USIfAC II, technical problems & support [MERGED with Plus-related posts from original thread]

[darkhalf]

@ikonsgr did the update to the 7B firmware version now
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ezzga2dppm6jlm7/AAC5tapEfqlYAF3u6F5V2lRXa/Inner%20workings/PIC%2018F47Q10

I find this one not very usable unfortunately on my USIFAC II board with newer CPC464 (6128 ROM)

1. USIFAC II will freeze before BASIC 1.1 prompt with (64MB) USB stick inserted
2. When |USB and then normal CAT. Freeze up. Reset will result in not getting to BASIC 1.1 (step 1)
3. Similar with trying CAT after |CAT this time, getting broken in error
4. Following this USIFAC in a bad state. CD into DSK folder, but |CAT doesn't show contents. Remove stick and reset
5. After reset, |USB, |CAT, |CD,"DSK, |CAT, |MSG,"AA64.DSK", CAT resets CPC again
6. Try direct load. Use LILI CPC files. Run anarchy.bas and that works, until main screen and blank screen
7. Try direct load with solomons key. LILI files. Run solomons.bas and get a reset again

Please try these steps on your CPC464 and let me know if similar results. It seems not many functions working on that current version

[ikonsgr]

@darkhalf, regarding speed setting of UART port, there is no bug,it just that usb function works with specific speed (1mbps), so whenever you activate USB using |USB command, it will issue the new speed, otherwise it defaults to 9600bps. You can also set new speeds without using |SET utility by directly giving OUT &FBD1,X (check user's guide for required setting of X number for the various speeds), so if you want to swap frequently between serial cable and usb function, it may be a better and faster solution to use a simple OUT command instead of |SET.
 About the freezing, i think the problem has to do with the replacement of CPC6128 fw+basic roms. You see, when USIfAC boards initially checks for CPC model, your amstrad responds as if it is a CPC6128, which means that board "thinks" that you also have an amsdos rom (which obviously your CPC464 doesn't have), meaning that it doesn't activate amsdos emulation of the board (e.g. the "Dual boot" procedure with normal CPC464), and obviously first call to amsdos rom goes to... nowhere, thus the boot freeze.
Btw,did you try to press reset button instead of using CTRL+ALT-DEL? This might resolve the freezing problem, otherwise try to switch off/on Amstrad

[ikonsgr]

@ikonsgr did the update to the 7B firmware version now
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ezzga2dppm6jlm7/AAC5tapEfqlYAF3u6F5V2lRXa/Inner%20workings/PIC%2018F47Q10

I find this one not very usable unfortunately on my USIFAC II board with newer CPC464 (6128 ROM)

1. USIFAC II will freeze before BASIC 1.1 prompt with (64MB) USB stick inserted
2. When |USB and then normal CAT. Freeze up. Reset will result in not getting to BASIC 1.1 (step 1)
3. Similar with trying CAT after |CAT this time, getting broken in error
4. Following this USIFAC in a bad state. CD into DSK folder, but |CAT doesn't show contents. Remove stick and reset
5. After reset, |USB, |CAT, |CD,"DSK, |CAT, |MSG,"AA64.DSK", CAT resets CPC again
6. Try direct load. Use LILI CPC files. Run anarchy.bas and that works, until main screen and blank screen
7. Try direct load with solomons key. LILI files. Run solomons.bas and get a reset again

Please try these steps on your CPC464 and let me know if similar results. It seems not many functions working on that current version

As i already explained, all problems caused by the CPC6128 fw+basic replacement without having an amsdos rom too. |USB command activates "direct file" mode, which means that it will also need to use Amsdos rom. But as your Amstrad recognized as CPC6128, amsdos emulation is not activated (like with any normal CPC464), as USIfAC expects to find a real amsdos rom which ofcourse doesn't exist... 

[ikonsgr]

@darkhalf, try this to see if it helps: after intial boot, give: OUT &FBD1,5 and then reset amstrad (this is like activating the "Dual boot" process manually). This should activate amsdos emulation  and hopefully will resolve the problems.
Also, if you want to use dsk images, after mounting (with |MG), you should give |464 (btw you forgot to give |FDC to activate dsk access anyway) as your amstrad doens't have an amsdos rom!

[darkhalf]

regarding speed setting of UART port, there is no bug,it just that usb function works with specific speed (1mbps), so whenever you activate USB using |USB command, it will issue the new speed

Okay no probs. Could you please add that to the manual for the |USB command. It makes sense, but caught me out (especially when it was set to auto, and I could not get bluetooth connecting properly)

if you want to swap frequently between serial cable and usb function

Thanks good to know about the out command. I'll stick with |SET as it's easier to remember 

About the freezing, i think the problem has to do with the replacement of CPC6128 fw+basic roms.

Yeah okay. Was trying to avoid the extra BASIC 1.0 commands in the 464 ROM  

Anyway for testing I've tried to put a temporary 464 ROM+ BASIC 1.0 override via Revaldinho 6 ROM board, but it's not playing nicely with USIFAC II (doesn't get to the BASIC prompt). Tried USIFAC II at ROM7 also but no luck

Btw,did you try to press reset button instead of using CTRL+ALT-DEL?

Yes this made no difference pulling the RESET line. It will had the same effect as CTRL-ALT-DEL and needed power pulled

But as your Amstrad recognized as CPC6128, amsdos emulation is not activated (like with any normal CPC464), as USIfAC expects to find a real amsdos rom

This makes sense now. When I put the DDI3 in to the 464 during testing, everything behaved a lot better (because AMSDOS was actually there). Was not aware of the OS ROM detection being used to see if AMSDOS was there

after intial boot, give: OUT &FBD1,5

This did not work. CPC464 got stuck after doing the reset. 

However I tried some other commands, including OUT &FBD1,4 and also |EN (mode 1) and had better luck with direct |USB files. So Army Moves and Solomons Key test games now run, since I'm making it not use AMSDOS

you should give |464 (btw you forgot to give |FDC to activate dsk access anyway)

Okay that is a   moment. I've done the |464 and booted into FDC emulation mode and DSK access works as expected now. @ikonsgr thanks for the explanations

[ikonsgr]

I just had a contact with someone having this weird CPC 464 freezing problems upon booting with a ULIfAC board (which fortunately with REV 3a fw, can easily overcome by just pressing reset button 1 or 2 times), but this time, he sent me a couple of photos of his CPC464 and i verified that it's indeed an early version with "tall keys" and a GA40007 with heat sink installed.
So, as my CPC464 is a later version (with normal keys and a GA40010 installed) with which i never had such problems (either with USIfAC or ULIfAC), i would like to ask anyone with these old "Sticky" CPC464's, to test a new fw (Rev3b) i upload here, and note if it resolves the problem, or if there are any differences in Amstrad booting behavior.

[Gryzor]

If you want to talk about mod actions this is not the place. Also, bringing up old flames is not taken lightly. Feel free to open another thread. 

[bruce7491]

HI,

I just received my ulifac
I have a cpc 6128 fr (azerty)
when I connect the module, I get the basic, with or without usb key
reset works
ram/rom doesn't change anything, just prompt basic
dsk/swap doesn't change anything
I only use the 5v power supply, since I don't use the floppy drive
on the usb key i have dsk files
pause works because black screen if in operation
in basic mode I executed the command OUT &FBD2.5 but that didn't change anything
at one point I got the message no usb key

do you have an idea ?
Thanks for your help ...

[bruce7491]

without the card it works
basic and keyboard ok

with the card I have started loading the bios, and nothing more, the keyboard no longer responds

[ikonsgr]

action taken "in person"   

[bruce7491]

hi,

with ulifac and the |fm command, is there a way to display the long names of .dsk files?
and if not, is there a way to easily transform many .dsk files into short names? (8.3 names)
thank you

[Devlin]

hi,

with ulifac and the |fm command, is there a way to display the long names of .dsk files?
and if not, is there a way to easily transform many .dsk files into short names? (8.3 names)
thank you

From what I understand, it's a shortcoming of the USB board (CH376) that is used.

I've been manually renaming as I go, but it'd be far too cumbersome to do a "full set" of games.

[bruce7491]

that's what I started doing
but there are hundreds of files...
and no question of truncating on the first 8 characters
so for the moment I started to do everything manually as well, so that the name can indicate the name of the game anyway

[ikonsgr]

hi,
with ulifac and the |fm command, is there a way to display the long names of .dsk files?
and if not, is there a way to easily transform many .dsk files into short names? (8.3 names)
thank you

As already mentioned, this is a limitation of the USB host module. Now,as a general rule, the 8.3 name conversion should consist of the first 6 characters of image name, followed by "~" symbol and a number.
I would also recommend, instead of using the slow and cumbersome dsk images, try to extract files from images for instant direct access. Fortunately there is a tool that allows you to do this job massively, in a blink of an eye    It's CPC Loader where in "tools" tab you can select as many dsk images you want (usually placed in a folder with subfolders) and directly extract all files from each image to separate folders! Check the: "CPC Loader: Extract files from dsk images" sub section of USIfAC II/ULIfAC user's guides too.

[Devlin]

hi,
with ulifac and the |fm command, is there a way to display the long names of .dsk files?
and if not, is there a way to easily transform many .dsk files into short names? (8.3 names)
thank you

As already mentioned, this is a limitation of the USB host module. Now,as a general rule, the 8.3 name conversion should consist of the first 6 characters of image name, followed by "~" symbol and a number.
I would also recommend, instead of using the slow and cumbersome dsk images, try to extract files from images for instant direct access. Fortunately there is a tool that allows you to do this job massively, in a blink of an eye    It's CPC Loader where in "tools" tab you can select as many dsk images you want (usually placed in a folder with subfolders) and directly extract all files from each image to separate folders! Check the: "CPC Loader: Extract files from dsk images" sub section of USIfAC II/ULIfAC user's guides too.

With fair warning, not *every* disk will extract correctly this way - it can be hit and miss with certain protected titles.

[ikonsgr]

With fair warning, not *every* disk will extract correctly this way - it can be hit and miss with certain protected titles.

Of course, there is a relatively small percentage of games (~10% or less) that bypass Amsdos and use custom track loaders, that's why i developed FDC emulation (for dsk image access) too.