SWP Microcomputer Products ATR8000 Atari 800xl 1200xl 8 Bit Computer CP/M 64k
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:7050034 | Brand: SWP |
SWP Microcomputer Products ATR8000 for Atari 800xl 1200xl 8 Bit computer
I don't know much about this peripheral other than some reading about it online. Was stored indoors for many years.
Appears to allow Atari computers to run CP/M and or act as a super interface to other peripherals.
According to the manual I found online it is jumpered for the higher memory (64k option).
I read if you connect with the sio cable and power it on then the atari and t...hen type LPRINT it should respond with no error codes which it did most of the time when connected to my 800xl. The power transformer (?) seems to make a different noise sometimes and then I get error 140. But usually it responds ready/ok. Sold as is since I really can't test it further.
Includes the autoterm 80 software disk (untested). Nothing else included. I can throw in a standard power cord if you need one.
Please check out my other auctions!Note Priority and Parcel shipping options.Below is a long review from 1984 that talks about this device:The following is a review of a CPM 80 system called ATR8000 and made by acompany called SWP (Software Publishing). The ATR8000 allows the heretoforeleft out Atari user acces to the CPM 80 and 86 world. The Atari computer ishooked up as normal except that the ATR8000 is connected in the same positionthat the Atari 850 interface box would go i.e. between the computer and allperiperals. The 850 box is no longer used (similar in use to the vestigialhuman tail bone now) and the ATR8000 serves as the Atari interface box now.The system can operate in two modes: as a CPM 80 machine or as a normal Atarimachine. I will discuss both systems.When used in the Atari mode, the ATR8000 becomes a super-interface box. TheATR8000 has 1 serial port, 1 parallel port, a standard 25 line disk driveinterface port, an Atari connector for Atari to ATR8000 connection and anAtari connector for ATR8000 to Atari type disk drives. SWP sells a new DOScalled MYDOS which will handle single, Atari double, and true double densitydisks on Atari drives. MYDOS will also allow the connection of just about anytype of drive to the ATR8000 25 conductor drive port and allow Atari files tobe stored on those drives (I am using an IBM PC compatible DDDS drive). Thedrives can be configured in any order and even the IBM drive can be used toboot Atari self booting disks. The parallel and serial port can both be usedfor printers. The serial port can be used for computer to computer or modemconnection. The standard disk port can be used to connect up any 5 1/4 or 8"drive that uses a standard 25 conductor bus. Up to 4 drives can be hooked upto this port. The Atari connector port can be used to do normal Atariperiperal daisey chaining just as the 850 would be used. While in the Atarimode the ATR8000 buffers all output using whatever memory is on the system.So it serves as both a disk and printer buffer thereby freeing the Atarisystem of that I/O wait. In the CPM 80 mode the ATR8000 is a 64k Z 80 CPM machine. The CPM capablesystem must be purchased with the maxed out 64k memory option (16k machinesfor Atari interface use only are available). The 64k system comes with CPM 802.2 and a few utilities. One benny is that it comes with a tailored XMODEMprogram for simple dumb terminal modem use. The CPM system does not come withMBASIC hawever (bummer!). Other included code: CBIOS.ASM, BIOS.ASM, ASM.COM, ED.COM, STAT.COM, DUMP.ASM, DUMP.COM, LOAD.COM, MODEM.COM, SUBMIT.COM, XSUBMIT.COM, DISKDEF.COM (FOR READING OTHER MICRO DISK FORMATS), SYSGEN.COM, DDSYSGEN.COM, DDINIT.COM, and a few others I can't recall now. The CPM systemalso comes with an Atari bootable program that lets the Atari display two 40column windows for a total 80 column display. As an option, SWP will sell youan Atari bootable program which will put a full 80 columns on a monitorconnected to the Atari. In the CPM mode you must have a standard disk driveof some sort to boot the double density CPM system disk. The Atari drivecannot be used to boot CPM. So far the CPM seems to be fairly generic andmodifiable. As an aside the SWP ATR8000 CPM system does not have to use anAtari at all. Inside the box are jumpers to allow the system to be used witha terminal as the keyboard and screen instead of the Atari. I have hooked upan ADDS Regent 100 I have and it works perfectly. They recommend somethingthat is similar to an ADM3. So this system is not only for Atari users. Likethe Atari mode all the interfaces are the same with the terminal (if used)being hooked up at the Atari connector with an Atari to RS232 cable SWP willsell you.
I don't know much about this peripheral other than some reading about it online. Was stored indoors for many years.
Appears to allow Atari computers to run CP/M and or act as a super interface to other peripherals.
According to the manual I found online it is jumpered for the higher memory (64k option).
I read if you connect with the sio cable and power it on then the atari and t...hen type LPRINT it should respond with no error codes which it did most of the time when connected to my 800xl. The power transformer (?) seems to make a different noise sometimes and then I get error 140. But usually it responds ready/ok. Sold as is since I really can't test it further.
Includes the autoterm 80 software disk (untested). Nothing else included. I can throw in a standard power cord if you need one.
Please check out my other auctions!Note Priority and Parcel shipping options.Below is a long review from 1984 that talks about this device:The following is a review of a CPM 80 system called ATR8000 and made by acompany called SWP (Software Publishing). The ATR8000 allows the heretoforeleft out Atari user acces to the CPM 80 and 86 world. The Atari computer ishooked up as normal except that the ATR8000 is connected in the same positionthat the Atari 850 interface box would go i.e. between the computer and allperiperals. The 850 box is no longer used (similar in use to the vestigialhuman tail bone now) and the ATR8000 serves as the Atari interface box now.The system can operate in two modes: as a CPM 80 machine or as a normal Atarimachine. I will discuss both systems.When used in the Atari mode, the ATR8000 becomes a super-interface box. TheATR8000 has 1 serial port, 1 parallel port, a standard 25 line disk driveinterface port, an Atari connector for Atari to ATR8000 connection and anAtari connector for ATR8000 to Atari type disk drives. SWP sells a new DOScalled MYDOS which will handle single, Atari double, and true double densitydisks on Atari drives. MYDOS will also allow the connection of just about anytype of drive to the ATR8000 25 conductor drive port and allow Atari files tobe stored on those drives (I am using an IBM PC compatible DDDS drive). Thedrives can be configured in any order and even the IBM drive can be used toboot Atari self booting disks. The parallel and serial port can both be usedfor printers. The serial port can be used for computer to computer or modemconnection. The standard disk port can be used to connect up any 5 1/4 or 8"drive that uses a standard 25 conductor bus. Up to 4 drives can be hooked upto this port. The Atari connector port can be used to do normal Atariperiperal daisey chaining just as the 850 would be used. While in the Atarimode the ATR8000 buffers all output using whatever memory is on the system.So it serves as both a disk and printer buffer thereby freeing the Atarisystem of that I/O wait. In the CPM 80 mode the ATR8000 is a 64k Z 80 CPM machine. The CPM capablesystem must be purchased with the maxed out 64k memory option (16k machinesfor Atari interface use only are available). The 64k system comes with CPM 802.2 and a few utilities. One benny is that it comes with a tailored XMODEMprogram for simple dumb terminal modem use. The CPM system does not come withMBASIC hawever (bummer!). Other included code: CBIOS.ASM, BIOS.ASM, ASM.COM, ED.COM, STAT.COM, DUMP.ASM, DUMP.COM, LOAD.COM, MODEM.COM, SUBMIT.COM, XSUBMIT.COM, DISKDEF.COM (FOR READING OTHER MICRO DISK FORMATS), SYSGEN.COM, DDSYSGEN.COM, DDINIT.COM, and a few others I can't recall now. The CPM systemalso comes with an Atari bootable program that lets the Atari display two 40column windows for a total 80 column display. As an option, SWP will sell youan Atari bootable program which will put a full 80 columns on a monitorconnected to the Atari. In the CPM mode you must have a standard disk driveof some sort to boot the double density CPM system disk. The Atari drivecannot be used to boot CPM. So far the CPM seems to be fairly generic andmodifiable. As an aside the SWP ATR8000 CPM system does not have to use anAtari at all. Inside the box are jumpers to allow the system to be used witha terminal as the keyboard and screen instead of the Atari. I have hooked upan ADDS Regent 100 I have and it works perfectly. They recommend somethingthat is similar to an ADM3. So this system is not only for Atari users. Likethe Atari mode all the interfaces are the same with the terminal (if used)being hooked up at the Atari connector with an Atari to RS232 cable SWP willsell you.
