darekm@microsoft.UUCP (Darek MIHOCKA) (01/08/91)
VERSIONS OF ST XFORMER II
=========================
In response to the question about the latest version of Xformer, here is
a list of all release of ST Xformer II to date and what they do:
(for reference, ST Xformer 1.1 and 1.2 ran at 15% to 25% the speed of the
real Atari 800 and didn't support Atari DOS)
2.0 - released July 1988 - don't use it!
2.1 - released July 1988 - Atari 800 emulation, Apple II emulation
- Atari DOS 2.0 support
- this version is OK for running Atari 800 software
if you already have it ported to the ST disk
- a memory hog (uses over 800K)
2.2/2.3 - October 1988 - don't use it!
2.31 - November 1988 - support for the Xformer cable (big plus!!!!)
- 800XL emulation
- selectable 800/800XL emulation, slow or fast FP
- said by many to be the most stable/compatible version
- runs at about 40% to 45% the speed of a real 800XL
- requires less memory but more than 512K
2.4/2.5 - May 1989 - 130XE emulation
- uses much less memory (runs on 512K, just barely)
- supports up to 8 disk drives
- 8-bit hard disk emulation (on ST hard disk)
- runs at 45% to 50% the speed of real 130XE
2.55 - September 1989 - LATEST and GREATEST!
2.6 - spring of 1991 - even smaller memory requirements
- bug fixes
- 16 MHz support
- possible TT support (for FAST speed) if I ever get my
hands on a TT (hopefully this decade)
All of these versions of Xformer are up on various bulletin boards. But
people still complain they can't find them. So if you really need Xformer
badly, send me $10 and I will send you a disk with Xformer 2.31 and 2.55 and
if I have any left, an ST Xformer II User's Manual that includes such things
as the pinouts to the Xformer Cable. Last time I looked I had about a dozen
manuals left. And no, I do not make or sell Xformer Cables.
Question: does a 16MHz board help?
Answer: Yes, it boosts the speed by about 60%.
Question: does ST Xformer 2.55 run on the TT?
Answer: No. But when I figure out why, it will run at about 300% the speed of
the Atari 800.
Question: Where do I get the disk and manual.
Answer: Send $10 to me at the address below. If you write a check, do not
make it out to Branch Always Software since that is not a product.
Make it out to me, Darek Mihocka.
Question: Where do I get a Xformer Cable?
Answer: Look in START or other magazines and look for ads from either
BRE Software, First Stop Computers, or Innovative Concepts. I do
not manufacture the cables or sell them and do not receive royalties
from their sale, so please do not bother me about cable problems.
I will also be making available a public domain IBM PC version of Xformer
that runs at about 50% speed on an XT, 100% on a 286, and 200%-500% on a 386
or 486, depending on clock speed. It is currently being tested by a few people
and assuming Atari doesn't have a cow about people running Atari 800 software
on a PS/2 or Compaq (or heaven forbid, an Atari PC-4), it will be up on the
boards in a few months. The similar Apple II emulator will not <grin>.
- Darek
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Darek Mihocka (206)-885-5893 after 6pm. All views expressed are my own.
Branch Always Software, 14150 NE 20th St. Suite 302, Bellevue, WA 98007
----------------------------------------------------------------------------neil@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Forsyth) (01/10/91)
In article <60319@microsoft.UUCP> darekm@microsoft.UUCP (Darek MIHOCKA) writes: >Question: does ST Xformer 2.55 run on the TT? >Answer: No. But when I figure out why, it will run at about 300% the speed of > the Atari 800. Way to go Darek! I presume that most 8 bit games wait for vertical blanks so they will still be playable. 8 bit games are sooooooo playable when compared to most 16 bit garbage. >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Darek Mihocka (206)-885-5893 after 6pm. All views expressed are my own. > Branch Always Software, 14150 NE 20th St. Suite 302, Bellevue, WA 98007 >---------------------------------------------------------------------------- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ! DISCLAIMER:Unless otherwise stated, the above comments are entirely my own ! ! ! ! Neil Forsyth JANET: neil@uk.ac.hw.cs ! ! Dept. of Computer Science ARPA: neil@cs.hw.ac.uk ! ! Heriot-Watt University UUCP: ..!ukc!cs.hw.ac.uk!neil ! ! Edinburgh, Scotland, UK "That was never 5 minutes!" ! +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Yonderboy@cup.portal.com (Christopher Lee Russell) (01/12/91)
Somebody meantioned the emulator waiting for vertical blanks. It was
my understanding that the 8-bit emulator couldn't do display lists, etc.
Also I thought that it couldn't do PM graphics... This would do away
with most "good" games.....
........yonderboy@cup.portal.comJon_Clarke@kcbbs.gen.nz (Jon Clarke) (01/12/91)
Darek,
I take back what I said in the RTC the other night re postings to here,
I guess I did not read the lastest bunch of mail....
Jon_Clarke@kcbbs.gen.nz STT@kcbbs.gen.nz 72000.3555@compuserve.com.usa
GEnie : J.Clarke6 Compuserve : 72000,3555
----Where is Runciman? Near Ramarama!