CL206601@ULKYVX.BITNET (04/19/88)
Hello ALL
Its been a while since I posted anything to comp.sys.atari.8bit.
But i have kept up with the latest postings. Well I recently bought a
xf551 disk drive, And I'm wondering if anyone has written a program for it
that will read txt files off of 360K ibm disks? I have included a mod
for converting the sega light gun to working with the XE/XL/800/XEGs.
I can dispell some of the rumors about the xf551.
1) It can read 810SSSD or 1050 dsdd 40 tracks floppys.
2) Spartados or another DS dos is required.
3) It is still packaged with DOS 2.5(ATARI Wheres ADOS!)
4) It is only slightly faster than a standard 1050 with Sparta or
DOS 2.5
5) It has no problems load flippie software.(c64 front/Atari Back)
Even Tho I feel I payed too much for the drive it is a valuable addition
to my atari hardware.
Post any quires to the net.
The following was captured from The ATARI SCENE Lousiville KY BBS.
------Cut here for Sega mod----------------------------------------------
OK YOU HOZERS, HERE IS THE SEGA LIGHT GUN MOD. I HAVE HAD THIS MOD SINCE
LEFTY FIRST GOT HIS XEGS (ONE OF IF NOT THE FIRST ONE IN DENVER!!) SO I ADMIT
I'M A LITTLE SLOW WITH TYPING THIS UP. BUT HEY, YOU TRY RUNNING A BBS AND
GOING TO SCHOOL AND WORKING A CONSTRUCTION JOB AND GOING TO CHURCH
THREE TIMES A WEEK! BUT AT LONG LAST, HERE IT IS. JUST SO YOU KNOW IT WILL
REALLY WORK, WE HAVE DONE A MESS OF THEM ALREADY.
FIRST BUY YOURSELF A SEGA LIGHT GUN, AND AN ATARI JOYSTICK EXTENSION CORD.
GET THE CORD AS SHORT AS YOU CAN, THE LIGHT GUN WILL HAVE AN AMPLE LENGHT FOR
THE GUN.
OK, OPEN THAT PUPPY UP. ONE OF THE STICKERS WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED, THERE
WILL BE A SCREW UNDER IT. DON'T LOSE THE LENS WHEN YOU TAKE THE GUN APART,
YOU MIGHT KINDA NEED THAT. OK INSIDE WHERE THE TRIGGER FLIPS A SWITCH THERE
IS A BOX WITH 2 LEADS ON THE BACK SIDE. THE WIRE SOLDERED ON THE LOWER ONE
NEEDS TO BE PUT ON THE UPPER ONE. THAT IS OFTEN EASIER SAID THAN DONE, SINCE
SEGA GETS ITS KICKS APPARENTLY BY BREAKING OFF THE UNUSED ONE. JUST BE
SURE YOU GET A GOOD SOLID SOLDER ON IT. OK CLOSE THE GUN UP, YOU ARE DONE
INSIDE OF IT. NOW, CUT YOUR JOYSTICK EXTENSION CABLE IN HALF. FIND OUT
(PROBABLY BY USING AN OHMMETER) WHICH WIRE IS #7 FROM THE MALE SIDE (THAT IS
THE END THAT PLUGS INTO YOUR COMPUTER). IT IS USUALLY A GREY WIRE, BUT BE SURE.
WHEN YOU FIND OUT, RECONNECT IT TO ITSELF. THAT WILL BE YOUR GROUND.
OK LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE CABLE:
MALE END FEMALE END
1 2 3 4 5 5 4 3 2 1
6 7 8 9 9 8 7 6
REMEMBER THE FEMALE IS JUST A MIRROR OF THE MALE END! OK, YOU WANT ONLY THE
FOLLOWING 4 CONNECTIONS MADE:
MALE WIRES FEMALE WIRES
1 8
7 7 (OUR GROUND)
8 9
9 5
AND THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT. YOU NOW HAVE A SEGA GUN THAT CAN BE EASILY
RE-CONVERTED BACK TO A NORMAL GUN BY UNSOLDERING AND RESOLDERING ONE WIRE
INSIDE. THIS GUN IS REVIEWED AS BEING FAR MORE ACCURATE THAN EVEN THE ATARI
GUN IN ANTIC MAGAZINE. I MYSELF WOULD RATHER HAVE AN ATARI GUN BECAUSE IT
SAYS "ATARI" ON IT (ANYONE OF IMPORTANCE LISTENING OUT THERE???) BUT
SINCE ATARI WON'T SELL ME ONE, BUT WILL SELL ME LIGHT GUN GAMES, I AM GLAD THE
SEGA WAS SO EASILY CONVERTED. FOR YOU BASIC PROGRAMMERS, YOU CAN USE THE
LIGHT GUN AS SIMPLY A LIGHT PEN IF YOU WISH. THE X LOCATION IS FOUND BY
PEEK(564), THE Y LOCATION IS PEEK(565). THE TRIGGER IS STRIG(0), IT NORMALLY
RETURNS A 14 (JOYSTICK UP) BUT WHEN YOU PULL THE TRIGGER IT RETURNS A 15
(JOYSTICK CENTERED). I'D LIKE TO SEE A NICE SHOOTING ARCADE GAME, BUT THE
ATARI LIGHT GUN IS STILL NEW SO WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FUTURE MAY HOLD. BUY
LOTS OF LIGHT GUN GAMES AND MAYBE ATARI WILL GET THE IDEA!
COMPLIMENTS OF HOZERVILLE BBS, (303)/933-0906 24 HOURS 20 MEGS
300/1200/2400 BAUD SYSOP JACEY SQUIRES.
Command ]njd@ihlpm.ATT.COM (DiMasi) (04/21/88)
> (the ref'd article has instructions for converting and connecting a SEGA > light gun to an Atari 8-bit) > The female end of the "hacked-on" joystick extension cord connects to the end of the SEGA light gun's cord? I'm surprised to hear that SEGA used the same kind of connectors as Atari. Nick DiMasi Uni'q Digital Technologies (Fox Valley Software subsidiary; ^ working as a contractor at AT&T Bell Labs in Naperville, IL) ( | this is an accent mark, supposed to replace the dot over the 'i')