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From: tob@inuxm.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: Re: US DOUBLER SLOWER SOMETIMES??
Message-ID: <516@inuxm.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 20-Feb-87 10:32:42 EST
Article-I.D.: inuxm.516
Posted: Fri Feb 20 10:32:42 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Feb-87 16:12:07 EST
References: <8133@decwrl.DEC.COM>
Organization: AT&T Consumer Products, Indianapolis
Lines: 55

> Spartados and Action users:  
> 
>     Question for y'all -- before putting bread on the line to buy Spartados/US
> doubler (mainly for use with Action programming) I want to clear something up: 
> 
>     I have heard that the hi-speed write and read applies only to binary files;
> and that Sparta with doubler actually works more slowly than other DOS's with
> other file types. 
> 

The hispeed read write works on ALL files.
		----- BUT -----

In the Action world there are several buts.
When Action reads in a source file, it does not do a binary read.  It
reads the file a little slower sector by sector.  Remember that the main
part of the hispeed process is in a different sector layout on the disk.
When Action reads a source file it takes a little processing time, which
may allow the diskette to spin past the next sector before the read request
gets to the drive.  This will indeed make it a slower read for Action
source code.  
A new sector layout for Action disks would help, but not a good idea!
Another problem that comes up is the fact that Action doubles the key
repeat rate AND Sparta DOS doubles the key repeat rate.  Unless you
change the key repeat rate with an AUTORUN or something it is almost
unuseable.

I LOVE Action and I like hispeed!!!  My solution.

I use MYDOS for all my disks. It is totaly compatable with all my old
DOS 2 stuff.  There is a file on Compuserve that is an overlay for the
XE/XL operating system that replaces the cassette handler with the 
hispeed handler.  Now any DOS uses hispeed.  This takes care of the 
computer end of the system.
On the Drive end, I use the board from Duplicating Technologies.  They
have two versions (two prices) either one gives me what I want. HISPEED.
This is a different method (the Happy upgrade does this too) It adds
extra RAM in the drive so it reads a whole track at a time instead of
a single sector at a time.  This allows me to use normal sector layouts
and get hispeed reading. (not writing)  When Action reads a source file
the first track gets buffered in the drive and the sectors are ready
as soon as the next read request gets to the drive.  This gives you
max speed with an slight delay for each new track.  Of course this speed
increase works best on orderly file layouts on the disk.  If the file
is scattered all over the disk, this slows down the system.
At work I use the modified OS and a 1050 with the US Doubler and custom
sector layout running MYDOS.  This is a very nice combination. 
But, yea I know, one more BUT.  This combination does not allow you to
generate the custom sector layout.  I use the Archiver in my 810 to
generate the fast sector layout that you would normally get from Sparta DOS.

I hope that somewhere in my rambling I have given you some useful info.

Ted Burger
317-835-7635