Author: Fat Rakoon (host62-7-41-19.btinternet.com)
Date: 11-03-2001 20:38
Well, they are much like an IBM Clone, except that they are Atari Compatible, and NOT IBM Compatible!
Ok, with Atari, you had basically a few main machines, from the ST, Mega, TT and Falcon, with the ST having a few variations, such as STF, STM, STFM, STE, and the Mega ST was basically an STFM in a box with a separate keyboard, much like a PC, the Mega STE was an STE with 16Mhz instead of the ST ranges 8, with a case similar to the TT but slightly darker, there was the TT which was the fastest at 32Mhz, and the Falcon which was probably the best but its housed in a modified ST case.
A few other differences are that STs basically have 720k floppies, and Mega STE, TT and Falcon have 1.4MB... Very old STs had 360k floppies.
Ok, thats some quick info about the Atari range.
Ok, Clones?
Well, what they mostly do first off, is give you an atari compatible machine, that should hopefully runn all your Atari software, but also give you some extra features that PC users take for granted.
For example, they can have ISA or PCI Ports, also SCSI and IDE ports.
The ST only has a nasty DMA Port, which needs an adapter to use a SCSI Port
The TT has this port, but also a true (?) SCSI Port
The Falcon has both the true SCSI and IDE.
What else?
Another bonus for some, is that Compatibles usually have a far better display capability than any of the ST and TT range, but also the Falcon too, which does have a great display range
ST can do 320x200in16 colors, 640x200 in 4 colours or 640x400 monochrome, the TT can do those but also 3 others, which are 320x480 in 256, 640x480 in 16, and erm, 960x480 in OmniChrome ( cant remember though? )
The Falcon has tons of options depending on what TV/monitor you have! ( there is too many to list, most are completely useless though )
So, the clones often allow you access to all of the usefull ones on a standard (S)VGA screen
So, in short, an Atari Clone takes an Atari capabilities right up there along with an IBM Clone!
Oh, and also they give better speed too, as well as curing the RAM problem by using 72 pin SIMMS and some even use 168Pin Dimms
There are quite a few models too that can cater for all needs ( and pockets )!
I think the first one was the Eagle, this was basically 100% TT Compatible, but had the Hardware ports, that is 32Mhz I beleive? What is the latest? The ColdFire or something? is that somethign like 180mhz perhaps? I know you can read this or that about a clone, and sometimes its a lie or exageration, and sometimes they are far better than they say!
The Eagle was supposed to be naff, and I had one, it was bloody amazing, and ran everything I threw at it
The Milan was supposed to be great, but I hardly use mine, next to bugger all runs on it - it does shift though!
MiNT is ok, but Magic is not, no music programs run on it, which is a shame
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RE: Clones