Re: [M100] Gold Card v7.10 2x256Kb IC Card expansion for M100/T102 from 1988

[Chris Fezzler]

 Very cool.  I don't think I've ever seen or heard of this.  Read Mike's 
article.  Very capable unit.  Wonder if they sold very many.  May be extremely 
rare.
On Sunday, January 10, 2021, 04:06:10 PM EST, Steve Baker 
 wrote:  
 
 Quick update on my (previously mysterious) Gold 7.10 chip. I dusted off the 
corresponding hardware (an interesting case with two 256Kb IC cards that plugs 
into the system bus) and was able to get it working. It offers two banks of 
256Kb storage plus some utilities to format and test IC cards, copy cards, 
transfer files to/from RAM, and so on.
Today I made a quick PDF that has (a) photos of the software running on a Tandy 
102, the chip itself, and the IC case and cards; and (b) a two-part article 
written by Mike Nugget in the Oct/Nov 1988 issues of Portable 100. Thought it 
might be interesting to read a more robust hands-on review, as I’m just 
starting to figure out what this does.

The PDF is stored here in my Club100 folder:
http://www.club100.org/memfiles/index.php?direction=0&order=&directory=Steve%20Baker&;
… along with the HEX and BX files of the chip itself. Now I’m totally curious 
about what I have… given the chip has a hand-written label, is this a 
pre-production version? Or were all of them shipped like this, thereby 
asserting a relatively low volume (the 512k set had a list price of $550 back 
in ’88)? Well, it’ll be fun to see what I can do with it.
Cheers and here’s to a good week,SB

—
Greetings from Steve Baker
“Gravity brings me down…”


  

Re: [M100] Subtle differences among various Model T models

[B 9]

This thread was interesting. Is there a table on some wiki that compares
the three models?

There were quite a few things I learned. I knew there was a difference in
the RAM size for the Model 200, but I didn't know why. I also didn't know
the other models couldn't bank switch. Other things I found helpful: which
models can use supercaps, LCD viewing angle, through-hole versus SMT,
repairability/reliability, fiddliness of re-assembly, comparative keyboard
volume, and which models have a GPU (just kidding; I mean hardware
accelerated scrolling).

Thanks to everyone who shared information!

—b9


On Sun, Jan 3, 2021 at 7:35 PM Jim Anderson  wrote:

> > -Original Message-
> > I've been a M100 owner since I got my first unit as a 16-year-old kid,
> > who managed scratch up enough money to get one when Radio Shack was
> > blowing them out the door to make room for the T102.  I still have that
> > machine, plus a few other M100s as spares and for use with other
> > projects.
>
> Wow - I only drooled over them as a kid, dreamed about them but then filed
> it away in my memory under 'unachievable' until a few years ago.  Now that
> we have ebay and I have disposable income, I have a bit of a Model T
> Problem.  :)
>
> > But the information about the keyboard is new to me, as is the claim
> > that the T102 is more "durable".  If anything, I find the through-hole
> > electronics on the M100 more appealing for long-term maintenance, as
> > it's easier to work with.
>
> I'd agree with that, although I think his comment about the T102 being
> more durable might just mean that he'd run into far fewer T102s in need of
> repair than M100s?  I'd just be guessing.
>
> > For those of you who have experience with more than one model in the
> > Model T line, do you agree with Rick's assessment about the keyboard and
>
> Keyboards are really a matter of preference, although there are some which
> are universally regarded as 'bad' (ZX-81 membrane keyboard, PC-jr chiclet
> keyboard, etc).  I have one T200, a few T102s now, and several M100s.  I
> don't know if my T200 is an exception, but I find the keyboard sound and
> feel to be nearly identical to the T102.  It's slightly different, but then
> again the feel and sound can be slightly different between two T102s or two
> M100s so I don't know if I would categorically state that the T200 keyboard
> is different from the T102 keyboard.
>
> For certain, the T200/T102 keyboards have a very different sound and feel
> from the M100 keyboard, although I think the key travel is about the same
> (I could be wrong).  The M100 keyboard (when clean and working freely) has
> a light touch and a clacky sound which I absolutely *love*.  It's no IBM
> Model M but it is much nicer to type on than a cheap generic PC keyboard.
> The T200/T102 keyboards don't seem to require greater keystroke effort but
> it may just feel that way to me because they are dampened at the bottom of
> the stroke which makes them much much quieter.  If you type slowly you
> could use a T200/T102 in a library, but I doubt you'd get away with that on
> an M100.  :)
>
> > are obvious, and I'm also aware that the M200 came with Multiplan packed
> > in, plus the ability to have multiple RAM banks, but Rick also mentions
>
> So there's a couple of significant differences with the T200.  The
> multiple RAM banks are 24k apiece because the T200 required a bigger system
> ROM (40k) for its additional features.  They seem to have found room to
> implement hardware scrolling, for instance (the 16-line LCD would have been
> positively *painful* otherwise).  Since it was no longer possible to have
> 32k of RAM, they gave it the ability to switch banks, and changed the main
> menu screen a bit to give you the ability to Copy files between banks and
> to Kill files from the current bank using function keys right from the
> menu.  They took away the ability to launch a program or open a file by
> typing its name at the menu screen, though.  So, you've potentially got a
> total of 72k of RAM, but only 24k at a time.  It does give you a nice way
> of keeping three different projects on the go at the same time, each with
> its own filesystem.
>
> Multiplan is built in and is selected by MSPLAN from the main menu, which
> launches it like it was an OPTROM (there's some additional hardware to let
> the machine select between main ROM, Multiplan, and the OPTROM socket).
> What else... the cursor keys are normal keys in a diamond layout (big plus
> imho) instead of buttons like the F-keys.  The big LCD seems to have poorer
> contrast and a narrower range of viewing angles than the 8-line LCDs in the
> smaller machines, but on the plus side it's big and it scrolls text very
> quickly.
>
> The power switch is a momentary pushbutton on the keyboard which has its
> good and bad points.  The upside is that auto-power-off puts the machine in
> exactly the same state as manually powering off.  There's no need to turn
> the switch off and th

[M100] Joystick for the M100

[Hiraghm]

I have two Gravis Stinger joypads, (which are still available new on Amazon).


The thing about the Stinger is that it was designed to connect to the serial 
port, not the game port. Its purpose was to give laptop owners the ability to 
play games with joysticks on laptops with no gameport. They're very small, but 
they work okay.
At one time I wanted to write joystick drives for them for Irix to use with my 
O2; alas, I failed and no longer have my beloved O2.

I do, however, have example source code for a driver under linux... if I can 
find it.
It should work as a basis for writing a "driver" for the M100. At least info on 
how to talk to them.

Just checked; there's some info on gravis stinger joystick drivers for linux on 
the internet, too.
Again, I think they can be adapted for the M100

 Here's also an article on using an arduino to convert a regular joystick to a 
serial joystick, in linux.

I don't know if it can be adapted to work with the M100 or not.

I'd be equally interested in a way to adapt a serial mouse or preferably 
trackball or trackpad to work with the M100.

Would it be possible to adapt an Atari style joystick to the barcode port? 
Sounds to me like the method suggested for the parallel port would work for the 
barcode port. Or maybe a PC style joystick could be adapted to work with the 
cassette port? :D

On 1/4/2021 3:47 PM, m100-requ...@lists.bitchin100.com wrote:

Message: 28
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2021 12:33:14 -0500
From: Scott McDonnell
To:"m...@bitchin100.com"  
Subject: [M100] Joystick for the M100
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

If I ever find one of these for a decent price again, I am thinking it might be 
neat to hack one of these on to the M100. Probably need to tap into the 
keyboard matrix. Anyone else do something similar to get a more intuitive use 
of the arrow keys?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Suncom-ICONtroller-Joystick-for-Commodore-64-128-Computer/154044424400?hash=item23ddc360d0:g:QDYAAOSweRhfNXC8

https://www.scuzzscink.com/amiga/scuzzblog_december17_4/car_sbd_111217_03.jpg

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Re: [M100] Gold Card v7.10 2x256Kb IC Card expansion for M100/T102 from 1988

[Steve Baker]

Hello Greg — thanks, I appreciate your thoughtful reply. My heart goes out to 
his family and if anyone does still occasionally monitor that email account, I 
hope they find my note with the positive, appreciative motivations that I'd 
intended.

Later this month I’ll resume experimenting with this to more fully discover and 
celebrate what he had created. If I discover anything particularly interesting 
I’ll update the PDF (link in the folder below) and share here for general 
awareness.

Again, thank you,
SB


--
Greetings from Steve Baker
“Gravity brings me down…”



> On Jan 10, 2021, at 5:38 PM, Greg Swallow  wrote:
> 
> Steve, 
> 
> Mo passed a fen years ago. The web page may still be up, but not no MT last I 
> looked. His kids were in school, looks like, in NM and believe wife moved 
> there so they could all be together. 
> 
> We've tried to make contact to try and include his MT code (RBASIC, et alT in 
> our archive, but nothing as of yet. 
> 
> God Bless, 
> 
> GregS <>< 
> 
> Jan 10, 2021 3:25:13 PM Steve Baker :
> 
> Thanks! Yep, it’s very well-built and I’m looking forward to digging into it 
> once I (finally) put together my MVT100 kit that you sent me months ago! (I’m 
> perhaps too cautious…)
> 
> By chance, is Mo still associated with King Computer Services (that’s one of 
> the companies mentioned in the credits screen)? I sent an email to them and 
> attached the PDF too.
> 
> https://www.kingcomputerservices.com/contact.htm 
> 
> 
> It’d be great to learn more about the history of this project, how long it 
> was on the market, if the manuals are available somewhere, etc. (looks like 
> I’ve found my next windmill).
> 
> Cheers and again, thanks,
> SB
> 
> 
> -- 
> Greetings from Steve Baker 
> “Gravity brings me down…”
> 
> 
> 
>> On Jan 10, 2021, at 5:10 PM, Stephen Adolph > > wrote:
>> 
>> very interesting!  Never seen that before.
>> Well Mo Budlong wrote some very good software, I'm sure it is really a good 
>> device.
>> thanks for putting that together!
>> Steve 
>> 
>> On Sun, Jan 10, 2021 at 4:06 PM Steve Baker > > wrote: 
>> Quick update on my (previously mysterious) Gold 7.10 chip. I dusted off the 
>> corresponding hardware (an interesting case with two 256Kb IC cards that 
>> plugs into the system bus) and was able to get it working. It offers two 
>> banks of 256Kb storage plus some utilities to format and test IC cards, copy 
>> cards, transfer files to/from RAM, and so on.
>> 
>> Today I made a quick PDF that has (a) photos of the software running on a 
>> Tandy 102, the chip itself, and the IC case and cards; and (b) a two-part 
>> article written by Mike Nugget in the Oct/Nov 1988 issues of Portable 100. 
>> Thought it might be interesting to read a more robust hands-on review, as 
>> I’m just starting to figure out what this does. 
>> 
>> The PDF is stored here in my Club100 folder:
>> 
>> http://www.club100.org/memfiles/index.php?direction=0&order=&directory=Steve%20Baker&;
>>  
>> 
>> 
>> … along with the HEX and BX files of the chip itself. Now I’m totally 
>> curious about what I have… given the chip has a hand-written label, is this 
>> a pre-production version? Or were all of them shipped like this, thereby 
>> asserting a relatively low volume (the 512k set had a list price of $550 
>> back in ’88)? Well, it’ll be fun to see what I can do with it.
>> 
>> Cheers and here’s to a good week,
>> SB
>> 
>> 
>> — 
>> Greetings from Steve Baker 
>> “Gravity brings me down…”
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 

Re: [M100] Gold Card v7.10 2x256Kb IC Card expansion for M100/T102 from 1988

[Greg Swallow]

Steve,

Mo passed a fen years ago. The web page may still be up, but not no MT last I 
looked. His kids were in school, looks like, in NM and believe wife moved there 
so they could all be together.

We've tried to make contact to try and include his MT code (RBASIC, et alT in 
our archive, but nothing as of yet.

God Bless,

GregS <><

Jan 10, 2021 3:25:13 PM Steve Baker :

> Thanks! Yep, it’s very well-built and I’m looking forward to digging into it 
> once I (finally) put together my MVT100 kit that you sent me months ago! (I’m 
> perhaps too cautious…)
> 
> By chance, is Mo still associated with King Computer Services (that’s one of 
> the companies mentioned in the credits screen)? I sent an email to them and 
> attached the PDF too.
> 
> https://www.kingcomputerservices.com/contact.htm
> 
> It’d be great to learn more about the history of this project, how long it 
> was on the market, if the manuals are available somewhere, etc. (looks like 
> I’ve found my next windmill).
> 
> Cheers and again, thanks,
> SB
> 
> 
> -- 
> Greetings from Steve Baker
> “Gravity brings me down…”
> 
> 
> 
>> On Jan 10, 2021, at 5:10 PM, Stephen Adolph  wrote:
>> 
>> very interesting!  Never seen that before.
>> Well Mo Budlong wrote some very good software, I'm sure it is really a good 
>> device.
>> thanks for putting that together!
>> Steve
>> 
>> On Sun, Jan 10, 2021 at 4:06 PM Steve Baker  wrote:
>>> Quick update on my (previously mysterious) Gold 7.10 chip. I dusted off the 
>>> corresponding hardware (an interesting case with two 256Kb IC cards that 
>>> plugs into the system bus) and was able to get it working. It offers two 
>>> banks of 256Kb storage plus some utilities to format and test IC cards, 
>>> copy cards, transfer files to/from RAM, and so on.
>>> 
>>> Today I made a quick PDF that has (a) photos of the software running on a 
>>> Tandy 102, the chip itself, and the IC case and cards; and (b) a two-part 
>>> article written by Mike Nugget in the Oct/Nov 1988 issues of Portable 100. 
>>> Thought it might be interesting to read a more robust hands-on review, as 
>>> I’m just starting to figure out what this does.
>>> 
>>> The PDF is stored here in my Club100 folder:
>>> 
>>> http://www.club100.org/memfiles/index.php?direction=0&order=&directory=Steve%20Baker&;
>>> 
>>> … along with the HEX and BX files of the chip itself. Now I’m totally 
>>> curious about what I have… given the chip has a hand-written label, is this 
>>> a pre-production version? Or were all of them shipped like this, thereby 
>>> asserting a relatively low volume (the 512k set had a list price of $550 
>>> back in ’88)? Well, it’ll be fun to see what I can do with it.
>>> 
>>> Cheers and here’s to a good week,
>>> SB
>>> 
>>> 
>>> —
>>> Greetings from Steve Baker
>>> “Gravity brings me down…”
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
> 

Re: [M100] Gold Card v7.10 2x256Kb IC Card expansion for M100/T102 from 1988

[Steve Baker]

Thanks! Yep, it’s very well-built and I’m looking forward to digging into it 
once I (finally) put together my MVT100 kit that you sent me months ago! (I’m 
perhaps too cautious…)

By chance, is Mo still associated with King Computer Services (that’s one of 
the companies mentioned in the credits screen)? I sent an email to them and 
attached the PDF too.

https://www.kingcomputerservices.com/contact.htm

It’d be great to learn more about the history of this project, how long it was 
on the market, if the manuals are available somewhere, etc. (looks like I’ve 
found my next windmill).

Cheers and again, thanks,
SB


--
Greetings from Steve Baker
“Gravity brings me down…”



> On Jan 10, 2021, at 5:10 PM, Stephen Adolph  wrote:
> 
> very interesting!  Never seen that before.
> Well Mo Budlong wrote some very good software, I'm sure it is really a good 
> device.
> thanks for putting that together!
> Steve
> 
> On Sun, Jan 10, 2021 at 4:06 PM Steve Baker  > wrote:
> Quick update on my (previously mysterious) Gold 7.10 chip. I dusted off the 
> corresponding hardware (an interesting case with two 256Kb IC cards that 
> plugs into the system bus) and was able to get it working. It offers two 
> banks of 256Kb storage plus some utilities to format and test IC cards, copy 
> cards, transfer files to/from RAM, and so on.
> 
> Today I made a quick PDF that has (a) photos of the software running on a 
> Tandy 102, the chip itself, and the IC case and cards; and (b) a two-part 
> article written by Mike Nugget in the Oct/Nov 1988 issues of Portable 100. 
> Thought it might be interesting to read a more robust hands-on review, as I’m 
> just starting to figure out what this does.
> 
> The PDF is stored here in my Club100 folder:
> 
> http://www.club100.org/memfiles/index.php?direction=0&order=&directory=Steve%20Baker&;
>  
> 
> 
> … along with the HEX and BX files of the chip itself. Now I’m totally curious 
> about what I have… given the chip has a hand-written label, is this a 
> pre-production version? Or were all of them shipped like this, thereby 
> asserting a relatively low volume (the 512k set had a list price of $550 back 
> in ’88)? Well, it’ll be fun to see what I can do with it.
> 
> Cheers and here’s to a good week,
> SB
> 
> 
> —
> Greetings from Steve Baker
> “Gravity brings me down…”
> 
> 
> 

Re: [M100] Gold Card v7.10 2x256Kb IC Card expansion for M100/T102 from 1988

[Stephen Adolph]

very interesting!  Never seen that before.
Well Mo Budlong wrote some very good software, I'm sure it is really a good
device.
thanks for putting that together!
Steve

On Sun, Jan 10, 2021 at 4:06 PM Steve Baker  wrote:

> Quick update on my (previously mysterious) Gold 7.10 chip. I dusted off
> the corresponding hardware (an interesting case with two 256Kb IC cards
> that plugs into the system bus) and was able to get it working. It offers
> two banks of 256Kb storage plus some utilities to format and test IC cards,
> copy cards, transfer files to/from RAM, and so on.
>
> Today I made a quick PDF that has (a) photos of the software running on a
> Tandy 102, the chip itself, and the IC case and cards; and (b) a two-part
> article written by Mike Nugget in the Oct/Nov 1988 issues of Portable 100.
> Thought it might be interesting to read a more robust hands-on review, as
> I’m just starting to figure out what this does.
>
> The PDF is stored here in my Club100 folder:
>
>
> http://www.club100.org/memfiles/index.php?direction=0&order=&directory=Steve%20Baker&;
>
> … along with the HEX and BX files of the chip itself. Now I’m totally
> curious about what I have… given the chip has a hand-written label, is this
> a pre-production version? Or were all of them shipped like this, thereby
> asserting a relatively low volume (the 512k set had a list price of $550
> back in ’88)? Well, it’ll be fun to see what I can do with it.
>
> Cheers and here’s to a good week,
> SB
>
>
> —
> Greetings from Steve Baker
> “Gravity brings me down…”
>
>
>
>

[M100] Gold Card v7.10 2x256Kb IC Card expansion for M100/T102 from 1988

[Steve Baker]

Quick update on my (previously mysterious) Gold 7.10 chip. I dusted off the 
corresponding hardware (an interesting case with two 256Kb IC cards that plugs 
into the system bus) and was able to get it working. It offers two banks of 
256Kb storage plus some utilities to format and test IC cards, copy cards, 
transfer files to/from RAM, and so on.

Today I made a quick PDF that has (a) photos of the software running on a Tandy 
102, the chip itself, and the IC case and cards; and (b) a two-part article 
written by Mike Nugget in the Oct/Nov 1988 issues of Portable 100. Thought it 
might be interesting to read a more robust hands-on review, as I’m just 
starting to figure out what this does.

The PDF is stored here in my Club100 folder:

http://www.club100.org/memfiles/index.php?direction=0&order=&directory=Steve%20Baker&;
 


… along with the HEX and BX files of the chip itself. Now I’m totally curious 
about what I have… given the chip has a hand-written label, is this a 
pre-production version? Or were all of them shipped like this, thereby 
asserting a relatively low volume (the 512k set had a list price of $550 back 
in ’88)? Well, it’ll be fun to see what I can do with it.

Cheers and here’s to a good week,
SB


—
Greetings from Steve Baker
“Gravity brings me down…”