Gio_16bits Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I'm deciding on which version I should get. Both seem about the same to me, but i'm sure one has the advantage over the other. I'm kinda leaning twords the atari8warez version since I dont have to buy an SIO cable and it kinda looks nicer. http://www.atarimax.com/sio2pc/documentation/ http://www.atari8warez.com/buyDualUsbv3.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Larry Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Look at the software that you would use with each. Which has more features that you will use, better "look and feel," etc.? I suspect you would be happy with either choice. -Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrVenkman Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I had the same choice a couple months ago. I bought one from Atari8Warez and I'm very pleased. I'm sure either one would work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanmercer Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Damn, wish I'd seen the atari8warez a month ago, the fact that the atarimax one isn't in a housing makes my skin crawl everytime I look at it on my table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gio_16bits Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 Does the atari max version have cassette deck emulation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marius Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I appreciatie Both creators equal. The atarimax guy is great and atari8warez is doing great things too. Must agree though that the a8warez version looks absolutely stunning! Great stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gio_16bits Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 I see that Ape has save state which is really nice to have for those difficult games. Also the plotter and printer options are nice too. But the atari8warez version comes with something called Atari Librarian, which sounds interesting. But there is no info about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gio_16bits Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 I had the same choice a couple months ago. I bought one from Atari8Warez and I'm very pleased. I'm sure either one would work well. can you share a little info about Atari Librarian? Since their site has nothing about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 The current major advantage of the AtariMax software, is that it does full duplex modem emulation. Meaning, you can "call" real BBSes or even run a BBS using your Atari. That was the selling point for me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrVenkman Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 These are just interface devices. Any SIO2PC device you buy, presuming it uses a chipset with drivers that work with your OS of choice, will work with any of the variety of SIO peripheral emulators out there. I have the Atari8Warez device, but I've used it successfully with AspeQt (compiled for OS X as well as the Windows version running under WINE), APE/ProSystem (also under WINE), SIO2OSX (for Mac OS X) and SIO Server (also for OS X). Gio_16bits - the Atari Librarian software was not ready when I purchased my device; I haven't contacted the vendor lately so I don't know if it is available yet or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gio_16bits Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 (edited) Thanks for clearing things up @DrVenkman. Good to know I can get the enclosed version and still use APE with it. Edited September 11, 2014 by Gio_16bits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marius Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 You can not savestate from real atari to ape! That requires a freezer or qmeg os Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnsey123 Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Damn, wish I'd seen the atari8warez a month ago, the fact that the atarimax one isn't in a housing makes my skin crawl everytime I look at it on my table. I've got the Atarimax version...they fit nicely into those silicon Wii controller covers. The holes in the silicon sleeves are really convenient. OK it's not a rigid case but it's something... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farb Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 (edited) These are just interface devices. Any SIO2PC device you buy, presuming it uses a chipset with drivers that work with your OS of choice, will work with any of the variety of SIO peripheral emulators out there. I have the Atari8Warez device, but I've used it successfully with AspeQt (compiled for OS X as well as the Windows version running under WINE), APE/ProSystem (also under WINE), SIO2OSX (for Mac OS X) and SIO Server (also for OS X).I don't believe the Atarimax device will work with anything other than APE. I had been in contact with the SIO2OSX author and he told me he was waiting on info from Steven Tucker to get it working. So, unless something has changed that I don't know about, the Atari8Warez device might be the safer bet. Edited September 11, 2014 by Farb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gio_16bits Posted September 11, 2014 Author Share Posted September 11, 2014 this kind of unrelated, but does the atari8warez sio2pc creator charge after purchase or after shipment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrVenkman Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 this kind of unrelated, but does the atari8warez sio2pc creator charge after purchase or after shipment? Shoot him an email and ask. He had them in stock when I got mine, so payment and shipping were within a day or two of each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanmercer Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Shoot him an email and ask. He had them in stock when I got mine, so payment and shipping were within a day or two of each other. The site says they are out of stock and has a button to refresh inventory levels, it also says the software is still coming soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kogden Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I would go with the Atari8Warez version if you want something pre-made. The AtariMax version only works with APE last I checked. If you don't mind locking yourself into software that only exists for Windows, the AtariMax version is fine. Pricing is similar but Atari8Warez adapter will work under any desktop OS (MacOS X, Linux or Windows) with most software device emulators (SIOServer, SIO2OSX, Aspeqt, etc.). I refuse to marry myself to Wintel. I'm a UNIX guy personally. Your other option if you can handle a really light solder job is to get an FTDI FT232RL breakout board from SparkFun and solder RX, TX, GND and COMMAND wires from SIO cable to board. COMMAND gets wired to RI. $10-$15 if you already have an SIO cable and the breakout board makes it simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flashjazzcat Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Something like this, costing a fiver for parts: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gio_16bits Posted September 12, 2014 Author Share Posted September 12, 2014 I've just got an email from Ray regarding the shipment, the compatibility with APE, and a little more info about Atari Librarian. Here's a quote from Ray the atari8warez guy,"Hi, thank you for your interest. I do ask for payment at the time of the purchase and only when the devices are ready to be assembled and shipped. I do not do pre-orders, so when you pay for the item you get it within the handling time which is the time needed for assembly + mailing + customs clearances (if it is an international order). My device works with later versions of APE (versions that include support for Virtual Com Ports). APE is a proprietary system so I cannot and never will guarantee compatibility with APE. AspeQt however is and will always be compatible with my device. Atari Librarian will be a Windows/Linux compatible software to help Atari users organize/manipulate their Atari software on PC and will be compatible with AspeQt. Ray" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kogden Posted September 14, 2014 Share Posted September 14, 2014 Something like this, costing a fiver for parts: FTDI_SIO2PC.jpg Nicely done! Much cleaner than mine, I was feeling a bit lazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atari8warez Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Atari Librarian will be a Windows/Linux compatible software to help Atari users organize/manipulate their Atari software on PC and will be compatible with AspeQt. Ray I would like to shed a bit more light on Atari Librarian, unfortunately I am not able to go into too much detail at this point because it will not be open source project, but will be licensed to all SIO2PC/10502PC Dual-USB purchasers free of charge, updates and support will also be free. It is being designed as a companion to AspeQt and will be fully compatible with it. It will make use of SIO2PC/10502PC Dual-USB hardware as well. All users who purchased a DUAL-USB device from me in the past will be retroactively eligible to receive the software free of charge. I am currently in the planning stage of the software, but I am also working in improving the current SIO2PC/10502PC Dual-USB design for the next run, so things may take longer than expected especially given the fact that I recently returned to Canada (from vacation) with common cold symptoms and am taking it easy until i fully recover from it. To make things faster I may release the software without waiting to implement all planned features and keep developing it and issuing frequent updates. This is something that I will have to decide further down the line. I expect to release the first version by the end of 2014, but you all know Atari is our hobby and in the hobby land not all promises can be kept religiously due to other facts of life.....Rest assured however the software WILL BE RELEASED and won't be a vaporware...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
576XE Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 And no one said that Atari8Warez offers 1050 to PC also. Do you want to connect 1050 to your PC? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kogden Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 The current major advantage of the AtariMax software, is that it does full duplex modem emulation. Meaning, you can "call" real BBSes or even run a BBS using your Atari. That was the selling point for me. SIO2OSX does this as well on the Mac side of things. A very cool feature. I think $50 to register APE is a bit steep though. It's a nice package though, I have a lot of respect for it. I'm not primarily a Windows user, however. I don't think the AtariMax USB SIO2PC works with other OS's. The Atari8Warez interface will work with registered APE *AND* any other peripheral emulator. As far as network access from the A8 goes, I'm kinda in love with this little iPocket232 plugged into my 850. More configurable and reliable than the Internet Modem features in existing peripheral emulators. And since OSX is UNIX, all I had to do was enable telnetd and compile lszrz for file transfers, lynx for web browsing and PINE for e-mail. UNIX boxes are far more useful to connect to than a Windows machine in this regard. Just seems more "genuine" doing this way than using my Hackintosh as permanent life support that I need to have the 8-bit tethered to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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