Larry

Another video question -- is the VGA connector on the back active, or is that actually used as DVI. (That would make conversion to S-video easier than HDMI, I believe.) I've been watching Nir's videos on the Eclaire -- really impressive. -Larry

Rats! Your beat me to it. I spotted that right off, but still fired up my XL to make sure. -Larry

I'm interested to try CPM (again) with the Indus/Ramcharger. Tried it with my ATR8000 using Percom drives, but was generally unimpressed. It would be interesting to hear responses, particularly if folks find some CPM applications that they like and think are useful. We'll need a new CPM thread. -Larry

Thanks! 480i is the most logical and will be easy to convert. -Larry

Yes, interested, also. But an important question for me -- what video standard will this output? "HDMI" -- but what flavor? NTSC, 480i? 720p? Need to know this to find a suitable converter so I can use my S-video (unless you provide a conversion to S-video). -Larry

Just downloaded and played this -- very nice! Thanks for the work to both you and Playsoft. -Larry

"the device itself is encapsulated in blue expoxy" I wonder if Bob Puff made them for him?

Yes, I had forgotten about the Critical Connection for CPM systems. I did find the users manual by Googling "Critical Connection" CPM Computers If you type much else, you get a bunch of references to the "Critical Path Method." Do you have any info on the cable construction? Since it was also a serial port device, it must have been fairly similar.

What are the known functioning issues at this point? Surely there are some... -Larry

Several -- for the RS232 port. And those were based either on the Max-232 or 1489 (or the better 14C89). A few even used other IC's, but these two were the most common. The "father" of SIO2PC was Nick Kennedy who started things with the Max-232. Rick Cortes (IIRC) simplified things with the 1489. If you Google Nick Kennedy, you should find his site and lots of info. Before Steve Tucker did the SIO2PC-USB adapter, he also had plans at his site for building the 1489 version. He had a really clear diagram for builders.

In addition to this one and several hardware add-on devices (such as the MIO and BB), wasn't there a magazine program to use the extra 64K of an XE as a printer buffer? I'd swear that I remember it from Analog or Compute!, but can't find it in online searches. Anyone remember it? -Larry

Nir asked a really good question that I'm also very interested in... would this fit in a 600XL case? I saw your pic with the scale, so it really looks like it would fit. The back of the case is going to need some serious surgery one way or another. I also saw the reply about the XE keyboard, but if this could be put in a 600XL (or even 800XL) case, I would want to attach the Atari keyboard. IMO, a PC keyboard is good, but a real Atari keyboard would be much better. Plenty of room inside a 600XL case for a hard drive adapter. Joysticks and SIO cables would have to "snake" out the back, and the only remaining issue I see is the cartridge port. Maybe a flexible cable adapter could be used for the cartridge port (as on the Rev e IDE+2). So, how about attaching an Atari keyboard? Can you make a workable adapter? And what is the status of an S-video adapter? Alternatively, does anyone have any experience with one of these adapters (or similar)? https://www.ebay.com/itm/1080P-HDMI-To-3-RCA-AV-CVBS-Composite-S-Video-Audio-Video-Converter-Adapter/183277270807?hash=item2aac2d3717%3Am%3AmnetthEhKMKbb9mcGphCbSQ&var=690569781666&_sacat=0&_nkw=HDMI+to+s-video+adapter&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC1.A0.H0.XHDMI+to+s-video+adapter.TRS0 -Larry

Are there some current specs from you or foft? For instance, I remember the early description that it would run in accelerated mode -- maybe 20 MHZ or so? Any thoughts about what kind of case this might fit in? 10-pin header is for printer port (or)? 5 Volt PS -- how many amps needed? 3, maybe? Looks amazing! -Larry

What is changed in "F" -- did you fix the cartridge fit issues in "F?" Do you have a link, if the changes are listed somewhere? -Larry

Make it two for me instead of one. I'll "spread" the postage over two units. (Presume two will fit in the same envelope?) That postage is not really all that bad. The USPS charges $6 for a "small box" priority shipment even if it is across town. 9 Euros is pretty good, all the way from Germany. -Larry

Thanks!

Hi Jurgen! I'd like one! (Looks like more interest than you might have thought?) Do you have any idea about how you would ship and the postage? -Larry

Thanks for the links! I had not heard of of either of these.

Do you have a link or any info to track this down?

Of course, that's your opinion -- and mine is quite different. But this isn't another "mine is better" thread. It's a question about the status of something that quite a few folks have tried to do.

Pentagorat for the Vic 20 (if you are not familiar with it) is an isometric "escape from the dungeon" puzzle game. I can't think of any A8 games that are very similar to it, but there must be some. Do you recall any? This game requires a 32K ram expander and is quite sophisticated for the Vic 20, I'd say. There are Youtube videos of the game play. It also supposedly can be played on VICE. -Larry

I remember Candle talking about it, but don't recall anything past planning. I also seem to remember some discussion about some Sids available in Poland. The SwinSid replacements (and maybe others by now) would seem to provide plenty of resources, although not cheaply. Wish it had happened, although modern PC Sid emulation is quite good to my ears.

I can remember a number of these projects with anywhere from one to five! SID chips in them. But beyond the hardware, it would seem that software would add another large impediment. So I don't recall any of them being finished. (?) -Larry

Thanks for the repliies! Mattsoft -- that is really a great write-up with the parts, and everything! Any guesstimate as to the speed of the RPi vs the 130XE? Or benchmark with Ahl or Sieve? -Larry

Here's a new question for an older thread... Is there anything for our Atari like the "Keyrah" adapter that is used for C64 etc. as shown in this video? C64 or no, this is neat, I think. But there are other hardware adaptations that do similar things (and a lot more). -Larry