Atari USB Interface

[airship]

Has anyone seen this? Could the design be adapted to the C128?

eBay auction: http://tinyurl.com/3awntd
home page: http://www.atarimax.com/
product page: http://www.atarimax.com/sio2pc/documentation/index.html



Here's what the blurb says:

This new interface design combines the Atarimax SIO2PC and ProSystem interfaces all in one professionally made USB interface!

This interface lets you use the peripherals of your PC on your Atari 8-bit computer.

This means you can create  large 'virtual hard disks' for your Atari, boot directy from the PC without using floppy disks, use your PC's printer, use your PC's internet connection and more!

Works with any Atari 8-bit computer including the Atari 400, 800, All XL Series, All XE Series, XEGS, etc.

Just by combining this interface with your Atari and Windows PC USB port you can:

    * Transfer files to and from your Atari and PC.
    * Save your Atari data to the PC, save your important data on CD-ROM, DVD, or however you please! Never fear losing your data to old dying media again.

Simulate hardware for your Atari computer:

    * Boot your Atari right from the PC.
    * Unlimited disk space for your Atari using the PC. Want eight 16 megabyte hard drives on your Atari, no problem, the software does it all!
    * Print to your PC's modern printer from your Atari. Prints to anything you can hook to the PC.
    * Connect to the internet from your Atari computer using your PC's internet connection!
    * Much more!

Interface construction:

    * High quality real Atari SIO Jack! No need to destroy an SIO cable to use this interface!
    * Professionally designed and manufactured interface. Drives the Atari SIO bus the correct way.
    * Can talk directly to Atari disk drive, without need to attach Atari computer to PC!
    * Guaranteed for life, free repair or replacement if it ever fails.
    * Brand New 6 Foot USB Cable INCLUDED FREE!

Compatibility:

    * Constructed and pre-tested for 100% compatibility with APE for Windows software.
    * APE for Windows runs on Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP and Windows Vista.
    * Supports high speed I/O modes of many enhanced disk drives.

[Guest]

The Atari SIO bus is a completely different animal than Commodore's IEC bus.  About the only thing that's the same is the fact that they both user a form of Serial communication.

In my mind, the SINGLE best decision that Atari ever made with their computers was standardizing on RS-232 for the physical transport of the SIO bus.  As all of the guys who have ever worked on IEC-to-PC solutions will tell you, the IEC bus's physical transport is an absolute nightmare in comparison.

[airship]

Sounds like it would have to work off the C='s user port, which would require drivers. Maybe with a companion ROM/cartridge for the OS side?

Still a cool little board.

Atari - how I hate them! :förbannad: