The Sinclair QL Forum

Outsoft wrote:Found another BUG.

When I made RES_128 (Trump Command) the QL reset but no one games that works "only at 128k standard ram"can be played because there are not really 128mb.

Example: CHESS, HYPEDRIVE and many more (originals with protections on MD).

I see that the problem is that on this clone card the TK2_EXT command is always "active" and so there is a portion of RAM occopied by this.

On the original Trump Card If you make a RES128 you can't access to the TK2 anymore.

This probably depends on the (TC firmware +TK2) version used in your Tetroid interface. It is not a Tetroid issue/bug.
If you wish the same behavior of your original TC card, tell me which version you have and I will send you a new ROM image for the Tetroid with the suitable versions but you will need Derek services for upgrading the EEPROM (not the Altera ship).

Be Aware, if you want use an old TK2 version (<2.23) you will have no more Level 2 directory support but as the TC supports only DD format (740KB) this is not really interesting.

Alain

HAOUI wrote:

Outsoft wrote:Found another BUG.

When I made RES_128 (Trump Command) the QL reset but no one games that works "only at 128k standard ram"can be played because there are not really 128mb.

Example: CHESS, HYPEDRIVE and many more (originals with protections on MD).

I see that the problem is that on this clone card the TK2_EXT command is always "active" and so there is a portion of RAM occopied by this.

On the original Trump Card If you make a RES128 you can't access to the TK2 anymore.

This probably depends on the (TC firmware +TK2) version used in your Tetroid interface. It is not a Tetroid issue/bug.
If you wish the same behavior of your original TC card, tell me which version you have and I will send you a new ROM image for the Tetroid with the suitable versions but you will need Derek services for upgrading the EEPROM (not the Altera ship).

Be Aware, if you want use an old TK2 version (<2.23) you will have no more Level 2 directory support but as the TC supports only DD format (740KB) this is not really interesting.

Alain

Ok, I prefer that works like is it now because I need to use the Level 2 directory for storing many MDV images on the QUBIDE that can store 128MB on each partition

Is it really impossible to make the TC clone support 1.44 floppies as the GC do?

Thanks a lot for the reply.

Best regards.

HAOUI wrote:

Outsoft wrote:Found another BUG.

When I made RES_128 (Trump Command) the QL reset but no one games that works "only at 128k standard ram"can be played because there are not really 128mb.

Example: CHESS, HYPEDRIVE and many more (originals with protections on MD).

I see that the problem is that on this clone card the TK2_EXT command is always "active" and so there is a portion of RAM occopied by this.

On the original Trump Card If you make a RES128 you can't access to the TK2 anymore.

This probably depends on the (TC firmware +TK2) version used in your Tetroid interface. It is not a Tetroid issue/bug.
If you wish the same behavior of your original TC card, tell me which version you have and I will send you a new ROM image for the Tetroid with the suitable versions but you will need Derek services for upgrading the EEPROM (not the Altera ship).

Be Aware, if you want use an old TK2 version (<2.23) you will have no more Level 2 directory support but as the TC supports only DD format (740KB) this is not really interesting.

Alain

And are you able to create a Gold Card + Qubide clone too?

It will be fantastic!!!

Best regards.

It is not a bug, it is due to v2.17c Eprom handling of RES_128.

The original v1.xx Eprom checks RAM size, if <=128K it just links in the FLP driver, if >128K it links in everything. The problem is v2.17c just links in everything, regardless of RAM size found.

But even if the v2.17c code is modified (ie. FLP only if RES_128), you may still have problem if QubATA driver uses enough of the 128K RAM to upset things similarly.

Simplest solution is to use Minerva where you can selectively boot 128K and ignore add-ons (leaving MDVs only).

Silvester wrote:It is not a bug, it is due to v2.17c Eprom handling of RES_128.

The original v1.xx Eprom checks RAM size, if <=128K it just links in the FLP driver, if >128K it links in everything. The problem is v2.17c just links in everything, regardless of RAM size found.

But even if the v2.17c code is modified (ie. FLP only if RES_128), you may still have problem if QubATA driver uses enough of the 128K RAM to upset things similarly.

Simplest solution is to use Minerva where you can selectively boot 128K and ignore add-ons (leaving MDVs only).

Ok but the Minerva have instead incompatibility with many 128k original titles too

So It will not work too

No problem: I've 2 QL's and one have his original Trump Card so I can test it all with it.

The second QL (with the NEW QL Interface) is only for Dumping purpose so no problem at all.

Thanks for the reply.

P.S.: what about a Gold Card + QUBIDE, is it really possible to create?

Best regards.

I tried a modified version of Trump card v2.17c Eprom which only introduces FLP (like v1.xx). Unfortunately it still would cause problems for fussy 128K programs, the new FLP driver just grabs a little too much memory. Probably why it was never implemented.

Trump v1.xx RES_128 is extremely frugal when introducing FLP, so frugal it effectively doesn't alter anything at all. It leaves 89088 bytes free, just like Minerva 128K/dumb (JS leaves 88064). It uses 7x8x2 bytes in Basic area and 112 bytes in heap for FLP linkage. So there must be just enough space in heap area to allow allocation without expanding it.

Modified Trump v2.17c uses 6x8x2 bytes in Basic area and 768 bytes in heap for FLP leaving 87552 bytes free (-1.5K). Original Trump v2.17c leaves 86528 bytes free (-2.5K). I assume the heap request is the tipping point to expand area.

So I guess if you want FLP with fussy 128K only programs stick to v1.xx The only other possibilty is a modified v2.17c which simply skips call after a soft RES_128 (so no FLP or anything else until hard rest).

BTW free RAM is worked out using SV.BASIC - SV.FREE, ie. PRINT PEEK_L(163856)-PEEK_L(163852). Similar to how TK2 FREE_MEM works it out, but not subtracting an additional 1024 bytes.

Outsoft wrote:Ok but the Minerva have instead incompatibility with many 128k original titles too
.

It would be possible to do version which doesn't install anything after RES_128 suitable for JS rom etc. But then no FLP, only possible on v1.xx

Silvester wrote:I tried a modified version of Trump card v2.17c Eprom which only introduces FLP (like v1.xx). Unfortunately it still would cause problems for fussy 128K programs, the new FLP driver just grabs a little too much memory. Probably why it was never implemented.

Trump v1.xx RES_128 is extremely frugal when introducing FLP, so frugal it effectively doesn't alter anything at all. It leaves 89088 bytes free, just like Minerva 128K/dumb (JS leaves 88064). It uses 7x8x2 bytes in Basic area and 112 bytes in heap for FLP linkage. So there must be just enough space in heap area to allow allocation without expanding it.

Modified Trump v2.17c uses 6x8x2 bytes in Basic area and 768 bytes in heap for FLP leaving 87552 bytes free (-1.5K). Original Trump v2.17c leaves 86528 bytes free (-2.5K). I assume the heap request is the tipping point to expand area.

So I guess if you want FLP with fussy 128K only programs stick to v1.xx The only other possibilty is a modified v2.17c which simply skips call after a soft RES_128 (so no FLP or anything else until hard rest).

BTW free RAM is worked out using SV.BASIC - SV.FREE, ie. PRINT PEEK_L(163856)-PEEK_L(163852). Similar to how TK2 FREE_MEM works it out, but not subtracting an additional 1024 bytes.

Outsoft wrote:Ok but the Minerva have instead incompatibility with many 128k original titles too
.

It would be possible to do version which doesn't install anything after RES_128 suitable for JS rom etc. But then no FLP, only possible on v1.xx

Great job!

Well It wil be nice to modify that FLP driver on the 2.17c day and update the firmware for have 100% res_128 compatibily.

Best reagards.

I don't know if this is possible...

When you do a RES_128, could the FLP driver instead of using the normal RAM, use the the ram above 128K instead. You know it's going to be there and working, QDOS just doesn't know about it.

Martin Head

Sorry, I lost track of this Thread. Is the new interface available somehow?
Kind regards Paul

Paul wrote:Sorry, I lost track of this Thread. Is the new interface available somehow?
Kind regards Paul

It will be very nice to see the new model and the Gold Card / Qubide model too

I've recently found a Miracle Hard Drive boxed (probably never used): I'm really curious to test it see how it works ^_^