╘HE ═╙─ ╔NFORMATION ┼XCHANGE IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT USER GROUP FOR ═╙─ DISK DRIVES. ╘HE NEWSLETTER IS AN EXPERIMENT. ╘O CONTINUE RECEIVING IT, PLEASE SEND IN $5.00 FOR THE NEXT FIVE ISSUES.
╘HE NEWSLETTER WILL CONTAIN SUMMARIES OF INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM EVERYONE. ╫HETHER YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER OR NOT, YOUR LETTERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ANSWERED. (╙┴╙┼'S ARE APPRECIATED.) ├ONTRIBUTIONS OF INFORMATION FOR THE NEWSLETTER ARE ALWAYS WELCOME. ╘HAT'S THE ┼╪├╚┴╬╟┼ PART OF THE DEAL.
╝╙OFTWARE ─ATA ┬ASE╛
╘HE DATABASE OF ═╙─ SOFTWARE COMPATIBILITIES IS NOW READY. ┴T THIS POINT IT CONTAINS 120 SOFTWARE TITLES. ╘HE DATABASE DATA FILES (╙UPERBASE FORMAT) ARE ON THE ┼XCHANGE ─ISK. ┴ COPY OF THE ┼XCHANGE ─ISK MAY BE OBTAINED BY SENDING IN A BLANK DISK WITH RETURN POSTAGE, OR YOU MAY RECEIVE A PRINTOUT OF ONE CATEGORY FROM THE DATA BASE BY SENDING IN AN ╙┴╙┼. ├ATEGORIES ARE WORD PROCESSORS, SPREADSHEETS, DATA BASE, MUSIC, DISK COPY, UTILITIES, TERMINAL, GRAPHICS, ENTERTAINMENT, LANGUAGES, BUSINESS AND OTHER. ┴DDITIONAL USER INFORMATION FOR THE DATA BASE IS BEING SOUGHT.
╝═EMORY ═AP╛
╔N RESPONSE TO MANY REQUESTS, WE ARE WORKING ON A MEMORY MAP OF ═╙─ ─╧╙ AS A SECOND PROJECT. ╓OLUNTEERS TO HELP ARE NEEDED. ╘HE MEMORY MAP IS ABOUT 50% COMPLETE AT THIS WRITING. ╘HE ┼XCHANGE ─ISK INCLUDES A DATABASE OF THE ─╧╙ ROUTINES IN ╘RANSACTOR ┴NTHOLOGY/╔NSIDE ├OMMODORE ─╧╙ TERMINOLOGY AT PRESENT STATE OF COMPLETION.
╝┼XTRA ╧P ├ODES╛
═╙─ DRIVES USE DRIVE MECHANISMS MADE BY ╘OKYO ┼LECTRIC ╫ORKS AND AN ╥6511╤ CHIP MADE BY ╥OCKWELL ╙EMICONDUCTORS AS ├╨╒. ╘HE ╥6511╤ CONTAINS A 6502 IN ADDITION TO DATA PORTS AND TIMERS, FUNCTIONS HANDLED BY TWO 6522 CHIPS IN THE 1541.
╘HE 6511╤ IMPLEMENTS FOUR EXTRA OPCODES IN ADDITION TO THE 6502 CODES. ╘HE ARE ╙═┬ (TWO BYTES; SETS ONE BIT OF THE SPECIFIED ZERO PAGE LOCATION TO "1"), ╥═┬ (TWO BYTES; RESETS ONE BIT TO "0"), ┬┬╙ (THREE BYTES; TESTS ONE BIT OF THE ZERO PAGE ADDRESS SPECIFIED IN BYTE TWO AND IF "1" BRANCHES TO THE RELATIVE ADDRESS STORED AT THE ZERO PAGE ADDRESS SPECIFIED BY BYTE THREE; IF THE BIT IS "0", NO BRANCH OCCURS); AND ┬┬╥ (THREE BYTES; BRANCHES IF THE BIT IS "0").
╘HE BIT TO BE SET OR TESTED IS SPECIFIED BY THE OP CODE AS FOLLOWS--
║CN1
» ┬IT TO BE TESTED
╔NSTRUCTION 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
-------------------------------------------
╙═┬ 87 97 ┴7 ┬7 ├7 ─7 ┼7 ╞7
╥═┬ 07 17 27 37 47 57 67 77
┬┬╙ 8╞ 9╞ ┴╞ ┬╞ ├╞ ─╞ ┼╞ ╞╞
┬┬╥ 0╞ 1╞ 2╞ 3╞ 4╞ 5╞ 6╞ 7╞
║CN0
╘HESE EXTRA OP CODES DISASSEMBLE AS "???" ON MOST MONITORS. ╧NE DISASSEMBLER THAT REPORTLY HANDLES THEM (AS WELL AS UNDOCUMENTED 6502 OP CODES) IS ╙OURCE ╟ENERATOR FROM ├╙═ ╙OFTWARE.
╧NE USER ASKED HOW TO TRANSFER DATA FROM THE SERIAL TO THE PARALLEL PORT. ─ETAILS ARE SKETCHY, BUT THE ╥6511╤ PARALLEL PORTS ARE LOCATED AT $00, $01, $02, AND $03. ╘HE SERIAL DATA REGISTER IS LOCATED AT $17 AND IS CONTROLLED BY BITS AT $15 AND $16. ╧N THE 1541, THE PARALLEL PORTS ARE USED AS THE DISK CONTROLLER AND FOR DATA FOR THE READ/WRITE HEAD. ╔T IS NOT YET CLEAR HOW THEY ARE USED ON THE ═╙─. ╔F ANYONE FIGURES IT OUT, PLEASE PASS THE WORD.
╝─╧╙ ╓ERSIONS╛
╙EVERAL HAVE ASKED ABOUT ─╧╙ VERSIONS. ╨RESENT INFORMATION IS THAT THE MOST RECENT IS ─╧╙ 2.3. ╙OME EARLIER ═╙─ DRIVES HAVE ─╧╙ 2.0. ┬OTH ╙─-1'S AND ╙─-2'S HAVE THE SAME ─╧╙.
┘OU CAN DETERMINE WHICH ─╧╙ YOU HAVE FROM THE SERIAL NUMBER. ╘HE SERIAL NUMBER PLATE ON THE BACK OF THE DRIVE WILL HAVE A -23 SUFFIX IF YOU HAVE ─╧╙ 2.3. ┴NOTHER WAY IS WITH THE FOLLOWING SHORT PROGRAM--
║JU0
10 ╧╨┼╬ 15,8,15,"╔0"
20 ╨╥╔╬╘#15,"═-╥" ├╚╥$(00) ├╚╥$(192) ├╚╥$(3)
30 ╟┼╘#15, ┴$:╟┼╘#15, ┬$:╟┼╘#15, ├$
40 ╔╞ ┬$<>"." ╘╚┼╬ ╨╥╔╬╘ "┼╥╥╧╥":╟╧╘╧ 60
50 ─$=┴$+┬$+├$:╨╥╔╬╘"═╙─ ─╧╙ ╓ "─$
60 ├╠╧╙┼ 15:┼╬─
║JU1
╘HIS PROGRAM READS THE ─╧╙ VERSION DIRECTLY FROM ITS ╥╧═ STORAGE LOCATION AT $├000-├002. ╞OR THOSE WHO NEED A ─╧╙ UPGRADE, ─╧╙ 2.3 IS ON THE ┼XCHANGE ─ISK.
╝╔NTERNATIONAL ├ONSIDERATIONS╛
╘O ASSIST ├ANADIAN MEMBERS, ╘HE ┼XCHANGE ACCEPTS ├ANADIAN CURRENCY. ├USTOMS ASPECTS OF THE ┼XCHANGE ─ISK ARE UNKNOWN. ╔F YOU ARE CONCERNED, SEND IN $3 TO COVER DISK AND POSTAGE, AND WE WILL SUPPLY THE DISK.
║FP
╝─ISK ╙PEED ├ARTRIDGES╛
╙EVERAL MEMBERS HAVE ASKED ABOUT DISK SPEED-UP CARTRIDGES FOR THE ═╙─ DRIVES. ╬ONE OF THOSE DESIGNED FOR THE 1541 ARE COMPATIBLE BASED ON REPORTS SO FAR. ╔F YOU ARE USING YOUR ═╙─ IN SERIAL MODE, YOU WILL GET A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN SPEED BY CHANGING TO PARALLEL CONNECTION. ╘HE CONVERSION REQUIRES AN ╔┼┼┼ INTERFACE. ╤UICKSILVER FROM ╙KYLES ┼LECTRIC ╫ORKS (WHICH ╔ USE) IS REPORTEDLY THE FASTEST. ╔T CAUSES ONLY RARE ADDITIONAL COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS COMPARED TO SERIAL CONNECTION. ╔T ALSO INCLUDES THE FEATURES OF 1541 ╞LASH. ┴NOTHER POPULAR ╔┼┼┼ INTERFACE IS ┬USCARD ╔╔ FROM ┬ATTERIES ╔NCLUDED. ╧NE USER REPORTS USING ╟-╠INK.
╝╔NCOMPATIBLE ╙OFTWARE╛
╙OME HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE CONVERSION OF INCOMPATIBLE SOFTWARE. ╒SUALLY ITS THE PROTECTION SCHEME THAT CAUSES THE PROBLEM. ╙OMETIMES THE DIFFICULTIES ARE MORE SUBTLE, AND EXTENSIVE SOFTWARE MODIFICATION MAY BE REQUIRED.
╔N EITHER CASE THE FIRST STEP IS TO REMOVE THE PROTECTION SCHEME. ╘HIS IS A TIME CONSUMING PROCESS FOR ANYONE BUT THE MOST EXPERIENCED USER. ╔T IS NOT USUALLY WORTH IT. ╚OWEVER, IF YOU WANT TO LEARN HOW, THE ╙OFTWARE ╨ROTECTION ═ANUALS OFFERED BY ├╙═ ╙OFTWARE ARE AMONG THE BEST. ├╙═ ALSO PUBLISHES A NEWSLETTER DESCRIBING HOW TO REMOVE PROTECTION FROM POPULAR COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS.
├ARTRIDGE BASED PROGRAMS THAT CAPTURE AN UNPROTECTED COPY OF THE PROGRAM FROM MEMORY ARE ALSO BEING ADVERTIZED. ╔ HAVE TRIED ╔SE╨IC FROM ╙TAR ╨OINT ╙OFTWARE. ╔T HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR ME. ┴ BETTER CARTRIDGE IS REPORTEDLY OFFERED BY ├╙═ ╙OFTWARE.
╞AST ╚ACKEM REPORTEDLY PROVIDES FILES ON DISK TO CONVERT POPULAR PROGRAMS TO RUN ON ═╙─ DISK DRIVES. ╘HE FILES ARE SAID TO BE SPECIFIC FOR EACH PROGRAM, AND ARE UPDATED MONTHLY.
╝═╙─╛
╔╬╞╧ (64) AND ╘RANSACTOR HAVE PUBLISHED ITEMS INDICATING THAT ═╙─ IS STILL AROUND. ╘HE ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER ARE THE SAME. ═╙─ DRIVES ARE STILL AVAILABLE FROM ═╙─. ╙OME ├HILDREN'S ╨ALACE STORES STILL HAVE THEM. ╧NE USER REPORTED SEEING ╙─-2'S ADVERTIZED FOR $220.
╝╙ERVICE ╘IPS╛
╙EVERAL HAVE REPORTED ═╙─ DRIVES THAT DO STRANGE THINGS LIKE OVERHEAT OR STOP RUNNING UNEXPECTEDLY DURING DISK OPERATIONS. ╨ROBLEMS LIKE THESE CAN BE DUE TO SUBTLE SOFTWARE INCOMPATIBILITIES OR SOFTWARE BUGS. ╚ESWARE'S ═ULTIPLAN FOR EXAMPLE RUNS FINE ON AN ═╙─ UNTIL YOU TRY TO SAVE A SPREADSHEET. ╘HEN THE DRIVE CRASHES AND YOU LOSE YOUR SPREADSHEET.
║PG61
╔F YOU ARE USING YOUR ═╙─ ON THE SERIAL BUS WITH A 1541, YOU MAY HAVE BETTER LUCK TURNING OFF THE 1541 WHEN YOU ARE USING THE ═╙─. ┼LECTRONIC INTERACTIONS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO CAUSE PROBLEMS--EVEN FOR LONG BOARD, SHORT BOARD 1541'S.
╘HE MOST COMMON SERVICE PROBLEM IS SAID TO BE THE POWER SUPPLY CONNECTOR. ╘HIS CONNECTOR ATTACHES FOUR WIRES FROM THE TRANSFORMER TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD. ├ORROSION AND HEAT (AS INDICATED BY BROWN DISCOLORATION OF THE CONNECTOR) CAN CAUSE THE CONNECTOR TO FAIL. ╘HE BEST SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE CONNECTOR. ╙OME HAVE REPORTED SOLDERING THE WIRES DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD.
┴ SECOND COMMON SERVICE PROBLEM IS BURNED OUT CHIPS CAUSED BY LIGHTNING. ╘HE SYMPTOM IS A BLANK SCREEN AT POWERUP WHEN THE DRIVE IS CONNECTED, BUT NOT WHEN IT IS DISCONNECTED. ╘HE CAUSE IS BURNED OUT 74XX CHIPS IN THE DRIVE. ╘HE ODDS ON LIGHTNING DAMAGE TO YOUR SYSTEM ARE LOWER IF IT IS UNPLUGGED WHEN NOT IN USE.
╝╥EQUESTS╛
╘HE ┼XCHANGE WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE ═╙─ DRIVE COMPATIBLE PROGRAMS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO MEMBERS ON THE ┼XCHANGE ─ISK. ┴NYONE WITH SUITABLE SOFTWARE IS INVITED TO SUBMIT IT. ─ISK SPEED UP SOFTWARE, COPY UTILITIES FOR VARIOUS FILE TYPES, FILE MANAGEMENT UTILITIES, AND TERMINAL PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN REQUESTED. ╙CHEMATICS AND WIRING DIAGRAMS ARE ALSO BEING SOUGHT. ╚AS ANYONE HAD TO CLEAN THE DRIVE HEADS? ╚OW AND HOW OFTEN?
├ONTRIBUTIONS OF INFORMATION, PROGRAMS, ETC ARE ALWAYS OF INTEREST. ┘OUR COMMENTS ON THE INFORMATION IN THE ╬EWSLETTER ARE ALSO WELCOME.
╝╞OR ╙ALE╛
┬US├ARD ╔╔ ╔┼┼┼ ╔NTERFACE FROM ┬ATTERIES ╔NCLUDED, $60 OR WILL TRADE.
═╙─ ╙INGLE ─ISK ─RIVE, MAKE OFFER.
╝╙ERVICE╛
╘├ ┼LECTRONICS, ╚╫┘ 36, ╨╧ 1129, ╚ARSELLE, ┴╠ 35640, 800-221-7770, ╙─-2 ╙ERVICE, $85. (┴DV IN ╥╒╬, ╩UNE, 1986, P 91.)
