PARCP

PARCP running on my Mac (the Mac is shown on the left side and the Atari ST on the right)

Get your Atari ST talking!!

After all these years, owning an Atari ST is still a joy - plus I feel like a teenager again!! However, this means I have the problem of how to get games and other programs running on my ST. After all, it's not like I can pop to the shops or swap disks with friends like we did back in the day. If only I had a time machine...

Anyhow, the internet is stuffed with ST disks but we're left with the problem of getting them from the Mac/PC onto the ST (whether it's using floppies or a hard drive). Heck, it might be the most awesome 16-bit computer on the planet but it has no ethernet, USB, or WiFi. Argh, how can we get these files onto the ST?

There are a few options; one of the best is ParCp-USB by Petr Stehlik. This little device plugs into the ST's parallel port and features a Mini USB socket so the Atari can connect to a Mac or PC. The only decision to make is which of your computers you want to act as the "master" or "slave". I run my ST as the master whilst the Mac acts as the slave. Watch the video recording I've made for a better idea of how it works.

Atari computers with only a floppy drive will be too slow and will not work. You need a hard drive or an Ultrasatan. However, you can easily use a RAM disk if you have enough spare.

ParCP-USB is a fantastic product that makes transferring files a doddle. Highly recommended!!