| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 1909.1 | There is s/w. | TROA01::HITCHMOUGH | | Mon Feb 13 1989 11:00 | 9 |
| I can't help with the interface issue, but I do know that Master
Tracks Pro Jr (MTP is a fairly sophisticated sequencer) is available
for the PC Jr, so I assume it works. Does the Jr accept standard
IBM 8 bit cards? If so then maybe the MPU works.
Hope this scant bit of info helps.
Ken
|
| 1909.2 | Caveat Emptor | PAULJ::HARRIMAN | Raised on Chemical Beef | Mon Feb 13 1989 12:08 | 19 |
|
There is indeed some software for the PC-Jr.
However, be warned that the manufacturer of the PC Jr. supports
the product about as well as Digital is supporting the Rainbow.
Any "deals" are probably due to the fact that the Employee purchase
program for that company provided a $100. trade-in allowance for
them. And a lot of those employees bought PC Jrs.
This info is from my wife, who sells PCs. The Jr is slow, unserviceable
except from spare parts, and may be more trouble than it is worth
for music applications requiring MIDI. It is NOT the same architecture
as a PC (XT).
Hope this is helpful information.
/pjh
|
| 1909.3 | You might want to think twice about that... | MUSKIE::ALLEN | | Mon Feb 13 1989 12:09 | 19 |
| Laurie:
I used to own a PCjr, and as I remember it does NOT accept standard
8- or 16- bit cards. This rules out MIDI interfaces like the ROLAND
or VOYETRA. Since there is a sequencer specifically written for
the PCjr though, I would guess that folks are going through the
serial port somehow to transmit and receive MIDI data. You might
try contacting MASTER TRACKS and finding out what they recommend.
Although this is not directly related to your question, I would
suggest that unless you are getting the PCjr for next to nothing,
you would be a lot better off spending a couple hundred more and
getting a standard PC clone. The range of software for MIDI processing
open to you (not to mention games, WP and other stuff) will be MUCH
larger. In several ways that are to lengthy to go into here, the
PCjr is really a "crippled" PC. You will be severely limiting yourself
in the future if you buy one.
Clusters,
Bill Allen @MPO
|
| 1909.4 | Don't touch a PC jr with a 10 ft pole! | MAY10::DIORIO | | Tue Feb 14 1989 11:32 | 7 |
|
I looked into a PC jr a couple of years ago. Forget it. It is a
useless obsolete non-standard machine than is barely even supported
by IBM. Don't waste your time or your money. A PC compatible clone
is the way to go.
Mike D
|
| 1909.5 | | TROA01::HITCHMOUGH | | Tue Feb 14 1989 12:28 | 17 |
| RE:.0 Before we totally reject the thought of a PC Jr, maybe we need a
definition of what an incredible deal is. It may be that for the
price of a PC Clone could be had a Jr and say an MT32.
I agree with the comments that one should avoid it if possible,
but that's fine for us sitting here with our MACs and ATs and lots
of SGU's (I know, never enough). I got lots of pleasure out of a
Apple II and one piece of s/w for several years. They didnt cost
an arm and a leg and helped me figure out what I wanted to do
eventually. So I say avoid the Jr if possible, but look at the whole
picture of computer, s/w and Kbd/SGU and see what makes the most
sense. If the Jr is cheap enough you could probably afford to throw
it away in a year, or do what I did with my AppleII and convert
it into a dedicated librarian/DD-5 controller!!
Ken
|
| 1909.6 | Thanks, very much!!! | WARLRD::SIMPSON | | Tue Feb 14 1989 17:50 | 14 |
| Thanks, guys.
I really appreciate all the comments. I told our friend that we
were not interested.
I think we'd really rather spend our money on an Ibm clone. The
deal wa we would get the Jr for about $400. It slips my mind right
now what all was included in the package, but we decided that we
would save the $400 and wait for a good deal to come along on a
Pc clone.
Thanks again for all your helpful comments.
Laurie
|
| 1909.7 | | PAULJ::HARRIMAN | Raised on Chemical Beef | Wed Feb 15 1989 09:34 | 14 |
|
Well, for $400 you can do a *lot* better.
Flipping through the current issue of PC Resource shows clone XT
"turbo" systems with minimal memory and single floppy (and
Herc monochrome graphics and a monitor) for $400-$600 depending
on memory, and "bare-bones" prices as low as $200. These are
*new* systems. Granted, the technology is not the latest, but if
it's a cheap XT clone you're looking for, pick up a PC mag and peruse
the latest prices. Your biggest cost will be memory, though, so be
warned.
/pjh
|