Stephen J. Carden

Hi Panther! Yes in most cases I will Purchase Atari Hardware Upgrades and will 99% of the time get at least 2 of them. and her is why I do this. I try to test RealDos with every hardware configuration that is around If there is only a single run of a product and I have only one and it becomes damaged I can no longer test that setup. I do not know why things work this way but if I have two of a bit of hardware the first one always works. The other thing that is most useful is I have been able to loan or give hardware to friends that for whatever reason did not have that hardware and really needed it. Now it the hardware is something really good like the Mega Speedy and Ultimate 1 Meg, IDE Plus 2.0 rev D or S I will often purchase 5 to ten of an hardware upgrade. Now when all that hardware is sold out and the designer no longer wants to to working on that project they want to go on to the next hardware design and build. I now have hardware I can trade, Give, or barter with. I have lost count on how many Ultimate 1 Meg's, Stereo Pokey, U-Switches, VBXE's 2.0, And Multiplexers. Because I gave a Basic Multiplexer to the programming team that did the SpartaDos X Upgrade I was able to get a functioning SDX Cart that work for those people who have purchased Multiplexer's from us. Take Care and Have a Great Day! Stephen J. Carden

I would like to order one of these carts. how much and where do i send the paypal payment to! Steve

Hi There! I would like one fully assembled and ready to use, just let me know where I should send the paypal payment to. Thanks! Stephen J. Carden

Hello Michael FJC's pictures show the sio2sd with buttons on the top and mine are located on the side. Yes I used an Atari 800xl. I have 15 Atari 8-bits with all different hardware upgrades. I have 5 Stock Atari's 600xl, 800xl, 800xe, 130xe, and Game machine. When you write BBS Software and RealDos software you need to have every configuration you can come up with. Just because it works on your machine does not mean it will work on someone Else's Atari. When I beta Test I test with all my Atari machines. It is also nice that I have a configuration that will work with most everyone's Software. I also have both PAL and NTSC. Take Care! Steve

Hi Hardware builders! That sio2sd Atari 800xl also has an Ultra-Speed Plus Puff Upgrade, Tucker USB SIO2PC, 256k Rambo, and one of my KRH Keyboard Interfaces. I am very happy you guys like my hardware upgrades. Anyone can put an upgrade in and make it work. But the real trick is to install it and make it look like it came from the factory that way. Steve

This is how I did my internal install. For Atari SIO Port is a wired parallel. so all you need to do is run you some kiner or similar type wire it to the Atari Serial port to the sio2sd and it will work just fine. Check out this web page! http://www.realdos.net/sio2sd.html Putting a SIO2SD into an Atari is a really cool project! I put one of my SIO2SD that I purchase from the Atari Fan Store and installed it inside one of my 800xl's the SIO2SD I got from Lotharek I put into a project box What do you think of my internal install of the sio2sd. Take Care! Steve

Hi All you bbs Pro Sysops. The only problem Pro has it is owned by Lance Ringquest who has no info on how to build Pro Commands. I still have all the source and can build any of it for myself but I no Longer OWN the name or compiled files of BBS Express Professional. I have gotten several e-mails from old sysops who want to get there PRO BBS Back up and are looking to me to provide files and tech support. While I detest Lance and think next to Mike Holman is one of the people who have hurt the Atari 8-bit. it is still against copyright LAW for me to distribute software I no longer own the copyright too. While I do not own the name BBS Express PRO I do still own the copyright to the source. The Source and the Name BBS Express Professional were copyright separately. What this means is I can not send you a CMD and Lance can no longer has permission to use my source to build you a cmd. I would need to check and see if I could send you the source so you could compile your own but I am not sure I want to do that either. I have written a new bbs Called TCPIP Express which works on the internet. Yeah no long distance charges! I have a few Beta Testers running it and it will run old BBS Express Professional CMD. for that matter if you have a working BBS Express Pro bbs only a few files need to be changed. But with only 5 to 10 people showing any interest I am not sure if it is worth my time selling it. It is still really cool that people still love the software that Keith and I wrote. Just so you know we have cadded the MUX Cart and may start selling it soon. Take Care! Stephen J. Carden

Hi! James! Here is a link to the Atari Dos Utility that Me and a Friend of me wrote. it is called RealDos! Here is a link. http://www.realdos.net/realdos.html There is around an Atari Dos 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 4.0 that the Atari Corp Wrote and came with new Atari 1050 Disk Drives and later sf551 drive. Then there is dos's that are meant to be used with pbi devices and hard disks. Check out my Web Site. Http://www.realdos.net Take Care! Stephen J. Carden

I would like to get one in November. and I have 6520 PIA chips that I have removed off old Broken Atari Computers. Steve Http://www.realdos.net

Hi Mike! Where can I purchase these PCB from? Thanks! Steve http://www.realdos.net

Hi Mike! I have built three Atari Towers for myself and one for a friend know as CrazyOne. The first Atari Tower I built was in a Midi Case and I used an Atari 130xe with in late 1989 or Early 1990: Quad OS, (Atari OS, MUX OS, CSS US Plus, CSS Fix XL OS) Black Box with Floppy Board Battery Backed 576k Ramdisk 1.44 Floppy Disk 1.2 Floppy Disk DataQue Transkey Ver 1.0. I replaced the 6116 with a Battery Backed Dallas chip the same size You really can not build an Atari Tower without one of the PS2 Keyboard interfaces. The Second Atari Tower was just like the first except it has a Battery Backed Dallas 32kby8 Chip for the OS that I can load any Atari OS I wish from a Binary File. The Third Atari Tower I built is up on my web site will all kinds of pictures if you want to build one. I have one or Two of every Keyboard interface that has been built for the Atari. 3 Original Transkey's Ver 1.0 two working and one that is still a pcb! I never assembled it. 2 AKI's They work ok but have some bugs on the US Keyboard matrix. 12 KRH Rev 1.0 These are really AKI's remade and the firmware fixed. 7 KRH Rev 2 These are a compact KRHs designed to be soldered to the underside of the Motherboard so that it can be used with Stereo Pokey Boards. 2 Transkey-II XEGS 2 TK-II the revised transkey setup for the 130xe and 800xl 1 Super Pokey Upgrade. (Stereo Pokey, TK-II, U-Switch) For building upgrades to test and review the Atari Tower is by far the best way to go. Take Care! Steve

Hi Mike! Mike is referring to my Atari Tower. Here is a Link to my Web Site and Pictures of this Atari Beast. http://www.realdos.net/Tower-Project.html Steve

Hi Mike! In my testing everything is running 100% of the design specs. Most Atari Project seem to always fall short of one things or another. Mike and I put our heads together and did a full Though Process before he committed to the Cading of the PCB. The original Stereo Pokey board used a DPDT Switch and LED to operate it. The U1Meg had the Menu and the control line for it. However The Stereo Pokey had no way to get its control from the U1Meg. Lotharek Designed a Little PCB that uses a 4066 & 74hct04 to replace the DPDT and LED. This Allow for the U1MEG to Control the Stereo Pokey Board from its Menu or Software. Just as an Added Note the u-Switch that Lotharek sells is a most useful interface board. You can tie one of the output pins of your Joystick to the control pin of the U-Switch. Now you can control many different devices with it. Now the next logical step was to add the TransKey-II to it. Mike was kind enough to change the function of the mouse function and add a second Keyboard port. The Idea of the Pokey Super Board came from Mike and I swapping e-mails. Originally Candle did a limited Run of Stereo Pokey Boards that also had an AKI included with it. I was never able to get one of these boards so I am not sure what all it had in it. I do not know if it had a u-Switch for interface with the u-1Meg. I was able to talk Mike into added the second Keyboard port because I was always having problem with my Mouse. I told Mike how my Atari Tower had SVGA, RGB, S-Video, and Composite outputs. My Office is has a desk on both sides of the room. One side has my PC Equipment the other desk has my Atari Multiplexer system. Since I have kvm switches on both sides I use PS2 or Din 5 PC Keyboards. With the TK-11 and VBXE and scan Converter I have this wonderful Crisp Clear SVGA on my 54 inch SVGA Monitor. I have an 5 year old TV that has every input you could ever want. Composite, SVGA, RGB, HDMI, S-Video, and High Def. So by Far Mike has built the most useful PCB for the Pokey you could ever want. As Soon as they go into production I will have to get me 6 more of them. Wiring all three boards in is a task requiring great attention to make it look right. I was able to get this project going by investing and a very cool upgrade called Candle -o-Sin which is the Stereo Pokey, u-Switch, U1Meg, Side 2 for Michael. I gave him this upgrade instead of a shareware check. While I program and do some hardware design by far Michael is the Master at PCB Design. I have known of Mike from the time he did the first TransKey 1.0 in 1990 and genlock. So I do not ramble to long! Thank You very Much Mike for building the Super Pokey Upgrade! I can not think of a single thing that needs to be added! Stephen J. Carden http://www.realdos.net

I would also like to get one or two and do some testing. Thanks Stephen J. Carden http://www.realdos.net

Hi FLC! I can say this about Lotharek everything I have ever purchased from him he has backed up 100%. I had a Side 2 Cart I purchased from him and all the documentation he has provided with it he warns about slamming a Compact Flash chip into the socket. Well I did just that! I pushed one of the pins in the socket out of the socket. This was 100% my FAULT and not a design flaw. I sent him an e-mail and a picture of the pin I had pushed out of the socket and he verified that it was a pin not used by the Side 2 or the Compact Flash Chip. Well the Side 2 Was working and was also working with the Ultimate 1 Meg as well. Two weeks later Lotharek SENT ME TWO REPLACEMENT Side 2 Cart and I also got an e-mail from him saying he was sorry that happened to his hardware. There again this was something that was 100% my F**K up not his. Over the last 2 1/2 years I have purchased over $2000.00 US Dollars worth of Upgrade hardware from him. It always comes on time 10 to 14 Days from Purchase. It always comes in a good Sturdy Box and is packed the way you want all your electronic boards to be packed. The Thing I like the most about Lotharek is he stands behind his hardware. He sent me a PC version of a SIO2SD that is real neat, and it works well on the PC. I know I am laying on thick for Lotharek but he has earned it. For the Most part Atari Users like myself are very luck in that we get really nicely designed and Built Hardware. I can not think of anyone selling something to the Atari World that it could be referred to as a junk! It is like people Like Lotharek and Many others that have set that very high Standard that all of us enjoy. Take Care All! Stephen J. Carden http://www.realdos.net

FJC did the resister Array fix the problem??? Thanks Steve

I purchase my 60/40 solder off the internet. Here is a link but just do a google search for 60/40 solder. http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/21-1045?scode=GS401&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=google&gclid=CIuVkqen2cwCFdgUgQodgpwLfQ Also check out my hardware upgrades on my web site and my soldering tools. http://www.realdos.net/Atari%20Soldering.html Please Please heed this warning do not use silver solder on your Atari!!!!!!! you can still get 60/40 solder from Radio Shack! If you are new to working on the Atari Please ask someone. Call me on the phone if you are in the USA I will help you. Take Care! Stephen J. Carden e-mail here

Hi FJC! I agree with you and that is why I am mounting things differently. But originally Lotharek Mounting option looked like one way to go. It is just not my designed mounting options. I posted that so that people who may not have a Rapidus right now but have a Candle want to pay attention to everything being installed or they will be doing two installs. if they are going to get a Rapidus in the future. I will have to take the 130xe that I purchased from Lotharek and undo most of it to install the Rapidus in it. Take Care My Friend! Steve

Hi Jon! I am surprised you feel that way about the mounting of the U1Meg in the 130xe. I got the Idea Of mounting the U1Meg from Lotharek and the 130xe He sold me with a Candle configuration. FJC we are having a problem with our Atari 8-Bits I never would have though we would have. We have so many upgrades we are having a problem finding a home for them inside our computers. I Like to mount my Atari 8-bits inside a PC Tower Case. A lot of Atari 8-bit users want to keep all there upgrades inside the original plastic case. So I found some pictures I took as I was installing upgrades. This first picture is of an Atari 130xe PAL machine I purchased from Lotharek with the upgrades already installed. I have found that Dry fitting upgrades when you have more than one makes the install go faster and easier. Then you need to wire them one at a time and test each upgrade. Head this WARNING Test everything before you just wire them all in and hope they work. This next one is of an Atari 800XL that I installed a Candle upgrade and added an AtariMax USB SIO2PC and one of my KRH-II Keyboard interfaces. This next upgrade is of my Atari 130xe test machine. It has a Candle upgrade, RapiDus, AtariMax USB SIO2PC, and one of my KRH-II. Just in case someone does not know what a Candle -o- Sin upgrade is: Ultimate 1 Meg, Side 2 Cart, Stereo Pokey, U-Switch, and a VBXE. All of my machine also have a Multiplexer Cart, KRH (or some kind of PC keyboard interface), and a USB SIO2PC (I have 3 different makers of the sio2pc). I did not include pictures of the Side 2, Multiplexer since they plug into an Atari. Multiplexer Carts are Stackable or can be run in Parallel if you have a 2 cart ICD XE to PBI Adapter. I posted these pictures so that Atari users who were not sure if the upgrades would fit inside the case can be assured they can fit and work. I would also like to this time to Thank all the Hardware and software developers who have stuck with the Atari 8-bit and created some really cool hardware and software. I am Happy to say we have more hardware that has been developed since 2000 than the the same amount of time from 1984 to 2000. I was really busy programming in 1980's and 1990's but all the cool hardware we had in the USA was the 256k/1Meg MIO, Black Box with/or without floppy board, Supra/KPI HD interface, SDX, Express Cart, Diamond GOS. a few different ram disks. and a midi interface. for the list of stuff since 2000 visit the hardware review of my web site. The point I am trying to make is the Atari Computer hobby world is more active now than it has ever been. I am sure this is true because of the internet. I do not know of a single Atari users group in the USA. I am a member of the only Atari users group I know of ABBUC.Now that I am retired I have time to spend on my Atari and Enjoy the different Upgrades I have acquired as well as work with my web site so I can share all the info I have picked up over the years. Stephen J. Carden http://www.realdos.net

By Far one of the coolest upgrades for the Atari for a long time. What I have run into is every one of my Atari 130xe's That I have configured as a Candle -o-Sin Machine has the Ultimate 1 Meg Attached to the plastic lip right above the 130xe Cart Port and expanded buss. So after Studying the problem for a while and looking over the 130xe Mother Board I have come up with this configuration That I am going to use and I just wanted to share it with you. Maybe This is how you want to mount everything. For more details on how I did this install and the hardware I used visit my web site! Here is a direct link to the web page. http://www.realdos.net/RapiDus%20130xe.html I am still not sure what all this hardware upgrade can do but I am going to have fun finding out. I am also wondering if the veronica cart will function. a Dual T816 Atari 130xe. Way COOL! Good job all of you that worked on this upgrade. Stephen J. Carden http://www.realdos.net

I ran inside the 8-bit BBS from 1984 till 2014. I am working on bringing it back on line. I wrote versions of BBS Express Professional 3.0a to 5.3d When I sold my Right to the BBS. I am currently working on a new BBS Program called TCPIP Express which will be a multi-node Atari 8-bit BBS that uses a Multiplexer so that the different BBS Nodes can talk together. So if you liked BBS Pro this one will knock your socks off. I am hoping that this rapidos board will allow the multiplexer to run faster. Will see. With the other stuff out there. Stephen J. Carden http://www.realdos.net

Of these really cool devices I would like to get two XE Versions. Stephen J. Carden http://www.realdos.net

Well I got both of my Rapidos in the mail yesterday. Most impressed with what I am reading but I to order a plug to fit the 3 wire header. It is the same one that the IDE Plus 2.0 Rev D or S use. So I will most likely get one out of my IDE Plus box and wire it into my Atari Tower. Everyone who had a hand in this Great Job!!!! Stephen J. Carden

Looks like a really cool idea.. I would like to get at least 2 to start with of this hardware board. Thanks a Bunch! Stephen J. Carden http://www.realdos.net