Help Identify Function, Scarcity: Graphix AT Cart (Xetec)

[AtariKari]

Just interested on what the heck this is:

.

 

Thanks.

[herr professor]

http://www.atarimagazines.com/v5n9/ProductReviews.html

 

 

GRAPHIX AT

Xetec Inc.

2804 Arnold Road

Salina, KS 67401

(913) 827-0685

$69.95

CIRCLE 259 ON READER SERVICE CARD

 

Reviewed by Kevin Peck

 

Graphix AT, the first Atari release from a company known mainly for Commodore products, is a "smart" interface box that enables your printer to produce hard copies of Atari special characters-even inverse-exactly as they appear on screen.

 

Now you don't have to LIST programs to disk, LOAD and RUN special lister software, wait for the printout, then LOAD your original program and start debugging with printout in hand. Instead, you just type LIST "P:" right from BASIC. The printout is faster than any of my lister programs, because the Graphix AT has its own microprocessor with supporting ROM that contains the Atari character set in printer format.

 

 

Printing Atari characters requires converting screen characters to printer characters. Most lister programs do this while each character is sent to the printer. The Graphix AT uses the printer's graphics mode. But the 6502 in the Atari doesn't do a screen-to-printer character conversion. Therefore the computer can send the listed program to the printer at full speed. The interface sends regular characters straight through, and special symbols take up less than 10% of the average printout.

 

The Graphix AT is great for fast draft-quality listings, but if you want well-defined characters, you'll have to keep using your software listers. The AT's only listing mode is draft quality. Normal alphanumeric characters are given slightly different shapes in inverse video. Inverse lower-case letters lack descenders.

 

The interface won't print the [ESC] character-because [ESC] is used with a second key to control some options while in the Graphix mode. Granted, the [ESC] symbol rarely shows up in program listings, but when it does, you want it in the printout, and you'll need your lister programs for that.

 

But I'm not complaining too loudly. The print speed is well worth the slightly less readable output and the possibility of missing [ESC] characters.

 

Graphix AT's Transparent mode sends special characters straight through to the printer. Use it with your word processor, Print Shop, your lister program or any other program that expects a "normal" printer interface attached to your printer.

 

1200XL owners can use the Graphix AT, but will have to cut a wire and solder a trace. You'll need a printer that supplies 5 volts at 50mA on pin 18 to power the interface. This power output is standard for Centronics parallel connectors on printers.

 

I would recommend the Graphix AT interface for programmers and non-programmers alike, even with the small problems mentioned. The handy listing feature is hard to live without after you're used to it. The interface is competitively priced and compatible with all the software I tested.

[AtariKari]

Wow, thanks

 

If anyone wants a copy, I have one on eBay for 0.01, ending tomorrow night. I have enough shame to not put up a link on this one, as I was really just interested in what it was

[Goochman]

I bought one of these way back when since it was a cheap parallel printer interface for the 8bits - served me very well

[TonySoprano]

I have one of these, but I don't have a manual. Does anyone have a link to the documentation, or a copy they can send me?

or just to get me started, what are the correct dip switch settings for this?

[Wolf9545]

I have one of these, but I don't have a manual. Does anyone have a link to the documentation, or a copy they can send me?

or just to get me started, what are the correct dip switch settings for this?

 

I just found my old Atari 400 computer and a printer with this device attached. Did anyone ever find a manual for the Graphix AT unit?

[MEtalGuy66]

I have one of these, but I don't have a manual. Does anyone have a link to the documentation, or a copy they can send me?

or just to get me started, what are the correct dip switch settings for this?

 

I just found my old Atari 400 computer and a printer with this device attached. Did anyone ever find a manual for the Graphix AT unit?

 

I got one of those. ANd I think I still have the manual.. I'll go look for it and scan it if possible.

[MEtalGuy66]

Ok. Im not gonna bother scanning this, as its about 7 pages long and most of it is trivial crap that is the same with any atari printer setup.

 

but heres what you might need:

 

Dip switches:

 

1 on Graphix mode (prints text and atari characters)

off Transparent mode (prints text and passes control codes to printer)

 

2 on Auto line feeds on

off Auto line fieeds off (in interface)

 

3 on pass chr$(155) on to printer

off Normal (convert 155 to 13)

 

4 on Bit 8 = 0

off Normal (pass bit 8 to printer)

 

 

 

Switches 5,6,7,8 respectively (1=on 0=off)

 

Axiom GX-100..........................................1100

Bananna..................................................1100

Blue Chip.................................................0010

BMC 80....................................................0000

C-Itoh 8510..............................................0000

Daisey Wheel (all).....................................1111

Delta 10,15...............................................0000

Epson (all)................................................0000

Gemeni 10x,15x........................................0000

Legend.....................................................0010

NEC 8023.................................................0100

Mannesmann Tally.....................................0000

Okidata 82,83 With Okigraph ROMs.............1000

Okidata 84,92,93.......................................1000

Panasonic KX-P1090 - 1093........................0000

Prowriter..................................................0100

Riteman....................................................0000

Star SG-10................................................0000

 

 

 

Special Control Codes:

 

When your interface is in Graphix Mode (switch 1 on,) you have 7 commands which you can send to the interface to contol how it behaves. In transparent mode (switch 1 off,) these command do not work.

 

ESC 6..............................Print 6 lines per inch.

ESC 8..............................Print 8 lines per inch.

ESC T..............................Switch into transparent mode.

ESC G.............................Switch back into Graphix mode.

ESC chr$(14) (or control-n)......Turn on expanded print.

ESC chr$(20) (or control-T) .....Turn on compressed print.

ESC chr$(15) (or control-O)..... Switch back to normal print.

 

Everything else is trivial and doesnt specifically relate to the interface, but is just an explanation for newbies on how to use LPRINT, LIST "P:", etc...