Info-Atari16 Digest Wed, 3 Apr 91 Volume 91 : Issue 188 Today's Topics: 1.44 Meg on ST... Can't connect a 1040st to a TV Set :-( Changing the drive in an SH204 Connecting an RGB monitor to a 1040STE DMA problem in 1040STE Expansion cases - Compatibility with hardware? Floppy drive trouble GCR + 1.44Mb floppies Having trouble uncompressing .Z files How to set environment and have shel_find use it. NeoDesk v3.0 Desk Pictures Please outline requirements for UUCP transfers to ST Rogue Star NX1000 or C.Itoh ProWriter to GCR STe Flakey DMA Task switcher Telecom program help needed Two New Computer Announcements - CeBIT Welcome to the Info-Atari16 Digest. The configuration for the automatic cross-posting to/from Usenet is getting closer, but still getting thrashed out. Please send notifications about broken digests or bogus messages to Info-Atari16-Request@NAUCSE.CSE.NAU.EDU. Please send requests for un/subscription and other administrivia to Info-Atari16-Request, *NOT* Info-Atari16. Requests that go to the list instead of the moderators are likely to be lost or ignored. If you want to unsubscribe, and you're receiving the digest indirectly from someplace (usually a BITNET host) that redistributes it, please contact the redistributor, not us. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 3 Apr 91 19:04:15 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!apple!netcom!yonder@arizona.edu (Christopher Russell) Subject: 1.44 Meg on ST... To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu This is related to the "bad floppy" message I posted.. Since I have a new 1.44M floppy mech, I was wondering were I can find info on how to get it to work.. I seem to recall there was a modification that had something to do with routing a faster clock to the floppy controller.. If it a different floppy controller chip is needed that is ok (if you read my other message it looks like it is bad and will have to be replaced anyways). Of course I will need a program to format 1.4M disks as well.. or at least some specs on how to right my own.. And one last thing.. how about compatibility problems (GCR?).... thanks... yonder@netcom.com -- Christopher Russell (yonderboy) yonder@netcom.COM or clr40@amail.amdahl.com ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 05:26:05 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio -state.edu!ohstpy!miavx1!rlcollins@arizona.edu (Ryan 'Gozar' Collins) Subject: Can't connect a 1040st to a TV Set :-( To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <4539.27f72f4f@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu>, rlcollins@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Ryan 'Gozar' Collins) writes: > In article <40250015@hpindda.cup.hp.com>, goo@hpindda.cup.hp.com (Michael Goo) writes: >>>in comp.sys.atari.st/rlcollins@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Ryan 'Gozar' Collins) >>>writes: >>>On a related note, is it possible to add a RF modulator to an older ST? >>>I've noticed that there is space on the motherboard for it, but nothing is >>>there. >> The Atari monitor connector has a line for composite video. This is essentially >> regular NTSC signal without being modulated to a TV frequency. You can buy or >> build a cable that will go from the monitor port to a composite connector > > So if I splice into the composite line of the monitor, I should be able to > get composite output? It sounds a little too easy. Why would anyone buy > that Video Key thing then? Apparently, its not that easy. I hooked it up like this, and got nothing. Is it possible to get a composite signal on older ST's with out having to buy a video key? My motherboard is rev. D. Has anybody attempted this? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ryan 'Gozar' Collins Question for MAC Users: rlcollins@miavx1.BITNET |||| Power Without What IS the format of a rc1dsanu@miamiu.BITNET / || \ The Price!! MAC HFS floppy disk? R.COLLINS1 on GEnie ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 15:13:25 GMT From: comp.vuw.ac.nz!actrix!Roger.Sheppard@uunet.uu.net Subject: Changing the drive in an SH204 To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <7882@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> d_alvear@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Dom Alvear) writes: > Help! > > I have an old Atari SH204. I am considering upgrading it. I would like to > know what success people have had with changing the drive inside. Also, I > can get a 42MB 3.5" HD for > know that the SH204 uses an MFM drive. Can I use HDX 3.01 to format the new > drive? Anyhow, I hope I can get help. > > Dom From what I know about the SH204 , it has a standard SCSI host adapter, so this would not be a problem. You will have to setup the Windcap file, that is part of HDX 3.02, this file is used for the Formating of drives. The info is in the Windcap file, just enter your details of your drive. Note, this is just a simple Text file.. -- Roger W. Sheppard 85 Donovan Rd, Kapiti New Zealand... ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 17:56:47 GMT From: sae!malay@uunet.uu.net (Bob Malay) Subject: Connecting an RGB monitor to a 1040STE To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu I'm posting this again, our news processor went haywire and we didn't receive any messages for two weeks. -----------------original message---------------------------------------------- Help! How can I connect a Zenith Data Systems ZVM-135 RGB Monitor to an Atari 1040STE? Here's the ZVM-135's connector pinout: 1 - Negative horizontal or negative composite sync* 2 - Positive horizontal or positive composite sync* 3 - NC 4 - Positive vertical or positive composite sync 5 - Green input 6 - Blue input 7 - Red input 8 - NC 9 - NC 10 - Green feedthrough 11 - Apple X1 Input 12 - Apple X2 Input 13 - Apple X3 Input 14 - Negative vertical or negative composite sync 15 - IBM intensity 16 - Ground 17 - NC 18 - Audio input 19 - Ground 20 - Composite video input 21 - Red feedthrough 22 - Blue feedthrough 23 - NC 24 - NC 25 - Apple X8 input *NOTE: Composite sync must be supplied to both the horizontal and vertical sync inputs. Specifications: inputs ....... DB-25 type connector R,G, and B signals TTL level analog positive Composite - TTL positive or negative Horiz sync - TTL positive or negative Vert sync - TTL positive or negative Ground Audio - .5V to 1V rms. Audio ground. Apple III video - (4) IBM intensity Composite video. This monitor is switchable from RGB to Composite. It has an DB-25 RGB connector and a set of RCA phono type jacks for composite. There was a message floating around (dated 4 Jan 87) that showed how to connect a Sony XBR monitor to an ST and it works (I've seen the result). I realize that I could just use the composite input with the STE but I would like to use the RGB for obvious reasons. Anybody got any clues???? Bob Malay ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 17:59:14 GMT From: sae!malay@uunet.uu.net (Bob Malay) Subject: DMA problem in 1040STE To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Does anybody know if there is a way to detect the DMA problem in the 1040STE's without waiting for the bug bite?? Bob Malay ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 15:23:20 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!waikato.ac.nz!comp.vuw.ac.nz! actrix!Roger.Sheppard@arizona.edu Subject: Expansion cases - Compatibility with hardware? To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Distribution:world In article <1243@exua.exeter.ac.uk> SAMcinty@exua.exeter.ac.uk (Scott McIntyre) writes: > > > There are a number of companies here in the UK as well as on the > continent which offer some sort of a hardware expansion box for > the 520 and 1040...basically just a large empty box that you can > put your motherboard and most other things inside of...space for > several hard drives, floppies, etc.. > > My question is: With the high number of graphics cards and add on > processors available for the Mega, would it be possible to invest in > one of these tower cases, then get the add on card and have it work, > even though the machine is still a 520 or 1040? > > Anyone know? > > Ta, > Scott > . Well from what I read these Graphics cards use the Mega Buss, this is not in a ST or STE...so could be a problem.. -- Roger W. Sheppard 85 Donovan Rd, Kapiti New Zealand... ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 18:59:01 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!apple!netcom!yonder@arizona.edu (Christopher Russell) Subject: Floppy drive trouble To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Recently my internal DS drive in my 1040STf stopped working correctly.. I managed to waste several disks before I realized it was going, uhg.. I thought for sure it was the drive mech that had gone bad, so I got another one (actually a TEAC model, that a friend of mine had successfully used to upgrade his SS drive). Anyways, it still wouldn't work.. My hard-drive still works fine though.. So currently my bet is on the floppy controller chip (WD1772) or possible the buffer chip (U8 a 7406).. Anybody else out there think diffrently? I cannot get a drive to read or write or format. It will attempt to do all three but always fail miserably! My computer fails with three diffrenent mechs: my TEAC, my old Atari drive, or my friends external TEAC-modified drive.. My friends (520ST) will work with any of the drives.. (He swapped my old Atari mech. into his old SS drive case).. Another realted deal: my floppy light on my 1040 has always flashed very faintly while my hard-drive is on.. I seem to recall reading about his before.. Is this good, bad, or just annoying? Is a fix available? Well, any advice would be greatly appreciated, but it looks like solder sucker time to me... :-( .....yonder@netcom.com -- Christopher Russell (yonderboy) yonder@netcom.COM or clr40@amail.amdahl.com ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 19:17:50 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!apple!netcom!yonder@arizona.edu (Christopher Russell) Subject: GCR + 1.44Mb floppies To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu s37837k@saha.hut.fi (Jari Lehto) writes: >I have 1.44Mb floppy on my ST and in Spectre when I push one in, it does >not like it, but with exchanger it should work. My exchanger is bad, >so I can not try it before I catch a new copy somewhere... >Is there a Mac-HD-format or is the 800k maximum in Mac-format? >1.6Mb floppies would be great... > Jartsu > *** Jari Lehto, jartsu@otax.hut.fi, s37837k@saha.hut.fi *** What is exchanger, and how did you get a 1.44 in your Atari.. (As should be obvious from my recent posts I am interested in this and I decided to reply on the NET cuz I figure others might want to know as well).. I will own a GCR soon (I hope) and want to know how a 1.44 will work.. thanks ........yonder@netcom.com -- Christopher Russell (yonderboy) yonder@netcom.COM or clr40@amail.amdahl.com ------------------------------ Date: 2 Apr 91 14:37:52 GMT From: otter.hpl.hp.com!hpltoad!ghiggins!gjh@hplabs.hp.com (Graham Higgins) Subject: Having trouble uncompressing .Z files To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu ++ I'm having trouble getting files to uncompress properly that have the ++ .Z extension. I'm talking about the sound files on terminator. Uncompressing .Z files requires using '-d' as an option to 'compress', e.g. compress -d sndfile.Z You should be able to find compress on atari.archive.umich.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Apr 91 16:59:29 -0500 From: Dan.Wilga@saturn.ucc.umass.edu Subject: How to set environment and have shel_find use it. To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu > Last week I found out that environ.prg does not work on the TT! [Some stuff deleted] > I tried to write my own version of environ.prg, but did not > succeed. What I tried was: > > - Malloc enough RAM (filelength of environ.dat + 2) > - Load environ.dat there. > - Change all \n's to \0 and end with 2 \0's. > - Set the environment pointer in the basepage of the shell i.e. > the basepage of TOS (_BASPAG->p_parent->p-env in Turbo C 2.0). > - (I also set the the_env pointer but this seems not to be used) > - Ptermres(0) (stay resident to keep the malloced memory) The reason this did not work is that the AES uses a basepage that comes before the one used by the desktop (in TOS 2.0/3.0). You'll have to use the element "p_parent" to find the parent process' basepage: _BASPAG->p_parent->p_parent->p_env. If this doesn't work, try one more level. > Chris Evelo > MFAGKCHR@HMARL5 (BITNET) Of course, you could always get NeoDesk, since it replaces shel_find and avoids this whole mess in the first place . Dan Wilga Gribnif Software "My other program is also a Porsche" Internet: Dan.Wilga@saturn.ucc.umass.edu P.O. Box 350 GEnie: GRIBNIF Hadley, MA 01035 New Orders: (800) 284-4742 Info/Support: (413) 584-7887 Fax: (413) 584-2565 PLEASE NOTE THE NEW INTERNET ADDRESS ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Apr 91 16:46:12 -0500 From: Dan.Wilga@saturn.ucc.umass.edu Subject: NeoDesk v3.0 Desk Pictures To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu > I've got a .pi3 file that I want to make my desktop on NeoDesk, but > when I rename it to Neopic_H.pi3 (as the manual says to do) and > restart, it reverses the black and white of the image....if I double Short of changing your color settings in your NEODESKH.INF file, you can always use a drawing program to invert the colors. For instance, if you have Degas Elite you can use the "Remap" feature to change white to black and vice-versa. Dan Wilga Gribnif Software "My other program is also a Porsche" Internet: Dan.Wilga@saturn.ucc.umass.edu P.O. Box 350 GEnie: GRIBNIF Hadley, MA 01035 New Orders: (800) 284-4742 Info/Support: (413) 584-7887 Fax: (413) 584-2565 PLEASE NOTE THE NEW INTERNET ADDRESS ------------------------------ Date: 2 Apr 91 23:00:52 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!mips!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!thelake!steve @arizona.edu (Steve Yelvington) Subject: Please outline requirements for UUCP transfers to ST To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu [In article <1991Apr2.031644.4995@menudo.uh.edu>, rcte2p@menudo.uh.edu (Paul Stephen Sears) writes ... ] > Can someone provide a clear outline of what exactly is required to > establish UUCP transfers of mail and news from a site to my ST at home? 1. You need a news/mail feed. Start by making your college system administrator your friend. If that doesn't work, look in comp.mail.maps for your state's UUCP maps and try contacting sites named therein. If you still come up dry, contact postmaster@psi.com and/or uunet@uunet.uu.net and be prepared to pay for service. 2. You need software. > Please provide locations of software also if possible. atari.archive.umich.edu (PD/Shareware), Beckemeyer Development Tools (commercial). The Michigan archive should have at least two or three versions of UUCP. Beckemeyer's UUCP is fairly cheap and will multitask under Micro RTX/MT C Shell. > Can this be done > using only PD software? Yes. See Rodney's Mercury UUCP modules, STadel BBS, UUPC (not recommended), Mailtruk (written in GFA BASIC), etc. I know of two or three others that are in operation but not released (including the s/w run here at thelake). I'm also beta-testing a new UUCP package from the author of a BBS system; details will surely be made public at a later date. > How do you register your address? With whom do > you register???? To get your site registered in the UUCP Zone maps, contact your region's map coordinator. If you do not know your region's map coordinator, contact the UUCP Project at one of the following addresses: domain-request@uunet.uu.net If you cannot send electronic mail, telephone +1 703 764 9789 UUCP sites can obtain Internet-style, fully qualified domain addresses. The preferred method for freestanding, small sites in the United States is to register with the US domain. For details, contact westine@isi.edu or get information by sending mail to service@nic.ddn.mil with a Subject: line of NETINFO US-DOMAIN.TXT. ---- Steve Yelvington / P. O. Box 38 / Marine on St. Croix, MN 55047 USA INTERNET: steve@thelake.mn.org UUCP: plains!umn-cs!thelake!steve GEnie: S.YELVINGTO2 Delphi: YELVINGTON ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 15:20:06 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!waikato.ac.nz!comp.vuw.ac.nz! actrix!Roger.Sheppard@arizona.edu Subject: Rogue To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu Distribution:world In article <7881@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> d_alvear@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Dom Alvear) writes: > In article <46296@ut-emx.uucp> sean@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Sean Sterling Foiles) writes: > >I've updated to Tos 1.4 and the game Rogue no longer works. I bought > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > [stuff deleted...] > > > > Sean Sterling Foiles / Univ. Texas Comp Sci Grad / sean@happy.cc.utexas.edu > Since we all know that some things blow up with TOS 1.4, how does one > make an OS switcher? I've heard of people doing such things, and I > still remember the days of my old 800XL with Newell Industries 2 ROM > set for complete compatability... > > Dom Ladbroke Computing of the UK. do a Kit for using TOS1.2/1.4, 2 chip set Roms, but don't know any more than that. -- Roger W. Sheppard 85 Donovan Rd, Kapiti New Zealand... ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 18:15:32 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!news.larc.nasa.gov!air12.larc.nasa.gov!dmk@arizona .edu Subject: Star NX1000 or C.Itoh ProWriter to GCR To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu This is the first News article I have ever posted, so criticize if I did something wrong and encourage if I done OK. I called GDT Softworks this week and was told that the NX1000 printer was NOT supported by them. The salesman told me that the printer was listed, but listed as unsupported! I thought the NX1000 was Epson FX compatible and told him so. He said, "Don't talk to me about it." Has anyone out there got a Spectre GCR and a NX1000 working? If so, where did you get your driver? Also, I have an old C.Itoh ProWriter in the closet, and if I must I could dust it off and hook it up, but I was really looking forward to selling it at my next garage sale. Daniel M. Koppen / Internet: dmk@air12.larc.nasa.gov NASA / LaRC \ 128.155.18.12 Hampton, VA. / Everything posted is my own personal opinion! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1991 17:08:48 +0100 From: Karl Anders Oygard Subject: STe Flakey DMA To: Info-Atari16 > I have also experienced this DMA problem talking to a hard disk with an > ICD host adapter from a 1040 STe. Can it be solved by just replacing > the DMA chip, or is there anything else required? Unfortunately, mine > being an early STe, it is now out of warranty :-( > -- > Tony Mountifield. | Microware Systems (UK) Ltd. I have also had this problem for quite some time. The first STe I got had the DMA problem (note: I use an SH205 drive), so I quickly returned it to Atari Norway. Three weeks later I got a new STe, with exactly the same problem. Some time later I returned this also to Atari Norway, for replacement. This time they tried, unsuccessfully, to repair the damage. So I gave up and learned to live with the failure. Recently I spoke with a guy at Atari, who told me that they now had got the new DMA chips. The older ones had a massive internal bug, causing it to overheat and malfunction. Atari Norway now has accepted the bug and offers an upgrade to everybody who has got an STE with a flakey DMA chip, free of cost. I'd suggest that you have a chat with the guys you bought the STe with, or if they won't help you, open your STe and stick some cooler ribbons to your DMA chips to prevent overheating. That at least should get rid of your problems. ============================================================================= Karl Anders 0ygard More & Romsdal Highschool of Engineering, Norway 'I ache, therefore I am.' Email: Karl A 0ygard - Marvin, the paranoid android ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 Apr 1991 16:40:48 +0100 From: Karl Anders Oygard Subject: Task switcher To: Info-Atari16 > 6. I spoke with the developer of Revolver and there is no plan for an > upgrade to the TT (ST versions did not sell very well). Pity, > the ST/TT without Revolver is a drag. Anyone else working on a TT > task switcher (I could retire before UNIX is ready). I read in some German ST mag that a new task switcher for the ST was planned. The difference from earlier task switcher was to be that instead of simply switching tasks in the memory, this one would save the active partition to disk and reloading the wanted task from disk, allowing you to use the full memory of your ST. Sounds like a good idea to me... And I guess TT compati- bility goes without saying. ;-) I'll see if I can find the mag for more accurate info. ============================================================================ Karl Anders 0ygard More & Romsdal Highschool of Engineering, Norway 'I ache, therefore I am.' Email: Karl A 0ygard - Marvin, the paranoid android ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 18:43:03 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!usc!jarthur!petunia!csuchico.edu!ekrimen@arizona.e du (Ed Krimen) Subject: Telecom program help needed To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu In article <1991Apr3.170133.2948@menudo.uh.edu> rcte2p@menudo.uh.edu (Paul S. Sears) writes: >> >>Why not try RUFUS, it is in German and is Shareware, > >Can someone d/l it from Genie and post in on atari.archive? I assume >that it is PD... I no longer have a Genie account to do this... It's already on atari.archive. -- Ed Krimen ............................................... ||| Video Production Major, California State University, Chico ||| INTERNET: ekrimen@ecst.csuchico.edu FREENET: al661 / | \ SysOp, Fuji BBS: 916-894-1261 FIDONET: 1:119/4.0 ------------------------------ Date: 3 Apr 91 18:09:10 GMT From: noao!ncar!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!think.com!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!bloom-b eacon!eru!hagbard!sunic!dkuug!imada!micro@arizona.edu (Klaus Pedersen) Subject: Two New Computer Announcements - CeBIT To: Info-Atari16@naucse.cse.nau.edu trh@atari.UUCP (T R Hall) writes: > Actually, the way the Glue chip "Bus Errors" is that it has a >(minimal) timer that watches /AS. If /AS is longer than 1uS (1000nS) than >it generates a /BERR. Using the /AS to generate the BERR?? What a great hack!!! Even motorola don't mention that it can be done that simple - instead they say (quote) : "BUS ERROR AND HALT OPERATION ... External circitry must be used to determine the durtion between address strobe and data transfer acknowledge before issuing a bus error signal..." /AS and /DTACK is coupled very closely... (great hack) There is one thing that worries me though - 1uS timeout??? From what I can see in the motorla docs. then a Read-Modify-Write Cycle have the /AS low for 8.5 cycles (at 8Mhz this is sligthly longer than 1uS??) Don't you mean something like 64 cycles (or 8uS???). One thing is sure - the read-modify-write instruction TAS, don't trigger a bus-error (it's used to check if the blitter is ready). > [I probably shouldn't say this part, but what the heck...] (Please do...) > For those who really want to kludge, you could even respond to >accesses that are in spaces the Glue decodes, but doesn't respond to, such as >WRITES to ROM spaces. Of course, you can't READ what you wrote (because of ROM >responses to read), but the writing part of the kludge would work. Kind of WOM (write only memory), it's very cheep to manufacture - there is one problem though (it's kind of hard to get the information back out) ;-) Even better than generating a /DTACK on internal ROM, is generating it on the ROM port - remember to put the R/W signal through a hole in the box... Keep up the good work, TRH - and let us know all the details... --- Klaus (micro@imada.dk) ------------------------------ End of Info-Atari16 Digest ******************************