CPC6128 Mods

[zeropolis79]

In addition to my main CPC6128 which I'm about to expand with an FD-1 (with plans to get a 3.5" drive in future).. I also have a CPC6128 with busted 3" drive.

I want to get one of those card readers that can be placed in the drive slot but I would like to try and mod it further.. What can I do with it and is there anyone who can do it for me (please)?

[TotO]

If you want a boxed card reader, sell your FD-1 to a guy who really nead it and buy a cased HxC instead. 

[zeropolis79]

I want to keep the FD-1 and later get a 3.5" drive as I want to keep a pure disc based CPC but I would like to get an HxC for my other CPC.. Especially since I might have a lengthy hospital stay coming up and I want something to keep me entertained..

[Bryce]

Anything is possible. All the expansions available for the CPC could be installed internally. Memory, ROM, AMX mouse, S-Video output, HxC... It's up to you (and your budget).

Bryce.

[zeropolis79]

What I would like....

HxC, S-Video... what sort of ROMs could I install? I would love the Brunword suite..

What could I get for £100 without postage?

Thanks..

[CraigsBar]

The brunword suite on Rom is difficult. Although @arnoldemu has worked with my copy the actual layout of the Roms within the module is non standard. It can not easily be replicated with sta dare hardware. Protect however just needs an internal pin header, some simple wiring and an x-mem.


Edit:


I've had a think about ROM recommendations, and I think the following woudl be fairly high up my list (If you irder an X-Mem)


First the OS roms
--------------------
FW 3.15 and Expansion ROM.
CPM Plus
Symbos
FutureOS


That's 11 out of 32 used.


so Serious Software
----------------------
Protext
Prospell
Depending how much CPM you use, perhaps the 3 CPM expansion roms (Dragonbreed, Crunch and CPM Utilities No.1)


and then some games
-------------------------
Oh Mummy, Chuckie Egg and Classic Invaders are permanent residents in my x-Mem





Amsdos should be replaced in the main board of all CPC 6128's (and in the cartridge of the plus machines) with parados.... Formatting /Verification and extra disc formats shoudl be argument enough.

[CraigsBar]

The easiest hxc to fit internally I would expect to be the rev f as this us in the same size chassis as a 3.5 inch drive, minimising fabrication and case cutting.

[Bryce]

The easiest hxc to fit internally I would expect to be the rev f as this us in the same size chassis as a 3.5 inch drive, minimising fabrication and case cutting.

Actually, after fitting the rev F in MrLou's 6128, I'd tend to recommend the Rev C for internal fitting. The Rev Fs case is made of quite thick steel which is very difficult to modify and doesn't match the CPCs fixing points, so most people would end up hacking bits off the CPCs case

Bryce.

[TFM]

... what sort of ROMs could I install?

Some are here...


ROM List - CPCWiki

[CPC_Fan]

The brunword suite on Rom is difficult. Although @arnoldemu has worked with my copy the actual layout of the Roms within the module is non standard. It can not easily be replicated with sta dare hardware. Protect however just needs an internal pin header, some simple wiring and an x-mem.


Edit:


I've had a think about ROM recommendations, and I think the following woudl be fairly high up my list (If you irder an X-Mem)


First the OS roms
--------------------
FW 3.15 and Expansion ROM.
CPM Plus
Symbos
FutureOS


That's 11 out of 32 used.


so Serious Software
----------------------
Protext
Prospell
Depending how much CPM you use, perhaps the 3 CPM expansion roms (Dragonbreed, Crunch and CPM Utilities No.1)


and then some games
-------------------------
Oh Mummy, Chuckie Egg and Classic Invaders are permanent residents in my x-Mem





Amsdos should be replaced in the main board of all CPC 6128's (and in the cartridge of the plus machines) with parados.... Formatting /Verification and extra disc formats shoudl be argument enough.

Craig - this is probably a stupid question, but would parados not clash with CPM Plus if it was installed in the main board of a 6128? Or have I got that wrong and CPM would only clash with Amsdos? The reason that I ask, is that I am hoping to finally be able to order an X-Mem shortly and was going to put parados on that, whilst still keeping the Amsdos ROM in my 6128.

[CraigsBar]

Parados is a direct replacement for Amsdos. This way it integrates with other software better. Xexor for example will always look for Parados in slot 7. This setup provides the best compatibility and means you have one more free slot on the x-mem.

[TFM]

... would parados not clash with CPM Plus ...

In some cases yes, if you want to use DR Logo under CP/M Plus then you need the original Amsdos which contains a part of the Logo language. If you don't use Logo then Parados is just fine. But I would use the VaraDOS which allows you to also use Vortex format. 

[Executioner]

But I would use the VaraDOS which allows you to also use Vortex format. 

But it no longer supports ROMDOS D1 which has the same sector IDs. So unless you have a need for Vortex use standard ParaDOS. btw, ParaDOS 1.2 will be released very soon which will support both formats.

[TFM]

But it no longer supports ROMDOS D1 which has the same sector IDs. So unless you have a need for Vortex use standard ParaDOS. btw, ParaDOS 1.2 will be released very soon which will support both formats.

Well, I don't know about Romdos D1 honestly. Never had one. But it's very well appreciated that you will support Vortex format in ParaDOS 1.2. 

[CPC_Fan]

Thanks all for the replies to my question and for clearing it up. I think that I will stick with putting parados on the X-Mem for now (once I get one). I would hardly use CPM anyway.

[TFM]

In this case place it at ROM position 6. The X-MEM does not change ROM position 7.

[CPC_Fan]

Oh. I didn't know that the X-Mem could not change ROM position 7. I take it that if I placed Parados at position 6, it would still force my 6128 to use that, rather than Amsdos?

[TFM]

Right. ROMs with higher numbers get initialized first, and the ROMs with smaller numbers later. Numbers are decreasing finally ending at ROM 0 (BASIC usually).

So, a ROM with a smaller number is always dominant over a ROM with a bigger number.

If you put an alternative DOS at a ROM number smaller than 7 (AMSDOS) then it will take over. If you would put another DOS at a ROM number bigger than 7 it would not work.

This also explains why R-DOS (with provides a RAM disc C:) shall be placed at ROM slot 1. Because it alters/patches the DOS vectors.

The X-MEM does not alter ROM 7 since this does not work with all CPC motherboards. Instead it uses this 16 KB area as replacement for the lower ROM. So the new Firmware 3.15 or the FutureOS autostart can be installed.

Yes, the X-MEM is actually a lower ROM Flashbox too. 

[CPC_Fan]

Ah I see. Thanks TFM. I was getting confused, as when I had my original 6128, I also had a Rombo ROMbox. Parados was installed in that, along with a few other ROMs and I always left it switched on, so that I could format 3" and 3.5" discs using Parados. The idea was to get a X-Mem, so that I could get back to the set up that I originally had. After reading CraigsBar post earlier, I was also going to add the CPM ROM to the X-Mem as well, hence my confusion and the questions.

[CraigsBar]

Oh. I didn't know that the X-Mem could not change ROM position 7. I take it that if I placed Parados at position 6, it would still force my 6128 to use that, rather than Amsdos?

Except for software that reinitialises only slot 7, with Parados in 6 you lose all support for the extended formats etc when this happens.
Parados in slot 7 is the way it was meant to be used. Putting this in slot 6 or lower not only restricts the functionality for all software but also   uses up a Rom slot unnecessarily. It's up to each person how to configure their Cpc, but for me Parados belongs in slot 7, be that in a Rom board, symbiface, plus cart, ddi-1 or mainboard.

[CPC_Fan]

That's what I originally thought Craig. When I had my Rombo ROMbox, I specifically installed Parados in slot 7, so that I could use it's full functionality. In fact I seem to remember being told/reading that that's where it should go.

[CraigsBar]

That's what I originally thought Craig. When I had my Rombo ROMbox, I specifically installed Parados in slot 7, so that I could use it's full functionality. In fact I seem to remember being told/reading that that's where it should go.

it is designed for slot 7, but it will work in 2 to 6 as well, overwriting the content of the amsdos ROM as needed. Except where certain games etc reset ROM 7 only at launch. If these are cracked games on a compilation disk then they will not work from a romdos d1 disc anymore. With parados in slot 7 they work fine.

Personally all my CPC machines have parados over amsdos in slot 7 as detailed below.

Amstrad CPC 6128 socketed chip swap.
Schneider CPC 6128 dual switchable chip with jumper for either amsdos or paradox. Lower ROM also switchable for few 3.15 or stock.

4128plus home made parados cart with xmem & minibooster & playcity
6128plus Symbiface with parados in slot 7

[TFM]

Except for software that reinitialises only slot 7, with Parados in 6 you lose all support for the extended formats etc when this happens.
Parados in slot 7 is the way it was meant to be used. Putting this in slot 6 or lower not only restricts the functionality for all software but also   uses up a Rom slot unnecessarily. It's up to each person how to configure their Cpc, but for me Parados belongs in slot 7, be that in a Rom board, symbiface, plus cart, ddi-1 or mainboard.

That's a nice philosophy, but the X-MEM does not support ROM slot 7. Don't shoot the messenger. 


And btw. every software runs fine with ParaDOS in 6 or lower as long as it DOES NOT specifically initialize ROM 7 only. You confused that. 

[CraigsBar]

That's a nice philosophy, but the X-MEM does not support ROM slot 7. Don't shoot the messenger. 


And btw. every software runs fine with ParaDOS in 6 or lower as long as it DOES NOT specifically initialize ROM 7 only. You confused that. 

indeed, however when I was making disc games compilations on 3.5 romdos d1 discs I found an alarming number of cracks do initialize just ROM 7. Putting parados here solves this problem. Also because it is easy to do in all cpc's then it does not really matter that the xmem does not support it.

My Symbiface now also has a lower ROM board so it too provides fw 3.15.

The worst case for a parados upgrade is a few solder points.

OK the plus cart is a pain I suppose. But the CPC 464 ddi-1 is socketed. As I understand it all cpc 664 machines are also socketed and most CPC 6128's as well, isn't the cost down the only soldered one?

[TFM]

You are right about games, but it got better after the 90ies I guess. Nevertheless I had to patch couple of them by myself. Lucky person how has a DOS in a socket. As I know there is no socket in the 6128.

How in all the world did you get the SF2 to provide a lower ROM? Did you patch the XilinX?