Commodore Free 28/Commodore_Free_Issue_28_2009_Commodore_Computer_Club.d64/the megabit

Text File | 2023-02-26 | 8KB | 311 lines

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* MEGABIT 128 INTERNAL ROM ADAPTER  *
*  C128/C128D Internal ROM Socket   *
*     Developed by D. C. Newbury    *
*      newbury(at)planetkc.com      *
*      Review by Mark R. Brown      *
*************************************

THE BASICS
The Megabit 128 internal ROM Adapter
is a small circuit board that plugs
into the internal expansion ROM
socket on the Commodore 128 or C128D.
Its purpose is to allow you to use
high-capacity EPROMS: 27010 (1 meg.),
27020 (2 meg.), 27040 (4 meg.), or
27080 (8 meg.).

It's very easy to install. Since the
board is longer than a standard
EPROM, you have to bend down a couple
of small disk caps on the 128
motherboard before you snap it into
the internal ROM socket. There's also
a pigtail with a clip that has to be
attached to a pin on the U3 chip.
Piece of cake. No soldering. Easily
removed if you need to.

Newbury currently sells two different
versions of the adapter board. One
addresses up to 16K at a time; the
other addresses up to 32K at once.
Each is the same price: $15 PPD in
the US. Each uses the same EPROMs;
which you choose comes down to how
big a memory space you need to have
active at any one time. The 32K
version lets you include bigger apps,
like KeyDos, the Servant, & BASIC 8.

THE BARGAIN
An even better deal than just buying
the bare board is to add five bucks
and order either board with an EPROM
pre-programmed with some apps and a
nice menu program. This not only
gives you a set of useful apps right
out the gate, it means non-technical
types can actually do something with
this board.

Because if you want to do something
of your own, you're on your own.
While the developer is a very helpful
guy, there's no easy way right now to
get your own apps up and running on
this board. Here's what he wrote back
when I asked how to program my own
EPROM apps for this board:

"I will have to put something
together, like a separate manual that
will have the commented ML listings
for the auto start routine, menu and
program loaders. It may take awhile."

Then he mentioned something about
fishing.

Just remember that full support for
developing your own menus and apps is
planned. It's coming. Sometime. Also
remember you're only paying $20
([domestic] shipping included) for
the pre-programmed edition of either
version of this little marvel. If it
were $50 or more, I'd linger here
awhile, complaining. But for twenty
bucks I think that's more than fair.

Okay. Fine. So we're stuck for the
time being with the programs and menu
system he's burnt for us. So let's
talk about that. Because what's
already included is a load and a
half.

THE BYTES
When I turn on my C128 in 40-column
mode and press F1, nothing happens.
At least, nothing happens on my C128.
It might be interference with
JiffyDOS, since I get the JiffyDOS
'@$' command with F1. I don't know,
but I'm not going to pull my JiffyDOS
chip to find out. Maybe it's just an
80-column app. The manual doesn't
make that clear. So let's try
80-column mode. Press F1 and... okay,
THERE we go! A nice menu of apps.

What's available?
Some of the best, most-used C128 and
C64 utilities. Here's a list:

16K version w/4meg EPROM:
Merlin 128 v1.0
Promos 2.0
My Disk Editor
Function keys
Viza Write 128
Viza Star 128
Seq Reader 128
Begin & End Adrs
Fastrac File copy
Directory Editor
Color 80 column
Basic Data Maker
Monitor 64
Basic Merge
Basic Merge +
Maverick File Copy
Maverick Track Editor
Single 41 Data copy
Dual 41 Data Copy
Single Nybbler
Dual Nybbler
Single 81 Data copy
Maverick File Tracer
Maverick Track & Sector Editor
64K VDC RAM Test
REU Test

32k version w/1meg EPROM:
Key Dos
Servant
BASIC 8
My Disk Editor
Seq Reader 128
Color 80 Col
BASIC Merge
Function Keys
Begin & End Adrs
BASIC Data Maker
BASIC Merge +

The 16k version is a melange of C128
and C64 apps, some commercial and
some written by Newbury. All are very
useful. I can't imagine there's much
you'd want to do that isn't covered
in here somewhere. But, just to be
contrary, I do miss not having a disk
cataloguer and a simple text editor
like ZED.

When you pick a program it comes up
in a flash, of course. C64 programs
kick into C64 mode and run
flawlessly.

The programs have not been modified
in any way that I can tell, other
than to make them work from the
internal ROM. That means when you're
done using one of these programs, you
have to power cycle your machine to
quit. (Newbury's own programs do
politely drop you back into BASIC
when you exit them.)

No problem, as long as you didn't
expect this thing to work like
Partner 128, letting you jump back
and forth from applications to
utilities like Bond from babes to
bomb blasts. You can't have
everything, dude.

You DID remember to save your program
before you hit F1, didn't you?

THE BITS
What other goodies do you get? For
twenty bucks? Are you kidding?

Newbury sent me a review package that
was complete with a printed manual
and a CD-ROM containing the
documentation for all of the programs
on the EPROM. I doubt you'll get all
that for a couple of sawbucks. But I
assume he'll be making it all
available on the web for free.

Installation instructions are
complete and more than adequate to
the (very simple) task. The manual
includes documentation for all of the
utility programs Newbury developed
himself. The CD-ROM has PDF manuals
and d64 files for all of the
commercial apps included.

As stated above, there is, as yet, no
documentation on how to create your
own EPROMs. But did I mention that
it's coming?

THE BOTTOM LINE
Best twenty bucks you ever spent.
Ever. Pawn your grandpa's watch and
buy this right now. Really. I mean
it.

Though I desperately want to create a
menu and load it up with my own apps,
for twenty bucks what Newbury
provides is an excellent selection.

The board couldn't be easier to
install. If you can install an
internal ROM, you can install this
board.

This is a fine product and it solves
a basic problem. At least it did for
me.

I've already decided to keep the 32K
version installed permanently. I had
burnt EPROMs for KeyDos, the Servant,
and BASIC 8, and have been struggling
for a year over which of them to keep
in that socket. Now I don't have to
choose. Best of all, all three apps
are 128-mode programs; I hate having
to switch to C64 mode to do anything.
Now I don't have to.


[Dan Newbury, developer of the
Megabit 128 Internal ROM Adapter, has
more to say about it.]

I did not mention...
that the printed manual is not
included in the package.... It costs
too much (ink, paper, cover and
postage). But, if you want to pay
extra for a printed manual, we could
work something out. The adapter will
come with a CD that has the manual in
pdf format and all the other goodies.

I did find a bug in the adapters
after I sent them... Its a hardware
problem, not in the software.
Sometimes when you power up, the
internal ROM will not be on page 0.
The F1 function key will not get
reprogrammed and you cant get access
to the menu. You have to power down
and up to make it work. The new 32k
board will correct the problem.

I accept paypal or money orders.
The DO IT YOURSELF manual will take
more time.

Dan
[e-mail]

E-mail amendment from Dan Newbury

Hi, Nigel (Commodore FREE)
My name is Dan Newbury, creator of
the Megabit Internal ROM Adapter.

Mark Brown aka airship, has told me
that you plan to publish Mark's
review of the Internal ROM Adapter.

If so, I would appreciate it if you
would correct a wrong statement in
the review. Mark stated that the
price included PPD (postage paid).
That is not true, below is the
correct pricing:

Adapter without EPROM is $15.00 plus
shipping & handling USD.
Adapter with EPROM is $20.00 plus
shipping & handling USD.
I accept PayPal or money orders.

PayPal - USA & International
Money orders - USA only

Will ship anywhere USPS can go.

Thank you,
Daniel C. Newbury

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