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 raises the question 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 many options; one of the best is ParCp-USB by Petr Stehlik. This device plugs into the ST's parallel port and features a Mini USB socket, allowing the Atari to 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.

You're probably wondering about transfer rates compared to some of the newer options. Well, the parallel port was never gonna be a super-zippy option because it wasn't designed for that. Thankfully, for the most part, Atari ST files are smaller than those on modern computers, so keep that in mind when looking at this:

• Typical transfer speeds from my Mac --> ST are around 20Kb/sec.
• And around 15Kb/sec when transferring something from my ST --> Mac.
• ( Please note: my speed tests were done using my 8MHz Atari ST w/Ultrasatan )

Regardless, PARCP scores because of its excellent user interface, ease of use, and reliability. This is a fantastic product that I use daily because it makes transferring files a doddle. Highly recommended!!