13 replies to this topic

[Fröhn]

Is there a SIO2PC solution for the PCs parallel port? Sadly my new PC doesn't have serial ports anymore.

[Rybags]

The XFormer cable uses the parallel port - but isn't compatible with APE/SIO2PC/Prosys.

http://www.emulators.com/xformer.htm

Only problem is: the XFormer is only for accessing an Atari disk drive from the PC - it doesn't do drive emulation like APE.

Apparently some people have tried USB -> serial adapters with mixed results.

[Goochman]

Rybags, on Thu Apr 6, 2006 4:57 PM, said:

The XFormer cable uses the parallel port - but isn't compatible with APE/SIO2PC/Prosys.

http://www.emulators.com/xformer.htm

Only problem is: the XFormer is only for accessing an Atari disk drive from the PC - it doesn't do drive emulation like APE.

Apparently some people have tried USB -> serial adapters with mixed results.

You also forgot to mention that this wonderful cable only operates on every 3rd Monday on every other odd month and only on PC's with a serial # divisible by PI.

I would bet that 50% of the folks that bought that trash never got it working - it was so flaky that I had to use an old 486 under Dos 5 with no drivers loaded - any only then did it work 60% of the time. IT had some weird timing value that had to be EXACT and only then would it talk to XFormer.

Let the rest of the product line it was lots of hype and little results/support.

Maybe you could contribute to the USB driver guys to finish the memory stick interface - that would solve alot of these issues I believe - and yes I did make a donation.

[Rybags]

I can't vouch for XFormer in any way - never used it, and despite the extra complexity I built 2 APE interfaces in preference to it.

I'd make a contribution to the USB project re writing code, except I don't have a USB cart.

[Cybernoid]

You can add a USB 2 Serial adaptor for under $40. Here is one, you might be able to find a cheaper one:

http://www.keyspan.c...ts/usb/USA19HS/

More options

http://www.amazon.co...5Fencoding=UTF8
http://www.amazon.co...glance&n=172282
http://www.ramelectr.../usb_serial.htm
http://www.pololu.co...ts/pololu/0391/

--C--

Edited by Cybernoid, Thu Apr 6, 2006 7:26 PM.

[Rybags]

I've seen the adaptors for around $25, but didn't buy one because there still seems to be doubt as to whether they work or not with APE.

[Fröhn]

$40 or $25 is not exactly cheap, and also I doubt that a USB2serial connector will work with custom serial programming and no standard serial transfer. (SIO2PC hardly works of you don't use DOS... thats propably a good hint that anything which is not a realtime serial port will not work)

[miker]

Hmm, i wonder why nobody ever did SIO2PC cable for LPT port. Wouldn't it be a little faster than COM one?

[Rybags]

Speed isn't really the issue (unless you're talking old PCs) - it's more one of timing. The UART gives you that for free, where with a parallel solution you have to do it yourself.

I did an interface on the ST which used the parallel port way back in 1988 - but I did use the serial I/O hardware to generate the timing.

The parallel port has the advantage of already using the TTL voltages that SIO does. I remember making the X1541 interface - it was all of about 20 minutes work.

[ijor]

Fröhn, on Thu Apr 6, 2006 9:34 PM, said:

$40 or $25 is not exactly cheap, and also I doubt that a USB2serial connector will work with custom serial programming and no standard serial transfer. (SIO2PC hardly works of you don't use DOS... thats propably a good hint that anything which is not a realtime serial port will not work)

As atarimac proved with Sio2OSX, it works well enough with the "right" USB to serial converter.

We might still have problems with copy protected programs that need more accurate timing. May be it’s about that a SIO2PC USB based standard is established. For the cost of a good USB converter plus a SIO2PC, we can probably make our own device based on a microcontroller. And with a micro we could get as much as accuracy as we need.

But we need a standard such that APE and other software will support it. Steven ? (no chances if you won't support it)

[classics]

ijor, on Fri Apr 7, 2006 7:20 AM, said:

But we need a standard such that APE and other software will support it. Steven ? (no chances if you won't support it)

I hope to have a USB version of SIO2PC for Windows available in the next few months, both as a new interface and a add-on kit for existing interfaces (plug it into the RS232 end of a existing SIO2PC cable). This is using a usb host and cpu in the interface itself, so timing and strange baud rates are not a problem.

Interfacing information for the modules will be GPL, so software can be written for any platform. I just released similar USB sources for my ColecoVision USB cart. I am hoping that using libusb will mean that the interface code will be highly portable.

Steve

[ijor]

classics, on Fri Apr 7, 2006 2:42 AM, said:

I hope to have a USB version of SIO2PC for Windows available in the next few months, both as a new interface and a add-on kit for existing interfaces (plug it into the RS232 end of a existing SIO2PC cable). This is using a usb host and cpu in the interface itself, so timing and strange baud rates are not a problem.

This is great news!

[Gunstar]

miker, on Fri Apr 7, 2006 4:44 AM, said:

Hmm, i wonder why nobody ever did SIO2PC cable for LPT port. Wouldn't it be a little faster than COM one?

If I remember correctly, if you build your own SIO2PC, using the instructions available online somewhere, it has both options available. Either LPT or com port. But I'm not sure if A.P.E will work through lpt port or not.

[Zonie]

Fröhn, on Fri Apr 7, 2006 1:34 AM, said:

$40 or $25 is not exactly cheap, and also I doubt that a USB2serial connector will work with custom serial programming and no standard serial transfer. (SIO2PC hardly works of you don't use DOS... thats propably a good hint that anything which is not a realtime serial port will not work)

I found a cheap $15 one at Frys electronics that works with my fujitsu laptop and talks to very old non PC motor controllers and robotic controllers.

It has a silver cable and beer-bottle brown serial end. We also have one that is blue and it works well too. Never tried with the SIO2PC though.

Regardless of cost, the adapters are nice to have around.