Info-Atari16@SCORE.STANFORD.EDU (Info-Atari16 Digest) (11/27/86)
Info-Atari16 Digest Wednesday, November 26, 1986 Volume 86 : Issue 22
This weeks Editor: Bill Westfield
Today's Topics:
Re: HD Controllers (Berekeley MicroSystems)
Re: Uniterm request
Sony KV1311 w/ st
Re: Uniterm documentation available?
network for atari-st
C168 floating point errors
New UniTerm version, GDOS ?
Time Bandits - (nf)
Re: 1040 & composite monitors
ST help
Re: Hard disks
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Date: Sun, 23 Nov 86 18:36:34 est
From: Eric Terrell <terrell@ohio-state.ARPA>
To: info-atari16@su-score.arpa
A Review of the HabaCom Telecommunications Program
I have recently bought HabaCom (version 1.06), and
would like to share my impressions of the product.
THE GOOD THINGS:
The manual is well written and fairly complete (111
pages). The program is not copy protected. It
works on monochrome systems, and should work with
color systems also (it doesn't say in the manual).
Several file transfer protocols are supported:
Kermit
XModem
CompuServe B
Atari Binary Transfer File
I have used the XModem successfully for downloads.
I haven't tried uploads.
I am still trying to get Kermit to send my files
from my ST to a VAX. I have been successful in
receiving files from the VAX via Kermit.
I haven't had occasion to use the other two
protocols.
A "macro" is just a character string that is
associated with a function key. When a function key
is pressed, the corresponding string is typed.
Macros are supported, and one can create auto-login
files for each system one logs onto. Since these
files will have passwords in them, the files can be
encrypted and given a password, so that one needs to
give the password to access the file. I haven't
bothered to try out this feature.
One can access desk accessories as the program runs,
and the GEM interface is used throughout the
program.
The program will probably support just about any
modem, because when one enters numbers to dial, one
must also furnish the corresponding modem codes.
For example, I have a Hayes compatible, so when I
enter a number to dial, I must preceed it with ATDP.
Several numbers can be saved, and a number is dialed
when the function key associated with it is typed.
All the settings of the program (i.e. terminal type,
baud rate, numbers to dial, macros, etc) can be
saved in files, so one can have one settings file
for each system one uses.
One can record text typed out in a disk file, or
print it out on the printer as it echoes on the
screen.
One can view the contents of disk files from within
the program, and files can be printed. One can also
print out many of the program's current settings
(i.e. baud rate, stop bits, parity, etc).
When one uses the program, the previous two screens
of text are saved, and one may back up to see
something in the two previous pages.
THE BAD THINGS:
The cursor is shaped like the underscore character
(i.e. "_"). No big deal until one enters a full-
screen editor. In such an editor, when the cursor
is under a character, it CANNOT be seen. This makes
the program almost useless for editing. When I want
to edit a file, I have to select the VT52 emulator
desk accessory and use it! I don't know if this is
a problem with all full-screen editors or just
EMACS, but if you plan to do any source editing,
find out if the cursor will be visible.
When using the Kermit file transfer protocol, there
is little control over the various Kermit parameters
(i.e. packet size, type of error checking, start-of-
packet-character, etc). In fact it seems impossible
to even find out what these parameters are. For
this reason it has been very difficult for me to get
this part of the program work properly. I can
receive files fine, but when I send them often there
are frequent errors, and always destination file has
too many characters in it.
I am not implying that this program cannot send
files properly via Kermit. I am implying that since
many of the parameters cannot be set or even seen,
it may be very difficult to get it working.
IN SUMMARY:
This seems like a reasonably good program. I bought
it for about $35.00. Some copies of the program
come with a $15.00 CompuServe credit (the packages
are marked with a sticker).
Even though the Kermit part of this program may be
very difficult to get working, this is the only
telecommunications program that I have seen that has
both XModem and Kermit.
The problem with the invisible cursor was a great
disappointment, but can be overcome relatively
easily with the VT52 emulator desk accessory.
P.S. If anyone knows how to use the Kermit part of
this program, I would really appreciate hearing from
him/her!
Eric Bergman-Terrell
------------------------------
Date: 23 Nov 86 15:26:08 GMT
From: imagen!turner@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (D'arc Angel)
Subject: Re: HD Controllers (Berekeley MicroSystems)
To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu
> In article <691@imagen.UUCP> turner@imagen.UUCP (D'arc Angel) writes:
>
> >About a month ago I went up to Berekely MicroSystems to buy one of their hard
> >disk controllers and adaptor boards, I have been happy as a clam with them
> >since. First what are they;
> >
> > the controller board is a standard Adaptec 4000 hard disk controller
> > the price BMS asked was in line with the street price (~ $115)
> >
> > (this is the exciting part) the adaptor board converts the atari DMA
> > format to SCSI (~ $135)
> >
rest of my posting deleted for brievity's sake
>
> This sounds pretty good, but I have a couple of other questions:
>
> 1. How does such a board interface to the ST? Does it fit
> internally or plug into the DMA port and stick out the back?
neither it screws onto the hard disk itself thru a pair of adapter
rails that BMS sells for ~ $5 and the cable from the board fits into
the hard disk port in the back of the st
>
> 2. What is the approximate cost? Do you have to have both of the
> above boards or are they combined? Also, what are some good HDs that can
> be used with an SCSI interface, such that the total cost of the board and
> general SCSI drive would cost about the same as an Atari or Supra drive?
the costs i quoted are accurate, (they came from BMS) you need both
boards for the first drive, for the second just new cables. any disk
that is ST212 or ST506 (which is just about every disk) can be used.
most 20Mbyte disks cost about $350 + $250 for the boards = $600, but
the second disk can be added for 'cost', also don't forget the real
time clock, but what attracted me to this solution is that all i could
afford now is a 10Mbyte disk, if i want or am able to get a larger
disk later, or the disk dies or what ever, i don't have to chuck
everything and start over
>
> 3. Since Atari markets a disk drive that plugs into the DMA port
> and will hopefully fix the HD support in TOS soon (no more 40 folder, I hope),
> will future software releases somehow not work with SCSI. (Maybe this is
> a naive question)
>
> From what I've seen in Byte, there are a lot of HDs for the IBM that cost a
> lot less than the $600+ currently charged for some type of drive for the
> ST. I hope this board can offer a few more options.
IBM probably uses a true SCSI interface etc. hence no need for a
converter board (DMA <--> SCSI) also its a larger market, more
volume, more compitition, hence lower prices
hope this helps
These are days for the locust to eat
- Winston Churchill
Name: James M. Turner
Mail: Imagen Corp. 2650 San Tomas Expressway, P.O. Box 58101
Santa Clara, CA 95052-8101
AT&T: (408) 986-9400
UUCP: ...{decvax,ucbvax}!decwrl!imagen!turner
CompuServe: 76327,1575
GEnie : D-ARCANGEL
------------------------------
Date: 23 Nov 86 22:39:38 GMT
From: rutgers!clyde!cuae2!gatech!gitpyr!tynor@seismo.css.gov (Steve Tynor)
Subject: Re: Uniterm request
To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu
In article <1425@trwrb.UUCP> mdf@trwrb.UUCP (Mark D. Falleroni) writes:
>Would someone please send me a working uuencoded copy of Uniterm?
Me too! A kind soul has sent me ARC, but I still don't have UNITERM...
Steve Tynor
Georgia Instutute of Technology
...{akgua, allegra, amd, harpo, hplabs,
ihnp4, masscomp, ut-ngp, rlgvax, sb1,
uf-cgrl, unmvax, ut-sally} !gatech!gitpyr!tynor
------------------------------
Date: 24 Nov 86 21:46:12 GMT
From: anderson@marlin.nosc.mil (Gregory W. Anderson)
Subject: Sony KV1311 w/ st
To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu
This is probably an old question that's been covered before but
will the RGB output of the 520 or 1040 work with the
Sony KV1311CR? If so, does anyone have the pin to pin connections
figured out?
thx
------------------------------
Date: 25 Nov 86 02:38:52 GMT
From: mnetor!utcs!sikorski@seismo.css.gov (//TED)
Subject: Re: Uniterm documentation available?
To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu
I would also like a copy of the uniterm documentation.
You can mail it to the above addr.
Thanks in advance.
------------------------------
Date: 24 NOV 86 10:20-N
From: ZRFA1%DS0RUS51.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
To: INFO-ATARI16@SU-SCORE.ARPA
Subject:network for atari-st
There were some questions about atari-st networks. I have got
some information of a german company who has produced a network and is
going to sell it starting in december.
We are going to buy the network for a small set of ataris for testing.
We are planning to used it for students education.
If there is enough interest i am going to report to the net as soon
as we have installed it.
The specifiactions are:
- bus based network with up to 128 stations
- transfer rate of 1 megabit/sec
- common network hard disk ( 85MB 28ms voice coil or 40MB 40ms )
- common devices like printer, modems etc. using apropriate servers
- local devices, i.e. every slave can in addition use his own devices
- not network based limit of max. disk storage
- option to link to ethernet networks ( for example IBM PC )
- network software accelerates acess to lokal disks
- record/file locking
- password protection with 5 privilege levels
- mailbox system to exchange news between 2 stations
- fully compatible to all GEM and TOS applications
- full DMA support of the net (the DMA port of the atari is used)
- big hash buffer for faster access of the hard disk
- network disk is a normal disk for all slaves
- streamer 60MB for DC 600A tapes
There were some limits in TOS which they had to remove
- TOS has a maximum of 16 active files
- max. partitioning of the hard disk of 16MB
- having more than 256 entries per folder TOS looses data without
error message
- no file or record locking
Prices are
Software for master station 1140DM
Software and hardware for each attached slave 165DM
Ulrich Lang (ZRFA1@DS0RUS51.BITNET)
University of Stuttgart Computer Center
P.S. I don't have any connection to the company producing the network.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 86 17:38 EDT
From: <RDROYA01%ULKYVX.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU> (Robert
Subject: C168 floating point errors
To: info-atari16@su-score.arpa
X-Original-To: info-atari16@su-score.arpa
I finally received the updated version of the Alcyon compiler. An already I
have a few questions about the floating point operations. I don't think
these are about the library, but rather about the way C068 tells C168 that
floating point is desired. I have a piece of code with the following
declarations:
long length; /* buffer length */
long curdot; /* current spot in buffer */
float ratio; /* percentage of buffer before curdot */
[later]
ratio = (float) (100.00*(curdot/length));
now this worked fine with the pre 4.14 version, but with the new version I
get the
No code table for X
error for a number of lines in the file. In fact I discovered the only way
I could avoid these errors was to
static float ratio = (0.00); /* the static and the () are required */
static float constant = (100.00);
No compilation errors but ratio comes out non-sense. After a few hours of
working on this, using ltodp() etc., I discovered that you can get the first
part of the ratio (i.e. ratio=(float)(curdot/length) ), but when that value
is multiplied by 100 you get non-sense (even when 100.00 is a float
constant). I've tried double precision and just about everything I can
think of. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get this worked
out?
robert royar
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Date: Mon, 24 Nov 86 17:24:19 GMT
To: info-atari16@su-score.ARPA
From: K538915%CZHRZU1A.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
Return-Receipt-To: K538915@CZHRZU1A.BITNET
Subject: New UniTerm version, GDOS ?
There is a new UniTerm version available (V1.6c), new features include:
- Desk accessories accessible.
- Translation tables for ASCII file capture and sending
- A few bug fixes.
I've written a small utility to transform Tektronix (TM) encoded vectors
to GEM (TM) metafiles or to high resolution output on a printer using
FX80.SYS, if anybody wants it send me mail (you'll naturally need GDOS
aswell!).
Simon Poole
K538915@CZHRZU1A.BITNET
P.S A few GDOS questions:
- are there any device drivers for plotters etc. around yet?
- why can't you open the metafile driver in NDC? (yes I know
that the RC are 32767*32767).
- what about somebody (a developer perhaps?) writing a generic
printer driver?
------------------------------
Date: 24 Nov 86 14:25:00 GMT
From: mcvax!unido!exunido!hmm@seismo.css.gov
Subject: Time Bandits - (nf)
To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu
Hey, has anyone played the game Time Bandits ? I have some trouble with
level 4c of castle greymoon. I don't know what the mad hermit wants from me.
He will let me in, since I solved the three other puzzles... But I would
prefer to give him the right thing.
Thanks in Advance,
Hans-Martin Mosner
University of Dortmund
hmm@unido.uucp, hmm@unido.bitnet
------------------------------
Date: 25 Nov 86 00:57:02 GMT
From: mnetor!utzoo!utcsri!uthub!utecfa!mugc@seismo.css.gov (ModemUserGroupChairman)
Subject: Re: 1040 & composite monitors
To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu
I built a little board that would generate composite video
output from the RGB that the ST provides, using an MC1377 and very little
other components. The board is still lying around (I don't have a colour
monitor, and the board was originally designed for someone else) and I
have the schematics I used. If people are interested, send me a SASE and
I'll mail you photocopies of the schematics. If you are handy with a soldering
iron, the construction should be quite straight-forward.
You may mail me at:
Anees Munshi
58 York Road
Weston, Ontario
M9R 3E6
(416) 246-0670
-anees
--
Anees Munshi
@ University of Toronto Engineering Comp. Facility :A
{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!utcsri!utecfa!mugc
------------------------------
Date: 24 Nov 86 21:45:17 GMT
From: phri!cooper!john@nyu.arpa (John Barkaus)
Subject: ST help
To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu
When I copy a file on my 1040 with one disk drive I have to swap the disk
three times. Is this due to some verification procedure? If it is can
someone tell me how to stop this?
Thanks,
John
<> To:John Barkaus
<> At:The Cooper Union for ihnp4!philabs!phri!cooper!john
<> the Advancement of ||
<> Science and Art "phri!cooper!john"@nyu.arpa
------------------------------
Date: 25 Nov 86 06:32:55 GMT
From: braner@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (braner)
Subject: Re: Hard disks
To: info-atari16@score.stanford.edu
Add-on hard disks (for IBMs, say) are cheap since they come with no box
and no power supply. Those can easily add $75 or more.
Could people who have attached SCSI drives tell us about this added problem?
(Radio Shack sells a surplus unit, originally designed for the Adam,
that gives 5V/1A, -5V/100mA, 12V/300mA. I don't think that's enough
for any hard disks (?) but it's great for many other things, e.g. that
SECOND megabyte. And they only ask $5 for it! Go get a pair :-)
- Moshe Braner
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End of Info-Atari16 Digest
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