Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!bcm!shell!svh
From: svh@shell.com (Steve V. Hovater)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: ATR8000 info wanted
Message-ID: <1243@shell.shell.com>
Date: 28 Jun 89 16:58:27 GMT
Sender: usenet@shell.com
Reply-To: svh@shell.UUCP (Steve V. Hovater)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Shell Development Company, Bellaire Research Center, Houston TX
Lines: 61

In Article 1881, Brett Kuehner writes:

-- A few questions... Does anyone have information on the ATR8000 internals? I 

I have the ROM and CP/M BIOS source, if you're interested.

-- have an ATR, with the 8088 option, but it isn't very useful right now, because

Is that a 256K or 1Meg Co-Power? If it's a 1Meg version, and all you want to do is
write DOS disks, I'll swap you a 256K version (there are differences in the 
Co-Power and Co-Power Plus boards). 

-- I don't know anything about the ROM routines and memory/io map. I'd like to
-- be able to hook it up to my Amiga and use it as a disk controller (to read

Possible, I guess.

-- and write DOS disks), among other things. I'd also like to know if it's
-- possible to run the Z80 and 8088 at the same time. (Or does this happen

I know of someone who's done this, but as a general rule, the 8088 uses the
Z80 to talk to the outside world (like terminal, disks, printer).

-- already, with the Z80 just being the serial controller?)
-- 
-- Also, what is an ATR 8500? I just saw it mentioned in the new MyDOS posts,

I bought the bare board ($35) for one of these beasties a couple of years ago. I
have only recently assembled it, but am still lacking a few key chips (like the
WD1770 disk controller) before I get it up and running. The 8500 is a redesigned
ATR8000, that uses (instead of bit-banging) Z80 peripherals, including PIO,
SIO, DMA (!! that's something I want to play with!). Also has what appears to be
a STD bus connection on the end of the board, that will facilitate hardware
hacking, or hard disk connections, etc. Clean design, from what I can see.

-- and I'd never heard of it before.

It's a rare beastie. Mine is the only one I've ever seen. Came too late in the
ATARI 8 bit world, I figure.

NOTE TO OTHER ATR8000 / ATR8500 owners: I've developed an autoterm-like program
that uses the XEP80 as the 80 column device. If interested, call or drop me a 
note. It really makes CP/M on the ATR worthwhile. And legible.
I'd also like to chat with another 8500 owner about CP/M boot disks (I am lacking).

Disclaimer:
The above comments are not the expressed views or opinions of my employer.


Steven V. Hovater      Shell Development Company     (713) 663-2711  (work)
                                                     (713) 550-7802  (home)
svh%shell.uucp@sun.com 
 or svh%shell.uucp@rice.edu
 or svh@shell.uucp 
 or ...!{sun,bcm,rice,psuvax1,decwrl,cs.utexas.edu}!shell!svh

Steven V. Hovater      Shell Oil Company     (713) 663-2711
svh%shell.uucp@sun.com 
 or svh%shell.uucp@rice.edu
 or svh@shell.uucp 
 or ...!{sun,bcm,rice,psuvax1,decwrl,cs.utexas.edu}!shell!svh