[continued from previous message]

- Reviewed: SoftSide #45, November 1983, pp. 90-91
- Reviewed (with picture) in Atari Classics June 1993 pp. 26-28

------------------------------

Subject: 6.6) What light pens were produced for the Atari?

A light pen or light gun requires a cathode ray tube (CRT) television or monitor. Only one light pen or light gun may be used on the Atari at a time. Controller Jacks 1-3 on the 400 do not support a light pen / light gun.

- Atari Light Pen CX70 (1980, shipped 1981)
- Shipped with CX4124 demonstration program cassette
- Symtec Light Pen (1982)
- The Light Pen by Programmer's Institute / Futurehouse (1983)
- Tech Sketch LP-10 Light Pen (no switch)
- Atari package supplied with demo cassette
- Tech Sketch LP-15 Light Pen (high resolution, with switch)
- Earlier Atari package: Supplied with demo cassette
- Atari packages: With Paint-N-Sketch Level I cassette, disk, or cartridge
- Later Atari package: Micro Illustrator diskette included
(Illustrator product by Island Graphics, light pen version)
- Tech Sketch LP-10S Light Pen (with switch)
- Earlier Atari package: Supplied with demo cassette
- Atari packages: With Paint-N-Sketch Level I cassette, disk, or cartridge
- Later Atari package: Micro Illustrator diskette included
(Illustrator product by Island Graphics, light pen version)
- Computapix PixStik (ad: YourComputer Feb84p12-13)
- Atari version shipped with PaintBox (by Eamonn Walsh) and "3 free games" - Atari Light Pen CX75 (1984)
- Shipped with AtariGraphics cartridge RX8054 by Gibson Laboratories /
Steve Gibson for Atari
- Stack Light Pen by Stack Computer Services (1984)
- Later units shipped with LiteWriter software and 10 games: Othello,
Seek and Destroy, Simon, Life, GO, Draughts, Drossword Twister,
Lost in Labyrinth, Concentration, Shuffler
- Edumate Light Pen by Futurehouse (1984)
- Improved version of The Light Pen by Programmer's Institute / Futurehouse
- Sold with 5 or 6 programs for the Atari
- Some later units sold with Peripheral Vision program by Futurehouse
- Hoyt Light Pen by Hoyt Corporation (ad: Compute#49Jun84p48)
- released????
- McPen light pen by Madison Computer (1984)
- Came with a disk with 4 BASIC programs
- Koala Light Pen by Koala Technologies (1984, fall)
- Box: "for Commodore 64"
- Box sticker: "Contents work on Atari and Commodore 64 Computers"
- Sold with KoalaPainter (light pen version) two-sided disk for
Commodore 64 and Atari
(Illustrator product by Island Graphics, light pen version)
- Turbo Light Pen by Turbo Software for M.P.M. (Chile), 1989?
- Shipped with 2 cassettes

------------------------------

Subject: 6.7) What light guns were produced for the Atari?

Just two:

- Atari XG-1 Light Gun (1987)
- Best Electronics "The Best" Video Light Gun (1989)

A light pen or light gun requires a cathode ray tube (CRT) television or monitor. Only one light pen or light gun may be used on the Atari at a time. Controller Jacks 1-3 on the 400 do not support a light pen / light gun.

------------------------------

Subject: 6.8) What voice/speech synthesis hardware is there for the Atari?

Type 'n Talk (TNT) by Votrax (see CreativeComputing9/81p148-151)
- RS-232-C device with available cable for Atari 850
- Output: Includes mini-phone jack for 8-ohm speaker (not included)
- Votrax SC-01-A Speech Synthesizer chip
- Programmer controls unit using regular Atari 850 R: device handler

Echo GP by Street Electronics Corp. (SEC), 1982
- RS-232-C device with available cable for Atari 850
- Output: Built-in speaker, or optional external speaker
- Texas Instruments TMS 5200 or TMS 5220 Voice Synthesis Processor (VSP) chip
- Programmer controls unit using regular Atari 850 R: device handler

ITalkII by RealTime Electronics, 1982
- Marketed by Greenbrier Marketing International
- Connects to Atari 400/800 joystick ports 3+4
- Output: Routed via SIO to normal Atari Sound Output; also provides
auxiliary output jack (phono jack) for optional external speaker
- SIO port for daisy chain
- SIO Audio Input signal is combined with the device's sound output
- Votrax SC-01-A Speech Synthesizer chip
- Draws its power from the Atari joystick ports
- Software: Machine Language Driver, Word Editor, Sentence Builder,
Dictionary, Word Blaster

Voice Box by The Alien Group, 1982
- Built-in SIO cable - must end SIO daisy chain
- Output: Routed via SIO to normal Atari Sound Output
- Votrax SC-01-A Speech Synthesizer chip
- Draws its power from the Atari
- Cassette or Disk includes Random Sentence Generator and Talking Face

Voice-Box II by The Alien Group, 1983
- Built-in SIO cable - must end SIO daisy chain
- Output: Routed via SIO to normal Atari Sound Output
- Votrax SC-01-A Speech Synthesizer chip
- Draws its power from the Atari
- Disks include 5 games:
Concentration, Stud Poker, Spelling, Acey Deucey, Green Goblins

Cheap-Talk: Build Your Own Speech Synthesizer project
- By Lee Brilliant, M.D., ANALOG #29, April 1985, pages 59-67
- Connects to joystick ports 1+2, or ports 3+4 (400/800)
- Output: external speaker, or connects to SIO for output via normal Atari
Sound Output
- General Instrument SP0256-AL2 speech synthesizer chip
- Draws its power from the Atari

Atari Speaks project, by Kevin Griffin, Page 6 #19 Jan/Feb86
- Connects to joystick ports 1+2, or ports 3+4 (400/800)
- Output: Built-in speaker
- General Instrument SP0256-AL2 speech synthesizer chip
- Draws its power from the Atari

Talking Typewriter project, by Bill Marquardt, ANTIC Jan87
- Connects to joystick ports 1+2
- Output: external speaker, or connects to SIO for output via normal Atari
Sound Output
- General Instrument SP0256-AL2 speech synthesizer chip
- Draws its power from the Atari

------------------------------

Subject: 6.9) What sound digitizers/samplers were produced for the Atari?

These are hardware/software analog/digital (A/D) audio conversion solutions that record an analog audio input signal as digital data for storage or playback. Some of these use the Atari's native 8-bit analog/digital
conversion capability (potentiometer ports), and for playback most of these utilize the Atari's native support for 4-bit pulse-code modulation (PCM or "Volume Control Only" or "Volume Only") sound output.

- Talk is Cheap project by Ed Stewart, Antic v2n4 Jul83 pp 64-66
https://www.atarimagazines.com/v2n4/talkischeap.html
- Device plugs into joystick port 3
- 8-bit sampling and 4-bit playback using native Atari capabilities
- Variable sample rate up to about 4.5kHz
- Parrot, by Tony Ramos for Alpha Systems, 1985
- Parrot Audio Interface (paddle-like device) plugs into joystick port 2
Includes mini-plug input jack for microphone, includes jumper wire for
powered sound source
- Sample rate of up to 8kHz; longer recording times reduce the sample rate
- Software included: SAMPLER, EMULATOR, PLAYER, GUESSNUM
- Uses .DIG digitized audio file format
- Distributed separately: Parrot Demo, Pre-Recorded Sounds, Pop-N-Rocker
- Voice Master, by Covox, 1985
- "Speech and music processor"
- Functions: Speech synthesizer, word recognition, "Voice Harp"
- Plugs into Joystick port 2
- Shipped with headset that plugs into unit's Mike and Ear mini-phone jacks
- Draws its power from the Atari
- Software included:
Demo program, Bargraph, Calculator, Clock, Blackjack, Composer, Calibrate
- Software sold separately by Covox:
- Speech Construction Set
- Talking Disk
- Digital-Mikrofon, by Zain, 1985? (Released?)
- Input and output connectors, via joystick controller ports
- Software included
- See Happy Computer #11 Nov85 p130
- Replay, by 2 Bit Systems, 1986
- Cartridge device includes built-in cable with phono audio input jack
- Sample rate selectable from 6kHz to 21kHz
- 8-bit sampling depth; 4-bit playback with supplied software
- Software included: Replay (sampling/playback), DigiDrum, DigiSynth, Echo
- V2.0 Replay program with reverse and trigger options
- Distributed separately:
- Percussion Master
- External D/A and filter, plugs into joystick ports 1 & 2
- Enhances Replay software with 8-bit playback
- DigiDrum II (can use Replay samples)
- Package later marketed by Gralin International, 1992
- Soundmeister, by Irata, 1986/1987? (Released?)
- See ad in Atari Magazin 2/87 p9
- Released for the Atari ST instead?
See: http://www.stcarchiv.de/am1987/06/meister-digitizer-videomeister
- Micro-Voice, by 2 Bit Systems, 1987
- Cable plugs into joystick port, records from a tape recorder/hi-fi
- 8-bit sampling and 4-bit playback using native Atari capabilities
- Software included: Micro-Seq, Micro-Synth, Echo, Sampler
- Parrot II, by Tony Ramos for Alpha Systems, 1987
- Parrot II Audio Interface (paddle-like device) plugs into joystick port,
has two input jacks, one for a microphone, one for a powered source
- V 2.0 software enhanced for 130XE banked memory
- Fully compatible with software for the original Parrot by Alpha Systems
- Sound'N'Sampler, by Ralf David, 1987
- Device plugs into joystick controller port 1
- 4-bit sampling depth
- 4-bit playback using native Atari capabilities
- Software included: Digital-Data-Editor
- Voice Master Junior, by Covox, 1988?
- Plugs into Joystick port
- Built-in microphone
- Draws its power from the Atari
- Fully compatible with software for the original Voice Master by Covox
- Sound Sampler, project by Andreas Binner and Harald Schoenfeld (PPP) for
Atari Magazin, 1/89 pp.44-49; for corrections: 5/89 p.84
- Device plugs into two joystick controller ports
- 67kHz sampling rate
- 8-bit sampling depth
- 4-bit playback using native Atari capabilities
- Software: Sound Sampler (source listing), Sampler XL (boot file)
- Antic Sampling Processor project by Steven Lashower, Antic v8n8 Feb/Mar90
https://www.atarimagazines.com/v8n8/anticsamplingproc.html
- Loosely based on "Talk is Cheap" project (see above)
- Device plugs into joystick port 2
- 8-bit sampling and 4-bit playback using native Atari capabilities
- Sampling rate approaching 5kHz
- MIMI Playback software feature requires Hybrid Arts MIDIMate interface
- Sample Cartridge by Alphasys Hardware, 1991
- Two audio input phono jacks for sampling two signals/stereo at once
(into single signal/mono audio)
- 8-bit sampling depth
- 4-bit playback with supplied software by Solarsystems
- Software compatible with the Replay cartridge by 2 Bit Systems
- A/D Converter, by Mirage, 1993
- Cartridge, with built-in cable to connect to a headphone output
- 4-bit sampling depth
- Software included: Audio Master
- Supports XL/XE extended memory
- http://atariki.krap.pl/index.php/Mirage_AD_Converter

------------------------------

Subject: 6.10) What sound upgrades (stereo or 8-bit PCM) are there?

This section lists programmable system modifications or devices that upgrade the audio capabilities of the Atari. Devices or modifications that manipulate the standard Sound Output beyond the software control of the Atari are not listed here.

Bits 'N' Pieces: POPS, project by Lee S. Brilliant, ANALOG #66 Nov. 1988,
pages 54-60
- External device connects to the Atari SIO port, using pin 1 (Clock Input)
and pin 2 (Clock Output) to tap into the separate Atari audio voices
independently, before the system mixes them into the normal single-channel
Sound Output signal.
- POPS provides either stereo (Left and Right) or three (Left, Center, and
Right) audio output channels.
- Two channel operation: POKEY voice 4 is output to the POPS Left Speaker
(via SIO pin 2); POKEY voices 1-3 are output to the POPS Right Speaker
(via the normal system Sound Output)
- Three channel operation: POKEY voice 2 is output to the Left Speaker (via
SIO pin 2); POKEY voice 4 is output to the POPS Center speaker (via SIO
pin 1); POKE voices 1 and 3 are output to the POPS Right Speaker (via the
normal system Sound Output)
- Software: POKEY Player by Craig Chamberlain, modified by Lee Brilliant M.D.

Pokey Stereo Upgrade project by C. Steinman, 12/16/1989 ("GUMBY upgrade")
- Original filename: STEREOXL.TXT
- Achieves stereo output through the addition of a second POKEY chip.
(The second POKEY chip is referred to as Gumby.)
- GUMBY upgrade compatibles include:
- StereoPlus by Gralin International, 1994?
- Atari 8-Bit in Stereo, by Frankenstein, in Megazine #2, #3, #5:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pbgf829
http://preview.tinyurl.com/of2kk5x
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pqwh7hq
- Stereo in the "little" Atari, by Rysowal Monsoft, 2002?
http://ftp.pigwa.net/stuff/mirror/www.atari.cuprum.com.pl/stereo.htm
- Stereo by Pasiu/SSG, 2004?
http://hardware.atari8.info/stereo.php
- Dual-POKEY Stereo Sound Board, by MetalGuy66, 2006
http://preview.tinyurl.com/jphxurn
http://www.rasterline.com/
- Atari 8 bit stereo upgrade FINAL ("Simple Stereo"), by Lotharek, 2006
http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=45
- STEREO by C.P.U., 2006
http://raster.atariportal.cz/hw/stereo/stereo.htm
- PCB version by Pajero / MadTeam, 2007
http://madteam.atari8.info/index.php?prod=stereo
- SimpleStereo by Candle, 2003-2008
http://www.spiflash.org/block/9.html
- Stereo Expansion rev.2.1 by Mega-Hz, 2010
http://www.mega-hz.de/Angebote/Stereo/Stereo_small.html
- Includes bass boost and GTIA sound amplifier
- Earlier prototype: Stereo Expansion rev.1.2, 2008
http://www.mega-hz.de/Angebote/Stereo/Stereo_big.html
- POKEY stereo / Gumby supporting software:
http://a8.fandal.cz/search.php?search=stereo&butt_details_x=x

Stereo Blaster Pro (Programmable), by Portronic/AMC-Verlag (1995?)
Andreas Koch writes: This add-on had only 1 small paddle, to amplify the
sound volume; the stereo-sound could be generated via two simple POKE
statements; a demo disk was included.
See: http://www.strotmann.de/~highland/amc/amcprogs.html

"Covox" project, original by Psychol/MadTeam
- 4 channel, 8-bit sound playback (8-bit PCM)
- Digital to analog (DAC) converter based on the Covox Speech Thing for PC
- http://atariki.krap.pl/index.php/Covox
- Covox compatible projects:
- Easy 4 channels * 8 bits Covox C/A, by: Gumi/Tight
http://ftp.pigwa.net/stuff/mirror/www.atari.cuprum.com.pl/covox.htm
- Covox upgrade by Gumi, re-written by Pigula/Shpoon
http://ftp.pigwa.net/stuff/mirror/www.atari.cuprum.com.pl/covox_2.htm
- SimpleStereo by Candle, 2003-2008
http://www.spiflash.org/block/9.html
- Covox-supporting software:
- Inertia 3.7, by Tebe/MadTeam, 1996
- Inertia 4.5, by Profi/MadTeam
- Protracker 1.51, by Profi/MadTeam, 1997
- NeoTracker 1.7, by Epi/Tristesse, 2002-2007
- More: http://a8.fandal.cz/search.php?search=covox&butt_details_x=x

------------------------------

Subject: 6.11) What graphics enhancements are there for the Atari?

Full-View 80, by Bit 3 Computer Corporation (1982)
- Plugs into RAM slot 3 (rear slot) of the Atari 800
- Composite video output;
Recommended: Display monitor having a minimum bandwidth of 10MHz
- 80 x 24 character display (no graphics modes)
- Characters are in a 8 x 10 matrix with full lowercase descenders
- Total screen resolution: 640 x 240 pixels
- At launch, supporting software included:
- Atari BASIC, BASIC A+, OS/A+, EASMD, Microsoft BASIC (mostly),
Atari Pascal, Atari Assembler Editor, Atari Macro Assembler (mostly);
80 column versions of: LJK Letter Perfect, Data Perfect, Edit 6502

Austin 80, by Austin Franklin Associates (1983)
- Video Processor Board plugs into RAM slot 3 (rear slot) of the Atari 800;
Console Software cartridge plugs into right cartridge slot of the Atari 800
- Composite video output;
Recommended: Display monitor having a minimum bandwidth of 10MHz
- 4 RGBI color output bits
- Optional: RGBI Adapter Board for use with (color) RGB monitor
- 80 x 25 character screen (no graphics modes)
- 7 x 9 character size in a 8 x 10 block, with full descenders
- Sold separately by Austin Franklin in support of the Austin 80:
- SWP 64K ATR8000 w/CP/M 2.2; MPP Smart Terminal;
80 column versions of: LJK Letter Perfect, Data Perfect;
Austin 80 Console Software

XEP80 Interface Module, by Atari (1986)
- Plugs into joystick port 1 or 2
- Composite video output (high resolution monochrome recommended)
- Software driver on diskette
- 80 x 25 character screen (internal 256 x 25 character storage area)
- 7 x 10 character cells
- 320 x 200 Pixel Graphics mode
- See XEP80 section of this FAQ list for additional details

VBXE - VideoBoard XE
- First release: Version 1.2 by Tomasz Piorek (Electron/TQA) (2008)
- Versions 2.0 (2009) and 2.1 (2013) by Sebastian Bartkowicz (Candle)
- For Atari XL/XE
- Board mounts in the Atari in place of the ANTIC chip, which is moved to
the VBXE board. Additional connections must be made between the VBXE board
and the Atari motherboard as well.
- Functions like GTIA, though GTIA remains functional as well
- Provides RGB output (DE-9 or SCART connector options)
- Up to 1024 colors on screen from 21 bit palette
- Graphics resolution up to:
- 640x480i (640x240p) in 64 colors
- 320x240p in 1024 colors
- 160x240p in 1024
- True 80 character mode for text display
- Blitter with 7 modes of operations capable of zooming displayed data,
transparency, collision detection and many other features
- Fully downward compatible with GTIA chip
- Developer website: http://spiflash.org/block/15.html
- VBXE 2.1 for XE available: http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=82
- VBXE 2.1 for XL available: http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=106
- VBXE software production list: http://gury.atari8.info/vbxe_prod.php

------------------------------

Subject: 6.12) What types of memory upgrades are there for the Atari?

Thanks to Andreas Koch for his earlier extensive work on RAM drive versions.

This section attempts to list all commercial or hobbyist project upgrades
to the amount of (volatile) random access memory (RAM) installed in the 8-bit Atari.

Devices that use non-volatile mass storage media would be listed elsewhere in this FAQ list.

400/800 Memory Upgrades
-----------------------
As intended by Atari, RAM management in the 800 is accomplished in hardware
via the presence of one, two, or three 8KiB or 16KiB RAM Module boards in the computer's three RAM slots, for a system of 8KiB, 16KiB, 24KiB, 32KiB, 40KiB, or 48KiB of RAM. The 400 was designed to use a single internal 8KiB, 16KiB,
or 32KiB RAM board of the same design as those for the 800 (though Atari only offered the 400 in 8KiB or 16KiB RAM versions).

- 4KiB boards
These make an additional 4KiB available to the computer in the 4KiB of
memory address space (49152-53247 or $C000-$CFFF), unused by the 400/800
hardware or Operating System, directly beyond the normal 48KiB RAM address
space as intended for use by Atari. These can be used with standard 8KiB,
16KiB, 24KiB, 32KiB, 40KiB, or 48KiB RAM systems. See also: 52KiB boards
- Ramrod, by Newell Industries (800 personality board), 1982
- MEM/EX, by Prairie Physics (800 personality board), 1983
- Impossible!, by Computer Software Services (CSS) (400/800), 1984
- 4K Static RAM-Pac board also sold separately by CSS
- The Gap, by Computer Support (400/800), 1985
- 8KiB boards
Boards may be used in any 800 RAM slot or in the 400 internal RAM slot.
- Atari CX852 (remove board from case for installation inside the 400)
- 16KiB boards/upgrades
Boards may be used in any 800 RAM slot or in the 400 internal RAM slot.
- Atari CX853 (remove board from case for installation inside the 400)
- JACC 16K (1980; first non-Atari memory expansion board)
- Microtek AT-16 / AMB-16 (no imprint on board)
- Intec 16K
- Anderson Peripherals / Tiny Tek 16K Memory Board (800 only - why???)
- Bontek 16K
- Mosaic 8K to 16K RAM Expansion Kit (400)
- 32KiB boards/upgrades
A 32KiB board, "properly" designed, may be used in 3 places: in the 400
internal RAM slot, or in either of the first two RAM slots in the 800. Less
rigorous designs do not work in the 800 first RAM slot. In the 800 a 32KiB
board must be installed in combination with an 8KiB or 16KiB board also in
slot 1 or 2, or utilize another solution that taps the other slot for the
necessary chip select lines.
- Axlon RAMCRAM / RAMPOWER 32 (400 or 800 middle RAM slot)
- Mosaic 32K RAM Board (400 or 800 first two RAM slots)
- Optional Companion Board for use in the 800 without another RAM board
- Mosaic Expander is the same but shipped with 16KiB and sockets for
16KiB RAM chips taken from a 16KiB board
- Mosaic Adapter is the same but shipped with no memory but sockets for
32KiB in RAM chips taken from two 16KiB boards.
- Microtek AMB-32 (400 or 800 middle RAM slot) (no imprint on board)
- MPC Peripherals Corp AT-32 (400 or 800 middle RAM slot)
- Same as earlier Microtek AMB-32 but with "MPC AT-32" imprint
- Microtek AMB-32A (400 or 800 first two RAM slots)
- board: "Microtek AMB-32"
- "Slot Independent Memory Card"
- Intec 32K MM1632 (400 or 800 first two RAM slots) (1982)
- Anderson Peripherals / Tiny Tek 32K Memory Board
- Bit 3 32K Memory Plus (400 or 800 middle RAM slot)
- Tech-Data (TD) 32K
- Calisto Computers 32K (400)
- Austin Franklin 32K Austin Board (400 or 800 first two RAM slots)
- Optional 32K Loopback for use without another RAM board
- Bontek 32K
- High Country MicroSystems (HCMS) Ram-Page 32K
- Tara Computer Products Atari 32K RAM
- HardStuff 32K RAM Board
- 48KiB boards/upgrades
If designed for the 400, these must modify the computer to support the S4
and S5 RAM chip select lines and, for continued cartridge support, the RAM
deselect lines RD4 and RD5 as all supported in the 800. If designed for the
800, these boards are used in the middle RAM slot, and must modify the
computer or utilize another solution that taps the S0 and S1 RAM chip select
lines from slot 1. Also, these physically used 64KiB in DRAM chips because
such designs were much simpler and less expensive than a design using chips
actually totaling 48KiB.
- Intec 48K MM6448 (400) (1981)
- Dynamic Technologies 48K Memory Expansion Kit (400)
- Axlon RAMCRAM Plus 48K / RAMPOWER 48 (400). Two installation options:
- 40KiB available, or 48KiB with supplied board in cartridge slot
- No computer modification required
- 48KiB available (requires computer modification)
- Sar-An Computer Products (SCP) 48K (400)
- Neotechnic Industries (NTI) 48K Ram Kit (400 or 800)
- Micro Systems Exchange (MSX) 48K Upgrade Kit (400)
- Austin Franklin 48K Austin Board (400 or 800)
- Optional 48K Loopback card required for use in the 800
- Mosaic 48K Ram Kit (400)
- Maplin/Mapsoft 48K RAM card (400)
- Calisto Computers 48K (400)
- Essence Peripheral 48K
- Polly Products 48400 (400)
- Xtra HardWare XTRA48 (400 or 800)
- Tara Computer Products 48K RAM for the Atari 400
- A 48K Upgrade For Your 400, project by Claus Buchholz, MACE Newsletter,
(Michigan Atari Computer Enthusiasts), 9/82
- Atari 400 48K Memory Modification Instructions, by Gary A. Crowell with
Steven P. Davies, (c)1983
- Atari 48K RAM Expansion Kit (400) (June 1983)
- 52KiB boards/upgrades
These have the same features/capabilities as 48KiB boards/upgrades but make
an additional 4KiB available to the computer in the 4KiB of memory address
space (49152-53247 or $C000-$CFFF), unused by the 400/800 hardware or
Operating System, directly beyond the normal 48KiB RAM address range. The
result is 52KiB of continuous, non-banked RAM available while still running
the standard 400/800 OS in memory as well.
- Tiny Tek 48K/52K (400 only)
- Newell 48/52K Ram Board (400 or 800)
- Xtra HardWare XTRA52 (400 or 800)
- 48/52 KByte RAM Card for Atari 400, by Jurgen van Radecke (tfhh), 2017
- http://www.van-radecke.de/STUFF/tfhh_HW_info.pdf
- 64KiB and up boards/upgrades
Surpassing the limit of 52KiB continuous RAM address space available in the
400/800 requires a memory-banking scheme for using software-selectable
memory banks that share a range of memory addresses within the normal 52KiB
RAM address range. Atari never offered such a solution, but several
different third-party schemes emerged.
> "Axlon" bank-selection type
Banks are 16KiB, visible at 16384-32767 ($4000-$7FFF). Bank selection is
controlled by writing a bank number to ANY address in the ranges 4032-4095
($0FC0-$0FFF) (mirror) OR 53184-53247 ($CFC0-$CFFF) (latter range
recommended by Axlon; byte 53247 ($CFFF) used by popular convention).
A value of 0 selects the main/normal bank, and values from 1 to 255 select
an extended bank. Scheme supports up to 4080KiB of banked RAM (255 banks of
16KiB each) for a total system RAM potential of 4128KiB (4080KiB + 48KiB).
- Axlon RAMDISK 128K Memory System / RAMPOWER 128 (800 middle RAM slot)
(1981). Provides 8 16KiB banks of memory, one of which is available to
the computer at a time as part of the normal RAM of up to 48KiB. With a
total of 32KiB installed in the other two RAM slots, the total system
potential is 160KiB.
- Toggle switch supports configuration as 128KiB or 16KiB for added
software compatibility
- Shipped with CREATE utility that modifies Atari DOS 2.0S into:
Axlon Memory Management System (MMS) with D4: RAM drive.
- First 3rd-party RAM drive for Axlon banked memory: ADS Integrater
(1983), detailed elsewhere in this FAQ List (800 personality boards)
- Newell Industries 128K RAM Upgrade for 800 (800 middle RAM slot)
Provides 8 16KiB banks of memory, one of which is available to the
computer at a time as part of the normal RAM of up to 48KiB. With a
total of 32KiB installed in the other two RAM slots, the total system
potential is 160KiB.
- Crystal Computer Products (CCP) 128 K RAMCard (800 middle RAM slot)(1986)
Provides 8 16KiB banks of memory, one of which is available to the
computer at a time as part of the normal RAM of up to 48KiB. With a
total of 32KiB installed in the other two RAM slots, the total system
potential is 160KiB.
- Can be configured as 128KiB or 16KiB for added software compatibility,
either via jumper pins or via optional hardware switch.
- Crystal Computer Products (CCP) 256 K RAMCard (800 middle RAM slot)(1986)
Provides 16 16KiB banks of memory, one of which is available to the
computer at a time as part of the normal RAM of up to 48KiB. With a
total of 32KiB installed in the other two RAM slots, the total system
potential is 288KiB.
- Can be configured as 256KiB or 16KiB for added software compatibility,
either via jumper pins or via optional hardware switch.
- Super Products SuperRAM
(256KiB piggyback board for 16KiB board in middle RAM slot)
Provides 16 16KiB banks of memory, one of which is available to the
computer at a time as part of the normal RAM of up to 48KiB. With a
total of 48KiB installed in the three RAM slots, the total system
potential is 304KiB.
- Magna Systems Ramcharger 256K (800 middle RAM slot)(1986)
Provides 16 16KiB banks of memory, one of which is available to the
computer at a time as part of the normal RAM of up to 48KiB. With a
total of 32KiB installed in the other two RAM slots, the total system
potential is 288KiB. Includes on-off switch for added compatibility.
- Magna Systems Ramcharger 512K (800 middle RAM slot)(1986)
Provides 32 16KiB banks of memory, one of which is available to the
computer at a time as part of the normal RAM of up to 48KiB. With a
total of 32KiB installed in the other two RAM slots, the total system
potential is 544KiB. Includes on-off switch for added compatibility.
- Magna Systems Ramcharger 1MiB (800 middle RAM slot)(1986)
Provides 64 16KiB banks of memory, one of which is available to the
computer at a time as part of the normal RAM of up to 48KiB. With a
total of 32KiB installed in the other two RAM slots, the total system
potential is 1056KiB. Includes on-off switch for added compatibility.
- Incognito, by Sebastian Bartkowicz (Candle'O'Sin), 2012
- 1MiB Axlon compatible memory expansion for Colleen mode
- Device detailed elsewhere in this FAQ list (800 personality boards)
> "Mosaic" bank-selection type
Banks are 4KiB, visible at 49152-53247 or $C000-$CFFF. Writes to 65472-
65507 or $FFC0-$FFE3 enable specific banks (65472 or $FFC0 = bank 0, 65473
or $FFC1 = bank 1, etc.). Writes to 65280-65471 or $FF00-$FFBF, or to
65508-65535 or $FFE4-$FFFF, disable all banks. Scheme supports 36 banks,
for a total system potential of 192KiB (48KiB + 36 banks of 4KiB).
- Mosaic 64K RAM Select (400 or 800 any RAM slot) (400/800 version or early
400-only version) (1982)
- Single board provides 48KiB "hard-wired" plus 4 banks of 4KiB
addressed directly beyond the normal 48KiB limit, for 52KiB of
continuous memory available to the computer.
- In the 800, may be used in combinations including two 16KiB boards,
one 32KiB board, one 16KiB board and one 32KiB board, or with one or
two additional 64K RAM Select boards (total of 10 possible
configurations). Each 64K RAM Select allows the computer to see all
the memory of the other boards, makes enough of its own memory
available to the computer to reach the continuous RAM limit of 52K,
and makes the rest of its memory available to the computer in banks of
4KiB addressed directly beyond the normal 48KiB limit. Total system
potential with three 64K RAM Select boards is 192KiB (48KiB + 36 banks
of 4KiB).
- Cable Kit/Cable Connectors #1 required in 400 or with first 64K RAM
Select in 800; Cable Kit/Cable Connectors #2 required with 2nd or 3rd
64K RAM Select in 800; use of one 64K RAM Select board with one 32KiB
board requires Companion Board in middle RAM slot in 800
- 48K Boot Fix program included for compatibility with software written
to treat more than 48KiB available as not enough memory available.
- Software sold separately by Mosaic:
- Handyman by Holiday Software (software utility package; routines
reside in bank select RAM; usable with BASIC and Assembler Editor)
- SuperDrive by Starship Enterprises (c)1983 H.V. Stacey (Stace)
- GENVDOS installation program modifies Atari DOS 2.0S to support
a RAM drive for 64K RAM Select, and to support DUP.SYS and/or
MEM.SAV residing on the RAM drive.
- Included with later 64K RAM Select units
> Neither Axlon nor Mosaic bank-selection type (but very similar to Axlon)
- A 48K Upgrade For Your 400, project by Claus Buchholz, MACE Newsletter

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