Amstrad CPC WiFi

[VincentGR]

So, I've got the Lower6128_mod.zip and I must upload it to slot 7?


I don't use parados as I have bugs with some games and discology, this cpc will get a drive one day.

[VincentGR]

never mind, I saw the picture 

[Shaun M. Neary]

I don't use parados as I have bugs with some games and discology, this cpc will get a drive one day.

Yeah I've noticed that with ParaDOS, alright. It hates Discology with a passion! 😂

[Joseman]

It is used for cas_out_char.

Do you mean that the 2k buffer is used on the m4 implementation of cas_out_char or in amsdos is used too?
Then if i don't undersand wrong the "cas out direct" command doesn't use the 2k buffer nor on the m4 nor on amsdos?
if it is like i saying, is better to use cas out direct hands down!!

[Duke]

Do you mean that the 2k buffer is used on the m4 implementation of cas_out_char or in amsdos is used too?

It used similar in both Amsdos and M4 dos.

Then if i don't undersand wrong the "cas out direct" command doesn't use the 2k buffer nor on the m4 nor on amsdos?

The 2K buffer can be NULL when using "cas out direct". It is not used internally by M4 dos, I don't think by amsdos either.

if it is like i saying, is better to use cas out direct hands down!!

Both have their use. In normal operation "cas out char" is slow, but you can use the 2K buffer and pointer tricks for fast operation.
Ie. see this example I made using cas in char/cas out char to copy a file quick (this works for AMSDOS and M4 dos):
https://github.com/M4Duke/M4examples/blob/master/fastcopy.s

[Joseman]

Ie. see this example I made using cas in char/cas out char to copy a file quick (this works for AMSDOS and M4 dos):
https://github.com/M4Duke/M4examples/blob/master/fastcopy.s

I see that you're dealing with the header of the file... i suppose that with cas out direct there isn't need to do this...
in fact, if i only want to save hex numbers (and retrieve it later), can i use the ASCII type file (&16)? if i didn't undertand wrong there is no header with this type of files... or i can't use ASCII type file if there isn't really ASCII hex numbers?

[Duke]

I see that you're dealing with the header of the file... i suppose that with cas out direct there isn't need to do this...
in fact, if i only want to save hex numbers (and retrieve it later), can i use the ASCII type file (&16)? if i didn't undertand wrong there is no header with this type of files... or i can't use ASCII type file if there isn't really ASCII hex numbers?

With "cas out direct" a header will be added automatically (even if using ascii filetype).
Using "cas out char" you can make a headerless file, technically you could write anything (non ascii) aswell, you will have to deal with some escape character, which will report eof file, even if its not, when reading it back.

Some examples here, from the wiki:
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Programming:Saving_a_file
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Programming:An_example_to_write_a_file_byte-by-byte

[KaosOverride]

Can a big file (example: some megabytes long wav file) be read by this or other way?

I want to play with some arduino SPI toys from the MiniBooster and push some big files from the M4

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[SOS]

Can a big file (example: some megabytes long wav file) be read by this way?

Yes, tested with YANCC 

[HAL6128]

Can a big file (example: some megabytes long wav file) be read by this or other way?
I want to play with some arduino SPI toys from the MiniBooster and push some big files from the M4

...yes, the limit is the capacity of the media. I've copied a 160 kByte file from M4 to disc for testing purposes in the regular firmware speed expectation for the floppy. With "cas in/out char" you can copy any file without changing it (...header).

[opossum]

 Anyone got R-Type 128k working on the M4 board yet?

[KaosOverride]

Thanks!! I will have a look!!

EDIT:  http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Programming%3AAn_example_to_read_a_file_byte-by-byte

Great! I was worried about binary files and EOF chars... Looks it is well handled!!

[GUNHED]

Since the firmware haven't got an update since a while, which version do you prefer. The full release or the beta-version? There was some confusing discussion here before.

[ibisum]

Just wanted to tune in and say I received my M4 board this week and got it up and running last night for the first time - spent a few hours enjoying all the good ol'  memories, and I have to say that having the Amstrad on the Internet is a pure and utter joy.


The only issue I have is that I was not able to get SymbOS booted for some reason ..  I guess I'll have another go at it soon, but in case anyone has any hints/tips, I'm all ears.  I downloaded the ROM version of SymbOS and attempted to set each ROM file in slots 1 - 4 (leaving 0), but this didn't produce anything bootable - just a black screen.  Does it take some minutes to boot, or have I just not gotten the configuration right?  Either way, playing with SymbOS is the reason I got the M4 board, so I hope to debug this soon ..


Thanks again for this great peripheral - it has made my Amstrad hacking very fun and I look forward to my next session!

[Duke]

The only issue I have is that I was not able to get SymbOS booted for some reason ..  I guess I'll have another go at it soon, but in case anyone has any hints/tips, I'm all ears.  I downloaded the ROM version of SymbOS and attempted to set each ROM file in slots 1 - 4 (leaving 0), but this didn't produce anything bootable - just a black screen.  Does it take some minutes to boot, or have I just not gotten the configuration right?  Either way, playing with SymbOS is the reason I got the M4 board, so I hope to debug this soon ..

Rom version of SymbOS is not intended for M4 board.
Download latest version for CPC from here:
http://www.symbos.de/download.htm

Inside the zip is another zip for M4 board. Unpack it to root of microSD and type run"sym

[ibisum]

Yeah, I did that (unzipped  the M4 board .zip to root) but still no dice.  I'll play with it a bit more in the next few days - maybe it didn't like having to operate on an SD card that was formatted on MacOS?  I'll get a Windows machine around to do a FAT32 format soon enough...

[VincentGR]

M4 version works for me, can't do anything with that as I need some ram expansion 

[ibisum]

Ah, do you need RAM expansion for SymbOS?  Didn't know that .. thought it ran fine on a stock CPC6128 .. guess I should read the docs, wtf ..

[VincentGR]

It loads, but I cannot run anything in there

[KaosOverride]

Unfortunately with the netdaemon and new features, Symbos 3.0 needs more ram. you can delete the symbos.ini file to free some memory (desktop image, net daemon autoruning...) but not sure if the M4 SD drive is autoconfigured. Maybe you need to copy the control.exe for the control panel to drive A: to configure the microsSD to C: drive and save settings... This will for sure free some mem but not much.

Or maybe someone can take off the desktop image , delete the netdaemon autorun setting and save the .ini for you

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[Skunkfish]

My M4 seems a bit poorly today, dust in the expansion connector perhaps?
It's only sometimes recognising folders as being there.

E.g. |cd,"Games" - works fine this time, takes me to the games folder
|cd,"2017" - Unknown directory - but the folder is there
cat - Shows me the files in the current folder, including '2017' and others
|cd,"2017" - Unknown command
|m4help - Unknown command

I try a reset and it can't even cd into the games folder any more. Any ideas?


EDIT: Just updated the firmware from 2.0 to 2.04 - seems better so far *fingers crossed*
EDIT 2: I can't get it to start a new line in the above text, even when I whack enter half a dozen times.
EDIT 3: Fixed, but I had to used 'Toggle view' and edit from there.

[GUNHED]

Dear M4 Users,

Usually the great M4 ROM is located at slot 6 or 7. Is there somebody using the M4 ROM in another slot?

The reason I ask is because I want to code a very quick algorithm to detect the ROM number of the M4 ROM.

Any comment would be appreciated 

[KaosOverride]

Dear M4 Users,

Usually the great M4 ROM is located at slot 6 or 7. Is there somebody using the M4 ROM in another slot?

The reason I ask is because I want to code a very quick algorithm to detect the ROM number of the M4 ROM.

Any comment would be appreciated 

It can be at other slots but the reason of 7 or 6 is to replace amsdos at slot 7 when a 464 or any other model which let deactivate internal amsdos like the plus and few 6128, or slot 6 when you can't deal with internal amsdos but you can use an alternative patched low rom firmware to default disc access to rom 6 and not 7. This gives you the most compatible settings to mimic the disc drive

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[baldrick9]

Got my M4 board the other day and have finally had a chance to try it out.
Great work Duke, this is very awesome.


I got the filesystem working very quickly but have spent some hours trying to get the Wifi to connect.
To cut a long story short, after reading some posts on here, I eventually discovered it connects OK to a cheap repeater I wasn't using,
but it refuses to connect to my OpenWrt router.


Just thought someone else might find it useful. If you really can't get it to connect, try connecting to something else.
It seems to work fine now. I've been able to change settings and do all the great stuff via web interface.


Much thanks to Duke.

[Duke]

@Skunkfish
All sorted now ?

@baldrick9
Thanks for the feedback. Interesting if its a general problem with openwrt. I personally use dd-wrt on both my routers, but I can try openwrt if others have similar issue.