¢ATARI 8-BIT NEWS¢June 1995¢¢¢¢* ACPC HARDWARE¢¢ David Davies of the Atari Classic Programmer's Club (ACPC) has sent me details of new projects planned for this summer. ACPC will move into the hardware market with the release of THE ROM BANK in July 1995.¢¢ The ROM Bank is a hardware device modelled on the ROM scanners that were once available for the Atari 2600 games console. It allows games players and cartridge collectors to connect several ROM cartridges to their Atari 8-bit at once. Cartridges are then selected at the push of a button.¢¢ The ROM Bank houses up to eight cartridges, but they can be daisy-chained together to enable more cartridges to be connected.¢¢ The ROM Bank fits onto the cartridge slot and requires a small hardware modification to be performed in order to fit a single wire inside the computer.¢¢ There are currently two versions of the ROM Bank:¢¢- The ROM Bank Master. This is the first unit you should buy since it contains the hardware modification and an on/off switch that allows you to use disk and cassette software with the unit still connected to the cartridge slot.¢¢- The ROM Bank Slave. These units can be connected to the Master unit and set up in a tree-like structure to accomodate far more than the standard eight cartridges.¢¢ You only need one Master unit. You can then connect up as many slave units as you like within the system's limits.¢¢ The ROM Bank Master unit will retail at 60 pounds ($95) while the ROM Bank Slave units will cost 55 pounds ($90).¢¢ ACPC members can purchase either unit at the following reduced prices:¢¢Master Unit - 50 pounds ($80)¢Slave Unit - 45 pounds ($75)¢¢ All prices are inclusive of postage and packaging.¢¢ Advanced orders are now being accepted for both units. Customers ordering their units before 30th June can purchase them at the reduced prices of 45 pounds ($75) for the Master Unit and 40 pounds ($65) for each Slave. Cheques will be held until units are ready for despatch.¢¢ Send your orders to the following address: ACPC, Pen-Tyddyn, Capel Coch, LLangefni, Anglesey, Gwynedd, LL77 7UR, Wales.¢¢ ACPC are also working on a joystick port multiplier which will allow you to connect three joysticks to each joystick port. More details will be available soon.¢¢¢¢¢* THE RETURN OF ATARI CLASSICS¢¢ As mentioned in Futura issue 13, Atari Classics magazine has returned! Jim Hood has taken over the reins and has already released two issues. Alex Pignato of OHAUG desribes issue 1 as follows:¢¢ "It has a lot of 8-bit advertisements in it, as well as a user group listing. The articles are well written and cover a lot of ground."¢¢ Alex has also received issue 2 of the new AC and found it to be "enjoyable reading, and well worth receiving". He goes on to say,¢¢ "There are a couple of reviews, some tutorial type articles, and some humorous articles. I never thought I'd say it, but I enjoyed the many pages of advertising of basically 8-bit stuff."¢¢ Jim Hood is currently recuperating after surgery. All the best Jim!¢¢ Here are the subscription details for the new Atari Classics:¢¢European Airmail¢¢ Magazine: 1 year $38.00¢ 2 years $72.00¢¢ Disk: 1 year $9.00¢ 2 years $18.00¢¢Address = Atari Classics, 5507 Langford Court, Concord, CA 94521-1614, USA.¢¢¢¢That's all the news for now!¢
