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sloopy

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Posts posted by sloopy

    SDrive-Arm (SDrive2) issues/questions

    in Atari 8-Bit Computers

    Posted

    I own all models of the Atari 8 bit line, among them a 800XL, a 130XE and a 600XL are the ones that I actively use (all NTSC). None of these computers have speed issues with my SIO2PC-USB, so i tend to blame the peripheral implementation rather than my computer's tolerance in these speed issues.

     

    Unfortunately, I don't own a scope so I have no means to observe signal timing, just trying to use my common sense and logic.

     

     

    My apologies, I am not being clear enough and leaving out information...

     

    Your SIO2PC-USB I would guess is probably a FTDI based one? Or one of the AtariMax units? (others are similar, but not all. and I am most familiar with the FTDI FT232RL as I have sold hundreds of sio2pc-usb adaptors with them)

     

    The issue is the Atari uses non-standard baud rates, the FTDI chip in your SIO2PC-USB is capable of selecting speeds that are non-standard to a rather high degree of resolution. These SDrive type devices are not...

     

    Different high speed drivers on the Atari will be more 'accepting' of data rates ( 'baud rates') that are off 'standard' or even try to be closer to common rates. Even the Atari 'standard' rates of 1x, 2x, 3x are not the same as true RS-232 rates (Serial/SIO@2x = 38400bps/38730bps, Serial/SIO@3x = 57600/59387)

     

    The speeds for the divisors below 10 are:

    divisor 10 = 52400

    divisor 09 = 55675

    divisor 08 = 59387

    divisor 07 = 63628

    divisor 06 = 68523

    divisor 05 = 74233

    divisor 04 = 80982

    divisor 03 = 89080

    divisor 02 = 98797

    divisor 01 = 110598

    divisor 00 = 125000

     

    'Standard' data rates are:

    110, 150, 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200, 230400, 460800, 921600

     

    Which as you can see the Atari is no where near in the higher reaches... But the serial-USB controller (such as the FT232RL) can use 'odd' rates as its speed can be defined using a number that is 'user' generated and allow 'steps' in speed that can more accurately match POKEY in terms of speed.

     

    sloopy.

    SDrive-Arm (SDrive2) issues/questions

    in Atari 8-Bit Computers

    Posted

     

    Oh I know all about the SIO capacitors hardware hack, but my Atari works just fine with SIO divisor 0 (zero) when an SIO2PC is used. I see no computer related reason for it to fail at the same speed with another peripheral device. This leads me to believe the limiting factor here is the peripheral not the computer. Yes, it is true that divisor $06 is enough for most if not all purposes but the issue here is to find the reason why it is failing. Maybe the reason is hidden between the lines of the original SDrive documentation. The docs say SDrive supports 19 to 69K bps. SDrive2 on the other hand doesn't seem to specify any speed limits, and using an ARM processor i assumed that it would support all SIO speeds. I may be wrong in my assumption, but I guess only the author of the new firmware can verify that.

     

     

    You can try hooking it up to a scope (and not one of those USB dongle types, something with 50-100Mhz resolution), and looking at the timing of the bit pulses...

     

    sloopy.

    SDrive-Arm (SDrive2) issues/questions

    in Atari 8-Bit Computers

    Posted

     

     

     

    Please see OP re: "The same computer has zero issues with a SIO2PC-USB running at any speed within the allowable range (indexes $0 to $28)"

     

     

     

     

    SIO.SYS /A is what I really meant. The /A switch causes SDX to bypass high-speed operation and let the OS handle SIO. That's what i always use working with SDX using the high-speed OS from the Ultimate 1MB.

     

     

    I am not sure whether SDrive2 actually changes the speed on the fly when one presses CTRL-U or U. Actually, thinking about it maybe it does and that's probably why saving the settings fail right after speed index is changed to $04.

     

    That would be the other issue most likely... The divisors are not exact, and as you get into the upper speeds, the Atari has less tolerance for 'drift'... You also have the issue of how off the crystal is from exactly 1.79Mhz...

     

    I will test mine tonight and see what it says... as my 800XL wont work reliably on divisors below about 4-5 on SDrive Micro, SIO2PC (Serial), SIO2PC-USB, or on my SDrive Nuxx...

    • Like 1

    SDrive-Arm (SDrive2) issues/questions

    in Atari 8-Bit Computers

    Posted

    You are at the cusp of the abilities of that Atari, some will do better and others will be stable at $06 and no more...

     

    You can get a Timeout as the Atari can receive some of the data, but not the whole data frame...

     

    When you hit the break key, the Atari resets its speed setting to the new speed, until you do this the Atari does not know the SIO speed has changed.

     

    As for your file system issues, I have not used mine enough to comment.

     

    sloopy.

    • Like 2

    Atari 65XE startup issues

    in Atari 8-Bit Computers

    Posted

    Take the power cable and move it around a little while it is on and see if there is any change in the display.

     

    open the 65XE and see if any of the IC's are socketed... if they are, removed them and then put them back in (dont bend any pins ;) )...

     

    replace the DRAMs if there is 8 of them and they have 'MT' written on them...

     

    sloopy.

    • Like 1

    Where did chat option go?

    in Site and Forum Feedback

    Posted

    Come to irc, we would love to have you ;)

     

    http://urql.com/atari@irc

     

    yea that's what I want, considering dick pic's already been passed around in normal java chat, is a dope video chat with 19 links on every message and a dumbass emoji, it's the shiznat

     

    its not needed and not used by the vast majority of people here, need proof, see this thread where 8, which one is the admin, so 7 out of how many thousand people even noticed it was gone

     

    ps i am pretty sure the village bbs people love refugees as it's intended as a southern Florida microgroup of arcade nerds, they sure as shit didnt like it when 4 of us was on there 2 years ago

     

    besides I am sure billy can find an outlet how obama ruined his entire life over 100 watt light bulbs and how SSG is just in absolute HELL cause his teacher makes him learn something, somewhere where its appropriate

     

    fact is the majority of the time the chat room is just non choherent ranting by morons who spend all their time and money on vidia games and blame everyone else for their issues, its a cest pit

     

    ~osgeld

    chatroom user darn near daily since 2013

    Apple IIc Plus (or two)

    in Buy, Sell, and Trade

    Posted

    I have two Apple IIc+ machines.

     

    1) Boots fine, beyond booting the ADTPro floppy no testing was done (it will include the ADTPro Floppy)

    post-24811-0-99342700-1489037560_thumb.png post-24811-0-19749100-1489037609_thumb.png post-24811-0-64725100-1489037661_thumb.png

    2) Starts up, but wont boot the floppy, but otherwise seems to be ok, case is a little sunburned tho...

    post-24811-0-25725500-1489037582_thumb.png post-24811-0-21085500-1489037631_thumb.png

     

    I also have a couple floppy drives, I can include one 5.25" external drive for each machine for additional $25+ shipping

     

    I will also include 5 floppy disks of your choice of; NOS stock for 3.5", or new athena's for 5.25"

     

    Prices are 1) $200USD+shipping and 2) $175USD+shipping, offers are welcome.

     

    Paypal or local pickup (Northern DE/ NE MD area)

    Anybody seen or heard from Sloopy?

    in Atari 8-Bit Computers

    Posted

    Sorry, I have not been online much lately beyond looking for a job... I am still around, but have no money at the moment...

     

    Please note, there HAVE been some VBXE's shipped... some as recently as a couple months ago (yes, I know still no excuse), but just so it is known, I am not 'shirking'... I am just being very slow...

     

    the people who have gotten them, I will ask them in message if they will post in here to let others know they ARE being shipped... I should have 3-4 done in the next week or so and will ship them according to the list.

     

    sloopy.

    • Like 1
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