Many of you already know but perhaps others are interested, too:
Toto has released two brandnew boards, which are mother-x4 compatible, of course.
First one is the Z-MEM. An 1024kB RAM board which allows you to play my BadApple-thing, for example.
It was built and has some switches to be compatible with all CPCs.
[attachimg=2]
The D-ROM (dual rom) is a 2x 256K flash board that allows you to handle two sets of ROM, boot, firmware or DOS (ROM7 compatible).
[attachimg=1]
Here you can watch a youtube video, recorded by toto, using his new hardware with my BadApple-demo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1GitTUPdsg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1GitTUP)
If you are interested, I think, you can contact Toto via PM.
Great to see TotO's still making new CPC hardware! His Multiplay and X-mem are excellent!
if it's an incentive to those with 64/128k systems, ChibiAkumas Ep2 has enhanced features for 256k+ systems, so I'd highly recommend people consider adding a ram upgrade to their CPC's!!
mmmm this works with SymbOS ? :o
As it's a extended ram expansion like RAM7/Yarek style (see http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Standard_Memory_Expansions (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Standard_Memory_Expansions)) it should work with SymbOS.
There are some extra features but talking to the fist 512kB with Port 0x7Fxx and the second witch 0x7FExx is standard (Like my BadApple does).
what happened to centpourcent.net?
The purpose of these boards is unclear. What are the switches for?
I have the X-MEM, but I wish it had switches to turn off the RAM or ROM expansion for the few games that don't like it, without having to unplug the board entirely. Can one of these boards be useful to me?
Quote from: khaz on 18:44, 21 October 17
what happened to centpourcent.net?
The purpose of these boards is unclear. What are the switches for?
I have the X-MEM, but I wish it had switches to turn off the RAM or ROM expansion for the few games that don't like it, without having to unplug the board entirely. Can one of these boards be useful to me?
X-MEM had both ram and rom.
Z-MEM is more ram, but only ram. (like X-MEM and Y-MEM together)
D-ROM is more rom, but only rom. (like X-MEM and Y-MEM together)
- The 464/6128 switch is for the ram config 'c3'. 464 needs to force MREQ (if I remmeber correctly) for this config to work and 6128 doesn't. This switch controls that operation.
- On the Z-MEM I am not sure of the 64kb/set switch I have 2 ideas:
a) 64kb/set switch is to enable/disable the expansion ram.
b) 64kb makes the expansion perform like a 64kb ram but only for compatibility. Set is full z-mem ram.
- On the Z-MEM I assume the 7fff enables one of the banks of ram and 7ffe the other. Turn off 7ffe for compatibility problems with some programs, but enable for the full 1mb.
- On the D-ROM the on/off is to enable roms from D-ROM or disable them.
- The boot switch is for booting from D-ROM, or to boot from CPC internal roms. This switch enables OS/Rom 0 from the D-ROM
- ROM7 is a switch to allow D-ROM to override Rom7 where some pcbs support this or to be used on 464 without disc interface. Off to not override rom 7.
- I don't know what Rom1/Rom2 does. It seems to be a choice. Maybe D-ROM has banks of rom.
I hope somebody else can answer these or perhaps ToTO will tell me via e-mail/pm and I can tell you.
From wiki for X-MEM:
X-MEM Diagram
- 1. CPC 464/6128 switch = Set RAM mode for 464/664 or 6128
- 2. BOOT CPC/ROM switch = Set boot mode from CPC or X-MEM
- 3. ROM LOCK/FREE switch = Set ROM write protect, like a floppy tab
- 4. READ ROM NO/YES jumper = Ignore the ROM part. Rescue mode only!
- 5. Expansion port connector = To MotherX4 or CPC using a ribbon cable
D-ROM means Dual-Rom. You have two ROM-Sets and with the switch you can choose, which one is active. So, you have two different setups on one card.
As far as I know, there is also one advantage with the Z-MEM above X- or Y-MEM:
It seems, that you have additional registers for external RAM at 0x0000, 0x4000, 0x8000 and 0xc000.
More, when I get one....
Yes.
ToTO confirmed some things:
D-ROM is for "Dual ROM" and the ROM1/ROM2 choose the set. He says this is like having two rom-boards in one.
Z-MEM doesn't have the additional registers for memory at 0x0000,0x04000,0x08000,0x0c000 this is in his CPC 'next'.
The switches:
464/6128 - choose CPC (this is used to make the expansion work on 464 with C3 etc)
64k/set - Force '64kb ram expansion' for compatibility which is the same as 6128 or 464 + Dk'tronics 64kb RAM.
7fff/off = enable/disable the first 512k slot
7ffe/off = enable/disable the second 512k slot. (can turn it off for compatibility, or on for full 1mb).
There is also an I/O port which can choose the memory configuration used, 64kb, 128kb etc and if this choice is remembered at reset. This has extra functions in his CPC 'next'.
@arnoldemu (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=122)
Thanks for the explanation.
"" CPC NEXT "" ??
Do you have any details as to what it is
Thanks
Ray
Quote from: Audronic on 22:30, 23 October 17
@arnoldemu (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=122)
Thanks for the explanation.
"" CPC NEXT "" ??
Do you have any details as to what it is
Thanks
Ray
I have limited information.
It's a bit like a CPC compatible computer with all of ToTO's hardware integrated into it.
ToTO will reveal all when he is ready.
And as far as i know, it will fit into an original 6128 case, replacing its motherboard...
Quote from: XeNoMoRPH on 07:22, 20 October 17
mmmm this works with SymbOS ? :o
I got my z-mem boards yesterday... First things first....
It uses less power than the xmem, so my 464plus can now run with m4, Albireo and zmem and no additional power for the mother4x
It works seamlessly with bad apple and chibi akumas 2
SymbOS only reports the first ram bank..... But wasn't the 1mb version a separate binary? I have pm prodatron on this already.
Sent from my ONEPLUS 3t using Tapatalk
Quote from: CraigsBar on 18:03, 01 November 17
I got my z-mem boards yesterday... First things first....
It uses less power than the xmem, so my 464plus can now run with m4, Albireo and zmem and no additional power for the mother4x
It works seamlessly with bad apple and chibi akumas 2
SymbOS only reports the first ram bank..... But wasn't the 1mb version a separate binary? I have pm prodatron on this already.
Sent from my ONEPLUS 3t using Tapatalk
I got a reply from prodatron... The 1mb support is hoped to be back in 3.1 when he has a zmem board.
Until then my socks will continue to be blown off by BadArnold on the 464plus with zmem, m4 and playcity!
Thanks to all hardware guys.
Sent from my ONEPLUS 3t using Tapatalk
Craig, let me more or less copy&paste my answer here again :)
The 1MB version isn't included in the SymbOS 3.0 CPC release. It would result in too many different variants for the same platform (CPC + IDE, CPC + M4, CPC + IDE + 1MB, CPC + M4 + 1MB etc...) Now I have even the Graphics9000 version, which would double the amount of CPC variants again - and that's a real nightmare when preparing a complete release.
For 3.1 I want to reduce this again by introducing at least new flexible mass storage device drivers (IDE or M4Board) like we have for the MSX already. And maybe a version, which can handle both 1MB and 576K (the current 1MB version would crash on a 128-576K system).
3.1 release, which includes CPC 1MB support again, should come as soon as possible (early 2018).
Hello Prodatron, do you plan to release more Symbiface in a near future ?
Hi there,
Well, I was asked to improve my ROManager for the D-ROM. Since I don't have that nice expansion I would like to ask you for a little help...
Can you start ROManager when having connected a D-ROM and tell me what values are displayed for:
- FlashType
- Producer ID
Did somebody try to install FutureOS on it?
Any help would be appreciated, eventually leading to better software for all of us. :) :) :)
The X-MEM and D-ROM lower ROM is written at ROM 71 (7+64).
SST39SF 010/020/040 FLASH IC
Manufacturer ID : ADDR=$0000 / DATA=&BF
128K Device ID : ADDR=$0001 / DATA=&B5
256K Device ID : ADDR=$0001 / DATA=&B6
512K Device ID : ADDR=$0001 / DATA=&B7
EDIT: https://html.alldatasheet.com/html-pdf/46516/SST/SST39SF040/157/3/SST39SF040.html
Thanks, so X-MEM hat B7 and D-ROM hat B6.
Quote from: GUNHED on 19:04, 04 October 20
Thanks, so X-MEM hat B7 and D-ROM hat B6.
Early X-MEM was using Winbond EEPROM. But yes, most of the X-MEM and D-ROM are using that.
hello I am a new owner of a cpc464 and I would like to know where I found the Z-MEM?
thank you.
Quote from: smayk11210 on 14:11, 16 July 21
hello I am a new owner of a cpc464 and I would like to know where I found the Z-MEM?
thank you.
Hello and welcome.
You can contact me by PM.
Toto, why don't you setup Cent Pour Cent again? I think the CPC community needs a good online store to buy things - and that was a pretty good online store.
Quote from: zhulien on 11:46, 19 July 21
Toto, why don't you setup Cent Pour Cent again? I think the CPC community needs a good online store to buy things - and that was a pretty good online store.
Thank you zhulien for your kind words.
As you remember, centpourcent.net was a commodity to allow peoples to choses available parts and expansions and from my side I receive an email to know that I have to send for each of you, instead of contacting me directly by email or PM. But some peoples with bad intentions has started to send me emails in 2017 about this website was illegal business (I have to pay for my free time), so I have stopped this commodity and was only available by PM or email.
EDIT : About a real CPC Store, sure it will be possible too... But in this case, prices are likely to increase significantly.
And my goal was not to make business on the CPC community, but offer hardware like we offer software (games, demo, ...)
Quote from: TotO on 15:33, 16 July 21
Hello and welcome.
You can contact me by PM.
I PM you
Quote from: TotO on 12:05, 19 July 21and was only available by PM or email.
Do you still make the Playcity?
Quote from: eto on 15:28, 29 July 21
Do you still make the Playcity?
Yes, but slowly. I'm waiting parts. Please, PM me.