1093 lines
31 KiB
Plaintext
1093 lines
31 KiB
Plaintext
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_____________________________________
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ZMAGAZINE MARCH 1987
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_____________________________________
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ZMAGAZINE MARCH 16, 1987
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ISSUE 43
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-HOT ATARI NEWS AND REVIEWS-
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_____________________________________
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ZMAG STAFF
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Publisher:Syndicate Services
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Editor in Chief:Ron Kovacs
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Editor/Coordinator:Alan Kloza
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Columnist:Steven Godun
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_____________________________________
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USER GROUP/BBS OF THE MONTH
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THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF OZ
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Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
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(808) 423-2754
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____________________________________
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Xx This week in Zmag
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<*> Part 2: Atari Emulator
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Text from the author of the
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Atari 800 Emulator Demo
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<*> New Product announcement from
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Orion Systems
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<*> Product review of Super Mario
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Brothers from Nintendo
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<*> PCP Update. Get more out of
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your usage
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<*> Battery Backup your Atari
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<*> Atari news and more from the
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CHAOS BBS and John Nagy
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<*> Note from the Editor
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_____________________________________
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Xx ATARI ST EMULATOR PART 2
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.......Continued from Zmag40.........
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_____________________________________
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Current information about the ST
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Transformer as of 03/09/87
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By Darek Mihocka (CIS 73657,2714)
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Programmed by Darek Mihocka
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additional programming and all night
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testing by Ignac Kolenko hardware
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supplied by:
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Xanth Computer Systems
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600 First Avenue
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Seattle, Washington
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The purpose of this document about
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the ST Transformer is: - to explain
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its purpose and give a history of its
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development - to give the latest
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information about the ST Transformer
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- to discuss the legal problems with
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this program and why I can't release
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it to the public for all former Atari
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400/800 owners - to find other
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programmers to work on this project.
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For those of you unfamiliar with the
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name, you have seen it as the Atari
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800 Emulator Demo or the Apple ][
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Emulator.
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Part 1:The history
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When Atari introduced the ST
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computers, I was then the owner of
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an Atari 400, bought way back in 1981
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with all my summer's earnings. Like
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many other people I spent a
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considerable amount of money on my
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system for software and disk drives.
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About the only piece of hardware that
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I could use on the ST was my FX80
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printer. This is not too useful as
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none of the software works. So I held
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off buying an ST for over a year as I
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waited for Atari to introduce some
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kind of a device or program to allow
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me to run old software. They never
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did. I finally sold the 400 and
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bought the ST anyway because after
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using 68000 based in machines at my
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university, I was impressed by its
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power and already had a program in
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mind.
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The implementation:
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The first project I decided to work
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on was to somehow run the old
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software so that all that money
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didn't all go to waste. I considered
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2 approaches:
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- the first approach is to write a
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program that reads a binary file
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from a 400/800 and convert each
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machine language instruction into
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a 68000 instruction. This would
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then create a file on the ST that
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would run about 10 times the speed
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of the original file!
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Problems:
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- how do you tell the difference
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between code and data?
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- how to handle self modifying code?
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- how to handle the hardware
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registers?
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- the second approach is to write an
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interpreter, similar to the way
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BASIC interprets a tokenized
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program, or the way that a real
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microprocessor executes code. You
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read in a byte of memory,
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determine which 6502 instruction
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it is, and execute it. The real
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6502 executes microcode. I would
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use 68000 instructions.
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Problems:
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- the overhead of processing each
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instruction is greater than the
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time it takes to actually execute
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it.
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- how to handle hardware registers?
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I chose the second approach because
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it solves the first two problems of
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the first approach, and shares the
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third problem. The problem of speed
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is also in both approaches. Software
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running at ten times the speed is
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usually unusable. This is similar to
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the problem when some IBM PC software
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is run on an AT or even worse, a
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Compaq 386 (18 times faster). It is
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always possible to use software
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running slower. The unknown is how
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slow the software would run. The
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hardware problem can be solved by a
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similar interpreter which checks
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which register is being accessed and
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does something accordingly.
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First results:
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The first version of the 6502
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interpreter was written in Megamax C
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in August. As it turned out, the
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unknown speed was about 7% of the
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speed of a real 6502. This does not
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include the extra interpretation of
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hardware. It was obvious that hand
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coded 68000 code was needed. About a
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month later, I had the hand coded
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version sort of working at about 30%
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of the speed. To make the hardware
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interpreter would be difficult,
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because of the dozens of hardware
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locations in a 400/800. I chose then
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to first do an Apple ][ hardware
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emulator, because there are only 2
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vital locations needed to get it to
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work: the keyboard and the screen.
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The next month was spent debugging
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the many bugs that crept into the
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6502 interpreter and porting software
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from . Finally it worked, at about
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25% of the speed.
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This is the version that you have
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seen as the Apple ][ emulator.
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First Problems:
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One problem with all emulators is
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inherent in their design: to emulate
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the software of another machine, you
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must transfer that software. When I
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approached Apple about this, they
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told me that what I am doing is
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illegal, since I copied the ROMs of
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Ignac's no name ][ clone, which had
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ROMs probably derived from an Apple.
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I approached Apple Canada about
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getting the real ROMs from them, plus
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the code for Apple DOS, and anything
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else they'd want to let me try. As it
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turned out, they saw my project as
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software piracy and told me to forget
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it. I guess they didn't want to
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expand to the ST market anyway. After
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the Apple told me they weren't
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interested, I decided to stop
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spending more time on Apple
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emulation. I ported over my copy of
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the Translator disk's image of the
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Revision B ROMs. I chose those ROMs
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because they are made to run with 64K
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of RAM, which is what the 6502
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interpreter sees when it is
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executing. I also ported a copy of
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Atari Basic to use as a test file.
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After only a few days of hacking the
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Apple ][ routines, I got a very
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primitive version of the Atari
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emulator working. It only supported
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a few graphics modes and still had a
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major 6502 bug, but it sort of
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worked. I uploaded it to my BBS and
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to Atari's BBS as the Atari 800
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Emulator Demo.
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Part 2: the Atari 800 emulator
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What happened then was a big shock.
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I got a phone call from one of the
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Atari BBS sysops telling me that
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Atari was not pleased with what I had
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done. They too considered my program
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as piracy. I was told that I would be
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contacted within a few days to
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discuss the emulator. No one ever
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called back, and I have never been
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able to get through to anyone that
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would discuss it with me. The
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secretaries usually screwed me around
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on the phone. Attempts to reach
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someone willing to talk on Compuserve
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also failed.
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What I currently have is a program
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that appears to execute 6502 code
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according to the 6502 specs at about
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20% of the speed. This includes the
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overhead of the hardware interpreter.
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The hardware supported so far
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includes:
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- graphics modes 0,1,2,3,6,6+,7,7+,
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and 8
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- most display lists, no matter how
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complex
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- most keyboard keys, including
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START, SELECT, OPTION, RESET,
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caps, inverse, and BREAK.
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- the color registers, and a few
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other miscellaneous locations
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- most read and write DOS operations
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- 1 joystick port
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- printer output -
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Runs most BASIC software I've
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downloaded from BBSs and tested.
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Not supported yet:
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- GTIA modes
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- player missle graphics
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- sound registers
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- a combination of the two mentioned
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approaches, where parts of the
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operation system are hand coded to
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68000 code and executed directly,
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not interpreted. This is already
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done for the D: and P: drivers,
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but I plan to eventually do the
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whole operating system which would
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result in a significant speed
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increase.
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Part 3: Legal Problems
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According to Apple and Atari, it is
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illegal for me to distribute the
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emulator any more because I had
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included the ROMs with the demos.
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That is the reason I have not
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released anything in over 2 months.
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I respect their legal right, but I
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also believe that Atari has an
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obligation to all the tens of
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thousands of 8 bit owners who helped
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build the Atari empire. The only
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people who can make a perfectly legal
|
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emulator are Atari themselves. I have
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spent about 500 hours of my time
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planning, programming, and testing my
|
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program. This may seem like a lot,
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but it works out to about 10 weeks of
|
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full time work, or about 2 to 3 weeks
|
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work for a team of Microsoft caliber
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programmers, which I assume Atari
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has. With their technical knowledge
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of both the 8 bit and the ST
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computers, I don't see why Atari
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couldn't have released an fully
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implemented emulator 18 months ago.
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They were quick to introduce the CP/M
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emulator. I've compared the code of
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my program and theirs, and it is
|
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quite similar. So they are half done
|
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already. Until they do, I will keep
|
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working on my program until it is
|
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functional enough to run most
|
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software that can be downloaded. Once
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released, it will be up the
|
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individual used to copy their ROMs
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over to the ST. Atari says that's
|
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illegal. For as long as the people do
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it for their own use, I do not see
|
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this as being illegal. I do not have
|
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access to high priced lawyers, so I
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am hoping that Atari will finally
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talk to me and come to an agreement
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that will benefit us all.
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Part 4: Programmers Wanted
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Most of the emulator is written in
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68000 code, with C code handling the
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less critical routines. It has been
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suggested that I write my program
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for the Amiga, because its superior
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graphics would make it easier to
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implement player missle graphics and
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the other features. Since I have
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never programmed the Amiga, I cannot
|
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make the Amiga version. What I would
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also like to do is write hardware
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emulators for other computers, like
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the Commodore 64, VIC 20, Color
|
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Computer, Sinclair, etc. Anyone
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proficient in 68000 programming that
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would be interested in writing those
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modules starting sometime next fall
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or winter should contact me.
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Until then, keep an eye out on your
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local BBS for the ST Transformer
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which I hope to have released in
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June. I will update the situation on
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the board I hang out on, Megabaud
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416-243-9519. Anyone having any
|
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suggestions on the program or who
|
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can help me with the legal questions
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can reach me on Compuserve or write
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to me before May 1 ,1987 at 5023
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148th Ave. N.E. #G207, Bellevue,
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Washington
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[ED.] In addition to this text sent
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in by Darek. I would like to add that
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I have spoken to this gentleman
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myself and feel that he is entitled
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to some type of official response
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from Atari Inc. In the weeks ahead
|
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and until we feel that Atari is
|
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looking into this matter, we will
|
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update you on a weekly basis and
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next week, we will supply you with
|
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a few names and addresses to send
|
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off letters to. If we can produce a
|
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loud enough voice as 8 bit owners,
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we can perhaps persuade Atari to
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respond.
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_____________________________________
|
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Xx PCP Update
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BY:Steve Godun
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_____________________________________
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Info from Mark Asbell (El Paso, TX)
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Thanx to The Vault BBS 303-796-0539
|
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|
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Many computer users across the
|
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country use a service called PC
|
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Persuit (henceforth referred to as
|
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PCP). This article is provided to
|
|
those who want more from PCP.
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Did you know that PC Persuit has many
|
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functions that aren't stated in the
|
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user manuals OR in the PCP
|
|
Newsletter? When I found out what
|
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PCP could do, I was curious as to why
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none of this isn't stated anywhere.
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Anyway, back to business.
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Most people who use PCP are quite
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familiar with the -ATZ- command and
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the -OK- prompt. Most people think
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that that's all PCP has to offer.
|
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WRONG! There as an entire section in
|
|
PCP accessed by a single keystroke
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that can help you a lot!
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By simply pressing CONTROL+E (for
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-E-nhanced?) and RETURN, you will see
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-HELLO:I'M READY-. This is the
|
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doorway to the -extra- commands. Most
|
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of the commands you will never use,
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but many of them you will.
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For example, to dial a number in
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-regular- PCP, you would have to type
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-ATDTXXXXXXX-, and then you would see
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either -CONNECT- or -BUSY-, In the
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-enhanced- PCP, all you have to type
|
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is -Dxxxxxxx-. Enhanced PCP will
|
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tell you what is happening by posting
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-DIALING...-, and then either -BUSY!-
|
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(and return you to the command
|
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prompt)-, -RINGING...-, and/or
|
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-ANSWER TONE:ON LINE-. It will also
|
|
say such things as -CONNECT FAILURE-
|
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or -NO CARRIER-.
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Other features in Enhanced PCP are
|
|
redial last number (up to 9 times)
|
|
and the ability to disconnect from a
|
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BBS on your side (very helpful when
|
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the BBS is running an Avatex modem
|
|
which will not hang up by itself).
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For a complete list of these and more
|
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commands, type a question mark (?)
|
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after the -HELLO:I'M READY- prompt.
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To subscribe to PCP, you may call
|
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PCP's 24 hour online guide and signup
|
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BBS at 1-800-835-3001. Fee is $25
|
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per month, flat rate. More info is
|
|
available on the PCP BBS.
|
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|
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_____________________________________
|
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Xx ZMAG NEWSWIRE
|
|
Supplied by the CHAOS BBS-
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Reprinted From
|
|
MICHIGAN ATARI MAGAZINE
|
|
by permission.
|
|
|
|
ATARI NEWS
|
|
Compiled by John Nagy
|
|
|
|
The ATARI IBM CLONES may NOT be a
|
|
reality, on the other hand... for a
|
|
while, anyway. Two problems are are
|
|
the major hangups: negotiations for
|
|
GEM for the machine, and FCC
|
|
acceptance. Neither area has had any
|
|
positive movement, despite ATARI's
|
|
optomistic projected -spring '87-
|
|
release of the $500 do-it-all PC
|
|
compatible. The GEM interface, owned
|
|
by DIGITAL RESEARCH Inc., would make
|
|
over 700 ST titles directly portable
|
|
to the machine, but according to DRI,
|
|
no agreement is near on the licensing
|
|
of the interface. Additionally, FCC
|
|
type acceptance is neccesary for any
|
|
commercial computer product, a
|
|
process that can take literally
|
|
forever, but never less than about 40
|
|
days. ATARI hasn't even APPLIED for
|
|
approval, since there is not yet a
|
|
finished production model. Industry
|
|
observers note that the announcement
|
|
has seriously turned down the
|
|
purchases of the ST machines, and
|
|
that the lost sales cannot be made up
|
|
for within the ATARI line because the
|
|
new machine isn't ready. This is
|
|
exactly how OSBORNE COMPUTER CORP put
|
|
themselves out of business a few
|
|
years ago. They announced that a
|
|
great new machine would be out
|
|
shortly, which killed sales of their
|
|
available product, and then couldn't
|
|
produce the new product due to lost
|
|
revenue and production problems.
|
|
Can't ATARI learn from history?
|
|
|
|
ATr a long seige
|
|
of difficulty in negotiations with
|
|
ATARI, Detroit's 400-plus member
|
|
M.A.C.E. club threw up their hands
|
|
and pulled out of the effort,
|
|
cancelling a planned August '87 show
|
|
for the Southfield Civic Center.
|
|
Before the body was cold, the
|
|
competing Detroit area ATARI club,
|
|
MAGIC about 90 memeber strong,
|
|
contacted ATARI and took up the
|
|
torch. They even got SANDY AUSTIN,
|
|
ATARI's user group contact, to come
|
|
to Detroit to discuss it. Hard
|
|
feelings abound, with some M.A.C.E.
|
|
members crying FOUL, since they had
|
|
not been able to even get Sandy to
|
|
return some of their calls. What
|
|
next? Film at 11:00. In CHICAGO,
|
|
union costs may make the ATARIFEST
|
|
planned for there simply too
|
|
expensive to hold. Requirements of
|
|
unioned employees only to carry all
|
|
equipment, set up anything
|
|
electrical, etc. have driven
|
|
projected costs through the roof.
|
|
Again, we will tell you more when we
|
|
know it.
|
|
|
|
MORE PANIC IN DETROIT:
|
|
ANTIC MAGAZINE's publisher Jim
|
|
Capperell wrote to Detroit's M.A.C.E.
|
|
to notify them that they had to
|
|
remove any and all ANTIC programs
|
|
from their BBS. He reaffirmed that
|
|
they are copyrighted, and to exchange
|
|
them is PIRACY. Despite previous
|
|
-understandings- about such things,
|
|
it now looks like ANTIC wants to play
|
|
hardball. Nothing was said in the
|
|
letter about library inclusions of
|
|
ANTIC material, but that is probably
|
|
next. This will be quite a blow to
|
|
many smaller clubs that have had
|
|
almost nothing else in their club
|
|
library but ANTIC and ANALOG
|
|
material. ANALOG went on record last
|
|
year saying that their materials
|
|
could not be disrtibuted BEFORE THE
|
|
PUBLICATION DATE of the magazine, a
|
|
very reasonable policy. Even a
|
|
six-month -cooling- period would be
|
|
understandable... does ANTIC really
|
|
think they are likely to sell their
|
|
older disks if the programs can't be
|
|
gotten elsewhere? More likely, they
|
|
will simply fade altogether. Looks
|
|
like ANTIC wants to be like SOFTSIDE
|
|
magazine... hard to deal with, then
|
|
gone altogether.
|
|
|
|
8-bit DOS ON A CART: Spartados from
|
|
ICD is not the only player in the
|
|
DOSCART game anymore... and the
|
|
competition is coming from MICHEAL
|
|
WHEELER of ALASKA. He has put ATARI
|
|
DOS 2.5 on a cart and added true
|
|
double density support and a ramdisk
|
|
handler. Although it is memory
|
|
-greedy (16k when resident), the cart
|
|
can be switched out manually.
|
|
Another switch handles BASIC in or
|
|
out. This looks like a basement
|
|
operation, as plans and code for
|
|
eprom burning yourself are available
|
|
for $5, and we don't have a price on
|
|
finished carts.
|
|
|
|
Contact:
|
|
|
|
MICHEAL E. WHEELER
|
|
P.O. Box 104013
|
|
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99510.
|
|
|
|
____________________________________
|
|
Xx ZMAG PRODUCT REVIEW
|
|
.......Super Mario Brothers.......
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
For the Nintendo Entertainment
|
|
System, (C)1986 Nintendo, Inc.
|
|
|
|
Review by Steve Godun
|
|
|
|
-One day the kingdom of the peaceful
|
|
mushroom people was invaded by the
|
|
Koopa, a tribe of turtles famous for
|
|
their black magic. The quiet, peace
|
|
loving Mushroom People were turned
|
|
into mere stones, bricks, and even
|
|
field horsehair plants, and the
|
|
Mushroom Kingdom fell into ruin.
|
|
|
|
-The only one who can undo the magic
|
|
spell on the Mushroom People and
|
|
return them to their normal selves is
|
|
the Princess Toadstool, the daughter
|
|
of the Mushroom King. Unfortunately,
|
|
she is presently in the hands of the
|
|
great Koopa turtle king.
|
|
|
|
-Mario, the hero of the story (maybe)
|
|
hears about the Mushroom People's
|
|
plight and sets out on a quest to
|
|
free the Mushroom Princess from the
|
|
evil Koopa and restore the fallen
|
|
kingdom of the Mushroom People.-
|
|
|
|
So begins the instruction manual for
|
|
-Super Mario Brothers-. This gives
|
|
you the general idea of the whole
|
|
game, but there is more to it than
|
|
that. This game (the fifth in the
|
|
popular -Donkey Kong- series) plots
|
|
you as the hero Mario (or, in two
|
|
player mode, as Luigi) trying to get
|
|
through several -worlds- of bricks,
|
|
coins, fire pits, and a host of
|
|
assorted baddies ranging from the
|
|
easily killed -Little Goomba- to the
|
|
dreaded -Bowser, King of the Koopa-,
|
|
who can only be killed by several
|
|
direct hits of your fireballs.
|
|
|
|
-Super Mario Brothers-, for those of
|
|
you who haven't visited an arcade
|
|
since the days of Pac-Man, is one of
|
|
the hottest games today. This arcade
|
|
-to-home cartridge comes extremely
|
|
close to the arcade game, but small
|
|
differences between the cart and the
|
|
arcade machine makes the difference.
|
|
Its main fault lies in the 20-page
|
|
instruction manual, which I will tell
|
|
you about later.
|
|
|
|
To give you a general example of the
|
|
quality of this cartridge, my scores
|
|
at the arcade version of this aren't
|
|
all that hot, but after playing the
|
|
cartridge a few days, my arcade
|
|
scores soared!
|
|
|
|
Playing the game is fairly simple.
|
|
Using a controller in port 1, you
|
|
controll Mario/Luigi's movements
|
|
across several -worlds-, which are
|
|
divided up into 4 rounds. Your on
|
|
-screen character can walk, run,
|
|
duck, jump, swim, throw fireballs,
|
|
and climb (only experienced players
|
|
will know when to climb). Covering
|
|
each world are many dangers, traps,
|
|
and bonuses. Dangers include things
|
|
like attacking turtles (both by land
|
|
and by air), fish (in the water and
|
|
in the air), nearly indestructable
|
|
beatles, and mutant fireballs. Traps
|
|
like pits and rotating -bars- of fire
|
|
hinder your progress, while things
|
|
like mushrooms, flowers, and stars
|
|
increase your powers.
|
|
|
|
What is most interesting about this
|
|
game is how you lose a life. When
|
|
you are in -regular- Mario mode, any
|
|
baddie or trap will kill you.
|
|
However, if you happen to uncover a
|
|
magic mushroom, you become Super
|
|
Mario. You grow to twice the size
|
|
(very handy for reaching those high
|
|
placed coins), but nothing else
|
|
happens to you. If you are REALLY
|
|
lucky, you will find a Fireflower.
|
|
This baby will turn you into Firey
|
|
Mario, and now you can now hurl
|
|
fireballs at your enemy to wipe them
|
|
out. If, while you are Super Mario
|
|
or Firey Mario, you hit a baddie, you
|
|
don't die. You simply revert back to
|
|
regular Mario and continue on. A pit,
|
|
however, is always fatal no matter
|
|
what stage you're in.
|
|
|
|
You can pick up coins along the way
|
|
for points and for free men (100
|
|
coins=1 free man). There are a few
|
|
other ways of getting free men, but I
|
|
won't reveal them. If you happen to
|
|
find a star (known as -Starman-), you
|
|
can pick it up and become
|
|
indestructable for a few moments
|
|
(but, of course, pits can still kill
|
|
you). Secret tunnels, hidden prizes,
|
|
and warp zones complete the package
|
|
of surprises.
|
|
|
|
That was the good stuff...Now for the
|
|
bad. The major flaw here is the
|
|
manual. There is no excuse for poor
|
|
documentation. If Nintendo was lazy
|
|
enough to put out such a great game
|
|
with lazy docs, then that hints at
|
|
their customer relation work, doesn't
|
|
it? Anyway, the manual is VERY
|
|
incomplete. What starts to look like
|
|
clever hints that attract your
|
|
attention soon appear to be
|
|
ommisions, misprints, and even
|
|
outright errors. For example, the
|
|
manual states -At the end of an area,
|
|
fireworks may go off, and for each
|
|
explosion you get 500 points. The
|
|
reason (for this) is a secret; see if
|
|
you can figure it out.- I bought
|
|
-Super Mario Brothers- when I bought
|
|
the system, and it took me about a
|
|
month and a half to figure out why
|
|
they go off. That's REALLY annoying,
|
|
and I can't see why they don't just
|
|
tell you in the first place! If it's
|
|
just a ploy to get you to play more,
|
|
it isn't needed; The gameplay of the
|
|
game is good enough to keep anyone at
|
|
it for a VERY long time!
|
|
|
|
Another part of the manual says
|
|
-Pressing the RESET switch...will
|
|
cause the hi-score to be reset.-
|
|
This is not true. Pressing RESET
|
|
simply resets the game to the title
|
|
page and the hi-score is still
|
|
intact. A typo? Maybe.
|
|
|
|
Overall. this cart is a masterpiece
|
|
of programming. If you like the
|
|
arcade game, you'll love the cart.
|
|
The $25 list price isn't that bad,
|
|
especially since I spend more than
|
|
that on the arcade game.
|
|
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Xx ZMAG TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERIES
|
|
...130XE/800XL Battery Backup...
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
SHAREWARE, HARDWARE PLANS
|
|
by:Peter Hunter
|
|
|
|
This Battery Backup system is
|
|
designed to work with the Atari
|
|
130XE, or 800XL computer. If you are
|
|
running a BBS on an expanded memory
|
|
Atari, this will allow you to run the
|
|
message bases in the Ram-Disk without
|
|
fear of losing them due to those
|
|
little power -blips- and long
|
|
outages. The little 10 second power
|
|
losses are the most frequent cause of
|
|
heartache to a BBS SysOp.
|
|
|
|
Well!, fear no more. This hardware
|
|
project has been several months in
|
|
the making and testing. I have been
|
|
using it on my BBS (BBS: EXPRESS!)
|
|
for about 3 months now and the Great
|
|
thing about it is you don't even have
|
|
to open the case on your computer as
|
|
it requires no alteration to your
|
|
computer what so ever.
|
|
|
|
At first I thought about offering it
|
|
to Antic, or Analog for a hardware
|
|
project but then decided to release
|
|
it as a SHAREWARE type, hardware
|
|
plan. As you already know, Shareware
|
|
really isn't Public Domain material.
|
|
If you use these plans and they work
|
|
for you, any donation you care to
|
|
make will be appreciated and!, might
|
|
encourage me to design a battery
|
|
backup for the MIO board by ICD,
|
|
which would certainly be cheaper than
|
|
a UPS, transverter type system for
|
|
about $200.00 and up.
|
|
|
|
Plans For Battery Backup are
|
|
Copyright (c) 1986 by:
|
|
|
|
Pete Hunter Auctioneers Inc.
|
|
2760 W. Whiteside
|
|
Springfield, MO 65807
|
|
|
|
These plans can be built for about
|
|
$25.00 from Radio Shack Parts. The
|
|
Author accepts no responsibility for
|
|
them due to inability to control
|
|
user design techniques and
|
|
workmanship.
|
|
|
|
Send all inquiries or donations to:
|
|
|
|
Pete Hunter
|
|
2760 W. Whiteside
|
|
Springfield, MO .. 65807
|
|
|
|
This circuit diagram was written with
|
|
TextPro and should be viewed same or
|
|
similar type program to be shure that
|
|
some of the control arrow symbols are
|
|
displayed properly.
|
|
|
|
|----------|
|
|
| 12 Volt |
|
|
-<<<<o Battery |
|
|
|----------|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ground o--o---o+Positive
|
|
| |
|
|
| D1
|
|
R5 / - Voltage Regulator
|
|
\ | 276-1770
|
|
/ | 7805
|
|
o--o |______|
|
|
1N5400 | | V1 |
|
|
276-1101 | |In |Out +5v
|
|
o-->|---o--o--o____o__o---o--o--
|
|
| | | | Gnd| | |
|
|
| | | | | | |
|
|
| C1 | | =C4 | \ =C5
|
|
o--|(---o | |.1uf| R4/ |
|
|
| .01uf | | | | \ |
|
|
T1 | | | | | | |
|
|
o)|(o | | | | | |
|
|
)|(--Gnd. | | o----o--o---o |
|
|
o)|(o | | | | | |
|
|
| | | | | | |
|
|
1 | C2 | |+ R1\ \ \R3|
|
|
1 o--|(---o =C3 / /R2 / |
|
|
7v | .01uf | |4700 \ \ \ |
|
|
| | |uf | | | |
|
|
| | | | | | |
|
|
o-->|---o o-------o--o---o--o-
|
|
276-1101 Gnd.
|
|
1N5400 Gnd.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Power Plug connection to computer.
|
|
Pin Configuration
|
|
|
|
7. .6
|
|
3. .1
|
|
5. . 4
|
|
.
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
1. +5 Volts
|
|
2. Shield
|
|
3. Ground
|
|
4. +5 Volts
|
|
5. Ground
|
|
6. +5 Volts
|
|
7. Ground
|
|
|
|
If you can't find a 7 pin, DIN plug
|
|
like what is on your Atari power
|
|
supply you can get a 5 pin, DIN plug
|
|
from Radio Shack..#274-003 for the
|
|
power plug....
|
|
|
|
If you use the 5 pin plug be extra
|
|
careful as it is the same plug that
|
|
goes into the Monitor Jack. If you
|
|
plug 5 volts into the Monitor Jack
|
|
I am sure you would have problems so
|
|
paint the plug red or something like
|
|
that if you use the 5 pin plug. Any
|
|
of the terminals that are marked +5
|
|
or ground will power the computer.
|
|
BE EXTRA CAREFUL WHEN HOOKING THEM
|
|
UP AND OBSERVE PROPER POLARITY...
|
|
|
|
NOTE* All part numbers given are
|
|
Radio Shack Part Numbers. Other parts
|
|
of equal value may be substituted.
|
|
|
|
Parts List:
|
|
T1..Transformer..273-1515..18vct (2A)
|
|
V1..276-1770..5v regulator
|
|
Heat Sink for above..276-1367
|
|
D1,D2,D3..276-1101..1N5400 Diodes
|
|
R1,R2,R3..271-1301..10 ohm resistors
|
|
R4..271-012..100 ohm resistor
|
|
R5..Optional...See text!
|
|
C1,C2..272-131..0.01uf capacitors
|
|
C3..272-1022..4700uf..35v capacitor
|
|
C4,C5..271-135...1uf capacitors
|
|
|
|
This power supply can be assembled
|
|
without a PC board by using a 5 lug,
|
|
terminal strip. Be extremely cautious
|
|
as you will have 117 volts present.
|
|
The 2, 117v wires on the transformer
|
|
should be taped and insulated to
|
|
prevent electrical shock. A PC board
|
|
and plastic or metal case may be used
|
|
if desired.
|
|
|
|
PRECAUTIONS
|
|
|
|
Some electronic experience is MOST
|
|
ESSENTIAL to build this project.
|
|
|
|
DON'T EVEN attempt it if you don't
|
|
have the qualifing experience. Get a
|
|
friend or someone knowledgeable in
|
|
this area to help. Most -HAM- Radio
|
|
operators would be able to help.
|
|
|
|
|
|
GETTING STARTED:
|
|
|
|
First wire the line cord to the 2,
|
|
117 volt power supply leads on the
|
|
transformer and insulate them by
|
|
taping etc. You may also want to put
|
|
a 1/2 amp fast/blow fuse inline on
|
|
one side of the power cord for
|
|
protection. You can tell which side
|
|
of the transformer to hook the 117v
|
|
line to because the low voltage side
|
|
has 3 wires coming from it and the
|
|
117v side only has 2 wires.
|
|
|
|
Assemble the rest of the circuit as
|
|
per the diagram. Look the circuit
|
|
over very carefully before starting
|
|
and if it is in a text file on disk
|
|
I strongly recomend dumping it to the
|
|
printer, or drawing it out on paper
|
|
before starting the assembly.
|
|
|
|
If you use a metal case for your
|
|
power supply don't let the regulator
|
|
or heat sink get against it. Some
|
|
people like to bolt the heat sink to
|
|
the case for extra cooling but it
|
|
will cause a short with this
|
|
particular type of regulator. If
|
|
extra cooling is needed bolt it to a
|
|
piece of scrap aluminium and keep it
|
|
insulated from the case. A plastic
|
|
case REALLY is better for our
|
|
project.
|
|
|
|
At the top of the diagram you will
|
|
find -D1- and -R5-...This is the
|
|
diode that allows the current to flow
|
|
from the battery to the computer upon
|
|
power failure. The resistor -R5- is a
|
|
-BYPASS- -current limiting- resistor
|
|
to allow the power supply to charge
|
|
the battery. You may or may not want
|
|
-Charger- capabilities. If you use a
|
|
Motorcycle, or Car battery you will
|
|
probably want to charge it a small
|
|
amount. A 140 to 150 ohm, 1/2 watt
|
|
resistor will allow about a 100
|
|
milliampere charge rate. A 700 ohm,
|
|
1/2 watt resistor would allow about a
|
|
20 milliampere charge. In order to
|
|
determine other charge rates and the
|
|
proper combination of resistors I
|
|
suggest you purchase an -Ohms Law
|
|
Calculator- from Radio Shack for the
|
|
small price of about 50 cents. It is
|
|
a small, sliding, cardboard chart
|
|
similar to a slide rule.
|
|
|
|
In summation of the charging system:
|
|
If you don't want to attempt to build
|
|
it just delete -R5- from the circuit
|
|
and charge the battery manually, with
|
|
a separate battery charger. You can
|
|
insert a DC Amp Meter in series with
|
|
-R5- to determine the amount of
|
|
current that is actually going to the
|
|
battery. The Diode -D1-will only let
|
|
the current go in one direction which
|
|
is from the battery to the computer.
|
|
No voltage will be allowed to go
|
|
-upstream- from the computer to the
|
|
battery.
|
|
|
|
If you use lantern type batteries,
|
|
they are not designed to be charged
|
|
so delete -R5- from the circuit
|
|
should you decide to use this type. I
|
|
recommend a Motorcycle, Garden
|
|
Tractor, Car Battery, or Gel Cells be
|
|
used as these will keep the computer
|
|
going for several hours. If you use
|
|
Gel Cells be sure they are at least 5
|
|
Amp hour batteries. A 12 Volt battery
|
|
IS NECESSARY even though we are only
|
|
ending up with 5 volts to the
|
|
computer. The 7805 regulator needs
|
|
at least 3 volts above it's operating
|
|
voltage to work properly. Thus the
|
|
12 volts as 8 volt batteries are in
|
|
short supply. Anything other than 12
|
|
volts are not recommended because
|
|
that is what I designed the circuit
|
|
to work with.
|
|
|
|
If you have trouble, questions, or
|
|
suggestions please call me at my BBS
|
|
in Springfield, MO....
|
|
|
|
The Auctioneer BBS
|
|
417/887-4969...24 hours or!, write to
|
|
me at the address at the top of the
|
|
text.
|
|
|
|
Please feel free to share these plans
|
|
with your friends, or other BBS'.
|
|
They are intended for public
|
|
distribution and may be shared or
|
|
distributed freely.
|
|
|
|
Good Luck!
|
|
Hope you enjoy the project!
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
Xx Editor Comments
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
|
|
You will notice a slight difference
|
|
in this issue as compared to recent
|
|
past releases. Our editor Alan Kloza
|
|
had a major problem this week with
|
|
his hardware and I have taken on the
|
|
job of compiling this weeks edition.
|
|
It has been a few months since I sat
|
|
down behind the keyboard and put
|
|
together a regular Zmag issue. I
|
|
hope Alan gets his hardware repaired
|
|
soon, as his talents have been missed
|
|
this week.
|
|
|
|
A new file was uploaded the Zmag
|
|
Headquarters this week. I have
|
|
renamed it to ZPRINT7.BAS and it is
|
|
available on the Syndicate. This
|
|
file will print out your Zmag issues
|
|
in three columns on any Epson or
|
|
compat printer.
|
|
|
|
ZREAD31 has also been released and
|
|
is written in Turbo-Basic. This file
|
|
contains the updated Zmag BBS systems
|
|
list.
|
|
|
|
Look for ZREAD4 in the very near
|
|
future. This will be an ARC file
|
|
with a font and other files for
|
|
updating later. Details will be
|
|
here in the weeks ahead.
|
|
|
|
Welcome to Spring!!
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
ZMAGAZINE 43 MARCH 16, 1987
|
|
Please contribute!!
|
|
_____________________________________
|
|
(c) Syndicate Services 1987
|
|
These articles can be reprinted as
|
|
long as the following appears at the
|
|
top or bottom of the text.
|
|
|
|
Reprinted by permission ZMAGAZINE
|
|
New Jersey (c)Copyright 1987
|