Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!ukma!gatech!mcnc!decvax!ucbvax!UMass.BITNET!Flash From: Flash@UMass.BITNET (Rick Flashman) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Mega Compatible? Message-ID: <880205103031DE1.AVLQ@Mars.UCC.UMass.EDU> Date: 5 Feb 88 15:46:59 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 66 After having a long series of programs bomb out on our MEGA ST2 here at the store, we decided to do a little testing. We copied the ROMS in the Mega (to make sure we have the SAME version) and placed them inside a 2.5 meg 520. We then proceeded try out some software that crashed on the MEGA. MEGA ST2 520 (with 2.5 MEGS and SAME new roms) -------- --------- Gaunlet CRASH! Ran great! Eagle's Nest CRASH! Ran great! A-Calc Prime Some Prob. Same. And the list goes on... Ending result? It seems that 40% of all the programs that have problems with a MEGA work fine on the 520 system. What does this mean? That something fishy is going on with Atari. They claim that only the ROMS changed and that the hardware is the same (appart from an invisible blitter). Well, obviously it is not. NEW roms are not was is making things non-compatible instead something else is, something having to do with the MEGA design. Our Atari Representative was simply as baffled as we were...how comforting. On a related issue, our store has been experiencing a 50% failture rate with the new mega's. Just thought that was most interesting. BTW, we got in the TECH SPECIALTIES 2/4 MEG upgrade board for 1040s. DO NOT BUY THIS UPGRADE. It does *NOT* fit in a 1040, and the instructions are WRONG. If you cut the trace that they as you to, you DESTROY your MMU when you power up, as a poor customer of us discovered. (all taken care of now) If you want to go to 2 or 4 megs and you have a 1040, wait for the AERCO board, which should be shipping as I write this..(hopefully)...they have worked on it for a long time..are aware of all motherboard revisions, and basically have their act together. GUNSHIP is supposed to ship in the next couple of weeks, and those who have seen it say it is hot, watch for that one. Anyone know when LASER C is shipping? Anyone know what is the deal with Data Pacific. They are starting to remind me of many mail order places I love to hate. This is what is happening. I called 3 months ago and ordered some MAGIC SAC PROFESSIONALS. I asked the lady on the phone "Are they in STOCK and shipping?!?!?" She said "Yes, should go out tommorow." To make matters short, 3 months later, we have seen nothing, and we call them EVERY week...and EVERY WEEK...they tell us..."Just shipped." Gets kind of fishy after the 6th time. Talked to David Small on GENIE who promised to look into it, since he is also claiming that they are shipping. Never got a reply. Annoying part is, that this stuff was/is for a goverment BID. You know how those are picky on product delivery. Well, we are still waiting...nd in Rick Flashman 1040 N. Pleasant Street, #381, Amherst, MA 01002. (413) 549-0173 Flash@UMASS.BITNET -or- Flash%UMASS.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU R-FLASHMAN on GEnie