ScuzzBlog: Diaries April 2020
Entry 25th April 2020: Post 01: Amiga Microtext - Service Unavailable.
Amiga Microtext - Service Unavailable.
Some people want to do the strangest things with their Amigas.
Not really sure of the point, but someone wants to broadcast
Teletext style pages from their Amiga. For those that don't recall
Teletext was a hidden screen lurking behind your TV program
that could tell you the football results and the weather. I was
never a great fan, but I guess it had some uses. It was abandoned
some years back, although my remote control still has the text
shortcuts and search thing. And on the screen you get these strange
symbols now and blurred lines. Dunno what that is.
When I acquired the Checkmate it came with a Microtext adaptor.
I have to say I have never thought of running the thing cus what
use would it be now. However, I did check the disk yesterday and
discovered a folder called 'Developer' and inside some tools
and a note advising that users could develop their own pages
for use with the adaptor.
And so today I set up the adaptor. I am not sure if the serial
cable is working as I don't appear to have another. I really have
never used serial. The unit also had a parallel ribbon though
I am pretty sure this feeds direct to a printer.I plugged it in
anyway, I mean what the hell. The Microtext was connected to a
DataSwitch but I decided not to have a play with that.
The Checkmate boxes I have are all as they were when they arrived
here. In amongst the disks are virus checkers and KCS PowerPC
boot disks. Many of the disk are self booting and have their own
customised boot disk with Workbench. I had a bit of a play but
mostly I was hunting down the developer tools.
As ever the 1.3 was pretty useless at searching for stuff so I
moved to the A1200 and found the files. The adaptor was being
flagged as not attached. Though with the unit switched on I
was taken to the software interface. Without, I just got chucked
out... So either the unit isn't working, the software needs a
live aerial connector to the tv network, or the serial cable
isn't working. I do not have an installation manual to hand.
The whole process was boring as soup, but then so was Teletext.
Bit like being asked to press the red button on SKY ... Why?
L I N K : The little red button ... That should do it !!!
Happy days !!!!
Amiga Microtext - Service Unavailable.
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