Symmetry of TNG Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Hi! I would like to know a couple of things about the jaglink 2, if someone here knows. 1---Is it compatible with the catbox? ie has someone here played, BS or aircars in a network with mixed JL2´s & catboxes in the same network? ..Or with ScatBoxes (since i assume a scatbox is compatible with a catbox). 2---Or is it only compatible with itself? ...(It is a multiplayer adapter, right?.. (why have 2st rj11's otherwise?) and can be used in a bs/ac player>2 game? Thanx for your info! /Sym 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Hi. I'm the developer of the the JagLink II, so I can answer your questions. 1---Is it compatible with the Catbox? This gets a bit confusing because the Catbox has two modes. It is compatible with the Catbox when the Catbox is used in RS232 mode. The JagLink II is RS232 based just like the original JagLink. It is not RS485 based like the Catbox "CatNet" mode. However, because the Catbox RS232 mode has a different connector than the JagLink and JagLink II, you will need to make a custom cable. I can email you the details on how to make this if you want them. I have not tested it with the Scatbox because I do not have one. However since the Scatbox is compatible the JagLink and the JagLink II is compatible with the JagLink, there is no reason why this shouldn't work. 2---Or is it only compatible with itself? Yes, of course! -Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 One more thing to point out. There are two different versions of AirCars out there (the one with the parental warning and the one without). Supposedly these two versions cannot be networked together because they contain different networking code that is not compatible with each other. I don't own both versions, so I cannot confirm this. But other people have reported this problem on AtariAge. -Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysmith2000 Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 One more thing to point out. There are two different versions of AirCars out there (the one with the parental warning and the one without). Supposedly these two versions cannot be networked together because they contain different networking code that is not compatible with each other. I don't own both versions, so I cannot confirm this. But other people have reported this problem on AtariAge. -Derek You are correct Derek. I recently acquired the KA version and attempted the networking just to "see". It didn't work. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 You are correct Derek. I recently acquired the KA version and attempted the networking just to "see". It didn't work. What a cruel trick that is, huh? You would think the might have wanted to document that somewhere...like in the manual perhaps.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Symmetry of TNG Posted April 1, 2005 Author Share Posted April 1, 2005 Hi Derek! Ahh... shoot... i didnt think to clarifye that, sorry... (in my mind there was only one option I ment "N-player compatible".. ie is it compatible with rs485... So.. I gather this: --since it is rs232, it is not compatible with the catbox's "N-player" mode.. ie rs485. ---But it is compatible with catbox 1->1 player mode (like doom) but only via a special adapter... RJ11 -> 9pin dsub. BUT!.. is it compatible at all with any "N-player" setup? ..ie can you play, say Aircars (same version then =) in a 4player setup? .All using jaglink2's..even though it is "2player/rs232" based? (i got that feeling, though it confuses me, and i just whanted to know for sure). Thanx for replying! /Sym Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Symmetry of TNG Posted April 1, 2005 Author Share Posted April 1, 2005 (trying to access 4plays homepage, without result)... hmm.. what specs does the scatbox have? ...is it rs232 compatible? ..and rs485... and all the standard video outputs i guess? ....what about the headphone socket? ... Just curious... (darn 404 message.. "ScatBox™ Information and photos are available at http://www.scatbox.com" -> "Adult Warning!" ...hmm.. no absolutely not!.. =) did i miss something or what, is 4play gone? :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 BUT!.. is it compatible at all with any "N-player" setup? ..ie can you play, say Aircars (same version then =) in a 4player setup? .All using jaglink2's..even though it is "2player/rs232" based? Yes, absolutely! You network setup can to like this: Catbox, JagLink, Scatbox, or nothing <-----> 1 to N JagLink IIs <-----> Catbox, JagLink, Scatbox, or nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 hmm.. what specs does the scatbox have? ...is it rs232 compatible? ..and rs485... and all the standard video outputs i guess? My understanding of the Scatbox is that it can have as setup like this: JagLink, JagLink II, or nothing <-----> 1 to N Catboxes or Scatboxes <-----> JagLink, JagLink II, or nothing Someone please correct me if this is wrong.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Symmetry of TNG Posted April 1, 2005 Author Share Posted April 1, 2005 Ahha... so you "hot wire" rs232 together (even though they werent designd for that (or?) do you use max232 or what? can it realy do that?.... wire-OR ?) ...and then connect it to a cat/scatBox via its rs2322 port! ..and then it translates the signal to a 485 signal?... (can the catbox do that? ..thought the 232 was turned off when it is in 485 mode... (or is the signal just copied to the jaglinks via the catbox trough port? (which should be online nomatter what the switch is in (assume so.. or is the 485 on when the switch is in "middleposition" (which i assume is pass through..).. (man i'm guessing allot =) Ok.. i think i understand.. =) (except how 232 can be wire-ORed ... Thax for clarifying!!! cheers /Sym Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Ahh, I think you are correct -- I think the Scatbox can only be connected like this: JagLink, JagLink II, Catbox, or nothing <-----> 1 to N Scatboxes <-----> JagLink, JagLink II, Catbox, or nothing Like I said though, I'm only speculating here. I don't own a Scatbox.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Symmetry of TNG Posted April 1, 2005 Author Share Posted April 1, 2005 (live foruming, do you live in europe or what? And i just realised that a, say max 232 chip has 2 sets of recivers & transivers, so in a serial-link config you wouldnt need to "wire-or" the HighVoltage sections of the line (which i first thought =) ...my brain is slow.. i need to take a break ..though i think i got it now =) Thanx for, your answers & speculations! =) /Sym Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Ok.. i think i understand.. =) (except how 232 can be wire-ORed ... Nothing is wired together. There is another chip on the JagLink II that handles the muxing and steering of the signals -- that's the secret ingredient! Actually, it's not all the complicated and if you saw a JagLink II you would probably be able to reverse-engineer it easily enough.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K3V Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 JagLink 2's rock - I love mine Much more reliable than my standard JagLinks ever were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 JagLink 2's rock - I love mine icon_smile.gif Much more reliable than my standard JagLinks ever were. Thanks! Perhaps I used a better RS232 chip than Atari did? Anyhow, one neat thing about the JagLink II (if I do say so myself) is that you can go from playing N-way Aircars or Battlesphere to playing 2-way Doom without any recabling. The Catbox (and Scatbox?) can't because it uses RS485 which is half-duplex while Doom expects a full-duplex RS232 connection.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysmith2000 Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Yeah, I second that. With the price of the other options, this is a great alternative for those that don't have the extra cash or the time to wait for a Scatbox or Catbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K3V Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 BTW, what happened to your website, Derek? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 BTW, what happened to your website, Derek? It's still up, though ATTBI was bought by Comcast so the address changed: http://home.comcast.net/~delse/ It hasn't been updated in ages -- but then again I haven't sold a JagLink II in ages -- so I guess it equals out in a funny sort of way.... I still have them available in case anyone is interested -Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K3V Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Ahh, ok...any link I've seen to your site still points to the old address, that's why I thought it was down. Even your WWW link here under your posts goes to the old one Carl should update the link on his site too. Could explain why you haven't sold any in a while! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_J64bit Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 One more thing to point out. There are two different versions of AirCars out there (the one with the parental warning and the one without). Supposedly these two versions cannot be networked together because they contain different networking code that is not compatible with each other. I don't own both versions, so I cannot confirm this. But other people have reported this problem on AtariAge. -Derek You are correct Derek. I recently acquired the KA version and attempted the networking just to "see". It didn't work. Jason Yea you need more copies of KA Aircars to run a KA network of all the AirCars out there this one I wanted to see in a network but anyway ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walter_J64bit Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 You are correct Derek. I recently acquired the KA version and attempted the networking just to "see". It didn't work. What a cruel trick that is, huh? You would think the might have wanted to document that somewhere...like in the manual perhaps.... Form what I know that about the KA AirCars code is different to the Regelar Aircars code so it's possible to the AK Aircars with the Regelar Aircars. I know because I've tried to network AK Aircars and the Regelar Aircars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isgoed Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 To K3V: You said that the Jaglink2 is more reliable then the original Jaglink(1)? In what way, which difference do you notice? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K3V Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 To K3V: You said that the Jaglink2 is more reliable then the original Jaglink(1)? In what way, which difference do you notice? Thanks. Well I don't know if it's a problem with the specific Jaglink that I have, but it would take a lot of messing around with them to get ANYTHING to link up and establish a connection between two Jags. I've got 2 JagLink 2's and I never have that problem - just plug them in, connect the cable and it's done. The JL2 doesn't make Doom run any better, unforunately, if that's what you're getting at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Symmetry of TNG Posted April 3, 2005 Author Share Posted April 3, 2005 Hi! & thanx for replying... Interesting thoughts... and the below is actually a good point.. catnet cant be used with doom since its halfduplex.. This is actually a big question on my mind... any new hardware has to folow old bad/wrong "standards" since it was badly made from the start. example: IF every netbox out there had Full duplex rs485 WITH 1 net ground (as it is supposed to be for minimum noise) then there would be no problem, 256 jaguars (or whatever) up to 4Km apart (or whatever)... but now due to catbox.... ?! it becomes allot of fiddeling to get anything to work... (if it even works).. ---btw anyone got any feeling for how many Catboxes,scatboxes,JagLink2's were sold ?--- come to think of it the JL2 is a nice piece of HW, since it is "N-player" yet 1player (4 doom) at the same time.. Better yet would have been fullduplex rs485 network.... but that would be yet another "standard" ..though better from a technical point of view... ahh well..... I cant get everything I wish for (&btw "if you saw it you could reverse engineer it" ....not realy needed since I could make one from my own ideas ...But that is not my plan... i just wanted to know what its specs were, from keen HW interest.. and a programmers point of view ). about ataris JLink & problem with setup: Wierd.. there should be No problem! since it is such a simple setup.. If there is no loose connections, it should work. Might be the 4 capasitors inside it that is going bad (they usually degrade over time, while the chip breaks & never work) ..So perhapps changing them would help?... cheers! /Sym JagLink 2's rock - I love mine icon_smile.gif Much more reliable than my standard JagLinks ever were. Anyhow, one neat thing about the JagLink II (if I do say so myself) is that you can go from playing N-way Aircars or Battlesphere to playing 2-way Doom without any recabling. The Catbox (and Scatbox?) can't because it uses RS485 which is half-duplex while Doom expects a full-duplex RS232 connection.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justclaws Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Hello, Lots of great replies, but I'll here just post one simple one. I own 2 first-run BattleSphere and 1 BattleSphere Gold carts. Money was much too tight to get a Scatbox/Scatbox Deluxe at the time of release, or subsequently, nor have I ever seen a Catbox in the metal, they seem as rare as they ever were. Ironically, the $ vs. €/£ now would have made a purchase an easy decision, but at release the $ was too high against the €. However, I do own a couple of Jaglinks, and a Jaglink-II, and I've used it to play 3 player BattleSphere games very happily. Jaglink -------- Jaglink-II --------- Jaglink works just fine. I'd really like another Aircars to do the same with that, but I have tested it temporarily with 3 in the past with JL-II as well. Of course Doom also runs fine with Jaglink-II, apart from the occasional errors. (I always find an M series Jags are best.) The Jaglink-II isn't something to show-off to your friends, as a Scatbox Deluxe is, but it's fully functional, well made, and compact, and I have flexible range of standard cables anyway for my video display. I keep wanting to get another Jaglink-II but so far like other recent extras they remain on a wish-list. I'm a player / hobby programmer, not collector, so no rush. Cheers, JustClaws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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