Re: Couple of Apple IIGS questions

[Roger Johnstone <rojaws@es.co.nz>]

In <270520032322453296%john.stringer1@ntlworld.com> John Stringer  wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I've just recently got hold of an Apple IIGS (ROM 01) with a mono
> monitor. Everything seems to be working fine but I have a couple of
> questions to move things forward:
> 
> 1) I've got a Philips RGB monitor that I use with my MSX 2. Presuming 
> I get hold off the relevant cable can I use this monitor with the 
> APPLE IIGS? (I've already got a BW image showing via the composite 
> video connector)

Yes. I've connected my IIgs to my TV that way.

> 2) Are there any suppliers of Apple IIGS monitor cables that could
> supply a IIGS to SCART or IIGS to vga style connector cables?

I doubt it, but if you can solder there are full instructions for making 
one on my site at <http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~rojaws/apple2/index.
html>

> 3) Is it possible to write Apple IIGS disk images to a 3.5 or 5 1/4
> floppies on a PC and then use them in the IIGS?

Only by buying extra hardware. There used to be special controller 
boards available for PCs which allowed them to read and write Apple 
disks. The only board still available that I know of is called the 
Catweasel. It can read and write Apple 5.25" and 3.5" disks, but the 
last I heard the software for the PC version was very limited, it's just 
a few command line utilities for doing low-level access of the disks.

You can also buy a card for the Apple IIgs which can read and write PC 
disks. Apple used to sell a SuperDrive controller card which can read 
and write Apple II, Mac or PC 3.5" 1.4MB disks. SHH Systeme still make 
the BlueDisk controller card. It's expensive, but allows an Apple II to 
use 3.5" and 5.25" PC disk drives instead of Apple drives, and to read 
and write all the PC disks.

> Apologies if these questions are already answered in the FAQ - 
> pointers to the relevant section welcome.
>
> Thanks in advance
> 
> John

-- 
Roger Johnstone, Invercargill, New Zealand

Apple II - FutureCop:LAPD - iMac Game Wizard
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~rojaws/
________________________________________________________________________
"..we discovered that, at least as of a few years ago, every tactical
nuclear weapon in Europe manned by U.S. personnel was targeted by an
Apple II computer. Now, we didn't sell computers to the military; they
went out and bought them at a dealer's, I guess. But it didn't make us
feel good to know that our computers were being used to target nuclear
weapons in Europe. The only bright side of it was that at least they
weren't [Radio Shack] TRS-80s! Thank God for that."

                           Steve Jobs, Playboy interview, 1985