Atari 1020
Encyclopedia
Atari 8-bit family
The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
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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
Commodore International
Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited...
1520, the Oric MCP40 and the Tandy/Radio Shack
RadioShack
RadioShack Corporation is an American franchise of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of Europe, South America and Africa. As of 2008, RadioShack reported net sales and operating revenues of $4.81 billion. The headquarters of RadioShack is located in Downtown...
CGP-115. However, the 1020 connected via the Atari 8-bit's proprietary SIO interface, 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 and graphics using a friction-fed roll of paper approximately 11.5 cm in width. Graphics were generated using one of four coloured pens 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
Atari BASIC
Atari BASIC is a BASIC interpreter for the Atari 8-bit family of 6502-based home computers. The interpreter originally shipped on an 8 KB cartridge; on later XL/XE model computers it was built in, with an option to disable it, and started when the machines were booted with no other cartridges...
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