shankar@srcsip.UUCP (Subash Shankar) (08/23/88)
First, thanks everybody for the answers on the Disk II pinout question. I ended up buying the cable for the //c (also works on GS) from JDR in San Jose for $10, in case anybody else is looking for one. Now on to the next question. My GS seems to have an interesting quirk. All old (DOS 3.3 and Prodos 8) games work fine with the joystick. However, if I boot up a Prodos 16 game (or run it from the Finder), the joystick isn't recognized about 2/3 of the time. When it isn't recognized, I simply reboot to a BASIC.SYS disk and run a simple program which uses PDL(0) and PDL(1) (both needed), and then I reboot the Prodos 16 game, and everything works OK. The big question - why??? Is this a quirk or is my GS dying. It might be worth noting that this problem first started occurring when I once booted up with both a Koala Pad (in the 16-pin connector) and the joystick (9-pin) connected, and I removed the Koala Pad (very carefully) when the power was on.
maddie@crash.cts.com (Tom Schenck) (08/24/88)
Here's a little demonstration of what's happening :
Put your //gs at SLOW system speed, exit to BASIC, and run the following
program -
10 PRINT PDL(0), PDL(1):GOTO 10
You should see a long row of values, both somwhere close to 128 (120-135). Now
change your system speed to FAST, and run it again. You should get two long
columns of numbers, from 250-255. A lot of the time, they will ONLY be 255.
The problem derives from the Apple ROM routines. The way they get a joystick
reading is thusly:
-Reset the joystick timer
-wait for the timer to reach 0
-if the timer doesn't reach 0 in a reasonable number of cycles, then it
equals 255.
From simple deductive reasoning, you can see that there is a problem when this
routine (written for the old days of 1.023 Mhz Apples) is run at faster than
1.023 Mhz, namely the 2.5-2.8 Mhz of the fast //gs system speed.
Now that I've explained all that, why doesn't it recognize the joystick? Well,
16-bit programs NORMALLY run at the fast system speed, and they also usually
use Apple ROM routines. If, for some reason, you don't re-adjust your joystick
(By turning the adjustment knobs while running the above program in FAST system
speed until both columns are about 128), then the program reads 255 from the
joystick. Well, if you UNPLUG your joystick , and run the program, you'll get
two long columns of 255's, and nothing else. Most programs don't expect you to
have your joystick set like that, so if they read 255 when they first run, it's
assumed you don't have a joystick hooked up to you //gs.
--
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Disclaimer : The only company who's thoughts are my own is owned by me.
Tom Schenck, member 52nd Street Development Team.taro@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu (Taro Nobusawa) (08/24/88)
In article <7497@srcsip.UUCP> shankar@srcsip.uucp (Subash Shankar) writes: >Now on to the next question. My GS seems to have an interesting quirk. All >old (DOS 3.3 and Prodos 8) games work fine with the joystick. However, if I >boot up a Prodos 16 game (or run it from the Finder), the joystick isn't >recognized about 2/3 of the time. When it isn't recognized, I simply reboot >to a BASIC.SYS disk and run a simple program which uses PDL(0) and PDL(1) (both >needed), and then I reboot the Prodos 16 game, and everything works OK. >The big question - why??? Is this a quirk or is my GS dying. I'm not sure if this is the problem, but when you switch speeds, the joystick get's different readings. I think it has to do with the timing circuitry since the joystick uses the timing to determine where it's positioned. All I need to do is readjust the trim. If this isn't what's happening with you, you may be having problems. -- "Mad as a hen wetter...goodbye and good day. THPPT" -Opus Taro Nobusawa taro@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu taro@uhccux.BITNET Compu$erve 71071,322 {ihnp4,uunet,ucbvax}!ucsd!nosc!uhccux!taro
shankar@srcsip.UUCP (Subash Shankar) (08/27/88)
In article <7497@srcsip.UUCP> shankar@srcsip.uucp (Subash Shankar) writes: >First, thanks everybody for the answers on the Disk II pinout question. >I ended up buying the cable for the //c (also works on GS) from JDR in >San Jose for $10, in case anybody else is looking for one. > Somebody mailed me a message asking for JDR's address, and I accidentally lost his address, so I'll reply this way. I don't have the address, but the part number is CBL-DRIVE-IIc and their phone number (for orders) is 800-538-5000. The cost is $10 + P/H (They are normally advertised in the back of Byte too).
MEK4_LTD@DB2.CC.ROCHESTER.EDU (04/21/89)
Hi, instead of waiting for the axe from Apple, and since I am weary of the "limitations" of my machine imagined or otherwise, I indevored to sell my Apple IIGS with 1.5 meg ram, printer, 20 meg hard drive and mucho software. The problem is, that I cannot seem to find a buyer. I have tried my local paper, and campus..nobody wants it. Do you think the problem could be my asking price of $3000? I hope people understand that it was just the asking price..I wanted people to know that I would take best offer, but I ran out of money and therefore words in the newspaper add. If anybody can suggest what I could do to sell my Apple IIGS ASAP (before I leave for the summer), I would be gratefull. You can reach me at (716) 274-4748, or leave me mail at MEK4_LTD@db2.cc.rochester.edu . Thanks, Marcus
SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) (04/21/89)
> instead of waiting for the axe from Apple, and since I am weary >of the "limitations" of my machine imagined or otherwise, I indevored to >sell my Apple IIGS with 1.5 meg ram, printer, 20 meg hard drive and mucho >software. The problem is, that I cannot seem to find a buyer. I have tried >my local paper, and campus..nobody wants it. Do you think the problem could >be my asking price of $3000? "Previously owned" computers like used cars are worth about half what you paid for them the minute you take them home. It's interesting that you expect to get so much for a machine you find "limited." Most people reading a newspaper ad will expect the asking price to be negotiable (unless the ad says "firm"), BUT if the price they're willing to pay is half what you're asking, most also will assume you're unlikely to negotiate that far. The going rate for a //c WITH Imagewriter printer, monitor, and software is on the order of $600. Is a IIgs worth $2,400 more (those that think so probably will buy a new one from an Apple dealer)? Readers of "for sale" ads are more likely to want "a computer for the kids," and under $1,000 is what most have in mind. Murph Sewall Vaporware? ---> [Gary Larson returns 1/1/90] Prof. of Marketing Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET Business School sewall%uconnvm.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu [INTERNET] U of Connecticut {psuvax1 or mcvax }!UCONNVM.BITNET!SEWALL [UUCP] (203) 486-5246 [FAX] (203) 486-2489 [PHONE] 41 49N 72 15W [ICBM] -+- I don't speak for my employer, though I frequently wish that I could (subject to change without notice; void where prohibited)
hartkopf@tramp.Colorado.EDU (HARTKOPF JEFFREY M) (04/22/89)
In article <8904211113.aa12379@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) writes: > >The going rate for a //c WITH Imagewriter printer, monitor, and software is >on the order of $600.... >are more likely to want "a computer for the kids," and under $1,000 is what >most have in mind. > You make your point, but I think that figure on the going price for a IIc is a bit low. I recently sold my IIc to family who wanted "a computer for the kids," and they paid $1500 for my system, which had all you mention (color monitor) plus a 3.5" external drive. I think anyone should be able to get more than $600 for a decent IIc system. -- Jeff Hartkopf
lwv@n8emr.UUCP (Larry W. Virden) (04/23/89)
Note that someone here locally is selling a MacSE, 45 meg hard drive, modem, Imagewriter II, 1 meg memory, extended keyboard and a lot of software for $3500; and that is one of the highest macs in town for sell. Most are 1000-2500. For used equipment I would probably reccommend someone get a Mac at that price range rather than an Apple Ii system, unless it came with MIDI, hard disk, laser printer, etc. -- Larry W. Virden 674 Falls Place, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 (614) 864-8817 75046,606 (CIS) ; LVirden (ALPE) ; osu-cis!n8emr!lwv (UUCP) osu-cis!n8emr!lwv@TUT.CIS.OHIO-STATE.EDU (INTERNET) The world's not inherited from our parents, but borrowed from our children.
SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) (04/24/89)
>>The going rate for a //c WITH Imagewriter printer, monitor, and software is >>on the order of $600.... >> >You make your point, but I think that figure on the going price for a IIc >is a bit low. I recently sold my IIc to family who wanted "a computer for >the kids," and they paid $1500 for my system, which had all you mention (color >monitor) plus a 3.5" external drive. I think anyone should be able to >get more than $600 for a decent IIc system. Call 47th Street Computer in New York and ask about a (brand new) //c with monochrome monitor and Imagewriter (clone) printer. Why pay more for used than new costs? You can exploit ignorance I suppose, but our local "want ad" neighborhood freebie paper carries ads for personal sales of Apple systems routinely. Anyone who pays more than $1,000 for a basic system isn't paying attention. With Color Monitor //c, add $200, with extra disk drive, add $100. I'd say you made about $500 more than the careful family would have spent (must be nice to sell to the affluent :-) So, why the complaints about how much Apple charges????? Murph Sewall Vaporware? ---> [Gary Larson returns 1/1/90] Prof. of Marketing Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET Business School sewall%uconnvm.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu [INTERNET] U of Connecticut {psuvax1 or mcvax }!UCONNVM.BITNET!SEWALL [UUCP] (203) 486-5246 [FAX] (203) 486-2489 [PHONE] 41 49N 72 15W [ICBM] -+- I don't speak for my employer, though I frequently wish that I could (subject to change without notice; void where prohibited)