Happy drives

Last updated

Happy drives are series of disk drive enhancements for the Atari 8-bit and Atari ST computer families produced by a small company called Happy Computers. Happy Computers is most noted for the add-in boards for the Atari 810 and Atari 1050 floppy disk drives, which achieved a tremendous speed improvement for reading and writing, and for the ability to backup floppies. Happy's products were among the most popular Atari computer add-ons. They were still in use and active in the aftermarket as of 2009. [1] [2]

Contents

Happy Computers

Happy Computers
FormerlyHappy Computing
Industry Disk drive enhancements
Founded1982;42 years ago (1982)
Founder Richard Adams

Happy Computers was formed in 1982 by Richard Adams under the name Happy Computing. At that time, the 810 Happy was hand-wired on the internal side board. The name was changed to Happy Computers in 1983 when the company went from a sole proprietorship to a corporation. It stopped shipping these products in 1990, and since then many other Atari enthusiasts have reverse engineered and replicated the products.

As early as 1983 Happy Computing was mentioned in context of software piracy. [3] By 1986 software companies began producing fewer titles for the Atari than for the Apple II series or Commodore 64. They attributed this to their belief that an unusually high amount of software piracy existed on the Atari, and cited Happy Drive as a major cause of the piracy. [4] [5] [6]

Atari 8-bit products

810 Upgrade

This was the first product released in 1982. The customer sent in either their 810 drive or the internal sideboard, and the upgrade was wired in. This consisted of a few extra logic chips, a different EPROM and point to point wiring. In addition to the buffered reading and writing with zero latency and faster serial I/O, it made backups of floppies. [1] [2]

810 Enhancement

This version of the 810 Happy board was a plug-in board with a better data separator and used sockets already in place on the 810 internal board without the need for any soldering or permanent modification. In addition to the buffered reading and writing with zero latency and faster serial I/O, it made backups of floppies. [1] [2]

Brian Moriarty of ANALOG Computing wrote in 1983 that the magazine was reluctant to publish reviews or advertisements of the 810 Enhancement "because of its unique potential for misuse", but after testing the board "decided that the legitimate performance benefits it offers are too significant to ignore". He found that booting time decreased to 11 seconds from 14–18, formatting time decreased to 25 seconds from 38, and drives would last longer because of more efficient disk access. Moriarty's tests confirmed the company's claim that the board and accompanying Happy Backup software could duplicate any disk readable by the Atari 810 drive. He wrote that the 810 Enhancement's $250 cost would probably be more useful as part of the purchase price of a second disk drive, but those with two drives "would find the high speed and special capabilities of a Happy drive to be a worthwhile investment" and "a pleasure to use". Moriarty concluded, "I hope the ATARI community will not abuse this power by using the Happy drive (and other similar products) to infringe on the rights of others". [7]

1050 Enhancement

Atari released the more reliable, enhanced density (130 KB) 1050 drive with the introduction of the Atari 1200XL. The 1050 Enhancement was a plug-in board and could be installed without soldering or permanent modification. In addition to the buffered reading and writing with zero latency and faster serial I/O, it supported true double density (180 KB). The serial I/O of the 1050 Happy was faster than the 810 Happy due to the faster speed of the 6502 processor that replaced the on-board 6507. [1] [2]

1050 Controller

The 1050 Controller was a small board that was installed inside the 1050 Happy drive that had 2 switches and an LED that allowed enabling or disabling disk write-protect to override the notch in the disk. It also allowed switch selection of a slower mode to provide compatibility with some picky programs. Some commercial software only ran in the original slow speed mode. The controller required a mechanical modification to the drive's enclosure and hence its installation was more permanent. [1] [2]

Warp Speed software

The software that came with the Happy boards had many options.

IBMXFR program

This program was included with the Warp Speed software. It allowed transferring files back and forth between an Atari and an IBM disk using a Happy enhanced 1050 drive. Because the 1050 was a single sided drive with only one head, the disk had to be formatted as SS (180 KB). The IBM disk could even be formatted on the 1050 drive. [1] [2]

Atari 16-bit products

Discovery Cartridge

The Discovery Cartridge was a device that plugged into the cartridge slot of the Atari ST computer. It backed up floppies and had connectors to allow a 3rd and 4th drive to be hooked up. The original ST computer only allowed for two floppy drives, and the extra drives were handy. There were 4 different options available. Options included a pass through for another cartridge, a switch to bank select larger cartridges, and a switch to select/deselect the extra drives. There was also a battery backed up Time of Day clock option in the Discovery Cartridge, a significant oversight the Atari ST lacked in the stock configuration. [1] [2] [8]

The power of the "HART" chip (Happy Atari Rotating Thing), designed by Richard Adams, allowed standard Atari drives to read the unusual Macintosh variable speed disks without needing a variable speed drive. The disks were then re-written in a standard "constant speed" 3.5 inch compatible format called Magic format. This allowed using the various Mac emulator products that would run most efficiently with Magic format disks. At least one of the Macintosh emulators also had a circuit to read Mac disks, but could make the emulations slower and less reliable. It was faster and more efficient to convert Mac disks to Magic format first.

The HART chip (IC number HARTD1©87HCI) also allowed copying conventional ST disks much faster. The computer floppy controller required two passes per track, three with verification. The HART chip could format and write in the same pass, saving one pass per track.

Q-Verter Cartridge

This was a smaller version of The Discovery Cartridge that plugged into the Atari ST cartridge slot and had a cable for 1 drive that allowed converting Mac disks. [1] [2] [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari ST</span> Line of home computers from Atari Corporation

Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the company's 8-bit home computers. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985, and was widely available in July. It was the first personal computer with a bitmapped color graphical user interface, using a version of Digital Research's GEM interface / operating system from February 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore 1541</span> External 5 1/4-inch floppy disk drive for the Commodore C64 homecomputer

The Commodore 1541 is a floppy disk drive which was made by Commodore International for the Commodore 64 (C64), Commodore's most popular home computer. The best-known floppy disk drive for the C64, the 1541 is a single-sided 170-kilobyte drive for 5¼" disks. The 1541 directly followed the Commodore 1540.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore 64</span> 8-bit home computer introduced in 1982

The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International. It has been listed in the Guinness World Records as the highest-selling single computer model of all time, with independent estimates placing the number sold between 12.5 and 17 million units. Volume production started in early 1982, marketing in August for US$595. Preceded by the VIC-20 and Commodore PET, the C64 took its name from its 64 kilobytes(65,536 bytes) of RAM. With support for multicolor sprites and a custom chip for waveform generation, the C64 could create superior visuals and audio compared to systems without such custom hardware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari 8-bit computers</span> 1979-1991 home computer series

The Atari 8-bit computers, formally launched as the Atari Home Computer System, are a series of 8-bit home computers introduced by Atari, Inc. in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The architecture is designed around the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and three custom coprocessors which provide support for sprites, smooth multidirectional scrolling, four channels of audio, and other features. The graphics and sound are more advanced than most of its contemporaries, and video games are a key part of the software library. The 1980 first-person space combat simulator Star Raiders is considered the platform's killer app.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari DOS</span> Operating system

Atari DOS is the disk operating system used with the Atari 8-bit computers. Operating system extensions loaded into memory were required in order for an Atari computer to manage files stored on a disk drive. These extensions to the operating system added the disk handler and other file management features.

Optimized Systems Software (OSS) was a company that produced disk operating systems, programming languages with integrated development environments, and applications primarily for Atari 8-bit computers. The founders of OSS previously developed Atari DOS, Atari BASIC, and the Atari Assembler Editor for Atari, Inc., and many OSS products are substantially improved versions. OS A+ and DOS XL are based on Atari DOS. BASIC A+, BASIC XL, and BASIC XE are based on Atari BASIC. EASMD and MAC/65 are modeled on the Atari Assembler Editor. Action! is an ALGOL-inspired compiled programming language with an integrated full-screen editor. OSS also sold some software for the Apple II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AtariWriter</span> Word processor program for Atari 8-bit computers.

AtariWriter is a word processor program for the Atari 8-bit computers released by Atari, Inc. as a 16 kB ROM cartridge in 1983. The program was fast and easy to use, while still allowing for the creation of fairly complex documents. It was a success for the platform, with at least 800,000 units initially sold, not including international versions and later updates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parallel Bus Interface</span>

The Parallel Bus Interface, or PBI, is a 50-pin port found on some XL models of the Atari 8-bit computers. It provides unbuffered, direct connection to the system bus lines, running at the same speed as the 6502 CPU. The 600XL and 800XL, along with the unreleased 1400XL and 1450XLD have a PBI interface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore 64 peripherals</span>

The Commodore 64 home computer used various external peripherals. Due to the backwards compatibility of the Commodore 128, most peripherals would also work on that system. There is also some compatibility with the VIC-20 and Commodore PET.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spectre GCR</span> Atari ST hardware/software package

The Spectre GCR is a hardware and software package for the Atari ST computers. The hardware consists of a cartridge that plugs into the Atari ST's cartridge port and a cable that connects between the cartridge and one of the floppy ports on the ST. Designed by David Small and sold through his company Gadgets by Small, it allows the Atari ST to run most Macintosh software. It is Small's third Macintosh emulator for the ST, replacing his previous Magic Sac and Spectre 128.

Atari 8-bit computer peripherals include floppy drives, printers, modems, and video game controllers for Atari 8-bit computers, which includes the 400/800, XL, XE, and XEGS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari 8-bit computer software</span>

Many games, utilities, and educational programs were available for Atari 8-bit computers. Atari, Inc. was primarily the publisher following the launch of the Atari 400/800 in 1979, then increasingly by third parties. Atari also distributed "user written" software through the Atari Program Exchange from 1981 to 1984. After APX folded, many titles were picked up by Antic Software.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game backup device</span> Device for backing up ROM information from a video game cartridge

A game backup device, informally called a copier, is a device for backing up ROM data from a video game cartridge to a computer file called a ROM image and playing them back on the official hardware. Recently flash cartridges, especially on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS platforms, only support the latter function; they cannot be used for backing up ROM data. Game backup devices also make it possible to develop homebrew software on video game systems. Game backup devices differ from modchips in that modchips are used in conjunction with systems that use generally available media such as CDs and DVDs, whereas game backup devices are used with systems that use cartridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home computer</span> Class of microcomputers

Home computers were a class of microcomputers that entered the market in 1977 and became common during the 1980s. They were marketed to consumers as affordable and accessible computers that, for the first time, were intended for the use of a single, non-technical user. These computers were a distinct market segment that typically cost much less than business, scientific, or engineering-oriented computers of the time, such as those running CP/M or the IBM PC, and were generally less powerful in terms of memory and expandability. However, a home computer often had better graphics and sound than contemporary business computers. Their most common uses were word processing, playing video games, and programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MAC/65</span> Atari 8-bit family 6502 assembler

MAC/65 is a 6502 assembler written by Stephen D. Lawrow for Atari 8-bit computers. MAC/65 was first released on disk by Optimized Systems Software in 1982, with the program requiring 16 KB RAM. A bank switched "SuperCartridge" from OSS followed in January 1984 for US$99, occupying only 8 KB.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Floppy disk variants</span> Types of floppy disk formats

The floppy disk is a data storage and transfer medium that was ubiquitous from the mid-1970s well into the 2000s. Besides the 3½-inch and 5¼-inch formats used in IBM PC compatible systems, or the 8-inch format that preceded them, many proprietary floppy disk formats were developed, either using a different disk design or special layout and encoding methods for the data held on the disk.

The Indus GT is a 5+1⁄4-inch floppy disk drive that was introduced by Indus Systems in 1983 for the Atari 8-bit computers. It was later released for the Apple II and Commodore 64. On the Atari, it was widely regarded as the best drive of the era, with the most features, highest performance, and even best industrial design. They were known for the advertising slogan, "Turn your Atari into a Ferrari." The GT was sold until around 1987, at which point the rights were sold to Logical Design Works and reintroduced as the LDW Super 2000, sold primarily into Poland, and the CA-2001, sold into the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari 810</span> Disk drive for the Atari 8-bit computers

The Atari 810 is the official floppy disk drive for the Atari 400 and 800, the first two models of Atari 8-bit computers. It was released by Atari, Inc. in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari 1050</span>

The Atari 1050 is a floppy disk drive for Atari 8-bit computers released in June 1983. It is compatible with the 90 kB single-density mode of the original Atari 810 it replaced, and added a new "enhanced" or "dual density" mode that provided 130 kB. Based on a half-height Tandon mechanism, it was smaller than the 810 and matched the styling of the new 600XL and 800XL machines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari XF551</span> Floppy disk drive

The XF551 is a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk drive produced by Atari, Inc. for the Atari 8-bit computers. Introduced in 1987, it matches the gray design language of the XE models. It was the first drive from the company with official support for double-density and double-sided floppy disks—360 kB of storage per disk—and was also the final floppy disk drive Atari produced for the 8-bit computers. The XF551 allows faster transfer speed when used in double-density mode, doubling performance.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 faqs.org, "Atari 8-Bit Computers: Frequently Asked Questions", Reytrieved 10-23-2009
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 faqs.org, "What are the Atari 810, 815, 1050, and XF551 Disk Drives?", Retrieved 10-23-2008
  3. ↑ Gosnell, Kelvin (12 May 1983). "Happy days for software pirates". New Scientist. Vol. 98, no. 1357. Reed Business Information. pp. 376–377. ISSN   0262-4079.
  4. ↑ "Survey of Game Manufacturers". Computer Gaming World. April 1986. p. 32.
  5. ↑ Williams, Gregg (Sep–Oct 1986). "Atari Playfield". Computer Gaming World. p. 35.
  6. ↑ Brooks, M. Evan (May 1987). "Computer Wargaming 1988-1992". Computer Gaming World. p. 12.
  7. ↑ Moriarty, Brian (July–August 1983). "Happy 810 Enhancement". ANALOG Computing. pp. 81–82.
  8. ↑ "Happy Computers Discovery Cartridge", logicsays.com, retrieved October 23, 2008
  9. ↑ "Discovery Cartridge". Atari Wiki. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.