Good bye, my friends...
Well, it looks like I (and most of this company of mine) will be leaving. made redundant... no longer working So, I'm losing my account.. :( It was nice being here with you lot and hopefully, I will find myself in a cheery office somewhere hacking away at some office somewhere where I can resubscribe. Have fun.. take care.. Don't kill the SAM before I get back. Justin.
Re: Missing disk error.
>And if you don't want to build one... email Malcolm: [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a >ready built one ;) Does it come ready fitted on my SAM? :) Didn't think so.. so I'll still need to get my solder iron out anyway. Justin.
Re: Missing disk error.
First of all: Good news... I succesfully booted up my Sam last night.. let's see how well it can carry on. :) Simon suggested: >Justin, how are you with hardware? > >Get thee to Edwin's homepage and use the instructions on how to create a >DPU to... well... create a DPU. *gulps* I'm not a complete unknown to hardware... my final year project in my CompSci uni course was a good proportion of hardware design... it's just that I'm a bit wary of operating on my little baby... I still have nightmares from me ruining my old baby (my old Speccy) by playing about with the insides (that's the reason why I got my Sam in the first place). I'll open up my dear Sam for the first time ever (with Edwin's instructions in hand) and have a peek... I'll also get a cheque ready for a new Sam... :) Justin.
Re: Missing disk error.
>Except if unlike 99% of serious SAM owners you've forgotten to eject a disk >before resetting the computer :( I even do that with PCs that I /want/ to boot from floppy... I push in the disk just after the FDD is tested by the BIOS... It all stems from me losing all my data from a Wafadrive on my old Speccy! Justin.
Re: Missing disk error.
Lee Willis wrote: >Ahh, oops, could have been the lemonade after all ... *smacks his head against the work-desk* Surely, if it was the lemonade, it wouldn't have let me load up PRODOS and a text editor from the start? Besides, it would've dried between the lemonde incident and me using it I wouldn't mind if it wasn't just a cheap bottle of Happy Shopper diet lemonade. Next time, I'll only drink beer at the computer!!! Okie. What are my options? If only I hadn't let my Format subscription expire MR BRENCHLEY?!? You reading this? What can I do to replace my disk drive if my drive is cackered? Jut.
Re: Missing disk error.
Lee Willis wrote: >> I finally got around to getting my SAM software project off >> the ground and start implementing the thing over the >> weekend. And NOW the disk drive refuses to even admit >> that there is a disk in the drive!!! Now it keeps complaining >> with a "missing disk" error whenever I try and BOOT the >> bloody thing!!! (multiple disks tried, aswell) >Turn it off and leave it to sulk for a few minutes then try it :) >Seriously it's probably the disk controller getting it's knickers in a >twist (Something that according to Bob doesn't happen but there you go >...) > >Either leave it off for a bit or hammer the reset button for a >bit. Always used to work for me :) I've tried that.. I've even left it over night... I'll try again when I get back home from Work... Jut.
Missing disk error.
This is /all/ I need! (But it does finally give someone a SAM related topic to chat about) I finally got around to getting my SAM software project off the ground and start implementing the thing over the weekend. And NOW the disk drive refuses to even admit that there is a disk in the drive!!! Now it keeps complaining with a "missing disk" error whenever I try and BOOT the bloody thing!!! (multiple disks tried, aswell) It's extremely annoying, especially as I had just worked out a workaround a coding problem I was experiencing and trying to remove... Anyone knows what the problem could be? (Actually, I have a good guess - but I was sure none of the lemonade got into the drive envelope - or, at least, not enough to cause any problems. It did BOOT up first of all then stopped working when I was loading up a file in PRODOS) What are my options? Justin.
Re: dave Ledbury off line
>> Dave is always blowing his computer up! What on earth does he >> keep doing to it > >Running Windows ? Always a bad thing to do Jut.
Re: dave Ledbury off line
>Anyone who wants to contact Dave, please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Dave has manage to blow his computer! >I will pass on any messages. Dave is always blowing his computer up! What on earth does he keep doing to it Jut.
Re: SAM projects and things SAM related
Maybe i should, actually, go to one of these shows one day... Jut.
Re: Hardware peeps...
> > So, how many people here are actually interested in tinkering with any >> > SAM hardware? > >IE actually doing any serious building of new projects. Tinkering, yes... Serious, umm... you know my record with finishing things... Jut.
Re: SAM projects?
Edwin wrote: >And even more. Too many Ideas. I hope too I'll be able to finish them >all. Ack! My p[rojects are tiny comapred to that lot! Justin
Re: SAM projects?
>Simon's apparently working on something called Statues of Ice ... *laughs* I'm not normally one to drool over demos.. But I /WANT/ to see this one!!! :) Jut.
SAM projects?
Hi, Out of curiousity, what SAM related projects are people working on? Personally, I'm working on the MIDI to SAM Sequencer Song file converter. Presently, in PRO-DOS - with the intention of porting it to native SAM. Early estimates (from the prototype) show that an 80k .mid file will be converted into a SAM Sequencer song file in less than 2 minutes - which is slightly better than the 45 minutes that the convertor that came with Sequencer said it would take. Which is just as well since I've got about 16disks worth of midi files to convert to SAM format, yet... But, knowing me (Mr. Vapourware himself) I'll probably not actually get around to polishing the proggy off for releasing... maybe this time. :) Justin.
TV modulator
Hi gang, First question: Does anyone know anything about TV transmitters around the South Herts area? I had to retune my video to the alternate BBC2 and C4 channels... and Chan5 decided to ruin my SAM picture!!! :( So, I opened up the power pack and twiddled the modulation screws until I got a non-interfered picture. Which brings me onto the second question: I've discovered that one black twiddler controls the TV picture channel and the other is the sound but - what do the two brass twiddlers do? Twiddling them didn't seem to do a thing. Justin. (Please excuse the "technical" terms for potentiometers - it's still early in the morning.)
Fueds 'n' Format (Was: About my ISP)
Dean wrote: >I asked if anyone could give me a good reason to keep my sub going, not >even one responce, let alone any responce to say keep it, does that not >tell you something ! Actually, my format sub ran out and I've been thinking the same, myself. No dis-respect to the contributers, but over the last couple of months, I hardly did anything other than just scan the pages... It's a shame all the old fueds continue. You would've thought that things would've worked themselves out over the last few very stressful weeks. The days were bad enough as it is without coming to work (I'm grateful that I still have a work to come to) to see one of my sources of sanity still fighting it out. :( But that's all a long story and to quote Ally McBeal: "By-gones." I apologising for not replying to personal email you guys sent me. I'm back to sanity now and they are still in my in-box. I haven't ignored you - I will reply to them when I have five more minutes spare. :) Take care. Justin.
Re: State of the SAM and SAM Community
>I've often wondered whether there's an opening to use the SAM >ASIC in a simple single-board computer for electronics hobbyists... >It would use up those spare ASICs and perhaps encourage people >to devise hardware for the SAM bus. > >[snip] > >Perhaps it could prolong the life of the SAM by opening it >up to a new market? *laughs* I've been saying this for eons... Bob, Bill, and Samsboss rejected it then and will certainly reject it now! (At the time, I was only suggesting a carefully written advert into certain electronics magazines - not a stripped down SBC) Justin.
Re: So what is it?
>> I don't know. But I think that it's a White Hole. > >No white holes, sorry. I have a White Star, if that's any use? >From Red Dwarf to Babylon 5?
Re: Unforgivable (But Intriguing) Spam
>I have to say, the idea of an 8-bit bus doesn't worry me I think >it's quite exciting! Can you imagine an 8-bitter that competes with a >Pentium?!! It'll be on my shopping list! :) Justin
Re: Unforgivable (But Intriguing) Spam
>On another - though similar - note, did anyone read/hear that Sir Uncle >Clive plans to release a new Spectrum-style machine (ie. cheap, easy to >use...shite GFX and sound) for the new millennium? Someone, please...tell >me it's the Sam! Tell me Clive's bought WCC and plans to revitalise our >ailing market... Lie if you have to, damnit! I've heard it's going to be called the ZX2000. Basically, it's going to be a nice fast portable computer (to fight against other expensive ones), NON-IBM like, NON MS Windows, with his revolutionary battery technology. Justin. PS. Sorry, I can't lie. No it's not the SAM. Although, some may be able to hold of a prototype and make a SAM emulator for it! :)
Re: The removal to PC cover.
>Justin or Andrew Gale - can't remember which - has designed a PC >Keyboard interface... so perhaps they'll be able to help. It was Andrew, not me. Justin.
Re: CP/M 2.2 QED
>I made demo version of my CP/M 2.2 QED. If anyone wanted >to test it please let me know. I can also post it here. >It is 20KB long in uuencode. The basic knowledle of CP/M >is needed because there are no docs included. > >Yarek. I thought I might point at that so far in my testing, it seems pretty good. I haven't yet tested the demo to see if it works with the software I have problems with on Pro-DOS but, so far, there are quite a few indications that say it's better than Pro-DOS... Justin. PS. This isn't really an advertisement... sort of a mini-review..
Re: Simple question regarding printer cables
>Where can I buy a SAM printer cable, and at what price? (Other than >Gloucester). IIRC, he SAM's parallel printer interface uses the standard BBC 'B' printer cable. I believe Maplins sell them. (At least, they used to). Price? Unknown, but I'll have a look in my catalogue tonight... justin.
Re: HDD and operating systems
>PRODOS - a CP/M 2.2 compatibile. > Does anyone use CP/M on SAM? Actually, I do... I quite like it. It's just a shame that that the version I have seems to not like running some CP/M 2.2 stuff I have... Justin.
Re: Bwah?
>PPPS. 39 people so far have looked at my sam-users users page - but only >two have actually replied. Come on! I recognise some of the DNS names BTW, >I know who you are and there is no escape Umm.. I've got a scanned in photo of myself but I haven't got around to shrinking it yet. Or thought up a nice little paragraph about myself! :) Justin.
What no bits?!?!?
I finally got around to start work on my hardware development/experimentation/extension card for my wonderful SAM. I designed the address logic for the main card and its first daughter board. Went to my local Maplins and got the little NAND and OR chips. I had to order the connectors since they never had them in stock. So, I waited patiently until yesterday for my little parcel to arrive on my doormat. I asked for one nice 64 pin (96way) euro-connector for my SAM and one set of nice 32 pin (64way) euro-connectors for the cute little daughter boards. What I got was one 32pin male connector and the invoice saying the other two items were... wait for it...DISCONTINUED?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??! Huh? How the hell am I supposed to play with hardware on my SAM if those wonderful standard euroconnectors that you NEED for the SAM are discontinued?!?? Ok. I'm assuming that it's just that Maplin's have stopped selling them for some strange reason. And not because there is a world-wide ban on the things. So, I was wondering if anyone knew of a supplier of these items that don't ask for a 35 quid minimum order... Justin.
Off topic, sorry.
Hi. I remember someone pointing to a web page that gave "proof" that Bob was Samsboss, etc... Can someone point me to that address again, coz I'm trying to help a friend search for someone. Cheers, thanks. Justin.
Re: reset--disk corrupt problem; where to find info on Atom
>I made a gif picture of my DPU. Is it allowed to send it to list ? Probably not allowed on the list, but could you send me one personally? Justin
Re: SRAM
>Since I heard the SRAM board mentioned the other day, has anyone >seen the Fujitsu FLASH chip in the Maplin catalogue? It costs >about a tenner, and has something like 256K or 512K - and >an eight bit bus --- could be ideal for those who want to >tinker with the ROM! And no need for batteries, either >I think they only need a single 5v supply. Have a look at: I remember mentioning the FLASH EPROMs to Bob when he first suggested the SRAM project. I think Simon and Martin someone designed a 512K Flash ROM thing for the SAM. But, as with any other idea put to Bob, he's thrown it out of the window to keep to his own. Which is fair enough since, apparently, he "owns" the SAM market. Doesn't matter now, anyway. I've almost got all the parts to build my own 512K Flash + 128K ram interface. I just got to sit down and make the thing. Well, I will do after I make my PIC programmer + assembler in Pro-DOS. (I promised to make a MIDI-filter for a friend of mine) After that, I think I'll go and write myself a "stupid scrolly demo" since I've never done one before... Justin. PS. Why isn't there a 12v supply to the expansion port???
