Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-12 Thread Thomas Harte
I concur, and have already ordered my Trinity.

On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 12:49 AM, Adrian Brown
 wrote:
> WOOHOO - Nice going :D
>
> -Original Message-
> From: owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no [mailto:owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no]
> On Behalf Of Colin Piggot
> Sent: 12 January 2009 00:16
> To: Adrian
> Subject: Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!
>
> I wrote...
>> Looks like I'll have to get my hands dirty with some Z80 at the
>> weekend...
>
> And I have!
>
> The patched ROM3 is ready. By removing the rainbow stripes and the
> copyright
> message I freed up 130 bytes and just managed to squeeze my new code in
> the
> ROM to first check that the Trinity Ethernet Interface is connected then
> fetch in a 1K bootblock from the Trinity's 128K EEPROM and execute it.
>
> I've just got a simple test routine stored in the EEPROM for the time
> being
> so I could check it was all working, but the next step is to write code
> so
> it can then fetch in the full DOS from the EEPROM too which should be a
> relatively straightforward task to write. Of course though the 1K
> bootblock
> in the EEPROM could contain whatever you want so there's nothing
> stopping
> anyone else to write their own code to pop in the EEPROM to execute on
> startup.
>
> I'll be writing up all what I've done for the next SAM Revival magazine
> and
> including all the source code for the ROM patch, the finished bootblock
> and
> installer for getting it to load DOS on startup. There'll also be some
> skeleton code for creating your own bootblock routine for it to execute
> on
> startup.
>
> I've got some EPROM chips on the way so will have the new ROMs available
> later this week.
>
> Colin
> =
> Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
> 1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
> Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> APB Computer Services Ltd. Registered Address: 3 Springfield, Trevadlock, 
> Congdons Shop, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 7PW.  Registration Number: 4942193. 
>  V.A.T. No: 826 0005 70
>
> This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended 
> solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If 
> you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This 
> message contains confidential information and is intended only for the 
> individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not 
> disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender 
> immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete 
> this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are 
> notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in 
> reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.
>


RE: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-11 Thread Adrian Brown
WOOHOO - Nice going :D

-Original Message-
From: owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no [mailto:owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no]
On Behalf Of Colin Piggot
Sent: 12 January 2009 00:16
To: Adrian
Subject: Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

I wrote...
> Looks like I'll have to get my hands dirty with some Z80 at the
> weekend...

And I have!

The patched ROM3 is ready. By removing the rainbow stripes and the
copyright
message I freed up 130 bytes and just managed to squeeze my new code in
the
ROM to first check that the Trinity Ethernet Interface is connected then
fetch in a 1K bootblock from the Trinity's 128K EEPROM and execute it.

I've just got a simple test routine stored in the EEPROM for the time
being
so I could check it was all working, but the next step is to write code
so
it can then fetch in the full DOS from the EEPROM too which should be a
relatively straightforward task to write. Of course though the 1K
bootblock
in the EEPROM could contain whatever you want so there's nothing
stopping
anyone else to write their own code to pop in the EEPROM to execute on
startup.

I'll be writing up all what I've done for the next SAM Revival magazine
and
including all the source code for the ROM patch, the finished bootblock
and
installer for getting it to load DOS on startup. There'll also be some
skeleton code for creating your own bootblock routine for it to execute
on
startup.

I've got some EPROM chips on the way so will have the new ROMs available
later this week.

Colin
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/








APB Computer Services Ltd. Registered Address: 3 Springfield, Trevadlock, 
Congdons Shop, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 7PW.  Registration Number: 4942193.  
V.A.T. No: 826 0005 70

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended 
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If 
you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This 
message contains confidential information and is intended only for the 
individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not 
disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender 
immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete 
this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are 
notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in 
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Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-11 Thread Colin Piggot
I wrote...
> Looks like I'll have to get my hands dirty with some Z80 at the
> weekend...

And I have!

The patched ROM3 is ready. By removing the rainbow stripes and the copyright
message I freed up 130 bytes and just managed to squeeze my new code in the
ROM to first check that the Trinity Ethernet Interface is connected then
fetch in a 1K bootblock from the Trinity's 128K EEPROM and execute it.

I've just got a simple test routine stored in the EEPROM for the time being
so I could check it was all working, but the next step is to write code so
it can then fetch in the full DOS from the EEPROM too which should be a
relatively straightforward task to write. Of course though the 1K bootblock
in the EEPROM could contain whatever you want so there's nothing stopping
anyone else to write their own code to pop in the EEPROM to execute on
startup.

I'll be writing up all what I've done for the next SAM Revival magazine and
including all the source code for the ROM patch, the finished bootblock and
installer for getting it to load DOS on startup. There'll also be some
skeleton code for creating your own bootblock routine for it to execute on
startup.

I've got some EPROM chips on the way so will have the new ROMs available
later this week.

Colin
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/



RE: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-10 Thread Adrian Brown
It should be able to be loaded to just about any page you want so you can fit 
it around your things, itll nick a couple of unused system vars to track a few 
things but again these will be documented.

-Original Message-
From: owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no [mailto:owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no] On 
Behalf Of Thomas Harte
Sent: 10 January 2009 13:31
To: Adrian
Subject: Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

I'm a bit confused about all this - how will this all work from a
technical point of view? I don't know what hardware ethernet
controllers tend to have... presumably the ethernet controller can
self assemble packets, then the z80 will run a TCP/IP stack and the
various HTTP protocol-related tasks? Are you planning to claim well-
defined pages and publish well-defined entry points/etc, or just offer
the TCP/IP and HTTP code for linking directly into programs that want
to use it?

Quite possibly I'm asking the wrong questions. If so, please don't
hesitate to say so!

Re: the SD/MMC card and reading it on full-size computers, I think
there isn't a solution yet for Trinity-format cards (?), presumably
for us people using an OS with a UNIX layer, this is just a case of
someone writing something to find the correct block device and read it
back in the expected formats, and could even be added to something
like FUSE (the filesystems in userspace one, not the Spectrum
emulator)? How hard would it be to add to Sim Coupé?

On 8 Jan 2009, at 22:27, Adrian Brown wrote:

> Ill be glad when the HTTP stuff is sorted so i can add all the final
> interfaces for it all - once its all done, i need to get my nice cross
> platform compiler/debugger working using it - so i can rewrite it
> all ;)
> I forgot how hard it was to dev something of this size even in the
> great
> comet assembler (I cant remember which assembler i first started
> with -
> but it had line numbers ;).  When a project starts getting above 4000
> lines of code its a pain to follow.  I guess im too use to multiple
> files and headesr to keep everything simple these days :D
>
> Adrian
>
> -Original Message-
> From: owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no [mailto:owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no]
> On Behalf Of Colin Piggot
> Sent: 08 January 2009 22:00
> To: Adrian
> Subject: Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!
>
> Thomas wrote:
>> To my mind, this would add significantly to the value of the Trinity,
>> and if you were to develop such a thing (presumably it'd just be
>> however long it takes to modify the OS ROM, then existing Trinitys
>> could be reflashed?) then I would definitely go on the pre-order
>> list.
>
> No need to reflash existing Trinitys. The EEPROM on the Trinity is
> both
> readable and writeable from software. It's on there to store settings
> and
> such like for programs (e.g. network configuration). It's allocated
> with
> a
> simple system giving 120 x 1K chunks and a table which has a record of
> what
> is using each chunk. There's all the info on how it stores stuff as
> well
> as
> all the source code needed to do everything included with the Trinity
> (and
> also printed in SAM Revival 20)
>
> A simple program could be made to allocate a chunk (or chunks) for the
> extra
> boot code or the whole DOS, which the patched SAM ROM could then fetch
> when
> the SAM starts up.
>
>
>> In fact, I guess you'd just be able to offer the OS ROM as an upgrade
>> (?), so I guess I could order a Trinity right now and get myself in
>> order with whatever tiny number of discs I didn't long ago image
>> while
>> the drive is still working.
>
> Yeap. When it's ready it would just need the modified SAM ROM to be
> fitted
> inside the SAM and then a program loaded on the SAM to dump the extra
> chunk
> of code in the Trinity's EEPROM and then it would be all set to go.
>
>
>> While the Atom and that ROM would clearly solve my solid-state needs,
>> it would be nice to throw some ethernet on in there while I'm
>> spending
>> the cash.
>
> I'm itching to see stuff using the Ethernet up and running as you'll
> have
> seen from the latest magazine - I'll update information on my webby of
> what
> I've got in the works at the weekend when I've got some spare time.
>
> From chatting with Adrian I know he's been making great progress with
> the
> TCP/IP code, running his DNS program and just seeing it pop the
> results
> up
> shows it's well on the way! With all the ideas that he has been
> kicking
> about for the completed stack it is going to be fantastic - and easy
> to
> use
> for all the programmers out there.
>
> Colin.
> =
> Quazar : Hardware,

RE: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-10 Thread Adrian Brown
I think Colin summed it up :)  The idea is a basic or machine code
program can use the TCPIP stack to send/receive information on any ports
it wants without having to recompile the stack itself.  Also if done
correctly people can expand on whats written.  I.e. The idea is the
first version of the stack will have ARP/DNS Resolve/TCP/UDP and basic
HTTP packet sending/recieveing.  Once thats done ill probably write
something like a quick ftp program.  Anyone would be able to use the
main features of the stack (ARP/DNS/TCP/UDP/HTTP) as well as load up the
ftp and use that from basic or machine code.  All this would be possible
without having to compile the code (so its easy from basic), also you
can have all this as well as your own custom programs running with
whatever port stuff you want.

Ill need to document it all, but hopefully it should be straight
forward.






APB Computer Services Ltd. Registered Address: 3 Springfield, Trevadlock, 
Congdons Shop, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 7PW.  Registration Number: 4942193.  
V.A.T. No: 826 0005 70

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended 
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If 
you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This 
message contains confidential information and is intended only for the 
individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not 
disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender 
immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete 
this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are 
notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in 
reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.


Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-10 Thread Colin Piggot
Thomas wrote:
> I'm a bit confused about all this — how will this all work from
> a technical point of view? I don't know what hardware ethernet
> controllers tend to have... presumably the ethernet controller can
> self assemble packets, then the z80 will run a TCP/IP stack and
> the various HTTP protocol-related tasks? Are you planning to
> claim well-defined pages and publish well-defined entry points/etc,
> or just offer the TCP/IP and HTTP code for linking directly into
> programs that want to use it?

Simply put, the ethernet controller is taking care of sending and receiving
packets - it has an 8K buffer, and can flag when it was received a complete
packet etc. Simon Owen has already done a great job on writing an Ethernet
driver to take care of all the hardware initialising, setting up the
buffers, sending and receiving packets between the SAM and the ethernet
controller on the Trinity.

Adrian's been working on porting the uIP TCP/IP stack to the SAM to process
the packets to provide the TCP/IP connectivity and handling various
protocols. From the chats I've had with Adrian the 'interface' for using the
TCP/IP stack is probably the one area that's been the most thought out -
coming up with a versatible and easy way of using the code in your own
programs - from the ideas that he has come up with it should be
straightforward for both machine code and BASIC programs to be able to use
the stack.

Colin
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/



Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-10 Thread Thomas Harte
I'm a bit confused about all this — how will this all work from a  
technical point of view? I don't know what hardware ethernet  
controllers tend to have... presumably the ethernet controller can  
self assemble packets, then the z80 will run a TCP/IP stack and the  
various HTTP protocol-related tasks? Are you planning to claim well- 
defined pages and publish well-defined entry points/etc, or just offer  
the TCP/IP and HTTP code for linking directly into programs that want  
to use it?


Quite possibly I'm asking the wrong questions. If so, please don't  
hesitate to say so!


Re: the SD/MMC card and reading it on full-size computers, I think  
there isn't a solution yet for Trinity-format cards (?), presumably  
for us people using an OS with a UNIX layer, this is just a case of  
someone writing something to find the correct block device and read it  
back in the expected formats, and could even be added to something  
like FUSE (the filesystems in userspace one, not the Spectrum  
emulator)? How hard would it be to add to Sim Coupé?


On 8 Jan 2009, at 22:27, Adrian Brown wrote:


Ill be glad when the HTTP stuff is sorted so i can add all the final
interfaces for it all - once its all done, i need to get my nice cross
platform compiler/debugger working using it - so i can rewrite it  
all ;)
I forgot how hard it was to dev something of this size even in the  
great
comet assembler (I cant remember which assembler i first started  
with -

but it had line numbers ;).  When a project starts getting above 4000
lines of code its a pain to follow.  I guess im too use to multiple
files and headesr to keep everything simple these days :D

Adrian

-Original Message-
From: owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no [mailto:owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no]
On Behalf Of Colin Piggot
Sent: 08 January 2009 22:00
To: Adrian
Subject: Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

Thomas wrote:

To my mind, this would add significantly to the value of the Trinity,
and if you were to develop such a thing (presumably it'd just be
however long it takes to modify the OS ROM, then existing Trinitys
could be reflashed?) then I would definitely go on the pre-order  
list.


No need to reflash existing Trinitys. The EEPROM on the Trinity is  
both

readable and writeable from software. It's on there to store settings
and
such like for programs (e.g. network configuration). It's allocated  
with

a
simple system giving 120 x 1K chunks and a table which has a record of
what
is using each chunk. There's all the info on how it stores stuff as  
well

as
all the source code needed to do everything included with the Trinity
(and
also printed in SAM Revival 20)

A simple program could be made to allocate a chunk (or chunks) for the
extra
boot code or the whole DOS, which the patched SAM ROM could then fetch
when
the SAM starts up.



In fact, I guess you'd just be able to offer the OS ROM as an upgrade
(?), so I guess I could order a Trinity right now and get myself in
order with whatever tiny number of discs I didn't long ago image  
while

the drive is still working.


Yeap. When it's ready it would just need the modified SAM ROM to be
fitted
inside the SAM and then a program loaded on the SAM to dump the extra
chunk
of code in the Trinity's EEPROM and then it would be all set to go.



While the Atom and that ROM would clearly solve my solid-state needs,
it would be nice to throw some ethernet on in there while I'm  
spending

the cash.


I'm itching to see stuff using the Ethernet up and running as you'll
have
seen from the latest magazine - I'll update information on my webby of
what
I've got in the works at the weekend when I've got some spare time.

From chatting with Adrian I know he's been making great progress with
the
TCP/IP code, running his DNS program and just seeing it pop the  
results

up
shows it's well on the way! With all the ideas that he has been  
kicking
about for the completed stack it is going to be fantastic - and easy  
to

use
for all the programmers out there.

Colin.
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/








APB Computer Services Ltd. Registered Address: 3 Springfield,  
Trevadlock, Congdons Shop, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 7PW.   
Registration Number: 4942193.  V.A.T. No: 826 0005 70


This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and  
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they  
are addressed. If you have received this email in error please  
notify the system manager. This message contains confidential  
information and is intended only for the individual named. If you  
are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute  
or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail  
if you have received this e

RE: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Adrian Brown
Ill be glad when the HTTP stuff is sorted so i can add all the final
interfaces for it all - once its all done, i need to get my nice cross
platform compiler/debugger working using it - so i can rewrite it all ;)
I forgot how hard it was to dev something of this size even in the great
comet assembler (I cant remember which assembler i first started with -
but it had line numbers ;).  When a project starts getting above 4000
lines of code its a pain to follow.  I guess im too use to multiple
files and headesr to keep everything simple these days :D

Adrian

-Original Message-
From: owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no [mailto:owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no]
On Behalf Of Colin Piggot
Sent: 08 January 2009 22:00
To: Adrian
Subject: Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

Thomas wrote:
> To my mind, this would add significantly to the value of the Trinity,
> and if you were to develop such a thing (presumably it'd just be
> however long it takes to modify the OS ROM, then existing Trinitys
> could be reflashed?) then I would definitely go on the pre-order list.

No need to reflash existing Trinitys. The EEPROM on the Trinity is both
readable and writeable from software. It's on there to store settings
and
such like for programs (e.g. network configuration). It's allocated with
a
simple system giving 120 x 1K chunks and a table which has a record of
what
is using each chunk. There's all the info on how it stores stuff as well
as
all the source code needed to do everything included with the Trinity
(and
also printed in SAM Revival 20)

A simple program could be made to allocate a chunk (or chunks) for the
extra
boot code or the whole DOS, which the patched SAM ROM could then fetch
when
the SAM starts up.


> In fact, I guess you'd just be able to offer the OS ROM as an upgrade
> (?), so I guess I could order a Trinity right now and get myself in
> order with whatever tiny number of discs I didn't long ago image while
> the drive is still working.

Yeap. When it's ready it would just need the modified SAM ROM to be
fitted
inside the SAM and then a program loaded on the SAM to dump the extra
chunk
of code in the Trinity's EEPROM and then it would be all set to go.


> While the Atom and that ROM would clearly solve my solid-state needs,
> it would be nice to throw some ethernet on in there while I'm spending
> the cash.

I'm itching to see stuff using the Ethernet up and running as you'll
have
seen from the latest magazine - I'll update information on my webby of
what
I've got in the works at the weekend when I've got some spare time.

>From chatting with Adrian I know he's been making great progress with
the
TCP/IP code, running his DNS program and just seeing it pop the results
up
shows it's well on the way! With all the ideas that he has been kicking
about for the completed stack it is going to be fantastic - and easy to
use
for all the programmers out there.

Colin.
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/








APB Computer Services Ltd. Registered Address: 3 Springfield, Trevadlock, 
Congdons Shop, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 7PW.  Registration Number: 4942193.  
V.A.T. No: 826 0005 70

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended 
solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If 
you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This 
message contains confidential information and is intended only for the 
individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not 
disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender 
immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete 
this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are 
notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in 
reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited.


Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Colin Piggot
Adrian wrote:
> Sign me up for one.. Pretty Please :D

Looks like I'll have to get my hands dirty with some Z80 at the weekend...

Colin
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/



Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Colin Piggot
Thomas wrote:
> To my mind, this would add significantly to the value of the Trinity,
> and if you were to develop such a thing (presumably it'd just be
> however long it takes to modify the OS ROM, then existing Trinitys
> could be reflashed?) then I would definitely go on the pre-order list.

No need to reflash existing Trinitys. The EEPROM on the Trinity is both
readable and writeable from software. It's on there to store settings and
such like for programs (e.g. network configuration). It's allocated with a
simple system giving 120 x 1K chunks and a table which has a record of what
is using each chunk. There's all the info on how it stores stuff as well as
all the source code needed to do everything included with the Trinity (and
also printed in SAM Revival 20)

A simple program could be made to allocate a chunk (or chunks) for the extra
boot code or the whole DOS, which the patched SAM ROM could then fetch when
the SAM starts up.


> In fact, I guess you'd just be able to offer the OS ROM as an upgrade
> (?), so I guess I could order a Trinity right now and get myself in
> order with whatever tiny number of discs I didn't long ago image while
> the drive is still working.

Yeap. When it's ready it would just need the modified SAM ROM to be fitted
inside the SAM and then a program loaded on the SAM to dump the extra chunk
of code in the Trinity's EEPROM and then it would be all set to go.


> While the Atom and that ROM would clearly solve my solid-state needs,
> it would be nice to throw some ethernet on in there while I'm spending
> the cash.

I'm itching to see stuff using the Ethernet up and running as you'll have
seen from the latest magazine - I'll update information on my webby of what
I've got in the works at the weekend when I've got some spare time.

>From chatting with Adrian I know he's been making great progress with the
TCP/IP code, running his DNS program and just seeing it pop the results up
shows it's well on the way! With all the ideas that he has been kicking
about for the completed stack it is going to be fantastic - and easy to use
for all the programmers out there.

Colin.
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/



Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Thomas Harte
To my mind, this would add significantly to the value of the Trinity,  
and if you were to develop such a thing (presumably it'd just be  
however long it takes to modify the OS ROM, then existing Trinitys  
could be reflashed?) then I would definitely go on the pre-order list.  
In fact, I guess you'd just be able to offer the OS ROM as an upgrade  
(?), so I guess I could order a Trinity right now and get myself in  
order with whatever tiny number of discs I didn't long ago image while  
the drive is still working.


While the Atom and that ROM would clearly solve my solid-state needs,  
it would be nice to throw some ethernet on in there while I'm spending  
the cash.


On 8 Jan 2009, at 21:02, Colin Piggot wrote:


Thomas wrote:

Also, any thoughts on how hard it would be to put together a similar
ROM for the Trinity?


Simon wrote:
Spare space in the ROM is fairly limited and Edwin spent a while  
shaving

extra bytes of his AL detection and booting code.  Still, with the
Trinity being a single device on known ports, it might require less  
space


Evening,

Just sitting here thinking about about it, it could probably be done  
a lot
simpler with the Trinity. For the Trinity, space in the ROM would  
only have

to be found to fit in a very small routine to see if the Trinity is
connected and then if it is load an extra chunk of code from the  
onboard

128K EEPROM into memory.

It would then execute what it fetched from the EEPROM to load the  
full DOS
into memory. Although, why not then just go the whole way and store  
the DOS

in the 128K EEPROM to save having to fetch that from the SD card.

From what I remember back when I was changing ROM3 for the Mayhem -  
removing

the copyright message and coloured bars would possibly be all that's
required to get enough room for the tiny chunk of code to fetch  
stuff from

the EEPROM.

Colin
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/





RE: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Adrian Brown
Sign me up for one.. Pretty Please :D

-Original Message-
From: owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no [mailto:owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no]
On Behalf Of Colin Piggot
Sent: 08 January 2009 21:16
To: Adrian
Subject: Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

Thomas wrote:
> Also, any thoughts on how hard it would be to put together a similar
> ROM for the Trinity?

Simon wrote:
> Spare space in the ROM is fairly limited and Edwin spent a while
shaving
> extra bytes of his AL detection and booting code.  Still, with the
> Trinity being a single device on known ports, it might require less
space

Evening,

Just sitting here thinking about about it, it could probably be done a
lot
simpler with the Trinity. For the Trinity, space in the ROM would only
have
to be found to fit in a very small routine to see if the Trinity is
connected and then if it is load an extra chunk of code from the onboard
128K EEPROM into memory.

It would then execute what it fetched from the EEPROM to load the full
DOS
into memory. Although, why not then just go the whole way and store the
DOS
in the 128K EEPROM to save having to fetch that from the SD card.

>From what I remember back when I was changing ROM3 for the Mayhem -
removing
the copyright message and coloured bars would possibly be all that's
required to get enough room for the tiny chunk of code to fetch stuff
from
the EEPROM.

Colin
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/








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Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Colin Piggot
Steve wrote:
> My be others ?? Colin? Si? 

Yup, got a programmer and an eraser sitting here.

Colin
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/


Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Colin Piggot
Thomas wrote:
> Also, any thoughts on how hard it would be to put together a similar
> ROM for the Trinity?

Simon wrote:
> Spare space in the ROM is fairly limited and Edwin spent a while shaving
> extra bytes of his AL detection and booting code.  Still, with the
> Trinity being a single device on known ports, it might require less space

Evening,

Just sitting here thinking about about it, it could probably be done a lot
simpler with the Trinity. For the Trinity, space in the ROM would only have
to be found to fit in a very small routine to see if the Trinity is
connected and then if it is load an extra chunk of code from the onboard
128K EEPROM into memory.

It would then execute what it fetched from the EEPROM to load the full DOS
into memory. Although, why not then just go the whole way and store the DOS
in the 128K EEPROM to save having to fetch that from the SD card.

>From what I remember back when I was changing ROM3 for the Mayhem - removing
the copyright message and coloured bars would possibly be all that's
required to get enough room for the tiny chunk of code to fetch stuff from
the EEPROM.

Colin
=
Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
1995-2009 - Celebrating 15 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/



RE: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Geoff Winkless
On Thu, 8 Jan 2009 15:54:47 -, "Steve Parry-Thomas"
 wrote:
> I don't have all my software install on this machine yet, if I did I
could
> burn it for you, Edwin could as well.
> May be others ?? Colin? Si?

I also have a Willem programmer in a drawer in the unlikely event that
no-one else has immediate access to one. I assume this

http://uk.farnell.com/atmel/at28c256-15pu/eeprom-parallel-256k-28c256/dp/1095782

would do the job for the chip itself?

I don't have an UV eraser lamp otherwise probably

http://uk.farnell.com/stmicroelectronics/m27c256b-15f1/eprom-cmos-256k-27c256-dip28/dp/1125431

would do too?

Geoff



RE: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Geoff Winkless
On Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:18:06 +, I wrote:
> I don't have an UV eraser lamp otherwise probably
> 
>
http://uk.farnell.com/stmicroelectronics/m27c256b-15f1/eprom-cmos-256k-27c256-dip28/dp/1125431

For low-cost, would this work?

http://uk.farnell.com/atmel/at27c256r-70pu/eprom-256k-4-5-5-5v-27c256/dp/1095781

Obviously the one-time nature of the programming would make it a bit hairy
on the old stress levels :-) but it's nearly half the price even of the
EPROM. 

I assume the fact that it's rated at 70ns wouldn't be a problem?

Geoff



Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Simon Owen
Thomas Harte wrote:
> How hard is it to obtain a copy of the modified ROM in the correct
> physical format and subsequently to install it?

Unless you've got an EEPROM eraser and programmer, it's not something
you can prepare yourself.  I have access to them in work, and if I can
find a spare chip I can drop one in the post to you.  Or if you go the
Atom Lite route, Edwin might be able to sort one out with the board.

Swapping the chip is a 2 minute job as the ROM is in a socket, so just
carefully lever the old one out and push the new one in.


> Also, any thoughts on how hard it would be to put together a similar
> ROM for the Trinity?

It's possible, though I'm not sure anyone has created a ROM for that
case.  I think Colin has adapted an older BDOS version to use the
Trinity, so it would just need to bootstrap that.

Spare space in the ROM is fairly limited and Edwin spent a while shaving
extra bytes of his AL detection and booting code.  Still, with the
Trinity being a single device on known ports, it might require less space...

Si



RE: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Steve Parry-Thomas
 
Well, all you need is the Atom Lite Boot ROM 2.2 its on the pro-dos site,
and a way to burn it to EPROM.
I don't have all my software install on this machine yet, if I did I could
burn it for you, Edwin could as well.
My be others ?? Colin? Si? 

And the BDOS .. Which is also on the Pro-Dos site.

I don't know about Trinity, I don't have one. One for Colin to answer?





-Original Message-
From: owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no [mailto:owner-sam-us...@nvg.ntnu.no] On
Behalf Of Thomas Harte
Sent: 08 January 2009 15:34
To: sam-users@nvg.ntnu.no
Subject: Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

How hard is it to obtain a copy of the modified ROM in the correct physical
format and subsequently to install it? I'm a complete electronics dunce.

Also, any thoughts on how hard it would be to put together a similar ROM for
the Trinity?




Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Thomas Harte
How hard is it to obtain a copy of the modified ROM in the correct
physical format and subsequently to install it? I'm a complete
electronics dunce.

Also, any thoughts on how hard it would be to put together a similar
ROM for the Trinity?

On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 1:15 PM, Steve Parry-Thomas  wrote:
> I use this as my default SAM setup, that's how the Atom Lite Pro-Dos (ALPD)
> came about. ( Thanks Edwin for the time spent on the ALPD hacks).
>
> It's a real treat to just swap the CF cards between Atom Lite and SIM Coupe.
>
> But remember the Atom Lite is not a hot swap system.
>
> Steve(spt).
>
>
>>I have an Atom [Lite] card in the drive 2 slot, and use Edwin's modified
>>ROM to boot directly from it.  As a bonus, you can use the CF card with
>>SimCoupe on your desktop machine to share all the same programs and data
>>(well, once I've done a release with Lite support!).
>
>>It's sometimes still be handy to have drive 1 as a working floppy,
>>though not essential if you have access to a desktop PC for disk imaging.
>
>>I'll see if I've got a spare SAM drive kicking around, as I rarely have
>>2 fitted anymore.  Otherwise Colin can probably help with repair or
>>replacement.
>
>>Si
>
>


RE: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Steve Parry-Thomas
I use this as my default SAM setup, that's how the Atom Lite Pro-Dos (ALPD)
came about. ( Thanks Edwin for the time spent on the ALPD hacks).

It's a real treat to just swap the CF cards between Atom Lite and SIM Coupe.

But remember the Atom Lite is not a hot swap system. 

Steve(spt).


>I have an Atom [Lite] card in the drive 2 slot, and use Edwin's modified
>ROM to boot directly from it.  As a bonus, you can use the CF card with
>SimCoupe on your desktop machine to share all the same programs and data
>(well, once I've done a release with Lite support!).

>It's sometimes still be handy to have drive 1 as a working floppy,
>though not essential if you have access to a desktop PC for disk imaging.

>I'll see if I've got a spare SAM drive kicking around, as I rarely have
>2 fitted anymore.  Otherwise Colin can probably help with repair or
>replacement.

>Si



Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Simon Owen
Thomas Harte wrote:
> but is there any solution yet for an entirely solid state Sam?

I have an Atom [Lite] card in the drive 2 slot, and use Edwin's modified
ROM to boot directly from it.  As a bonus, you can use the CF card with
SimCoupe on your desktop machine to share all the same programs and data
(well, once I've done a release with Lite support!).

It's sometimes still be handy to have drive 1 as a working floppy,
though not essential if you have access to a desktop PC for disk imaging.

I'll see if I've got a spare SAM drive kicking around, as I rarely have
2 fitted anymore.  Otherwise Colin can probably help with repair or
replacement.

Si


Re: SAM Revival issue 22 out now!

2009-01-08 Thread Thomas Harte
Having just received a copy, obviously I have to say that the 3d demo
is "truly awesome". As is the rest of the magazine and disk.

But it does make it apparent that the floppy drive in my Sam isn't
long for this world. I have an external one too, so I should be fine -
but is there any solution yet for an entirely solid state Sam? As I
understand it, neither the Trinity nor the Atom attempt to look like a
WD177x, so the ROM can't load DOS from them. Is there anything else I
can do? Is there maybe a Trinity and a modified ROM that I can
purchase, or maybe something else I haven't thought of? If not, is
anyone working on anything in this respect?

On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 9:43 AM, Colin Piggot  wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> Just a quick note to say that SAM Revival issue 22 is now out, and
> subscribers copies have been posted this morning.
>
> All the info on the issue and PayPal buy now options are up on my website at
> www.samcoupe.com
>
> All the best,
>
> Colin
> =
> Quazar : Hardware, Software, Spares and Repairs for the SAM Coupe
> 1995-2008 - Celebrating 14 Years of developing for the SAM Coupe
> Website: http://www.samcoupe.com/
>
>