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1200XL, SIO2PC & SIO2OSX question


save2600

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Okay, so the last time I messed with Atari disks was about 26 years ago and I need some help

getting this stuff to work. It appears you cannot simply insert a game disk in the virtual drive

and turn on your Atari in order to play the .atr file. Do you first need to boot up a DOS disk and

then type in a command in order for it to load? I've got a 1050 and a 2.5 DOS disk, but still

only have 1 SIO cable.

 

Does it sound as if something is wrong with the SIO port or am I missing something here?

Oh... and I can't select USB or any other option in the SIO port other than bluetooth/PDA.

That doesn't seem right. And yes, I've held down option while resetting/turning on the

computer. Machine makes a farting sound and the middle green light lites on the USB

dongle. Red light blinks for a sec or two when you first insert the dongle.

Edited by save2600
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I thought that's all you had to do. I'm about to try a different USB cable now. BTW: using a G4 iBook & SIO2OSX program....

 

-edit- no change with swapping the cable and I've tried all three versions of SIO2OSX. Guess I have a bad SIO2PC board.

Par for the course!

Edited by save2600
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quote name='Guitarman' post='1767704' date='Mon Jun 8, 2009 2:01 PM']You may have to do the +5 mod on the SIO port of the 1200XL. Not sure if that would affect it or not.

 

Yes, as noted on this link R63 has to be shorted with a solid wire. http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?s...amp;hl=1200+r63

 

Good luck

 

post-10165-1244497299_thumb.jpg

Edited by rdea6
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Thanks for the suggestions fellas. I did short R63, but no change. I guess the red power light is supposed to be on at all times on that SIO2PC board. It is not. It doesn't even flicker when just hooked to the Atari. It does blink a couple times when I insert it into the USB port however, then just goes out.

 

I measure 4.84v at R63 AND the +5v line in the SIO. Also, pin 13 (interrupt) measures +4.86 too. Not sure if that's normal or not. 4.86v is kinda low, but I've tried two different power supplies. No change. Does this need to spec out at a true +5v? If that's the case, I bet the power supply on the CPU board needs to be rebuilt. Horrible design rectifying voltage on a CPU board!!! We all know Atari employees smoked an awful lot of dope, but this is inexcusable. lol

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I am a sio2osx user and can confirm that it does not work with the usb version. You need the serial version and a FTDI usb to serial adapter.

 

<sigh>

 

Really? Great. I need to exchange this then. I told them (Steven) when I paid what system I was

going to be using it on, etc. Seems most people don't read the messages you send them in PayPal anymore.

 

Thanks. Glad to know I won't be wasting any more time trying to get this to work.

Edited by save2600
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Steve is a good guy, I am sure you will get sorted pretty quick. There is a thread somewhere on this board about which USB to serial adapter works

 

Thanks Mimo, this is so odd. I wonder if the firmware just needs to be updated in the USB SIO2PC board. Very strange that I'd need a Serial<>SIO board and then a USB<>Serial cable. lol Why the USB SIO2PC board doesn't work straight away is aggravating.

 

Also, too bad I couldn't even make my own floppies from .atr files going straight into the 1050 as advertised. OR is this feature only a PeeCee

deal again?

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You can surely make real disks with Sio2OSX. It is a process, but once you get the right adapter I would be happy to talk you through it. Its not hard, slightly more effort than on the PC side, but something I have done many times.

 

Fletch

 

 

Steve is a good guy, I am sure you will get sorted pretty quick. There is a thread somewhere on this board about which USB to serial adapter works

 

Thanks Mimo, this is so odd. I wonder if the firmware just needs to be updated in the USB SIO2PC board. Very strange that I'd need a Serial<>SIO board and then a USB<>Serial cable. lol Why the USB SIO2PC board doesn't work straight away is aggravating.

 

Also, too bad I couldn't even make my own floppies from .atr files going straight into the 1050 as advertised. OR is this feature only a PeeCee

deal again?

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Got in touch with Steve yesterday and he's going to exchange this for the Serial version. I've read some reports that not all serial to USB cables are created equal. The $18 one featured here seems to be the one to get: http://www.usbgear.com/USBG-232MINI.html . Is this true or is there a less expensive solution out there?

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That looks like the right chipset. I think the adapter I got was about $10, but that was quite a few years ago and I don't remember where I bought it.

 

 

 

Got in touch with Steve yesterday and he's going to exchange this for the Serial version. I've read some reports that not all serial to USB cables are created equal. The $18 one featured here seems to be the one to get: http://www.usbgear.com/USBG-232MINI.html . Is this true or is there a less expensive solution out there?
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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay - got what is supposedly the correct USB<>Serial adapter and the serial version of SIO2PC, performed the R63 jumper mod and

this setup STILL does not want to work. SIO port out of the 1200XL seems to be fine as the floppy drive works.

 

The SIO2OSX software seems to be real weak. Lacks features, etc. On the bottom, where you select the SIO port, only has

Bluetooth-PDA-Sync option. That seems REAL queer as I should be able to select serial or USB or something else that makes

sense. Also, in preferences, what are these SIO Hardware types: RI, DSR & RTS? I've selected them all and still nothing.

 

Is there a device driver for this USB adapter I am supposed to install on the Mac? That would be a first if so and one of the

reasons I ditched the PeeCee world years ago.

 

Any other ideas before I throw all this crap up against the wall? :x

 

That looks like the right chipset. I think the adapter I got was about $10, but that was quite a few years ago and I don't remember where I bought it.

 

 

 

Got in touch with Steve yesterday and he's going to exchange this for the Serial version. I've read some reports that not all serial to USB cables are created equal. The $18 one featured here seems to be the one to get: http://www.usbgear.com/USBG-232MINI.html . Is this true or is there a less expensive solution out there?

Edited by save2600
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Okay - duh and a big N-E-V-E-R-M-I-N-D!

 

There *is* a FTDI driver that needs to be installed. Didn't bother to look at the list of OS's on the

authors website that require it because it's very rare that a Mac needs 3rd party support. Thing

works like a charm now. Now for some Pinball Construction Set!

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