Author: 0 (0)
Date: -0
For all Atari users who want an FAST Atari
"clone", capable of running most ST programs,
and even Falcon APPs(that not requires a DSP)
I can recommend an good old MAC with 040 CPU,
running MagiCMAC and Jinnee desktop. Very tasty!
I think this is more Atari compatible than those "clones"...
And MMAC can read Atari partitionned HDīs,
just hook some up, and the icons will be there :)
MagiC is fully multitasking, so while on the
internet with CAB (which is superfast here)
you can start unZIP/unLZH downloaded stuff,
burn a CD in the burner, listen to another
CD from the reader, make some graphics with
SMURF, and do lotsa other great stuff, all at
the same time... :-) If you connect an SVGA
screen instead of some Apple monitor, the
machine is capable of great resolutions...
(-AND itīs STill very very fast)
And thereīs no limit of amount of RAM, either :)
My Quadra 800 (040/33 overclocked to 45MHZ)
(Yes, the 040 can go much higher than 45MHZ,
but the Quadra hardware wouldnīt hang on...)
runs MagiC/NVDI/Jinnee in 800x600, and then
if I want to go 1024x768, just flip a switch
on the monitor adaptor plug. (have to restart)
The adaptor plug is very easy to build,
itīs just 2 connectors, and the switch.
MAC people has abandoned these nice machines
for IMACs & such, so they are almoST for free
these days. I tried an ad in the local paper,
and I got a whole bunch. All haveing 040...
Donīt do the mistake to try a "ppc" Mac, though!
An 75 or even 150MHZ "ppc" will run MagiC,
but much slower than even our 16MHZ Falcon.
(I have tested that, so I know)
This is because it have to *emulate* a 68K...
____________________________-------_______
Erm, this brings us back to the Atariclones
debate; Emulating of CPUīs ALWAYS slows things
down very much. IF we want an "decent Atari",
we MUST stay 68K, we have no choice if we donīt
want to write a new OS, and completely new APPīs.
And again, that would be no Atari, would it?
But hey, a CPU card with four 68030/50MHZ-each
CPUs, can behave like ONE 200MHZ 030, thatīs crazy!
And the same thing could be done with... 040īs, too.
(All it takes is some simple clock multiplexing, he he)
Now, try some Atari softs on some 040 MAC+MagiC/NVDI,
and feel the speed, itīs there already at 25-33MHZ!
And then after a while, when you STart wishing
for just a liīl bit more software compatibility,
then itīs high time for a REAL clone, with a DSP,
with SDRAM, and with some modern interfaces... ?
(...and why not two/four 040īs? Like 133/266MHZ)
BTW, isnīt SDRAM limited to 133MHZ? -I think so...
Perfectly suitable for two 040īs then. Coincident?
So:
-Why give up on the beST platform there is???
(are we afraid of gates, or what)
What happened to "long live Atari!", "Atari rules!" aso?
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There ARE alternatives for Atari clones new
