ftp.mayn.de/ftp.mayn.de-pub.zip/ftp.mayn.de-pub/apple/macintosh/emulator/mess037b6-mac.sit/MacMESS37b6/Misc Support Files/sysinfo.dat

Text File | 2000-07-30 | 115KB | 3,294 lines

# MESS System Information Data File v37b4.1
# Maintained by Chris Henry
# Send corrections/submissions to: [e-mail]

# Thanks to Ben Bruscella, Juergen Buchmueller, JoJo Priore, and everyone on MESSDEV.
# Special Thanks to Thierry Schimbi!

# This file contains the basic documentation for most of the drivers presented in the MESS
# distribution. Please read the readme.txt, mess.txt and messnew.txt prior to reading this
# supplementary documentation. This file should be placed in the same directory as the MESS
# executable when using the DOS version of MESS. This file must be renamed HISTORY.DAT to
# be used with MESS32.

# Driver entries are (usually) broken into three sections, Usage, Known Issues, and
# History and Trivia.

# Usage - This section lists any helpful commands for the computer or console in question,
# such as disk operating system and file loading BASIC commands. This information is not
# intended to replace a proper owner's manual for the system in question, and only contains
# the most simple commands that can also be found on any of dozens of websites devoted to
# the system.

# Known Issues - This section lists any known problematic spots for the driver. These will be
# fixed as time and knowledge permit. Please be patient. If you have information that may
# help the MESS team resolve these issues, contact them at the addresses listed in MESS.TXT

# History and Trivia - This section contains various background pieces for a system. If you
# have anything you'd like to contribute contact me at the address above. Much of the
# information in these sections was kindly provided by Thierry Schimbi of the "Museum of
# Dead, Gone and Obsolete Computers". Visit it at:  http://www.computingmuseum.com


#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=a5200
$bio
Atari 5200 SuperSystem


Known Issues:

Keyboard input is a little difficult, using a joystick or mouse is recommended.

Most games are playable. See a5200.crc for a fairly exhaustive compatibility list.


History and Trivia:

The Atari 5200 was introduced in 1982, and was actually designed to be a competitor to the
Intellivision, before ColecoVision entered the market. Developed under the name of "Pam"
(Atari, at the time, typically named projects after well-endowed female employees), Atari
considered releasing it with that moniker; PAM in this case an acronym for "Personal Arcade
Machine".


The 5200 shared much of the architecture of the Atari 400/800 computers, but featured a
different cartridge connector and completely different controllers. Non-centering analogue
joysticks which offered a full 360 degrees of mobility, were both innovative and unreliable.
Other controller features included a keypad, and a ahead-of-it's-time pause button.


The Atari 5200 suffered from it's initial incompatability with the VCS/2600 (an adapter was
later released) and fierce competition from Coleco. When Warner Communications sold Atari
Corp. to the Tramiels in 1984, they quickly removed it from the market.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=a7800
$bio
Atari 7800 ProSystem


Known Issues:

The Reset key "R" and Select ket "S" are hardmapped to the same location as the default
Player 2 up and fire two, respectively. You will need to remap these manually to avoid
control conflicts in some games.

Most games work fine, but a few have graphic and playability issues. See a7800.crc for a
full compatibility list.


History and Trivia:

Originally developed in 1984 as the Atari 3600, the Atari 7800 Prosystem was released to the
US market in 1986, in an attempt to compete in a revitalised home videogame market. The 7800
was actually designed by Gencomp as part of a lawsuit settlement (Gencomp had been sued for
releasing a speedup chipset for Atari Coinop Missile Command).


The 7800 was compatible with pre-existing Atari 2600 game program cartridges, without the need
for expansion modules or turning switches, but was also designed to use enhanced 7800-only
cartridges such as thepack-in "Pole Position 2". (n.b., only the 7800-specific cartridges are
currently supported in MESS.) Many peripherals, including a computer/keyboard and high score
saving cartridge were planned but never released.


Unfortunately for Atari, the system did poorly in the late 1980's market dominated by Nintendo.


www.atari-history.com has this interesting anecdote: "In the summer of 1984 the first 5,000
Atari 7800's had just been built in the new El Paso assembly plant. The production line
manager, Brad Saville was eager to meet with Jack Tramiel to show him the new flagship Atari
video game console. The meeting ended abruptly as Jack Tramiel was quoted "Get your pollution
out of here! We make computers now and we don't want your garbage." The line manager was fired
2 days later. About 8-9 months later the line manager received a phone call from Atari asking
him as to the whereabouts of the die molds for the Atari 7800. The ex-line manager responded
that he did in fact know where they were and for $50/hour for about 200 to 300 hours of his
time he would remember where they were and find them. The Atari Corp. representative who
called was infuriated and informed the former production line manager that Atari's lawyers
would be in contact with him. He never heard from Atari again."


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=a800
$bio
Atari 800 Home Computer


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.


The Atari800 driver now has two ROM slots. It really had two slots, so the code was modified
to optionally read the second part of a 16K ROM from the second cartridge filename provided
(right slot). The previous version had a800_cartridge_32k flag which was wrong. Cartridges
are either 8K or 16K, so that was renamed to ..._16k too ;)


Most disk and cartridge images should work, though some graphic issues may exist.


The Atari 800XL driver (a800xl) is not currently working.


History and Trivia:

The Atari 400 and 800 were the first home computers to use custom coprocessors and the first
to use "sprites" and special video interruptions like display lists, features that will be
implemented several years after on the Commodore Amiga. It offered high graphic resolution,
lots of colors and great sound capabilities, more than other computers could do then! The
two models had same characteristics, the 400 is the low-cost version, it has only 16 KB
(instead of 48 KB), one cartridge port (two for the 800) and a membrane keyboard (a
typewriter style keyboard one for the 800).


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=advision
$bio
Entex Adventurevision


Known Issues:

Sound is not currently supported.

All four games are playable.


History and Trivia:

The Adventure Vision was a cartridge based, electronic handheld video game that was
manufactured by Entex Industries in 1982. It measured about 13 1/4" X 10" X 9" and used
one vertical strip of 40 red LEDs and a spinning mirror to produce a screen with a 150X40
resolution drawn at 15 frames/sec. There were only four cartridges produced for it: Defender,
Turtles, Super Cobra, and an Asteroids clone, Space Force.


Visit http://www.adventurevision.com for more information.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=amiga
$bio
Commodore Amiga


Known Issues:

Sound is not currently supported.

The driver is now working fairly well, though some games may need more memory than currently
emulated.


History and Trivia:

The conceptor of the Amiga 1000 was Jay Miner, who created the Atari 800 many years before.
He wanted to make the most powerful computer ever, then he joined a little California
company called Amiga. He used the principle of the three coprocessors (again) to help the
main processor. At the beginning, the Amiga had only 64 kilobytes of RAM!, Atari wanted to
buy the Amiga but finally, Commodore succeded to buy it (then there was a lawsuit, which
Commodore won). It was meant to be a competitor to the Atari 520 ST. The operating system
was done by Metacomco, a British company who specialized in the 68000 processor (they also
made languages for the Sinclair QL). It is a fully multitasking system which looks like
UNIX with a graphical user interface. It was the very first personal computer with great
graphics and sound capabilities with a GUI environment. The Amiga BASIC was written by
Microsoft (like most other versions of BASIC). The Amiga 1000 began to lose popularity one
year later with the creation of its two main successors: the Amiga 500 and the Amiga 2000.
There were two versions of the Amiga 1000. The first one, just called "Amiga", was sold
only in USA, had a NTSC display, and didn't have the video modes EHB and HAM, later
versions would have this built in. The second one, called "Amiga 1000" (to avoid confusion
with its successor, the Amiga 2000) had a PAL display, the enhanced video modes
(HAM & EHB) and was built in Germany.




$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=apple1
$bio
Apple 1


History and Trivia:

Steve Wozniak, who worked for Hewlett-Packard at the time, wanted to build his own computer.
He couldn't afford the Intel 8080 CPU (this CPU was very popular then, as it was used in the
Altair 8800 & IMSAI 8080, but was pretty expensive), he would use the Motorola 6800 but it
was also much too expensive. Finally he decided to build his computer around the MOS 6502
(which was pretty compatible with the Motorola 6800). The computer was easier to use than
the Altair: unlike the Altair, the computer has a keyboard and can display characters on a
TV (the Altair uses LEDs for its display). The display was very slow, only 60 characters (!)
were displayed each second.


Steve Jobs, who made the game "Breakout" for Atari, with a little help from "the Woz", was
interested in this computer. Together they created the Apple Computer Company and they tried
to sell the computer. Paul Terrell, the owner of a computer shop, was interested in this
computer, but fully assembled (the Apple 1 was sold "naked", no monitor, power supply,
keyboard, tape drive, etc.) and with a cassette interface, which Wozniak designed. He sold
it with the Basic he wrote soon after. They sold about two hundred of these units. This
machine was so popular that Jack Tramiel of Commodore (!) offered to buy Apple, because
Apple was, at the time, a major purchaser of MOS 6502 processors (Commodore owned Mos
Technologies). Wozniak wanted $15,000 more than Tramiel offered, needless to say, the deal
fell through. It was followed the next year by the Apple ][.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=apple2c
$bio
Apple //c Series


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.

Many games and applications appear to be running now.


History and Trivia:

The Apple IIc is the compact (the "c" means compact) version of the Apple IIe. It has the
same characteristics but lot of features which are optional on the IIe are provided on the
IIc (floppy disk drive, 80 columns display, color display, 128 KB RAM), but unlike the
Apple 2e, it has no expansion slots, so it is hard to add features to this computer. It
runs either with DOS 3.3 either with ProDos and has the first version of QuickDraw in ROM.
The Apple IIc was originally designed to be a portable version of the Apple II, but it
wasn't a stand alone system, it has no batteries and no LCD screen (Apple would soon
release the items), it coud also be used with a small 9" monochrome green screen which
plugged into the unit. The Apple IIc was mainly used as a desktop computer. The Apple IIc
was replaced with the Apple IIc+ in 1988.


The Apple IIc Plus unit was a direct response to the Laser 128EX/2.  Apple retrofitted the
IIc design to try to compete with Video Technology's high speed Apple II clone. The
retrofitting is evident in the design of the motherboard.  The motherboard runs at 1Mhz,
unlike the Laser 128EX/2.  In order to run its programs faster, Apple used a 4Mhz 65C02
with 8k of high speed SRAM cache and licensed the accelerator design from Zip
Technologies (makers of the ZipChip accelerator for the IIe and IIc).  They built an
accelerator into a 1Mhz motherboard rather than design a faster motherboard from scratch.


The designers of the Apple IIc Plus originally wanted to make a portable IIGS. Apple's
management, bent on promoting the Mac, balked at the idea. At the same time, the
Laser 128EX/2 made a quick design cycle mandatory. The result is an updated IIc.


The Apple IIc Plus was the finest Apple 8-bit computer ever built, but lack of marketing,
the apparent de-evolution in technology compared to the 16-bit Apple IIGS, and the
aggressive sale of the Laser 128EX/2 made the IIc Plus the most short lived of the
Apple II models.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=apple2e
$bio
Apple //e series


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.


Many games and applications appear to be running now.


History and Trivia:

The Apple IIe is the successor of the Apple II+. It was a very great success and was widely
used in schools (and it's still used today in some places !). It works under DOS 3.3
(the Apple II operating system) and uses 143 KB floppy disks.


The Apple IIe was replaced with the Apple IIe+, which had an enhanced keyboard, a 4 MHz
65C02 CPU and a 3.5" floppy disk unit.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=astrocde
$bio
Bally Professional Arcade/Astrocade


Usage:

Loading the Astrocade driver without a cassetridge image will allow you to use the four
built-in programs.


Known Issues:

To the best of our knowledge, full compatibility, aside from Bally Basic tape support.


History and Trivia:

The game console commonly known as the "Bally Astrocade" was never officially sold by that
name, having originally been released by Bally Manufacturing in 1978 as the Bally Professional
Arcade. It was withdrawn rather quickly though, due to the success of the competing Atari VCS.
A group of Pro Arcade enthusiasts under the name Astrovision Inc., bought the rights to the
Pro Arcade and reintroduced it as the Bally Computer System, including the Basic casettrige as
a pack-in. In 1982, the system and company was renamed Astrocade, once again trying to market
it as a video game system. The system didn't last much longer, though; it was a product with a
limited interest base even before the video game slump of the next few years.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=c16
$bio
Commodore C16, Plus 4, and C364


Cassette Usage:

Cassette images can have the .wav or .prg extensions, and multiple .prg files
can be contained within a zip file. Zip files must be placed in the current directory, and
the contained prg files are played in sequential order.


The format for WAVs are:
8 bit (16 bit may work, but this hasn't been tested), mono, 12500 Hz minimum. This has the
same problems as an original Datasette tape drive (the tone head must be adjusted to get
working (no load error...) wav-files)


Note that tape volume is DAC1 volume within the MESS UI On Screen Display Options (accessed
with the tilde (~) key in the DOS version.


Within the emulation, use LOAD or LOAD"" or LOAD"",1 for loading normal programs. Use
LOAD"",1,1 for loading programs to a special address.


Diskette Usage:

Disk drives are simulated at the moment, and only file loads from drive 8 and 9
are implemented. You can load a program file from the rom directory (*.prg,*.p00)
(This must NOT be specified on commandline, start the c16 emulation with no images specified)


The directory command LOAD"$",8 is supported when using d64 images.



Within the emulation, basic programs can be loaded with:


DLOAD"filename" or LOAD"filename",8



Machine language programs can be loaded to their address with:


DLOAD"filename" or LOAD"filename",8,1


When a program is loaded, type RUN or the appropriate SYS call to start it.


Note that several programs rely on more features not currently emulated (such as
loading other file types, writing...) Some games also rely on starting programs in the
floppy drive's proccessor (and therefore cpu level emulation of the 1541 is needed).


Cartridge Usage:

Cartridges may have any of the following extensions: .bin .rom .lo .hi .prg
Files with boot-sign in it are recognised as roms. Some cartridges require more than one
image to load (e.g., tutor.lo tutor.hi).



.prg files loaded at address in its first two bytes



.bin, .rom, .lo , .hi roms are loaded to cs1 low, cs1 high, cs2 low, cs2 high addresses
accordingly to their order in the command line.



Note that .prg and .p00 files are assigned to the quickloader (so you have to use
the -cart switch when loading rom images).


Quickloader Usage:

A quickloader is available via the f8 key. It supports program image files
with the .prg extension. This loads the program into memory and sets the program end
pointer. It works with most programs. The program can be started by entering "RUN" in
the emulation.


Miscellaneous Usage Notes:

See "Keys (This Machine)" for key assignments.

Shift-cbm switches between upper-only and normal character set (if wrong characters are on
screen this may help).

Run (shift-stop) loads the first program from device 8 (dload"*) and starts it.

If you run into difficulty, be sure to start the emulation with the -log switch, and look into
the error.log file that is created in your mess directory.


Known Issues:

Memory check by c16 kernel will not recognize more memory without restarting MESS.

CPU clock switching/changing.

Imperfect colors; should be enough for 95% of the games and programs.

Imperfect scrolling support (when 40 columns or 25 lines)

Lightpen support missing.

Some PC-Keyboards do not behave well when special two or more keys are pressed at the same
time (with my keyboard printscreen clears the pressed pause key!)

Expansion modules other than the 1551 floppy drive are not supported.

The rs232/v.24 interface is not supported, nor are printers and other parallel devices.

The Plus 4's userport is not supported.

Note if a game runs too fast with the ntsc version, try the pal version!


The following features are emulated:

    - rasterline based video system

    - keyboard, joystick 1 and 2

    - simple tape support

    - serial bus

    - simple disk drives

    - expansion modules

    - rom cartridges

    - simple ieee488 floppy support (c1551 floppy disk drive)

    - quickloader


History and Trivia:

When the first Commodore 264 prototype unofficially debuted at the Winter Consumer
Electronics Show (CES) in January (?) 1984, the developers had obviously not yet agreed
about the keyboard layout; some keys are unlabelled, the right shift key was missing,
instead having a key which seems to be meant as a line feed key.


It was planned that when buying a C264, you could have chosen between these programs:

    - 3 plus 1 (word processor, data base, spread sheet, windowing)

    - Superscript (professional word processor)

    - Magic Desk (word processor, data base, spread sheet, calculator)

    - Logo

    - Pilot

    - Easycalc 264 (spread sheet)

    - COM 264

    - Financial Advisor



The C264 should then be delivered with the selected program built in. The remaining programs
could only be used with cartridges for the expansion port.



The official presentation of the C264 series took place on the Hannover fair in 1984.
Luckily, the developers didn't eliminate the right shift key in the final keyboard layout.
The formerly unlabelled keys bear a label now: the key that used to be the left arrow
key on the C64 and the VC20 says 'Esc', the key between '@' and '*' bears the English pound
sign, and the key that was labelled 'SHIFT LOCK' on all 8-bit computers Commodore ever
produced now says - guess what - 'SHIFT LOCK' :-) (must have been a hard decision between
SHIFT and CAPS lock).



A word about the C364 : This prototype was a C264 with a bigger keyboard (86 keys incl. a
numeric keypad) and with a builtin speech synthesizer with a vocabulary of 250 words (which
could be expanded by either diskettes or modules). Commodore dropped this model and decided
to sell a separate speech module (Magic Voice) for the C64.



Among the Commodore news from the Summer CES 1984 was the renaming of the C264 to Plus/4.
This renaming came along with a slight change in the builtin software: you could not choose
between many different programs anymore, but each Plus/4 was delivered with the 3-plus-1
software.



The built-in software was really limited: a word processing (only with 40 columns and can
manage documents with only 99 lines of 77 columns), a very small spreadsheet (only 17
columns and 50 lines), a poor graphic software (which can display graphically datas from
the sheets but only in text mode) and a small database (999 record with 17 fields each
and only 38 characters by field). Most of these programs can only be used with a floppy
disk unit. The Plus 4 can use peripherals of the C64 or the Vic 20, the printer MPS801
and the Disk Unit 1541 run well with it but it can't use C64 softwares. This machine
wasn't built to be a competitor of the C64 nor to replace it. It has an improved basic
in relation to the C64 one with graphic and sound instructions and a built-in assembler,
but has lost lots of interesting C64 features like great soundchip or hardware sprites.



The Commodore 16/116 belongs to the Commodore 264 series (with the Commodore Plus/4). It was
designed to replace the Commodore VIC-20, but was not compatible with it, nor with
the C64. It had the same characteristics as the Commodore Plus/4 : same graphic resolution,
same sound system, same CPU and speed, just less memory. It has a powerful basic language
(contrary to the VIC-20 or the C64) which makes graphics and sounds easy to program.
The C16, like the Commodore Plus/4 was a commercial failure.



The C116 was an earlier version of the C16 and had a rubber keyboard. It was sold in Austria,
at least, and perhaps in other countries as well.



It seems that the first C16s had the two control ports labelled JOY 0 and JOY 1 instead of
JOY 1 and JOY 2, just as a hint for collectors :-)



Note that like the C116, the C16 lacks a user port.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=c64
$bio
Commodore 64


Diskette Usage:

Disk drives are simulated at the moment, and only file loads from drive 8 and 9
are implemented. You can load a program file from the rom directory (*.prg,*.p00)
You can also load a file from a d64 image (The directory command LOAD"$",8 is supported when
using d64 images).



Within the emulation, basic programs can be loaded with:  LOAD"filename",8



Machine language programs can be loaded to their address with:  LOAD"filename",8,1



When a program is loaded, type RUN or the appropriate SYS call to start it.



Note that several programs rely on more features not currently emulated (such as
loading other file types, writing...) Some games also rely on starting programs in the
floppy drive's proccessor (and therefore cpu level emulation of the 1541 is needed).


Cartridge Usage:

Cartridges may have any of the following extensions: .prg .crt .80 .90 .a0 .b0
.e0 .f0   Files with boot-sign in it are recognised as roms. Some cartridges may require more
than one image.


.prg files loaded at address in its first two bytes


.?0 files are loaded to the address specified in the extension.


.crt roms are loaded to the addresses specified in crt file.



Note that .prg files are assigned to the quickloader (so you have to use
the -cart switch when loading rom images).


Cassette Usage:

Cassette images with the .wav or .prg extensions as well as multiple .prg files
contained within a zip file can be loaded. Zip files must be placed in the current directory,
and the contained prg files are played in sequential order.



The format for WAVs are:
8 bit (16 bit may work, but hasn't been tested), mono, 12500 Hz minimum. This has the same
problems as an original Datasette tape drive (the tone head must be adjusted to get working
(no load error...) wav-files)



Note that tape volume is DAC1 volume within the MESS UI On Screen Display Options (accessed
with the tilde (~) key in the DOS version.



Within the emulation, use LOAD or LOAD"" or LOAD"",1 for loading normal programs. Use
LOAD"",1,1 for loading programs to a special address.


Quickloader Usage:

A quickloader is available via the f8 key. It supports program image files with
the .prg and .p00 extensions. This loads the program into memory and sets the program end
pointer. It works with most programs. The program can be started by entering "RUN" in the
emulation.


Miscellaneous Usage Notes:

Gameport A supports paddles 1 & 2,  joystick 1, lightpen (implementation not finished).

Gameport B supports paddles 3 & 4, joystick 2

If you run into difficulty, be sure to start the emulation with the -log switch, and look into
the error.log file that is created in your mess directory.

If the game runs to fast with the ntsc version, try the pal version! (c64pal)


Known Issues:

The rasterline based video system currently has the following issues: no cpu holding, imperfect
scrolling support (when 40 columns or 25 lines), lightpen support not finished, rasterline not
finished.

Sound is not currently supported

The restore key is not currently working.

NTSC/PAL select not correct.

The Gameports do not suport the mouse (Serial Protocol?).

No printer or other devices support in the serial bus (apart from simple disk drives).

Simple tape support not working (cia timing?)

As far as expansion modules go, non-bankswitching rom cartridges (exrom) should work, but no
other rom cartridges (those with bankswitching logic in it, switching exrom, game). There is
no ieee488 support nor support for other expansion modules.

No userport support and no rs232/v.24 interface.


Some issues with the cia6526:

    - port a,b

    - handshake support, flag input, not pc output

    - no serial in/out, cnt

    - timer a,b

    - not counting of external clocks

    - not switching port b pins


History and Trivia:

Designed similar to the Vic-20, the Commodore 64 featured a better video chip supporting
sprites, as well as the famous sid6581 sound chip, two "Atari-compatible" joystick ports,
and 64 kilobytes of RAM.



The Commodore 64 is, along with the Apple II and the Atari 8-Bit computers, one of the
most famous home computers of it's era. During its production from 1982 to 1993 (!) 17
to 22 million (!) of these computer would sell, to put in perspective, that's more than
all the Macintoshes in the world. It was one of the first to offer a high quality sound
chip and graphic resolution with many colors and sprites. A great range of peripherals
was developped for this computer and can use several of the Vic 20 peripherals.



Several versions of the Commodore 64 were launched : The first one (C64-1) uses the VIC 20
case, it will be quiclky replaced with the C64-2 which uses the famous brown case and by
the C64-3 with small cosmetic changes in the keyboard. A special version called Educator 64
or PET64 or CBM 4064 was proposed for schools and uses the PET case.



Commodore produced the first generation of C64s until May 1986, then it was discontinued
and they introduced the C64C. According to the 64'er magazine, this version has been
planned since the Hannover mass in 1985, but as the old version sold so well during
Christmas '85, its release date was pushed back.



The new model does not differ much from its predecessor, the only innovation is the
flatter case, which makes the keyboard (which has off-white keys now) more ergonomical
(it looks like the C128 case), as it is less higher than the old one. But the new case
did not only have advantages: due to its low profile and additional metal screening,
some of the numerous hardware expansions did not fit anymore. This was changed with
the C64G. The 64'er staff noticed that VIC-II as well as the two CIAs have new version
numbers; they didn't write which, though (these are probably just bugfixed chips).



The official name for this model was "C=64 C", but nevertheless the German 64'er magazine
decided to call it "C64-II" (because the first units didn't have the new name on the label
at the bottom), the badges on all the 64 C's just says "Commodore 64". They pointed out
that this name was only valid for the 64'er magazine, but since the 64'er was the
magazine for the C64 for a long time, the name was widely accepted and so this model
is mostly known as "C64-II" in Germany.



The C64C appeared again after (or concurrently with?) the C64G, this time with the new,
short board. So, although the case might look the same and the label says "Commodore 64",
the boards may be completely different.



Commodore also released a "laptop version" (though hardly portable) of the C64, called SX64.
This computer has a built-in 5" color screen, one detachable keyboard, one 5.25" floppy
disk drive (the famous 1541) and a second one can be installed as well. A version called
DX-64 was launched (in very limited quantities) at the same time, it has same
characteristics as the SX64 except its two 5.25" floppy disk drives. The SX64 and DX64
computers never had success, but it is known as the world's first color portable.



The C64GS was released in 1990. Basically it was a re-boxed C64, without a keyboard or any
other interfaces, except for the cartridge slot on top. It didn't have much success as you
could buy a C64 for not much extra, and the C64GS games would still work on the C64.
It came with one game cartridge containing International Soccer, Klax, Flimbo's Quest
and Fiendish Freddy's Big Top O'Fun. The carts had a memory of 4 megabits (512k).



$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=cbm500
$bio
Commodore CBM 500 Series


History and Trivia:

The 500 / 600 / 700 series were mainly sold in Europe, but a few models are known to have been
sold in the United States. The CBM 600 is same as the 500 but has a 80 column display and
256 Kb RAM. The CBM 700 is same as the 600 but has two 5.25" disk drives (370 KB each) and a
hard disk (7.5 MB). Microsoft Basic is in ROM. The Z80 and the 8088 are optional. When they
are used, the 6809 is used then for i/o, display and keyboard management. It works under
Commodore DOS or CP/M and MSDOS when the computer use the other processors.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=cbm710
$bio
Commodore B-128/80 Series


History and Trivia:

The CPU in the CBM B series was a MOS/Commodore 6509, which is basically a m6502 with 1
megabyte address space and weird bankswitching.

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=cpc6128
$bio
Amstrad/Schneider CPC 6128


Usage:

With a disk image loaded, the emulation starts from the BASIC "Ready" prompt.
From here you can enter commands to access the disk image:


A directory listing can be obtained with: "CAT"


A program can be run with: RUN"filename"


The common programs to run are those with a .BIN or .BAS extension and usually the smaller
of the files on the disk image.


On a few games you can type: RUN"disc or RUN"disk to start the game.


If a directory listing cannot be obtained, then the disc might be copy-protected.
In this case, try:

|CPM


| is obtained by pressing shift and the @ key together. Since the keyboard is mapped so the
keys are in the roughly same place as on a real Amstrad keyboard, then @ can be found
around the [,@,],# keys.

The |CPM works by loading and executing the first sector on the first track of the disc.


Snapshots, which contain a memory dump, cpu state and hardware state, can be run from a
command line interface with the following command:

mess cpc6128 -snap "snapshot name"


The snapshot will start automatically.


There are a few excellent utilities for creating and maintaining
disk images for the Amstrad CPC emulators.

Here are just a couple. Others can be
found in the FAQ at http://www.multimania.com/genesis8/ :

CPDRead   http://www.classicgaming.com/caprice/
CPCfs     ftp://ftp.lip6.fr/pub/amstrad/emu-util/cpcfs085.zip


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default.  Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.

Runs many disk images and snapshots well.


History and Trivia:

The CPC6128 was a 8-bit Amstrad computer, produced in 1985. The computer was sold with a
colour monitor or a green screen monitor. This connected to a keyboard unit which had a 3"
drive in it. The monitor contained the power supply for the computer. Using this arrangement
only a single plug was required. The CPC6128 was the third in the CPC series. It had the same
hardware as the CPC464 and the CPC664.


CPC464: 64k of ram, tape recorder built in.

CPC664: 64k of ram, 3" disk drive built in

CPC6128: 128k of ram, 3" disk drive built in.


The Amstrad had a Z80 at it's core. It had a palette of 27 colours, produced from combinations
of 3 levels of r,g and b. It has three graphics modes. 640x200 in 2 colours (hi-res), 320x200
in 4 colours (medium res), 160x200 in 16 colours (lo-res).


$end


#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=cgenie
$bio
EACA Colour Genie 2000


Cassette Usage:

From within the emulation you can use SYSTEM or CLOAD commands to read images:

SYSTEM supports 6 character filenames.

CLOAD loads a file named BASIC(N).CAS, where (N) is the character you supplied
(e.g., CLOAD"M" loads BASICM.CAS)

CLOAD is for BASIC type tapes only.  It should work if you have a BASIC *.cas file.
File "names" in that case are _one_ character in length (inside the emulation).  In your
roms/cgenie folder the names will be basicA.cas, basicB.cas and so on.  If you CSAVE"A you'll
see a file basicA.cas later and you can CLOAD"A it again.


To load a binary image there was a different command: SYSTEM

You'll see a prompt looking like this:

*?


and there you can enter a name of up to six (wow!) characters.

*?chop16 [ENTER]

This will start loading a file named chop16.cas if it is in your rompath. If you don't have
it... well, wait and see (nothing ;)  If you have it, you'll see two stars (**) in the upper
right corner.  The right one will twinkle after every couple of bytes loaded, every 254 I
think.

After several minutes you'll see the prompt again

*?


now type / (slash) and ENTER and the program will be started at it's defined run address. If
a program does not have a run address, you could also specify /[decimal value] to run from a
specific value...



Diskette Usage:

When the emulation starts, tap [ENTER] and also confirm the following

MEM SIZE?

with [ENTER].

After that you're in BASIC (DISK BASIC, to be exact, unless you disable cgdos.rom via the
dip switches).

Now you can use the DISK BASIC extensions to issue commands.  Most important

CMD"I[disk#]

Display inventory, disk# is optional and can be from 0 to 3

You can use CMD"I0" to "CMDI3" to get an inventory of drive 0 to 3.


Use CMD"S FILENAME/CMD" to start a binary executable or use LOAD"FILENAME/BAS" to load a basic
program.
CMD"Sname/cmd will start a binary file name/cmd from any disk

CMD"Limage/bin:3 will load image/bin from disk 3

To start a game, eg. paint/cmd, type

cmd"s paint/cmd


You can omit the blank between cmd"s and the filename.


To ease things you could also enable my DOS lookalike frontend ;) It's contained in
newe000.rom (2,772 bytes; CRC 953491a7) but not enabled by default. If you enable it
you can type HELP (hehe ;) and DIR and simply give a name to execute a binary file.

The optional newe000.rom is loaded if the corresponding "dip switch" is set from within the
driver itself. There is no need to specify this rom on the commandline.


Miscellaneous Usage Notes:

Under the "Options" menu, accessible by hitting TAB, there are three settings:

"Floppy Disc Drives"  - enable or disable floppy disc controller.

"DOS ROM C000-DFFF"   - enable 8K DOS ROM or make it RAM.

"EXT ROM E000-EFFF"   - enable 4K Extension ROM or make it RAM.


Known issues:

Startup with CAS or CMD images does not always work. Use the BASIC SYSTEM or CLOAD commands
to read cassette image files, or use the Colour Genie DOS ROM with floppy disc images to run
programs. The driver does not yet emulate the printer port mode for AY-3-8910. Right now it
always uses the AY-3-8910 ports for joystick emulation.


Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default.  Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.


The Colour Genie driver should run most of the known programs out there. It supports the
Motorola 6845 CRT controller with text and graphics modes (LGR and FGR), the AY-3-8910
sound chip with three audio channels and noise and the WD 179x floppy disc controller with up
to four virtual floppy disc drives contained in image files.


The keyboard is relatively close to the original layout; see "Keys (This Machine)" in the
TAB/Options menu.


Emulation of dual Colour Genie joysticks with keypads is also supported.


History and Trivia:

The Colour Genie is the successor of the Genie 1, Genie 2 and Genie 3. It is not possible
to mix characters and graphics because text and graphic memories are not mixed. There was
a little level display located above the keyboard which allows to set the recording
level of the tape recorder to avoid failure when writing onto a tape.



$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=coco
$bio
Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer / Dragon Data Ltd. Dragon 32


Usage:

    - Cassette images (.cas):

Not all of these work; don't panic.

You can pick the cassette image you wish to run from the FILE MANAGER in the Tab/Options menu.
Once you've selected the image, go back into the CoCo emulation, and use "scroll lock" to set
it back in keyboard emulation mode.

type CLOAD (if it's a BASIC program) or CLOADM (for assembler programs)

then EXEC (if it's an assembler program)

or RUN (if it's a basic program)


    - Cartridge/Snapshot images (.PAK)

Go to file menu pick the .pak
Should automatically start running the game.
if it does not run it isnt supported yet.


    -Diskette images (.DSK)

Basically the same as cassette images, except you insert the image in Floppy Disk#1
from the file manager. Once you return to the coco emulation, switch back to keyboard
emulation mode by pressing SCROLL LOCK and type:
DIR

To load an assembly file (.BIN), type LOADM "1:GAME.BIN" (replacing the "1:" with the
appropriate drive designation "1:" through "4:" )

then EXEC


To load a basic file (.BAS), type LOAD "1:GAME.BAS"

then RUN


Thanks to "Axe" for the command summary.


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.


History and Trivia:

The Tandy TRS 80 color computer was typically called 'coco'. It was compatible with the
Welsh Dragon 32: they can use same softwares and cartridges. Unlike the Dragon, though, it
used its own basic, Tandy Basic instead of the Microsoft basic. It was followed by the
TRS 80 color computer II.


The TRS 80 color model II (coco2) replaced the model I in 1983. It has the same
characteristics than the Model 1. It has 16 KB RAM and can have a 16 KB ROM which contains
Microsoft Basic. It was replaced with the TRS80 color model III in 1986.


The Tandy TRS 80 Color Computer III is the successor of the TRS 80 Color Computer II. It can
work with OS-9 (an operating system designed for 6809 processors). As this processor is an 8
bit (strange choice when Atari and Commodore were using a 68000), it can't access
simultaneously to the 128 KB (or 512 KB), it uses several RAM banks (as the Thomson TO8, or
MSX 2 computers) which can be switched.


Tandy made several prototypes of a TRS 80 color model IV but it was never released. The
DRAGON 32 enjoyed a pretty good success in Europe. Its ROM holds the Operating System and a
BASIC programming language by Microsoft. One of its characteristics is partial compatibility
with the Tandy TRS 80 Color Computer Series: they can use same peripherals and some
cartridges. Two years later, Welsh launched the DRAGON 64 which has the same
characteristics except the added memory (64 KB instead of 32 KB), a RS232c port and a keyboard
with repetitive keys.



$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=coleco
$bio
Coleco Industries ColecoVision


Known Issues:

This emulation runs most cartridges accurately. Games requiring analogue controls (Steering
Wheel, Roller Controller) are not playable. See coleco.crc for further compatibility notes.


History and Trivia:

The ColecoVision video game system was released in August of 1982 for a suggested retail
price of $175 US. Similar at it's core to the MSX computers, ColecoVision had both superior
graphics and more expansion capabilities compared to it's chief rivals: the Atari 2600 and
Intellivision. Among the expansion module options were a hardware Atari 2600 emulator, and a
Steering Wheel for driving games, both unheard of at the time.


The competitive price, technical superiority, and perhaps more importantly, the inclusion of
Donkey Kong as the pack-in cartridge, led to Coleco becoming an industry leader. With the
emergence of the popularity of home computers, however, the console market seemed in jeopardy
of losing it's share to the likes of Commodore and Apple. Coleco responded by releasing the
Adam Family Computer as both a standalone unit and as an expansion to the ColecoVision itself.


The Adam was a phenomenal market failure though, and Coleco pulled itself from both the
console and computer markets just before the game market crash in late 1984.


Telegames purchased the rights to the system, and many of the manufactured games, and released
a clone, The Personal Arcade, in 1988. It was later re-released by them, as the DINA.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=ep128
$bio
Enterprise 128


Usage:

This computer has a built in word processor, from BASIC enter "type" to enter it.

To load programs:

You can type ":EXDOS" to enter a CLI interface where you can type EXDOS commands.
If typing from BASIC you must enter ":" in front of EXDOS commands.

The following EXDOS commands are allowed:

CHDIR    [dir name]
        - Change Dir.[dir name] does not need to be enclosed in quotes.
DIR
        - show directory listing

To run a program, enter from BASIC:

RUN"filename" or

LOAD"filename"


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.

Some programs do not work well.

Not all graphic modes are emulated.

Interrupts are not emulated correctly.

Sound is not supported.

Tapes are not supported.


History and Trivia:

The Enterprise 64 was a very long-awaited computer, two years between its announce and
its marketing ! It changed its name a lot of times : its first name was Elan 64, then
Flan, lastly Enterprise. It has great features, which wasn't found on all other home
computers like its interfaces and its great graphics and sounds capacities provided by
two special custom chips called "Nick" and "Dave". The Basic is supplied on a ROM
cartridge and can be easily replaced with an other language. This basic is a very
powerful structured basic with great graphic commands and can store several programs
simultaneously in RAM. It has a small word processing in ROM and up to 32 computers can
be linked together. Despite its great characteristics and all its interfaces, the
Enterprise 64 had few success. Several months later, a new model was launched : the
Enterprise 128 which is an Enterprise 64 with 128 KB RAM.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=gameboy
$bio
Nintendo GameBoy


Known Issues:

Input is broken in several games.

Sound is not yet supported.


History and Trivia:

The best selling video game system of all time.



$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=genesis
$bio
Sega Megadrive/Genesis


Usage:

Under the "Options" menu, accessible by hitting TAB, you will find the following option:


"Country" - this allows you to alter the 'flavour' of Genesis, to either European, Japanese
or American. Many cartridges compare their country codes with that of the Genesis itself and
may behave differently, or lock up if the two types do not match.


'Auto' attempts to auto-set the Genesis country code to the value the cartridge will appear
to be checking for. This may not be 100% accurate, however.


Known Issues:

Most games tend to run fairly well. Some have slight graphic glitches, incorrect colours part
way down the screen or other bizarre effects. See genesis.crc for a partial list.


Cartridges up to 32MBit (4MByte) are supported.


The controller may not work well with some games. This will be resolved when more information
is obtained. Similarly, 6-button joypads aren't emulated yet.


Split screen effects and interlacing are not yet supported.


Sprite/layer priority should be perfect.


Sound is emulated at Z80 and PSG76489 level.


I still consider the Genesis driver extremely preliminary. I have a lot of further work to do
before I consider it anywhere near complete. My initial goal is to make it as compatible as
possible. Currently there is scope within the driver to handlesplit screen colour changes/any
VDP effect, interlacing, without rewriting. The graphics renderer emulates VDP at scanline
level, and does not use tile-based methods.


Wanted: Any Sega Megadrive information! Information is extremely sparse; typically the same
three-four documents, with parts incomplete, conflicting, and corrupted. Specifically, some
of the finer points of DMA transfer, and access of the 68K memory map by the Z80. Generally,
points which conflict with themselves in the documentation available on the net...



$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=kaypro
$bio
Kaypro IIx (kaypro)


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.


Problems with the conversion to the MAME core....  Emulation OK....


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=kccomp
$bio
KC Compact (kccomp)


Usage:

Image loading is the same as for the Amstrad CPC series.

At this time the driver doesn't support loading from disk images. I don't
know if a disc interface was designed for this computer.
However, snapshots will work.


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.


History and Trivia:

The KC Compact is a copy of the Amstrad CPC series, made in East Germany
around 1985 just before the Berlin wall came down.
The system contains a hacked Amstrad CPC 6128 Operating System and the
Amstrad CPC 6128 BASIC. Unlike the CPC, this
system didn't come with a built in disc drive or cassette unit, and did not
require a special monitor. Not many of these systems were produced.


The Amstrad CPC had a gate array chip which contained the logic for the
palette, mode display, rom paging,ram paging and interrupt
system. This is emulated in the KC Compact using a lot of TTL logic chips
and a Zilog 8536 chip.


Hardware that was designed for the CPC systems should work on the KC
Compact, however, since the KC Compact has a different
expansion port layout, a adaptor must be made.


The KC Compact interrupt system is driven by a counter inside the Zilog
8536. This counts HSYNC transitions and decrements a counter.
The count is reset by a VSYNC. What this means is that the interrupt system
is slightly different to the CPC, and so any programs which
rely on exact interrupt behavior will not work as expected.


What is interesting though, is that since the counter in the 8536 can be
re-programmed, interrupt frequency can be changed. The KC
therefore has a superior interrupt system compared to the CPC. The 8536 has
two other counters, which from the schematics, appear
to be connected to the video hardware. This could mean that different
resolutions could be generated, but this is not confirmed yet.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=kim1
$bio
Commodore/MOS Kim-1


Usage:

key   name  description

-----------------------

F1     AD    address mode

F2     DA    data mode

F3     RS    reset

F5     GO    execute from address

F6     PC    program counter (hmm.. whatever)

F7     ST    step (note: NMI handling for K7 missing)

ENTER  +     increase address

0-F    hex   hex digits


Known Issues:

This driver supports the backdrop image of the KIM-1, and code images in .kim format.



$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=laser210
$bio
Laser 210 Series/Dick Smith VZ-200

Usage:

Basic programs start with RUN.

Other programs usually start with X=USR(0)

X=USR(0) can be typed out with the following PC keystrokes: x, shift -, u, s, r, shift 8, 0,
shift 9, enter.


History and Trivia:

The laser 200 was the successor of the Laser 100/110 (which had only monochrome graphic
modes).


Adman Harbison says "The Video Technology Laser 200 (and the Laser 300) were marketed in
Australia by Dick Smith Electronics and badged as the VZ200 and the VZ300 computers.
For memory the computers were exactly the same, although he can not be too sure.
Some of the peripherals that I got while I had such a machine were things like a 16Kb
expansion cartridge, a printer/plotter which wasn't much bigger than those little
calculators that print out accounts etc. and some joysticks. The trouble with these
computers was that they tended to die after a couple of years use. But they were cheap and
came with a few software titles."


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=lisa2
$bio
Apple Lisa


History and Trivia:

The Lisa project started in the summer of 1979.  At the time, the idea was merely designing
a powerful business computer, with scheduled release in march 1981.  After its legendary visit
to the Xerox PARC research center, Steve Jobs realized the GUI was the future of computing.
So, in March 1980, a GUI was added to the Lisa specs. As a consequence, Lisa borrowed many ideas
from the Macintosh project, which included a GUI from the beginning.

In spite of huge support from Apple, the project got behind schedule, and Lisa was introduced
on January, 19th, 1983.


The Lisa was an impressive computer for its time. It had TONS of memory (1Mb on Lisa 1),
a high-resolution graphic display, and it was fairly expandable.  Its OS (weirdly called
"Lisa 7/7 Office System") featured a complete GUI, and full preemptive multitasking
with memory protection (something neither Windows 98 nor MacOS offer !).
Its 68000 CPU was one of the fastest microprocessor in its time.

Unfortunately, Lisa was never too successful. It was quite expensive. Little software was developped
for it. Also, it was extremely ressource hungry : it was reportedly slow, and its memory
requirement was the major cause for its high price.


In January 1984, Lisa 1 was replaced by Lisa 2, with 3.5'' floppies and several small
hardware changes. In January 1985, Lisa 2 was replaced by Macintosh XL, which had a modified video
hardware, and used a variant of the Macintosh system instead of the 7/7 Lisa OS. Mac XL was
discontinued in May 1985.


The significance of Lisa :

Lisa is a milestone in the history of computing. Arguably, the Xerox PARC research center invented
most GUI concepts (along with Object Oriented programming and Ethernet) 10 years before Lisa was
introduced. However, although Xerox research was public, and some Xerox Altos were actually sold,
or given to universities, these experiments remained little known, and raised little interest.
I guess this was because computing was mostly the field of highly-trained professionnals who did
not care about ease of use (you know, the same kind of guys who laughed at Macintosh and worshipped
the early IBM-PCs). So, Lisa made the world aware that GUI could exist, all the more since Apple
was a major computer maker. Also, Lisa (along with Macintosh, Atari ST and Commodore Amiga)
introduced GUI to the hobbyists and home computer users, which enabled GUI to live.

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=mac512ke
$bio
Apple Macintosh 512ke


History and Trivia:

The Macintosh 512ke was essentially a Mac512k with the same 128k ROMs and double-sided
800 KB internal floppy drive as the Mac Plus.

It was sold as a poor man's Macintosh.  Also, Mac512k could be upgraded to a 512ke.
(It could be upgraded to a Mac Plus, too, but it involved changing the motherbord.)

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=macplus
$bio
Apple Macintosh Plus


History and Trivia:

The Macintosh Plus was the first real improvement of the Macintosh 128 (The Macintosh 512 was
only a Mac 128 with 512 KB RAM). It had a lot of new features : the extended ROM held the new
version of MAC OS : enhanced graphic libraries, drivers for hard disk and external floppy disk
units, SCSI bus and AppleTalk network and the new file system : HFS (Hierarchical File System -
which actually had with Hard Disk-20 months before).

The new floppy disk unit could use double-sided 800 KB disks (compared to only one-sided 400
KB for the 128). It has an enhanced keyboard with a numeric pad and last but not least, it
had a SCSI 1 (1.5 MB/s) interface. This computer was introduced in early 1986.
This computer was superseeded in 1987 by the new Macintosh series : the Macintosh SE and the
Macintosh II ; but it remained in production as a cheaper alternative until the introduction of
Mac Classic.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=max
$bio
Commodore Max


History and Trivia:

Delivered in japan only?

 (vic10,ultimax,vickey prototype)

 (all modules should work with c64)

 cartridges neccessary (nothing works without cartridge)

 low cost c64

 flat design

 only 4 kbyte sram

 simplier banking chip

  no portlines from cpu

 only 1 cia6526 chip

  restore key connection?

  no serial bus

  no userport

 keyboard

  restore key in pictures!

 tape port

 2 gameports

  lightpen (port a only) and joystick mentioned in advertisement

  paddles

 cartridge/expansion port (some signals different to c64)

 no rom on board (minibasic with kernel delivered as cartridge?)


$end


#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
$info=msx
$bio
MSX 1 Class Computers

The MSX driver currently emulates the MSX1, international, UK, korean and Japanese models.


Not emulated:
Printer port, diskdrives, megaRAM, Sound Cartridge (SCC+), MSX2, etc..


Cartridge emulation:
The MSX has 64kB RAM, like most (by far) MSX1 computers. It is located in slot 3. Two
cartridges are allowed: the first in slot 1 and the second in slot 2. So subslots aren't
emulated (yet).


The msx.crc file is important. The last field on every line specifies the type of ROM mapper.
See msx.crc for more information.


Sound emulation:
The standard sound chip, the PSG (AY8910) is emulated, so is the extension that was included
in some Konami cartridges: the SCC. The keyclick (PPI) is also emulated, as is the FM-PAC
(you'll need the fmpac.rom of the original Panasonic FM-PAC for this). Unfortunately the
YM2413 emulation in MAME does not emulate the volumes correctly.


Last but not least, the DAC in Konami's Synthesizer is emulated, and the SIMPL (DAC on the
printer port). The DAC in Konami's Matjusushi is also emulated, but the driver lacks MSX2
support.


SRAM in cartridges:
A number of cartridges (Hydlide 2, Xanadu, The Game Master 2 and more) had on-board sram.
This sram is automagically saved as a MEMCARD.


Tape emulation:
Unlike other MSX emulators, the tape emulation is not done by trapping BIOS calls. In our
opinion this is an evil kludge; apart from that, our setup does have an advantage. Tapes with
a custom loader (using direct access to the hardware) will work fine. It is done by saving
the tape as a .wav file. In principle, you could record a tape to .wav, and load them into
MESS.


History and Trivia:

In the early 80's, there were a lot of home computers, Microsoft and a Japanese company
called ASCII corporation (directed by Kay Nishi) decided then to create an industry standard
for the home computers: MSX (for MicroSoft eXtended). The new standard was based on an
existing computer: The Spectravideo SV 318. Microsoft designed the MSX 1 computers and the
first version of the OS: MSX DOS 1 (which looks like earlier versions of MS DOS).


Almost all japanese and Korean computer companies made their own MSX computers (except
parhaps NEC). Bill Gates was then very confident about the future of the MSX standard.
Spectravideo (one of the MSX companies) made a 80 columns card and adapted CP/M on the MSX.
A lot of software(especially a lot of games from Sega, Konami, Taito, Ascii,...) and
hardware was developed for this standard. Despite all its qualities, the MSX family didn't
have great success in USA, however was pretty known in Europe (Netherlands and France), in
South Americca (Brazil) and USSR. This standard was replaced in 1985 by MSX 2.


A list of known MSX compliant machines:


Canon (Japan)

V-8: 16kB RAM (other source says 32kB RAM)
V-10: 16kB RAM
V-20: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Casio (Japan)

MX-10: 16kB RAM (other source says 64k), docking station available
MX-101: 16kB RAM (other source says 64k)
PV-7: 32kB RAM
PV-16: 16kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daewoo/Yeno (Korea)

Ce-Tec MPC-80: 64kB RAM (other source says 32KB)
DPC-100: 16kB RAM, built in loudspeaker, available in green, blue or silver
DPC-200: 64kB RAM
DPH-64: 64kB RAM (other source says 32kB RAM)
DPH-?: 64kB RAM, built in software, arabic version
IQ-1000: 32kB RAM, produced for Korea
MX64: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dragon (Spain)

MSX-64: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dynadata (MSX from Daewoo in Spain)

DPC-200: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fenner (Italy?)

FPC-500: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fujitsu (Japan)

MB-H1: ??kB RAM
FM-X: 16kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

General (Japan)

PAXON-PC K50: ??kB RAM, separate keyboard, computer and monitor in one box
PAXON-PC T50: 16kB RAM, RGB connector
PAXON-PC T55: 32kB RAM, RGB connector

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Goldstar (Korea)

FC-80: ??kB RAM
FC-100: 16kB RAM
FC-200: 64kB RAM (with hole for light-pen)

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gradiente (Brazil)

XP-800 Expert 1.0: 64kB RAM, separate keyboard
XP-800 Expert 1.1: 64kB RAM, separate keyboard (with fixed ASCII tables, grey colour)
Expert plus: 64kB RAM, separate keyboard (black colour)
Expert DD plus: 64kB RAM, separate keyboard, 3,5" floppy disk drive (black colour)

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hitachi (Japan)

Hint: 16kB RAM
MB-H1 (Humanicatio): 32kB RAM, built in software (Sketch and Music)
MB-H1E: 16kB RAM
MB-H2: 64kB RAM, built in tape recorder
MB-H21: ??kB RAM
MB-H25: ??kB RAM
MB-H50: 64kB RAM
MB-H80: 64kB RAM, also built in software (Sketch and Music)

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

JVC/Victor (Japan)

HC-5: 32kB RAM (other source says 16kB RAM)
HC-6: 16kB RAM
HC-6AV: 32kB RAM, RGB connector
HC-7: 64kB RAM (Japanese version)
HC-7E: 64kB RAM (English version, other source says 32KB RAM)
HC-7GB: 64kB RAM
HC-30: 32kB RAM
HC-60: 32kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kyocera (Japan)

YC-64: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mitsubishi (Japan)

Letus: 16kB RAM
ML-8000: 32kB RAM
ML-F48: 32kB RAM
ML-F80: 64kB RAM
ML-F110: 16kB RAM
ML-F120(D): 32kB RAM
ML-F8000: 32kB RAM
ML-FX1: 64kB RAM
ML-FX2: 64kB RAM, built in software

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

National (Japan)

CF-1200: 16kB RAM
CF-2000: 16kB RAM
CF-2700: 32kB RAM
CF-3000: 64kB RAM
CF-3300: 64kB RAM
CF-4000: ??kB RAM
FS-1300: 64kB RAM
FS-4000: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olympia (France)

PHC-2: ??kB RAM, same as some Sanyo?
PHC-28: 32kB RAM, same as Sanyo's PHC-28S

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Panasonic/Matsushita (Japan)

CF-2000: 16kB RAM
CF-2700: 64kB RAM, same as Sanyo MPC-64
CF-3000: ??kB RAM
CF-3300: ??kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Perfect (Daewoo in Kuwait)

Perfect1: 64kb RAM, 1 slot, no reset, built in software

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Philips (The Netherlands)

VG-8000: 16kB RAM
VG-8010: 32kB RAM
VG-8020: 64kB RAM, (VG8020 comes in 2 different versions (/00 and /20), new versions use
sub-slot for ram)

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pioneer (Japan)

PX-7 PALCOM: 32kB RAM, built in laser disk interface, superimpose (image & sound (stereo)),
separate keyboard (UK version in black, JP version in black/silver (lila/blue keys) colour)
PX-V60: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Radofin (Hong-Kong)

Triton: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Radiola (France)

MX-180: 32kB RAM, Same as Philips VG-8010 with a different color case

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakhr/Universal/Al Alamiah (Kuwait/Yemen)

     Those computers are Yamaha and Sanyo MSX modified for arabian countries.

AX-100: 64kB RAM
AX-150: 64kB RAM
AX-170: 64kB RAM, built in special roms with arabic characters set and softwares
AX-230: 64kB RAM, same software as AX-170 + 1MB of other software
AX-330: 64kB RAM, same as AX-230 but with built in SEGA-MEGADRIVE board
AX-990: 64kB RAM, 50 softwares built in, SEGA-MEGADRIVE board built in
SX-100: 32kB RAM, 3 slots, RGB connector
SX-101: ??kB RAM, 3 slots

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samsung (Korea)

SPC-800: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sanyo (Japan)

MPC-2: 16kB RAM
MPC-3: 16kB RAM
MPC-4: 16kB RAM
MPC-5: 16kB RAM
MPC-6: 64kB RAM
MPC-10(mk2): 64kB RAM (other source says 32kB RAM), lightpen-interface
MPC-11: 64kB RAM (other source says 32kB RAM), lightpen-interface
MPC-64: 64kB RAM
MPC-100: 64kB RAM, hole for lightpen
MPC-200: 64kB RAM
MPC-X: 64kB RAM, built in lightpen, high-res adaptor and speech-synthesizer
PHC-27: 64kB RAM
PHC-28L: 64kB RAM, Same as PHC-28S but with 64kB RAM
PHC-28S: 16KB (or 32KB) RAM
PHC-30: 16kB RAM (other source says 32KB), built in tape recorder
PHC-30N: 64kB RAM
PHC-33: 32kB RAM
WAVY-MPC-10: 32KB (other source says 16KB) RAM, built in light pen unit

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Schneider (Germany)

MC-810: 32kB RAM, (Same as Philips VG-8010 with a different color case)

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sharp/Epcom (Brazil)

HB-8000 HotBit: 64kB RAM (white colour)
HB-8000 HotBit 1.2: 64kB RAM (in black color)

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sony (Japan)

     Note: Some of the Sony's computer names are followed by a letter like HB-101P, or
HB-101F or HB-700D. The last letter is only depending of the keyboard layout of the
country. D=German (QWERTZ) F=French (AZERTY) S=Spanish P=UK (QWERTY)

HB-10: 64kB RAM
HB-11: 64kB RAM
HB-11U: ??kB RAM, built in dictionary Japanese-English
HB-20: 32kB RAM
HB-55: 16kB RAM
HB-75: 64kB RAM, built in program: Personal Databank (schedule/memo/address)
HB-101: 32kB RAM, (Same as HB-201 but with 32kB RAM, but other source says 16kB RAM)
HB-201: 64kB RAM, built in joystick (Same as HB-501 but without tape recorder)
HB-501: 64kB RAM, built in tape recorder ('BitCorder'), pause button, joystick
HB-701, 64kB RAM
HB-701FD: 64kB RAM, floppy disk drive

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spectravideo (Hong-Kong/USA)

SVI-728: 64kB RAM, numeric keypad
SVI-738: 64kB RAM, built in 80 columns card (V9938), RS232C interface, 360KB 3,5" floppy
disk drive. Also called X'PRESS and also SVI-318 and SVI-328 MSX compatible with an emulator

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Talent/Telematica (Argentina)

DPC-200: 64kB RAM, Daewoo's MSX model sold under the Talent name

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Toshiba (Japan)

HX-10: 64kB RAM
HX-10D: 16kB RAM
HX-10DP: 64kB RAM
HX-10DPN: 64kB RAM, built in program (??)
HX-10E: 64kB RAM
HX-10S: 16kB RAM
HX-20: 64kB RAM, built in word processor (in total 64kB ROM), RAMdisk feature (32kB of
main RAM in page 0 and 1 are used, under BASIC), T6950 VDP (software compatible with
9929A which is normally used)
HX-20e: 64kB RAM, built in wordprocessor, RS232C interface
HX-21: 64kB RAM, built in software
HX-22: 64kB RAM, RS-232C interface, RGB connector (SCART 21), built in wordprocessor (in
total 64kB ROM)
HX-30: ??kB RAM, built in software
HX-31: ??kB RAM, built in software
HX-32: ??kB RAM, built in software
HX-51: ??kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Triton (Hong-Kong)

PC64: 64kB RAM

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yamaha (Japan)

CX5: 32kB RAM
CX5F: 32kB RAM
CX5M: 32kB RAM, built in FM synthetizer (SFG-01) and MIDI-Interface
CX5MII: 64kB RAM, built in FM synthetizer (SFG-01), MIDI-interface
CX5MII/128: 128kB RAM, built in FM synthetizer (SFG-05), (V9938 built in), built in
FM VOICING program II
CX-11: 32kB RAM
CX-100: 32kB RAM
YIS-303: 16kB RAM
YIS-503: 32kB RAM
YIS-503II/64: 64kB RAM, FDD

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yashica (Japan)

YC-64: 64kB RAM, Kyocera's MSX sold by Yashica


MSX system list compiled from the list by TRD, Manuel Bilderbeek & Alex Wulms. Thanks to
Stefano Priore, for abridging it to MSX1 specific info.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=mtx512
$bio
Memotech MTX512


Usage:


currently, the driver requires cassette images to be stored
in the following directory -

roms\mtx512

the cassette image is a flat binary image with the first 0x12 bytes being the
original mtx header and the rest being the file data.

A note about cassette naming schemes - so long as the filename of the cassette image is the same as that stored
in the header, you should be alright.


To run a tape image just type LOAD"<image name>" at the Ready Prompt.

MTX basic is pretty much a standard dialect, so you should have no problems
using it, but graphic handling etc is a bit esoteric.



Known Issues:


Improving the tape support, because at the moment it is just a hack.

Improve the TMS99x8 driver (appears the dirtyrect handling there is not
quite right)

RELCPMH Mode (CP/M Memory configuration)

support for additional roms

No Cassette Save support.

No Printer support


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=nascom1
$bio
Nascom 1 & 2

Usage Notes:
The Nascom 2 clone has support for .cas, .bin and .nas cassette files.

The .cas files are used by BASIC. To get there from the monitor, type
EE000, enter 49152 as the memory size then CLOAD "<letter>". You can use
RUN/LIST etc. The <letter> for the existing cassettes are:

adventr.cas     A
snailr.cas      S
startrek.cas    T
swinghs.cas     M
swords.cas      S

The .nas files are loaded by the monitor. Type L, wait for the loading to
finish, then E<start addr>. The start address is the address first
displayed by the load, usually 1000. To load the .bin files, use R in the
monitor.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=nes
$bio
Nintendo Entertainment System/Famicom


Known Issues:

The NES driver should run most of the images currently out there with very little problem.
It doesn't yet support the obscure one-game mappers used by many "pirate carts".

The NES driver has quite accurate sound and sample playback. For example, you can hear speech
samples in Bayou Billy, Gauntlet, Dirty Harry, and Skate or Die that are not present in a
few other NES emulators.

The main focus up until this point has been in getting the NES driver as accurate as
possible. Unfortunately, the scanline rendering method is quite slow, so future efforts
will be focusing on bringing up the speed.

Wanted: I'd appreciate any info on some of the more obscure mappers. If you have any of this,
please drop me a line at [e-mail]


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=oric1
$bio
Oric 1


History and Trivia:

This British computer was one of the most popular computers in Europe in early 80's, and a
competitor of the Sinclair Spectrum. The two models (16 and 48) had the same technical
characteristics, but the model 48 was sold with FORTH language. A small plotter was available
for this computer. Note that the sound chip was the same as the one in the Amstrad CPC,
MSX computers and Atari ST! The Oric 1's ROM was very bugged though, and it was replaced with
the Oric Atmos.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=orica
$bio
Oric Atmos


History and Trivia:

The Oric Atmos was the successor of the Oric 1 and had almost the same characteristics. Its
main difference with the Oric 1 was it's enhanced RAM (48 KB instead of 16 KB), the keyboard
and the debugged ROM (the ORIC 1 had several bugs). Several peripherals were availables:
3" floppy disk drive, a small 4 colour plotter, a speech synthesiser and a Digital/Analogue
converter. An external interface was needed to use joysticks.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=pc
$bio
IBM Personal Computer XT (and clones)


History and Trivia:

In early 1980, IBM decided to create a micro computer (up to this date, IBM produced only
mini and mainframe computers), they didn't really know what they wanted and they didn't
think for one second that producing micro computer was a profitable business! They asked
Digital Research (the authors of CP/M) to create an operating system for their new computer.
DR was not very interested, so they approached the then small company Microsoft (at this point
famous for it's BASIC language) to write this operating system. Microsoft wasn't capable of
doing it themselves, so Bill Gates bought up the rights to an OS written by a small company
called Seattle's Computers Products: QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) which became
PCDOS and later MS-DOS.


The IBM PC wasn't very powerful (and was certainly less powerful than a lot of 8 bit
computers), the very first PC had only 16 KB RAM and no floppy disk units -- they used
cassettes. Notice that the functions to handle the cassettes were present in the operating
system up to MS-DOS 5. The PC was available with either CGA or MDA (on an MPA card). The CGA
adapter actually had an RCA composite output to hook it up to your TV if you did not want the
CGA monitor.


The IBM PC XT was the successor of the IBM PC. It's enhanced features included hard disk
capability, more memory, and no more tape port. Perhaps because of the name and fame of IBM,
the PC series became a standard and IBM dominated the computer market up until the end of the
80's. Clones of the XT, such as the Tandy 1000 became commonplace by the end of the decade.


The following PC's and compatibles are supported by, or currently under development in MESS:


IBM PC

Intel 8088 process with 4.77 Mhz clock.


IBM PC Junior

based on IBM PC
Special keyboard
CGA with 160x200x16, 320x200x16 and 640x200x4? colors
3 channel sound chip


IBM PC/XT

based on IBM PC
Intel 8086 instead of 8088, but only ram memory data bus
enhanced to 16 bit.


Tandy1000 Series

IBM PC Junior compatible graphic system.
Later the 640x200x16 graphic mode was also available.
Later models were delivered with EGA/VGA compatible graphic system/card.
IBM PC Junior compatible sound system.
In later models there was also a DAC channel available.
First series with own keyboard (own layout, different keys)



Tandy1000HX

First Tandy 1000 with EEPROM memory for configuration.
Delivered with 3,5 inch  double density disk drive (720kb).



Amstrad PC1512/PC1640/PC6400/PPC664?/PC2086?

Packed IBM PC/XT functionality in few custom chips.
Power supply in the monitor was also used for the computer.
Serial Port,
Parallel Port,
Real Time clock with battery buffered cmos ram,
Graphics adapter,
mouse port for included mouse integrated in the motherboard.
Joystick port for cpc-joystick in the keyboard.



Amstrad PC 1512
(Schneider in Germany/Austria)

CGA compatible graphics system with special 640x200x16 graphics mode.
512 KB ram on board, sockets for additional 128 kb on board.

delivered as
PC1512SD (1 5,25 inch double density disk drive (360kb))
PC1512DD (2 5,25 inch double density disk drives)
PC1512HD10 (1 5,25 inch double density disk driver, harddisk controller and 10MB harddisk)
PC1512HD20 (....20 MB harddisk)
(monochrome (about 16 levels grays) or color monitor)



Amstrad PC 1640
(PC6400 in the US)
(Schneider in Germany/Austria)

EGA compatible graphics card and monitor



Amstrad PC2086
(Schneider in Germany/Austria)

VGA compatible graphics card and monitors?



$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=pce
$bio
NEC PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16


Known Issues:

Preliminary...  Xevious and Raiden8x work OK.

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=pcw8256
$bio
PCW8256/8512/9512/9512+/10

(Information and Driver by Kev Thacker)

These machines were designed primiarly for wordprocessing (hence the name
"Personal Computer Wordprocessor"), but are capable of a lot more.

The original PCW8256 system had a green screen monitor, with 2 3" disc
drives mounted vertically in it, a keyboard and a special printer. (The CPU and other
hardware was also contained in the base of the monitor)

Later models changed the case design, but also allowed the use of any printer that
was available. (The original 8256 had a proprietry printer and interface).

The hardware is simple, a Z80 running at 4Mhz, slowed to 3.3 with wait states, an Amstrad
ASIC custom chip for driving the display (2 colours, 720x256 in PAL, 720x200 in NTSC), a
beep for sound, and a NEC765 floppy disc controller.

The boot-program is contained on the printer chip, and is enabled at power-on or reset.
The data is passed through a Amstrad custom ASIC chip, and is executed by the Z80. The
program is simple, and just loads track 0, side 0,sector &01 to &f000 where it is then
executed at &f010. (The first 16 bytes appear to contain some format parameters which
are used to initialise CPM). I don't own a PCW machine so I don't know the exact display
that the PCW shows on boot-up.

AFAIK, no dumps are available for this program. The MESS driver uses a program coded by
myself. This program waits for a key to be pressed and then starts the boot procedure. If
an error occurs, the screen will flash 6 times, and then it will repeat the procedure. If
all is well, you will see some lines appear on the screen, and the boot will continue.

The original computer came with CP/M and Locoscript (a special wordprocessor).

Since it was able to use CP/M there was a lot of public domain and CP/M programs available
that would run on it.

A few games were written for it, two of these are "Head Over Heels" and "Hitchhikers Guide
to the Galaxy".

To use this system you will need the boot discs.

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=pcw16
$bio
PCW16

(Information and Driver by Kev Thacker)

This is a successor to the PCW 8256 series.

It is a re-designed machine, with a 16Mhz Z80 CPU, improved graphics and improved hardware,
and a nice GUI system.

This system takes advantage of a Super I/O chip, as used in many PCs, which provides PC
Floppy Disc Controller, Serial and Parallel port hardware. As a result, the system uses
a PC-AT keyboard and PC Serial Mouse.

The OS comes on a rescue disc and is installed into flash-file memory. This is also used
for storing documents and files. The main purpose of this machine, like the original is
wordprocessing, spreadsheet and other business tasks.

Other programs have been written for it, including a CP/M "shell" by John Elliot
(www.seasip.demon.co.uk), a route-planner and more. You can run these by selecting
"Run External Program" from the "Tasks" menu.

This system contains the "Anne" ASIC custom chip designed by Amstrad. Technical
information is still available at Cliff Lawsons website. (web.ukonline.co.uk/cliff.lawson/).

In my opinion it's a nice machine.

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=pdp1
$bio
DEC PDP-1


Currently emulates one image - SPACEWAR!

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=pet
$bio
Commodore PET series


History and Trivia:

The Commodore PET 2001 was a great success. Three models were made : the PET 2001-8N with 8 KB
RAM, PET 2001-16N with 16 KB RAM and the PET 2001-32N. They were conceived by Chuck Peddle who
later founded Tandon.


The CBM PET 3032 was the successor of the PET 2001-32N (and has the same characteristics as the
PET 2001-32N), and the predecessor of the CBM 40000 Series.


The disk drives were "Intelligent", which means that they were CPU driven (MOS 6502) and had
internal RAM (4 KB) & ROM (16KB, which contains the DOS). The 4032 and the 4016 (the version
of the CBM 4000 with 16 KB of RAM) were sold with a 80 column dot matrix printer (5x8
character matrix). This printer (4022) was an Epson printer with the Commodore name on it.


The Commodore 8000 series was a "bundle". It was made up of the computer (most often the CBM
8032, though other models were made), the 5.25" double disk drive CBM 8050 (500 KB, 77 tracks)
and the bi-directional 132 columns, 160 CPS printer. The 8050 has two 6502's, 4 KB of RAM and
12 KB of ROM (which contains the DOS). It was sold with Ozz - a Database, and a version of the
spreadsheet "Visicalc".


$end


#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#


$info=raaspec
$bio
RA+A Spectrum I+


Usage:

For the 8-button key mappings, see the user menu under "Keys (This Machine)".

This driver supports the LED backdrop images:

spec_bt.png

led.png


History and Trivia:

The Spectrum I+ was a modified Vectrex. It had a 32K ROM cart and 2K additional battery
backed RAM (0x8000 - 0x87ff). PB6 was used to signal inserted coins to the VIA. The
unit was controlled by 8 buttons (2x4 buttons of controller 1 and 2).  Each button had a
LED which were mapped to 0xa000.  The service mode can be accessed by pressing button 8
during startup.  As soon as all LEDs light up, press 2 and 3 without releasing 8. Then
release 8 and after that 2 and 3. You can leave the screen where you enter ads by
pressing 8 several times.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=spectrum
$bio
Sinclair ZX Spectrum (and clones)


Usage Notes (TK90X/TK95):

TK90X/TK95 add two commands to the Sinclair BASIC: TRACE 1/0 (E cursor, Symbol Shift+P)
turns on/off the display of the line currently executed. UDG 0/1/2 (K/L/C cursor,
Symbol Shift+X) controls the behaviour of the (guess what?) UDGs: when the parameter is 0/1
they restore their shape to accented letters used in the Portuguese language (still haven't
discovered the difference between 0 and 1) while the UDG 2 command activate the built-in
character editor: you can use the keys 5,6,7,8 +CAPS or Symbol Shift to plot/move the
cursor, the A-U keys to select the UDG to edit or copy (with the shift keys), INVERSE
VIDEO key to reverse the character. Maybe there are yet more command-keys, but I haven't
discovered them yet. Curiously, the BEEP command has been renamed to SOUND: who knows why...
[JoJo Priore]


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by
default.  Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be
disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the
scroll_lock key.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=specpls4
$bio
Amstrad Spectrum +4 Rom


The plus4.rom is copyright (c)1982-2000 Amstrad plc
and is distributed with their kind permission.

I would like to thank Cliff Lawson and Amstrad for making this
project possible, Phillip Kendall for the Spectrum ROM page, Ian
Collier for documenting the changes he made to the ROM and giving me
additional advice, Dr Ian Logan and Dr Frank O'Hara for the invaluable
Complete Spectrum ROM Disassembly, and whoever it was that sold the
book to me and contributors to comp.sys.sinclair for keeping me
constantly amused and informed.

-Andrew Owen, 24-2-2000


Introducing the Spectrum +4.
----------------------------
Remember when Apple promised its customers a whole new computer for
$99. What they meant was they hoped their new operating system would
change the experience of their users so profoundly it would make them
feel as if they had a new machine. Well now you can have a whole new
Spectrum for FREE!


What is the idea behind this?
-----------------------------
I╒ve taken the original 48K machine as my starting point and tweaked
it until the point where I don╒t think there is any further room for
improvement without adding extra hardware. Now if someone wants to
build a new machine at least they have a place to start.


How compatible is it?
---------------------
The Spectrum +4 ROM is very similar to the one in the 48 and so it
should be 90% compatible or better with machine code. BASIC programs
may require minor modifications but should then run without problems.


What are the changes?
---------------------
There are so many changes that it is impossible to summarise them all.
Only the important changes have been detailed with the exception of
the new NMI routine which is self explanatory.


THE KEYBOARD

The keyboard layout has been completely redesigned, based on the
standard international English keyboard, to make it quicker to use and
easier to remember which keys are where. This is made possible by
replacing the keyword entry system.

All the SHIFT functions on the number keys are retained, as are the
EXTEND and SHIFT-EXTEND attribute functions. But that is where the
similarity to the old keyboard ends.

All but a few symbols are accessed by holding down SYMBOL shift and
the relevant key, while the remainder are accessed using EXTEND mode.
Pressing either SHIFT or SYMBOL shift in EXTEND mode will give the
same result as if SYMBOL shift alone had been pressed. In addition to
the characters shown below, the 16 pre-defined graphics characters are
accessible using SYMBOL shift or EXTEND mode and keys Q-R and A-F.

 ---------------------------------------
| ! | @ | ú | $ | % | ^ | & | * | ( | ) |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
 ----------------------------------------
 |   |   |   |   |   |   | { | } | : | " |
 |   |   |   |   |   |   | [ | ] | ; | ' |
 | Q | W | E | R | T | Y | U | I | O | P |
  ---------------------------------------
   |   |   |   |   |   |   | | | _ | + |
   |   |   |   |   |(c)|   | \ | - | = |
   | A | S | D | F | G | H | J | K | L |
    -----------------------------------
     | ~ |   |   |   | ? | < | > |
     | # |   |   |   | / | , | . |
     | Z | X | C | V | B | N | M |
      ---------------------------

SYMBOL = Lower symbols
EXTEND = Upper symbols and attributes on number keys
SHIFT  = Upper case letters and functions on number keys


BASIC EDITOR

The most noticeable change is that all commands must be typed in full.
Instructions are converted into tokens automatically when you press
ENTER. It is also possible to use the cursors to move up and down
while editing a line. Instructions can be entered in both capital and
lower letters. No space is required between commands such as DEF FN or
after a command unless the argument begins with a letter.


BASIC COMMANDS

CAT, when entered without parameters, calls up the built-in monitor.

The PLOT, DRAW and CIRCLE commands have been modified to use the whole
screen.

ERASE "i" erases extra Interface 1 variables, extended channels and
such without affecting the BASIC program in memory.

The GO SUB, GO TO and CONTINUE commands have been replaced by GOSUB,
GOTO, and CONT, to replicate other BASIC interpreters.

MOVE can be used to shift data around in memory. For example, the
command MOVE "r0,6144","r16384" would copy the first 6144 bytes of ROM
to the screen area of memory.

The COPY command has been replaced by the FREE command which reports
the amount of free memory below RAMTOP.


THE MONITOR PROGRAM

The Spectrum +4 features a built-in monitor which can be accessed with
the CAT command or holding down SYMBOL shift, SPACE and B while
interrupts are enabled. The following commands are then available:

B             Return to BASIC (if possible)

D<hex_num>    Displays entered hex number in decimal notation

G<hex_addr>   Execute a subroutine at address G
              (RET will return to the monitor).

H<dec_num>    Displays entered decimal number in hex notation

M<hex_addr>   Hex and ASCII dump from given address
              (SPACE to exit).

R             View and/or change registers
              AF, BC, DE, HL, IX and SP.

S<hex_addr>   Patch memory from given address using hex editor
              (SPACE to exit editor).


BUG FIXES

Every effort has been made to fix all the bugs mentioned in The
Complete Spectrum Rom Disassembly and a few others besides as follows:

Fixed a bug the CLOSE # bug. eg CLOSE #4

Fixed the forwardspace (CHR$ 9) bug. e.g. PRINT "A";CHR$ 9;"B"

Fixed the backspace (CHR$ 8) bug. e.g. PRINT AT 0,0;CHR$ 8;"A"

Fixed the STR$ bug. e.g. PRINT "BUG"+STR$ 0.5

Fixed the division bug. e.g. IF 1/2<>0. 5 THEN PRINT "BUG"

Fixed the -65536 bug. e.g. PRINT INT -65536

Fixed the SCREEN$ bug. e.g. IF "X"=SCREEN$ (0,0) THEN PRINT "BUG"

Fixed the "scroll?" bug. Try pressing True Video at the request.

Fixed the syntax check error.

Fixed the double store bug at 257Dh.

Resolved the K-MODE bug. There is no 'K' mode.

Resolved printer buffer error. There is no COPY command.

Resolved the NMI bug. There is a different routine.

Fixed the 'lock up if interrupts are disabled on error report' bug


LEGAL NOTICE FOR THE CURIOUS

Just to make sure it was 100% okay to do this I wrote to Amstrad's
Cliff Lawson on 23/02/00. Here's what followed.

ME: I know it's okay in principle to distribute modified Spectrum
    ROMs as long as the copyright message is unchanged. However,
    I've just finished a very major overhaul of the ROM and would
    like to use an alternative message.

CL: Well you can't really associate a name such as "+4" with
    "Amstrad Consumer Electronics" because it makes it look as if
    it's an "official" development.

ME: Would this be acceptable?

      AMSTRAD CONSUMER ELECTRONICS PLC
       (C)1982-2000 unofficial +4 48K

CL: Yup, sounds OK but you do realise that the company was only
    called "Amstrad Consumer Electronics" for a few years in the
    early..mid 80's then the company name was shortened to
    "Amstrad plc" so it's a bit "out of date" to use it but I
    guess that probably describes the "Spectrum" too! :-)

ME: Mind if I quote you in the "readme" just so no one accuses me
    of violating copyrights?

CL: No problem.

 Visit the Amstrad website at http://www.amstrad.com

                   Amstrad plc. Registered in England No. 955321
Registered Office: Brentwood House, 169 Kings Road, Brentwood,
                   Essex CM14 4EF, England

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=sfzch
$bio
Capcom CPS Changer


History and Trivia:

Perhaps inspired by SNK's Neo-Geo, Capcom released the Capcom Power System Changer (CPS in
this case NOT referring to Capcom Play System) in 1994, as an attempt to sell their arcade
games in console format.  The console basically served as an encased SuperGun (Television
JAMMA adapter) but was wired up so coin inputs could not be added by hackers, and only the
special CPS Changer cartridge boards would work. The CPS Changer had outputs for Composite
video, S-Video and 8 channel mono audio. It's joystick (named the "CPS Fighter") had the
same connection as the Super Famicom, and was even marketed seperately for that console.


The games came as PCBs in plastic casing, and were virtually identical to their CPS-1 arcade
counterparts, though they often contained extra debugging features.  The CPS Changer was
sold as a package deal of the console itself, one CPS Fighter controller, and the Street
Fighter II Turbo game for 39,800 yen. Additional games were sold for about 20,000 yen.


The CPS Changer sold poorly though, and support was dropped in March 1996 after releasing
the console's only unique (as in non-CPS1) title: Street Fighter Zero, for 35,000 yen.
Street Fighter Zero was a downscaled version of the CPS2 arcade version from the year prior.
It ran somewhat choppier, had a reduced colour depth, and the sounds were at a lower sample
rate.


Ten other games were released for the CPS Changer, though none have been dumped at present
(to the best of my knowledge). If/when these are dumped, support will be added for them:

Captain Commando (1995)

Final Fight  (1994)

The King of Dragons (1995)

Knights of the Round (1995)

Muscle Bomber:The Body Explosion (1994)

Muscle Bomber Duo: Burn Up Warriors (1995)

Quiz Capcom World 2 (1994)

Street Fighter II' Champion Edition (1994)

Street Fighter II Turbo (1994, Pack-in)

Tenchi O Kurau II (1995)


$end


#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#


$info=t1000hx
$bio
Tandy 1000 HX


Usage Notes:

The Tandy 1000 series computers have 12 function keys (analogous to modern PC keyboards)
whose functions depend on the program you are running.

Some function keys have special functions during boot up, if you press them right after the
startup "beep", while MS-DOS loads:

* F1 = Switches the computer into monochrome video mode.

* F2 = Switches the computer into composite/TV video mode (40 Column/200 scanline mode). This can also be achieved by issuing a MODE command from DOS.

* F3 = Reverses the drive references so B: becomes the primary drive, and A: becomes the secondary drive, this lets you start the computer from the B Drive.

* F4 = Starts the computer in slow (4 mhz) mode. This is useful if a program runs too fast or not at all in normal (8 mhz) mode.


Note that these additional modes might not work in the current version of MESS.


$end


#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#


$info=ti99_4
$bio
Texas Instruments TI-99/4 Home Computer


Known Issues:

This TI99/4 driver is preliminary and could not be tested.


History and Trivia:

The TI99/4 Home Computer was designed and built by Texas Instrument.  About
200 prototypes were built in 1978, it was first shown in June 1979, and TI
started shipping it in October 1979.  It was replaced with TI99/4a in the
summer of 1981.  It was first sold in US, then was available in Europe in
early 1981.

This computer was easy to use.  It displayed nice color graphics, and
played sound.  It was highly expandable, too.  One expansion enabled the
computer to speak.  Programs were generally on cartidges.  TI, which always
tried to keep the control of program production, put an emphasis on games,
education, and home utilities (home finance, etc.).  Incidentally, it was
the first 16-bit home computer.

The general architecture was odd.  The computer had only 256 bytes of CPU
RAM, the remaining 16kb of RAM were attached to the video processor.  It
had been designed to use some slow "GROM" cartidge, written in an
interpreted language, "GPL".

Due to these poor designing and programming choices, the computer was slow.
The keyboard was uneasy to use, and there was serious bugs in ROMs.  Also,
it wasn't until november 1980 that TI could build a TV modulator to attach
the computer to a TV instead of a monitor.  Worse, the computer was awfully
expensive for a home computer (more than $1000 with the monitor, more than
$500 with the modulator).  Unsurprisingly, it is estimated that only a few
dozen thousand units were sold.

The design of TI99/4 caused many headaches to TI engineers.  It was first
designed as a console, then an inexpensive home computer (which explains
its slowness and kludgy design), then a hybride (with remote I/R joysticks
and keypads - which were abandonned at the last minute - and a cartidge
port).  It was intended to use a TI-designed processor, tms9985, but the
processor was never actually produced, so engineers had to use a
software-compatible, high-end (in 1979) tms9900 with tons of glue logic.
Note that the processor software design was remarkably weird (no stack, no
on-chip data register).


Wanted:

If you have a TI99/4 ROM image, or if you know how the extra system GROM
maps in the memory space, please mail me at [e-mail]

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=ti99_4a
$bio
Texas Instruments TI-99/4a Home Computer


Known Issues:

Requires full keyboard emulation. At startup, full keyboard emulation mode is enabled by default. Whilst in full keyboard emulation mode, some key associated functionality may be disabled (like the ESC key for EXIT). The keyboard emulation mode is toggled using the scroll_lock key.


Usage:

This TI99/4a driver offers a high level of compatibility.  It currently
supports V9t9-format cart images and up to SSSD disk images.  Speech
synthesis is partially suported.

Loading a cart:

No cartidge is required, as TI99/4a has a built-in small basic interpreter.

V9t9-format cart images are typically split into up to 3 files. These can be
loaded in any order, so long as all necessary portions are loaded.


History and Trivia:

The TI99/4a Home Computer was a TI99/4 with improved keyboard, revised
ROMs, and an additionnal graphics mode.  It was officially introduced in
June 1981, and was retired in late 1983.

TI99/4a was quite successful in Europe and US (possibly hundreds of
thousand units built).  In 1983, though, competition on the home computer
market was so harsh that TI had to cut down the price of TI99/4a to less
than $100, while suffering heavy losses.  So, by the end of 1983, TI had
abandonned TI99/4a, its prototype successors, and withdrawn from the home
computer market.

$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

#$info=ti99_2
#$bio
#Texas Instruments TI-99/2 BASIC Computer


#Known Issues:

#This TI99/2 driver is preliminary and could not be tested.  (It may work,
#it may not work.)


#History and Trivia:

#The TI99/2 BASIC Computer was an attempt at producing a cheap ($100)
#computer.  TI started designing it in the summer of 1982, it was first
#introduced in January 1983, and it was abandonned, before entering
#production, by April 1983.

#It featured a TMS9995 microprocessor (with on-line timer and 256-byte RAM),
#4kb of RAM, 24kb (or 32kb) of ROM, a B&W character-based display.  There
#was no sound generator.  It was mostly incompatible with TI99/4(a), but
#used the same Basic syntax and file format.

#The computer was obviously unattractive.  On the other hand, it would have
#been cheap, fairly fast for its time, and easy to program in both BASIC and
#assembly.

#Moreover, the expansion port of TI99/2 carried every bus signal, and even
#allowed to disable the system ROMs and use one's own ROMs instead, so this
#computer could have been a hobbyist's dream.


#Wanted (dead or alive):
#If you have an actual TI99/2 or TI99/2 ROM image at hand, please mail me at
#[e-mail]

#$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=trs80
$bio
Tandy/Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I


Usage:

keyboard - relatively close to the original layout.

Take a look into the "Options" menu, accessible by hitting TAB, and choose "Keys (This
Machine)" to  find out more about the key mapping.


cassette - emulation of virtual tapes supported.

Use SYSTEM or CLOAD commands to read images.

SYSTEM supports 6 character filenames and loads the corresponding FILENM.CAS image.

CLOAD loads a file named BASIC(N).CAS, where (N) is the character you supplied
(e.g. CLOAD"M" loads BASICM.CAS)


floppies - emulation of virtual floppy discs supported.

Use a NEWDOS/80 boot disk for drive 0 and set up correct PDRIVE parameters for the other drives. If only drives 0 to 2 are used they can be double sided by interpreting drive select 3 as head select bit.


Under the "Options" menu, accessible by hitting TAB, there are three settings.

"Floppy Disc Drives"  - enable or disable floppy disc controller.

"Video RAM"           - enable upper case only or upper/lower font.

"Virtual E000-EFFF"   - enable 4K Extension ROM or make it RAM.


The TRS-80 driver should run most of the known programs out there. It supports a WD 179x
floppy disc controller with up to four virtual floppy disc drives contained in image files.


History and Trivia:

The Tandy TRS-80 model 1 was the first member of one of the most famous computer families. It
is one of the first home computers and was launched at the same time as such famous computers
as the Mits Altair or the Apple 1. It used a black & white TV set without a tuner as monitor.
The earliest models used a poor basic called Basic Level 1 (the basic and the OS fits in the 4
KB ROM !) which had no instruction to save the program! It was replaced later with the Basic
Level 2 which needs a 12 KB ROM. To offset its poor characteristics, Tandy developed a device
called the Expansion Interface which brought a lot of new features: 16, 32 or 48 KB RAM, two
tape unit connectors, a printer port, a floppy disk controller, a serial port and a real
time clock.


When it was connected to a floppy disk unit, the TRS 80 used the TRS DOS operating system, it
was pretty bugged and most of the TRS80 users prefered NEW DOS, it is an operating system
done by a third-party company called Apparat. This OS was the real TRS 80 operating system.


The Model 1 was followed with the TRS 80 model II and model III (the model III had almost the
same characteristics as the model I).



$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=vectrex
$bio
GCE Vectrex


Usage:

Though the Vectrex emulation can be loaded with a cartridge image, starting without one will
allow you to access the built-in game Minestorm (provided the system.img bios is present).


Known Issues:

No light pen support.


Almost every cartridge is playable, except those requiring the light pen. See vectrex.crc for
a current compatibility list. Overlays are supported in .png format, using the same name as
the cartridge image being loaded. Place overlays in the artwork directory. The overlay for
the built in minestorm game must be named "mine.png" to load when no image is selected.


History and Trivia:

The Vectrex was released in the US late in 1982 by General Consumer Electric (GCE) at a
suggested retail price of $199. The Vectrex differed from other consoles in that it had
it's own built in nine inch by eleven inch vector monitor, and thus didn't require (or
even allow) the use of a television set. The system even contained a built in game, the
Asteroids-like "Minestorm".


The monochrome Vectrex used screen overlays to give the illusion of colour, and also to
reduce the severity of the inherent flickering caused by the vector monitor.


In 1983, GCE was merged into Milton Bradley, who expanded the Vectrex's market to include
Europe. As the video game market declined and then crashed, the Vectrex exited the market
in early 1984. The rights to the system reverted to it's developers, Smith Engineering.


Smith Engineering briefly considered designing a handheld version of the device in 1988,
though the success of the Nintendo Gameboy made such a project too risky. In the mid-1990s,
Smith Engineering condoned the duplication of the Vectrex system image and cartridges for
non-commercial uses.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=vic20
$bio
Commodore VIC20 and VC20


Cartridge Usage:

Cartridges may have any of the following extensions: .bin .rom .a0 .20 .40 .60 .prg
Files with boot-sign in it are recognised as roms. Some cartridges require more than one
image (for example, defender.60 defender.a0).


.20 files loaded at 0x2000

.40 files loaded at 0x4000

.60 files loaded at 0x6000

.a0 files loaded at 0xa000

.prg files loaded at address in its first two bytes

.bin and .rom files are loaded at 0x4000 when 0x4000 bytes long,
otherwise they are loaded at 0xa000

Note that .prg files are assigned to the quickloader (so you have to use
the -cart switch when loading rom images).


Cassette Usage:

Cassette images with the .wav or .prg extensions as well as multiple .prg files
contained within a zip file can be loaded. Zip files must be placed in the current directory,
and the contained prg files are played in sequential order.


The format for WAVs are:
8 bit (16 bit may work, but hasn't been tested), mono, 12500 Hz minimum. This has the same
problems as an original Datasette tape drive (the tone head must be adjusted to get working
(no load error...) wav-files)


Note that tape volume is DAC1 volume within the MESS UI On Screen Display Options (accessed
with the tilde (~) key in the DOS version.


Within the emulation, use LOAD or LOAD"" or LOAD"",1 for loading normal programs. Use
LOAD"",1,1 for loading programs to a special address.


Diskette Usage:

Disk drives are simulated at the moment, and only file loads from drive 8 and 9
are implemented. You can load a program file from the rom directory (*.prg,*.p00)
(This must NOT be specified on commandline, start the vc20 emulation with no images specified)


You can also load a file from a d64 image (The directory command LOAD"$",8 is supported when
using d64 images).


Within the emulation, basic programs can be loaded with:

LOAD"filename",8


Machine language programs can be loaded to their address with:

LOAD"filename",8,1


When a program is loaded, type RUN or the appropriate SYS call to start it.


Note that several programs rely on more features not currently emulated (such as
loading other file types, writing...) Some games also rely on starting programs in the
floppy drive's proccessor (and therefore cpu level emulation of the 1541 is needed).


Quickloader Usage:

A quickloader is available via the f8 key. It supports program image files
with the .prg extension. This loads the program into memory and sets the program end
pointer. It works with most programs. The program can be started by entering "RUN" in
the emulation.


Miscellaneous Usage Notes:

Note that the pixel ratio for the PAL version is about 13/10 ! Resolution 1024x768 is good,
but only part of the screen is filled. 800x600 is acceptable. Better to define own display
mode (when the graphic driver supports this). For an acceptable display under XMESS, you can
use the following switches:

-scalewidth 3 -scaleheight 2


If you run into difficulty, be sure to start the emulation with the -log switch, and look into
the error.log file that is created in your mess directory.


See "Keys (This Machine)" in the TAB/Options menu for key assignments. Some key usages of note:

stop-restore in many cases will cause the prompt to reappear.

shift-cbm switches between upper-only and normal character set (if wrong characters are on
screen this often can help)

run (shift-stop) load and start program from tape.


The emulated light pen uses Paddle 3 x-axe and Paddle 4 y-axe.


While a normal or well written program will work regardless of the video system (PAL or
NTSC), if the screen is too wide right or low, or the screen doesn't fit in visible
area or gameplay is too fast try using the pal (vc20) version, instead.


Known Issues:

Some PC-Keyboards do not behave well when two or more special keys are pressed at the same
time (with my keyboard printscreen clears the pressed pause key!)

The timer system only 98% accurate.

The serial bus allows simple disk support, but no printer or other devices at present.

No userport, no rs232/v.24 interface.

No special expansion modules like ieee488 interface are supported in the expansion port.


Image compatibility is quite high, see vic20.crc for a partial list. The emulation features a
rasterline based video system which should be enough for all vic20 games and programs. The
emulation supports the keyboard, as well as joysticks, paddles and lightpen, via the emulated
gameport, and simple Disk and Tape support. The expansion slot supports ram and rom
cartridges, though not special expansion modules (see known issues). For a more complete vic20
emulation, take a look at the very good vice emulator.


History and Trivia:

The Commodore VIC 20 was the successor of the CBM PET. It was designed by Bob Yannes at CBM,
he later designed the SID chip for the C64 and then went to Ensoniq to design synthesisers.
The VIC 20 used the same microprocessor and the same Basic language as the PET. It was very
popular in the early 80's. Commodore sold more than 1 million of this computer! A great range
of peripherals were developed for this computer as well as a lot of software. When it became
obsolete, Commodore replaced it by the Commodore 16 which had no success.

Note that its name came from the name of its video chip VIC (Video Interface Chip) and
its memory size : 5 KB RAM + 15 KB ROM = 20 KB !


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=zx80
$bio
Sinclair ZX 80


History and Trivia:

The Sinclair ZX 80 is the ancestor of the Sinclair ZX 81. It had a short life (less than one
year) and was replaced with the ZX 81 which was more integrated and cheaper.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#

$info=zx81
$bio
Sinclair ZX 81 / Timex Sinclair 1000


History and Trivia:

The Sinclair ZX 81 was the successor of the ZX 80. It had the same characteristics as the
ZX 80, it's main difference (except for the colour) was its higher level of integration: the
ZX 80 used about 12 chips which had been replaced with a ULA in the ZX 81. This computer was
very successful in Europe at the beginning of the 80's. A large range of peripherals were
developed for the ZX-81, among them: 3.5" floppy disk units, high resolution graphic cards,
RS232 or Centronics interfaces, and RAM extensions. The ZX 81 was sold as the Timex-Sinclair
1000 in the USA.


$end

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------#