(and other stuff...)
Dear AC:
I am writing in regards to a project you revealed in the video issue of the 'old' Atari Classics: namely, the TTL upgrade. As I am all thumbs, 1'd like to know if you would build three of the devices.....
M.R. Chicago, IL
I'd love to build you a couple of TTL upgrades, but then the mag would come out every two years or so. In fact, I'd love to do some more of the 65816 upgrade for AC and a few other hacks.... Bottom line is: if I had the time, I'd do it. I don't. Even if I do more hardware projects in AC, we will have your problem, won't we? User demand and no supplier. So, anyone out there available for upgrades? It has to be cheap and it has to be careful since the non-technical user cannot troubleshoot problems. Not much point in having lots of neat bolt-ons for the 8-bit when few, if any, can build them! You really don't need to do it all yourself - maybe get some high school or junior college kids to help with the soldering and such. Any volunteers? I'd be more than willing to help you get started. AC will even advertise your efforts at no charge.
Bob
Dear AC:
I was doing a sector read of the latest Atari Classics when the program stopped with a $90 (144) in the Y register at sector $ 1AB (427).....
G.M. Richmond, CA
Ah yes, the disk issue! Gee, what fun.... How hard can it be to make a couple of hundred copies of a double sided disk and mail them with the magazine? Well, let me tell you! First of all, it takes about one minute to copy a disk. That does not mean you can do 60 disks per hour. Two sides, right? Still can't do even 30 disks in an hour. So, you get more than one system copying disks. Easy. Bunch of guyz and a bunch of 8-bits. Now, how about quality control? Check every tenth disk? Seems reasonable. Isn't. We obviously had a few sneak thru that are defective. We are learning that a 1050 that works fine for 5 or 6 copies may just start making bad sectors once in a while after 20 disks or so. Of course after the mailperson folds the disk in half, you may have a little trouble getting it in your drive. No, you can't iron it flat again, but honestly, I've seen some pretty ugly disks read OK so don't give up on it just because it's a little wrinkled. Anyone with a bad or wrinkled disk can request a replacement online or by mail.
Bob
Dear AC:
Can you or any AC readers recommend a program to make a good disk library? The programs I have that should file my software do not seem quite adequate. I would like one that can list program names (alphabetized, if possible), program description, disk number and side, then printout for a 3-ring notebook.
L.S. San Bernardino, CA
Anything like that out there, folks? Maybe we could find some enterprising soul to write one? I could certainly use a good filing system! It would be nice if the program utilized some of the newer features on our 8-bits... like a HD, SIO2PC or 256K of memory. I know there were a lot of disk catalog programs written back when the 800 was being produced - what is needed is a modern version. Something the user can modify, maybe, so put in a lot of comments and modularize it, OK?
By the way, if your are making inquiries, you might want to include some general information about your system, drive, memory, and programming languages.
I prefer good, old Atari BASICXL on an expanded, 256K machine with a DD (180K or larger) drive and a HD running MYDOS.
Bob
Super Video:
I would like to clarify something concerning the Super Video... and the letter from M.B. in the last issue. A couple of components were mislabeled during the editing of the original article, but the schematics are correct.
Charles Cole
OK - thanks, Charles!