Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!sri-spam!sri-unix!hplabs!sdcrdcf!trwrb!sansom From: sansom@trwrb.UUCP (Richard Sansom) Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st Subject: Re: CES News Message-ID: <1520@trwrb.UUCP> Date: Sun, 11-Jan-87 20:04:38 EST Article-I.D.: trwrb.1520 Posted: Sun Jan 11 20:04:38 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 13-Jan-87 05:09:53 EST References: <2135@felix.UUCP> <1517@trwrb.UUCP> <1518@trwrb.UUCP> Reply-To: sansom@trwrb.UUCP (Richard Sansom) Organization: TRW EDS, Redondo Beach, CA Lines: 98 The Atari PC -- "More than just another pretty clone." Las Vegas, NV Jan. 8 -- The audience at this morning's CES press conference was stunned to learn that Atari Corporation, long a manufacturer of proprietary, high-performance home and personal computers, is planning to market an IBM PC-compatible machine. Industry insiders, however, were quick to note that Atari has always been known for bringing state-of-the-art products to market at low prices and for driving the industry by finding and staking out new turf. In this context, it is less surprising that Atari has chosen to bring their special brand of competition where, for the moment, the competition is hottest. "We saw no reason to ignore the fact that there are profits to be made in the IBM PC- compatible marketplace at this time." Says Neil Harris, Atari's Director of Marketing Communications, "especially since it is a different market than the one we are addressing with our high-end, flagship ST systems." Presently, the PC-compatible industry is moving in two directions. At the low end, a group of more-or-less anonymous clone makers are packaging "bare bones" systems for the mail-order market. Buyers of such machines often find that they must add several hundred dollars worth of extra hardware before their "bargain systems" can accomplish useful work. At the high end, clone makers such as Leading Edge and Compaq are providing more complete systems than IBM itself. At prices starting at around $1200 and up, however, these machines can only be considered bargains in comparison with the even higher cost of going with Big Blue. In designing their PC, Atari management decided to run counter to both dominant trends. Instead, they reasoned that by applying new technology and old-fashioned manufacturing leverage, they could bring to market a fully-loaded, state-of-the-art system -- a "here's everything you'll ever need" PC -- at a price-point low enough to undercut even the "el cheapo" clone makers. They appear to have succeeded. The Atari PC, which will retail for "around $500," is a compact and elegant system loaded with features not found on systems costing literally thousands of dollars more. Measuring about 22" square by only 2" high, the Atari PC system unit includes a built-in, half-height 5-1/4" diskette drive and integral power supply. An XT-style keyboard attaches to the unit via a coiled cable. A second 5-1/4" drive or ST-style 3-1/2" drive, capable of reading disks in either ST or IBM format, can be attached externally. But that's just the beginning. The Atari PC comes with 512K of RAM, expandable to 640K via sockets on the motherboard. Standard serial, parallel, and combination video ports, and an ST-style disk port, are all included. A mouse port, based on the Microsoft INPORT chip, is built in, and an ST-type mouse is included with the system. Thus, unlike competing PC-compatible systems, the Atari PC will be able to run PC GEM, Microsoft Windows, and mouse-based programs like Microsoft Word, right out of the box. The Atari PC employs an Intel 8086 microprocessor which can run at 4.77 Mhz and in an enhanced, 8 Mhz, "turbo mode." An 8087 math coprocessor, running at either speed, can be added via a socket on the motherboard. As one would expect, Atari has paid special attention the Atari PC's graphics capabilities. Most low-cost PC compatibles support only the IBM Monochrome mode, and are thus text-only systems. A few of the more expensive clones include IBM Color Graphics Adapter (CGA) and/or Hercules monochrome graphics capabilities. IBM Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) 640 x 350 x 16- color graphics capabilities have, in the past, only been accessible via expensive upgrades to a system's dislay circuitry and the purchase of costly high-resolution monitors. Moreover, purchasers of the supposedly downward-compatible EGA enhancements have often been disappointed to discover that IBM-style EGA isn't as downward compatible as they hoped -- some CGA software won't run. Yet, Atari has managed to shoehorn IBM Monochrome, CGA, EGA, and Hercules graphics capabilities into the Atari PC. Besides the fact that the Atari PC is the only PC-compatible to include EGA graphics as a standard feature, Atari's Shiraz Shivji notes: "our EGA is completely downward-compatible with CGA. As a result, users will experience no compatibility problems when using the lower graphics modes." What's more, Atari has announced a $200 monochrome greenscreen monitor for use with the Atari PC that can display all its graphics modes; including the high resolution EGA color mode, using intensity gradients (gray scales) to represent colors. This is the first monitor that incorporates these capabilities. "The monitor is intelligent," says Shivji, "and recognizes the frequency of signals coming from the combination video port, adjusting itself appropriately to display whatever kind of text or graphics the machine produces." The Atari PC is virtually 100% compatible with software available for the IBM PC and XT. While its slimline housing provides no room for mounting internal circuit cards, it is doubtful that more than a handful of users will require more capabilities than the machine provides in its off-the-shelf configuration. For those who do, Atari intends to provide an external expansion box in the near future. -- __________ ______ ____ _____ ___ /_________//___ ||__|/____|/__/ Richard E. Sansom ___ ____/ / ____________ TRW Electronics & Defense Sector / / / /\ < | /| / One Space Park Drive, R3/1028 / / / / \ \ | / | / Redondo Beach, CA 90278 /__/ /__/ \__\|__/ |__/ ...{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!trwrb!sansom