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From: keithd@cadovax.UUCP (Keith Doyle)
Newsgroups: net.micro.atari
Subject: Re: Atari 800XL superior to c64?
Message-ID: <364@cadovax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Jan-85 21:58:20 EST
Article-I.D.: cadovax.364
Posted: Mon Jan 21 21:58:20 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Jan-85 19:35:29 EST
References: <212@eneevax.UUCP> <340@cadovax.UUCP>, <330@snow.UUCP>
Organization: Contel Cado, Torrance, CA
Lines: 41

[]
>Commodore use their own video controller.
>Interrupts are a major feature in the video (raster,collision etc.)

not always necessary in the Atari except for basic vertical interrupt,
however other interrupts are available, and can be quite useful.

>There is collision checking,(background and foreground plus a possible
>foreground colour that is transparent for collisions).

Ditto Atari

>The sound chip (SID) has a (maybe more) 4 bit D to A output also.

Ditto Atari, however, display interrupts (including the vertical 
required for basic display) will affect associated timing loops
when using this feature.

>It also has an input that gets filtered if you desire (i.e. tape).

Not sure about that on the Atari.

>I have had 48 24*21 sprites on the screen at the same time.

You could have 120 8*8 sprites, or 24 20*8, or 96 10*8 or....etc.
(odd sizes are possible)  but not without some restrictions.  I
would imagine the C64 would have some restrictions at these resolutions.

>The c64 has three Forth compilers available at my last count, plus
>one full Pascal implementation.

The Atari has AT LEAST 3 Forth compilers available, several of them
are public domain,  At least 1 Pascal and at least 2 C's.  Several
Macro Assemblers, Logo, Pilot, A Basic compiler, Lisp, etc. etc. etc...


>		Dave.

Keith Doyle
{ucbvax,ihnp4,decvax}!trwrb!cadovax!keithd