Message #13 of 63 on 'OZ Atari Echo' Date : 28 Sep 91 15:59:40 From : Michael Smith To : Stewart Lawler Subj : Re: Mega 1's In a message of <24 Sep 91 09:35:06>, Stewart Lawler (3:712/634.2) writes: SL> I'm considering upgrading my ST to a Mega of some sort, mainly for SL> reasons of a physical nature (like having a seperate keyboard and more SL> managable layout of I/O ports) and I happened across an old Mega 1 SL> yesterday that could be a bargain for me. Is there any difference between SL> it and a M2/4 that I should be aware of? Is it easier than an ST to SL> upgrade memory-wise? SL> things that make you go hmmmm.. Umm, I seem to remember that a mega-1 only has board space for 41256's - ie, taking it out to 2 or 4 megs is the same as doing that to a 520 or 1040, wheras the mega 2 and 4 have board holes for 1Mb drams - which makes going to 4MB much easier. It's also worth knowing that some mega 2`s have mmu's that are hobbled to 2MB only... \`miff` --- LED 1.00 * Origin: That Which Is Not. (3:680/842) Message #31 of 63 on 'OZ Atari Echo' Date : 08 Oct 91 08:18:30 From : Andrew Davies To : Steven Clark Subj : (25) Re: LZH UNCOMPACTING PROBLEM In a message of <03 Oct 91 21:41:48>, Steven Clark writes: SC> I'm having problems with the file PLAY.LZH.... SC> every time I try to uncompact it I get CRC errors for every sub SC> file I'v tried using both ARCSHELL and UNLZH16 both get the same SC> result, it's not program problems because, both are uncompaction SC> other LZH no worries. SC> If anyone can help, It would be appreciated. grab hold of the latest LZH Program (lha201e), this handles the older style lh1 level of compression as well as the latest lh5 level. However it may not work with the current release of ARCSHELL. Andrew --- ScanMail 0.56bta * Origin: Australia ATARI Network ~The NAC BBS~ (043) 43-3994 (3:711/438) Message #32 of 63 on 'OZ Atari Echo' (Rec'd) Date : 12 Oct 91 20:20:30 From : Gary Spiteri To : Peter Richards Subj : (29) Re: STE PROBLEM In a message of <10 Oct 91 18:59:56>, Peter Richards (3:712/520.0) writes: PR> How can you tell if you have the dodgy DMA chip?? I have just PR> obtained an STe and If it be dodgy I would like to replace the PR> chippie Peter I had answered this very question in my STE-SIG column on Inside Info #51 -here is a repeat performance.... DMA Hard Drive Problems In a past issue I mentioned that due to a faulty DMA chip, connecting an STE to a Hard Disk drive runs the risk of corrupting the drive. If you are planning to one day own a Hard Drive, or are using a Hard Drive now, then you should check to see if you have a bad DMA chip. If you have, then change it by going to an Atari Service center or Atari themselves. However, if you are only using your STE for games (!) or are not considering investing in a Hard Drive, then you have not problems what so ever and shouldn't worry. You can check if your machine has a faulty DMA chip by checking the serial number on the bottom of your machine. The pattern for the number is:- ?? ?? ??????? ^^ These two charcters are the ones to check. They are of the format year/month and indicate the month in which that batch of machines were manufactured. The format is:- Year Month 9 = 1989 1 = January 0 = 1990 2 = Feburary 1 = 1991 3 = March 4 = April - etc etc - 9 = September A = October B = November C = December So a number like ?? 9C ??????? shows that this machine was made in December 1989, and ?? 05 ??????? indicates a manufactor date of May 1990. If your machine was manufactured AFTER July 1990, then you have nothing to worry about. However if you do have a machine built before August 1990 then you know what to do! Thanks to Phil Reeves of the Paragon Computers, and Swavek for drawing my attention to the article in "The Paragon Report" Feb 1991 issue. - Gary. --- ScanMail 0.56bta * Origin: Fido/NeST Australian IOSmail\Binkley Test Site (3:712/520.5) Message #104 of 209 on 'European Atari Echo' Date : 20 Oct 91 16:34:42 From : Gary Spiteri To : All Subj : The ATW - what could have been... I was flicking through an old July '89 BYTE magazine which I haven't looked at since I first read it. There, on page 88IS-10 (Whats New International) were a couple of short articles, the first had a headline "Parallel Processing at 10 to 480 MIPS" and the second had a headline "A Card with Transputers and FastRAM". Both detail products from Perihelion, Ltd (the Cambridge based company that helped Atari UK prduce the ATW). The first article describes the "Polyhedron" series of computer products -expandable systems providing 10 and 480 MIPS (3.8 to 150 million Whetstones per second) at less than œ100 per MIPS. One can expand the Polyhedron machines by adding FarmCards, each card carrying up to 4 T800 or T414 processors and up to 16 Mb of DRAM. A fully populated machines can contain 48 T800 transputers, 48 Mb of DRAM (!), four T212 transputers, and the appropiate crossbar link switches for dynamic configuration. Now comes the bit the threw me off the chair, and I quote... "...The Polyhedron systems include a chassis for up to 12 FarmCards, cooling, power supplies, and suffient crossbar switches for the respective number of FarmCards. The backbone is compatible with the Atari Transputer Workstation, and expansion cards will fit either machine." The second article details the FarmCards, each containing up to 4 INMOS T800 or T414 transputers clocked at 20MHz, and each transputer has up to 16Mb of DRAM - 1 to 4Mb per node. Again I quote... "...You can install FarmCards in an Atari Transputer Workstation, in a Perihelion enclosure or in your own enclosure...." The price of the FarmCards ranged from $1350 to $3600 depending on the number and type of Transputers, and memory sizes. So there you have it - the ATW's potential memtioned but ATARI never delivered. Perhaps the forthcoming STT (which I presume stands for ST-Transputer - and not to be confused with Dave Smalls SST, which I presume stands for Super ST) will be able to use these FarmCards and then all of us will have machines running in excess of 10 MIPS on our desks.... - Gary. --- ScanMail 0.56bta * Origin: The Australian Point of View on Fido/NeST (3:712/520.5) Message #113 of 209 on 'European Atari Echo' Date : 20 Oct 91 18:46:04 From : Gary Spiteri To : Magic.Alex Badalic Subj : (53) Re: ATW News Howdy, In a message of <03 Oct 91 20:42:52>, Magic.Alex Badalic (2:331/317.1) writes: GS>> The STT is the famous "ATW in a box" which is now on a VME card. GS>> It has super graphics (16million colours etc) and has room for GS>> lots a ram and extra farms. It will accelerate the machine to GS>> ~20mips... It will released by Atari UK by the end of the year GS>> for ~œ800 (I think...) MB> Hummm... Intersting. No, I think you should rephase that to "FAST" ! GS>> There was a write up about it in one of the ST Formats (June or GS>> July) MB> I must go back to my archived files and read 'em up! Its on page 2 of which ever issue (I don't buy ST reFormat anymore...) - Gary. --- ScanMail 0.56bta * Origin: The Australian Point of View on Fido/NeST (3:712/520.5) Message #128 of 209 on 'European Atari Echo' (Rec'd) Date : 24 Oct 91 01:20:18 From : Swavek Jabrzemski To : Gary Spiteri Subj : (119) Re: Guess what I'm not using any more? GS> From what you told me - Harlerkin 2's text editor is reason enough (the GS> thought of having a Tempus in an Accessory is shocking) The difference in speed between Tempus and Harlekin is next to none, really, except of course that Tempus has all those nifty editing features and of course can open multiple windows. GS> I'll have to stick with G+Plus because I have 2 Assign.Sys files Same here (in fact I have some 10 different ass.sys files), I switch between them using DeskManager (I would prefer something like G+plus, of course), whilst waiting IN VAIN for the arrival of S&M which might solve all those problems (then again, it might not -- arrive, solve, or both!). Did you see Compo's announcement re. UltraScript, by the way (in the latest ZNet ot ST Report)? I might even opt for that (depending on its features), at least it seems to be available. SJ>> Finally, Phil sent me that SM124 modification kit, and I WISH I NEVER SJ>> ASKED HIM FOR IT. If you don't hear from me within the next few days, SJ>> look me up in the nearest lunatic asylum... GS> GS> Serves you right - you greedy pig! Now, this I resent! I am most certainly not greedy. I just like to have one of everything.... --- LED 1.00 * Origin: /|\ - The Missing Link (3:712/520.3) Message #134 of 209 on 'European Atari Echo' Date : 18 Oct 91 18:34:28 From : Marco Fris To : Peter Kocourek Subj : (100) Re: New ST's with 80286 ??? > Well, if you read the Stumpf Interview very carefully, you'll see that > he says (page 29, bottom of first column on the left) in response to > the question of selling ST's with built-in emulators: > > "I believe that that is a good idea - and I am a proponent of the > idea that future computers not be tailored to just one operating system, > that one recognizes the realities of the marketplace and says: OK, this > is our main product, it has the full performance, but this and that is > covered too, to maintain contact with other software-worlds." > > I admit, he said it in German, but the gist of it is, that he did not > slam the door shut on such a product. > Yes, I read that. But there is a wide margin between not slamming doors and Atari people leaking rumours that delivery is imminent. BTW: Stumpf also said that he was to blame for all the wild rumours going around this year about Atari, because of his lack of info ... - Marco - --- * Origin: And now... number one... The Larch. (2:281/202.11) Message #135 of 209 on 'European Atari Echo' Date : 17 Oct 91 22:59:06 From : Jan Willekens To : Henk De.Winter Subj : (92) Re: CDC CHAOS DISK COMPACTOR In a message of <15 Oct 91 16:22:04>, Henk De.Winter (2:283/107.0) writes: HD> WHY USE CDC? Why use CS? (Caps Lock :-) ) HD> THE NEW JAM PACKER (VERSION 4.0) IS MUCH,MUCH BETTER HD> IT NOT ONLY PACKS WHOLE DISKS INTO A FILE,BUT GIVES YUO ALSO THE HD> BEST PACKER THERE IS,NAMELY THE ICE PACKER Well, the best is to make a file from a disk using FastCopy Pro and then pack it with LZH201G (LH5 method) Not much differece, but still, smaller is smaller. The drawback unfortunately is that FCopy Pro is no PD :-( Oh, yes, LZH LH5 method is better than the ICE method. Greetings... - Jan - --- LED 1.00 * Origin: STabloid's Chief Editor... Prerelease out NOW! (2:281/202.12) Message #136 of 209 on 'European Atari Echo' Date : 17 Oct 91 23:03:00 From : Jan Willekens To : Bo Leuf Subj : (93) Re: The price of things today.... In a message of <12 Oct 91 23:02:38>, Bo Leuf (2:203/203.7) writes: BL> M.W.'s ideas seriously no matter what I had thought before. BL> VR will have its fling, and will find serious use, but will like so BL> many things initially be overrated and overused in all kinds of BL> inappropriate settings. Some of it is bound to be fun though... Indeed, fun it will be! We actually already have had something of a Virtual Reality on our STs, namely MidiMaze, didn't we? Greetings... - Jan - --- LED 1.00 * Origin: STabloid's Chief Editor... Prerelease out NOW! (2:281/202.12) Message #144 of 209 on 'European Atari Echo' Date : 15 Oct 91 21:03:38 From : Jan Willekens To : Marco Fris Subj : (134) Re: New ST's with 80286 ??? In a message of <15 Oct 91 10:22:22>, Marco Fris (2:281/202.11) writes: MF> Recently I found some 'exclusive news' in the ST User mag (August & MF> September issues) : Atari is supposed to launch STs with built-in MF> MessDos emu, at marginal extra costs. Said to be based on a 80286 at MF> 16 MHz with a coprocessor socket, delivery is said to start 'soon' MF> with 1040STE's in Germany. MF> Now this is really an exclusive: I've never heard or read anything MF> else about it, not even in German ST Computer's recent interview with MF> Stumpf. So is it a hoax or what? Has anyone got any info on this? Hmm, rumors i guess. These rumors have been going around for quite a while. They probably have regained attention because of the increased amount of rumors going around since the Atari Messe. I do not think Atari will do such a thing. Greetings... - Jan - P.S. Would be nice, though ;-) --- LED 1.00 * Origin: STabloid's Chief Editor... Prerelease out NOW! (2:281/202.12) Message #197 of 209 on 'European Atari Echo' Date : 22 Oct 91 21:11:04 From : Magic.Alex Badalic To : Magnus Olsson Subj : (146) Re: Calamus Converting In a message of <14 Oct 91 13:17:30>, Magnus Olsson (2:201/303.0) writes: MO> Does anyone know if there is a converting-prog for Calamus MO> .DKS(?) format to any other format (GIF, TIFF, PostScript). The MO> prblem is that I have about 10 Different Lasers at work but no MO> atari... So does anybody have a suggestion how I might Convert my MO> Calamus-documents to be printed by a PC or MacIntosh? Hello, Magnus! The only possibility I know of, is to save your docs as .CVG, then use Avant Vektor, a German tool, to convert them into .EPS files. Ciao! /|/|agic /|lex --- TIDY_UP 1.3 f801 * Origin: ST-WorkShop #1: Italian ATARI.ITA EchoMail moderator (2:331/317.1)