Amstrad CPC WiFi

[Joseman]

@Duke

UPDATE!!!!!

if i upload the dsk to the sd root, then i make |cd,"laser.dsk" -> run"ls.bas" IT WORKS!!!

BUT

if i copy the disc (with symbos) to: games/laser squad -> |cd,"games" -> |cd,"laser squad" -> run"ls.bas" it doesn't work!!!!!!!!!!!

perhaps you was loading it from a mounted dsk?

[Duke]

Maybe is that what happens with goblins and your configuration?

Yes seems like that was the issue. Will investigate.

perhaps you was loading it from a mounted dsk?

Yes it has to run from a .dsk file otherwise sector read / write is not working, then it should have been using file I/O.

EDIT:  About Ghost and Goblins, here is the problem - stupid game !
It uses area &a600 - &a6?? for variables.  Not a problem, but it expects the area to be 00's at startup.
M4 will use A67C - A6FC, when amsdos at A700, so its filled with data, that make it crash or do other things and sometimes work

Fix for original .dsk image 
Edit Elite.bas
Change line 30 to:
30 load"p":load"code"
Add:
31 for i=&a600 to &a6fc:poke i,0:next
32 call &5000

Done.

[dragon]

@Duke

UPDATE!!!!!

if i upload the dsk to the sd root, then i make |cd,"laser.dsk" -> run"ls.bas" IT WORKS!!!

BUT

if i copy the disc (with symbos) to: games/laser squad -> |cd,"games" -> |cd,"laser squad" -> run"ls.bas" it doesn't work!!!!!!!!!!!

perhaps you was loading it from a mounted dsk?

I can't try laser Squad until i mount the cpc, But in the begining  until menú levels laser Squad use the firmware to load.( You don't tell ir it load to level menu or not).

[Joseman]

EDIT:  About Ghost and Goblins, here is the problem - stupid game !
It uses area &a600 - &a6?? for variables.  Not a problem, but it expects the area to be 00's at startup.

How a coder that is being paid to do a game on a computer has this type of errors??, the guy simply doesn't initialize variables, and use the variables taking for granted that they will be 0  , this is almost the first thing that you learn when you start coding...

Or perhaps the guy was a genius and thought that if this area didn't have 0's then some kind of loader or copy-rom was present? I don't think that this is the case, because is a random protection, as you said, the game sometimes works!

Seeing that the game was half-cutted, and didn't have half of the things that the original game had (perhaps for running out of ram? because of this bad coding...), don't think that genius is the word...

is a pitty the lack of professionalism that some coders had in that years... is not a problem of time, is a problem of laziness-professionalism!

[Duke]

@Joseman
Fwiw. I am not sure if that really is the original... I mean there is some weird (unused) basic code after it runs the code file.
Maybe it had something that cleared it before. The game imo. is quite well done (good scrolling, sprites, music), oh well

[Joseman]

@Joseman
Fwiw. I am not sure if that really is the original... I mean there is some weird (unused) basic code after it runs the code file.
Maybe it had something that cleared it before. The game imo. is quite well done (good scrolling, sprites, music), oh well

Yes, you're right, the game is not THAT bad for a 1986 tittle, but i can assure you that i felt cheated with this game back in the day for not have all the levels!

Here is another original copy from Abraxas - Zafiro version:

http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=80466123119132519822

as you can see it's the same that with the other  copy, the same files, the same loader...

I'm pretty sure that another games from Elite (maybe in the first years) shared the same structure... (elite.bas, p.bin for the scr and code.bin for the code itself). It's the original copy without a doubt.

Sorry for the OT.

[KaosOverride]

Great! Now we need some kind of repository for patched games!! Like C4CPC game pack 

I'm very slow with my sockets lib for cpctelera, but I have the hope I will finnish it. I will collect some doubs I have and return here with them.

[David Hernandez Verdugo]

Hi guys ! This is an incredible project, although I do not usually write I follow the progress. Congratulations!!!

[Duke]

M4 Firmware v2.0.0 released.

Download here: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/M4_Board#Firmware
Or use the |upgrade rsx from your CPC.

I decided to bump the major version instead of making 1.1.0 release, as there was so many changes with all the betas.

Latest addition since last beta.
Fix issue with |ren and filenames with spaces
DSK image support for ROMDOS formats D1, D2, D10, D20, D40 and PARADOS 80

(See full change log at http://www.spinpoint.org/cpc/m4info.txt)

No other bugs left that I can remember for the betas, so hopefully all good for now!

[makinavaja]

Nice!
Just upgraded my card 5 minutes ago.
By the way, I just discovered that my m4 board works perfectly on my 6128plus computer but not on my 6128, even after cleaning a lot of times the contacts with alcohol, a rubber or an specific contact cleaner liquid: The card is very unstable on my 6128 and freezes or hangs randomly after any command.  Also tested both methods to power up the card: with external usb wire and with internal power.
So, the defective hardware here is my computer. Does anybody know any possible cause for this problem? capacitors? tracks? power supply of the computer? (I use an 2A external power supply!)

Makinavaja

[Duke]

@makinavaja

Maybe you have set M4 rom to 7, that could cause problems with a regular CPC6128. Try starting it without a microSD inserted, to see if its any ROM issue.

Other than that in all likelyhood even though your Edge connector looks clean, it may still need more cleaning.
Of course it could be the edge cable too.

[Joseman]

Hi

Small Contribution:

With BonnyDos 'Addon2' rom (only this rom), we can use the |type command to see text files, it works really well with the M4!!

http://www.cpcwiki.eu/imgs/e/e1/BDOS_ROM_1.72.zip

@Duke do you think that this command can be implemented in the M4 ROM?

[SOS]

Is a test-program for the M4-Card available?
e.g. sending 1000000 random-bytes to the M4, when it hungs, i have a hardware-issue.
=>
I have the problem, when the CPC hungs, it can be have different reasons (software faulty, bad-rom-config, CPC-Hardware faulty, M4-Hardware faulty, Power-Problems).
Power: What voltage do I need to measure with a multimeter? (other measurable Parameters?)

[Duke]

@Joseman should be no problem to add, probably next release and yeah its a handy command.

Is a test-program for the M4-Card available?
e.g. sending 1000000 random-bytes to the M4, when it hungs, i have a hardware-issue.
=>
I have the problem, when the CPC hungs, it can be have different reasons (software faulty, bad-rom-config, CPC-Hardware faulty, M4-Hardware faulty, Power-Problems).
Power: What voltage do I need to measure with a multimeter? (other measurable Parameters?)

There's isnt an actual test program available. There's the diagnostics firmware, but it only checks basics are responding as it should.
But should be easy to create some tests if you want to verify its working proper.
Ie.
10 |httpget,"somethingoftheinternet": rem test CPC->M4->ESP, could also use |time
20 cat: rem test CPC->M4->SD   and vice versa
30 goto 10
If you want to check if only the hardware is OK you can of course up and download files, which will test M4, ESP and SD without the involvement of CPC (and dodgy connectors).
For voltage reading, you can read the USB/EXP jumper, that's 5 V input, 3.3V is labelled at the top row, aswell as gnd signals.

[SOS]

For voltage reading, you can read the USB/EXP jumper, that's 5 V input, 3.3V is labelled at the top row, aswell as gnd signals.

How much space has the 5V Signal?, actual my power-supply give 4,83 Volt (to both M4+CPC). (to complete the question: The upper voltage value is 5,35 Volt when nothing connected (or the cpc only(?)).

[makinavaja]

@makinavaja

Maybe you have set M4 rom to 7, that could cause problems with a regular CPC6128. Try starting it without a microSD inserted, to see if its any ROM issue.

Other than that in all likelyhood even though your Edge connector looks clean, it may still need more cleaning.
Of course it could be the edge cable too.

Hi Duke!
Seems more stable since I've removed the microsdcard... but:
- Wich kind of test can I do to verify this?
- Will you explain me what is that set rom option and value? how can I change it? wich value do I have to set then?

[makinavaja]

Ok, reading again the info I discovered what it is.
Lets test it during the day!

[Bryce]

How much space has the 5V Signal?, actual my power-supply give 4,83 Volt (to both M4+CPC). (to complete the question: The upper voltage value is 5,35 Volt when nothing connected (or the cpc only(?)).

Some numbers: TTL Chips will work between 4.75V and 5.25V. If the hardware has an LDO to create 3.3V then you definitely need to stay within these boundaries as the LDO chip most likely needs about 4.8V to work reliably. Problems will sometime occur in electronics if a sudden increase in current occurs, the voltage can then suddenly drop and cause things to crash or reset. Adding some chunky electrolytic capacitors can help against this.
Measuring a PSU (or battery) with no load doesn't really tell you anything useful. You should always have it connected to the load you intend using (turned on) to know what your PSU is really supplying.

Bryce.

[Duke]

My readings directly connected to the CPC is ~4.8V too (both CTM644 and an external 5V psu) so your reading is just fine and shouldn't cause any problems, but of course you could always try an external psu directly to the M4 board. In my experince 99% of the problems is due to the Edge connector, it goes from people not seeing the device at all to all sorts of issues until they have super cleaned it many times.

[makinavaja]

Well, I tested today the board again on my 6128 and it seems that with the upgrade I did with the last version, the system is back to rom 6, and that made the card work ok on my 6128.

By the way, I have seen that the http://www.centpourcent.net/ shop is closed! Hope nothing bad has happened to Richard

So, new users looking for hardware to use symbos, ... where will they get it? because RAM boards and slot expansors are needed!

[makinavaja]

By the way:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskSLHyRV

Its an album, pictures of 4 8bit computers connected to IRC!
Hope you like it, but all the desktop is lika a jungle full of wires!

[Duke]

By the way:
https://flic.kr/s/aHskSLHyRV

Its an album, pictures of 4 8bit computers connected to IRC!
Hope you like it, but all the desktop is lika a jungle full of wires!

Looks great

[makinavaja]

hi again!

Today I tested again the board, but just connected directly to the rear amstrad6128 connector, not in the Mother X4 board.
And I have got again the same problems!  [edit]no matter if the power supply is external or internal [edit]
When I'm in the config web page, and I've got:
M4 CONFIG
- Enabled -> checked
- Rom number -> 6
- Rom board start -> 0
- Lower-rom Enabled -> not checked
- Lower-slot rom -> 31

Any idea about it? Just to resume:
- M4 board connected to the mother x4 together with the x-mem mx4 board(RAM) -> works perfectly
- M4 board connected alone -> fails, hungs randomly after any command, no matter if it is a |netstat or a cat
- M4 board connected on my 6128plus -> always works, alone or connected to the mother x4.
- Lo

[Duke]

@makinavaja

Yea that doesn't make much sense.

I can see on this picture https://www.flickr.com/photos/46349456@N08/32306991326/in/album-72157679224632055/
That you have edge connector version, connected to some converter PCB.

When connecting it to the CPC6128, do you use the cable from MX4 to this converter PCB or do you plug it directly in to the CPC?

Maybe worth trying with the cable as it seems that way you get good connection through MX4.

[makinavaja]

When connecting it to the CPC6128, do you use the cable from MX4 to this converter PCB or do you plug it directly in to the CPC?

Maybe worth trying with the cable as it seems that way you get good connection through MX4.

yes, I did it, and the result was the same: it didn't worked
The only extra stuff this amstrad 6128 have is the 3 1/2'' disk drive that replaced the original 3'' drive.  Can it be related with that?