Re: PC Transporter Question

[dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <1993Dec9.195856.1@acad2.alaska.edu> astdm@acad2.alaska.edu writes:
> (I posted this by accident on the comp.apple2.marketplace base)
>  
> I have a PC Transporter on my GS but I can't use it because I don't have a RGB
> monitor (monochrome - yuk).

Actually, you can use a monochrome monitor with the PC Transporter on
a IIgs.  It just isn't very easy.  I did this when I first got my PC
Transporter, which was a second-hand one that had previously been used
on a IIe.  I used the card with a monochrome monitor while the
ColorSwitch was on order.

This is a lot easier to do if you have the IIe installation kit,
because it includes a convenient cable.  Without this, you'll have to
make the cable up yourself.

The basic idea is to connect the two-pin composite video output on the
PC Transporter to a composite video cable.  If you're using a
composite monitor on your IIgs, you'll either need to change cables
whenever you enter or leave the PCT, or connect a second monitor to
the PCT (this is what I did).

The two-pin molex connector on the PCT (next to the ten-pin male
connector for the IIe keyboard interface) is the one that you need to
connect the monitor to.  The top pin is ground (which should go to the
shield on the monitor cable) and the bottom pin is the composite video
signal (which should go to the middle pin of the composite video
connector).

> Anyway, I thought I saw a post a few days back saying you can use the
> transdrive (I have the duo 5.25" disks) as an Apple 5.25".  Did I
> read this wrong or can you use it for Apple disks?  If so, please
> explain how this is done.  In the post someone asked about the disk
> constantly running (which mine does).

No, you can't use a 5.25" TransDrive to access Apple-formatted 5.25"
disks.  The 5.25" TransDrive is a 360k MFM drive, and it cannot deal
with the Apple II disk format.

The "constant running" is normal, and should not be tampered with.
-- 
David Empson                                                               
dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz                                                
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand