SIO2PC & APPLE MACINTOSH

[andy_bernstein]

Hello Gang,

 

First post on Atari Age and Atari user for twenty years now.

 

I'm an avid Macintosh user and I'm running Virtual PC in both legacy Macs and more recent Macs. I'd like to know if any of you has ever run SIO2PC between a MAC (running Virtual PC to emulate the OS) and an ATARI XL/XE. SIO2PC is a serial device so any DIN8 to SERIAL cable will do but it's more the compatibility that worries me.

 

Thanks !

[Albert]

First post on Atari Age and Atari user for twenty years now.

 

Welcome to AtariAge!

 

I'm an avid Macintosh user and I'm running Virtual PC in both legacy Macs and more recent Macs. I'd like to know if any of you has ever run SIO2PC between a MAC (running Virtual PC to emulate the OS) and an ATARI XL/XE. SIO2PC is a serial device so any DIN8 to SERIAL cable will do but it's more the compatibility that worries me.

 

This is a great question and I have no idea what the answer is just yet. I use Macs as well but I don't have Virtual PC installed on them since I use PCs side-by-side with the Macs. However, Mark DiLuciano, who created the SIO2PC board we're selling, also has a Mac and I will direct his attention to this thread as maybe he's tried it or can try it out. I'll probably pick up the latest version of VPC at some point, but not until I get a faster Mac (my fastest is a dual G4-450, not the greatest for running VPC in OS X) .

 

Oh, wait, newer Macs don't even have a serial port so that's not going to help you. Here's hoping someone else has tried this and can pipe in..

 

..Al

[bigferret]

Not sure about the rest of the question, but you can purchase serial-to-USB cables to help with the connection problem. I've used them for a couple of older serial devices on my Macs and they work fine.

[andy_bernstein]

Albert,

 

Thanks for the reply. In this case, I'd like to use a POWERBOOK 1400 (64 MEGS + G3 400MHZ Sonnet Upgrade inside) so the serial port is there and, again, the problem is not the cable.

 

I think that Virtual PC, as long as you emulate Windows 95 or 98 (max), will do fine on a G3 400 - it's more the compatibility that worries me.

 

Otherwise, I could buy a PC but to purchase a new machine just for SIO2PC doesn't do it for me.

 

Well, if anybody who reads this post uses SIO2PC on a Macintosh, please let us know how you make it work.

 

Thanks !