[comp.sys.atari.8bit] New Atari Products

conklin@msudoc.ee.mich-state.edu (Terry Conklin) (08/06/87)

Hi. I'm interested in keeping my Atari 8bits useful in my home with it's
new Unix machine. I have been putting up with VT10-squared and that's
simply not acceptable. I would like to get an 80-column box as soon as
possible, assuming it has about the quality of an IBM mono display.

(PS. For the record, I checked, character by character, bit by bit, the char]
sets of Omnicom and VT10sq and they are virtually identical, at least what we
have, so any comments to "easier readability" of one or the other are
completely in the minds of the viewer. Then again, how many ways can you
MAKE a 3 bit wide character set!)

Also, the 1200-baud modem was announced some time ago and we haven't
heard much since, so can we safely assume this is not coming out?

Meanwhile, I kinda expected to see the new 8bit drive a lot sooner than
this, since Atari has been selling an "XL look" drive to go with it's
XEs and they _can't_ like that. Does anyone know where I can pick this
up as well? I'd like to retire my 810 to the kitchen with the 400 as a
local drive.

Please filter out any vaporware places. We've already discovered a few
advertising vapor-software and hardware who will take your money but
have nothing to ship. Any field comments on the quality of the 80-col
output versus "industry standard" 640 X 400 output on other mono-text
systems (IBM, ST) would be appreciated.
 
Terry Conklin
conklin@cps.msu.edu
ihnp4!msudoc!conklin

cabbie@chinet.UUCP (Richard Andrews) (08/07/87)

In article <24@nancy.UUCP> conklin@msudoc.UUCP writes:
-
>Also, the 1200-baud modem was announced some time ago and we haven't
>heard much since, so can we safely assume this is not coming out?
 
I would not assume that at all.  

>Meanwhile, I kinda expected to see the new 8bit drive a lot sooner than
>this, since Atari has been selling an "XL look" drive to go with it's
>XEs and they _can't_ like that. Does anyone know where I can pick this
>up as well? I'd like to retire my 810 to the kitchen with the 400 as a
>local drive.
 
no comment here as I don't know...have heard that the new drive is 
needed badly because 1050's are dwindling fast.

>Please filter out any vaporware places. We've already discovered a few
>advertising vapor-software and hardware who will take your money but
>have nothing to ship. Any field comments on the quality of the 80-col
>output versus "industry standard" 640 X 400 output on other mono-text
>systems (IBM, ST) would be appreciated.
  
I have a XEP80 here (got because of my developer status) and can say it is
as good as any true 80 column  display can get.    One comment though...
the XEP will support underline, inverse video, flashing, and graphics, but
will not support any combination of the above.  In other words you can't 
have flashing text and underlined text on the same screen.  One character
in missing in the XEP...the tilde!  oops.




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Any opinions expressed above are my own.        Rich Andrews
 They can be yours too.  Please send $19.95 to.....ihnp4!chinet!cabbie
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