Newsgroups: comp.sys.transputer
From: mafrech@zedat.fu-berlin.de (Martin Frech)
Subject: RE: ATW Outsale
Organization: Free University of Berlin, Germany
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 1994 19:35:32 GMT
Message-ID: <O0WUBWPQ@math.fu-berlin.de>


Hi there, got some more information about the ATARI ATW and the farmcards.

In fact, the farmcards ARE equipped with 4 T800, each with 1MB RAM.

The farmcard itself looks similliar to PC-ISA-Slotcard, but the connector is 
not compatible (electrically and mechanically).

The farmcards design is straightforward, a single 5Mhz Oszillator, 4T800, each 
with a line of 1MB Memory (DIL-Chips) beside them.
The upper side of the card seems to carry these standard link-connectors that 
are also on the INMOS, Microway, etc. ISA-Boards.

Seems that 8  Links are brought to these connectors, four are 
hardwired (??) beetween the four T800 (the last recconnects to the first), and 
the rest of them are brought to the slotconnector. 

As far as my current information goes, the pinning of this connector should 
be availlable from Perhelion, maybe as well as additional information.
Anyone from Perhelion around ?

So far, I only have a picture of the board, so this is a coarse guess ...

There's very little gluelogic on the board, I can only identify the neccessary 
latches for the memory interface, that means that probably the board needs 
only a 5V Powersupply, connection to a host-system, and off it goes ...

I will receive one card in the next days, and my guess prooves, I will get a 
few more of them, I hope I will be able to post the distributors adress and 
faxnumber tomorrow.

I there is any need for simple interfacing, I will try to find out the 
neccessary things and public them, or, supply ready_to_go cards with 
powersupply and interfacing to anyone interested.

I will also try to get a decent off for a larger number of cards, so, if 
anyone interested to make a bargain, please mail me, I need to estimate on the 
amount of interest.

btw - I have an article here describing the ATW architecture, for me it seems 
that the other parts of the ATW that are also sold out are not very 
interesting. It's a complicated design with another T800 on it, various I/O, 
etc., but, as in_depth information about these parts might be hard to obtain, 
it's better not to get them.

Anyway, the only piece of software likely to be run on a complete 
configuration is an old version of Perhelions helios, and very little 
documentation is availlable for it.

stay tuned,

martin

