Old ATARI 80 column upgrades.

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3 total messages Started by MeisK Thu, 07 Nov 1985 16:18

#1403

Author: MeisK
Date: Thu, 07 Nov 1985 16:18

22 lines
1619 bytes

Recently there was some discussion of possible 80 column display 
upgrades for the old ATARI computers.  I recently purchased a
RAMROD os board and along with it an OMNIVIEW 8k chip.  This 
chip resides on the RAMROD os board and creates an 80 column
display via software.  The program resides in the 4k of memory
that was previously not accessable.  It is compatable with BASIC 
and can be activated either with a usr call or by hitting a 
sequence of the START, SELECT, and OPTION keys.  I have been
using it with AMODEM4.2 communications software and it has been
working well.  A switch was provided that allows going from 80
column mode to a resident monitor that has features such as
program interupt, dissasemble memory etc..  It even came with 
an 80 column text editing package.  One note however, since the
80 column emulation is done with the high res graphics mode, 
8k of ram is consumed by the program, also a monitor is needed
for quality characters.

				Kevin J. Meis
 				AT&T ISL
				11900 N. Pecos
				Denver, Co.  80234
				303/538-4364

Re: Old ATARI 80 column upgrades.

#1430

Author: Jim Omura
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 1985 17:27

19 lines
1334 bytes

     I don't know how practical this suggestion really is, but the
Radio Shack Color Computer has a number of second source 80 column
boards available for it.  If the signals are sufficiently compatible
you might be able to convert a Color Computer 80 column board via
jumpers.  Check a copy of "The Rainbow" and you should be able to
find a few.  I use PBJ's Wordpak which is based on a 6845.

     I thought there were 80 column boards available for the Ataris?
Whoops!  Sorry, I'm thinking of Commodore 64's.

                                        Cheers! -- Jim O.

-- 
James Omura, Barrister & Solicitor, Toronto
ihnp4!utzoo!lsuc!jimomura
Byte Information eXchange: jimomura
Compuserve: 72205,541
MTS at WU: GKL6

Re: Old ATARI 80 column upgrades.

#1511

Author: Kenneth Dye
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1985 15:03

19 lines
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In article <907@lsuc.UUCP> jimomura@lsuc.UUCP (Jim Omura) writes:
>
>     I thought there were 80 column boards available for the Ataris?
>Whoops!  Sorry, I'm thinking of Commodore 64's.
>
>                                        Cheers! -- Jim O.

	Yes, there was a BIT-3 80 column board for the old 800's.  It used
to sell for about $200, but I've seen it discounted to ~$120 just recently.
Speaking of the old 800's, I recently purchased one for a christmas present
for a friend (only $69!); when I hooked it up to see if it worked, I noticed
a vast improvement in the video output (as compared to my 800XL).  My software
driven 80-column terminal was actually (barely) readable on my AMDEK color plus
monitor, and *perfect* on my little NEC 9" monochrome.  The XL's video on the
monochrome was readable, but a little fuzzy.  What gives?  Do I have a dud
XL, or is the 800 supposed to have higher quality video?  How about the 130xe?

Ken R. Dye				SX1100 Development
ihnp4!umn-cs!ncs-med!sx1100!dye		Sperry Information Systems

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