kiki@uhunix1.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (03/30/91)
The following was excerpted from Gadgets by Small newsletter number five:
MegaTalk (SCSI and serial communications board)
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The Gadgets MegaTalk board is a multifunction expansion board for Atari
Mega ST computers. MegaTalk plugs into the Mega's expansion slot, has two
serial ports and a Mac SCSI port...With our fully compatible BIOS drivers,
you can connect up to three serial devices to the ST at the same time. For
instance, using Strata Softwares' STalker DA, we've connected three modems
to one ST, and connected to CompuServe, GEnie, and BIX - all at the same time!
The MegaTalk is capable of exceptional speed - up to 921,600 baud (92,160
cps). The BIOS software which goes in your AUTO folder, allows ST software
at usual baud rates (110, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19,200). You can
kick in second gear, starting with 38,400 and go to 57,600. For those indus-
trial strength transfers, put it in overdrive and run at 230,400 baud (Apple-
talk speed), 460,800 or 921,000 baud!
It is compatible with the upcoming TT high-speed serial port, and is
base on the same Zilog SCC chip. If/when Atari releases a network for the TT,
MegaTalk should plug in; we already support the Atari Lan specification. In
the meantime, we are providing info to Atari developers so they can adapt some
of the present ST networks to MegaTalk, to let you share resources (hard disks,
laser printers, etc.) between several machines.
The MegaTalk ports are 100% Mac ready; you can plug straight into any Mac
peripheral. It works like you think; plug in your Mac mini DIN-8 cables, run
Spectre 3.0, select "LaserWriter" from Chooser, and start printing. Or plug
into a Mac network and use it, including file servers, LocalTalk Postscript
printers, and so on...
In addition, for the first time ever, Mac MIDI programs now work with
Spectre GCR, with standard Mac MIDI interfaces. We have tested both the Apple
and Passport MIDI interfaces, and they both work fine, as well as many popular
Mac MIDI programs, like Finale, Vision, Master Tracks Pro, and Beyond.
The MegaTalk SCSI port has the same 25-pin connector you'd find on a Mac
Plus or any Mac. Just plug in your Mac hard disk, and/or any other SCSI peri-
pheral and off you go. It's that easy!
Besides hard disk, we've also tested a ThunderWare LightningScan hand
scanner; it works fine. And we've plugged in a Mac CD-ROM drive; we now have
gigabytes of Mac software handy.
The MegaTalk retails for $299.95 each; a pair of MegaTalk boards retail
for $549; you save $50!
GBS SST030 (Motorola 68030 and 68881/68882 accelerator board)
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The SST is a 68030 processor accelerator and high-speed memory board for
the Atari ST. The current board configuration is only for the Mega ST, which
has lots of inner space for the board (and more importantly, for the heat the
board generates). By the way, we are planning a board for the "smaller" ST's.
What's on the board:
68030 : The speed of the '030 depends on how much you want to
spend. We plan to sell the basic package with three
options: no 68030, or a 16 or 33 Mhz 68030.
68881/2 : The SST also has a socket for a 68881/2 floating point
chip, which will radically accelerate programs that use
it. The 33 Mhz option includes the 68882 coprocessor.
SIMMs : The board has eight SIMM sockets to allow you to add up
to eight megabytes of SIMM memory. We offer two memory
options: no SIMMs or four one megabyte SIMMs.
socket : a 96 pin Euro-DIN expansion socket for add-on boards.
If you run your programs in the low four megabytes of ST memory, they're
going to bog down to eight Mhz, period. So we will provide a few utilities to
help you make sure your programs are running in "fastRAM" if you have it. This
is the sort of thing where you put our program into the AUTO folder and forget
about it; it's easy to install.
Along with the above-mentioned things, we also plan to include a 64-pin
socket, a spare 68000, TOS 1.6, a manual, a floppy, and a couple of other misc-
ellaneous items. And, since eight meg of SIMMs pull lots and lots of power, we
may also end up including a power supply to handle the increased demand, but we
don't know for sure yet.
We're going to market the SST in an upgradable configuration. First, get
the basic package and a 16 Mhz 68030. Later, add fastRAM for more speed.
Later, upgrade the 68030 to a faster model, and so forth.
Installation requires the removal of the 68000 in your Mega ST, soldering
in a socket (which we include), and plugging in our board into the socket. We
strongly encourage you to have your dealer install the SST; clipping and sol-
dering 64 pins on a Mega motherboard is not for novices. For those of you
without local dealers, we are planning on having designated "authorized Gadget
dealers" who will install your SST in your Mega for you.
The basic package SST without 68030, coprocessor, and SIMMs, is $599.
Price of SST options:
A: 16 Mhz 68030, $200
B: 16 Mhz 68030 and 4 1MB SIMMs, $460
C: 33 Mhz 68030, 68882 coprocessor, and 4 1MB (80 ns) SIMMs, $800
Planned availability of the SST '030 is April 1990.
For further information, contact:
Gadget by Small, Inc.
40 W. Littleton Blvd, #210-211
Littleton, CO 80120
(303) 791-6098 [Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30am-2:30pm MST]
(303) 791-0253 [Fax, 24 Hours]
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The size of the MegaTalk and SST '030 boards are estimated to be about 4"x5"
and 6"x6", respectively. Other items covered in the newsletter include the
Spectre 3.0 (now with Atari TT/68030 and MegaTalk support, keyboard improve-
ments, French and German menu option, 1.44 meg floppy NOT supported yet, but
planned), and a compatibility list of about 450 Mac software.
Jack