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Software 2000 Volume 1 (Disc 1 of 2).iso
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POWERUTIL
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POWERUTIL.DOC
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POWERUTIL.DOC
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1978-01-07
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***********************************************************************
* P o w e r U t i l i t y *
* ----------------------- *
* Copyright (c) 1990 by Power Point *
* Demo Release Version 2.12 by Power Point and AMICOM. *
* Including the famous 60Hz Emulator by AMICOM. *
***********************************************************************
PowerUtility Short Description
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PowerUtility is a tool system developed for all Amiga types in 1988.
It is intended for users (programmers and normal users) of Kickstart
1.2, 1.3 and SCA1.3. It is not compatible with AmigaDOS V2.x
PowerUtility allows the user to have a collection of resident programs
in his system. It remains in the system even after reboot.
The user can choose the modules he likes from a given range. He is also
encouraged to add modules of his own, using an example source code.
The user can access the modules at any time via hotkeys.
PowerUtility may be started as a CLI command or from bootblock.
PowerUtility Demo Version
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The demo version is actually a collection of the most popular modules.
Until now, however, we did not provide the AMICOM 60Hz Emulator module
for technology secret reasons. The emulator was developed in 1988.
Until in 1990, we have never seen any other program doing the job.
There is now the game called 'Wings of Death' which contains a
primitive (non-AmigaDOS) version of such an emulator. Therefore, we do
no longer retain it.
The demo version does not allow you to set-up your own collection or
to add modules. It works only 'as is' with all included modules.
PowerUtility technical description
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PowerUtility consists of the MAKEPU tool and some modules.
The PowerUtility MAKEPU tool does
- check the integrity of the modules (incl version conflicts)
- glue the modules together
- add a base with i/o and other functions
- allocate hotkeys to the modules
- add a help menu
- generate startup-bootblocks if requested by the user
- install the code in memory if requested by the user
We tried to keep PowerUtility as flexible and at the same time, as
compatible as possible. The idea was to allow access to the modules at
any time. This goal required a lot of hack and lowlevel work. For
example, we were forced to use lowlevel display output because in some
situations the OS screens refuse to work.
PowerUtility may be used with 512k Amigas as well as with all kinds
of memory expansions. The resident manager is able to deal with the bug
of the Amiga 1000. However, it does no longer support HQC Penicillin
Kickstart. PowerUtility tries to install at a safe position in memory.
By default, it goes to the highest possible location in chip- or
extended ($C00000) memory. Since extended memory is not cleared at cold
reboot, this is the safest place it can go. There is an option that
lets you put the code to the lowest possible location in chipmemory.
The PowerUtility startup-bootblock allows quick installation from
floppy disk. When you boot from a disk with a startup-bootblock, the
PowerUtility will be loaded more quickly than with a startup-sequence
entry. Furthermore, this allows you to install the tools before
AmigaDOS has been booted. For example, you can boot in NTSC mode with
the 60Hz emulator.
PowerUtility key functions
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All Power Utility functions are activated by pressing
L-Alt, L-Shift and CTRL together plus one of the following keys:
- HELP calls the Power Utility help menu
- ESC quits / removes Power Utility
- 0..9 call function 0..9 (currently only 6 modules)
In the help menu, you can see the the names of the modules and
the key numbers associated to them. In the help menu, these
functions may be activated by pressing just the number key.
Either numeric pad or normal number keys can be used.
PowerUtility modules
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BLITTER-COPY
The BLITTER-COPY module contains a simple but effective AmigaDOS disk
copier with integrated badblock repairing facilities of high quality.
Its speed has not yet been beaten by any commercial product.
Hotkey-function: start it!
CACHECONTROL
The CACHECONTROL module allows switching of the instruction cache.
The cache status is restored on reboot.
Hotkey-function: toggle on/off.
60Hz-Emulation
The 60Hz emulator makes every Amiga (no matter if equipped with Fatter
or normal Agnus) go 60Hz.
The RGB output will be accepted by most monitors including the
Commodore 1081,1084,1084S and ofcourse by all Multisync type monitors.
The B/W composite output will be accepted by some monitors without
adjustment, others may require adjusting v-hold.
The CVBS output of the NTSC version (with piggy-back) of the Amiga
1000 will drive NTSC TV sets and even video recorders although it does
not keep up 100% with the NTSC standard.
NTSC® is a trade mark and stands for Never Twice the Same Color...
The Effects of the 60Hz emulation are:
- considerably less area flickering in both interlace and
noninterlace mode
- less (although still too much) line flickering in interlace mode
- reduced vertical resolution: 200 instead of 256 standard
noninterlaced scan lines, physically 525 instead of 625
interlaced scan lines
- 60 vertical blanks per second. Because most people are lame coders,
almost all music players I have seen go faster with 60Hz.
Most monitors have a special feature for 60Hz input: They stretch the
image in order to compensate for the reduced amount of scan lines.
The 1081,1084,1084S/SP monitors as well as most multisyncs and other
RGB monitors all have this feature. Unfortunately, the A2024 does not
have this benefit.
Hotkey-function: toggle on/off.
NoFastmem
The nofastmem module allows to disable all but chip memory by
hotkey. Note that the status is also preserved after reboot. You
may use this feature to keep as much fast memory as possible, forcing
operating system stuff to go into chip memory.
Hotkey-function: toggle on/off.
LED control
The led control module switches the power led / anti aliasing filter.
Hotkey-function: toggle on/off.
Antivirus
The antivirus module contains a bootblock and a file/memory virus
protector. The bootblock virus protector scans all disk access as most
protectors do. It operates in one of two possible modes:
- Auto scan: In this mode, the intelligent virusprotector is active.
It compares every bootblock to an internal list of viruses.
The internal list may be updated by the user.
It also scans the code of the bootblock for suspicious constructs.
- Manual scan: In this mode, the intelligent virusprotector is
disabled. Instead, all bootblocks except normally INSTALLed ones are
displayed to let the user guess what is on them.
The memory virus protector tries to find any suspicious code in memory
no matter if it is a bootblock or a file virus. It watches certain
fragile system parameters continuously.
Hotkey-function: toggle bootblock virusprotector mode Auto/Manual scan.
Swap drive
The swapdrive module contains a software bootselector and floppy drive
swapper.
Hotkey-function: rotate floppies numbers.
SetPatch
The patch module contains the complete set of system patches known
at this time. It is continuously being updated and currently contains
all patches as done by SetPatch V1.34
This module is very convenient for systems with 1MB chip memory and
kickstart 1.2 or 1.3 (non-SCA) because it fixes the problem that
every reboot is a cold reboot.
Hotkey-function: none
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Power Utility Update Version 2.12 Changes:
- attempts to be compatible with latest release of AmigaDOS 2.x
- bug in blittercopy fixed (trashed memory list)
- 60Hz emulation updated so that it tries to use the Fatter Agnus
- latest SetPatch 1.38 included
- cache control updated for both data and instruction cache
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