jhs@MITRE-BEDFORD.ARPA.UUCP (04/09/87)
A word about 256K upgrades and 130XE compatibility: Jerry Martinez reports using the RAMBO-XL with Paper Clip and says that this shows "130XE Compatibility". Actually, the Newell 256KXL board would run this software just fine as well. The incompatibility only shows up when you try to run graphics-oriented software like Xlent Software's "Typesetter" program, which puts ANTIC (the graphics processor in the 8-bitters) up on the new banks of memory. I am not familiar with exactly how a RAMBO board works, but I have been told that it has the same problem the Newell board does with ANTIC modes. The problem arises from a fundamental problem: At first glance there do not seem to be enough bits in the byte at $D301 to select all the banks and still leave Bit 5 free to switch the ANTIC mode, as a 130XE does. Unless ICD came up with a scheme like the one I used in my modification of the Newell board, they also would not have enough bits to work with. Probably the RAMBO board could be modified in a similar way, I don't know. However, the Newell board with my modification is the best that can be done to keep exact 130XE compatibility but still add the extra memory -- I think this is a "mathematically provable" claim. I have also heard that the RAMBO board does not have the "memory protection logic" of the Newell board so is less forgiving of programming errors: it may trash your program by overwriting non-banked memory. The Newell board protects against this, as does my modified version of it. Re: 80-columns NOW!!! Dean Brunette says "LOWEST resolution on the ST is equivalent to the 8 bit's graphics 8. That's why the 8 bit can only display 40 columns legibly..." Actually, you can get a very legible 80-column display RIGHT NOW, for $39.95 from CDY Consulting, and it is the OMNIVIEW upgrade that some of us have talked about. I know it is PATENTLY OBVIOUS that this is IMPOSSIBLE, just as it has been shown that bumblebees can't fly, but all I can say is I have been using OMNIVIEW with a Magnavox amber monitor for most of a year now, and it is just about as satisfactory as using my "real" vt100 at work, though admittedly the resolution is a bit lower. But it is good enough that you quickly forget that it CAN'T POSSIBLY look that good and start enjoying the convenience of true 80 columns and full-screen editing. I even used OMNIVIEW's 80-column mode with a monochrome TV set (an old Sylvania nearly 20 years old), and it worked quite well. Personally, I think David Young has cheated somehow and slipped in some extra pixels that he isn't talking about, inside that OMNIVIEW chip, or maybe it's a bunch of elves, but however he did it, it works amazingly well. Re: little mousies for the 8-bitters and interfacing nonstandard disk drives. If you want to do these things NOW, you might contact Paul Swanson, of NiteLite Systems, Billerica, MA. His phone numbers are: (617) 663-4221 (BBS) and 663-4463 (voice). If possible, use the BBS as Paul prefers not to be interrupted with voice calls unless absolutely necessary. Paul can help you with custom interfaces (e.g. 3.5 inch drives, IBM-PC compatible drives, etc.) and has a nifty little mouse gadget that I won't say any more about but maybe Paul will sell you one if it's into production yet. And if it's not, and you want to become a venture capitalist... -John Sangster / jhs@mitre-bedford.arpa
ses@oliveb.UUCP (04/10/87)
In article <8704092026.AA26563@mitre-bedford.ARPA>, jhs@MITRE-BEDFORD.ARPA writes: > ... > Re: 80-columns NOW!!! > > Dean Brunette says "LOWEST resolution on the ST is equivalent to the 8 bit's > graphics 8. That's why the 8 bit can only display 40 columns legibly..." > > Actually, you can get a very legible 80-column display RIGHT NOW, for $39.95 > from CDY Consulting, and it is the OMNIVIEW upgrade that some of us have > talked about. I know it is PATENTLY OBVIOUS that this is IMPOSSIBLE, just as > it has been shown that bumblebees can't fly, but all I can say is I have been > using OMNIVIEW with a Magnavox amber monitor for most of a year now, and it is > just about as satisfactory as using my "real" vt100 at work, though admittedly > the resolution is a bit lower. But it is good enough that you quickly forget > that it CAN'T POSSIBLY look that good and start enjoying the convenience of > true 80 columns and full-screen editing. I even used OMNIVIEW's 80-column > mode with a monochrome TV set (an old Sylvania nearly 20 years old), and it > worked quite well. > Thanks for the reply, at least now I know my articles get out! :-) I guess my line should have read, "...can only display 40 columns legibly IN MY OPINION..." I can't stand Omniview, and prefer the crispness of the Atari XEP80 (which is fantastic!) or an ST or an IBM (at even 640x200). Maybe it's just that I don't like my lower case N's to look like this bit map: N N N NNN N N N I'm sorry; I prefer using my Ampex 220 terminal to the Omniview (even though it has a bit higher resolution, i.e. four times as many pixels). Send flames to: -- Dean Brunette {ucbvax,etc.}!sun!oliveb!olivej!ses Olivetti Advanced Technology Center _____ _____ __|__ _____ 20300 Stevens Creek Blvd. | | _____| | | Cupertino, CA 95014 |_____| |_____| |__ |_____