Xebec

OK I'm an idiot. I spent a lot of time earlier trying to figure out how to load real ROMs.. and finally after coffee .. now see the option. Last Word is working now with a real 800XL rom - thanks Flashjazzcat - you're a real Atari 8bit hero

Is there any concept or way to implement "fast ram" on the Atari 8-bit like is possible on the Amiga? Something where the CPU has it's own RAM it can access independently of the chipset bus which has access to the common ram, allowing a speedup of certain operations? If not, why is it possible on an Amiga 1000 but not the A8 ?

Banked RAM - I think yes - When I first ran it with 64KB or 128KB, I got an error from LW saying it needed SDX in RAM.. Increasing RAM beyond 128KB puts SDX in RAM so the error went away and LW loaded. OS = "Altirra OS for XL/XE/XEGS" Hardware I tried 600/800XL and 65/130XE

I'm trying to run "The Last Word" under Altirra to look at a few text files.. Whenever I load Last Word, as soon as I try anything -- arrows, typing, ctrl-E for end of file, it just locks and buzzes? I'm using SpartaDOS X as a cartridge, I've tried the latest (3.3 RC) version of LW as well as previous 3.21B. I've tried with and without VBXE, Tried 320KB ram and 1088KB ram. 100% normal speed and ~ 200% speed same results. Hardware as 800XL or 130XE , same results. The pitch is higher when choosing NTSC over PAL if that matters :-P Of course I open with X LW.EXE. any ideas?

Sorry for OT - but now I want to play A.R.on the A8!. The Atari 8bit has so much personality... One question - I know the hardware is 6 years newer - but how does the Sega Master System end up with both better resolution and smoother than the A8 ? Is it the fact that the SMS has dedicated VRAM? (POKEY + Karoke = win still though.. )

I finally studied the motherboards of the STE vs the ST(fm) and noticed that the new STE chips are often combos of old ST chips (i.e. GST = MMU+GLUE), or old ST chips + new STE functionality (SHIFTER = old video shifter + new DMA sound). Is it fair to assume these chips were also manufactured on a newer process than the original chips enabling more transistors for the same or lower cost? I ask as I always found it interesting that commodore didn't take better advantage of Moore's law to reduce costs. The 1992 AGA chipset on the Amiga provided a brand new "Lisa" chip manufactured on a 1.5 micron process, but still included the original Agnus and Paula which were still being made on a very dated/costly 5.0 micron process. P.S. It looks like Falcon may have continued the trend of a newer manufacturing process too.. COMBEL = MMU+GLUE+Blitter. , not sure what Falcon chip includes the STE DMA sound though..

Thanks! I am wondering how far we are away from being able to 'restart production' of these machines if needed.. We have 3D printers good enough to do the cases now (the submersion kind), PCBs are pretty easy to get made.. we just need a way to have small batches of custom ICs made for low cost

I stupidly damaged my 520STm case by putting in 'too long of screws' in the front, causing two ugly plastic bulges.. Any idea where I could get a 520STm case ? My motherboard is working fine, (has TOS on ROM, and a Marpet upgrade yielding 2.5MB of RAM, and is a candidate for some Exxos toys in the future), but would like a nicer case... Of course spare parts wouldn't hurt. I prefer the size/look of the non-floppy 520ST.. I'm weird like that.. (plus it was my first ST). Thanks John

Apparently not - it works now

Very impressive R0ger! I always liked karoke songs on the A8 (thanks Gary Gilbertson). R0ger - Thanks so much for bringing more joy to the Atari 8bit . P.S. Looks like the extra clock speed of the A8 really helps here vs. other 8bitters.. EDIT: My DNS doesn't resolve atariklub.cz -- can someone post the IP? I just want to check out their website..

Exxos - does the 4MB STFM upgrade require a specific version of TOS? I have an old 1040STfm that seems like it should get one of these before the stocks disappear

I did a few searches and I couldn't find anything about this -- but this article appears to indicate one of the first (or THE first?) touch screen + color point of sale (POS) terminal was powered by a 520ST? http://www.viewtouch.com/birthplace.html and pic of the interface from Comdex 86 - http://www.viewtouch.com/comdex_1986_1b.png

Nice Focus! - I always wondered if someone would take advantage of the "ST" on that hot hatch

I'm reading the commodore the Amiga years preview and it mentioned a very successful Apple IPO in 1980. I know from other Atari books that Bushnell said he couldn't get capital in 78 so he went down the Time Warner path to fund Colleen. (Correct me if wrong). So did the market really change that much between 1978 and 80 that the Juggernaut that was Atari couldn't have raised cash via IPO? Surely the name Atari was more exciting then Apple at the time ?

I'd also like one of these. I have 3 non-working Atari 800s.. I will make one of them work with this

And if they hadn't purposely underclocked the 65c816 it would have been better than many newer mac's too..

Have any Apple IIGS games or software been ported that could run on an accelerated VBXE Atari?

I/O - Agreed, I don't think there's any way an A8 would beat the ST on I/O overall unless someone modifies Rapidus or the "Lotharek F7 external card" to have some kind of a special bus to the 65c816. CPU - Agreed - 65c816 is probably minimum to outdo the ST, although a high clocked 6502 is probably enough to keep the system in the ballpark.

Please Please Please make this public - I don't have a facebook account. XEL = awesome

Off by a factor of 8 1/2 * 1.79 MHz * 8 bits = 7.16 megabits = 895 KBytes/sec

I'm looking at a VBXE upgrade later on (step 1 - get back to work, step 2 - buy atari gear ), primarily for a nice clear VGA output, but also to use with SpartaDOS X. Anyway, just academically curious -- When does a modded 800XL overtake the 520ST in technical capability? I think a U1MB+VBXE 800XL+65816 Atari 8bit is the minimum to do so? --> Ultimate1MB = more RAM Sound = Stock POKEY is close enough, nice having an extra sound channel though. ST can probably do better samples out of the box though.. VBXE has graphics modes beyond that of the ST, and a blitter which the base ST didn't have. Sprite support too.. CPU is always a complex comparison, but in DMIPs comparisons, 6502 is 0.43 mips / clock.. * 1.79 = ~ 0.77 MIPs. 68000 is about 1.4 MIPs @ 8 MHz, and on top of that is moving 2-4x (16-32bits) as much data around. .. So you'd need something like the Rapidus 65c816 upgrade to match and exceed the ST's CPU performance. Floppy I/O speed? - You could upgrade a Percom or XF554 to a 3.5" drive (360KB) like the ST. Can POKEY run faster enough to keep up with the ST here? Serial modem speed - Pokey and the ST both max out already at 19200 reliably without mods, (850 interface vs. stock GEM). IIRC ST can do 38400 with software mods; but I suspect there are ways to get a modem to 38400 on the 8-bit as well without modification. Harddisk I/O - The DMI ACSI interface is pretty decent-- theoretical max of 1.25MB/sec, and I believe you can get pretty close to that. The Cartridge port on the Atari 8-bit is not going to be that fast (theoretical max is probably 1/2 * 1.79 mhz * 8-bits?) are there any 65c816 upgrades with faster 'fixed disk' access? MIDI - add-ons available for Atari 8bit. Any other specs to compare for fun?

The middle one might be a BS account 11 sales, most recent sales were $1, $1, $1.25. Some of this has to be flipping going on to make some extra bucks.. I also wish there was a way to report/delist "I buy vintage computer$$$$$" asshats on craigslist..

I would suggest wardialing, but would probably be a bad idea today

Touchdown Football (case, manual, disk) still available for shipping only. Overseas (from USA) shipping seems to be about $22.50 at the cheapest.

Which would everyone recommend as a daily driver - an 800XL or a 1200XL? I have a couple of 1200XLs that need the keyboard treatment (eyeing Best Electronic's keyboard mylar), but also have fully working 800XLs. They *appear* to work otherwise. I plan to move a U1MB onto one of them (off of a dead 800XL), and Stereo Pokey. Which XL makes the better daily driver these upgrades, and why? (and is there any way to loosen up the cartridge port on the 1200XL - the SIDE 2 likes to stick..) In the future I may look at a 65c816 accelerator, and possibly VBXE.. but have to get back into the workforce first . The machine will be sharing a table with a Mega STE and an Amiga 1200, and for peripherals - a 1050 drive, 850 interface, and wifi232 modem.. small CRT monitor. Thanks, John