Re: AE PC Transporter Questions...

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

Willie Yeo <willie@singapore.com> wrote:

> In article <3D2B7B9C.F3129EF5@usa.net>, a2forever@usa.net wrote:
> 
> > What exactly is it, an AT (80286) or XT (8088) emulator?
> 
>    It is an XT 8088 emulator, utilising the accelerated NEC 8088 processor.

It is an NEC V30 running at about 7 MHz.  It is more accurately
described as an enhanced 8086, as it has a 16-bit data bus (the 8088 is
only 8 bits).  The enhancements consist of faster instruction execution
and some additional instructions (equivalent to an 80186).

> > 2Mhz clockspeed, Hard disk support, colour, graphics mode: CGA, Hercules,
> > etc?
> 
>    I think it is 10Mhz (if memory serves me right), I don't remember it
> supporting an external harddisk. I vaguely remembers it is either CGA or
> Hercules graphics ... though I think it is CGA (haven't touch my card for
> THAT long !).

CGA.  No hard disk support, except through the emulation scheme (file or
files on a ProDOS volume hosted by the Apple II).

> > How do I get it going and revert back to the
> > standard Apple IIGS mode?
> 
>    You start the emulator using a ProDOS application.

Aptly called STARTAEPC (which launches AEPC.SYSTEM).

You exit from the PC Transporter either via its control panel (accessed
by holding down the shift key and pressing Caps Lock twice, if I
remember right) or with recent enough PC Transporter software there is
an MS-DOS program called BYE.COM included (or it might have been called
something else and I renamed it to BYE for consistency).

> > Do I need an IBM 5.25 inch disk drive/keyboard/monitor/etc attached to
> > use it?
> 
>    You need the PC-Transdrive if you want to access 5.25" PC formatted
> floppies (360k), or a SuperDrive if you want to access the 3.5" PC
> formatted floppies.

I would not recommend trying to connect a SuperDrive to a PC
Transporter.  The PCT doesn't support high density disks anyway (it can
access them if you have a SuperDrive connected to a SuperDrive
controller, and map that as the A: drive).

Applied Engineering had both 5.25" and 3.5" TransDrives available, and
you can also connect an Apple 3.5 Drive, which will support 720K
floppies (not 100% reliably) while the PC Transporter is acting as a PC,
but only 800K (and possibly 400K) while the PC Transporter is acting as
a disk controller for the Apple II.

The TransDrives are standard PC floppy drives with a specially modified
interface.  You cannot connect a standard PC floppy drive directly to
the PC Transporter.

You can connect a genuine PC keyboard to the PC Transporter, if you have
the right adaptor cable (DIN-5 to molex).  It is usually more convenient
(for reasons of space) to use the Apple II keyboard, as long as you are
running on a IIgs and have an extended keyboard.  A real PC keyboard
might be more attractive when using the PCT on a IIe, and it is almost a
requirement when using the PCT on a II+.

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz