What Atari ST(E) special storage device you want ?

[ParanoidLittleMan]

I will add some details little later ...

Edited December 3, 2018 by ParanoidLittleMan

[ParanoidLittleMan]

About CATA: it is old project, idea came out around 2007 - fast IDE adapter for ST(E) cartridge port. That needs some very special solutions in HW and SW.

The specs: Max write speed: 2.4 MB/sec . Max read speed 3.6 MB/sec (only at price of small mode in computer (cutting line, and lead out 2 wires, so only some work) . Without that mod read speed is 1.6 MB/sec .

Can work with classic IDE drives, CF cards, IDE/SD adapters. Driver SW exists, concept is tested well. This is only my Atari HW project for which I did not publish schematic. Best results with STE and Mega STE, since ST Glue chip has much bigger delay, and that's important to be with fast logic (Glue chip controls access to cartridge port) .

Beside working as very fast hard disk adapter it can be used to impress your friends - movie playback with good quality - lot of colors, 25 or even 50 fps, so smooth playback.

More about it here: http://atari.8bitchip.info/movpst.php

At middle of page, approx. There are recorded videos at YT ,

 

CATA combined with NetUsBee - this is Lotharek's idea, and in first moment I said that will be problematic. Because CATA really uses whole card port heavily. But after little thinking: why not ? If only one works at once they will not harm each other. That requires to disable completely inactive one part. Surely, will need some time to make proper HW design, perform tests ... I even did not find NetUsBee schematic online. Some driver SW with sources seems available.

 

Expectable prices: little too early to talk about, since component prices vary a lot during time, and depending from source. For instance I recently bought 2 pieces of EPROMs for more money than 4 of same chips little later in other shop . Combo cartridge will cost likely approx as sum of separated CATA and NetUsBee - even if it will be on single cartridge. Because larger PCB + extra logic what prevents conflict between 2 sections.

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Simple cartridge, with one or more games - short games only. Of course packing will be used, and games will not run from cartridge ROM - there is no so coded ST game, btw.

There may be switch to select active 128 KB section (what is max cart port ROM capacity) . Something like by TOS switch. No plans to use bank switching, mostly because it would need lot of work in game's code.

Games done so far for cartridges:

Joust + Moon Patrol on 1 single (128 KB) cart.

Backlash

Great Giana Sisters

Goldrunner

Missile Command

Buggy Boy

Xenon

Wizball

Star Wars

Star Raider

Rick Dangerous

Manix

There is more already ... Please don't come with requests for some longer and complexer games like Dungeon Master. They can run fine from hard disk/Flash cards via usual adapters like UltraSatan

Some people just requested games on classic cartridge - I guess some XL people

[ParanoidLittleMan]

Improved TOS:

I already posted about in couple threads. Started with improved FAT16 support in January of this year, then virtual floppy, logo .... At moment I work on special statesaves - well I would work if I could, but I'm in second move in 2 months, and still not set my workplace properly . After moving is done I will need at least 1 week to be able to work efficiently. But it's Winter, so I guess will be fine ...

More details here: http://atari.8bitchip.info/tosimpr.html