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Conference 7.286::atarist

Title:Atari ST, TT, & Falcon
Notice:Please read note 1.0 and its replies before posting!
Moderator:FUNYET::ANDERSON
Created:Mon Apr 04 1988
Last Modified:Tue May 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1433
Total number of notes:10312

470.0. "German ingenuity Again!" by UKCSSE::KEANE () Tue May 09 1989 09:34

    
    Hi, 
    
    In the May 5th STREPORT, is a paragraph from Germany, regarding an
    article in the May ST68000 Magazine, that tells how to increase the
    resolution of the ST screen displays. (800*500 ???) 
    
    Has anyone from Germany or Europe got that article, and would be willing
    to explain how it is done, what software will run with it??
    
    Regards
    
    Pat Keane
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470.1I think I saw it !MUNCSS::BURKEWed May 10 1989 07:474
    I noticed an ST magazine at Munich airport on Monday, which may be what
    you are referring to. I'm going through again on Fri (12th), so I'll
    check it out further.
    Jim Burke
470.2Abstract: 800x500 dotsBERN01::RUGGIEROWed May 10 1989 08:0231
>    article in the May ST68000 Magazine, that tells how to increase the
>    resolution of the ST screen displays. (800*500 ???) 


I read the article and found it *very* interesting. I will post the details
tomorrow (article is at home).

abstract: 
there are Graphic demos by some hackers in Europe where
graphics are displayed above and below as well as to the right and the left of 
the normal screen window. This is done by switching between 50Hz and 60Hz mode
by an interrupt routine at the right moment. (assembler listings and docs were
in the St68000 mag last year) 

Analizing the timing of the signals on the video hardware showed them that one
signal defines a time window during witch the video shifter reads memory and 
shifts the dots (=bits) out to the monitor. The Atari does not use the full
possible timeframe hence leaving blank space around the screen window.

A new signal is generated by logical or-ing two signals via two diodes, one 
transistor, and a resistor. This makes it necessary to reserve more memory
for the video and tell the TOS about it. As per default the GEM is resolution
independant and properly written programs are, too, the new resolution of
800 times 500 is used without problems. The necessary software for the new
memory management is contained on a disk witch must be purchased seperately.
(listing too  long, but ~1200 bytes in hex with checksums every 16 bytes in 
the mag for people who cannot wait until the disk comes out).

MORE INFO FOLLOWS

---markus---
470.3definitely a hackDELNI::GOLDSTEINOmphaloskepsis SocietyWed May 10 1989 21:476
    Some comment on the Usenet about this was that a) it isn't very reliable
    when it works, and b) the software only works with the 6/85 RAM
    TOS (pre-1.0), not the ROM TOS versions now available.
    
    I wouldn't personally know either way...
        fred
470.4here is more infoBERN01::RUGGIEROThu May 11 1989 12:3669
470.5Comment from USENETLEDDEV::WALLACEThu May 11 1989 15:1932
From: atoenne@laura.UUCP (Andreas Toenne)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: increased resolution on normal ST (50%)
Date: 2 May 89 18:40:20 GMT
Organization: University of Dortmund, W-Germany
Posted: Tue May  2 19:40:20 1989
 
In article <4331@watvlsi.waterloo.edu> jparker@watvlsi.waterloo.edu (James Parker) writes:
>In article <2968@sun.soe.clarkson.edu> opielask@sun.soe!clutx.clarkson.edu.UUCP writes:
>>From article <8904291649.AA04850@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>, by HOESEL@HGRRUG52.BITNET:
>>> in the german magazine 'ST magazine' dated 5/89 there is a discription of
>>> a extremely simple and low-cost (2 dollar) change discriped, that gives
>>> the atari a resolution of 840*568 points (on a normal atari monochrome
>>> monitor sm124/125)
 
FOLX!
 
HANDS OFF!!!!
 
I talked to several people who tried this patch. It involves some soldering
on your Atari board and new software. 

However, nobody could claim that this patch works. Obviously the software
is faulty and the hardware patch does not work properly. 

It should expand the 'writing' time of the kathode-beam such that you can
write on the black borders around the screen. But you'll see the beam when
it runs back on the same space in monochrome mode. 
 
	Andreas Toenne
 
P.S. I would like to have such a goodie too
470.6software on usenetCIM1NI::POWERSI Dream Of Wires - G. NumanMon Jun 26 1989 14:187

     The software for this project just came over usenet, you can get the
  sources from comp.sources.atari.st

  Bill Powers