mather@sees.bangor.ac.uk (Paul Mather) (03/13/91)
(This is a cross-posting to comp.sys.atari.st and comp.sys.atari.st.tech. Please cc: or direct any replies to me at the e-mail address at the end as I can post to but not read these groups. Thanks!) Someone PLEASE help me! I downloaded the blitz backup package from terminator/atari.archive recently. Unfortunately, on printing out the wiring diagram I found it to be almost unreadable. (Was it scanned in I wonder?) Can anyone supply me with a better diagram (.gif preferred to .img), or a simple ascii text file telling me how to make the cable? Oh, and before I embark on this, can anyone tell me if it works for definite on an Atari 520 STe (TOS 1.62)? Again, someone PLEASE help me... Cheers, Paul. e-mail: p.mather@sees.bangor.ac.uk If your mailer can't reach me, I'm obviously not worth talking to.
Roger.Sheppard@bbs.actrix.gen.nz (03/15/91)
Distribution:world In article <24931.9103131501@helios.sees.bangor.ac.uk> This Space For Rent <p.mather@sees.bangor.ac.uk> writes: > (This is a cross-posting to comp.sys.atari.st and comp.sys.atari.st.tech. > Please cc: or direct any replies to me at the e-mail address at the end > as I can post to but not read these groups. Thanks!) > > Someone PLEASE help me! > > I downloaded the blitz backup package from terminator/atari.archive > recently. Unfortunately, on printing out the wiring diagram I found > it to be almost unreadable. (Was it scanned in I wonder?) Can anyone > supply me with a better diagram (.gif preferred to .img), or a simple > ascii text file telling me how to make the cable? > > Oh, and before I embark on this, can anyone tell me if it works for > definite on an Atari 520 STe (TOS 1.62)? > > Paul. > > e-mail: p.mather@sees.bangor.ac.uk > For one thing, Never ever use this thing, I have seen so many corrupted PD, disk, that have come from People using it. It does not use Index timing or any form of Verify for read or write, and disk that have been copied can not be read on other ST's. ..!!.Even Hackers don't recomend it.!! -- Roger W. Sheppard 85 Donovan Rd, Kapiti New Zealand...
goo@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Michael Goo) (03/19/91)
Roger.Sheppard@bbs.actrix.gen.nz / 5:38 am Mar 15, 1991 / writes: >In article <24931.9103131501@helios.sees.bangor.ac.uk> This Space For Rent <p.mather@sees.bangor.ac.uk> writes: >> >> [ query about BLITZ cable deleted... ] >> > >For one thing, Never ever use this thing, I have seen so many corrupted >PD, disk, that have come from People using it. >It does not use Index timing or any form of Verify for read or write, >and disk that have been copied can not be read on other ST's. >..!!.Even Hackers don't recomend it.!! Roger is absolutely right in saying that BLITZ should not be used for disks that are bound for distribution. While it is fast, hence the appeal to small- time mass producers, it does not do anything about reliability or transport- ability; however, this is not BLITZ's fault! It's not designed for this purpose. Anyone who uses BLITZ to produce disks that people pay money for (even the "handling" fee for PD software) is asking for trouble. BLITZ is intended to be a method for owners of copy-protected software to make legitimate backups of their disks. I would try software-only backup programs like ProCopy first; however, sometimes BLITZ will work where ProCopy fears to tread. And BLITZ is basically free (just some cable, some connectors, and some time.) Not a bad deal. Transportability should not be a problem for the legitimate user unless he has two or more machines that he may want to run the software on. No more than one at a time, of course. Another, commercial, alternative is the synchro-express cable. It appears to be the same set-up as BLITZ, except that there is a chip of unexplained purpose inside the parallel connector. I have a paranoid fantasy that this chip serves no real purpose at all (like a signal buffer) except to lure the unsuspecting customer into spending ~$60 on something he could get for free. Has anyone had any experience with synchro-express, especially how it compares to BLITZ? Please share.