USIfAC II OR X-Mass

caver99 · 15:12, 17 March 22

ok i have the USIfAC II which just arrived and is now assembled just not tested it as yet and i am waiting an x-mass and x-mem to arrive and have to say the USIfAC II look great.

has any one used either or both of these devices and if so what have you found.

so far my 6128 has the mx4 boar with an old school ( Revaldinho) 512k ram, a flashgorden adn a multiface attached and now in the mx4 is a USIfAC II

this machine is so expandable, im loving it.

does anyone know of any software hat can see the roms upto 31 as all the software i have so far found can see the first 7 or 16, i.e. |help, xx

GUNHED · 21:29, 17 March 22

Well, I can help in two points, I hope.

1. The X-MEM will replace the FlashGordon. Except that the FG can replace the ROM 7 and the X-MEM can replace the lower ROM. You may can use both at the same time when using one for ROMs 0-31 and the other for ROMs 32-63.

2. The ROManager for FutureOS can work with all ROMs from 0 to 31 and FlashGordon as well as X-MEM (and other ROM expansions). I guess there is other 32-ROM software too.

TotO · 08:22, 18 March 22

@caver99 The X-MEM provide 512K extra RAM/ROM on your CPC 6128, already support up to ROM31 when it boot and allows to flash ROM using the RSX |FLASH and |HELP to list them. It "replace" both the Revaldinho RAM and the Flash Gordon ROM boards in one expansion, allowing you to plug the X-MASS too on your MX4 clone, together with your USIfAC II.

More informations and programs here: http://centpourcent.net

TotO · 08:31, 18 March 22

double post. please, delete it.

GUNHED · 17:39, 18 March 22

However, in the case you want to run FutureOS on the CPC464 or CPC664 or KC compact then please use Revaldhinos RAM expansion, because if allows to us RAM mode &C3 like on the 6128.

caver99 · 12:39, 19 March 22

Quote from: TotO on 08:22, 18 March 22@caver99 The X-MEM provide 512K extra RAM/ROM on your CPC 6128, already support up to ROM31 when it boot and allows to flash ROM using the RSX |FLASH and |HELP to list them. It "replace" both the Revaldinho RAM and the Flash Gordon ROM boards in one expansion, allowing you to plug the X-MASS too on your MX4 clone, together with your USIfAC II.

More informations and programs here: http://centpourcent.net

Thanks thats great

TotO · 18:46, 19 March 22

Quote from: GUNHED on 17:39, 18 March 22However, in the case you want to run FutureOS on the CPC464 or CPC664 or KC compact then please use Revaldhinos RAM expansion, because if allows to us RAM mode &C3 like on the 6128.

Or just patch FutureOS to not require to waste 64K RAM to shadow the base RAM.

GUNHED · 14:41, 20 March 22

Quote from: TotO on 18:46, 19 March 22
Quote from: GUNHED on 17:39, 18 March 22However, in the case you want to run FutureOS on the CPC464 or CPC664 or KC compact then please use Revaldhinos RAM expansion, because if allows to us RAM mode &C3 like on the 6128.
Or just patch FutureOS to not require to waste 64K RAM to shadow the base RAM.

Well, that's not the point. FutureOS uses 48 KB of RAM to buffer the regular CPC first 48 KB when being started using !FDESK, to be able to return to the native OS with conserving the RAM content.
Usually when starting with the regular RSX command !OS then it will not occupy much RAM (few KBs only) since the OS is located in ROM.

The point here it that the mouse pointer gets moved by OS functions residing in ROM.
Therefore the V-RAM must be moved from &C000 down to &4000 to be accessible. And this is done by RAM configuration &C3.

Thanks for asking and sorry for derailing the thread. Now to come back, also other software like CP/M Plus and some demos etc. only run when having a working &C3 configuration. However, iirc the CP/M Plus can be patched to work with regular RAM expansions on 464 / 664 too.

TotO · 15:15, 20 March 22

I know that and why it is required to use &C3, but the problem is not new and occur using the RAM expansions released for CPC 464/664 into the 80s (dk'tronics, ...), before TFM started to program the FutureOS ROM.

I think that is possible to set the proper GateArray bit to disable the ROM when it is required to draw the mouse pointer into the RAM, to avoid the issue and stay compatible.

(may be useful for other programs too)

GUNHED · 18:44, 21 March 22

You miss the point, please read what I wrote.
It's about accessing V-RAM from upper ROMs (or RAM).

TotO · 19:44, 21 March 22

But it doesn't require to access the RAM from the ROM to display the pointer, because the coordinate are not static, only the sprite... That can fit in RAM, like on the FutureOS version used for the floppy disc. No?

Anyway, what ROM code can justify to not be moved into the RAM to avoid to waste 64K RAM ?

GUNHED · 22:06, 21 March 22

Quote from: TotO on 19:44, 21 March 22Anyway, what ROM code can justify to not be moved into the RAM to avoid to waste 64K RAM ?

Why to move stuff from ROM into RAM just to waste that RAM?

There's a reason for Cartridges and ROMs. It's to save RAM. Look at modern games, Alcon for example. Now people learn to use ROM and not to waste RAM. That's a good way in evolution CPC.

Seriously, I don't know of which waste you're talking. You insist that 64 KB or RAM are wasted. That's not the case. For sure not in FutureOS, which only occupies the minimum of 2 KB of RAM (&B800-&BFFF).

TotO · 22:34, 21 March 22

Quote from: GUNHED on 22:06, 21 March 22Why to move stuff from ROM into RAM just to waste that RAM?

There's a reason for Cartridges and ROMs. It's to save RAM. Look at modern games, Alcon for example. Now people learn to use ROM and not to waste RAM. That's a good way in evolution CPC.

Seriously, I don't know of which waste you're talking. You insist that 64 KB or RAM are wasted. That's not the case. For sure not in FutureOS, which only occupies the minimum of 2 KB of RAM (&B800-&BFFF).

Because only FutureOS cause a problem that can be easy fixed by software for few bytes in RAM instead of ROM, like explain previously. Only the CPC 6128 can properly run FutureOS from ROM, neither the 464 or the 664 with official RAM expansions. The only workaround in hardware is to waste 64K of the extended memory to shadow the base RAM to display the mouse pointer properly. Admit that is not a great deal at end.

GUNHED · 00:10, 25 March 22

Sorry, you're on the wrong way about FutureOS. Read it's documentation if you like or not. I explained it couple times, that's all I can do for you. And a last time again: The problem is in CP/M Plus, some applications and demos too.

TotO · 00:17, 25 March 22

When programers don't want to fix software today because others don't 30 years ago.

OK, so better to considering FutureOS like no more supported and deprecated.

News:

USIfAC II OR X-Mass