Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!TCGOULD.TN.CORNELL.EDU!halp
From: halp@TCGOULD.TN.CORNELL.EDU ("Bruce P. Halpern")
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re:  Interested in PC Transporter
Message-ID: <8802281552.AA22175@tcgould.TN.CORNELL.EDU>
Date: 28 Feb 88 15:52:12 GMT
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 41

My PC Transporter (fully populated memory = 640K RAM as IBM-clone768K as
Apple), 8087-2 math co-processor chip, single drive  AE TransDrive (= IBM
compatible 5.25 inch, 360K drive. Cabinet is designed to hold two drives.
If you get only one, blank panel fills space. Slightly cheaper {about 5%}
to buy both at once, and saves trouble of field installation), ][e/][+
installation kit, plus Apple 3.5 drive directly from Apple, arrived. Installed
into non-enhanced ][e. Installation instructions were good; video was useful
but not essential.

Installation (physical connections of cables, etc.) takes about half-hour. Does
require a good light, and elbow room (as well as no visits from interested 
others, gusts of wind, etc.).

My system started fine, but unfortunately failed the AE Bios Memory Test, 
which is automatically run at initial configuration. This happened several 
times. A telephone call to AE brought a returned material authorization 
number (RMA#) [the system had not been bought directly from AE, bu only
copies of original dated receipt were needed to handle this]. The PC Transporter board was returned to AE about two weeks ago. Given typical transit times,
my hope is that I will have a repaired/replaced board back from AE around the
first week of March.

Some interesting info from the manual: PC-DOS *will* work with the PC
Transporter (as well as MS-DOS). However, neither IBM BASIC nor IBM 
BASICA will work (which means IBM Compiled BASIC won't work). GWBASIC
*will* work. A modified (and large) version of ProDOS must be installed
on ProDOS disks for them to access the additional 768K RAM. With normal
ProDOS (I tried this), the additional RAM seems to be invisible.

I believe that QuickBASIC (Microsoft) will work with the PC Transporter in 
IBM mode. Few people will have difficulty giving up IBM BASIC (of any flavor)
when QuickBASIC v4.0 is available.
            
Hopefully, my next report will be on the joys of using the PC Transporter.

****DISCLAMER: My comments, etc., are my own shakey opinions ********



  |  Bruce P. Halpern  Psychology & Neurobiology & Behavior Cornell Ithaca |
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