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ATM Turbo 2+ v7.10 is the most refined example of 8-bit technology. It's
fully compatible with all the software from original ZX Spectrum 128K.
Standard Speccy 128 INT, all the extra ports are locked out in Spectrum 128
mode. It comes with built-in TRDOS controller (aka Beta 128), so you can run
all the demos and games made in Russia, as well as russian TRDOS adaptations
of popular foreign games. It also comes with full support for CP/M, with
hard drive support and everything. Under CP/M, a number of extensions are
available, which made this computer equal or better then PCs of comparable
price back in it's commercial lifetime (1992-1997). There are some games,
made for this extended mode, which look and sound much better then a PC AT
with EGA adapter and AdLib could ever manage (Prince of Persia and Goblins).
All the professional CP/M software runs from hard drive, so no slow floppies
for Turbo Pascal 3.0 programs, your SuperCalc tables or large WordStar
documents. This computer can operate in two modes: 3.5MHz (Normal) and 7.0
MHz (Turbo). It comes with 1MByte of RAM and on-board IDE, Centronics and
RS232 ports. Turbo mode is really great for programming tasks or for demo
coding. ATM Turbo has a protected PLM on board, which wasn't cracked by
pirates durian the hey-days of spectrum clones in Russia. This is why it's
not as distributed as Pentagon. But the quality of design and implementation
is unparalleled. Even the original speccy 128 didn't ever came near this
level of quality.

I don't try to push this platform. It was my dream computer back in 1994,
and I wasn't able to afford it back then (it costed more then four salaries
of my both parents). Now that I'm in Canada, the most wonderful country in
this world, I can afford 1000 ATM-Turbo computes if I want, but I ordered
only two

I don't even think western users can truly appreciate this platform, so if
anyone of you is not sure, by all means don't buy it, you're not worthy
For selected few who will get their hands on it, I can only say I'm happy
for you, because you've got yourselves the ultimate speccy machine. Sprinter
is faster, but it's not the true silicon, too many things are approximated
with reduced number of logical gates in FPGA.

I realize that term "ATM" sound funny in English, since it's a common
acronim used for the bank machines, but in Russia people aren't familiar
with nuances of English as well as in western world. ATM was the name of the
company, which originally licensed design from MicroArt (designers of ATM
Turbo systems). Both ATM and MicroArt stopped production of Z80 based system
back in 1997 due to onslaught of Pentiums. In 2003 Maxim Timotin, the owner
of russian ATM-Turbo tribute web-site (http://atmturbo.narod.ru/), got the
secred code for PLD and the full board layout from MicroArt. MicroArt
(http://www.microart.com/) still exists, but they are specialized in
industrial strengh electric power generators and universal EEPROM/FLASH/PIC
programmers. Maxim Timotin and his friend Roman Chunin (an experienced
electronics expert with lot's of interest in 8-bit systems) decided to
produce two small prints of last stable revision of ATM Turbo 2+ motherboard
(version 7.10). This version is free of all known errors.

I will translate manuals to english, even though I received some silly
reactions from lonely people trying hard to be funny and failing miserably
at it. I'm sure true Spectrum enthusiats will appreciate the work.

Thanks,

Adrian

если есть возможность "поднажать" на документацию, то сделай это

Subject: Sam clones?

Sam wasn't cloned for several reasons:

1) not much Sam-exclusive software, mostly Spectrum 48/128 titles, so no one gave a **it about it
2) Sam doesn't use TRDOS, and all russian speccy clones with disk drives used TRDOS
3) higher level of complexety. The only expensive chip in Spectrum 128 clones was AY. Even Z80 had a cheap Russian analog. Price was the most critical point to russian speccy users
4) Russians had their own excellent extended speccy clones:
- Leningrad, Pentagon, ATM-turbo and TURBO 2+ (MicroART designs);
- KAY-256 and KAY-1024 (Nemo);
- Moskva, Scorpion ZS-256 and ZS-256 Turbo (Zonov)
- Kvorum BK-04, 128, 128+ and 1024
- Profi 1.x / 2.x / 3.x and 4.x (aka Pro)

and periferials like SMUC and General Sound, which are far superior to Sam's design, yet very price conscious.

Unfortunately low prices for PC on one side and supercheap and easy to use NES clone "Dendy" on the other side efficiently destroyed massive Spectrum market of 1989-1993 in 1994. A reasonably small, but sufficient market existed up until 1998, with users happy with Spectrums up until the rise of FidoNet and then later dialup Internet. After this it just wasn't profitable. The only company which still tried to sell spectrum-compatible hardware was Peters, but with very few sold Sprinters and high production costs they quit it in 2003.

Luckily for people who want a high quality Spectrum 128K compatible semi-professional computer, NedoPC produced 28 new TURBO 2+ motherboards, and most of those are already preordered.

Sam is only interesting to people, who used it back in it's commercial life. I'm talking about real users, not the silly damnable old computer collectors, who don't know **it about it, and can't care less as long as "item" is in good condition and "seems to power up". The collectors will burn in hell for the terrible sin of depriving real users from their favourite computers

If you are truly interested in building new Sam Coupe clones, provide NedoPC with project funding, several sample Sam Coupe computers, logic analyser and/or VHDL/Verilog code of all the ASICs, full PCB layout and electronic schematics (service manual in decent condition will do), and you'll get your wish granted.

Otherwise, forget it.

>> Sorry, no Sam Clone that I have heard of, not enough Asic chips and nobody
>> to pay to make some. Besides, I'd imagine the chip is still protected by the
>> law.
>
> I don't think the legality of it would be a major concern for any
> would-be clone manufacturers in Eastern Europe - it certainly didn't
> stop them from coming up with illegal Spectrum clones.

2) Sam doesn't use TRDOS, and all russian speccy clones with disk drives used TRDOS

Sorry, no Sam Clone that I have heard of, not enough Asic chips and nobody to pay to make some.

Кроме того предварительный заказ даже на эмулируемый Sam Coupe составил примерно 40 машин. Причем опрос производился только в одном форуме любителей Sam Coupe.

И кстати никто тебя не держит за руки - сделай прошивку Сэма под Спринтер!

К сожалению держат за руки - и очень крепко. Шаблон прошивки Спринтера до сих пор не опубликован, хотя, насколько я помню, Иван над ней работал и Петерс на самом деле хотел ее опубликовать.