›               o=o=o=o=o=››    Atari 8-Bit Emulators -- Part II››             By Alan Sharkis›         Editor, OHAUG Newsletter›› I was sitting at a  demonstration  of› Kodak's  digital photography.  People› attending the demonstration asked all› kinds of questions, but some of those› questions weren't really (pardon  the› pun)  focused.  Somebody  asked   the› demonstrator  what the quality of the› digital images is like  when  printed› out  on  an  inkjet   printer.    The› reaction  of the more savvy people in› the  audience  was  immediate.   They› recognized that the question was  too› general.   The  demonstrator   wisely› responded  by  saying  that it really› depended on what  you  wanted  to  do› with  the  printout.   And so it goes› with total machine emulators.›› It's an exercise in  futility  to  be› totally  fair and objective about the› products I'm going to describe.   The› instruments  used in this examination› must be characterized as unique.   My› system  is  not  your  system.   I'll› describe it below, but I have to warn› you   that   subtle  differences  can› affect the way your  experience  with› emulation  varies   from   mine.   My› interest  in  emulators and needs for› them are different from what I  sense› is  the overall majority of those who› will use them.  In short, I'm  not  a› game-player.   I  see  the  value  of› preserving  the riches of Atari 8-bit› software through another platform (in› my  case, DOS/Windows/Windows 95) but› I probably won't carry my emulated 8-› bit  around on a notebook computer.  › Nevertheless,    the    subject    of› emulation is so  interesting  to  me,› that  I'll  take  the risk and invite› your comments, rebuttal, etc.›› I'm running my emulators on a Pentium› 100  with a very ordinary 1-meg video› card.  My resolution and color  depth› are 640 x 480, 256 colors.  I can get› better with my current equipment, but› I  like  what I see here, and it is a› kind of common denominator.  My sound› card  is  a  SoundBlaster AWE-32 (non› plug-and-play, memory raised to 8Mb.)› which, while an excellent sound card,› doesn't seem to work  well  with  the› sound  emulation  developed  for more› standard SoundBlasters.   I  have  16› megabytes of RAM, a 256-byte pipeline› cache,  a  4X  CD-ROM  drive,  a  USR› Sportster   28.8  kbps  internal  fax› modem, and two printers - an  Okidata› 320  9-pin  dot matrix that I keep in› IBM emulation when it's working  with› my  clone,  and   a   Hewlett-Packard› Deskjet    660c.     I've    recently› increased my hard drive capacity from› 1.2 gigabytes to 2.0 gigabytes.   COM› 2  on  my  clone  is  connected to my› Atari system  via  a  switchbox  that› enables  me  to  select  a null-modem› connection   or   a  two-chip  SIO2PC› connection. My mouse is an Agiler  3-› button mouse that works through a COM› 5 card  at  IRQ  10.   I've  recently› added  an inexpensive analog joystick› to the system so that I can test that› feature in some of the emulators.›› The  very first 8-bit emulator that I› was aware of was Darek Mihocka's   ST› Xformer.   I'd seen demonstrations of› it many years ago, and I recently got› to  try  it again.  When Darek formed› Branch Only Software and produced the› Gemulator,  it didn't seem to impress› many of the ST users I knew.   So  it› was  interesting  to  me  that  years› after  the  ST Xformer's release that› Darek would attempt a PC version.   I› never  ran  his first PC Xformer, the› 2.0, because when it came out  I  was› still working on a '286 with EGA, But› 2.5 was the first of his series  that› I  was  able  to run after purchasing› the system described  above.   I  was› impressed.   I  went  out  and bought› 3.0a, a commercial version with  more› features.   The version I'll describe› for you, however, was  a  later  one,› though  not the latest.  It's version› 3.31, not 3.5.  I'm  aware  that  3.5› has  a  few  more features, including› the ability to hook up an Atari drive› to  your  IBM's parallel port (with a› cable identical  to  the  ST  Xformer› cable).   But,  3.31 is quite capable› and I frankly haven't felt  the  need› to  upgrade  at  this  time.  My 3.31› relies   on   the  excellent  printed› manual   written  for  3.0A  by  Bill› Kendrick. On order, but not  received› by  the  time of this writing, is the› new version 4.0.  The freeware 2.5, I› understand,  is  still popular.  It's› archive contains a documentation file› that must be printed out. Whether you› use the freeware  or  the  commercial› version,    you   should   read   the› documentation carefully.  Many of the› features  of  the  emulators  are not› obvious.›› Commercial PC Xformer will run  under› DOS, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95.  It› is supposed to run under OS/2, but  I› have  no  way to check that.  It will› emulate  a  130XE  and  is  the  only› emulator that does that at this time.› (In  all   fairness,   the   freeware› versions  of  Xformer don't go beyond› the 800XL, nor do any  of  the  other› freeware  emulators  as  I write this› article.  Just watch!  The day  after› the  article  is  written,  one  such› emulator  will  come  out!)   It   is› supposed  to  display  all ANTIC text› and graphic modes, and all GTIA modes› and  be  capable  of  displaying  256› colors.   I  will  have  more  to say› about that later.   It  does  Player-› Missile  graphics with full collision› detection.  It reads  and  writes  to› both  .ATR  and .XFD disk images.  It› can read  MS-DOS  files  and  convert› them  to  .XFD images. It will switch› BASIC on and  off  easily,  and  will› toggle  between  800, 800XL and 130XE› modes.  It will support a PC joystick› or  do  keyboard  joystick  emulation› with  a  simple command line switch. › It will support the  PC's  modem  and› printer,    though     not     always› satisfactorily.   It achieves full 8-› bit speed on a 386/33, and speed  can› be toggled.› I  have  tried PC Xformer with a wide› variety of  programs.   I  can  state› that  it  will  not run reliably with› copy-protected software that has been› "cracked."   This,  I   believe,   is› intentional  on  Mr. Mihocka's part. › He has been very careful  to  include› only AtariDos 2.5 and MyDos among the› operating systems  he  includes  with› the  package.   He  doesn't guarantee› that all software will run under  the› emulator, and has specifically stated› that copy-protected software will not› run  under  the emulator.  He's a man› who   makes   his   living  producing› software, and I  can  understand  his› position.›› The  joystick  support  seems  to  be› spotty.   The  PC's  stick works with› this  emulator,  as  long  as  you're› running a BASIC game or application. › It  even  works  from non-BASIC, non-› copy-protected   applications.   I've› found  graphic  representation  under› this emulator to be somewhat weak  in› some  areas.   For example, an .ATR I› made of Xlent Word Processor shows  a› difference  in color at bottom of the› screen that is distracting.  No other› full-machine emulator I've tried does› that.  However, PC Xformer WILL print› from  this  word-processor,   and   I› believe  others,  whereas  no   other› emulator  to  date  will  support the› PC's printer.  Here's  one  of  those› "what    you're    using    it   for"› situations.  If running classic Atari› games  is what you want, and you have› no need for printing,  don't  use  PC› Xformer.   PC  Xformer  also has some› limited modem support  for  the  PC's› modem,    which    I    didn't   find› satisfactory   because  of  baud-rate› restrictions and other problems,  yet› it's  a start in that direction which› no other  full-machine  emulator  has› made.›› Sound in PC Xformer definitely didn't› get along well with  my  AWE-32.    I› was  losing  channels,  and sometimes› getting   extraneous   sounds  (high-› pitched whistles!) that  didn't  quit› until  I  exited  the  program.   One› sound didn't quit until I rebooted my› clone!   But  in  it's  own  way,  PC› Xformer sets  a  standard  for  other› emulators to follow.›› The  next  full  machine  emulator to› come to my  attention  is  XL-it!  by› Markus Gietzen.  Although the program› is freeware, the author  will  accept› donations.  He does reserve the right› to   stop   anyone   from  using  the› emulator.  He also prohibits its  use› in  a commercial manner.  The version› I'm   describing   is  0.16.   I  had› earlier versions, and  I  think  that› 0.16  has  significant   improvements› over  them.   It  has  features  that› aren't  incorporated into PC Xformer,› but their usefulness varies from user› to user.›› For   example,   a   machine-language› monitor   is   included.    In    the› documentation,  the  author shows how› to use this  monitor  to  change  the› number  of  lives  a character has in› Boulder Dash.  He does state that the› technique doesn't work in every game.› In XL-it! the number of emulated 1050› drives  is  four;  in  PC Xformer the› number   and  nature  of  the  drives› depends on the DOS image that  you're› using   to a maximum of eight.  Sound› support in XL-it! 0.15 required  your› SoundBlaster to play samples that the› author provided with  the  emulator. › Although he stated that these samples› were pure tones, they did sound a bit› ragged  to me.  Version 0.16 improved› the sound by using  samples  provided› by  Mike  Hill, the author of another› emulator  described  below.   In  any› event, this sampled sound system does› provide  more  reliable sound than PC› Xformer.   If  I  give  the  emulator› sound commands from BASIC,  all  four› channels are clearly supported.  I've› never heard  extraneous  sounds  with› XL-it!,  and  they  end  when they're› supposed to.  The author states  that› sound  should  be  turned  off  if it› slows the  program  down  too  much. › Actually, I had the opposite problem;› the   program  ran  too  quickly  and› sometimes   had  to  be  put  in  its› "modex" (320x240 pixels) mode to slow› it down for normal Atari speed.  Both› NTSC  and  PAL  video  emulation  are› built in and  selectable.   There  is› now  some limited PC joystick support› in XL-it!,  but  there  is  simulated› support using the cursor keys on your› PC's keyboard for directional control› and  the  "ALT"  keys  for  the  fire› button.  This mode can be switched on› and off from the keyboard.  It's also› possible to have the program run this› emulated  joystick  as  stick  2  for› those programs that require it.›› In any emulator, you'll get a curious› mix  of  what  in the Atari operating› systems is supported and what  isn't.› I  emulated  BASIC  in PC Xformer and› many of the  pokes  worked  well.   I› didn't  get the upside-down text when› I poked  for  it  in  XL-it!,  and  I› didn't  really want to test further. › When I tried Xlent Word Processor,  I› got  a very good emulation, including› the use of the emulated  fire  button› to  open  the  icon  menu  and select› items from it.  XL-it! has no printer› support,  but  I was delighted to see› the program give me an I/O error when› I  asked  it  to  print  to a printer› without having the program crash.  In› addition  to  using  the command line› switches so  common  with  emulators,› Markus  has  added  a  DOS-based user› interface   screen   with   pull-down› settings  for just about everything. › A menu allows disk and ROM images  to› be loaded at any point.›› I guess that the biggest advantage of› using this emulator over  PC  Xformer› is  one  that  we in user groups find› difficult to support.    XL-it!  will› run  disk and cart images of programs› that were originally copy-protected. › I  will,  of  course,  address   this› matter in Part IV of this article, as› promised (sorry, no  previews!)   XL-› it!  cannot run without ROM images of› the 800 and/or XL operating  systems;› nor  will  it  run  without the Atari› BASIC ROM image.    But  those  three› ROM  images   must   be   downloaded › separately  from  the executable file› and its other  support  files,  since› Markus isn't sure of their ownership.› He has the  ROM  images  on  his  Web› site.   You must also set up XL-it!'s› files   with   a  specific  directory› structure before you run  it.   Clear› directions are given in the program's› well-written documentation.›› The preview version  of  Chris  Lam's› Rainbow  '95  is just a start on what› promises to be a very fine emulator. › Unfortunately,  between the time that› this preview version was released and› the time I'm writing this, there have› been no further upgrades.   Meantime,› Chris  has  done some further work on› his   Rainbow   for  Macintosh.   The› Macintosh version was his first,  and› he  has  provided several upgrades to› that one.›› Rainbow '95 will  run  under  Windows› '95  and  current versions of Windows› NT.  However,  few  of  the  promised› features  are  implemented   in   the› preview.   The  preview  version   is› freeware,  but  subsequent   versions› will  be shareware.  The preview will› only run in a small window,  but  the› graphics  and  colors  are  well done› except     for     fine      vertical› scrolling(full  screen  display,   at› full  speed,  is  promised  for   the› shareware  versions.)   All  graphics› and  GTIA  modes  are  supported, and› there is player-missile graphics with› collision  detection.   There  is  no› sound as yet.  Right now, the machine› can emulate a 400/800, and  an  800xl› to  some  extent (there is no support› for the 16K  RAM  under  the  ROM.)  › Full  800xl,  130xe  and 5200 support› are promised.  The emulator  promises› to   accept  8K  and  16K   cartridge› images  in  the  computer modes,  and› 16K and 32K images in the  5200.   It› should also run Super Cartridges when› completed.  There will be two virtual› disks  in  the full version, and each› will be  able  to  read  single-  and› enhanced-density  disk images.  Right› now, only single density is supported› on  one  disk. There will be joystick› support for  four  joysticks  through› the PC's keypad, and four paddles via› the mouse.  Like XL-It, and  for  the› same  reason,  the  program  does not› come with the required OS  and  BASIC› ROM  files.   Once  you get them, you› must rename  them  according  to  the› instructions.   I really look forward› seeing and using  the  full  version,› because Chris wrote his documentation› with the real thing in mind, and  put› full  pull-down  menus in the preview› version. Unlike other  versions  that› require  command-line   options   and› switches    to    be   spelled   out,› Everything can be done  from  Rainbow› 95's  menu  system.  Under the System› pulldown, you can choose which  Atari› 8-bit  (or 5200) you wish to emulate.› There is a  provision  for  inserting› and  removing ROM and SuperRom carts,› I guess  for  the  5200,  an  "about"› feature  and  an exit selection.  The› TV selection gives you  a  choice  of› normal  and several slower speeds, as› well as NTSC or PAL  emulation.   The› Extra  pulldown  allows you to import› or export files, select the  size  of› the  view,  put the emulator in cheat› mode, show frames per second  in  the› display,  or pause in the 5200 mode. › There are two identical pulldowns for› D1:  and  D2:,  both  of  which allow› inserting a disk,  saving  an  image,› selecting single or enhanced density,› and a choice called "protected" which› Chris  doesn't  explain.   The Reboot› pulldown allows you to either  reboot› or  reinitialize.  However, there are› boxes that  pop  up  on  the  preview› version    when    you    select   an› unsupported  feature,  informing  you› that you have to wait  for  the  full› version.   C'mon,  Chris!   I want to› see that shareware version come out!›› Mike Hill's Pokey emulator  has  also› gone  through several versions in the› short time  it's  been  out.   What's› more,  although  Mike's sound samples› have  gone  into  Markus's  emulator,› Mike has also come up with  a  design› for  a board that should come closest› to emulating real Atari  sound.   The› board  fits into the parallel port on› the back of the  clone,  and  has  an› external  cable  that plugs into your› sound card.  On the board  are  three› chips and some assorted small parts. › And one of those chips is  a  genuine› Pokey  sound chip!  If demand is high› enough,  Mike  is  going  to  produce› cards that can go  into  an  internal› slot in the clone.  Furthermore, he's› hard     at     work    incorporating› SoundBlaster    compatibility    into› Pokey, as well as printer support.  A› new version should be out as you read› this.›› The   performance  of  Pokey  on  the› screen has to be seen to be believed.› The  action   is   smooth   and   the› resolution is almost as sharp as that› in Rainbow '95, but Pokey runs  full-› screen  and  Rainbow 795, at least in› the preview, only  runs  in  a  small› window.   Joystick support is solid. › However,   in   order  to  get  these› results, Mike has had to do something› to  the  BASIC  and Atari Dos screens› that some of us  might  not  consider› absolutely pure.  He has the familiar› blue background, but the text  is  in› an  interesting,  if clashing, bright› green.  Get used to it.  The rest  of› the  emulator's  performance is worth› well   the   slight   departure  from› authenticity.›› I regret that  I  won't  be  able  to› write  about  Rainbow for Mac at this› time. Perhaps I can add a small  note› about  it  in  the  next installment,› which   should  describe  SIO2PC  and› A.P.E.  You see, I  have  this  great› friend with a Mac, but his wife likes› to travel ...›››               o=o=o=o=o=››››