╘HE ┼XCHANGE IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATION. ╥ECOMMENDATIONS ARE BASED SOLELY ON THE EXPERIENCES OF USERS. ╘HE ╬EWSLETTER WILL APPEAR ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH. ╙UBSCRIPTIONS ARE $5 FOR FIVE ISSUES ($8.15 ╒╙ OVERSEAS AIR MAIL). ╨REVIOUS ISSUES ARE ON THE ┼XCHANGE ─ISK. ╫HEN COMMUNICATING WITH ╘HE ┼XCHANGE, SELF ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPES (╙┴╙┼'S) ARE APPRECIATED.
╝╨RINTER ╔NTERFACES╛
┴ USER HAS REPORTED AN ╙─-2 THAT WILL NOT WORK ON THE SERIAL BUS WITH ═╫-350 OR ├ARDCO ╟-╫HIZ PRINTER INTERFACES. ╔T WILL WORK WITH THE ═╫-302 OR THE ═╫-350 WITH THE 4╦ BUFFER REMOVED. ╬ONE OF THESE INTERFACES APPEAR IN OUR HARDWARE DATABASE (IN ═EMBERS FILES ON THE ╙OFTWARE ╙┬ DISK). ┴RE SOME INTERFACES INCOMPATIBLE?
╨RINTER INTERFACES OFTEN ARE NOT REPORTED IN USER HARDWARE SUMMARIES. ╘HOSE THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED AND ARE PRESUMABLY COMPATIBLE INCLUDE: ╘YMAC ╘HE ├ONNECTION, ╪ETEC ╟╨╔ AND ╙UPER ╟RAPHICS, ├ARDCO ┴ AND ╟+?, AND ─RUDE. ╘HE ╪ETEC ╙UPER ╟RAPHICS IS CURRENTLY REGARDED AS THE BEST AVAILABLE ALTHOUGH ╘HE ╘YMAC IS MOST POPULAR. ╪ETEC'S ARE SUSPECTED OF CAUSING OCCASIONAL "─EVICE ╬OT ╨RESENT" ERRORS WHEN ADDRRESSING THE DISK DRIVE.
╝═╙─ ╧VERSEAS╛
╘HANKS TO THE LONG LEGS OF MAGAZINES CARRYING ┼XCHANGE INFORMATION, WE'VE MADE CONTACT WITH USERS IN TWO OTHER PARTS OF THE GLOBE WHERE ═╙─ AND PRESUMABLY ├OMMODORE ARE STRONG: ┴USTRALIA/╬EW ┌EALAND AND ╬ETHERLANDS/╟ERMANY. ╘HEY REPORT MANY OF THE SAME PROGRAMS AND BOOKS WE HAVE. ┴USTRALIANS INDICATE DRIVE MECHANISMS MADE IN ╘AIWAN, BUT THE DRIVES ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE ╙TATES. ╙ERIAL NUMBERS OVER 100,000 ARE REPORTED.
╝╙─-1 ├ONVERSION╛
╘HANKS TO ╠YLE ╟IESE OF ╠YLE'S ├OMPUTER ╥EPAIR, ╫OODSTOCK, ╔╠, FOR A DETAILED ARTICLE FROM THE ┴PRIL, ISSUE OF "╨APER ═ODEM" DESCRIBING HIS CONVERSION OF AN ╙─-1 TO AN ╙─-2. ╔T HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE ═EMORY ═AP ╙EQ ─ISK. ╧BTAINING A ╘┼├ DRIVE MECHANISM FOR THE CONVERSION IS NOW DIFFICULT. ╠─╠ ┼LECTRONICS MENTIONED IN ╬EWS 2 NO LONGER HAS THEM. ┴NOTHER SUPPLIER, ╠OLIR ╠CTRONICS, WHICH HAD A LIMITED SUPPLY OF REBUILT MECHANISMS, IS ALSO OUT. ╙UPPLIERS ADVERTISE IN MAGAZINES LIKE ╬UTS AND ╓OLTS AND ├OMPUTER ╙HOPPER. ╔F YOU FIND A SOURCE, PLEASE PASS THE WORD.
╔TS SUGGESTED THAT ╘┼├ MECHANISMS ARE NO LONGER BEING MADE. ╘ECHNOLOGY HAS SHIFTED TOWARD HIGHER DENSITY DOUBLE SIDED MECHANISMS. (═╙─ ╙ERVICE ═ANUAL DRAWINGS SHOW THE ╘┼├ ╞┬-501 EQUIPPED WITH HEADS FOR DOUBLE SIDED USE, BUT THIS ASPECT IS NOT IMPLEMENTED BY THE DISK CONTROLLER.) ╘HOSE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT DRIVE MECHANISMS MAY BE IN FOR LONG (UP TO 4 MONTH) SHOP DELAYS.
╒SERS REPORT SOME ═╙─ DRIVES WITH ╙HUGART DRIVE MECHANISMS. ╘HE LEVER LATCH IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MECHANISM RATHER THAN AT THE TOP AS ON THE ╘┼├'S. ╧N ╙HUGART'S THE DRIVE MOTOR RUNS CONSTANTLY WHEN POWER IS ON. ╘HERE IS NO INDICATION THAT ╘AIWANESE MECHANISMS ARE USED IN THE ╒╙.
╘O DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE A ╘┼├ MECHANISM, LOOK THROUGH THE VENT SLOTS AT THE REAR OF THE DRIVE. ╘HE MAIN ╘┼├ LABEL IS VISIBLE ON THE REAR EDGE OF THE DRIVE MECHANISM NEAR THE TOP. ╫ITH THE COVER OFF, ╘OKYO ┼LECTRIC ├O., ╠TD LABELS ARE ALSO FOUND ON THE FLY WHEEL AND ON THE STEPPING MOTOR.
╘AIWANESE DRIVE MECHANISMS MAY HAVE NO PRINTED LABELS. "╠╒╬╟ ╚╫┴ 59-3455" MAY BE ON THE CASTING ON THE FLY WHEEL SIDE OF THE MECHANISM. ╙ERVO ├HINA ├ORP AND ╩APAN ╙ERVO LABELS MAY BE ON THE FLY WHEEL OR THE SMALL PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD ON THE SAME SIDE.
╝├HIPS╛
╫ITH THE COVER OFF, YOU CAN ALSO INSPECT YOUR CHIPS. ╘HE CHIPS ARE LABELLED WITH ╒ NUMBERS ON THE MAIN CONTROLLER BOARD STARTING WITH ╒1 ON THE TOP ROW FRONT. ╒1 TO ╒4 ARE THE ╥┴═ CHIPS. ╘HEY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS ╙YNERTEK ╙┘2128 OR ╬ATIONAL ╙EMICONDUCTOR ╚═6116╨-4. ╒1 AND ╒2 ARE PRESENT ON ALL ═╙─'S, ╒3 IS FILLED IN ╙─-2'S AS THE EXTRA ╥┴═, AND THE ╒4 SLOT IS EMPTY ON ALL DRIVES (EXCEPT A FEW EARLY ╙─-1'S). ╒PGRADING AN ╙─-1 TO AN ╙─-2 REQUIRES THE ADDITION OF A ╒3 CHIP.
╒5 AND ╒6 ARE THE ╥╧═ CHIPS. ╒7 IS THE MICROPROCESSOR. ┴ SUMMARY OF ALL 31 CHIPS ON THE MAIN BOARD AND THEIR FUNCTIONS AS ABSTRACTED FROM THE ═╙─ ╙ERVICE ═ANUAL IS A NEW ADDITION TO THE ═EMORY ═AP ╙EQ ─ISK.
╔N RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST IN ╬EWS 2, NO USERS REPORTED HAVING INSTALLED ╒4, AND NO SOFTWARE USES IT. ─╧╙ USES ONLY ABOUT HALF OF ╒3 ╥┴═ AND THAT ONLY IN THE DUPLICATE COMMAND.
╝═╙─ ╒SER ╙TATISTICS╛
╘HE ┼XCHANGE HAS RECEIVED RESPONSES FROM OVER 150 USERS. ╔NFORMATION SUBMITTED IS AS FOLLOWS (NUMBER OF RESPONSES)--
╘HE ═╙─ ╙ERVICE ═ANUAL REPORTS A MAXIMUM DESIGN RATE FOR ├-64 SERIAL DISK TRANSMISSION OF 750 BYTES/SEC. ╒SER ╩OHN ╦ROUT REPORTS AN AVERAGE TRANSMISSION RATE OF 360 BYTES/SEC BASED ON TIMING A FULL SCREEN ─OODLE FILE. ╥EMEMBER THE HIGH TECH 2400 BAUD MODEMS. ┘OUR ├-64 COMMUNICATES IN THE SERIAL MODE WITH THE DISK DRIVE AT LESS THAN 3000 BAUD. ╘HE MAXIMUM DESIGN RATE FOR THE ═╙─ ╔┼┼┼ CONNECTION IS 1800 BYTES/SEC.
╝╙OFTWARE ╨UBLISHERS╛
╘O ENCOURAGE COMPATIBLE SOFTWARE THE ┼XCHANGE WOULD LIKE TO ADVISE PUBLISHERS OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE ═╙─ MEMORY MAP. ╘HOSE MOST OFTEN CITED AS HAVING INCOMPATIBLE SOFTWARE INCLUDE: ┴CTIVISION, ┬ERKLEY, ┬RODERBUND, ┼LECTRONIC ┴RTS, ┼PYX, ╔MAGIC, AND ╙PRINGBOARD. ┴DDRESSES ARE NEEDED FOR THE LETTERS. ╔F YOU HAVE ADDRESSES OR THINK OTHERS SHOULD BE ADDED, PLEASE PASS THEM ALONG.
╝╘HE ┼XCHANGE ─ISKS╛
╘HE ┼XCHANGE ─ISKS ARE FREE TO THOSE SENDING IN A BLANK DISK WITH RETURN POSTAGE. ─ATABASE DISKS ARE SUPPLIED IN EITHER SEQUENTIAL FILES (WHICH MAY BE READ WITH MOST WORD PROCESSOR OR TERMINAL PROGRAMS) OR DATA DISKS FOR ╙UPERBASE, THE DATABASE PROGRAM FROM ╨RECISION ╙OFTWARE. ╫HEN SENDING IN DISK(S), PLEASE INDICATE YOUR CHOICES. ─ISKS ARE RETURNED COPIED ON BOTH SIDES. ┴NY COMBINATION OF DISK SIDES CAN BE SUPPLIED. ├URRENT CHOICES ARE: ╙OFTWARE DATABASE ╙┬, ╙EQ; ═EMORY ═AP ╙┬, ╙EQ; ╨ROGRAMS 1, 2, 3.
╘WO PROGRAMS ARE NOW SUPPLIED FOR LISTING SEQUENTIAL FILES WITHOUT A WORD PROCESSOR. ╙EQUENTIAL ╠ISTER ON ╨ROG 2 IS FAST AND SUPPORTS A SINGLE OR DUAL DRIVE AND EITHER SCREEN OR PRINTER OUTPUT. ┴N IMPROVED VERSION, ┼XCHANGE ╠ISTER, READS THE DIRECTORY AND WORD WRAPS. ┬OTH ARE IN BASIC AND EASILY MODIFIED. ╫ORD WRAP MAKES ┼XCHANGE ╠ISTER SLOW. ┴ COMPILED VERSION IS ALSO SUPPLIED. ┼XCHANGE ╠ISTER IS ON EACH OF THE SEQUENTIAL DISKS AND ON ╨ROG 1. ╙EQUENTIAL ╠ISTER IS BETTER FOR TABULAR DATA.
╨ROG 2 AND 3 ARE NEW. ┬OTH ARE COLLECTIONS OF ═╙─ COMPATIBLE DISK DRIVE UTILITIES. ╨ROG 2 INCLUDES A NEW FAST LOADER PROGRAM IN ADDITION TO ╙EQUENTIAL ╠ISTER, A PROGRAM FOR ALPHABETIZING DIRECTORIES, AND A SERIES OF DISK COPY PROGRAMS. ╨ROG 3, WAS CONTRIBUTED FROM ┼UROPE. ╔T INCLUDES EXCELLENT DISK UTILITIES, ALTHOUGH SOME ARE IN ╟ERMAN. ┴DDITIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THE ╨ROGRAMS DISKS ARE BEING SOUGHT. ╨ROG 4 IS BEING ASSEMBLED.
╘HE ╙OFTWARE DATABASE NOW INCLUDES COMPABIBILITY INFORMATION ON OVER 400 PROGRAMS. ╘HE ═EMBERS DATABASE IS ON THE SAME DISK. ╘HE
║PG62
╙┬ DISK IS NEARING CAPACITY AND WILL SOON BE SPLIT INTO TWO DISK SIDES. ┬OTH FILES ARE STILL AVAILABLE ON ONE SIDE IN SEQ FORMAT.
╘HE ═EMORY ═AP ╙EQ ─ISK INCLUDES THE ═EMORY ═AP, ─OS ╨ROGRAMMING, ╙─-1 ├ONVERSION ARTICLES, ├HIPS, ╙ERVICE, AND ╨ARTS ╙UMMARIES PLUS ALL PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS AND ┼XCHANGE ╠ISTER. ╘HE ╙┬ DISK INCLUDES ONLY A LESS COMPLETE VERSION OF THE MEMORY MAP.
╝╬OTES╛
┬ASEMENT ┬OYS ╙OFTWARE IS SHIPPING ╞AST ╚ACK'EM V4.1, WHICH IS ═╙─ COMPATIBLE AND HAS EXCELLENT FEATURES.
┴LTHOUGH ╔┼┼┼ INTERFACES ARE THE BEST WAY TO SPEED UP YOUR ═╙─ DRIVE, USERS REPORT SEVERAL ═╙─ COMPATIBLE FAST LOAD PROGRAMS. ╘HE ╓ALU ╫ARE UTILITY DISK AVAILABLE FOR UNDER $10 AT DISCOUNT STORES HAS A FAST LOADER THAT IS COMPATIBLE. ╘HE COPY PROGRAM IS NOT ═╙─ COMPATIBLE. ┴ SIMILAR PROGRAM APPEARS ON ╨ROGRAMS 2. ╞AST ┬OOT! AT $14.95 FROM ┴QUARIAN ╙OFTWARE, ╨╧ ┬OX 22184, ╨ORTLAND, ╧╥ 97222, IS ALSO REPORTEDLY COMPATIBLE.
┴DD ├-64 ╠INK (╚ANDIC) TO THE ╔┼┼┼ LIST. ┴N ┼ASYSCRIPT LOAD TIME OF 28 SEC VS 40 SEC FOR ┬USCARD ╔╔ IS REPORTED.
╒SERS REPORT THAT ═╙─ IS NO LONGER REPAIRING THE DRIVES. ╥EQUESTS ARE BEING REFERRED TO ╚┬╚. ╔NFO (64) REPORTS THAT AN UNNAMED CORPORATION IS NEGOTIATING FOR RIGHTS TO THE DRIVES.
═IDNITE ╙OFTWARE ╟AZETTE IS UNDERTAKING TO INCLUDE INFORMATION ON ═╙─ COMPATIBILITY IN THE MANY REVIEWS PUBLISHED IN ITS PAGES. ╨ARTS OF ╬EWS 3 WERE PUBLISHED IN THE MOST RECENT ISSUE.
╬OT AN ═╙─ PROBLEM, BUT ONE USER REPORTS RUMORS OF ├-64 POWER SUPPLIES THAT GO BAD BY GOING OVERVOLTAGE RATHER THAN UNDERVOLTAGE. ╘HE OVERVOLTAGE CAN FRY ALL THE CHIPS IN YOUR ├-64.
╝╠ETTERS╛
┘OUR COMMENTS ON INFORMATION IN THE ╬EWSLETTER ARE APPRECIATED AND ALWAYS WELCOME. ╘HEY ARE PART OF THE LEARNING PROCESS.
