Gunstar

Well, yes, both would be best, I agree, but at the moment I only care about software 80 column support as that is all I have or need. Eventually I will obtain a VBXE, and happily use it's hardware 80-colunm support, but I'm not buying it for that reason, and I won't ever be buying any hardware 80-column device if that is all it does, because with my system, software 80 columns works perfectly well for me and my needs, even better than I need. So since I'll only probably ever have a VBXE for one of my computers, I'll still want to use my perfectly acceptable software 80-columns on my other machine(s). And I think there are plenty of other SynCalc users who don't have hardware 80-column either, but would love to use SynCalc in 80-columns like me, and also only have software 80-column options whether they are pre-loaded software or in an OS, or they went with the cheaper, ACE/80 solution.

This is the same way I feel about just using 80 column software and not caring about a VBXE or XEP80 (or Bit-3) hardware 80 columns. I plan on getting a VBXE, and I will use it's hardware 80 columns when I do get it, but it has zero to do with why I want a VBXE. Software 80 columns, with the video upgrades and/or video converters I have are perfectly sharp and clear and I see no reason to buy hardware just for slightly nicer looking fonts and minutely sharper images than what I already have. Especially with Sophia 2's video output it can't get any sharper with hardware 80 columns, and can only have a nicer looking font. Though I'm not sure what "fleet" refers too. My guess is you are referring to multiple Atari 8-bits as a "fleet?"

This is one of my planned future projects that I will use my dual-PIA and Pokeymax upgrades with 8 controller ports on my 800, to do. Have an 8-bit smart house with the 6502 to manage, and my multiple POKEY and PIA upgrades carrying out the control and communication through the 8 ports, some out to Atarilab interfaces and some ports directly to 9-pin plugs, to connect to the outside world and on to my household environment. I'm also learning to program so I can create the software myself for this and other planned projects.

Fantastic! So we now have 180K disk support and CX85 keypad support for SynCalc! Other than disk support to actually match top SynCalc ram support of 245K (and 180K is good enough for me, I can keep my files within that limit and only use that much of the available ram at a time) the only thing we need now for SynCalc is support for software 80 column drivers like Omniview 80's or the ACE/80. How feasible would this be? Having tested many commercial programs with Omniview 80 years ago when I got a Warp+ 32-in-1 OS installed in my 1200XL, I know there are quite a few that stick to mode E:/graphics 0 screens and will work in Omniview's 80 column mode, even if they only work on the left half of screen, if they worked at all, since they were formatted for 40 columns when programmed. Of course there's no practical use for that, so regardless if an app would work on an 80 column screen but only fill half, popular programs like Atariwriter+ and Letter Perfect were often patched by the 80-column software/hardware developer/publisher to use the full 80 columns and not just the first 40. I , of course, never tried SynCalc with Omniview 80 because I at least know from my experience of software 80 column drivers (also SDX's 80 columns) that it won't work because it doesn't use full mode E:/graphics 0 screens, but has a row or more with double-wide characters for menu screen titles, etc. But if that part of the screen display could be hacked to work in Mode E:/Graphics 0, like the rest of the screen, it might just work, even if it only displays on half the screen. But could it be possible that at least the actual spread-sheet screen, because of the nature of it's layout and scrolling abilities would just automatically fill up the 80 column screen and only the other screens would be half-screen wide? Of course with Murphy's Law, I know it's more likely the actual spreadsheet screen would cause Syncalc NOT to work with a graphic 0 80 column driver) Or at least be hacked to work with mode E: 80 column driver software without much trouble? (no more than was required for DD and CX85 support) Would the pop-up windows be a problem for 80-column support even if they are mode E: just because the way they pop up and are a different color (so a DLI is used)?

Yes, I mis-remembered the controls. So it's holding button for continuous fire and tapping twice to switch...which I think is better than having to tap for constant fire and hold to switch like I mis-remembered anyway. Now I understand Sugarlands last reply to me better as well (it's been a couple months since I had a chance to play), but I also think that the way the controls actually do work with one button makes even a better argument as a preferred method than reaching for the keyboard. I just remember not having a problem with the one-button scheme, even if the a two-button controller is preferable to me. I know I hated using the keyboard for the alternate weapon in Spy-Hunter without the special holder for two controllers and a second button, so much that I made a special controller for Spy Hunter that plugged into both ports and had an extra button (switch) for the alternate weapon. Because attempting to use two controllers without the holder for the alternate weapon is even a worse case scenario than using the keyboard control. But that DIY controller was made before the Joy2B controller mod came along as well as Spy Hunter and other games being hacked for two or more buttons. I use my Joy2B+ controllers with the hacked version of Spy Hunter now too. I know I'd rather have had the original Spy Hunter control scheme have an option for double-tapping the one button to change weapons like TLS, than the keyboard alternative it did have. or having to use a holder and extra controller. For sure.

Though I have controllers modded for two buttons I use with the ABBUC version, I had no trouble before I had a modded controller, with using the one-button scheme of holding fire until it switches to the special weapon. My point being that I think reaching for the keyboard would be more cumbersome, having to take your hand off the controller, unless you have a mounted controller you can use one-handed.

It looks and sounds amazing and I'm looking forward to it's summer release! I'm not a big fan of the abstract level with geometric pattern graphics though, I like to keep my shooters to landscapes and space-scapes; I love the level in space with asteroids. I'm not a fan of the abstract levels in AtariBlast! either, but love the land/space-scape levels there too. The graphics are great, even on the abstract levels, just the subject matter of the backgrounds isn't to my liking in shooters. Though not the best shooter anyway, but it had great graphics, I remember also Trevor Mcfur in the Crescent Galaxy on the Atari Jaguar, and there again, it had abstract levels that really turned me off. So it's nothing personal with TLS, or any of the others games I mentioned. Well, the particular levels and abstract style are a personal thing, but I'd dislike them no matter the shooter game they are in, and still like, or love, the game over-all. It's just a dislike in the mixing of abstract graphic art with shooters; I prefer graphics in shooter that take my imagination to places where I'm flying over planets or large space objects with their own land and water-scapes, or city-scapes or in space with stars and rocks and giant spaceship "city-scapes" scrolling by and the interruption of such levels with abstract graphics destroys my mind's eye fantasy I was in, until it's over and back to graphics that fit my mental fantasy.

I see, so you can make a template to print and use with the CX85, with SynCalc, but you can't actually use the CX85 with SynCalc. Unless there's a driver/handler not yet found to use with it, maybe in the zip files posted above. LOL.

More on the CX85 and using it with SynCalc: I was browsing Bravo-Sierra's software catalog and I came across this entry for SynCalc that caught my eye right away! SynCalc; Synapse SoftWare; 48K Atari/C=64; Comes with Template for CX85 and Template Disk.; (2) Disks, CX85 Template, Docs & Box...............$15.00 U$D. Is this a typo and really means handler for CX85? How can a template for SynCalc make a CX85 work with it? Does anyone have, apparently the '85 version of SynCalc that has both Atari & C64 versions and this template/template disk that can look into this more? Maybe it's worth buying this version even though I already own the original version just for this? I intend to e-mail Ben and ask him more about this, but I may get a response here much quicker so I posted about it...

Kyoto. 92 colors. Kyoto.xex

Well, we have modern replacements for the Pokey now in the different versions of Pokey Max, and now with V3 it seems everything available in the previous versions were thrown into this one, plus the kitchen sink. In fact, I have V2 Pokey Quad + Covox and V3 on the way for my second machine, which both had dual-Pokey upgrades in them previously, So now I have four back-up Pokeys I can save from further ware-and-tear, though if they fail just sitting in storage because some molecules in them went on holiday, I can't stop that until I finish building my stasis chamber. We also have modern replacements for the GTIA in the VBXE and Sophia 2. There are modern versions of the 6502 or 65816 in 1.77/1.79Mhz mode that can be made to work if not drop in replacements. and boards like Rapidus. There are still manufactured versions of the PIA or even and SIA could be made to work. So really, we only need a modern equivalent or compatible upgrade for the Antic.

I agree, the classics in their best form factor is a must, but not at the consoles release. They needed new state-of-the-art arcade games first, get a couple dozen out there at least, then after a respectable library of new arcade hits and Atari originals is out there, then re-release the classics with the much-closer-to-arcade graphics. I do think Asteroids deluxe should have not only come with the console, but it should have been built-in, like the European released 7800, or Missile Command on the XEGS. and then two different 7800 bundles that had either Pole Position II or Xevious as a choice for a pack-in, maybe even both. A dozen new arcade ports and original games should have been out for it the first year, then start sprinkling in the fantastic remakes the second year, they're already classics after all, not what's currently hot. Games like Ikari Warriors, Xenophobe, Double Dragon, Planet Smashers, Kung-fu Master, Rampage and Commando should have been initial releases, or as soon after their arcade releases as possible, and more like these and more new originals. There were a few, like Tower Toppler, Xevious, Dark Chambers, Desert Falcon, Crossbow, etc. that were out at world-wide release or soon after, but never enough and out-numbered by re-makes of the classics and a couple 8-bit computer ports like Impossible Mission and Summer Games and Touchdown Football. The great games it did get were mostly far too little, far too late, like by the time the industry was already moving to 16-bit and beyond. Yes, there were Galaga and Xevious, state-of-the-art arcade games at the test market release under Atari Inc. But then by the time Atari Corp. actually released the console for real, they were already classics, out on the competition too, and no longer state-of-the-art. I'm sure things would have been totally different had Time-Warner not thrown in the towel and carried Atari Inc. through to the other side of the industry gaming crash, and the 7800 released fully in '84 with both new games, and the arcade hits of Atari remade when they weren't yet so long in the tooth, and not the majority of the releases.

If it weren't for the Tramiel's, I wouldn't be the life long fan of the Atari 8-bit I am, even if they only extended it's life long enough, and made it cheap enough, for me to afford. I have the older sturdier machines now, but I wouldn't have any or my life-long hobby without the Tramiel's stepping in and keeping Atari afloat for another decade, I'm also a C64 and Amiga fan (indifferent to ST's) both of which probably wouldn't exist if it weren't for the Tramiels (maybe the Amiga in some form). I am also a Jaguar fan, it still being my favorite console of all-time. Again, it wouldn't exist without the Tramiels. On the other hand, I have never liked the Tramiel's for never properly supporting their machines I love, investing back into the company and products the way I felt they should, and for their, frankly, down right rotten and sometimes dishonest business practices that burned bridges for third-party support they desperately needed. So I love both Commodore and Atari machines, and am a fan of the engineers behind them, but the Tramiel's sucked and seemed to do everything they possibly could to make sure their machines couldn't succeed, but succeeded in spades in alienating and industry and their own customers at every turn. But I must be always grateful the Tramiel's releasing my favorite toys I still enjoy today. I always hoped and prayed that Bushnell or someone else with an actual love and interest in designing and building the best, and with better marketing sense and better business practices would step back in and save Atari and turn it back into the the innovative industry leader that invented one industry in video games, and strives to design the next generation (something the engineers always did at least) at the highest quality, scrambling to be the industry leader in engineering and manufacturing. I'm still waiting...VCS who?

That's why I do things the way I do; it's the journey, not the destination (most of the time) for me with my Atari's. I have Fujinet and a very fine Epson inkjet, and I will use it sometimes, but I also have a working 24-pin dot matrix printer and working 1020 plotter and I love to use them for plotting and word processing and side-ways spread sheets and the wonderful feeling I get from listening and watching them print and plot. But for some things, like 8-bit desktop publishing with Xlent Softwares Printware series and Printshop, etc., I'd rather have the printed copy from a PDF on my inkjet printer, without the banding dot-matrix ribbon printers do to graphic prints, then Fujinet and virtual printing will be a God-send because with desktop publishing, for me, the journey is using the software, but in this case the destination (actual paper print) is important for the best final results the software and computer can create, even if it is all just for fun or casual affairs and occasions with family and friends mostly. However, I do make flyers for current customers for my small contracting business with Atari 8-bit DTP, and my customers get a nostalgic kick out of it! Sure, the graphics and typesets are low-res and primitive compared to 16-bit and later era B&W publishing, but it can compare to 16-bit desktop publishing if you are not constrained in print quality by dot-matrix printouts. I appreciate the old things and new things we can do with our Atari's, but for different reasons and purposes and using any and all hardware, old or new, is something I love and appreciate.

Exactly.

I'm neck deep in a controller port project for I/O control and communication with exterior devices using Atari controller ports for it all. The end result of the project will be 8 controller ports on my 800 (because even 4 wasn't enough) which will be used for a full spectrum of I/O communication and remote control of other machine and device projects and research I plan on doing using all those I/O ports. The very first project using some or all the ports is a robot arm kit I'm building and will control and program through these ports from my 800, for a start, eventually I'll be building an entire robot that will have an 800 motherboard brain in it. The port interfacing are 3 (power switch & Trig modified) Atarilab Interfaces (with 5 more DIY clones I'm going to make )with RCA jacks that external machines and devices I plan on making will connect to during research and development and later direct connection with 9-pin plugs in the final production stages. The project for an extra 4 controller ports on my 800 (and eventually my 1200XL too) includes a dual-PIA board (also an already installed Pokeymax Quad) that will control the extra ports and of course boards for the extra ports. I was going to make my own DIY bread-board boards, but another mad scientist co-conspirator of mine designed and made these wonderful boards for me to fit in my 800 (and will work fine in the 1200XL too) under the shielding and in the 800's PIA socket. and specially made controller port boards that will fit specifically where I want to mount them, on the back of the 800, next to my Sophia 2 DVI port, behind the PSU board heat-sink. He went through 6-7 board revisions from both things he decided to change and requests by me. He has been a valuable asset to me in my planning and implementing this project, Thanks so much for your continuing insight, help and teaching with my preparations for my master plans @Simply_Graham

These aren't up to my usual standards, but I'm tired of working on them and they are just barely good enough, to me, to go ahead and share instead of delete forever. Both from the Steampunk genre. The watch is from a photo of an actual Steampunk watch one can purchase, with separate hour, minute and second faces. I'm thinking about looking into it myself, see what they cost at least... Pretty Deadly. 36 colors. Steampunk watch. 31 colors. PrettyDeadly.xex SteampunkWatch.xex

Brushed silver would certainly fit the brushed metal trim of the XL line. Black would go look good sitting on top of my Indus GT's for my 800. I'd like to get a 4:3 ratio LCD like that for the 800 and program my Sophia 2 for VGA. I'm tired of the wide-screen LCD TV's I've been using with either letter-boxing or or stretched images. But, for my 1200XL I absolutely love the sharpness and color I get from the Supervideo 2.1 upgrade, especially with CRT, I must get back to either straight up Chroma/Luma on my repaired 1084S CRT monitor, or going through my video-to-VGA converter to a quality Sony Trinitron CRT 4:3 VGA monitor. I'll look into one of these Sony's for my 800 though...

Back in the day, I was young and in high school with a 130XE so only Atari Writer+ and a checkbook balance/check print program I typed in out of Antic or Analog were the only "serious" apps I used, and I didn't have a CX85 keypad either. They did the jobs I needed. But in the early 2000's when I started my first business I wanted to use my Atari 8-bit for file and record keeping and book keeping for both nostalgic and security reasons (no remote threats) and because it's a new use for my favorite old computer, something I'm always looking for. I started with Atari's Bookkeeper and filing programs but moved on to Syn series and other, later written and more sophisticated applications. There are plenty of Atari 8-bit application programs to choose from amongst the 10+ years of application software support in both commercial and PD, that are plenty powerful enough for personal and small business use even today, as long as you don't feel the need for easy access to such records constantly on a smartphone, tablet or laptop (though technically you still could with emulators I guess), and the best reason to still use these old apps is the lack of remote access for hackers and thieves, most of which probably wouldn't have a clue how to use or access in person due to the ancient proprietary nature of the beast. Beyond the natural security of an old proprietary and solitary computer though, the only reason for serious apps on these machines, if they can handle the load, is just for the love and fun in using these old computers as much as possible. If all you want from your computer is strictly hobby and gaming, there are plenty of modern day freeware apps for modern machines and of course all the online apps available today with no local software app to load at all. But there is always the danger of hacking and identity theft when your records can all be accessed via the internet 24/7 with all our modern tech, even such abilities as turning on your PC remotely.

I've been thinking, that maybe the CX8139 keypad handler source code (keypad.src on ATR) could be made to work with the 800 48K (+Axlon) version of SynCalc for 800's 52K main memory, with or without Axlon extended memory (and Incognito in 52K Colleen mode + Axlon), if the handler code was moved to the extra 4K under the OS? Or will SynCalc commandeer that 4K automatically if it detects it? IIRC, Syncalc detects Mosaic 64K memory and will use it, so maybe it does the same if it detects 52K main memory? Any programmers up for the challenge?

I have a TK-II board I use during repairs and trouble shooting with the bare mobo, so I can check it out. But I definitely prefer using the CX85 if I can. Good idea though!👍 I just found this in the Atarimania FAQ regarding CX85: Numerical Keypad Handler Master Program Diskette CX8139, by Atari, 1982 - Explicitly promoted by Atari for use with VisiCalc - Disk contains two files: KEYPAD.OBJ and KEYPAD.SRC, which states: DEMONSTRATION OF CX-85 KEYPAD INTERRUPT HANDLER, FLORA P. NG, 3/08/82 - Disk is a boot disk. KEYPAD.OBJ loads and runs on system boot, then prompts the user to: "Insert your program diskette in drive #1 and press RETURN" So this could be a reason for me to start using VisiCalc instead of SynCalc. Also, since the file keypad.src is on the ATR image, maybe it could be hacked to work with SynCalc! But I'm not giving up on a handler for SynCalc yet, there were a couple more CX85 handlers listed in the Atarimania FAQ... CX-85-Driver (Zong 7+8/1994); - CX-85-Keycode-driver (Zong 7+8/1995);

I hoped to get a complete copy of VisiCalc for my 8-bit library collection, but I already have and use SynCalc and other Syn-apps in the Syn-suite collection. And, as said, it's more powerful than VisiCalc (Does VisiCalc for Atari even allow use of extended memory?). I love using my Atari for serious work even today; it makes the paper work more fun because I'm using my old Atari! These old application are perfect for me for my small business day-to-day and personal finances and records. And for word processing too, now with TLW processor and 80-columns. I also recently got a ream of fan-fold printer paper and two new ink ribbon cartridges for my Panasonic KX-P2023 24-pin dot-matrix printer (w/MicroPrint Centronics adapter) for use with it all! For personal and small business finances I love using 'My Personal Net Worth,' it's sophistication for an 8-bit finance app is amazing. And, even though it wasn't made to use with it, I can use my CX85 keypad with MPNW thanks to 'Reevekey' keypad handler (by Alan Reeve, programmer of Diamond GOS) that you load up prior and swap disks for reboot with keypad working! Unfortunately, due to it's use of memory, SynCalc won't work with Reevekey. Anyone know of a CX85 keypad handler that works with Syn-apps? I've tried R.K. and 'Atari CX85 Master Disk' keypad handlers with SynCalc and both are wiped from memory when SynCalc loads. I'll have to see if either keypad handler I have works with VisiCalc... The Atari CX85 Master Diskette CX8139.atr CX85 Reeve Key.atr

Yep, I visited Florida several times; east coast, west coast and Miami, but never lived there.

One Atari dealer still has some in stock, NOS for $99. Apparently limited as it's limit 1 per customer. More than likely that's cheaper than what complete or NOS on ebay have been selling for. But ebay has become the last place I look as this seems to be the trend.

@mytekI had one that looks identical to that one (I still have it somewhere), and it did work pretty well, as you say that one does. The one I had quit working after a year or so though. Hopefully your converter lasts longer than my version did, but for the price you can just buy a back-up or two. That's when I bought my Ambery AV-8 (based on owner experience with Ambery's AV-1 RGB-to-VGA converter) video/S-video-to-VGA about a decade ago that has been wonderful and it works with PAL/NTSC and even displays Flickerterm 80 correctly. Though my Ambery has two modes, one that up-scales the image and does other filtering and one that is the straight, unadulterated video signal, and I forget which mode Flickerterm 80 works correctly in, but I think it's with up-scaling and filtering on. These converters average about $75-100, IIRC, though. Both it and the RGB one have worked flawlessly for more than a decade. But, I've been told that the updated replacement models that Ambery sells now have issues with older PAL signals. Only my PAL 1200XL still uses the VGA converter, now that my PAL 800 has Sophia 2.