Author: Miggy (cache8-renf.server.ntli.net)
Date: 01-14-2004 01:32
Steam Engine is Very good, you may also wish to try SainT. These two are still being updated. There were other ST emulators which are not being updated anymore, such as PacifiST, Echo for DOS. And Stew, WinSTon for Windoze.
There is also Stonx For Unix. (Never used it)
Also you might want to check out Gemulator if you use applications.
There is a newish venture called Arnyam
For all of these you need an Image file of the TOS Roms.
The reason you can't just stick an ST
disk in the drive and have it work in the emulator perfectly is that the ST uses custom disk formats. Luckily the ST standard is closer than some computers but there are loads of problems...
Save yourself the bother if it's a game or the like and serach for the disk image on the net.
Standard 720k MS DOS formatted disks Can be read on an ST (And even formatted from the ST dektop on Tos 1.42 onward). This is fine for transferring small files, unfortunatly most ST disk aren't standard format.It is Common for ST disks to be formatted with 81 sectors, 10 tracks with no file info on the disk due to a protection or just cramming more on the disk :-)
Luckily there are Imaging programs which allow you to read disks track by track in to a file which the emulator can use as a virtual disk.
This can be done either from your PC using a utility such as Makedisk (DOS).
Or Magic Shadow Archive on your ST. (steem disk imager has its own imaging utility too)
If the file is over 720k you may have to split it in two (the steem one does this) and transport over two disks and rejoin at the PC end.
An alternative is to use a serial linkup cable or simmilar.
For loads more info, the steem engine links in the help facility are great to find anything you want. (Or search this forum)
For more info On disk imaging see darren birks page.
http://home.tu-clausthal.de/~ifmar/makedisk/index.pl
I'll leave it at that cos I'm ranting again.
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