I/O BOARD
CARTRIDGE CHAOS
I recently purchased Thorn/EMI's Jumbo Jet Pilot game because the salesman assured me that it would work on my Atari 1200XL. I soon discovered, however, that the cartridge would not even plug into my computer! After investigating, I determined that the cartridge's case was preventing it from loading properly. The following illustrations show how I modified my Thorn/EMI cartridge. It plugs in now, and seems to play well (though I haven't mastered the game yet).
Bruce Whiteside
Woodridge, IL
TOGGLE TROUBLE
I've suffered through a lot of frustration at the hands of the Atari logo key -- the key that toggles the inverse-video mode on and off. I've come up with a simple solution to this problem that I'd like to share with other ANTIC readers. I simply inserted a routine at the beginning of the vertical blank that checks to see if the Atari logo key has been pressed. If it has, my routine presses it again (internally, of course), thus turning the inverse-video mode off. The prograin follows :
10 For I=1541 TO 1553: READ X:POKE I,X: NEXT I
20 DATA 174,176,128,208,5,162,0,142,182,2,76,5,233
30 POKE 549,6
Tim Miltz
Indiana, PA
A SCREEN DUMP, PLEASE
At the suggestion of the Atari Hotline, I'm writing to ANTIC for information that I've been unable to find anywhere else. I'm looking for a printer-driver or SAVE routine, in either machine language (6502) or BASIC, that will enable me to transfer screen graphics from an Atari 800 with a disk drive to an Epson (or similar) printer with bit-mapped graphics. Can you help me?
James I. Taylor
Nashua, NJ
Yes. See Jerry White's screen Dump" in this issue. - ANTIC ED
THE BEST OF ANTIC
I think your magazine is wonderful, especially the arcade-style games that appear in each issue! If possible, I'd like to obtain reprints of the following games: Chicken (ANTIC, April 1982), Death Star (ANTIC, June 1982), Speed Demon and Frog (ANTIC, October/November 1982). Thank you for your help.
Mark Bing
Smyrna, GA
You're in luck! The games you mentioned are no longer available in magazine form, because the stocks of our first four issues have been completely depleted. But three of the games you've requested, along with Bats and six brand-new arcade-style games, are now available in a new book from ANTIC, "The Best of ANTIC, Volume 1." This collection of the most popular programs and feature articles from our first year of Publication is available at many local bookstores and computer stores, or you can order it directly from ANTIC. For only $12.95, this ANTIC anthology should keep you playing games for a long time to come. - ANTIC ED
BACK ISSUE BLUES
I would like to obtain ANTIC issues 1, 2, 3 and 4 (Volume 1), and these issues are no longer available through the publisher. Is there anybody out there who has copies of any of these issues and is willing to part with them? I'll pay up to $4.00 per issue for copies that are in reasonably good condition.
Kent R. Redding
Sandy, UT
We're always glad to hear that our back issues are still popular. If anyone is interested in Kent's offer, write to him in care of ANTIC and we'll see to it that he gets your letter. Note that much of that material appears in our book, "The Best of ANTIC, Volume 1." ANTIC ED
QUESTION-MARK QUESTION
Is there any way to blank out the question mark that results fron an input statement (other than positioning a blank space where it would be)?
Jeff Dreyer
Tacoma, WA
See several solutions by Harvey Bernstein in the May 1983 issue (ANTIC, I/O Board, page 6). --ANTIC ED
REACH OUT!
This past summer, my family and I visited friends in another part of the country. During the trip I stopped in at an Atari store in the hope of trading programs with someone and perhaps making a friend in the process. It worked! I now have a "computer pal," and I've discovered that people in other states know about different publications, magazines and software sources than we do in Ohio. I enjoy getting new programs and new ideas through the mail.
With this in mind, I wonder if there are other ANTIC readers who would be interested in finding computer pals. Perhaps ANTIC could start a new section for people to write in to for this purpose.
Randy Raymond
Dunkirk, OH
ANTIC will consider starting such a service if there is sufficient reader interest in a feasible plan. Please let us know whether you want such a service and how you would like to see it run. Would you like a "Computer Pal" classified section in the magazine? Would you like to have ANTIC randomly reroute your "Computer Pal" letters to other readers who are interested in making new computer friends? Send your comments or suggestions to PALS, care of ANTIC, 524 Second St., San Francisco, CA 94107. - ANTIC ED
SAVE IT FIRST
If I type in a machine language program, what do I have to do before I press RUN? I read somewhere that you have to save your program twice. Is that true!
A. Batek
Don Mills, Ontario, Canada
A machine language program, if presented in a magazine to be typed in, is usually written in a form called assembly language. It must be typed in, then assembled, and then you must specify the address at which the program is to start running.
Most of the programs we print, however, are written in BASIC. After typing one in, you should SAVE at least one copy on tape or disk before typing in RUN and pressing [RETURN]. The reason for this is that RUNning a program can lock up your computer. If this happens, and your program was not SAVEd, you have to type in the entire program again. Saving two copies of the program is a good idea, because it gives you an extra backup in case something happens to one of them. -ANTIC ED
APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE
I've been a regular reader of your magazine for about a year -- though not a subscriber - and I want to thank you for your help. ANTIC got me through the "beginner" stage, and I'm grateful for it. The only reason I'm not a subscriber is that most of the other computer magazines I've read publish issues occasionally that can only be described as "dogs." But you've been going strong for over a year now with not even a bark!
ANTIC is terrific -- not only the feature articles and the games, but the reviews as well. Your review of Miner 2049er (ANTIC, page 87, February/March 1983) convinced me to buy the game, and I've yet to regret the decision.
Ellen Keyt
Mt. Clemens, MI
A TYPEWRITER/PRINTER?
Would you recommend buying one of the new electronic typewriters that can also interface with a computer and function as a printer? I'm particularly interested in the Brother Correctron CE50. How does it compare to other printers in quality and price? Is it difficult to use with an Atari 800?
Edwin H. Reveche
Baldwin Park, CA
The Brother Correctronic CE50 electronic typewriter is one of many typewriters that come with an optional computer interface. Virtually all manufacturers of typewriters are making models with this feature; many, like Brother, are designed specifically to be used as a computer printer. Its print mechanism (without the keyboard) is used in several printer models.
Hooking up the Brother to the Atari is simple - you can get the typewriter, interface box and Atari 850 cable as a package and simply plug them together. The interface box is an attractive unit with a standard Centronics-style plug. It automatically goes on when the printer does. Any word-processor that allows you to use a "dumb" printer should work with this setup -- AtariWriter and Letter Perfect both work well.
The Brother provides high-quality daisywheel print. Other advantages include a one-year warranty, local service and easy availability. However, like all daisywheel printers, it is very slow, printing at 12 CPS. Daisywheels are expensive ($25) and the only easily-obtained ribbon is a carbon-film, non-reuseable one ($6) that produces high-quality print, but only about 20 pages worth.
The typewriter is available at discount stores for $399 or less, and the interface costs about $200. This combination is an outstanding buy if you need highquality print, need to use a typewriter occasionally, and don't mind the slow speed. (This information was submitted to us by Michael Dunn, president of Atari Computer Enthusiasts of Eugene, Oregon, and a long-time friend of ANTIC.) --ANTIC ED