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IDE Plus 2.0 - the newestl edition available very soon


Simius

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Major difference is, that the device number, write protection and SDX control are set through non-volatile register with LED indication, not mechanical switches. Onboard memories control registers are now readable/writeable, not write only. The rest of the features is (almost) the same - IDE+2 with 96kB FLASH BIOS and 32kB SRAM, SDX with 896kB FLASH, V3021 real-time clock, covox on demand. PBI-ECI adapter included.

Price is US$75.

 

I hope future bios releases will also be done for the current revisions of IDE+ 2.0...

 

I'm extremely happy with my current batch of IDE+ 2.0 but I'm still (patiently) waiting for a better use of the IRQ-button / mounting feature of ATRs / FAT32 feature. I am a bit worried that these features will be implanted in the future for this new release and not on the current revisions of IDE+ 2.0

 

Can you shine your light on my worries?

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Yes, very interested.

 

Two for me please, with case/housing and PBI cable...

 

(RAM upgrade included ? Or is this something for version F?)

 

Sorry, I missed this post. There isn't RAM upgrade on this board and probably don't be.

Edited by Simius
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I'm interested in one. Any idea of when it will be available for purchase?

 

How hard it would be to integrate SATA interface in this device? SSD are becoming cheaper and easier to get than CF cards.

 

I think a few weeks.

Are the SSD cheaper and easier? Really? There is a thousands CF card on ebay, even from a few bucks. Integration of SATA interface will costs much more.

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The pcb of the new IDE 2.0 says Rev. "E" and it does not have a RAM upgrade onboard, but maybe the next version of IDE 2.0 (which would be version F then) could have a RAM upgrade onboard ?!? Especially since RAM 320/576XL does not appear (it seems), it would be cool to have a combined harddisk + RAM upgrade (+ Covox) on one and the same pcb. Not sure if the pcb will get too big then...?!?

 

Nevertheless, I am still interested in this new IDE 2.0 version...

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There are compatibility issues with some CF cards, and many of those from ebay are counterfeited. SSD cost went down and you can get some small ones for $13 or bigger ones for $0.33/GB. I'm aware of PATA - SATA adapters but I prefer to avoid them as it ads more points to fail. It's becoming much easier to get new SATA drivers than PATA.

It would be nice if we could get integrated adapter with newer hardware revision.

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Every existing harddrive solution for atari 8bit has it's pros and cons. The most 'ultimate' solution does not exist yet imho. The blackbox has some extremely cool features which I would love to see on the IDE+ 2.0 but the blackbox is somewhat outdated with it's obsolete partition format and rather slow HD I/O.

 

The SIDE2 + Ultimate 1MB is also an incredible fast, versatile and very compatible combo, but it needs a modified atari (Ultimate 1MB installed) to be that powerful. Supports the APT partition format. Has also a very nice FAT32 loader (especially the new written FAT32 loader from FlashJazzCat is outstanding)

 

MyIDE 2 is very cool too. Has some features not seen on other devices (like a bankswitching 512KB SRAM cartridge, which can mimic an Atari cart). Is -just like SIDE2+U1MB- the most powerful when it's used on a modified atari (with the MyBIOS in ROM). MyBIOS offers the very nice swap-on-the-fly menu User Interface (just like the blackbox does). Unfortunately MyBIOS is not compatible with APT partition format. Also supports FAT32 loader(s).

 

IDE+ 2.0 is amazing too, and has the benefit above SIDE2 and MyIDE 2 that it is even on stock atari, very compatible. Runs almost anything thinkable. Has (like SIDE2) a built in RTC, offers High Speed Sio on compatible devices and supports the APT partition format, which is a very good thing, since you can use your CF card in both SIDE2 and IDE+ (and on MyIDE 2 when used as a SDX cart)

 

What is the downside of IDE+ 2.0?

Well not much... so I tend to agree with Stephen J. Carden. Although I really miss the FAT32 feature SIDE2 and MyIDE 2 have; and I really really really miss the ON-THE-FLY mounting and swapping ATR's... one of the KEY features of the BlackBox and MyBIOS (and in someway SIDE2 + Ultimate 1MB, although it is not on the fly).

 

So what is needed to make IDE+ 2.0 the best possible PBI harddrive solution for Atari 8bit?

 

This:

1) A Fat32 loader for both ATR and Binary files (XEX/COM)

2) A buttonpress that shows a menu on the Atari Screen (so the currently running program is swapped to disk or onboard ram); in this menu one can swap, mount/unmount/toggle write protect etc. and LEAVE the menu to the previously saved state of the atari. -> just like the blackbox. (this feature is needed for people like me who are not so SDX minded)

 

I think... when it is possible to add these two features to the IDE+ 2.0 ... it will become forever my number #1 choice forever.

 

Till then I probably keep moving from SIDE2 to MyIDE 2 to IDE+ 2.0 and back.

Not a real problem... but I keep dreaming of the real ultimate device.

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I guess SIDE2+Ultimate is almost the same, except both cart ports are left open.

 

Edit: The word "Incognito" does not appear anywhere in your post, BTW. :)

 

For me is Incognito not coming even close to anything that could be considered as a serious competitor in a 'what is the ultimate atari 8bit harddisk interface'

 

You stated that I did forget to mention Incognito.

 

I answered No, I did not.

 

Which has to be read as: No, I did not FORGET to mention Incognito.

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For me is Incognito not coming even close to anything that could be considered as a serious competitor in a 'what is the ultimate atari 8bit harddisk interface'

 

You stated that I did forget to mention Incognito.

 

I answered No, I did not.

 

Which has to be read as: No, I did not FORGET to mention Incognito.

 

This should be in its own thread if it continues, but I don't understand why you would mention Ultimate+SIDE2 and not Incognito... I consider it to be every bit as good, if not a better solution than the Ultimate+SIDE2.

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This should be in its own thread if it continues, but I don't understand why you would mention Ultimate+SIDE2 and not Incognito... I consider it to be every bit as good, if not a better solution than the Ultimate+SIDE2.

 

Because:

 

1) Incognito is for (for me) rather uncommon machine. Here in Europe it's all XL/XE and hardly Atari 800. I respond as Prowizard, not as being an objective source of knowledge; it's an opinion.

2) Incognito is considered (by me) as a rather invasive modification of an Atari computer. After removing an Ultimate 1MB from my Atari XL/XE computer, it will be as original as it was before. You can hardly bring back your Atari 800 in original state after removing it.

3) As continuation of point 2: it's not very portable either (both the upgrade, as the data carrier is rather stuck inside the case of your computer.

 

But indeed: this should be discussed in a separate thread.

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Incognito - although it emulates an external device math pack overlay and happens to include a compact flash slot - is not an external, PBI attached mass storage device. It's an internal upgrade more or less equivalent to Ultimate 1MB. Prowizard mentioned SIDE2 (which is a mass storage device, albeit attached to the cartridge port), stating that it can be used in the same way as an externally connected PBI mass storage device with the aid of an internal upgrade (Ultimate 1MB). In essence, I think Prowizard is simply focusing on portable solutions (SIDE, MYIDE, IDE Plus), which isn't a term which can be used to describe Incognito.

Edited by flashjazzcat
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