Telelink II

[Wally1]

I just got Telelink II today, and tried it with an XM301 modem.

(I was under the impression these would work together)

 

Didn't work.

 

Would not dial a number, even. On an active phone land line.

 

Anybody help me with this? Maybe the modem is dead..? (the red power light does not go on)

 

 

Thanks a lot,

Wally

Edited October 12, 2013 by Wally1

[BillC]

I just got Telelink II today, and tried it with an XM301 modem.

(I was under the impression these would work together)

 

Didn't work.

 

Would not dial a number, even. On an active phone land line.

 

Anybody help me with this? Maybe the modem is dead..? (the red power light does not go on)

 

 

Thanks a lot,

Wally

What computer are you using, if it's a 1200XL they have a current limiting resistor(R53) on the SIO +5V/READY signal that needs to be bypassed/replaced with a jumper.

[Wally1]

I'm using an Atari 800.

 

My XC12 cassette works just fine with it, and no external power.

Edited October 13, 2013 by Wally1

[AtariGeezer]

If using Incognito, use Colleen Mode.

With the Telelink II cart inserted and XM301 plugged into the 800's SIO Port, after powering up you would get one of the two results:
 
1) Modem Good / Connected
  Atari Logo screen saying "Press Return to Continue".
After pressing "Return":
  Pressing "3", Dial from keyboard, you would get the "Please Enter the Number" response.
    Enter a number and press "Return",  screen will show Dialing... and you can hear the internal relay clicking...
    Light should display upon connecting...
  Pressing "6", Change Line Speed, you would get the speaker beep error.
 
2)Modem Bad / Not Connected
  Atari Logo screen saying "Line Interface Error" and maybe "Stored Information Lost".
After pressing "Return":
  Pressing "3", Dial from keyboard, you would get the speaker beep error.
  Pressing "6", Change Line Speed, you can toggle 300/1200 Baud.

Edited October 13, 2013 by AtariGeezer

[Wally1]

thanks, AtariGeezer

 

where'd you get that info, by the way..?

Edited October 13, 2013 by Wally1

[russg]

I just got Telelink II today, and tried it with an XM301 modem.

(I was under the impression these would work together)

 

Didn't work.

 

Would not dial a number, even. On an active phone land line.

 

Anybody help me with this? Maybe the modem is dead..? (the red power light does not go on)

 

 

Thanks a lot,

Wally

Probably you don't have a good xm301 R: handler. I have a proprietary (expensive) xm301 R: handler. I'll search for it.

... I found it. It is by Jim Dillow. Bitwise xm301 handler. Now see if I can copy it. I don't have a xm301 to test it with.

OK, here it is. Use 'HANDLER.XM'.

I remember 850 Express wouldn't work with any R: handler I had, with the xm301, so I got this proprietary R: handler.

There are several files on this .ATR. The read.me says do a 'KEY OFF' and 'TD OFF' in SpartaDOS. There is no DOS on this

disk, it won't boot. I don't know what all the files do, except 'HANDLER.XM'.

XM301.zip

Edited October 18, 2013 by russg

[AtariGeezer]

thanks, AtariGeezer

 

where'd you get that info, by the way..?

 

Missed your Edit...

 

I got this info from testing the XM301 with Telelink II on my 800 w/Incognito

For the "Bad" test, I just removed the modem.

 

What does the Telelink II screen tell you on your tests?

[Wally1]

AtariGeezer,

 

I got a brand new XM301, and it works just fine with Telelink II.

 

The other one was used from Ebay.

 

How can I dial touch-tone with Telelink II?

It only seems to dial rotary so far.

 

And I ordered a SX212, I'll see if I can get it

to work with Telelink II. (I hope so)

 

 

russg,

 

 

thanks for the file.

 

I'm trying to run cart-based, as much as I can.

 

(future-proof)

heh heh

[AtariGeezer]

AtariGeezer,

 

I got a brand new , and it works just fine with Telelink II.

 

The other one was used from Ebay.

 

How can I dial touch-tone with Telelink II?

It only seems to dial rotary so far.

 

And I ordered a SX212, I'll see if I can get it

to work with Telelink II. (I hope so)

 

Glad you have a working XM301 now

 

I don't think you can use Touch-Tone directly with the Telelink II, you would have to manually dial, then use option [4] to go to terminal mode.

 

My SX212's are up in my storage loft, so I haven't been able to test that myself...

[BillC]

AtariGeezer,

 

I got a brand new XM301, and it works just fine with Telelink II.

 

The other one was used from Ebay.

 

How can I dial touch-tone with Telelink II?

It only seems to dial rotary so far.

 

And I ordered a SX212, I'll see if I can get it

to work with Telelink II. (I hope so)

 

 

russg,

 

 

thanks for the file.

 

I'm trying to run cart-based, as much as I can.

 

(future-proof)

heh heh

I found an XE TERM floppy in my collection and created an ATR in case you(or others) wanted to try it with your XM301.

 

I don't think the SX Express software, for use with an SIO connection to the SX212, is commonly available since it wasn't included with the modem. IIRC the SX212 has a built-in RVerter interface and most terminal programs should work if the handler is loaded. I know Bobterm comes with handlers for the 1030/XM301, MPP/Supra and SX212 modems, and I am also attaching a SX212 handler I found on the Holmes CDs.

XE_TERM.ATR

SX212HND.zip

[russg]

AtariGeezer,

 

I got a brand new XM301, and it works just fine with Telelink II.

 

The other one was used from Ebay.

 

How can I dial touch-tone with Telelink II?

It only seems to dial rotary so far.

 

And I ordered a SX212, I'll see if I can get it

to work with Telelink II. (I hope so)

 

 

russg,

 

 

thanks for the file.

 

I'm trying to run cart-based, as much as I can.

 

(future-proof)

heh heh

Oh, Telelink is a cart, no need or ability to load a R: handler. The R: handler from Dillow will make xm301 work with 850 Express, or, I think Bobterm, and

maybe, IceT. My first term program was MPP modem term cart, plugged into joyport #2, no R: handler involved.

Who woulda thought somebody would use a 300 baud modem today. I guess with Telelink, you're stuck with the R: handler built in.

Edited October 18, 2013 by russg

[BillC]

Oh, Telelink is a cart, no need or ability to load a R: handler. The R: handler from Dillow will make xm301 work with 850 Express, or, I think Bobterm, and

maybe, IceT. My first term program was MPP modem term cart, plugged into joyport #2, no R: handler involved.

Who woulda thought somebody would use a 300 baud modem today. I guess with Telelink, you're stuck with the R: handler built in.

1030 Express, XE Term, and Bobterm all work with the XM301. The handler is part of the main executable with 1030 Express, separate for the others.

[russg]

1030 Express, XE Term, and Bobterm all work with the XM301. The handler is part of the main executable with 1030 Express, separate for the others.

What R: handler, separate, do you use with Bobterm? I only remember 850 Express not working with any R: handler I had before the XM301 one above.

[BillC]

What R: handler, separate, do you use with Bobterm? I only remember 850 Express not working with any R: handler I had before the XM301 one above.

I looked at the contents of a Bobterm 1.21 ATR and the 3 handlers, XM.COM/MPP.COM/RVERTER.COM, are present. Why would you be trying to use 850 Express with a 1030/XM301?, it is for use with an 850 connected modem. 1030 Express has the proper driver included for the 1030/XM301, there is also an MPP Express for the Supra/MPP joystick port modems.

 

I booted both XE TERM and 1030 Express and XE TERM has less than half the buffer size of 1030 Express on a 48K 800.

[russg]

I looked at the contents of a Bobterm 1.21 ATR and the 3 handlers, XM.COM/MPP.COM/RVERTER.COM, are present. Why would you be trying to use 850 Express with a 1030/XM301?, it is for use with an 850 connected modem. 1030 Express has the proper driver included for the 1030/XM301, there is also an MPP Express for the Supra/MPP joystick port modems.

 

I booted both XE TERM and 1030 Express and XE TERM has less than half the buffer size of 1030 Express on a 48K 800.

I see. I didn't know Bobterm had an XM R: handler. I used Keith Ledbetter's 850 Express before Bobterm. I probably didn't know what an 850 was. Ledbetter did a couple or

several 'Express'. BBS Express to run a BBS. I'm pretty sure 850 Express was the first term program available for the A8, at least that was the only one I knew of.

If I'm not mistaken, 850 Express came out before Bobterm.

[+David_P]

There's also the quite rare Express cartridge, in an SDX/Diamond/R-Time-8 type cart.

[BillC]

I see. I didn't know Bobterm had an XM R: handler. I used Keith Ledbetter's 850 Express before Bobterm. I probably didn't know what an 850 was. Ledbetter did a couple or

several 'Express'. BBS Express to run a BBS. I'm pretty sure 850 Express was the first term program available for the A8, at least that was the only one I knew of.

If I'm not mistaken, 850 Express came out before Bobterm.

There are separate versions of Express for each type of modem, 850, 1030/XM301, MPP/Supra, SX212/RVerter. The later versions of Bobterm will work with all types, if it needs a special driver it needs to be renamed/copied to RS232.COM.

 

I had some issue with Bobterm 1.21 from the Holmes CD but was finally able to get it to load, I then updated it with the v1.22 BOBTERM.COM I was able to extract from an ARC file on the Holmes CD.

 

The image I am including will work as is with an 850/PRC/MIO/Black Box connected modem, to get it to work with a direct connect modem simply copy the appropriate driver file to RS232.COM. It is a DOS 2.5 image, but I have also tested it with SpartaDOS_X 4.20/4.46, AUTORUN.SYS must be preceded by the X command to load it from SpartaDOS_X("X AUTORUN.SYS").

 

I have tested that the attached Bobterm 1.22 does work with XM301/MPP 1000E/SX212 modems when the appropriate driver is copied to RS232.COM. I didn't actually connect to anything, but was able to dial my cell phone # with all three modems.

BOBTERM 122.atr

Edited October 19, 2013 by BillC

[+bf2k+]

I see. I didn't know Bobterm had an XM R: handler. I used Keith Ledbetter's 850 Express before Bobterm. I probably didn't know what an 850 was. Ledbetter did a couple or

several 'Express'. BBS Express to run a BBS. I'm pretty sure 850 Express was the first term program available for the A8, at least that was the only one I knew of.

If I'm not mistaken, 850 Express came out before Bobterm.

 

Express did come out before Bobterm but it was hardly the first one. AModem was well into it's 5th version before Keith wrote anything for the Atari 8 and that's probably what I was using when Keith sent me the first beta versions of Express Term. Home Term was already out there although I didn't use that one. And I used the MPP SmartTerm cartridge for my very first modem - an MPP1000c. I cannot recall what other terms I used but I know there were PLENTY of them out there.

[+bf2k+]

There's also the quite rare Express cartridge, in an SDX/Diamond/R-Time-8 type cart.

 

I have one of those too.

[russg]

Express did come out before Bobterm but it was hardly the first one. AModem was well into it's 5th version before Keith wrote anything for the Atari 8 and that's probably what I was using when Keith sent me the first beta versions of Express Term. Home Term was already out there although I didn't use that one. And I used the MPP SmartTerm cartridge for my very first modem - an MPP1000c. I cannot recall what other terms I used but I know there were PLENTY of them out there.

This goes back to 1984, I just got the Atari 800XL. It was supposed to be for my kids, but I hogged it. I got a MPP1000c. Right,there were some early modem programs, mostly

written in BASIC. I connected to the Cleveland Atari User Group via the MPP. Now, I wanted to have a BBS. There was AMIS, in BASIC, but not for the MPP. I can't remember

the programmer, but he wrote a special AMIS just for the MPP. I believe 1030 Express was a very early one, long before the XM301, many years before. I used 850 Express,

it just required the correct R: handler to run on a MPP, I think. I got a Avatex 1200 baud modem next and ran BBS Express, registered on that. I couldn't afford a 2400

baud for a long time and by the time I got a 2400, my BBS days were over. Pardon for the old guy stuff. edit. I had to have had an 850, no I think I had a PRC, to use the Avatex.

Or, maybe I already had the MIO. I ran my last BBS, at 1200 baud, on the 1 meg MIO.

Edited October 19, 2013 by russg

[BillC]

 

Express did come out before Bobterm but it was hardly the first one. AModem was well into it's 5th version before Keith wrote anything for the Atari 8 and that's probably what I was using when Keith sent me the first beta versions of Express Term. Home Term was already out there although I didn't use that one. And I used the MPP SmartTerm cartridge for my very first modem - an MPP1000c. I cannot recall what other terms I used but I know there were PLENTY of them out there.

An MPP 1000E I got as part of a large lot came with Smart Terminal 6.1(Supra Corporation) on floppy. The box also has a Supra Corporation label added to the bottom, so this must be from after Supra bought the rights to MMP but before they renamed this modem the Supra 300AT.

 

One advantage Bobterm has over most of the other terminal software is extra file transfer protocols, there are 4 variations of XMODEM, plus YMODEM and FMODEM batch protocols. Some of these extra protocols could reduce transfer times quite a bit if the other party supported them.

[+bf2k+]

My first BBS ran on self-modified MPP-Amis on an Atari 800 with 3 1050s and the MPP 1000c. I think this was Jan 1984. When I bought additional equipment to run the BBS, I got a MPP 1000e. The 1000e had a strange quirk in that it would not drop the carrier on logout so I had to hook a small 5v relay to the joystick port (and add a couple of pokes to AMIS) to interrupt the phone line in order to drop carrier. Ahh the good old days.

 

Sorry for getting off-topic...

[tschak909]

I seem to remember needing to build a ring detector circuit, for an Atari 1030, for AMIS....been too long, though... I quickly bit the bullet and bought a Hayes and an 850..never looked back.

 

-Thom

[bbking67]

The XM301 had a ring detector, but was notorious for dying... thus many Atari owners (mostly BBS operators) resorted to building a ring detector.

[tschak909]

I wonder how many versions of AMODEM finally made it out the door? Good god, there were so many...

 

Of course, there was the bog standard AMODEM 4.0/4.1/4.2, that came out of Sector One (Jim Steinbrecher), and that code was repurposed, and extended, versions that I personally had:

 

* AMODEM PLUS 5.2, which had a scrolling status bar, and was compiled with the ABC compiler. (1984)

* AMODEM PLUS 5.6, similar. (1984)

* AMODEM 6.0/6.3, BASIC version, dark blue sscreen, support for Signalman, MPP, as well as 850. (1984)

* AMODEM 7.0/7.1 - written by some guy out of Oklahoma, I forget his name. (1985)

 

I also had a variation of AMODEM Plus, that had a built in Wargames dialer, and a few other bits,

 

-Thom