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[News] Catweasel software updates, X-Surf newsANN.lu
Posted on 17-Nov-2002 23:32 GMT by Jens Schönfeld32 comments
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The software drivers for all Catweasel models have been updated, and the first picture of the new Catweasel MK3 PCI/Flipper is now available.

The popular X-Surf networking card will be available after a new production run, and the price has been dropped. The Windows-drivers for the Catweasel ISA have been extended by some features. Mainly support for the new Catweasel MK3 PCI/Flipper has been added. Also in the archive: a driver for Windows 2000 and Windows XP that makes use of a keyboard that's connected to the Catweasel MK3 PCI/Flipper.

Download: cw_win_pci.zip (108KByte)

The Amiga-version of the driver has also been adapted to the new controller, the new multidisk.device V3.62 now supports the Catweasel MK3 in a Zorro slot, or on any clockport of an Amiga. This device is prepared to support the Catweasel MK3 in a PCI slot of an emulated Amiga (for example Amithlon or Amiga Forever).

Download: mdisk362.lha (22KByte)

Many people have asked for a picture of the new controller, because it's hard to imagine how the same board can fit in the Zorro slot and in a PCI slot. Here's a picture of the controller, taken out of the running production. It shows the bare board without the metal bracket and the second joystick connector.

Catweasel MK3 PCI/Flipper picture (113KByte)

Good news for all Amiga users who want to bring their computer to a network: The most successful networking card in the Amiga market has been updated, and the price will be lower. The reason for the continuous success of the board might be it's software support: The X-Surf 2 will remain the only networking card on the market that comes with PPPoE drivers - these are necessary for most DSL modems. As opposed to the older model, the new X-Surf 2 does not have a BNC connection any more, all other technical details remain the same. If you need this connector you should be quick, because the last boards have already been shipped to our resellers a few weeks ago.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 1 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Darren Glenn (Ryu) on 17-Nov-2002 23:22 GMT
Now thats one cool looking piece of kit :)
oh that happy days of turning 19 :)
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 2 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Adam Kowalczyk on 17-Nov-2002 23:46 GMT
In reply to Comment 1 (Darren Glenn (Ryu)):
I have to agree with your comment. This will undoubtedly be a great selling product for Jens as it will work in so many flavours of Amiga machines. Great work Jens!
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 3 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Bill Hoggett on 18-Nov-2002 00:29 GMT
Me want!
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 4 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Darrin on 18-Nov-2002 01:01 GMT
Chalk me up as one confirmed customer. Now where's my A1XE....
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 5 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by JoannaK on 18-Nov-2002 01:16 GMT
In reply to Comment 3 (Bill Hoggett):
Looks really neat. For Retro (8-bit) computer hobbyist with buch of old disk to all of them this is a must item.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 6 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by JoannaK on 18-Nov-2002 01:19 GMT
In reply to Comment 4 (Darrin):
Remember.. This one works both on Windows PC and older Amiga with zorro or clockport, so there is no need to wait for AmigaOne. You can always move it to yout new Amiga later when it has stable OS and native drivers for this one.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 7 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Stefan Blixth on 18-Nov-2002 06:59 GMT
Jens is truly a genius, once again he proves that!
I really can't wait to get my hands on this hardware, I hope
there will be a driver for my Peggy ASAP. ;-)
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 8 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by reflect on 18-Nov-2002 07:27 GMT
Agreed, very nice product..
but one of the reliefs with this new G3/G4 hardware is that there will be no need for floppies anymore(perhaps hasn't been for a long time either). I know I for one am pretty happy with putting me old floppy to rest. It has served me well, but I think I will replace it with ethernet, or CDs. :)
Granted, CDs ain't alot better. Chosing between a couple of 100 floppies and 100 CDs.. I'd rather have none, really. If someone would make real of those 3d, luminescent chips that can store etabytes in a square inch.. that would be the day.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 9 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Peter Gordon on 18-Nov-2002 08:01 GMT
Wow, thats cool! It doesn't look like the ports will reach the back of the computer in a Zorro Amiga, but I'm sure the extra PCB required for that would have added too much to the cost.
I just hope OS4 will support an Amiga keyboard attached to it (i don't want to use a PC k/b, even with boing balls)
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 10 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by reflect on 18-Nov-2002 08:32 GMT
In reply to Comment 9 (Peter Gordon):
You know there exists keyboards "with control at the right place" I assume?
Might not be easy to find for the home market, but the unix geeks has had those for a long time. That standard stuck for more people than the amiga enthusiasts ;)
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 11 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Peter Gordon on 18-Nov-2002 09:20 GMT
In reply to Comment 10 (reflect):
Aye, but I have two Amiga keyboards (for my A1500 and A4000), and i'd rather use one of them with the AOne.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 12 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Bill Hoggett on 18-Nov-2002 10:31 GMT
Looking at the picture again, I have one minor question:
Since the board can be used with "either side up" depending on whether it's installed in a Zorro or PCI based box, will two appropriately cut blanking plates be supplied to help secure the card in place and keep the dust out?
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 13 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Peter Gordon on 18-Nov-2002 10:47 GMT
In reply to Comment 12 (Bill Hoggett):
When you consider that Zorro slots are a whole ISA-slots length away from the back of the machine, I doubt very much that a blanking plate would be of much use when it is used as a zorro card.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 14 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Bill Hoggett on 18-Nov-2002 11:16 GMT
In reply to Comment 13 (Peter Gordon):
> When you consider that Zorro slots are a whole ISA-slots length away from
> the back of the machine, I doubt very much that a blanking plate would be
> of much use when it is used as a zorro card.
It would if you provided extension cables and connectors to go with it. :)
(although I agree it wouldn't help secure the card much, but then the Zorro connectors are a bit sturdier than the usual PCI ones)
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 15 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by TBone on 18-Nov-2002 11:16 GMT
I've gotta have one, I've gotta have one! hot damn this card is cool!
Will Amithlon support this card, or does something need to be written for it?
How about the SID chip, are there plans by the authors of the C64 emulators to implement built-in support for this card? That would be too cool.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 16 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Peter Gordon on 18-Nov-2002 11:54 GMT
In reply to Comment 14 (Bill Hoggett):
Well, both my Repulse and PowerFlyer 4000 Gold kind of dangle loosely, but they seem to work and survive being transported OK...
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 17 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Bill Hoggett on 18-Nov-2002 12:04 GMT
In reply to Comment 16 (Peter Gordon):
Well, I've just re-read the article and it does mention the "metal bracket" so...
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 18 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by redrumloa on 18-Nov-2002 12:42 GMT
Hot damn this is too cool for words! Chalk me up for AT LEAST one!
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 19 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by miksuh on 18-Nov-2002 13:05 GMT
Looks great :)
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 20 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Crumb on 18-Nov-2002 13:52 GMT
In reply to Comment 15 (TBone):
I've read in the webpage that AMiga drivers support Amithlon, so yes :-)
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 21 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Janne Sirén on 18-Nov-2002 14:51 GMT
Out of curiosity, were there several revisions of the SID chip - in different physical sizes? There seems to be two sockets in the SID section of that (cool!) board. One of them seems to have a C= chip on it.
What's the story?
Good work Jens, that boards looks extremely nice.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 22 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by JoannaK on 18-Nov-2002 15:26 GMT
In reply to Comment 21 (Janne Sirén):
On what picture? At least the best picture I have seen
http://home.t-online.de/home/indcomp/bin/cwmk3.jpg
this board has only one 28-pin Dil socket for SID chip.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 23 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Iggy Drougge on 18-Nov-2002 15:46 GMT
How will the SID chip be accessed? Would a replacement playsid.library or 6581sid.library do? In that case, all current SID players as well as Magic64 would support the chip automagically, I only wonder if the playsid.library API is sufficient, and whether it might be used.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 24 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Don Cox on 18-Nov-2002 18:29 GMT
In reply to Comment 8 (reflect):
"Agreed, very nice product..
but one of the reliefs with this new G3/G4 hardware is that there will be no need for floppies
anymore(perhaps hasn't been for a long time either). I know I for one am pretty happy with putting me old
floppy to rest. It has served me well, but I think I will replace it
with ethernet, or CDs. :)"
You might not want to write to floppies any more, but you may well
want to read them. This card will give librarians and archivists
access to all kinds of data on old floppies which would otherwise be
difficult or expensive to access.
And many of us still have hundreds of Amiga floppies with data on
them.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 25 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by turtle on quaaludes on 18-Nov-2002 19:34 GMT
WILL THIS WORK WITH 8 INCH FLOPPY DRIVES? I HAVE ALOT OF ASC-II PORNO ART FROM THE CPM DAYS.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 26 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Anonymous on 18-Nov-2002 19:49 GMT
Does any one know if and where I could buy one from a UK dealer?
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 27 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Bill Hoggett on 18-Nov-2002 20:32 GMT
In reply to Comment 26 (Anonymous):
Eyetech said a few weeks ago that they were hoping to stock it.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 28 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Anonymous on 18-Nov-2002 20:36 GMT
In reply to Comment 27 (Bill Hoggett):
cool
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 29 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by JoannaK on 18-Nov-2002 21:22 GMT
In reply to Comment 25 (turtle on quaaludes):
Well.. I actually wish it would.. I still do have some old 8" floppies around.. OTOH i have no clue where I could find working 8" drive anymore. Finding even 5.25" drive is gettign hard these days.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 30 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by Morten Strårup on 18-Nov-2002 21:24 GMT
Great! Now all we need is AmigaOS4 drivers!
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 31 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by ShadesOfGrey on 18-Nov-2002 22:08 GMT
In reply to Comment 29 (JoannaK):
Supposedly, reading 8" floppies may be possible with additional interface hardware and software... At lease that's what I gather from here, http://www.geocities.com/the_astronomical_pocket_diary/catweasl.htm. You might want to take a look for yourself though. 8 inch floppies were a bit before my time, so I'm not familliar with some of the jargon.
Catweasel software updates, X-Surf news : Comment 32 of 32ANN.lu
Posted by JoannaK on 18-Nov-2002 22:52 GMT
In reply to Comment 31 (ShadesOfGrey):
Ok.. I'll look it in more closely after taking care of those more obvious goodies (like AppleII and C64 disks). By that time someone has propably sorted it out allready. :)
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