READ_ME Revision 7/11/90 COMPO Software Ltd UK
Important information about AT-SPEED
<<=======================================>>
Copyright 1990 Sack Electronic
1. A small accessory printed circuit board containing a 74LS74 chip is
installed on some MEGA ST's. For a flawless operation connect pin 1 of
this board via a 220 Ohm series resistor to pin 12 of the 68000
microprocessor. However some MEGA's will function properly without
this board by connecting the yellow wire attached to the small PCB
directly to pin 12 of the 68000 CPU.
2. The 80286 becomes real hot during operation (70 degrees C.), but this is
normal, you don't have to worry. If you have built-in more additional
harware like graphic cards (e.g. for the SM194), a hard disk with
controller and a 16 MHz 68000 CPU in a MEGA ST you should check if the
power supply (max. 3 Amp.) doesn't become overloaded. AT-SPEED consumes
about 0.5 Amp.
3. The bridge adapter 'SPEED-BRIDGE' which enables you to install PC-SPEED
without soldering in a MEGA ST may be used for installing AT-SPEED without
modifications.
4. When AT-SPEED boots it attemps to execute the bootsector program. If a TOS
formatted disk is in the drive or there is no DOS formatted partition on
the hard disk AT-SPEED will crash.
5. AT-SPEED transfers actual time from TOS to DOS automatically. You don't
need the program TIMER.COM anymore from the PC-SPEED masterdisk.
6. AT-SPEED has the ability to emulate graphic boards and also a direct mode.
The normal screen memory of the ST which resides at memory location
$E000:0000 can be accessed by the 80286 CPU directly without waitstates,
in contrast to the emulation of the graphic cards. It is a pity that not a
single PC-program uses this fast graphics mode. With the enormous
worldwide distribution of PC- and AT-SPEED there will be some day in the
PC/AT-software an option to install for the <<< ST-Graphiccard >>> or
there will be some special drivers (eg. BGI-drivers for Turbo-products).
It's only a matter of time.
7. MEGADISC.SYS is a driver for a RAM disk which runs in memory over 1 MB. To
use this RAM disk insert the following line in your CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE= <\path>\MEGADISC.SYS
(No options are required.)
The following memory capacities are available:
0 MB with a MEGA ST2
1.5 MB with MEGA ST2.5
3 MB with MEGA ST4
Note: When AT-SPEED is installed as a desk accessory it will use memory!
8. AT-SPEED supports Extended Memory (XMA), but only with ST's with more than
1 MB of free memory. The INT15 function 87HEX and 88HEX are supported. The
following memory capacities are available:
0 MB with at a MEGA ST1, 1040, 520, 260 ST
1 MB with a MEGA ST2
1.5 MB with a MEGA ST2.5
3 MB with a MEGA ST4.
Note: When AT-SPEED is installed as a desk accessory it will use memory!
NORTON SI displays the additional EMS capacity.
From DOS 3.3 on the VDISK.SYS ramdisk-driver can be used in EMS.
To use it insert the following line in your CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE= <\path>\VDISK.SYS /E
(Capacity in kB.)
When you install big RAMdisks it will be necessary to increase the
number of directory entries otherwise you will get error messages.
The default setting is 64 entries. With other applications on
using XMA difficulties may occur if programs are using the special
functions of the 80386 processor directly which are not supported
by the 80286. The 80286 CPU has no integrated PMMU like the 80386
CPU.
Note: Extended Memory is not the same as Expanded Memory! But there are
some special drivers which may exchange Extended to Expanded
Memory, like EXTMEMS.SYS from SOFTBYTE.
9. When you use a serial and Microsoft-compatible mouse you could use this
under TOS with the aid of the PC_MOUSE.PRG. After some mouse movement the
mouse cursor moves.
Note: It is possible that with some hardware oriented programs the mouse
doesn't function correctly. You can use the ST-mouse and the
PC-mouse parallel.
10. You can use your ST-mouse under DOS. Note the Keyboard/Mouse options in
the ATS_INST.PRG. The following mouse options are available:
RS232: You can use the RS232 interface up to 9600 Baud under DOS
(COM1). It is also possible to connect a serial Microsoft
compatible mouse.
MICROSOFT-MOUSE:The ST-mouse appears under DOS as a Microsoft compatible
mouse. In order to work with this mouse you will need the
equivalent mouse-driver which is supplied with many DO
S-programs. Add the driver's name to the CONFIG.SYS file.
Note: There are some mouse drivers which only support
Mouse-Systems compatible mice. Do not use these drivers.
If a mouse driver is named MSMOUSE.COM it is possible that
the mouse driver only supports Mouse Systems mice. The
RS232 interface is not supported in this mode.
CURSOR-MOUSE: In this mode the ST-mouse does only emulate the function
of the cursor-keys. In this mode cursor oriented programs
become fast mouse driven programs.
11. If you push the [(] key on the numberic keypad at the same time with the
[i] key the screen inverts on a monochrome monitor.
12. In monochrome mode it is possible to switch the fonts in the ATS_INST.PRG
in the menu 'Screen'.
13. You can access up to 24 partitions (C to Z) on your harddisk by using the
ADD_PART.SYS driver. You can also use more than one harddrive. If you want
to use more than 2 partition with DOS insert the following line in your
CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE= <\Path>\ADD_PART.SYS
(No options are required.)
After rebooting your computer ADD_PART.SYS reports the letter(s) of the
new drives. With up to two partitions the ADD_PART.SYS driver is not
required.
Notes: In ATS_INST.PRG choose the option DISK/HDType: MULTI.
NORM and ICD still remain due to compatibility and function
normally.
You can use partitions up to 32 MB (using AHDI 3.0) under DOS.
You cannot use such big DOS-drives as C: and D:. Partitions bigger
than 32 MB on any partition of your harddrive are not supported by
AT-SPEED.
14. In CGA graphics mode you can emulate the TANDY 1000 graphics. Many
DOS-games often support this resolution. The TANDY 1000 graphic card is
able to display 320 x 200 pixels in 16 colors (BIOS video mode 9). On the
ATARI monochrome monitor grayscales are emulated, on a color screen 16
colors are displayed.
15. You can adjust the steprates on drives A and B separately by using the
ATS_INST.PRG in the menu DISK/Steprate. Common 3.5" drives require 3 ms
steprate. 5.25" drives require 6 ms, while older, very slow drives require
12 ms. To read/write HD disks with 1.44 MB 3.5" drives (and specially
tuned floppy controller) you'll have to double the steprate (eg. from 3 ms
to 6 ms).
16. Programmers may have access to the 68000 CPU directly under DOS to run
68000 subroutines. Now you are able to access all of the ATARI peripheral
hardware registers. The following program excerpt calls a 68000
subroutine:
LEA BX, [ROUTINE] ;Starting address of 68000 in ES:BX
MOV DX, CS
MOV ES, DX
MOV DX, 4 ;AT-SPEED code for CALL 68000
PUSH 0E9H ;Start 68000
PUSHF
CALL 0EF00H: OFA00H
EVEN ;68000 code on even address!
ROUTINE: DB 046H,079H,0,0FFH,082H,040H ; NOT $FF8240
DB 04EH,075H ; RTS
This program inverts the monochrome screen.
Note: All 68000 registers have to be saved! Do not use the A0/A6 and D7
registers. The 68000 CPU is after start in supervisor mode. The
memory addresses are $40000 moved between the 80286 and the 68000
CPUs (eg. 80286 $2000:0000 == $60000 with the 68000). Note
absolute addressing the 68000 CPU!
17. AT-SPEED may use the hard drive/OMTI controller from the magazine C't
2/88, 12/88. In ATS_INST.PRG change the option under HDType to 'CT'.
18. With the DOS-program VIDMOD.COM you may change the actual graphics
emulation.
19. You can use AT_SPEED as a Desk Accessory program (AT_SPEED.ACC), only if
your ST has more than 1 MB memory free. Copy the (already installed)
AT_SPEED.PRG to your boot drive. Then rename AT_SPEED.PRG to AT_SPEED.ACC.
After rebooting you may access this Desk Accessory with your mouse in
ATARI-mode. After clicking the AT-SPEED screen appears. If this does not
happen, the currently running GEM program is too large or has allocated
all available memory. With some programs (Tempus) it is possible to
decrease the memory consumption in the program itself.
Note: If you have changed the options with ATS_INST.PRG within the
AT-SPEED program as a desk accessory (AT_SPEED.ACC) you will have
to reboot the Atari computer in order to install the newly set
options!
20. The ATS_OPT.COM program increases the level of compatibility of AT-SPEED.
Before you run a DOS application like MS-Quick C 2.0 or MS-CodeView
Debugger, you must run ATS_OPT.COM first.
21. To run Turbo Debugger change the NMI interceptor option to 'off' in the
TDINST program.
22. When you have upgraded your ST with PC-SPEED to AT-SPEED it is not
necessary to install your DOS on your hard drive again. Just replace the
PC-SPEED versions of MEGADISC.SYS and ADD_PART.SYS drivers with the newest
versions from your AT-SPEED masterdisk.
AT-SPEED Version 2.1 and up:
============================
23. With the DOS command SPEEDFNT.COM you are able to load user defined fonts
under DOS in monochrome mode. With the option /T or /F (eg. SPEEDFNT/T)
you may exchange the thin or fat font respectively. Without parameters you
will be warned to do so. The program operates only with 4096 kB fonts.
Note: Common ST fonts do not possess PC specific graphic characters!
Program which use these block graphics will display differently!
With a font editor you may add these graphic characters yourself.
24. With AT-SPEED you can run MS Windows 3.0 in Protected Mode (this is called
Standard Mode within Windows 3.0). But this is only possible with an ST
which has 2 MB or more available RAM!
To install Windows 3.0 you should note:
The files AUTOEXEC.BAT as well as CONFIG.SYS may not be altered with the
installation, so that SMARTDRV.SYS will not be installed.
Ignore the automatical manipulation with 'CANCEL'. After the installation
you must add the line in your CONFIG.SYS file:
DEVICE= \HIMEM.SYS
25. AT-SPEED supports the ATARI SLM laserprinter (DMA) now.
Please read the notes in "LASER" text file on the AT-SPEED masterdisk.
26. Now a Microsoft-compatible mouse driver MOUSE.COM is supplied with
AT-SPEED and PC-SPEED. The files MOUSE.COM and MTEST.EXE are copyrighted
products from Naksha (Jersey) Limited.
To install the mouse driver, add the following line into your AUTOEXEC.BAT
file:
MOUSE/R3
The option '/R3' will be explained below.
You may also start the program by typing in the file name with or without
options from the command line.
Note: To use your mouse with AT-SPEED or PC-SPEED the option to use a
Microsoft-compatible mouse must have been set with the
installation program (see instruction manual).
To show the options with Naksha's MOUSE.COM type in from the command line:
MOUSE/H
Then the following options are shown:
========================================
Naksha Mouse Driver V2.01
(C) 1990 Naksha (Jersey) Limited
========================================
Valid command line options are:
/1 - Use Serial Port COM1.
/2 - Use Serial Port COM2.
/3 - Use Serial Port COM3. port 3E8, IRQ 4.
/4 - Use Serial Port COM4. port 2E8, IRQ 3.
/R0 - Set Ballistic Motion OFF.
/Rn - Set Ballistic Motion Rate (n = 1 - 9).
/Np, i - Use Hexadecimal I/O Port (p) and Decimal IRQ level (i).
/P - Use PS2 Compatible Pointing Device Port.
OFF - Release Mouse Driver and Tidy Up Memory.
/? Help also /H.
To use this mouse driver with AT-SPEED/PC-SPEED you get good results with:
MOUSE/R3 (Normal mouse response)
... ...
MOUSE/R9 (Fast mouse response)
To switch the mouse driver off, type in from the command line:
MOUSE OFF
27. To test the response of the mouse you may use MTEST.EXE. Also you can
check the response of the mouse buttons on your mouse. The above mentioned
mouse driver must have been installed before you can run MTEST, otherwise
you will get an error message. To test the mouse, type in from the command
line:
MTEST