Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!nrl-cmf!ukma!cwjcc!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!att!mtuxo!mtgzz!drutx!druhi!dlm
From: dlm@druhi.ATT.COM (Dan Moore)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: a little more info on the Spector 128 please
Message-ID: <3866@druhi.ATT.COM>
Date: 27 Jan 89 16:44:28 GMT
References: <32587@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Organization: AT&T, Denver, CO
Lines: 43

in article <32587@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>, bradley@cis.ohio-state.edu (Pete Bradley) says:
> 1) Can the latest system software be run using the Spector 128, (i.e. 6.0)?
	The Spectre 128(tm) supports all of the recent versions of Finder
and System, including 6.0.  Just don't use MultiFinder since it plays
with the buss-error vector that the Spectre needs.  (NOTE: Normal Macs
never have buss-errors, only Mac IIs with MMUs can get one.  Is Apple
planning a version of MultiFinder that uses the MMU in the Mac II?)
 
> 2) It looks like the basic setup is an Atari1040 st with a Spector 128, the
>    necessary chips, (more on that in a sec) and Translator one. The last
>    item allows disks used on Macs to be copied/used in the Spector 128
>    world? I would like to give him my old Mac files so something which
>    makes use of HFS disks would help a lot.
	The Translator One(tm) will allow you to read/write/format
Mac(tm) single sided (MFS) and double sided (HFS) disks on the ST with
the Spectre.  There are two problems with the Translator One: 1) it is
slow, data to/from the Mac disks is transfered via the MIDI port; 2)
Data Pacific is slow about shipping them right now due to early problems
with the FCC.  It is a reasonable method of moving data between Macs and
STs. 
	Gadgets by Small is currently working on the Spectre GCR.  This
is a new version of the Spectre that includes the ability to read, write
and format Mac disks.  The Spectre GCR will be MUCH faster than the
Translator One, about the same speed as a real Mac.  It "should" be
available by late spring/early summer.  (That is an imformed guess, NOT
a statement by Gadgets.)

> 3) The chips need to be purchased separately? Are they difficult to obtain?
>    What is the estimated cost?
	You need to buy the 128K (or 64K) Mac ROMs yourself.  Gadgets by
Small does not sell them.  The ROMs are fairly easy to obtain, some
Atari dealers carry them, most Mac dealers do.  Or check the ads in
"Computer Shopper".  Expect to spend between $50 and $100 for the ROMs. 
Be careful, most Mac dealers try to sell you the ROMs plus a Mac double
sided drive, which you can't use.



				Dan Moore
				AT&T Bell Labs
				Denver
				dlm@druhi.ATT.COM
				dlm@druwy.ATT.COM