cfleck@SRC.Honeywell.COM (Chuck Fleckentein) (08/29/90)
I would like to know if I can convert my 800XL to an 80 column machine. What hardware/software is needed ? Also, will this work with the old Atari communications package ? Any info will be appreciated..... Thanks.... |\/\/\/| | | | | ______________ | (.)(.) / \ C _) | Don't Have a | | ,___| ___| Cow, Man! | | / \______________/ /---\ / \ cfleck@src.honeywell.com
pm16579@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (08/29/90)
Howdy,
I don't believe that I am qualified to answer your query (I don't
have much experience with the XEP80 80 column driver, and I don't know
the basic theory behind software-driven 80-column applications), but
I did feel the need to compliment you on your Bart Simpson.
Very nice.kimes@cbnewsc.att.com (Kit Kimes) (08/30/90)
From article <88937@srcsip.UUCP>, by cfleck@SRC.Honeywell.COM (Chuck Fleckentein): > I would like to know if I can convert my 800XL to an 80 column > machine. What hardware/software is needed ? > Also, will this work with the old Atari communications package ? Atari made (and it is still available most mail-order places) a hardware device called the XEP80 which is box that takes the output and sends it to a monitor. Some software was made that takes available of it features, but not much. As for a communication package, one that takes advantage of it is BOBTERM. It has a module with it that you can load that allows you to do the 80 column work via the XEP80, although you also need your regular monitor/TV because the menu part, etc. is still sent to there. I haven't seen it work but have heard good reports. Kit Kimes AT&T Bell Labs Naperville, IL ...!att!iwtsa!kimes
Ordania-DM@cup.portal.com (Charles K Hughes) (08/30/90)
There are several ways to get 80 columns on your 800xl. Each way depends somewhat on what you want to do. The easiest way is to buy the XEP80 module. The XEP80 works with BOBTERM (the best terminal program out right now), ATARIWRITER 80 (the wordprocessing program for the XEP80), SpartaDOS X (and any language cart that works with SDX), and, of course, AtariDOS 2.5. I'm not sure how well it works with other programs or cartridges - it will work fine with most well-behaved programs/carts, but most atari programs/carts are not well behaved. :) The next way is with 80 columns done in software. There are one or two terminal programs (they stink) that use this. Very few programs work with software 80 columns, mainly because it requires so much memory (8k). I have a good monitor, and software 80 columns looks terrible on it. I believe those are your only two choices. If you hear of any others, let the net know about them. Charles_K_Hughes@cup.portal.com
Makey@Logicon.COM (Jeff Makey) (08/30/90)
In article <33361@cup.portal.com> Ordania-DM@cup.portal.com (Charles K Hughes) writes: >I have a good monitor, and software 80 columns looks terrible on it. Have you tried 80 columns using reverse video? Displaying black characters on a white background makes all the difference in readability. I don't know if it makes a difference, but I use an inexpensive B/W monitor (not a TV). I've been using a modified version of VT52B.ACT with this configuration for a couple of years and it makes a fine 2400 baud dumb terminal. :: Jeff Makey Department of Tautological Pleonasms and Superfluous Redundancies Department Disclaimer: Logicon doesn't even know we're running news. Internet: Makey@Logicon.COM UUCP: {nosc,ucsd}!logicon.com!Makey
njd@cbnewsd.att.com (nick.j.dimasi) (08/31/90)
In article <33361@cup.portal.com>, Ordania-DM@cup.portal.com (Charles K Hughes) writes: > > ...... > The next way is with 80 columns done in software. There are one or two > terminal programs (they stink) that use this. Very few programs work with > software 80 columns, mainly because it requires so much memory (8k). I have > a good monitor, and software 80 columns looks terrible on it. > I believe those are your only two choices. If you hear of any others, let > the net know about them. I don't know about the other software-80-column terminal programs, but I use OmniCom (an 80-column VT100 emulator) and while it does not have as many features as BobTerm, it does _not_ "stink." I'm not sure what sort of "good" monitor Charles has, but I use a Commodore 1802 with the chroma-luma output of my XE (the 800XL is missing the chroma signal, but a simple modification will bring it out to the pin). For a color monitor, this is the sort of arrangement you usually need if you want to use 80 columns. (A friend of mine claims that he can read 80 columns on his ordinary composite monitor if he turns the color intensity all the way down, etc.) A B&W monitor is also fine for 80 columns. The 800 has the chroma-luma output also. Related to OmniCom, but not needed to use it, is the Omniview 80-column chip, which has a modified OS with the software 80 columns built in (to the E: and S: handlers). It comes with OmniWriter 80, a word processor similar to SpeedScript. Again, not the most full-featured WP in existence, but it does the job. One nice thing is that you can use extra memory banks to extend the buffer (and it's seamless, unlike with AtariWriter). At the same time, you can have a RAMdisk set up as the default drive, which makes text deletions and retrievals (and moves) fast, as the kill buffer (1K in memory) spills onto the default drive. Nick DiMasi Uniq Digital Technologies, Inc. nick@udt386.chi.il.us [I'm not there much] ...att!odutsa!njd [I'm on here a lot] | Delphi: TURBONICK | DON'T USE R/r (reply command) unless | under contract to AT&T Network Systems you change the address! | (Network Software Ctr., Lisle, IL)
dalekim@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Dale Kim) (08/31/90)
> There are several ways to get 80 columns on your 800xl. Each way depends >somewhat on what you want to do. > The easiest way is to buy the XEP80 module. The XEP80 works with BOBTERM ... > The next way is with 80 columns done in software. There are one or two >terminal programs (they stink) that use this. Very few programs work with >software 80 columns, mainly because it requires so much memory (8k). I have >a good monitor, and software 80 columns looks terrible on it. ---------------------------------------- What is the aesthetic difference between the XEP80 and software 80 columns? My understanding is that the XEP80 uses the 320 X 192 graphics mode to emulate an 80 X 24 text mode (just like the software method), so why wouldn't the two 80 column methods look identical? -Dale
Ordania-DM@cup.portal.com (Charles K Hughes) (09/01/90)
Dale writes: > >> There are several ways to get 80 columns on your 800xl. Each way depends >>somewhat on what you want to do. >> The easiest way is to buy the XEP80 module. The XEP80 works with BOBTERM >... >> The next way is with 80 columns done in software. There are one or two >>terminal programs (they stink) that use this. Very few programs work with >>software 80 columns, mainly because it requires so much memory (8k). I have >>a good monitor, and software 80 columns looks terrible on it. > ---------------------------------------- > >What is the aesthetic difference between the XEP80 and software 80 columns? >My understanding is that the XEP80 uses the 320 X 192 graphics mode to emulate >an 80 X 24 text mode (just like the software method), so why wouldn't the two >80 column methods look identical? The XEP80 uses at least an 8x8 matrix for each character. This means the resolution is 8*80 or 640, not 320. That is the problem with the software only 80 column emulators. The 80 column emulators only use a 4x8 matrix for each character. Some look good, but don't work with anything, others look terrible. :) > >-Dale And for those others who took offense at me calling their favorite 80 column terminal program the pits, let me clarify - I was referring to programs that include at least Xmodem and don't just simply act as *DUMB* terminals. [Ascii capture is not sufficient to qualify as a non-dumb terminal.] As far as emulating a terminal type (VT100, VT52, whatever) BOBTERM stinks, but for downloading, calling, macros, etc all the 80 column (software) term programs stink. Charles_K_Hughes@cup.portal.com
pm16579@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (09/04/90)
Another good terminal program is KERMIT-65, which offers 3 flavors of screen display: regular 40 column, 40-column pannable to display 80 columns, and the previously discussed 80-column screen format. Considering the fact that I can't afford any more hardware, the plethora of 80-column term software has made my old 8bit system very useful.