Amstrad CPC WiFi

[Duke]

Anyway, first i try today the power part to discard It. If i remember o.k. when the
Vertical lines  are show. Web server can't benn accesed or is accesed  slow. From my pc.


But if with 5A c4cpc+computer+m4 can't work lol.

Please try this one http://spinpoint.org/cpc/M4FIRM_v110b5.zip, now it keeps the cpc in reset state right after the bootloader until m4 has read configs from microSD and romboard is ready, maybe it will make it work, maybe it doesnt change anything

[00WReX]

Well I don't have a C4CPC, but this certainly makes the boot-up look cleaner, rather than the original 'Double boot' effect.
Nice. 

Cheers,
Shane

[dragon]

Please try this one http://spinpoint.org/cpc/M4FIRM_v110b5.zip, now it keeps the cpc in reset state right after the bootloader until m4 has read configs from microSD and romboard is ready, maybe it will make it work, maybe it doesnt change anything

It works!!!!!.  As default the m4 rom is rom 6, i can type |c4cpc without desactivate m4 rom and i execute c4cpc  .

Also call burning rubber directly appears to work without desactuvate m4.


I need test it with my other parados cartridge(i have to fix the lenght fix thanks winape), but it appears fixed !!!.

So the only limitation if is your use a cartridge >180k, then you can't swap the lower rom with m4.


The boot appear much more beautiful that early. Now loading.... fom c4cpc boot loader is show in screen.

Damm c4cpc not accept send parameters if not, Can be possible making a autobot that execute remotely the cartridge you want u_u

[gerald]

I guess C4CPC is already in process of loading that larger cart at this point, and it can't detect the reset? - So I guess to overcome this problem, either M4 should somehow reset C4CPC or keep the z80 in reset state from power-on until its done with the file checking stuff or detect C4CPC is in the works and not pull reset if the case.

By default, C4CPC ignore CPC reset as the only reset it sees is the ACID reset, which is not exactly the board reset.
However it looks like the CPC get suck when the bootloader is used and a reset is issued. I'll have a look at this.

Please try this one http://spinpoint.org/cpc/M4FIRM_v110b5.zip, now it keeps the cpc in reset state right after the bootloader until m4 has read configs from microSD and romboard is ready

Thats the cleaner way to do the initial start 

[gerald]

Damm c4cpc not accept send parameters if not, Can be possible making a autobot that execute remotely the cartridge you want u_u

No sure I understand what you need. Any example ?

[dragon]

No sure I understand what you need. Any example ?

A Its only a generic idea. Not for me really, for the people show the computer in exhibitions.


As c4cpc can execute from os. Imagine you have with m4 and autoexec.bas

The autoexec.bas call c4pc and tells it  load game.cpr from sd card of c4cpc, then in theory you can select a cartridge to be loaded and started from mobile without touch phisically the cpc simly change the autoexec.bas.

But its only one idea i came up at that time.  .I no tell you implement it.
 

[Duke]

@dragon
Just to be clear, with latest m4 firmware, does everything work as it should with C4CPC and M4 connected at the same time, or is there still some issue left?
Thanks.

[dragon]

@dragon
Just to be clear, with latest m4 firmware, does everything work as it should with C4CPC and M4 connected at the same time, or is there still some issue left?
Thanks.

It appear works. If find and issue i tell you



Just one curiosity. i try lower rom to see what happend.. And the first time It boot whit lower rom changed, later in reboots It boot but corrupt.

[Duke]

It appear works. If find and issue i tell you



Just one curiosity. i try lower rom to see what happend.. And the first time It boot whit lower rom changed, later in reboots It boot but corrupt.

Thanks for all the testing. I am glad we managed to sort the issue.
About the lower-rom replacement, if C4CPC maps that region, as I understand it to display loading status then there is an obvious conflict, which would be the same as having two romboards mapping lower rom at the same time.
 
EDIT: I realize thats probably not how it works.

[dragon]

Thanks for all the testing. I am glad we managed to sort the issue.
About the lower-rom replacement, if C4CPC maps that region, as I understand it to display loading status then there is an obvious conflict, which would be the same as having two romboards mapping lower rom at the same time.
 
EDIT: I realize thats probably not how it works.

If i understand o.k  from the other gerald post, when you enable lower rom. It takes preferente from cartridge ROM.gerald  Mount cpcrloader in low rom range &000-&3fff.


So m4 lower rom override It. And that is because It not work.


But <180k cprloader is not needed. So there is no solution.


Anyway i like try all things until i know itn not work jeje.

[00WReX]

Hi Duke,

Just wondering if you were able to replicate the issue I observed after the beta4 update.

All seems good except for the ESC to pause seems a bit hit & miss for me.

• Remove KM_RESET from cat/dir when pressing ESC, to continue listing one must use space now.

I seem to get one of three scenarios...
Press ESC once it will pause, or completely break, or do nothing...
The 'does nothing' is not so common but completely 'breaking' when ESC is only pressed once is very common, almost every time for me.

Cheers,
Shane

[Duke]

Hi Duke,

Just wondering if you were able to replicate the issue I observed after the beta4 update.

All seems good except for the ESC to pause seems a bit hit & miss for me.

• Remove KM_RESET from cat/dir when pressing ESC, to continue listing one must use space now.

I seem to get one of three scenarios...
Press ESC once it will pause, or completely break, or do nothing...
The 'does nothing' is not so common but completely 'breaking' when ESC is only pressed once is very common, almost every time for me.

Cheers,
Shane

Yes I managed to replicate it, first when I gave it a quick test it was fine, but now I can see the issues. Will fix it in next beta

[dxs]

Btw, trying to load or run a non existing file, ie
load "noexist.bas"
throws a "File already open" instead of a "Not found" message. Not a big deal but maybe is this an easy fix.


Otherwise does someone know how to use floppies using "ùm4romoff"? When using this rsx, a cat gets me the Press play then any key, ie there's no amsdos inline. Obviously there's something I don't know?

[Duke]

Btw, trying to load or run a non existing file, ie
load "noexist.bas"
throws a "File already open" instead of a "Not found" message. Not a big deal but maybe is this an easy fix.

Yeah it only throws this generic error message.
I'll look into generating proper amsdos error codes. Is there a list somewhere?

Otherwise does someone know how to use floppies using "ùm4romoff"? When using this rsx, a cat gets me the Press play then any key, ie there's no amsdos inline. Obviously there's something I don't know?

It should work like that, atleast it does for me. Unless you use the patched lowerrom. Then you need to disable lowerrom as it would redirect amsdos to rom 6, which doesnt exist.
If I had the impression people were using the lowerrom I would add some more intelligent features to it, like having M4 rom at any position etc.

[dxs]

Yes I realized the fact that this was due to modded lower rom just after while showering :-)

[Duke]

Yes I realized the fact that this was due to modded lower rom just after while showering :-)

You could upload AMSDOS to ROM6 and still have M4 at slot 6, so when using |m4romoff, the modified lowerrom points to amsdos again.

[Takis Kalatzis]

You could upload AMSDOS to ROM6 and still have M4 at slot 6, so when using |m4romoff, the modified lowerrom points to amsdos again.

Hi @Duke,


Could you explain the above a little more? I have M4 at slot 6 and using your version of the lower rom, so by ising Im4romoff I do not get the 3' back in use. I do not understand the "You could upload AMSDOS to ROM6" part.


Also, some questions about your version of the lower rom
1. I did not even try to put m4 rom on slot 7 in my CPC6128. Should I try this before using your lower rom? Would it give better compatibility with the games?
2. My understanding is that lower rom is practically the Firmware. So I have read in other threads about FW 3.15 or 3.16. How does your lower rom compare with it?


Thanks in advance!

[Duke]

Could you explain the above a little more? I have M4 at slot 6 and using your version of the lower rom, so by ising Im4romoff I do not get the 3' back in use. I do not understand the "You could upload AMSDOS to ROM6" part.

If using my modified lowerrom, rom7 gets re-routed to rom6. So even if |m4romoff, it still gets routed to rom6, if there is nothing in rom6, there will be no disc drive available, unless you upload AMSDOS rom to rom6.  Notice this is ONLY if using the modified lowerrom.

Also, some questions about your version of the lower rom
1. I did not even try to put m4 rom on slot 7 in my CPC6128. Should I try this before using your lower rom? Would it give better compatibility with the games?

Yes by all means, if your CPC6128 does support overriding rom7 (weak rom or whatever the reason), no need to use the lowerrom. I think compatiblity if using lowerrom or replacing rom7 is very close, not sure. haven't tested that much tbh.

2. My understanding is that lower rom is practically the Firmware. So I have read in other threads about FW 3.15 or 3.16. How does your lower rom compare with it?

It doesn't compare with FW3.x, as it only does one patch, to re-direct rom7 initialization to rom6 for higher game compatiblity, that's all.

[Takis Kalatzis]

So, what you mean is to replace m4 rom in slot 6 with AMSDOS rom? And when I would want to use m4 board again, I would put m4 rom back?

[Duke]

So, what you mean is to replace m4 rom in slot 6 with AMSDOS rom? And when I would want to use m4 board again, I would put m4 rom back?

It should be possible to have both there at the same time, when M4 is active it will be used, if you disable it via M4ROMOFF, the underlying rom uploaded to slot 6 would be active.

[Maniac]

When I switched on my 6128 plus this morning I was greeted with this:

20161029_095833083_iOS.jpg
(453.11 kB, 1440x1080 - viewed 114 times)

The screen gradually fills up with those lines from the bottom. It was working just fine with Beta 3 of v1.1 of the firmware. As I had this issue I updated to Beta 5 and the problem persists. If I disabled the M4 ROM from the web interface the machine boots to the Ready prompt as expected. If I move the M4 ROM to slot 6 the same thing happens I'm afraid.


I've tried this with both my C4CPC cart and the original system cart and it does the same thing so doesn't seem to be any other component I'm afraid. Should I use the wipe and reflash tool from earlier in this thread to get things back please?


In the process of trying to troubleshoot this I also seem to have broken my Mother X4! If I have that connected to the expansion port with anything plugged in this happens:
 [ Invalid Attachment ]


If I plug both my XMEM or M4 board directly in to the expansion port they both work independently so I know it's not the expansion port. I've tried all of the slots on the Mother X4 and they all do the same with one of the mentioned boards or both inserted in to any slot! 


Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Maniac]

When I switched on my 6128 plus this morning I was greeted with this:
 [ Invalid Attachment ]


The screen gradually fills up with those lines from the bottom. It was working just fine with Beta 3 of v1.1 of the firmware. As I had this issue I updated to Beta 5 and the problem persists. If I disabled the M4 ROM from the web interface the machine boots to the Ready prompt as expected. If I move the M4 ROM to slot 6 the same thing happens I'm afraid.


I've tried this with both my C4CPC cart and the original system cart and it does the same thing so doesn't seem to be any other component I'm afraid. Should I use the wipe and reflash tool from earlier in this thread to get things back please?


In the process of trying to troubleshoot this I also seem to have broken my Mother X4! If I have that connected to the expansion port with anything plugged in this happens:
 [ Invalid Attachment ]


If I plug both my XMEM or M4 board directly in to the expansion port they both work independently so I know it's not the expansion port. I've tried all of the slots on the Mother X4 and they all do the same with one of the mentioned boards or both inserted in to any slot! 


Any help is greatly appreciated!

Ok, so walking away and reseating everything has progressed things to working again to an extent. The boards are now both plugged in via the Mother X4 and the 6128 plus is booting but the M4 isn't being recognised at the moment. It looks like there's a bit of play/wobble back and forth on the boards when they sit in the Mother X4 and I'm not sure if that's causing a bad connection somewhere.


Next step is to downgrade I think to the last stable version of the M4 firmware and see if things come back to life there. The web interface is up and response to an M4 reset but is having not influence on the 6128 plus and the same applies to CPC reset.


Will update with progress.

[Duke]

Sounds wicked. Could it be a bad solder joint on the MX4 where you connect the cable perhaps?
I use the same combo of CPC6128+ and MX4 with M4 and XMEM (romboard jumper disabled).

[Laurence Morgan]

Are these still available for sale?

[Maniac]

Next step is to downgrade I think to the last stable version of the M4 firmware and see if things come back to life there. The web interface is up and response to an M4 reset but is having not influence on the 6128 plus and the same applies to CPC reset.

Will update with progress.

Now back to the situation with the original screenshot where the screen is filling up from the bottom. This is with v1.0.9 now.


Should I use the wipe and update referred to earlier please to restore full functionality?