Help with AtariMax new SIO2PC

[ColleenLover]

Hey guys, I am old to Atari by new to APE SIO2PC.

Recently bought both the AtariMAX serial AND the USB Dual port adapters.

APE (v3.08) registered running on W10PRO /Supermicro Motherboard DUAL Xeon 12 Cores; with REAL 16550 UART on the board.

Have installed the W10 64bit drivers from AtariMAX.

 

APE system works perfectly in every way (with both interfaces)  EXCEPT

 

It refuses to work with actual Happy Software wont read or write.

i.e. APE Will load the Happy sector copier program

but then, nither interface will:

   a) READ from either a real or disk image at ULTRA speed

   b) Write to a real or disk image at ULTRA speed

 

Both interfaces work fine both directions and with ANY combination or real/virtual drives as long as you using regular DOS 2.0/2.5 or the like.

ANY program that invokes ULTRA SPEED at any time, kills the ATARI right there.

 

** Also swapped out ALL the CABLES (no effect)

** Changed computers (130XE/800/800XL)  same thing every time.

 

 

 

 

[_The Doctor__]

@ColleenLover
Are you using a real happy drive or are you thinking ape should act like a happy drive?

 

using spartados, are you seeing ultraspeed?

if not

you may need to clip out sio limiting capacitors in you computaters... 

 

also , please contact steve,  that’s [email protected]

for the updates to APE

Edited May 29, 2020 by _The Doctor__

[ColleenLover]

Yes I have been using it with a genuine 1050 Happy,  using it with ape, the sector copier will read the real drive and then freeze when writing to the virtual image.

 

I was under the impression that APE simulated Happy drives, when nothing else is connected but APE and you boot the HWSS, the software says they are happy drives and does load the software at high speed.

 

I was not using a 1200XL during these tests so I don't think the current limiting resistor issue was a factor in this case.

 

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by ColleenLover

[bfollowell]

2 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said:

also , please contact steve,  that’s [email protected]

for the updates to APE

 

Does anyone have any idea what the most recent version is? I'm running 3.0.14. I've emailed Steve a couple of times trying to determine if there's a newer version and how I go about getting it if there is, but I haven't heard anything back. I know Steve has a family and a life and is busy but even though it sometimes takes him a while to respond, he usually does respond. I've emailed a couple of times over the past month or so and can't seem to get a response from him.

 

[_The Doctor__]

Hope he's ok...

[bfollowell]

1 hour ago, _The Doctor__ said:

Hope he's ok...

Well, my SIO2PC-USB Dual Port died mysteriously. I'd emailed about my issues and he tried to help me troubleshoot it for a bit, but we didn't have any luck. He finally just said he was sending me a new one and asked me to return the old one. He's great BTW, in case I didn't mention it. Great products and great service. Anyway, that was just a week or so before I asked him about the version, and he was OK then. A lot can happen in a short time though, so who knows? Like you, I hope he and his family are doing well.

 

[_The Doctor__]

that's a relief,

sounded like there was no communications for quite a while... glad that's not the case!

calls aren't needed then :)

[_The Doctor__]

I am referring to the bandwidth limiting capacitors on most XL and XE Atari for Domestic (USA) use. Not a current limiting resistor...

[_The Doctor__]

@ColleenLover,

remove or snip...

C77, C78  on XL's and some XE's (900XLF) and similar

c304 c303 c308 on 130XE and similar

they are connected to the SIO port and have been shown to limit bandwidth

 

some 130XE's have them soldered directly to the port in the that case as a minimum snip the one connected to pins 3 and 5 at a minimum... when case is open they are the second and third caps counting from right hand side of the sio port while it is facing to the back or away from you.

 

I hope you have also used the configuration wizard on APE...

Edited May 30, 2020 by _The Doctor__

[ColleenLover]

Ooo really... OK this is really good info.

I am struggling with doing this though...  I might just "put up with it..."..

[_The Doctor__]

@ColleenLover,

Keep in mind, the APE can be read as a happy but can't be written to as a happy...

there is one more thing you can add to it that enhances it's ability even though it's been depreciated...

the VAPI.DLL can be added

it's tightened up some timings and added more info for floppy side of APE.

for whatever reason it's helped me with some stubborn disks...

the creator of it was going to dig up the recreation software but hasn't, he's expressed reservations about it's utility in this day...

 

have you tried the utilities provided with APE? I've copied many disks to and from at divisor zero, ~125,000 give or take...

 

http://www.atarimania.com/atari-vapi.html

Edited May 30, 2020 by _The Doctor__

[+Stephen]

On 5/29/2020 at 10:01 PM, bfollowell said:

 

Does anyone have any idea what the most recent version is? I'm running 3.0.14. I've emailed Steve a couple of times trying to determine if there's a newer version and how I go about getting it if there is, but I haven't heard anything back. I know Steve has a family and a life and is busy but even though it sometimes takes him a while to respond, he usually does respond. I've emailed a couple of times over the past month or so and can't seem to get a response from him.

 

Far as I know, 3.0.14 is the latest.

[Wilheim]

Mine's 3.0.15. Recently updated. No idea what update/fixes/improvements it has.