Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!caen!math.lsa.umich.edu!math.lsa.umich.edu!hyc From: hyc@math.lsa.umich.edu (Howard Chu) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: Atari Jaguar Message-ID: <1990Nov15.223524.18512@math.lsa.umich.edu> Date: 15 Nov 90 22:35:24 GMT References: <1990Nov15.144034.7163@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> Sender: usenet@math.lsa.umich.edu Distribution: comp Organization: University of Michigan Math Dept., Ann Arbor Lines: 98 In article <1990Nov15.144034.7163@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> cmm1@cunixa.cc.columbia.edu (Christopher M Mauritz) writes: >In article jhenders@jonh.wimsey.bc.ca writes: >> Yes, the MEGA/STE is REAL, and I am writing this first report on >> one! The configuration is as predicted weeks ago in Z*Net, identical >> construction to the TT, although in Grey rather than off-White. A >> pair of Serial ports are offered, as well as the local area network >> (Appletalk compatible) port, although the LAN and Serial 2 appear to >> share internal harware connections and cannot be used >> simultaneously. >What good is that? That doesn't make any sense. You can't use your >serial devices and the network at the same time??? Hehe... Just like a real Mac. Blech. One Zilog 8530 doing double-duty. Oh well, I wonder if it's good or bad that they attach two different connectors to the same port. On the Mac there's only one connector on that port, the "printer" port that has to do double duty as the Localtalk port. It's still a step up, though, just to have the 2nd serial port. Being able to plug into Phonenet/Localtalk will be very convenient... >>There is no SCSI port on the Mega/STE as on the TT, >> but all the other ports are the same. >That's really too bad. It makes more sense to include an SCSI >port into the box. It seems the standard for the home/small business >machines these days (although IDE seems to be catching on as well). IDE? Isn't that just a new name for the Same-Old Same Old, XT/AT bus-specific cards and such? Oh well. Yes, a full SCSI port would have been nicer. Oh well, there's always Supra, ICD, and BMS. >> A VME bus cart slot is >> accessable through a panel on the back of the machine. Most of the >> MEGA/STE machines here have an additional serial port card installed >> there. >A VME slot on an ST? Now THAT makes sense. It is about time that >the ST has some sort of stadard slot. Sounds cool. Echo previous line... >> The Mega/STe will have a base unit featuring 2 MEG of RAM, a >> switchable 16/8 Mhz acceleration (yes, SPECTRUM compatible) with or >> without RAM cache, and an internal 40 megabyte hard drive, the new >> TT style TOS/Desktop (which shows on test programs to be calling >> itself TOS 2.2) >So far so good. Sounds like a decent low-end home unit if the pricing >is right. Hm... TOS 2.2? Well, if it's at all like the new TOS versions, that means it's 68030 compatible, right? Oh boy... I wonder if the memory controller is any faster, so you can use faster DRAMs. RAM caches are nice, but don't yield such a big win when a lot of interrupt processing is going on. >>... and will be available "after the first of the >> year" for a price that is to "knock out the Mac Classic". That may >> be UNDER $1200! >HAHAHAHA! I should remind you that Atari said the same things >about the TT when they showed it for the first time (about 2 years ago!). >I would take statements like this with a BIG grain of salt judging >from Atari's previous antics (no pun intended...hehe). Who knows. I think Atari has done a good job of keeping things under their hat 'till they're really ready to be announced. This may be for real, eh? (I suppose it's no longer a breach of non-disclosure to say that the MegaSTe had been mentioned several months ago, and that Atari solicited suggestions from their developers for what features the machine should have? Yep, looks like a good job so far...) >As for being competition for the Mac Classic...It would seem to be >a very good contender IF the pricing is reasonable and IF they get it >out the door before the next ice age. Got my fingers crossed. Of course, it figures this machine would be released just after I ordered a 1040 STe. > All the Mega/STe units here on display are hooked to >> the new Phillips 15" color monitors, the STERO SOUND units, model >> SC1435. This is VERY nice, large screen unit that will replace the >> SC1224 monitors completely, and should retail at or just above the >> current color monitor price. It IS a step UP. >That is interesting. Is it a multisync? What resolutions will it >support? Echo that question. A 15" color monitor will probably look real sharp, but it'd also look kinda stupid showing the same ol' 640x200 screen. It sounds a lot more impressive than the 1425(?) that was described in the old developers docs (for the "EST" 'way back then), but probably a direct descendent. That would mean a 35 khz horizontal scan rate. Oughta be capable of 1024x768 rez... -- -- Howard Chu @ University of Michigan Mac// - adv., q.v. MacToo, e.g. McHave a McHappy McDay! McThanks, McYou MacToo!