rbannon@mira.acs.calpoly.edu (Roy Bannon) (04/12/90)
Hi there everyone. I am thinking of getting a PCTransporter. I would really appreciate it if someone out there who had one would send me a review of it. I am interested in things like how good of a clone is it? How many programs on the IBM side does it die on (if any). I would like to use the IBM side to do engineering type programs. Pal assemblers, maybe some schematic capture programs. Anyhelp would be appreciated. Please respond by mail if you could. I'll post a summary if there is anyone else interested. Thanks all. Roy rbannon@mira.acs.calpoly.edu
GRAY@ADMIN.HumberC.ON.CA (Kelly Gray) (10/20/90)
Doesn't the PC Transporter create its "partition" as a file on a ProDOS volume? Given that, there is no way short of rewriting ProDOS that you can get around that particular problem. I'm not sure about creating multiple partitions though. Any limitation like that would be from the PC Transporter software, not ProDOS. <o_o>
MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET (10/21/90)
On Fri, 19 Oct 90 17:37:16 EDT Kelly Gray said: >Doesn't the PC Transporter create its "partition" as a file on a ProDOS volume? > Given that, there is no way short of rewriting ProDOS that you can get around >that particular problem. > >I'm not sure about creating multiple partitions though. Any limitation like >that would be from the PC Transporter software, not ProDOS. Right, but is there any way around it? > <o_o> ____________________________________________________________________ | | | | This is your brain... | BITNET-- mquinn@utcvm | | This is your brain on drugs... | pro-line: | | This is your brain on whole wheat.| mquinn@pro-gsplus.cts.com | |____________________________________|_______________________________|
basilisk@pear.ucsb.edu (Can't touch this...) (12/04/90)
I am considering whether or not to purchase AE's PC Transporter for my GS and would greatly appreciate it if someone could answer a few questions about it. Has anyone experienced compatability problems with it? How about problems in general? Will it be able to read 3.5 disks from my current drives (AE and Apple 3.5s)? How about 5.25s? It seems that an Apple 5.25 won't work since they sell special 5.25 drives, but I'm not sure. How fast is it? What's its clock speed? Can it use my GS's memory, or does it need its own? What kind of graphics does it support (ega,vga,...)? How many colors? How easy is it to switch between GS and PC modes? Anything else that I should know about it? Thanks in advance for any help. I'd much rather learn the answers to these questions from someone that has used the Transporter before or is experienced with it than from some semi-knowledgable salesperson. -- =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= | Basilisk, who is he? Basilisk, what is he? | Ed Jordan | | Basilisk,Ba-basilisk, where does he come from?| basilisk@cornu.ucsb.edu | =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
MQUINN%UTCVM@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU (12/04/90)
On Mon, 3 Dec 90 23:39:51 GMT Can't touch this... said: >I am considering whether or not to purchase AE's PC Transporter for my >GS and would greatly appreciate it if someone could answer >a few questions about it. > >How fast is it? What's its clock speed? Can it use my GS's memory, >or does it need its own? (whoops! I hit SEND on that last message by mistake. I meant to hit NEW LINE!). It has an 8086 CPU running at 7.6Mhz. The GS's memory cannot be used with it as 'memory', but you can use the GS's control to make a RAMdisk and while you're in ibm mode, you can format that RAMdisk as an MS-DOS RAMdisk. The PCT comes with 768k of RAM already on it. While in IBM mode, you have 640k. While in Apple mode, you can use the PCT's memory as a PRODOS RAMdisk up to 768k. >What kind of graphics does it support (ega,vga,...)? How many colors? CGA only. Here are the CGA modes: -40x25 text -16 colors -80x25 text -16 colors -320x200 resolution graphics -4 colors -4 pallettes of 4 colors -640x200 -black & white only >How easy is it to switch between GS and PC modes? Anything else that >I should know about it? When you're in Apple mode, you have to run a SYS file that starts up the PCT. Whenever you switch from Apple to PCT, you have to reboot the PCT. To switch from PCT to Apple, you hold down the shift key and hit caps lock twice. This brings you the prodos 'bye' thingy. You can also go into the GS's control at ANY time while in PCT mode, but when you quit from the GS's control panel, you pop right back where you left on in the PCT. The PCT has it's own control (Shift+caps lock+caps lock). From there, you can set up which disk drives fall under what letter. You can use any prodos storage device as an ms-dos storage device, but those disks can ONLY be used by a PCT. You can have an ms-dos HD 'partition' ON your ProDOS HD. I've been unable to get mine to format at anything higher than 15.9Megts, but other people have been able to go up to 20megs or even higher. I still don't know how. I haven't had ANY compatibility problems. It's run everything I've ever tested on it: ms-works procomm telix turbo pascal quick c turbo c minihost bbs (OH! I can't get wildcat BBS to run, but I have a friend with a REAL ms-dos machine and he's having the same problems). tons of PD programs >Thanks in advance for any help. I'd much rather learn the answers to >these questions from someone that has used the Transporter before or >is experienced with it than from some semi-knowledgable salesperson. > > > > >-- >=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= >| Basilisk, who is he? Basilisk, what is he? | Ed Jordan | >| Basilisk,Ba-basilisk, where does he come from?| basilisk@cornu.ucsb.edu | >=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= ---------------------------------------- Michael J. Quinn University of Tennessee at Chattanooga BITNET-- mquinn@utcvm pro-line-- mquinn@pro-gsplus.cts.com
lang@rex.cs.tulane.edu (Raymond Lang) (12/05/90)
In article <9012041752.AA03558@apple.com> MQUINN%UTCVM@PUCC.PRINCETON.EDU writes: >On Mon, 3 Dec 90 23:39:51 GMT Can't touch this... said: >>How fast is it? What's its clock speed? Can it use my GS's memory, > >It has an 8086 CPU running at 7.6Mhz. Norton Utilities gives the following info when run on PCTransporter: NEC V30 processor with a performance index of 3.7 relative to IBM/XT The V30 is an 8086 look-alike; I can't explain the difference in speeds. Also, the PCT has a plug for a math co-processor, if you need one. Ray lang@rex.cs.tulane.edu
dlmartin@pbseps.PacBell.COM (Dan Martinelli) (05/17/91)
I currently have an Apple IIGS with one 3.5" drive and one 5.25" drive and 1.7 meg of memory. What would I need to be able to run the PC Transporter and DOS based software? (i.e. do I need a new DOS drive, do I need DOS or does that come with the PC Transporter board, etc.?) Thanks in advance for the help. Dan Martinelli
MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET (05/18/91)
On Fri, 17 May 91 15:31:08 GMT Dan Martinelli said: >I currently have an Apple IIGS with one 3.5" drive and one 5.25" >drive and 1.7 meg of memory. What would I need to be able to run >the PC Transporter and DOS based software? (i.e. do I need a new >DOS drive, do I need DOS or does that come with the PC Transporter >board, etc.?) Well, if you mean MS-DOS, (which I'm sure you do), then all you need is to ^^ purchase MS-DOS somewhere. Make sure it's on 3.5" disks. You can use your Apple 3.5" drive (NOT UniDisk 3.5) connected directly to the PCT. It will act as a true ms-dos drive. It can read/write on true ms-dos formated disks. One problem is: If you format an ms-dos disk in your Apple drive, the PCT can read it perfectly, but if you put it in a REAL ms-dos 3.5" drive, chances are, it won't be able to read it. If you want to use ms-dos 5.25" disks, you'll have to get an ms-dos compatible 5.25" drive. The Apple 5.25" drive will not work. You can get drives made specifically for ms-dos machines (either 3.5" or 5.25") and connect them directly to the PCT. You can also get some from Applied Engineering. You //e or GS keyboard will work fine with the PCT and even emulate Function keys using the option key (closed apple on //e). You can also use any ibm- compatible keyboard, but you must get an adapter cable from AE. This new keyboard will function even with your Apple II programs. You can also make an ms-dos pseudo-partition on your HD. >Thanks in advance for the help. You're welcome. >Dan Martinelli ---------------------------------------- BITNET-- mquinn@utcvm <------------send files here pro-line-- mquinn@pro-gsplus.cts.com
lang@rex.cs.tulane.edu (Raymond Lang) (05/18/91)
In <9105172018.AA24475@apple.com> MQUINN@UTCVM.BITNET writes: >If you want to use ms-dos 5.25" disks, you'll have to get an ms-dos compatible >5.25" drive. The Apple 5.25" drive will not work. You can get drives made >specifically for ms-dos machines (either 3.5" or 5.25") and connect them >directly to the PCT. You can also get some from Applied Engineering. At least your first MS-DOS 5.25 drive must be from AE. There's an adapter board in the housing that's required. You can install a second drive from another vendor. Ray lang@rex.cs.tulane.edu