualify them during production. Currently, Peter Atesian
said that we do not have the equipment of testing a 68 pins
device.

 

 

Sounds pretty interesting. I'm glad they never put DOS in rom though.

 

Allan

 

[Rybags]

I didn't realise they developed a combined Freddie/MMU - I guess the functionality didn't match what was needed for the XE line hence the retention of MMU and EMMU on those machines.

Plus, probably cheaper to use PLA types for MMU which allows config/logic changes without any great retool/redesign costs.

[+Allan]

I don't think that Jack had the time to use these possibly-not-fully-developed boards. I'm guessing that all the people working on them were laid off.

 

Allan

[Caterpiggle]

Good evening Allan,

 

Did you have any "lost" vaporware disk images that made for Keri and Muffy Chips Prototype ? I am interesting to know what is on the disk firmware that developed by Mike Barall.

Edited January 9, 2015 by Caterpiggle

[+Allan]

Good evening Allan,

 

Did you have any "lost" vaporware disk images that made for Keri and Muffy Chips Prototype ? I am interesting to know what is on the disk firmware that developed by Mike Barall.

I don't have anything.

 

http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/

 

Allan

[+hunmanik]

I noticed at https://archive.org/details/Rustad_Atari_8bit there's a second, similar memo from August 10, 1984. I thought it should be posted here next to the August 3 memo.

 

 

August 10, 1984

TO : Phil Suen
FROM: V. Wu

RE : XL Project Status Report

SYSTEM ACHITECHTURE

Microdisk Drive - After a meeting with John Honig, George
Nishura defined the pin/interface specification. It
is a DIN connector with 14 pins.

MUFFY - Dave Sovey designed the MUFFY simulator and Michael
Wooding is building it. In the event that Wooding is
assigned to another project, Songly Mu will be able to
bring it to completion. Peter Atesian has indentified
a vendor that will commit to a schedule of Sept. 20;
however, a purchase order will need to be issued. Randy Hoopai
is entering the MUFFY schematic into the MENTOR system.

KERI - Peter Atesian informed me that ASG is developing a test
program for KERI. However, the Note from the previous
status report is still a primary concern.

DOCUMENTATION

SCHEDULE - enclosed with this status report.

FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION - The 1450 specs is on the VAX; and
it can be modify for the XL product. Randy Hoopai will
be generating the XL specs.

MANUAL - Phil Suen will determine whether under the new guideline,
the project is responsible for the manual.

SCHEMATIC - Sonly Mu is continuing the drafting of the schematic.
It is still waiting on the MUFFY pinout specification that will
be finalized on Aug. 15. Randy Hoopai and Gary Rubio will
help to enter the schematic onto the MENTOR system.

PARTS LIST - this will be generated when the schematic is finished.

BOX & PACKING MATERIALS - same as the manual

SYSTEM SOFTWARE

DISK FIRMWARE - Mike Barall finished writing the 8049 firmware.
It cannot be tested until the 6502 disk handler is written.

OS - It was decided to put a FMS (DOS routines) in ROM. Mike
Barall is commited to having a working OS by Oct. 31 and
Tom Brightman will continue to keeping the Data General
as the development tool. "Working" OS is defined as one
that can be demostrated to the customers.

TEST SOFTWARE(S) - John Hinman is designing a complete test
program for MUFFY.

NOTA BENE

The initial pacing item is the availability of MUFFY. Once
MUFFY is available, then the pacing item will be the system
software.

KERI and MUFFY will have to have test programs and equipment
to qualify them during production. Currently, Peter Atesian
said that we do not have the equipment of testing a 68 pins
device.

[zzip]

Muffy...

 

 

That reminds me of the old Atari commercial where the family is in a car and the dad says "Buffy, Muffy, Biff Jr. and I are out for our sunday drive"

 

I know Atari tended to name chips after office women, so I'm guessing they had a Muffy working there?

Edited August 9, 2017 by zzip

[emkay]

Someone should check release date of news. Possibly the base is some 1st of April

[Curt Vendel]

These are all quite accurate. This is all from data I recovered from the Atari mainframe restores I did from 2005 through 2010. I found Mark's name in the files, contacted him around that time and sent over a zip with the files in an email to discuss with him, so I guess when he did the interview he provided the files to Kevin. I have the schematic hard copies of the electronics and topology designs for the network, it was pretty much what Apple used on its Mac's for Localtalk. On Muffy and Keri - I have a physical 800XLK system with a KERI chip on it and I have schmematics done in Aug through Oct 84 with Keri and Muffy on them and using an 8049 so the work had definitely been well underway. I think due to the money constraints the Tramiels were under, the scaled back things considerable on the new XL line and had to focus more on RBP which was the companies future.