** 2 pages news / 1433 words ** ** SYSTEM_S.GIF here A new batch of the coveted SoundPool MO4 MIDI output expander, which offers 64 additional channels are in now in stock. ** MO4.JPG here The MO4 uses the parallel (printer) port and clever electronics to achieve unrivalled MIDI timing. Bundles and prices including VAT: ** UL ** * Cubase 3.1: œ249.00 including free 2Mb memory for STe/MegaSTe (Add œ20 for STF/STFM/Mega ST) * MO4: œ149.00 * MO4 and Cubase 3.1: œ349.00 Also in stock are Iomega ZIP drives, specially modified to work on your Atari ST (or SCSI sampler) without any clumsy fly leads to the joystick port. The kit is supplied ready to go, and includes ZIP 100 drive, 25/50-way SCSI adapter, Link 97 host adapter, HD-Driver and one Atari-formatted ZIP disk for œ199.00 including VAT. Finally there are two new CD-R solutions and both include a free upgrade to ExtenDOS Gold (if required), CD Writer (œ39.95), a SCSI cable and five blank CD-Rs. SCSI terminators and non-standard SCSI cables are extra. Price for pack with external cased 2x6 drive (record/read) is œ395.00 or œ439.00 for a 4x6, both including VAT. ExtenDOS Gold and CD Writer cost œ39.95 each or œ59.95 together including VAT plus P&P. Cubase rumour! ** CUBASE.JPG here During an IRC session with the Milan crew one of the Milan guys explained how Steinberg's head honcho, who remains an Atari enthusiast at heart, is prepared to bring a Milan Cubase to light even if he has to do it in his spare time! --- ** A_TIMES.GIF here Recently published their first printed "Special Edition 1" which runs to 44 A5 pages. Issue 1 focuses on tutorials and includes some new tutorials along with some which have appeared on their HTML format disk magazine. The first 50 copies of the special edition are in colour on high quality paper with subsequent copies on black and white paper. A copy, including P&P costs œ2.00 (UK), œ2.50 (Europe), œ3.50 (ROW). All payments must be in Sterling by UK cheque, Postal Order or cash (not recommended) made payable to Colin Polonowski but do check out their web pages for the latest information regarding overseas distribution. 1998 Atari Times Awards Following on from the success of the 1997 awards here's another chance to reward those who support our platform. The categories are: ** UL ** * Best Programmer * Best Commercial Release * Best Shareware Release * Best PD/Freeware Release * Best Game * Best Hardware Add-on * Best Company * Best Non-Profit Organisation * Best Disk Magazine * Best Paper Magazine * Best Web Page * Best Internet Service Provider * Special award for services to the Atari community ** /UL ** You can vote by email, via the web pages or by post. Last year Atari Computing won the best printed magazine award and we'd like to win it again so get those votes in! ** If you can find our winners logo that you got from Titan ** we might as well bung that in here. ** BC ** Colin Polonowski The Croft, Hope Rd, Nibley, Nr Yate, Bristol, BS37 5JH, England. Email polonowski@zetnet.co.uk http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/polonowski/atimes/ ** /BC ** --- Atari Serial Mouse Interface Mario Becroft in New Zealand has announced a Plug&Play Atari serial mouse interface which enables any PC serial mouse to be connected to any Atari ST/e/TT/Falcon or compatible via its mouse port. The interface doesn't require any drivers and supports track-balls, touch-pads and any other Microsoft or Mouse Systems compatible serial pointing device leaving your serial port free for other uses. The interface is a small unit measuring only 4x5x1 cm, with a serial mouse plug at one end, and a cable that plugs into your Atari mouse port at the other end. To install the unit, simply plug it in - no other setup is required. Units are available now directly from Mario and he expects to appoint a UK dealer shortly. Each unit costs œ15 ($25 US) or œ20 ($30 US) including a suitable 3-button serial mouse, both plus post and packing which is around œ4 ($5 US) - contact Mario for a quote. ** BC ** Mario Becroft Email: mb@tos.pl.net PO Box 332, Kumeu, Auckland 1250, New Zealand http://www.pl.net/~mario/ ** /BC ** --- New UK Atari ISP This new provider promises hassle free connection with full Atari support provided by Roy Goring. Features: ** UL ** * Free trial * Fast 56K connection * No engaged tones * Local call rates * Large newsgroup base ** /UL ** PC and Mac users also supported, for a free trial contact: ** BC ** Roy Goring Tel: (0)1705-611847 The Atari WebRing http://atariwebring.home.ml.org ** /BC ** --- ** SOFTJEEC.JPG from AC10 here ** Easy Beat aims to offer features to rival Steinbergs' Beat Box offering on the PC platform. Easy Beat enables rhythms to be composed like a drum machine. Several digital effects including distortion, reverb and echo are included along with many other desirable features. Output options include Easy beat or Digital Tracker song format, MIDI file or audio sound. ** BC ** SOFTJEE, F-47200 LONGUEVILLE, France Tel/Fax: + 33 (0)5 53 83 64 67 Email: softjee@hol.fr http://www.perso.hol.fr/~softjee/ ** /BC ** --- STOS News Although our regular STOS coverage has come to an end we will of course continue to publish any STOS related news. Paul Jones has recently completed the interpreter version of Networld for STOS. This means STOS programs can now be written to utilise the internet via STiNG to communicate with each other. An example application would be multi-player network games... We also understand David Walters is planning to create a special version of Hellgate called HellgateWorld to take advantage of this facility. Contacts: ** BC ** Email: paul.jones31@virgin.net Email: dswalters@dial.pipex.com ** /BC ** --- Raster Generator Plus From 1st September 1998, invers Software, developers of MGI Calamus SL98, have dropped the Raster generator PLUS (RGENPLUS.CXM and RGENPFPU.CXM) from the standard MGI Calamus SL package in Europe. The module has caused too much trouble and the developer has not been able to fix the main bugs in over two years. Users should use the Raster Cache Generator (RASTCACH.CXM in most languages) instead. For more information in the UK contact: ** BC ** Steve Llewellyn IMAGE Applications, Unit 3 Wellesley House, Walmer Castle Road, Deal, Kent, CT14 7NG, UK. Tel: 01304-369364 Fax: 01304-372141 Email: caluser@cix.co.uk www.cix.co.uk/~ips/Calamus.html ** /BC ** --- ** TD_LOGO.JPG here Eclipse, developed by Istari Software of Sweden, exclusively for Titan Designs, is a new graphics expander for the Falcon which offers fast, high-resolution, true-colour displays. Standard PCI graphic cards and can be plugged into the Eclipse adapter which is a two-part design. The main interface plugs into the Falcon expansion connector and an external box houses the PCI graphic card - recased Falcons shouldn't need the external box. Eclipse can support a massive 1600x1200 at high refresh rates depending on the graphic card used and should outperform any currently available graphic adapter. Estimated cost including VDI driver software and graphic card is under œ200 including VAT with availability in October - hopefully for launch at the German Neuss show. ** TEMPEST.GIF here Yet another exciting development by Istari Software in Sweden, exclusively for Titan Designs. Tempest is a simple, inexpensive way, to accelerate a Falcon to achieve amazing performance! Tempest will either employ the latest Motorola "Coldfire" processor development or a 603 PowerPC processor. Initial research indicates this could offer performance around five times faster than an Afterburner040 or x40(!) running native PPC applications. The design will also feature SDRAM support for up to 256Mb memory expansion and an AGP slot for advanced graphics processing - to drive the Eclipse. Processor speeds could between 166MHz to 300MHz. Price and availability are still uncertain but hopefully prototypes will be ready before the end of this year. Titan are changing their online contact details. During the changeover the original details remain valid. The new details are: ** BC ** sales@titan-bss.co.uk tech@titan-bss.co.uk david@titan-bss.co.uk http://www.titan-bss.co.uk ** /BC ** --- Retro computing A new shop of interest to Atari enthusiasts has recently opened its doors. The shop is dedicated to "Retro computing" and is a new venture sponsored by one of London's popular Computer Exchange shops. With Atari machines seen increasingly as cult machines the shop is intending to stock ST's, Falcons, classic Atari consoles alongside other consoles and computers along with a range of software. All machines will be available for viewing and purchasing, together with their games. The new store is located at 153 Whitfield Street, close to Warren Street tube station and the opening hours are from 10am till 6pm Mon-Sat, with Wednesday closing at 1pm in the afternoon. Hopefully once the store establishes itself they'll extend the opening hours to match the opening hours at other Computer Exchange premises. The shop is light and airy and a pleasure to visit so next time you're in London why not drop in and take a look for yourself?