Re: IIGS cards

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article adam.myrow@asu.edu writes...

>The PC transporter is a card that allows one to run really old IBM PC software
>on a Apple IIgs.  It requires PC disk drives that are shipped with it as well
>as some software.    ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    It was recommended you use real PC drives with it (the TransDrive),
but _not_ required. You could hook up an 800K Apple 3.5 drive directly
to the PCT and use that for reading and writing MS-DOS disks (720K MFM).
You would still need a second Apple 3.5 drive connected to the IIgs's
built-in smartport to launch the PCT pre-boot disk though (as well, any
drive connected to the PCT ran very slowly when in Apple mode, so...).

    I have an Apple 3.5 (clone) drive connected to my PCT, but it is a
tad bit flakey. Often it has trouble recognizing many disks inserted, and
any disks formatted by this drive will probably not be usable on a real
PC system. I also have a TransDrive 5.25 connected, for working with
360K 5.25 disks, but it too sometimes acts flakey (might be a defective
drive mechanism, I'll have to try swapping one from an old PC). It is
also possible to create virtual MS-DOS partitions on an Apple hardrive
to use with the PCT. Incidentally, was there ever such thing as a 720K
3.5 TransDrive from AE?

>I am told that it is about equivilent to an old XT or AT.

    Closer to an XT than anything else. "AT" usually refers to 286 class
machines that commonly had 1 MB and EGA (the PCT was basically an 8086
with some 80186, 640K and CGA; non-expandable, other than an 8087 math
co-processor socket on the card).

>would guess that the color-killer is part of the PC Transporter.

    Color killer? It just allowed the AppleColor RGB to be feed a
digital signal (the Apple monitor is analog RGB). With other cables,
it was possible to connect the PCT to NTSC monochrome displays and
real CGA (TTL digital) PC displays too. This was more an option for
Apple II Plus and IIe users.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca