Re: AE PC Transporter Questions

[Charlie <charlieDOTd@verEYEzon.net>]

On 11/20/2012 1:00 PM, Tempest wrote:
> I've always been interested in the PC Transporter card.  The ability to have an early IBM CGA style machine in my IIgs would be very handy as I like to play some of those old PC games still (I use a PCjr for this purpose right now).  I have some questions about this card though:
>
> 1. How rare are they and how expensive would it be to get a working setup (card and disk drives)

I've been told mine (without drives) is worth about $300 (to a 
collector).  That's the card, manual, colorswitch (needed if you are 
going to use the IIgs RGB monitor), and the VHS installation tape.  I 
don't have the original box.

> 2. How compatible is the card with games?  I'd be interested in running very old PC games on it, not productivity software.  I assume as long as the game followed IBM's standards it would run.

I don't remember running many games, but I'd guess they'd be compatible. 
 Everything I tried ran fine.  I even ran Windows 3.0 on it once just 
for the heck of it.  It ran fine other than being very slow.
My PCT had a V30 processor (8086 compatible), has a socket for a 8087 
coprocessor and has its own RAM (768K).

> 3. Is it true you have to use special 5.25" drives with the card?  Are those drives impossible to find now?

You can use an Apple 3.5" drive and it will work with both the PCT and 
the Apple.  You can NOT use a UniDisk 3.5".  As for 5.25" drives the PCT 
uses its own "TransDrives" but I believe they are the same mechanism as 
a PC drive but with different case and cables (I never had a TransDrive 
so I could be wrong). They are daisy chained if more than one drive is used.

> I know it's just cheaper to keep an old PC around, but I really would like to try this. :)

Yes, its cheaper to use an old PC.  I don't use my PCT anymore, but it 
was a cool card in its day.

Charlie