[continued from previous message]
- Available in the UK from winter 1986 to summer 1986 (Atari User), when it
was replaced by the XC12. Very limited 1986-1987 release in the U.S.
- Has a built-in SIO cable and one free SIO port
- Power: Drawn from SIO pin 10 (+5V/Ready)
- Made in Japan
XC12 Program Recorder
- Replacement for the XC11 (or for the 1010 in markets where the XC11 was
never released).
- Shipped in mid-1986 in the UK. Wide distribution internationally, though
never introduced in the U.S.
- Also included in the kits:
- Atari 65XE Home Computer Outfit (Dixons/Currys special offer)
- 130XE Starter Pack (UK)
- XE 2012 (France)
- "Round" window
- Based on the Phonemark PM-4401A
- Printed circuit board is marked "PM4401-4"
- Built-in SIO cable - must end SIO daisy chain
- Power: Drawn from SIO pin 10 (+5V/Ready)
------------------------------
Subject: 3.1.2) What other cassette recorders can I use with my Atari?
Important contributor to this section: Tomasz Krasuski
Unlike other microcomputer systems of the time period, only Atari-specific cassette tape recorders could be used with Atari 8-bit computers. Several
such peripherals were produced by companies other than Atari:
Compu-Mate Computer Data Recorder by General Electric (GE, G.E.)
- 3-5148A (unit) / 3-5156 (box)
- 3-5149A Atari/Commodore Interface Module (IFM)
- 1st data cable: Data Recorder <-> IFM Interface or Data Recorder <-> C64
- 2nd data cable: IFM Interface <-> Atari computer SIO connector
- Monophonic -- No support for audio track as supported by other program
recorders for the Atari
- No second SIO port - must be at end of SIO chain
- Battery operated or uses an external power supply
- Switch on the bottom, Atari or "All other computers".
- More info:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=128505
- Pics:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/161936-atari-1010-problem/
Phonemark PM-4401A and derivatives
- Manufactured for Atari as the Atari XC12
- "Round" window and "notched" top case design
- No second SIO port - must be at end of SIO chain
- PM-4401A by Phonemark
- Top of unit: "Phonemark" in white lettering on black label
- Bottom of unit: "Computer Cassette Data Unit"
- Box: Blue background, "Phonemark Computer Cassette" "PM-4401A"
"Suitable For Use With Atari Home Computer"
- XG12 [by Phonemark for Datamark]
- Atari XE case color
- Top of some units: "Datamark XG12" in red lettering
- Top of other units: Black label, no branding
- Bottom of unit (some): "Datacorder" on gold label
- Box: Datamark DM-6402A (see below). These units seemingly sometimes
shipped by Datamark as a substitute for their own DM-6402A.
- See below for the Datamark-derived version of the XG12.
- TurboData [by Phonemark for ?????]
- Atari XE case color
- Built-in Turbo upgrade???
- Top of unit: "TurboData" in red lettering on white label
- Box unknown
- XL12 [by Phonemark for Logical Design Works (LDW) on behalf of Atari]
- Atari XE case color
- Top of some units: "For Atari XL12" in red/silver
- Top of other units:
"For Atari XE, 800XL" in white lettering on black label
- Bottom of some units: "Computer Cassette Data Unit" "Model No XL12"
- Bottom of other units: "For Atari"
- Box: Atari-like, with red strip down ONE side of box, "XL 12" in large
font (with space in middle), "XC12" mistake in smaller type, "For
Atari" does NOT use Atari logo font, Phonemark unit is pictured
- Utilized parts supplied by Atari, after Atari discontinued their own XC12
- Sold in Chile and in Eastern Europe
- Replacement for the Atari XC12; would be replaced in Europe by the XCA12
- See below for Datamark-derived version of the XL12.
- XCA12 [by Phonemark for California Access (brand of LDW) on behalf of Atari]
- Atari XE case color
- Top of unit: "For Atari Computer" in black/red/black, "XCA12" in silver
- Bottom of unit: "For Atari Computer" "Model Number XCA12"
- Box: Atari-like, white with orange strip down one side of box,
"For Atari Computer" with Atari logo font
- Front (very small pic):
http://img.archiwumallegro.pl/?876820703
- Rear:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ogh8j9p
- Utilized parts supplied by Atari, after Atari discontinued their own XC12
- Sold in Eastern Europe, especially Poland
- Replaced the XL12; would be replaced by the CA-12 (once Atari parts
supply was exhausted)
- CA-12 [by Phonemark for California Access (brand of LDW)]
- Atari XE case color
- Top of unit: "For Atari Computer" in black/red/black, "CA12" in silver
- Bottom of unit: "For Atari Computer" "Model Number CA12"
- Printed circuit board has the markings "P.M." "4401-5" "REVB"
- Box: White with Orange highlights, "CA-12 Program Recorder"
http://www.aceton.pl/images/105338.jpg
- Sold in Eastern Europe, especially Poland
- Replacement for the XCA12 (produced independently of Atari)
Datamark DM-1301A
- Similar dimensions to Phonemark PM-4401A and derivatives, but even more
Atari-inspired case styling includes slanted lines matching those of Atari
XE computers and peripherals.
- Top of unit: "Datamark" in red lettering
- Unit pictured in center:
http://www.retrogames.cl/imagenes/varios/zz/caseteras.jpg
- Box: Atari-like, with red stripes down BOTH sides
- Box pictured at upper-left:
http://www.retrogames.cl/imagenes/varios/zz/casencaja.jpg
Datamark DM-6402A and derivatives
- "Square" window and "un-notched" top case design
- No second SIO port - must be at end of SIO chain
- DM-6402A by Datamark
- Atari XL case color, black label (unlabeled), black buttons
- Units exist????
- Box: Black background, "Datacorder Unit" in yellow, "Model DM-6402A" in
orange", "Power Without the Price" in red
- XG12 by Datamark
- Atari XE case color
- Top of unit: "Datamark XG12" in red lettering
- Box: Datamark DM-6402A (see above)
- See above for the Phonemark-derived version of the XG12.
- XL12 [by Datamark for Logical Design Works (LDW) on behalf of Atari]
- Atari XE case color
- Top of units: "XL12" in silver
- Top of some units: "For Atari" in silver/red
- Bottom of some units: "Datarecorder" "For Atari Computer" "DM-6402A"
- Bottom of other units: "For Atari"
- Box: Atari-like, with red strips down BOTH sides of box, "For ATARI" uses
Atari logo font, features photo of Datamark original version unit
- Utilized parts supplied by Atari, after Atari discontinued their own XC12
- Sold in Chile and in Eastern Europe
- Replacement for the Atari XC12; would be replaced in Europe by the XCA12
- See above for the Phonemark-derived version of the XL12.
Taihaho Computer Cassette
- Box: Taihaho Data Cassette Recorder/Player
- 120V version (red) for North America or 240V version (black) for UK
- Photos in this AtariAge Forums thread:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nxfabz9
- Built-in SIO cable - must end SIO daisy chain
- Power supply is built-in (plugs directly into the wall)
LINKS
http://computers.mcbx.netne.net/8bit/aptaperec/index.htm
------------------------------
Subject: 3.1.3) What speed upgrades are there for Atari program recorders?
Numerous methods were created for upgrading the (painfully) slow data transmission speed of the Atari program recorders. Most of these originated
in regions of the world where program recorders were normally used with the Atari rather than (extremely expensive) disk drives.
- CASA Turbo Tape, by CASA (Dutch) (1985)
o Purely software
- Rambit TurboCharger (1986?)
o From the UK
o For: 410, 1010, XC11, Phonemark, XC12
o Circuit board + conversion utility program on cassette.
The software is used to convert standard Atari data cassettes to Rambit
format cassettes.
o 3300-3600 bit/s achieved
o Review (Nov/Dec86):
http://www.page6.org/archive/issue_24/page_30.htm
- Turbo 2000, by Jiri Richter (RICO or JRC; Czechoslovakia)
o Project published in Zpravodaj Atari Klubu -- priloha 11/1987
See:
http://blog.3b2.sk/igi/file.axd?file=2013%2f12%2fTurbo+2000.pdf
o Software + modification project for XC12
o Transfer rates flexible; later standardized to 2270 baud
o Software: Super Turbo cartridge software by RICO (1988)
o Released later: TT-DOS, a DOS 2.5 clone with high speed tape handler, B:
o TT-DOS 1.1 (c) 1989 JR Computing (JRC)
o TT-DOS 1.2 (c) 1989 JR Computing
o TT-DOS 1.5 (c) 1991 JR Computing
o Released separately (West Germany): B-TAPE high speed system by Jiri
Bernasek (BEWESOFT) for use with BW-DOS or SpartaDOS
o Released separately (Poland): K.S.O. 2TO6 ("KSO Turbo 2000")
- "Cassette Operating System" (L1, L2, WIELOBLOK) software by
Wojciech Zabolotny
- Published in the magazine IKS 11/1988 pages 4-6, with follow-up
information published in the next issue 12/1988 page 14 and in
01/1989 pages 28 and 31.
- Reviewed in Bajtek 8/89 (compared with AST)
- Separately: K.S.O. Turbo 2000 cartridge project for self assembly
o Turbo 2000 format extensions (all from Poland):
- Turbo 2000F+ or "New format"
- Speedy 2007 or "*AJEK" (translates to "*Thanksgiving")
- Turbo 2000F, by MUEL (1989)
o 6700 baud. Advertisement: Bajtek 8/1989 p26
- Turbo 2001 (TOMS)
- Turbo 2002
- Turbo 2000 Plus
- Atari Super Turbo (AST) (late 1987)
o Designed by Slawomir Nienaltowski (designer of the SN-360 disk drive),
sold to Atari Studio (AS; later: Mirage)
o The first Polish Turbo system
o Programs stored with AST can be read by Turbo 2000.
o Originally for the 1010, later released for XC12 and clones.
o Reviewed in Bajtek 4/89
o Later version(s) sold with software on cartridge: AST Turbo Cartridge
- Turbo 6000 / Schleife '88 (Loop'88)
o From East Germany, for XC12
o Chaos System: Turbo 6000 interface + software: Chaos Loader, Chaos Copy
o 6000 baud
- Injector / Fast Injektor
- Hardware (for the XL12) + software
- Developed by Pedro P. Caraball Alvarez (Turbo Software, Argentina/Chile)
- Version 1.0 05/09/88 for Turbo Software, published by M.P.M. S.A. (Chile)
- Rights sold to Coelsa (official Atari importer in Chile) in 1990. Coelsa
would sell many XL12 units with the Fast Injektor preinstalled.
- 4000 baud
-
http://www.retrogames.cl/injektor.html
- STAC / Super Turbo Auto Corrector
- From Argentina by Jorge Cwik (ijor), 1988
- Purely software, with error recovery
- Available (sources):
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ybrbt8qf
- SITRE/S.I.T.R.E./"Sistema Inteligente Turbo con Recuperacion de Errores"
o From Chile by Victor Parada G. (++Vitoco)
o Purely software. Primarily a copying tool, but also turbo speed.
o Version 1.01 March 1989 via SYFCOM, then VCC (Video Compu Club) for 800XL
o Version 2.01 April 1989 for 130XE
o Version 1.11 June 1989 (800XL, attempted support for longer programs)
o Version 3.02 (2015, full support for XL/XE 64KiB to 320KiB)
o Available:
http://www.vitoco.cl/atari/sitre/
- Turbo 2600, by Zaklad Elektroniczny SZOK (Poland)
- Blizzard Turbo, by Atares (Poland, 1989)
- Software v1: Microloader, Turbo KOS, Short KOS, Looking
- Software v2: KOS+, Blizzard Turbo, Blizzard Copy, 3 Microloaders
- Available separately: BIG2 cartridge by KNS Corporation
- Turbo ROM, jointly developed by PLUS and MAPASOFT (Poland) (1991?)
o Special software cartridge loader required to read such cassettes
o Reviewed in Tajemnice_Atari 5/91
- Hard Turbo (Poland)
Most of the above upgrades are described in detail at:
http://atariki.krap.pl/index.php/Systemy_turbo
------------------------------
Subject: 3.2.1) What is the Atari 810 Disk Drive?
Portions of this section developed by Laurent Delsarte from the 810 Field Service Manual.
The Atari 810 is a floppy disk drive that provides secondary (not directly accessible by the computer's central processing unit) and offline (removable from the computer) magnetic storage and retrieval of digital data, using a standard (of its time) 5.25 inch diskette. Diskette storage capacity is
90KiB. The 810 Disk Drive is used with a single Atari 8-bit computer with a minimum of 16KiB of RAM installed. Up to four 810 disk drives may be attached and used with an Atari computer at the same time.
The front of the 810 features a Power on/off switch, a "Power" indicator
light, and a "Disk busy" indicator light. The rear of the unit includes two SIO ports ("I/O Connectors"), a power input jack, and drive number selector switches:
Black & White left: Drive 1
Black right, White left: Drive 2
Black & White right: Drive 3
Black left, White right: Drive 4
810 Performance Specifications
- Capacity per diskette:
40 tracks x 18 sectors/track = 720 sectors/disk
720 sectors x 128 bytes/sector = 92,160 bytes/disk (90KiB)
- Average Data Transfer Rate: 6000 bit/s
- Average Latency: 100 milliseconds
- Track to Track Access Time: 5 milliseconds
- Average Access Time: 74 milliseconds
- Head Settling Time: 15 milliseconds
- Head Loading Time: 35 milliseconds
- Power-up Delay: 0.5 seconds
- Maximum Data Access Time: 236 milliseconds
810 Functional Specifications
- Disk Rotation Speed: 288 RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) +- 1%
- Recording Density: 2,938 BPI (Bits Per Inch) (maximum)
- Flux Density: 5,876 FCI (Flux Changes per Inch) (maximum)
- Track density: 48 TPI (Tracks Per Inch)
- Tracks: 40 (track 1 is the outermost; track 40 is the innermost)
- Encoding method: Frequency Modulation (FM, or "single density")
- Drive heads: One (accesses the disk from below)
- Disk type used is the Atari CX8100 Blank Diskette or equivalent, which is
an industry standard 5.25" micro-diskette / minidiskette / mini-disk /
minifloppy diskette / mini-floppy diskette / floppy disk.
(Atari specification: C016884)
- Any one of the following certifications/marketing labels is in itself
sufficient to indicate 5.25" disks suitable for use with the Atari 810:
40 tracks, 48 TPI, Single Density (SD/1D),
Double Density (DD/2D), Quad Density (QD/4D)
- Exception: Early disks with room for only 35 tracks at 48 TPI, the
original configuration for the format as introduced in 1976. Such 35
track disks have a noticeably smaller-length drive head access opening
than the eventual standard 40 track disks, which were introduced in
1977. Production of disks supporting only 35 tracks was discontinued
by the end of 1980.
- NOTE: High Density (HD) 5.25" floppy disks (very commonly used for the
MS-DOS 1200KiB format introduced with the IBM PC/AT in 1984) can NOT be
used with Atari 810 and compatible drives.
- Soft-sectored disks or hard-sectored disks may be used. The sector holes
of hard-sectored disks would be ignored by the 810, so hard-sectored
disks are unnecessary and very rarely used with the Atari.
- Single-sided (SS/1S) or Double-sided (DS/2S) disks may be used.
- The 810 is a single-sided drive (one drive head). A disk is inserted
into the drive with label side up and, from below, the drive head
accesses the back (non-label) side media surface via the access
opening on the back side of the disk.
- All disk media is actually two-sided, and all disks have drive head
access openings on both the front and reverse sides of the disk (so
that a drive head can access the disk media from either side).
"Single-sided" disks are certified for use on only one side (either
side), while "double-sided" disks are certified for use on both sides.
- The reverse side of a disk (the front, label side media surface) may
be accessed by the 810 by re-inserting the disk into the drive upside-
down, label side down. The 810 thus sees the reverse side of the disk
as another, entirely different, single-sided disk. (Rare "flippy"
disks, with two index holes/timing holes, support this for single-
sided drives that use the index hole/timing hole; the 810 ignores the
index hole/timing hole so a "flippy" disk is not needed.)
- Diskette write enable notch status is respected: will not write to diskette
side lacking (or having a covered) write enable notch corresponding to that
side of the disk.
- On the Atari, an empty floppy disk drive is powered on prior to inserting a
diskette into the drive. Conversely, the diskette is removed from the drive
before the drive is turned off. These procedures protect the integrity of
data on diskettes.
810 Internals
- 6507 MPU (MOS Technology MCS6507 or equivalent) @ 500KHz, C010745
- ROM, C011299 (some chips marked C001299)
- 6810 128 x 8 bit static RAM (1KiB) (Motorola MCM6810), C014328
- 6532 PIA (MOS Technology 6532 RAM-I/O-Timer (RIOT) or equivalent), C010750
- Western Digital FD1771 Floppy Disk Controller (FDC) @ 1MHz, C014329
- Read/Write Head Gap: .013 inches
- Guard Band: .008 inches
- Pad Pressure: 17 grams
810 industrial design (case): Roy Nishi and Russ Farnell
The 810 underwent several significant design revisions over the course of its manufacture.
Original 810 Disk Drive (1980-1981, no Data Separator and "Pre-Analog") specifications:
- Micro Peripherals, Inc. (MPI) minifloppy diskette drive mechanism
- Two printed circuit boards: a Side Board and a Rear Board
- Power Input: 9 volts AC, 1.7 amperes
- Power Usage: 20-21 watts
- Power: Used with an external 9 volt AC transformer power supply:
Atari CA014748 or equivalent (including the Atari CA017964). (Later/most
810 units, those with a Data Separator installed, require the more capable
Atari CA017964 or equivalent.)
810 drives manufactured after September 1, 1981 ("DS" sticker) shipped with an External Data Separator Board, which improves the drive's ability to distinguish between data pulses and clock pulses on the disk, lowering the chance of a misread. It is installed in the Side Board where the FDC chip would otherwise be installed. (810 FSM p.1-9) The Side Board stepper motor circuit voltage was increased to regulated 12 volts DC as well, leading to greater power requirements for the drive:
- Power Input: 9 volts AC, 3 amperes
- Power Usage: 30 watts
- Power: Used with an external 9 volt AC transformer power supply:
Atari CA017964 or equivalent
The External Data Separator Board was also offered as an upgrade for earlier 810 drives. Earlier Side Boards must be upgraded in order to accept the Data Separator.
Next, Atari introduced the 810 Revision C ROM in November 1981 ("C" sticker). According to Antic (Oct. 82), "ROM C causes diskettes to be formatted with an improved sector layout which is more efficient than that used by earlier 810 control ROMs." Performance was reported to be 20% faster than with the original B ROM. The ROM C was also offered as an upgrade for older drives.
810 drives produced from February 1982 used the new "810 Analog"
("810M Analog") design, further improving reliability: (see 810 FSM p.8B-1)
1. A Power Supply Board now bolts onto the common base plate where the Rear
Board used to be. The Power Supply Board contains:
a) A redesigned Power Supply.
b) A Tachometer/Speed Switch I.C. (frequency to voltage converter)
added as the Tach circuit to stabilize the motor speed.
2. An Analog Board now bolts to the top of the Drive Mechanism. This board
contains the Analog circuitry which used to be on the Rear Board. The
major changes are to the Read/Write circuitry. The Analog Board
contains:
a) Operational amplifiers ("op-amps") and discrete transistors in place
of transistor arrays.
b) A multiplexor chip for switching the Read/Write amplifiers.
3. A 10 pin ribbon cable connects the Analog Board to the Power Supply
Board.
810 Analog power: Used with an external 9 volt AC transformer power supply
rated for at least 30 watts; Atari CA017964 or equivalent.
The 3 new 810 Analog components were also offered together as an upgrade:
- CB101128 "Grass Valley Analog Board Set" for Pre-Analog 810 drives.
In November 1982, the drive mechanism of the 810 Analog disk drive was changed from MPI to Tandon. The Tandon version is known as the "810T Analog" disk drive.
TANDON (810T Analog) MPI (Pre-Analog & 810M Analog) FRONT Operated by a front latch. Operated by a door release BEZEL No diskette eject mechanism. Raise button.
the front latch to access diskette. Contains a diskette eject
Plastic guides and front latch mechanism.
inhibitor position the diskette.
UPPER Contains no pressure spring. Contains pressure spring
ARM assembly.
ASSEMBLY Adjust by turning the two nuts which Adjust pressure spring.
secure the upper arm to the
carriage.
STEPPER Adjust by turning the cam screw at Adjust by loosening setscrew MOTOR rear of Drive Mechanism. to move Stepper Band Pulley. ADJUSTMENT
TRACK 00 Adjust by monitoring increase and Adjust for 0.010 clearance. STOP decrease in waveform amplitude.
WRITE Microswitch Assembly Phototransistor
PROTECT
CIRCUIT
810 manuals by Atari:
- Atari 810 Disk Drive Operator's Manual C014760 (CO14760) (earlier units)
- Atari 810 Disk Drive Owner's Guide C060056 (CO60056) (later units)
- Atari 810 Disk Drive Field Service Manual
- Preliminary (~190 pages)
- FS015854 Rev. 1 July 1980 (~138p)
- FD100003
- July 1982 [Rev. 02]
- Rev. 03 May,1983
From winter 1980 to fall 1981 the 810 shipped with CX8101 Master Diskette (boxed; DOS I). From fall 1981 to May 1983 the 810 shipped with CX8104 Master Diskette II (boxed; DOS II version 2.0S or DOS 2.0S). Box contents for both are detailed elsewhere in this FAQ list.
810 accessories from Atari:
CX8100 5 Diskettes. Box contains five CX8100 Atari 810 Blank Diskettes
CX8202 5 Blank Diskettes. Box contains five CX8202 Atari 810/815 Blank
Diskettes (certified for double density use).
Minimal production, see:
http://www.myatari.com/ebay/815dt.html
CX8111 Atari 810 Formatted Diskettes II (5 per box; retail box never shipped)
Third-party upgrades for the 810:
Fast-Chip, by Binary Corporation, 1982
- Disks formatted by an 810 with Fast-Chip utilize an improved sector
layout which is more efficient than those created by standard 810 drives.
- 30% faster formatting for earlier 810 drives (prior to "ROM C"), or
10% faster formatting for 810 drives with "ROM C" (Nov. 1981 or later)
Happy 810 Enhancement, by Happy Computing (Richard Adams), 1982
- Company name became Happy Computers, Inc. in 1983
- Three versions: HE810S-X for early 810 drives (no Data Separator)
- Upgrade includes a data separator
HE810S-L for pre-Analog 810 drives with Data Separator
HE810S-H for 810 Analog drives
- RAM buffer: 1 track / 2304 bytes / 18 sectors
- "Happy" Warp Speed standard high speed "Reads disks up to 3 times faster
than standard 810" with any software; supporting software also supports
buffered fast write with verify
- Navigate/edit/create nonstandard format disks
- 1982-1983 units shipped with Happy Backup Program (single drive) disk,
including standard 810 ROM emulator and diagnostic program
- Software sold separately, 1982-1983:
- Multiple Drive Happy Backup Program
- Happy Compactor Program
- Warp Speed Software disk included (1983- ), contains Warp Speed DOS
(modified Atari DOS 2.0S), Diagnostic, Sector Copier, Happy Backup, Happy
Compactor, Multi Drive Happy Backup, Tracer
- Software sold separately, 1982- :
- Happy Customizer Program (create non-standard disks track-by-track)
- 810 Version 7 Upgrade, hardware upgrade by Happy Computers, required for
1982-1985 units to run Happy Warp Speed Software Rev 7, as well as other
software sold separately by Happy Computers:
- Warp Speed DOS XL, including under cartridge, under ROM and Axlon RAM
versions (modified DOS XL by Optimized Systems Software (OSS))
- TOP DOS version 1.5, by Eclipse Software
- Software sold separately:
- Happy Version Archiver/Editor, by Spartan Software of Minnesota, 1984
- Also marketed by B&C ComputerVisions as: Scan-It!/810 Happy, 1987
- Fuzzy/Phantom Sector Maker, by CSS, 1986 (Antic 9/86p48)
- Archiver Enhancement, by Computer Software Services (CSS), 1987
- Super Archiver/Editor 3.0, The Archiver Tracer
The Chip, by Spartan Software of Minnesota, 1983-1984
The Chip with Archiver I, by ICD, 1984
Scan-It!/Chip, from B&C ComputerVisions, 1987
- Popularly: "Archiver chip", "810 Archiver", "Archiver/810", "Archiver"
- Navigate/edit/create nonstandard format disks
- Shipped with Archiver/Editor program
- Disassembler, sector editor, custom formatter and mapper
- Software sold separately:
- Archiver Enhancement, by Computer Software Services (CSS), 1987
- Super Archiver/Editor 3.0, The Archiver Tracer
810 Turbo (810T), by Neanderthal Computer Things (NCT), 1983-1984
- Adds single-sided, double density (180KiB) operation (Percom compatible)
- 1983 units supplied with:
- N/DOS Generator (SD disk, patches a copy of Atari DOS 2.0S for
single/double density support and more)
- NCT 810 Turbo OS Single/Double dens (OS/A+ Version 2, SD disk)
- NCT 810 Turbo OS Double dens only (OS/A+ Version 4, DD disk)
- 810T Utilities disk (SD), containing:
Backemup, Packemup, Revcheck, Reconfigure, Diagnostics
- 1984 units supplied with Mach DOS (pre-release name: MACH 2XH DOS)
Separator, by Percom, 1982
- Data/clock separator circuit for 1980-1981 810 drives without Atari's
Data Separator Board
Right-Write, by Gardner Computing, 1983
- Write to side 2 of any disk without notching out a hole in the disk
DS-810 Disk-Switch, by Computer Software Center (CSC), 1983
- Write to side 2 of any disk without notching out a hole in the disk
- Write protection to any disk
Protector, by Computer Software Services (CSS), for 810/1050/Indus GT, 1983
- Includes hardware and software
- Bad sector generator; also move/rearrange data, scramble directories Silencer, by CSS, for 810/1050, 1984
- Eliminates loud drive sounds when reading bad sectors
- Write to both sides of any disk without notching disks
Over-Write [810 version], by Computer Support, 1985
- Write to side 2 of any disk without notching out a hole in the disk
Bad Sector, by Computer Support, 1985
- Write bad sectors to any diskette; can back up some protected disks Electronic Phantom Sector Maker, by CSS, 1987 (Antic 9/87p28)
- Installs into any drive, no other modification needed
- Can be combined with other upgrades including Happy and
The Chip/Archiver
- Make fuzzy/phantom sectors or fuzz portions of sectors
- Find/Display valid data, CRC errors and phantom sectors
- Deluxe version: Allows you to switch between CRC and phantom sectors
without having to readjust hardware module each time
------------------------------
Subject: 3.2.2) What is the Atari 1050 Disk Drive?
Portions of this section developed by Laurent Delsarte from the 1050 Field Service Manual.
The Atari 1050 disk drive was introduced in June 1983 as a replacement for
the 810 disk drive. The 1050 is fully backward compatible with the 810, with the addition of a new "double density" mode of operation offering 130KiB of data storage per diskette. The "double density" mode works with a standard
(of its time) 5.25 inch soft-sectored diskette ("floppy disk") which is certified for double density (Modified Frequency Modulation encoding method) use.
While Atari called the new 1050 mode "double density", the 1050 is not capable of the 180KiB double density standard offered in many third party Atari disk drives. Thus, the 1050's "double density" is usually referred to as "enhanced density" or "dual density."
Like the 810, the 1050 drive has only one drive head, so it can only read/ write to one side of the disk. Also like the 810, the 1050 ignores the index hold/timing hole, so the reverse side of a disk can be accessed by inserting the disk into the drive upside-down.
The front of the 1050 features a Power on/off switch, a Power indicator
light, and a "Disk busy" indicator light. The rear of the unit includes two SIO ports ("I/O Connectors"), a Power In jack, and Drive Select switches:
Black & White left: Drive 1
Black right, White left: Drive 2
Black & White right: Drive 3
Black left, White right: Drive 4
More features/specifications of the 1050 disk drive:
- 6507 MPU (MOS Technology MCS6507 or equivalent) @ 1MHz, C010745
- ROM, Custom 2732 FC100541
- 6810 128 x 8 bit static RAM (1KiB) (Motorola MCM6810), C014328
- 6532 PIA (MOS Technology 6532 RAM-I/O-Timer (RIOT) or equivalent), C010750
- Western Digital WD2793 Floppy Disk Controller (FDC) @ 1MHz, FC100542
- Late production units (fall 1985) substituted:
Western Digital WD2797 FDC, FC100817
- These units require 1050 ROM Rev L and do not work with earlier 1050
ROM versions.
- Media used is the same as for the Atari 810.
Single Density "Double Density"
(Read/Write) (Read/Write)
- Tracks per surface 40 40
- Tracks per inch 48 TPI 48 TPI
- Recording density (Track 39, max) 2,878 BPI 5,757 BPI
- Flux density (Track 39, max) 5,757 FCI 5,757 FCI
- Encoding method FM MFM
- Capacity unformatted
o Per track 3,382 bytes 6,510 bytes
o Per surface 135,280 bytes 260,400 bytes
- Capacity formatted
o Sectors per track 18 26
o Bytes per sector 128 bytes 128 bytes
o Bytes per track 2,304 bytes 3,328 bytes
o Bytes per surface 92,160 bytes 133,120 bytes
- Transfer rate 125,000 bit/s 250,000 bit/s
- Read/Write head 1 1
- Write protect sensor Yes Yes
- Track 00 sensor Yes Yes
- Rotational speed 288 RPM 288 RPM
- Rotational speed accuracy +/-3% +/-3%
- Average latency 110 milliseconds 110 milliseconds - Access time
o Track to track (max) 40 milliseconds 40 milliseconds
o Head settling (max) 30 milliseconds 30 milliseconds
o Motor start (max) 1000 milliseconds 1000 milliseconds - Power Consumption
Standby: 1.5 watts (maximum)
Operating: 30 watts (maximum)
Start Up: 50 watts (maximum)
The 1050 drive features a horizontal slot with latch bar door mechanism.
To complete the insertion of a disk, turn the latch bar clockwise ninety degrees. To release the disk, turn the latch counterclockwise.
1050 industrial design (case): Tom Palecki
The 1050 disk drive is used with an external 9 volt AC transformer power
supply rated for at least 50 watts; Atari CA017964 or equivalent.
The 1050 was made for Atari in Singapore by Atari-PCI Enterprises Pte. Ltd. from May 1983 to December 1984 (very common), in Hong Kong by Atari-Wong Co.
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