Adapter/interface
goes to ACSI port of Atari ST, STE, TT computers. Power for adapter is
solved by taking +5V at joystick or mouse port - yellow cable with 2
connectors (only 1 is covered with plastic case because no space by
STFM machines for it - so user can connect mouse or joystick to
connector with plastic shield). What is visible on pic above will
be shipped - except CF card. CF card must be Sandisk brand -
because only that makes very high data transfer rate (speed) possible.
And it is 1.9 MBytes/second . Indeed fastest one made for Atari ST(E)
ACSI (DMA) port. Speed is achieved by fast logic in adapter and special driver SW for it.
And
that means that this will not work with usual Atari ST hard disk driver
SW. I made driver, partitioner programs and other necessary SW for
easier usage.
Video above shows process of partitioning CF card. Partitions are
TOS/DOS compatible, what means easy data transfer between old Atari and
some modern computer - attaching to some PC/Win or Linux via USB reader
will result in access to partitions and easy file/DIR copy in both
directions. After
partition creation autoboot driver is installed in few seconds. Then
reset. It is regular TOS, so cartridge with driver autoboot is used. If
user press key D cartridge program will run autoboot driver installed
on CF card, instead driver in ROM - that allows running newer version
of driver without updating cart. ROM content. And as may see,
UltraSatan driver autoboots too - yes, this works fine together with
UltraSatan, which normally is set as target 0-1, while ACSI-CF is
hardcoded as target 7 .
Running/installing driver for this adapter:
Regular TOS versions do not support this adapter - so there is no
driver autoboot with them. In such case solution is to load
driver from floppy. Much better is to use TOS with added autoboot
code for this adapter. I already added it to diverse TOS versions -
like 1.04, 1.62, 2.06 . Those who buy adapter will get image of
such expanded TOS version without extra cost. Of course then need to
self burn it to EPROMs. Possible that I send programmed EPROMs
with it to buyer. All it will need talk about details -
petari@8bitchip.info is where to write.
It is possible to
achieve autoboot of driver without opening machine, ROM change - with
ST cartridge. Code for it is done too, and tested. At moment I
can not supply ST cartridges, so who wants it must have cartridge, or
to get it somewhere.
Autoboot of driver with Virtual Floppy feature and changing active floppy image file:
Price:
price is 63 Euros + shipping. Price includes driver +
partitioner (and other, as wrote above) SW = 15 Euros. And I will not
sell it without driver SW, because there is no other SW with what this
can work. So, it is usable only with it. Contact me with questions, order and related at: petari@8bitchip.info