Atari 1020

The Atari 1020 was a four-colour computer plotter sold by Atari, Inc. for the Atari 8-bit home computer family.

The 1020 was based around a plotter mechanism manufactured by ALPS. The same mechanism formed the basis of several other low-cost plotters produced around the same time, including the Commodore 1520, the Oric MCP40 and the Tandy/Radio Shack CGP-115.[1] However, the 1020 connected via the Atari 8-bit's proprietary SIO interface,[2] eliminating the need for an 850 serial/parallel interface module, but limiting its use to Atari 8-bit computers.

The 1020 was capable of 20, 40 and 80-column text[1] and graphics using a friction-fed roll of paper approximately 11.5 cm in width. Graphics were generated using one of four coloured pens[3] to draw lines, using a combination of the horizontally-moving pen barrel and the vertically-scrolling paper to create diagonal lines.

Control of the plotter was possible from Atari BASIC.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.faqs.org/faqs/atari-8-bit/faq/section-32.html
  2. ^ ANTIC VOL. 4, NO. 5 / SEPTEMBER 1985 / PAGE 42 ([1]), "the 1020 daisy chains right into one of your disk drive ports"
  3. ^ The Atari 1020 Color Printer Owners' Guide
  4. ^ ANTIC VOL. 4, NO. 10 / FEBRUARY 1986 / PAGE 29 ([2])

External links