AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu (05/02/91)
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Date: 1 May 1991, 16:14:02 EDT
From: AKH104 at PSUVM
To: achilles at unixland.uucp
Subject: Re: What is an Atari 400??
To set this all straight, since I am tired of seeing replies to this subject.
...First off the 400 is 16k upgradeable to 48k. Its borther the 800 is 32k up
to 48k. Note this is by using atari upgrades....upgrades to a Meg+ is possible
. The atari 850 has 4 RS232C ports and 1 standard printer parallel port. The
ATR8000 interface is an awesome piece of add on hardware...however finding one
is going to be tougher than life. The next generation of machines (8bit now we
are talking about) was the 1200XL. It is essentially an Physically redesigned
800 with a few Operating System changes and 64k standard (yes, I know not all
of which is addressable at once!..lay off it) Next, the true second generatio
n of atari machines were the 600XL and 800XL. These are not the same as the
1200XL! Note why: the 400/800 has either rev. A or the better B OS. ver.
The 1200XL has the 1200XL os. And the 600Xl and the 800Xl have the commonly
known XL OS's. The third generation of 8bits were the XE series of computers
which have the same OS as the XL's save the 1200XL (WHY it was called and XL
was because of its looks and atari's new line of components.) What makes the
XL/XE series of computers better than the 400/800/1200XL was the addition
of a parrallel bus which lets one connect massive memory upgrades and hardrives
.
Now for a brief review...
Computer Standard Ram O/S Year of Design notes...
400 16k A/B 1978/79? Membrane Keyboard...
800 32/48k A/B 1978/79? Full Featured computer.
1200XL 64k 1200 1982 Hackers dream/nightmare
600XL 16k XL 1983 Baby to the next one..
800XL 64k XL 1983 BEST ONE TO MODIFY!!
65XE 64k XL 84/85 NO PARALLEL BUS!!!!
130XE 128K XL 84/85 Newest powerful beast.
All these more or less compatible with one another....those programs that
won't run an any XL or XE machine can be runned with an Atari Translator disk
or the like....
Those 8bitters that were never released (really) are the following...
1400XL - Same as 800Xl + built in speach and modem.
1450XLD - Same as 1400XL + built in DS/DD drive. (Now you know where DOS4
came from!)
65XEP Same as 65XE but instead a portible with built in monitor.
65XEM Same as 65XE but advanced music capabilities for musicians.
The vaporware/hardware expansions are too long to list.
16bit machines know as the ST's...
520STxxxx xxx means several differnt releases/versions.
1040STxxx " "
Mega ST 1,2,4 Same as othes but with MEGS of mem.
xxxx - FM frequency modulation for TV set hookup!
e Enhanced for digital stereo sound and enhanced graphics...
32 bit machines....just released the Atari TT/30 (?) This is the BEST piece
of hardware available to any user of any system at this time (1991!)
Thats it any questions?smb@cs.purdue.EDU (Scott M. Ballew) (05/02/91)
In article <91121.170707AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu> AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu writes: > [ history of the Atari machines deleted ] >32 bit machines....just released the Atari TT/30 (?) This is the BEST piece >of hardware available to any user of any system at this time (1991!) It's too bad that you had to take an essentially correct review of Atari machine history and end it with an editorial opinion. Many might disagree with this comment (including me). By the way, you missed an important happening in Atari history that occured between the 8-bit machines and the 16-bit machines. This event was basically the flip-flop of the hardware and software designers of the Commodore and Atari 8-bit machines. Check out your history and you will see that, in general, the designers of the 8-bit machine for one company, designed the 16-bit machines of the other company (ie., the Amiga was designed by the Atari 8-bit people and the ST was designed by the Commodore 8-bit people). Just for you information/amusement. :-) Scott
brett@visix.com (Brett Bourbin) (05/02/91)
In article <91121.170707AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu>, AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu writes: > To set this all straight, since I am tired of seeing replies to this subject. Me too. > ...First off the 400 is 16k upgradeable to 48k. Its borther the 800 is 32k up > to 48k. No, the 800 was shipped with 16k and could be expanded to 48k (from Atari) and more from 3rd party vendors. > 32 bit machines....just released the Atari TT/30 (?) This is the BEST piece > of hardware available to any user of any system at this time (1991!) Oh, I am sorry, I try to stay out of any "my-computer-is-better-than-yours" flame wars, but I can't let this go by. What was the criteria you used to come up with this statement? I own a 32-bit machine (68030) and IMHO it outperforms all the Atari ST/TT computers. Does this make my system better? Does price have anything to do with it? If not, then my SPARCstation wins hands down. Is it available software? Is it the quality of the software releases? Is it how expandable the system is? Is it... you get the point. Statements like the one made above hold no weight with explaining WHY one system "is the BEST piece of hardware" since sliced bread. Back to this group, the Atari 8-bit series was the best hardware platform for it's time because of all the above reason I stated above, (IMHO). 8^) > Thats it any questions? No, but thanks for the look back on the 8-bit line. -- __ Brett Bourbin \ / /(_ /\/ 11440 Commerce Park Drive ..!uunet!visix!brett \/ / __)/ /\ Reston, Virginia 22091 brett@visix.com Software Inc (703) 758-2733
kimes@cbnewsc.att.com (Kit Kimes) (05/03/91)
From article <91121.170707AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu>, by AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu: > > 16bit machines know as the ST's... > 520STxxxx xxx means several differnt releases/versions. > 1040STxxx " " > Mega ST 1,2,4 Same as othes but with MEGS of mem. > > xxxx - FM frequency modulation for TV set hookup! This is almost correct but a few things should be pointed out. The original 520ST had an RF modulator, but the disk drives were external. Later versions (and the 1040ST) had a built in floppy drive. To differentiate the 520's, the name was changed to 520STFM, where the F meant builtin floppy drive and the M meant RF Modulator. The 1040ST's had a built-in floppy, but not an RF modulator. I don't think they were called 1040STF's though, since they all came that way until the 1040STe's came out which do have an RF modulator. Some of this is from memory and what I have read. I have never had an ocassion to have one of each vintage sitting in front of me to confirm this. :-) Kit Kimes AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL ...!att!iwtsa!kimes
AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu (05/03/91)
Date: 2 May 1991, 19:04:53 EDT
From: AKH104 at PSUVM
To: smb at tristram.cs.purdue.edu
Subject: Re: ATARI HISTORY
Yes, I knew about the switch..just didnt feel like confusing anyone.
Howeve, I did not know that the Amiga was design by the group who do the
Atari 8-bits.. Hmmm me thinks there is a fight brewing between the Amiga
users around here and us Atari users. heheh. (Sorry about the opinion,
just got hyped about it all a little too much. Now for the Lynx...)AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu (05/03/91)
Date: 2 May 1991, 19:09:11 EDT
From: AKH104 at PSUVM
To: brett at visix.com
Subject: Re: ATARI HISTORY
SORRY! I should know better than spit out opinions here. Forgive me
for I have sinned. I was wrong in stating that. (But it sure did cause a
ruckus---yes, I'm a bad speller!)AKH104@psuvm.psu.edu (05/03/91)
Date: 2 May 1991, 19:12:16 EDT
From: AKH104 at PSUVM
To: kimes at cbnewsc.att.com
Subject: Re: ATARI HISTORY
I knew I was a little sloppy, but you must agree to differentiate all of
'em would take a hell of alot of work! And as long as we are on the subject..
anyone know of the complete list of ST's? Even the prototyped 130ST? Hmmm
should post this on the ST board. 'nuff said.