Some third-party modems were marketed for use with the Atari 8-bit computers.
All of these are direct-connect modems (plug directly into the phone line)
unless stated otherwise.
==> Microconnection A1, by The Microperipheral Corp. (1981)
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- (No Auto-Dial, no Auto-Answer)
- Requires 850 interface, Atari cable included (Atari CX87 equivalent)
- Software included: Tariterm (both cassette and disk, version 1.1, 9/15/81)
- Sold separately: TSMART (cassette)
==> Microconnection A1A, by The Microperipheral Corp. (1981)
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- Auto-Dial (pulse dialing, not touch tone) / Auto-Answer
- Requires 850 interface, Atari cable included (Atari CX87 equivalent)
- Software included: Tariterm (both cassette and disk, version 1.1, 9/15/81)
- Sold separately: TSMART (cassette)
==> Microconnection A2, by The Microperipheral Corp. (1981)
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- (No Auto-Dial, no Auto-Answer)
- RS-232 serial printer port included
- Connects via SIO, must be at end of SIO chain. Not a smart SIO device.
- No software included(?). Sold separately:
- Typer-A (M: serial printer device handler on cassette)
- TSMART (cassette)
==> Microconnection A2A, by The Microperipheral Corp. (1981)
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- Auto-Dial (pulse dialing, not touch tone) / (No Auto-Answer)
- RS-232 serial printer port included
- Connects via SIO, must be at end of SIO chain. Not a smart SIO device.
- No software included(?). Sold separately:
- Typer-A (M: serial printer device handler on cassette)
- TSMART (cassette)
==> AutoPrint Microconnection, by The Microperipheral Corp. (1983)
- For Atari or Commodore computers
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- Auto-dial / auto-answer
- Printer port - "Centronics" parallel output interface
- Hardware ability to route incoming modem text directly to printer port
- Connects via SIO, must be at end of SIO chain.
- Terminal software listings provided in the user manual. Sold separately:
- TSMART (cassette)
==> RS-Coupler 9201, by International Quartz Limited (Interquartz) (1983?)
- Acoustic Modem
- 300 bit/s, CCITT V.21
- Originate / Answer
- Requires 850 interface
- Software listings for: IBM PC, Apple II, Atari 800, TI 99/4A, Commodore 64
- http://preview.tinyurl.com/pgdcgdn
==> Signalman Mark II, by Anchor Automation (1983)
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- Auto-dial / auto-answer
- Requires 850 interface, Atari cable included (Atari CX87 equivalent)
==> Volksmodem, by Anchor Automation (1983)
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- (no auto-dial, no auto-answer)
- Voice/data switch
- Draws its power from the telephone line, with nine-volt battery backup
- Sold separately:
- C Cable, requires 850 interface (Atari CX87 equivalent)
- F Cable (1984), connects to Atari joystick port #2
- Shipped with cassette based terminal software (what software????)
==> Pocket Modem, by BOT Engineering
- 300 baud
- Auto-answer
- Connects directly to SIO
- Uses SIO Motor Control; only one such device can be attached to the
system at a time.
- Pocket Modem cartridge, "Intelligent Terminal Software (c) 1984" contains:
- Pocket Modem Software Ver 2.08 By ADCM Systems (C) Copyright 1984
==> MPP-1000, by Microbits Peripheral Products (1982)
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- Connects to joystick port #4 (400/800 only)
- Smart Terminal tape/disk
==> MPP-1000C, by Microbits Peripheral Products (1983)
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- Auto answer / Auto dial
- Connects to joystick port
- Smart Terminal cartridge
- CompuServe DemoPak
==> 1000E, by Microbits Peripheral Products (MPP) (1985)
- Later units sold/supported by Supra
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- Auto answer / Auto dial
- Connects to joystick port
- Smart Terminal cartridge (by MPP) or disk (by Supra)
- CompuServe DemoPak
==> 300AT, by Supra (1986)
- Supra-branded replacement for the identical MPP 1000E
- 300 bit/s, Bell 103 compatible
- Auto answer / Auto dial
- Connects to joystick port
- Smart Terminal disk
- CompuServe DemoPak and Delphi membership
==> 1200AT, by Supra (1987)
- Same as: E+E DataComm Avatex 1200
- Low Speed Mode: 0-300 bit/s, binary, serial, asynchronous,
Bell 103 compatible
- High Speed Mode: 1200 bit/s character-asynchronous, Bell 212A compatible
- Command Set: 8 Hayes "AT" commands (other options fixed or not needed)
- Auto-answer
- Auto dial (tone or pulse)
- (No speaker)
- Connects to SIO via included SupraVerter interface
- Smart Terminal disk
- CompuServe DemoPak and Delphi membership
==> SupraModem 2400AT, by Supra (1988)
- Asynchronous operation at 300, 1200, or 2400 bit/s
- Compatibilities: Bell 103, Bell 212A, V.22, V.22bis
- Hayes "AT" command compatible (100%)
- Auto-answer
- Auto dial (tone or pulse)
- Speaker built-in
- Connects to SIO via included SupraVerter interface
- Smart Terminal disk
Beyond the above modem models, most any industry standard (of the time)
external RS-232-C serial modem can work well with the Atari. These were
commonly sold for PCs for many years. The Hayes Smartmodem more or less
defined the market for these, initially. Normally modems featured a DB-25S
connector for interfacing to the computer.
The original, most common, and most trouble-free way to use such a modem with
the Atari is to attach it to the #1 RS-232-C serial port (DE-9S) of the Atari
850 Interface Module or equivalent, using an Atari CX87 Modem Cable or
equivalent (DE-9P to DB-25P). Note that the standard "modem cable" used with
PCs of the era was DE-9S to DB-25P. Such a cable combined with a simple DE-9
P-P gender converter creates the equivalent of the Atari CX87 Modem Cable.
A less common way to connect a standard external modem with DB-25S connector
to the Atari is to connect it to the Atari SIO port via an R-Verter Serial Bus
Modem Adapter (Atari SIO to DB-25P) by Advanced Interface Devices (A.I.D.),
later sold as the SupraVerter by Supra, or equivalent.
- The R-verter uses SIO Motor Control; only one such device can be attached
to the system at a time.
Note that the top modem bitrate that can be utilized by the Atari, under ideal
circumstances, is 19200 bit/s. Modems capable of faster bitrates work fine,
they just can't be operated at their full speeds.
Later external modems designed for newer PCs connected to a USB port on the PC
instead of the standard DE-9P serial port found on earlier PCs. |