rroux@spp2.UUCP (Ray Roux) (12/19/85)
----- line eater snack -------------
I just installed CDY's 256K upgrade in my 800xl and am fairly pleased.
All the XE versions of programs I've tried work fine (Synfile, Syncalc,
Paper Clip, and Atari Writer+.) Using the Omniview OS I'm able to
create and use a RAMdisk with DOS 2.0 (Other DOSes are better but the
ability is still there).
I also installed CDY's Ramrodxl and Omniview. I'm glad I got the Ramrodxl,
because some software refuses to boot with the omniview chip, for example:
the XE version of paper clip, and electronic arts games. 80 columns, even
using a good monitor, is hard to look at for long periods of time. I
suppose that if I had a good monochrome monitor it would be much better.
The omniview OS is supposed to be super 400/800 compatable, it does boot
MOST of the software that needed translation but, alas, Blue Max still
won't boot (lucky for me I still have my trusty 800 :-) ).
I am having some problems, and I'm not sure if they are due to my soldering
or inherent in the upgrade. If anyone else has done the upgade I'd appreciate
responses. Anyway, here's the quirks I see:
1. Booting the non-XE version of Paper Clip gives me the the same
buffer space as if it was booted on a 48K machine (427 FREE)
rather than the 800XL buffer size (785 FREE). I know, I should
just use the XE version, but it still bugs me!
2. I sometimes have trouble booting another program, even doing a
power off/on leaves me in a wierd state - the disk isn't accessed
until I power the DISK off/on.
3. I sometimes get random garbage on the screen when I'm booting, the
program seems to behave ok - just unsettling to watch.
And now for my wish list (are you listening David Young?):
1. I would like to be able to switch ramdisk drive numbers without
resetting. It would be great for loading the back side of an
Infocomm game into a ramdisk, booting the front, and then switching
the ramdisk to drive 1 - playing Infocomm in RAM what a joy!
2. It would be nice to be able to have two single density ramdisks.
Then (using the first request) you could load the Synapse novels
and not GRIND your disks to death.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: My only connection with CDY is that I own a few of there
products and they own some of my (as yet unearned) money (where
would we be without plastic?)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Ray Roux
{ucbvax|decvax}!trwrb!trwspp!spp3!rroux
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From: rroux@spp2.UUCP (Ray Roux)
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari
Subject: 256K upgrade fo 800XL
Message-ID: <833@spp2.UUCP>
Date: 19 Dec 85 20:28:22 GMT
Date-Received: 19 Dec 85 21:03:47 GMT
Distribution: net
Organization: TRW, Redondo Beach CA
Lines: 55
----- line eater snack -------------
I just installed CDY's 256K upgrade in my 800xl and am fairly pleased.
All the XE versions of programs I've tried work fine (Synfile, Syncalc,
Paper Clip, and Atari Writer+.) Using the Omniview OS I'm able to
create and use a RAMdisk with DOS 2.0 (Other DOSes are better but the
ability is still there).
I also installed CDY's Ramrodxl and Omniview. I'm glad I got the Ramrodxl,
because some software refuses to boot with the omniview chip, for example:
the XE version of paper clip, and electronic arts games. 80 columns, even
using a good monitor, is hard to look at for long periods of time. I
suppose that if I had a good monochrome monitor it would be much better.
The omniview OS is supposed to be super 400/800 compatable, it does boot
MOST of the software that needed translation but, alas, Blue Max still
won't boot (lucky for me I still have my trusty 800 :-) ).
I am having some problems, and I'm not sure if they are due to my soldering
or inherent in the upgrade. If anyone else has done the upgade I'd appreciate
responses. Anyway, here's the quirks I see:
1. Booting the non-XE version of Paper Clip gives me the the same
buffer space as if it was booted on a 48K machine (427 FREE)
rather than the 800XL buffer size (785 FREE). I know, I should
just use the XE version, but it still bugs me!
2. I sometimes have trouble booting another program, even doing a
power off/on leaves me in a wierd state - the disk isn't accessed
until I power the DISK off/on.
3. I sometimes get random garbage on the screen when I'm booting, the
program seems to behave ok - just unsettling to watch.
And now for my wish list (are you listening David Young?):
1. I would like to be able to switch ramdisk drive numbers without
resetting. It would be great for loading the back side of an
Infocomm game into a ramdisk, booting the front, and then switching
the ramdisk to drive 1 - playing Infocomm in RAM what a joy!
2. It would be nice to be able to have two single density ramdisks.
Then (using the first request) you could load the Synapse novels
and not GRIND your disks to death.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: My only connection with CDY is that I own a few of there
products and they own some of my (as yet unearned) money (where
would we be without plastic?)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Ray Roux
{ucbvax|decvax}!trwrb!trwspp!spp3!rroux