Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!samsung!merrimack.edu!nin15b0b From: nin15b0b@merrimack.edu Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit Subject: Re: 80 columns and baud rate Message-ID: <1991Apr7.003703.21560@merrimack.edu> Date: 7 Apr 91 00:37:02 GMT References: Organization: Merrimack College, No. Andover, MA Lines: 46 In article , wilmott@utopia.rutgers.edu (Ray Wilmott) writes: > > The question concerns 80 column (via software) term programs and the > (apparent) 1200 baud limit. BobTerm, I've heard, works at up to 9600 > baud just fine on an unmodified 8-bit in 40 column mode (I say *heard* > because I don't have a 9600 baud modem to confirm it). I have 3 > different 80 column VT100 terminal emulators, and 1200 baud is as high > as they go. I've heard in discussions here and elsewhere that the > reason for this is that what these programs are doing is actually > drawing, character by character, every byte on a graphics 8 screen, > and that there's so much overhead for doing this that the little > old Atari can't keep up. That's all well and good, but wouldn't it be > possible to patch directly into the OS and make the machine think > that it's normal mode of operation is graphics 8, not graphics 0 and > give it the 80 column character set as its normal character set, thus > letting the OS directly deal with drawing the screen? No, this type > of approach I wouldn't expect to yield the same 9600 baud rate since > a "higher res" screen is being handled, but I would think that 2400 > baud should be able to be achieved. Isn't a graphics 0 screen made up > of 8x8 bit characters, 40 column across and 20 columns down? And a > graphics 8 screen 320x192 pixels? (this is from memory so...) > If so, thats 51,200 pixels versus 61,440 pixels. So why can one only > go 1200 baud while the other can go 9600 baud? Seems to me its only > because one *directly* uses the OS to draw the screen in a native > manner, while the other fights against the OS to forcibly draw > a slightly higher res screen. > Kermit-65 provides 80 columns and baud rates between 50 & 9600 baud and the truest vt100 emulation I have seen on the Atari. I am using it at 2400 baud right now, and have benn using for a couple of years. When using it at baud rates above 1200, you have you have to issue the command "set flow on" to prevent it from losing characters, and it works flawlessly at 2400 baud. I haven't tested any of the baud rates greater than 2400. Kermit-65 and its source code is available at the atari archive. -- David E. Sheafer internet: nin15b0b@merrimack.edu or uucp: samsung!hubdub!nin15b0b GEnie: D.SHEAFER Freenet ap345 Bitnet: Sheafer_davi@bentley