Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!yale!cmcl2!dasys1!schuster
From: schuster@dasys1.UUCP (Michael Schuster)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: NEC P2200 compatibility
Summary: Atari?! Compatible?!
Message-ID: <9980@dasys1.UUCP>
Date: 19 Jun 89 11:04:09 GMT
References: <890612-090337-12728@Xerox>
Reply-To: schuster@dasys1.UUCP (Michael Schuster)
Organization: The Big Electric Cat; New York, N.Y. USA
Lines: 33

In article <890612-090337-12728@Xerox> "chaz_heritage.WGC1RX"@XEROX.COM writes:
>
>Has anyone out there actually had their ST damaged by using it with a
>P2200? Until Mr. Hunen posted his fix for the problem I didn't know it
>existed - I had to call NEC (UK) to get some driver software for my ST to
>dump Degas correctly on my new P2200, and they didn't mention any hardware
>compatibility problem at that time.

Once again, leave it to Atari to provide "fake compatibility". They give you
industry-standard connectors and pinouts, but incredibly bizarre signal
handling! The original TOS would not handshake the RS232 lines properly.
The printer port is incompatible with a printer that NO OTHER COMPUTER
has a problem with. I could go on .....

I've seen THREE locals dump the P2200 because of constant random errors in
graphics printouts (e.g. PageStream/Pub Partner). I experienced them too, but
added a printer buffer. That solved the problem.

To answer your question --- I don't know if this is related, but I was having
big compatibility problems exchanging both 3.5" and 5.25" IBM-formatted
floppies between my Atari and my PC. Every time the ST wrote something to
the inner tracks, the PC would think the disk was damaged. Curiously
enough, this problem VANISHED when I connected a MicroFazer between my P2200
and my Atari. Now, since the ST is the only computer in existence that
has an intimate link between an unbuffered parallel port and an several
unbuffered signals going to the floppies ....Coincidence?



-- 
l\  /l'   _  Mike Schuster          ...!dasys1!schuster
l \/ lll/(_  Big Electric Cat       schuster@dasys1.UUCP   CIS:70346,1745
l    lll\(_  New York, NY USA       BIX,DELPHI,GEnie:MSCHUSTER