Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!umich!samsung!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!jhunix!ins_bac From: ins_bac@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Ajay Choudhri) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: Atari TT 030 Launched! Keywords: Atari TT Message-ID: <5457@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> Date: 6 Jun 90 02:51:34 GMT References: <1990Jun5.143231.4977@watserv1.waterloo.edu> Reply-To: ins_bac@jhunix.UUCP (Ajay Choudhri) Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - HCF Lines: 122 In article <1990Jun5.143231.4977@watserv1.waterloo.edu> pdbeam@watserv1.waterloo.edu (T.C.) writes: >ATARI OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES THE TT 030 >------------------------------------ >THIS IS NOT AN ATARI PRESS RELEASE--I HAVE NO CONNECTION TO ATARI. >THE OPINIONS BELOW ARE MY OWN AND NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF U OF W. Well I thank you anyway, it would have been nice if Atari posted a release but that's not important, information is good.... > I went to the official North American launch of the Atari TT 030 last >night in Toronto. The TT 030 will be available in limited quantities in >Canada in late July/early August and fully available in September. The TT >will be officially launched in the US at Comdex in November. I guess Atari is >using Canada as a test market to work the bugs out of the system before they >make their big push south of the border. The expected price of the TT 030 >(2Mbytes, 40M hard disc) is under $4000 (CDN). This puts it well under the >Amiga 3000 in terms of price (the A3000 is under $4000 US). I assume that the 4000 dollar price was list/no educational?? I guess it about time, but if the price is reasonable, I will buy it because its a helluva lot cheaper than a base 16Mhz IIcx. > The presentation I was at was for Ontario educators. Earlier in the day >there were presentations to the press, developers, and user's groups. Some of >these earlier meetings were attended by Sam Tramiel and other Atari US >bigwigs. The educator meeting was attended by the Atari Canada general >manager and some sales managers. Hmmmm, for educators, does that mean an implied educational discount?? That would be EXCELLENT, if it was competetive. > >TT Workstation Specifications (from an Atari Canada brochure) >----------------------------- >68030 CPU running at 16MHz (optional MC 68881/MC68882) No 25Mhz version?? I assume the coprocessor are pluggable?? Or is it a separate card?? >2Mbytes RAM expandable to 8Mbytes (26Mbytes using 4Mbit DRAMs) Hopefully SIMM's, makes life much easier no?? >Built in 1.44Mbyte 3.5" floppy >40Mbyte (28ms) Hard Disc > >RGB and Monochrome Monitor Support (I saw it running a Multisync) >4096 Colour pallette, 320x200 to 320x480 with 256 colours >640x480 with 16 colours >640x400 with 2 colours (ST Hi-res) >1280x960 monochrome Could be better, but I will assume there are video card options, the monitor should have no problems... >Detatchable keyboard with joystick and mouse ports > >SCSI and ACSI DMA ports >2 RS-232 ports (expandable to 4) >Parallel and MIDI ports >AppleTalk Interface >1 internal A24/D16 VME card slot >8-bit PCM Stereo sound >RT Clock No ethernet?? that is surprising.. with only one slot, you either get better video or an accepted network interface..Pretty Good still. > >The TT 030 comes with TOS 2.0 which will be compatible with most existing ST >software. ST software runs about 1/3 faster on the TT 030. Software compiled >specifically for the 68030 (as opposed to ST software compiled for the 68000) >runs MUCH faster at 16MHz with 32-bit through-put (sorry, no benchmarks, yet). >So far both Borland and Mark Williams will be producing 68030 C compilers for >the TT. Apparently GNU C from the network will also compile better code on >the TT than on the ST. Existing ST software can be re-compiled to run at >full-speed on the TT. While ST software will run just fine on the TT, it will >have to be re-compiled to take advantage of the TT extra capabilities (Math >co-processor and enhanced video). Along with the large base of ST software there is no reason to doubt this machine, and with excellent developers like Dave Small and Jim Allen This machine probably has no bounds unless Atari made them non-upgradeable.. >Atari made no mention of their marketing intentions to us, but then again we >were educators and they probably didn't think we'd be interested. I brought >the issue up with an Atari official and he told me they were addressing the >problem. I guess the question of educational discounts are still up in air. I dont have money falling out of pockets and I really WANT a better computer That has decent subtitling, graphics and speed.(sound would be nice..) > >Travis Capener >c/o pdbeam@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca >-- I guess I am done with my illusory optimism but hell, what more can Atari do to dump the US market. I have heard that CERTAIN developers have had TT's for a while...GOOD.. now I want one..... Now time for my sig... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ajay Choudhri(Vidiot) C&P 301-467-4223 ins_bac@Jhunix.bitnet ins_bac@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu ins_bac@jhunix.UUCP !uunet!aplcen!jhunix!ins_bac UNLV, New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys, NJ Devils, NJ Nets, and Man United rule -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- line fodder follows, feel free to skip it..unless you like reading such snuff. . . . . . . . .oops skipped one... . . . .