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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2020 8:55 pm
by RalfR
Chr$ wrote:Thanks for the comments. I did find the instruction PDF, which is very useful.
Just for fun and to explore the software, I attempted to use the ROM data that I took from the original chip in Qemulator as an "ext. ROM", but it didn't do anything - no boot message and of course no reaction when entering 'eprom'. I expect one of you will know instantly why that is, not that it's important, I was just messing around.
Perhaps it checks the existence of the firmware.
Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2020 10:51 pm
by Pr0f
The ROM in the QEPIII is 'jumbled' so if you read it using another eprom reader it will make no sense as a QL ROM, - if you sbytes the ROM when the card is in the QL, it will give you a valid ROM - I believe there was a program on Dilwyns site to unscramble the ROM image to a standard ROM layout.
Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2020 10:58 pm
by Pr0f
a quick test with the unscrambled ROM shows it does load the banner and the eprom keyword is there - but typing it hands the emulator, as the hardware doesn't exist
Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2020 11:18 pm
by Chr$
Pr0f wrote:The ROM in the QEPIII is 'jumbled' so if you read it using another eprom reader it will make no sense as a QL ROM, - if you sbytes the ROM when the card is in the QL, it will give you a valid ROM - I believe there was a program on Dilwyns site to unscramble the ROM image to a standard ROM layout.
Gotcha, thanks. So that was some kind of copy protection?
(reminder to self: SBYTES dev_filename,48*1024,16*1024 should be the correct location/length to save the QEPIII ROM data - that is correct?)
Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2020 11:53 am
by Pr0f
Chr$ wrote:Pr0f wrote:The ROM in the QEPIII is 'jumbled' so if you read it using another eprom reader it will make no sense as a QL ROM, - if you sbytes the ROM when the card is in the QL, it will give you a valid ROM - I believe there was a program on Dilwyns site to unscramble the ROM image to a standard ROM layout.
Gotcha, thanks. So that was some kind of copy protection?
(reminder to self: SBYTES dev_filename,48*1024,16*1024 should be the correct location/length to save the QEPIII ROM data - that is correct?)
Not really - it was done to simplify the pcb tracking on the board, and I think that's why they then offered the jumble pins feature - which means the data lines for the device can be connected in any order, as long as each is unique, and likewise the address lines.
Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2020 11:58 am
by Pr0f
The unscrambled eprom layout is here:
Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2020 5:04 pm
by Chr$
Pr0f wrote:The unscrambled eprom layout is here:
Thanks. I'll sbytes mine and then at least I have something to compare it to, to make sure I did it right.
Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:08 pm
by QViewStu
Campfire memories - the in house production Minerva(e) were born on a QEPIII. Including the ones that went round twice on the first production batch for the Papworth QL show where we debuted. At 2 am Lau discovered a bug in his code we had to fix…
Thinking maybe I should write a Tales from the QView memoir while I can still remember…
Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2021 11:58 pm
by Derek_Stewart
QViewStu wrote:Campfire memories - the in house production Minerva(e) were born on a QEPIII. Including the ones that went round twice on the first production batch for the Papworth QL show where we debuted. At 2 am Lau discovered a bug in his code we had to fix…
Thinking maybe I should write a Tales from the QView memoir while I can still remember…
The production of Minerva was one of the greatest developments for thr QL.
I used to logon to Lau BBS: Lau Place to talk to him about Minerva.
I would interested in reading the Qview memiors.
Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer
Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:48 am
by mk79
QViewStu wrote:Thinking maybe I should write a Tales from the QView memoir while I can still remember…
I'd like that
