JS ROM creation
JS ROM creation
I need your help with this simple question. I have a British QL here, which I repaired, but the only two working ROM chips I have here are MGG. They do the job, but obviously not ideal to be used on this machine.
Is it possible to download e.g. the JS ROM files and burn them onto EPROM chips, like I did for my MicroP floppy controller? If so, what´s the required specification? The two QL ROM chips were always a mystery to me (why two and why are the sizes different?) and I really cannot interpret the writing on the chips. On the Spectrum it was not easy to replace the ROM chips with an home-made EPROM and some soldering had to be done in addition. Did Sinclair change its philosophy with the QL?
Is it possible to download e.g. the JS ROM files and burn them onto EPROM chips, like I did for my MicroP floppy controller? If so, what´s the required specification? The two QL ROM chips were always a mystery to me (why two and why are the sizes different?) and I really cannot interpret the writing on the chips. On the Spectrum it was not easy to replace the ROM chips with an home-made EPROM and some soldering had to be done in addition. Did Sinclair change its philosophy with the QL?
My beloved residents:
http://schombi.de/my-retro-collection.html
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- 1024MAK
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Re: JS ROM creation
What version PCB do you have?
A photo of the area of the board that shows the ROM socket area may help.
Why am I asking these questions? - Well, the most common boards are issue 5 and issue 6. The issue 5 can take ROMs or EPROMs. The issue 6 board is designed for ROM chips.
The issue 5 QL board was originally designed to have a number of configurations of ROM chip(s) or EPROM chip(s). Either one large one, or two smaller ones (but with both being the same size/type). There are link positions (for wire links, or zero ohm resistors) on the board.
However, SuperBASIC and QDOS did not fit in the allocated 32k byte space. So to get all the ROM/EPROMs inside, the board was modified to take one 32k byte ROM/EPROM and a 16k byte ROM/EPROM. Note that the wiring on the board is different depending on whether ROMs are fitted or EPROMs are fitted.
The Sinclair supplied ROMs have custom specified chip select inputs, which means the address decoding on the issue 6 board (or modified issue 5 boards) is simpler.
Mark
A photo of the area of the board that shows the ROM socket area may help.
Why am I asking these questions? - Well, the most common boards are issue 5 and issue 6. The issue 5 can take ROMs or EPROMs. The issue 6 board is designed for ROM chips.
The issue 5 QL board was originally designed to have a number of configurations of ROM chip(s) or EPROM chip(s). Either one large one, or two smaller ones (but with both being the same size/type). There are link positions (for wire links, or zero ohm resistors) on the board.
However, SuperBASIC and QDOS did not fit in the allocated 32k byte space. So to get all the ROM/EPROMs inside, the board was modified to take one 32k byte ROM/EPROM and a 16k byte ROM/EPROM. Note that the wiring on the board is different depending on whether ROMs are fitted or EPROMs are fitted.
The Sinclair supplied ROMs have custom specified chip select inputs, which means the address decoding on the issue 6 board (or modified issue 5 boards) is simpler.
Mark
Standby alert
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year
QL, Falcon, Atari 520STFM, Atari 1040STE, more PC's than I care to count and an assortment of 8 bit micros (Sinclair and Acorn)(nearly forgot the Psion's)
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year
QL, Falcon, Atari 520STFM, Atari 1040STE, more PC's than I care to count and an assortment of 8 bit micros (Sinclair and Acorn)(nearly forgot the Psion's)
Re: JS ROM creation
Thanks for your inputs. So, it´s not that simple...
The main board is an Issue 5.
The wire links (I was not aware of such on a QL) are called JU1 to JU5? If so, my board has JU2, 3 and 4 fitted. Does this tell anything?
The main board is an Issue 5.
The wire links (I was not aware of such on a QL) are called JU1 to JU5? If so, my board has JU2, 3 and 4 fitted. Does this tell anything?
My beloved residents:
http://schombi.de/my-retro-collection.html
http://schombi.de/my-retro-collection.html
Re: JS ROM creation
RWAP is selling JM ROMs for £8 and JS ROMS for £15. He's a very reputable seller, so you know they'll work. Look on sellmyretro.com:
http://www.sellmyretro.com/category/Ret ... Components
http://www.sellmyretro.com/category/Ret ... Components
Re: JS ROM creation
In case anyone is interested, attached is the Eagle schematic for the little ROM adapter I made by etching a board, should be easy enough to knock up on a piece of stripboard or tri-pad...or even dead cockroach ala issue 1 spectrum.....
I used it to make my own Minerva upgrade but no reason why it can't have another version instead.
Cheers.
Phill.
I used it to make my own Minerva upgrade but no reason why it can't have another version instead.
Cheers.
Phill.
- chriskgnr
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Re: JS ROM creation
Hi to all!
But if i want to put two eprom ic's, one 27(C)256 and one 27(C)128 with the JS version programmed, the JU jumpers how they must be configured?
But if i want to put two eprom ic's, one 27(C)256 and one 27(C)128 with the JS version programmed, the JU jumpers how they must be configured?
- 1024MAK
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Re: JS ROM creation
You need more than just the correct PCB links, as this photo shows:
(click for the full image)
More later when I find my file with further details...
Mark
(click for the full image)
More later when I find my file with further details...
Mark
Standby alert
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year
QL, Falcon, Atari 520STFM, Atari 1040STE, more PC's than I care to count and an assortment of 8 bit micros (Sinclair and Acorn)(nearly forgot the Psion's)
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year
QL, Falcon, Atari 520STFM, Atari 1040STE, more PC's than I care to count and an assortment of 8 bit micros (Sinclair and Acorn)(nearly forgot the Psion's)
- 1024MAK
- Super Gold Card
- Posts: 592
- Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:16 am
- Location: Looking forward to summer in Somerset, UK...
Re: JS ROM creation
Attached is a spreadsheet that shows the pin-out of the ROM and of the sockets on a QL issue 5 board, along with ROM and EPROM pin-outs.
If you read this with a schematic and a copy of the service manual, you should be able to see how to configure a QL to take ROM chips or EPROM chips.
Mark
If you read this with a schematic and a copy of the service manual, you should be able to see how to configure a QL to take ROM chips or EPROM chips.
Mark
- Attachments
-
- QL ROM & EPROM 28 pin DIL.xls.zip
- (3.01 KiB) Downloaded 297 times
Standby alert
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year
QL, Falcon, Atari 520STFM, Atari 1040STE, more PC's than I care to count and an assortment of 8 bit micros (Sinclair and Acorn)(nearly forgot the Psion's)
“There are four lights!”
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb
Looking forward to summer in Somerset later in the year
QL, Falcon, Atari 520STFM, Atari 1040STE, more PC's than I care to count and an assortment of 8 bit micros (Sinclair and Acorn)(nearly forgot the Psion's)
Re: JS ROM creation
Thanks! That´s interesting stuff to know.
Just wonder why Sinclair made it that complicated, having e.g. a ROM upgrade of a SAM Coupe in mind?
Just wonder why Sinclair made it that complicated, having e.g. a ROM upgrade of a SAM Coupe in mind?
My beloved residents:
http://schombi.de/my-retro-collection.html
http://schombi.de/my-retro-collection.html