Re: Diamond Trackstar E

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Karl Asha writes ...
> 
> I just picked up a Diamond Trackstar E at an auction, which for all
> intents and purposes is a IIe and z80 on a pc card. It comes connectors
> for apple drives, joysticks, monitors, etc, and some ms-dos drivers.
> 
> The last known location that was distributing these things seems
> to have been Tandy. What I'm trying to find is some sort of technical
> information for the card so as to allow me to write a linux driver for
> it.
> 
> Anyone ever run across one of these and know more about the inner workings
> of them?
>
 ....


     Can't believe I forgot the new FAQs resource file on Trackstar by
Bill Whitson. It is not all that long and may answer your questions; so,
it is reproduced below.

 
Rubywand


________________________


TrackStar Questions & Answers

Csa2 FAQs-on-Ground resource file: R022TRKSTAR.TXT


The Csa2 (comp.sys.apple2) usenet newsgroup Frequently Asked
 Questions files are compiled by the Ground Apple II site,
 1997, 1998.

ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/Faqs
http://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/2/apple2/Faqs

The Csa2 FAQs may be freely distributed.

Note: To correctly view tables and diagrams on a super-res display,
 use a mono-spaced Font such as CoPilot or PCMononspaced.

____________________________




    The TrackStar FAQ v1.3.1  (Last Update: 5/15/97)

                    by Bill Whitson 



This FAQ is maintained by Bill Whitson <bill@booster.u.
washington.edu> Please mail any addition or corrections
directly.  An updated version of the FAQ is always available
via anonymous FTP at 140.142.225.27 in the directory
/pub/trackstar as ts.faq.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information
presented is correct and complete but this a document is in
a state of constant revision and much of the info is second
hand.

Note that the author of this FAQ posesses only a Trackstar
128 and cannot necessarily verify information regarding other
models.

1. What's a TrackStar?
   1.1 What kind of Apple does it emulate?
   1.2 What models were made?
2. Does it work?  Well?
   2.1 How compatible is it?
   2.2 Can it transfer Apple <-> PC files?
3. How can I get one?
   3.1 How much is it worth?
4. What do I need to run a TrackStar?
   4.1 What do I need for a disk drive?
   4.2 What operating systems will it work with?
5. What did the TrackStar originally come with?
   5.1 What's the latest driver version?
6. I just got a TrackStar board with no ccessories...
7. Pinout Diagrams

1. What's a TrackStar?

A TrackStar is a single board Apple 2 computer that plugs into
an expansion slot in a PC Clone.  With this board (and an A2
disk drive) a PC can run Apple II software.

1.1 What kind of Apple does it emulate?

That depends on the model.  The TrackStar uses the original
ROMs - liscensed from Apple.  The rest of the hardware is fairly
standard.  Running a TrackStar is essentially the same as
running an Apple II and is even superior to some of the better
Apple clones as it uses the original ROMs.

1.2 What models were made?

Model           Emulates    Interface    RAM    HD Support
----------------------------------------------------------
TrackStar       Apple II+   8-bit ISA    64K       No
TrackStar 128   Apple II+   8-bit ISA   128K       No
TrackStar +     Apple II+   8-bit ISA   128K       No
                              or MCA
TrackStar E     Apple IIe   8-bit ISA   128K      Yes

TrackStar Computer?  There has been rumor that a full
TrackStar computer system was made.  I have never seen one
or had it's existence confirmed.

2. Does it work?  Well?

It works very nicely.  It's two major faults (which
aren't too much of a problem): 1. It's ability to use
PC drives is not impressive.  It is only an effective
Apple II with an Apple II disk drive attached.  2. It's
ability to use a PC monitor is not terribly impressive
either.  A composite monitor attached to the port on
the card is much better.

2.1 How compatible is it?

Given that I've not found any software that it won't run
I would have to say it's very compatible.  It has a 
strange bug that sometimes causes programs to display on
a slightly compressed screen.

2.2 Can it transfer files Apple <-> PC

Yep.  It works great for that.  I used to use it to
make disk images of A2 disks on my PC.  It has been
pointed out that some of the serial transfer programs
written to faciliate the creation of disk images for
A2 emulators are just as easy or easier than using the
TrackStar.  The major advantage of the TS is that you
don't need to keep an Apple 2 around.

3. How can I get one?

Careful searching and liberal applications of cash.
Diamond Computers (today Diamond Multimedia) made them,
but it's no longer manufactured or supported. Radio Shack
sold them for a while - which is where mine came from.