Trackstar: Apple II clone on ISA card - new website up with game disk images

[CMA Death Adder]

Hey guys,

Just a heads-up to let you know my Trackstar website is up, covering the E, 128 and also Quadram's Quadlink <-- These are all "Apple II on a PC ISA card" Apple II clones. Really cool little devices!
If you own these devices, esp. the Trackstar E or Plus, there's HUNDREDS of disk images in its TrackStore format that I've converted manually.
So you can download and enjoy a HUGE amount of software without needing real Apple II disks.

There's also a working KryoFlux disk image of the Trackstar 128 Utility Program disk, so you can create a disk with the copy protection intact which allows you to actually use your 128. This is perfect for those who -- like me -- bought their 128 without the necessary disk. D'oh!

There ain't a lot of info or resources about the Trackstar cards out there, so I hope mine fills the void.

Enjoy it @
www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar (http://www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/)

[Edmond Dantes]

While this is cool... most PCs don't have ISA card slots anymore, so I'm kinda wondering why you chose that format instead of PCI-e or something.

[CMA Death Adder]

These devices were produced & sold in the 1980s. There are no such devices available as PCI or PCI-e cards.

The purpose of my website is to give support to people who still have and use these cards. Many of them buy the cards used with no software, which prevents them from truly enjoying what these neat little devices can do.

[Edmond Dantes]

Ohhhh. I was under the (apparently mistaken) impression these were new.

So... what exactly do these do? Let you run Apple II software natively on a DOS PC?

[AdamAnt316]

Pretty cool stuff! While I don't have one of these (yet), I do have an Apple IIe Card (http://www.vectronicsappleworld.com/archives/vintage/0002.php) installed in my Macintosh LC III (http://lowendmac.com/1993/mac-lc-iii/). One of the first examples of (hardware-based) virtualization I'm aware of, allowing you to run Apple IIe software within Mac OS. When I was in middle school, one of the computer labs had all of its Macintosh LC IIs fitted with these cards, and had 5.25" disk drives sitting next to them. I remember using them that way once or twice, but used them in Mac mode the rest of the time (including when we played Oregon Trail).
-Adam

[CMA Death Adder]

So... what exactly do these do? Let you run Apple II software natively on a DOS PC?

Yes. But they are not simple software emulators; Trackstar turns control of the PC over to its onboard 65C02 chip, running code from reverse-engineered Apple II operating ROMs.


Pretty cool stuff! While I don't have one of these (yet), I do have an Apple IIe Card (http://www.vectronicsappleworld.com/archives/vintage/0002.php) installed in my Macintosh LC III (http://lowendmac.com/1993/mac-lc-iii/).

I've got the Apple IIe Card as well, in my (recently re-capped!) LC III. Haven't fiddled around with it too much, as I'm far more interested in the Trackstar stuff.
If you haven't already, pick up a Floppy Emu (http://www.bigmessowires.com/floppy-emu/) and connect it to your IIe Card. It's what I use to create my Trackstore disk images with the Trackstar, and it's a huge timesaver.

[CMA Death Adder]

There have been several updates to the website since my last post, including:

* Addition of a verified copy of the Trackstar E software (from my own original disk)
* Trackstar 128 EPROM data
* Quadlink ROM data

I am seeking the original Trackstar (aka Trackstar 64) and the Trackstar Plus, for continued research. If anyone has one for sale, or just to loan out for a while, please let me know.

More updates to follow.

[CMA Death Adder]

The scans page just had a few nice additions made to it: An article about the Quadlink from the June, 1983 issue of PC Magazine, and four different advertisements for the Quadlink.

www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/scans.htm

[CMA Death Adder]

Hey, who wants to pull their old-timey Trackstar v1 out of mothballs and give it a go? *raises hand* I stumbled upon a complete kit last week, and made great haste in archiving the software and documentation. So! If you've got one of these majestic dinosaurs lying around, but no software to get it up and running... stop reading this and pop on over to the operating software and scans pages of my website!

www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/software.htm
www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/scans.htm

[CMA Death Adder]

A bunch of really neat scans were just added to my Trackstar website, mostly relating to the Trackstar 128. There's a full color leaflet, a question and answer flyer, keyboard overlays, and a flyer with some absolutely smashing chariot artwork on it. There's also a Trackstar Plus new product release flyer. Check 'em out!

www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/scans.htm (http://www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/scans.htm)

[CMA Death Adder]

Today I've finally finished & released Trackstar games pack #1, which is a hard drive image containing 180 unique games: each of which has been compatibility tested. If you're tired of mucking about with floppy disk images, this is your chance to go gonzo! Simply load up this pack on your Trackstar E or Plus, and have a great time!

www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/hd1.htm

I've also added a pinout for the Trackstar Plus VGA cable to the scans page, courtesy of Korrey Moore. If you need to build a custom cable, look no further!

www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/scans.htm

[CMA Death Adder]

LGR upped a neato vid about the Trackstar cards. Check it out if you're interested in seeing everything these babies can do!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-6AKe2pvsQ

[CMA Death Adder]

Just a heads up y'all, I've listed the bulk of my Trackstar collection on ePay...

​Check out Brandon's eBay stuffs!​​​ (https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_dkr=1&iconV2Request=true&_blrs=recall_filtering&_ssn=brando-65c02&_oac=1&_sop=10)

​I'm a "research collector" and "collect to use" kind of guy; everything I listed has outlived its purpose for me, thus it's all better off in someone else's hands. So if you're interested in owning & trying out one of these cool gizmos, here's a fab opportunity - as they don't often pop up for sale, and when they do, the sellers are generally greedy bastards.

[CMA Death Adder]

Merry 2024! Today marks the addition of the Quadlink Software Revision 3.0 documentation addendum, found in the manuals of later versions of the product. Thanks to Steve Hutton for the scan!

https://www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/scans.htm

[CMA Death Adder]

I've added a scan of a Quadlink brochure, and the Quadlink warranty registration card. The former is far, far more interesting than the latter: unless of course you're really into warranty registration cards.

https://www.diskman.com/presents/trackstar/scans.htm