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

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  1. #1
    Never let dreams die! CMA Death Adder's Avatar
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    Default Trackstar: Apple II clone on ISA card - new website up with game disk images

    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
    Cruise by Diskman Presents : filled with geektastic classic gaming goodness!

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    ServBot (Level 11) Edmond Dantes's Avatar
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    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.

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    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.
    Last edited by CMA Death Adder; 10-04-2018 at 10:55 PM.
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    ServBot (Level 11) Edmond Dantes's Avatar
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    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?

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    Strawberry (Level 2) AdamAnt316's Avatar
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    Pretty cool stuff! While I don't have one of these (yet), I do have an Apple IIe Card installed in my Macintosh 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

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    Quote Originally Posted by Edmond Dantes View Post
    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by AdamAnt316 View Post
    Pretty cool stuff! While I don't have one of these (yet), I do have an Apple IIe Card installed in my Macintosh 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 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.
    Last edited by CMA Death Adder; 10-06-2018 at 06:33 AM.
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    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.
    Cruise by Diskman Presents : filled with geektastic classic gaming goodness!

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