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- Newsgroups: comp.sys.psion
- From: markus@schamane.TechFak.Uni-Bielefeld.DE (Markus Illenseer)
- Subject: Psion FAQ - read this
- Message-ID: <CI1Gnu.6B9@hermes.hrz.uni-bielefeld.de>
- Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1993 18:57:29 GMT
-
-
-
- This is the latest FAQ, please copy it where ever you can and
- want, esp. FTP sites and WWW sites, thank you.
-
-
- -- FAQ for Psion Series 3 ---
- V1.4 December 1993
-
- This FAQ is maintained by Markus Illenseer,
- markus@techfak.uni-bielefeld.de
- Any complains, bugs and suggestions are welcomed !
-
- I would like to thank: John Tromp , John.Tromp@cwi.nl
- Adrian Hurt , adrian@cee.heriot-watt.ac.uk
- M.C. Finlayson , mcf14@cus.cam.ac.uk
- and esp. Alan J.Flavell , SY07@ibm1.physics.glasgow.ac.uk
- for their great help and reports !
-
- -----------
-
- This is not a real FAQ, but a text about the Psion Series 3 Palmtop.
- See more about common questions and answers at the end.
-
- One important fact right now: None of the Psion S3 handhelds is
- capable to run MS-DOS programms. As they have a multi tasked OS
- of their own, they need specific programms.
-
- This FAQ is mainly addressed to newcomers and peoples interested into
- purchasing a Psion S3.
-
- You may consider this FAQ slighly outdated, as the newest baby of
- Psion, the S3a is not very well mentioned here. Just consider that
- the S3a is binary compatible to the S3 and almost every FAQ still
- is valid for the S3a, too. The difference between the S3 and
- S3a is mentioned where ever possible.
-
- What Versions are available ?
-
- Psion S3: 128KB and 256KB machine
- special american edition with buildt-in spreadsheet
- Acorn BBC Palmtop
-
- Psion S3a: 256KB and 512KB machines.
-
- Short description of the above machines:
-
- The Psion Series 3 is available in 2 versions, one of them has 128KB,
- the other has 256KB (free) RAM. The multi tasking operating system,
- file system software, and a number of excellent applications are
- contained on a built-in 384k/512kB ROM.
- A 'powerful' NEC V30 (compatible to the 80C86; this version consumes
- less current, the V30 runs at 3,84 MHz) serves the machine through
- all the tasks.
- The mentioned RAM is the total RAM installed, of which the operating
- system grabs a large chunk (around 40KB, depending how many
- tasks you run) before you even start to do anything. Free RAM is
- therefore somewhat less.
-
- The new Psion S3a is available with either 256KB or 512KB of RAM.
-
- Hint:
- Get the 256KB version of the Psion Series 3, or do get the
- 512KB version of the S3a version, which is made available
- since October 1993.
-
- Currently (note the date please), Psion has a problem delivering
- procducing the new S3a series in large amounts. Especially the
- US market is by far larger than Psion ever estimated.
-
- There is also the American 3S version with built-in spreadsheet.
- OPL on this version is hidden (confirmed by lone@hogbbs.scol.pa.us).
-
- Identical to the Psion Series 3 (the special amirican edition)
- is the Acorn BBC Palmtop.
- This one dosn't have the full S3 spreadsheet. It has a cut-down
- one, eg. with financial functions removed (likewise no support
- for saving in WK1 format). To make room for the Spreadsheet,
- other applications were removed. Not just the OPL-translator,
- but also World and Agenda. Also other features were removed from
- the remaining applications - such as passwording facilities and
- outlining.
- Overall, it's aimed at a different market - classroom use. School
- pupils can learn the basics of what "real" computers are used for -
- such as Spreadsheets, Word Processing, and elementary Databases.
-
- Features of all S3 machines:
-
- Keyboard:
-
- A small QWERTY-style keyboard makes it possible to type texts in
- almost any situation. The applications are available via special
- touch-keys below the display. The keyboard varies on the country
- where you want to achieve the Psion. There are german QWERTZ and
- french AZERTY keyboards available (not seperately).
-
- Hint:
- Be sure you get the version you like, localized or international.
- See below.
-
- Display:
-
- The display is able to display 40x8 chars or 240x80 (6x9 each char)
- pixels. It is a 2 color (black/white) display (unlike the GameBoy),
- and is of the retardation film type.
-
- The new S3a has twice the resolution of the S3.
-
- The GUI is driven (as there is no mouse) with the cursor keys and
- the menu or help key. Programms have there own icon. You start a programm
- when selecting it with the cursor keys and pressing return then.
-
- Battery supply:
-
- To run the Psion, you need two normal mignon (AA-size) cells.
- Alkaline cells are recommended in the User Guide. A realistic
- estimate of the battery life (without the serial link) is about
- 4 weeks of normal use, say 40 hours. Use of SSDs (see below) and
- especially of the serial link is a significant extra drain on batteries.
-
- Hint:
- You could purchase several sets of rechargeable batteries plus
- a recharger, for less than the price of the Psion mains adapter.
- One charge lasts for 2-3 days heavy use, or about a week light use:
- it is important to have one replacement set available, because the
- rechargeable batteries hold their voltage well until near the end,
- and then fade quickly, unlike normal batteries which start at a higher
- voltage, and lose voltage gradually through their life. So, with
- these rechargeables, if you try to use the Psion after the low-battery
- warning comes, it will turn itself off only a few minutes later.
-
- Localized operating system:
-
- The Psion Series 3 has national language options. Before starting
- to use it, take care to select your preferred language. Changing
- the language can only be done by a hard reset, which loses all
- stored information.
- Default language is English; available from boot time are English,
- French, German and Italian (but the machine/keyboard won't change !),
- also some scandinavian languages, danish and dutch are reported.
- All parts of the online-help (for the applications in the ROM) are
- localized.
- Older machines (with operating systems earlier than version 1.80)
- do not have this choice - they are provided with one language only.
-
- The S3a has no (!) national language options, be sure you get
- you localized version (almost every european language is supported).
-
- Applications on ROM:
-
- As for the goodies included on the ROM:
- - Database application (Entries not fixed, several bases possible)
- - Textprocessor (Output is MS-Word compatible)
- - full blown Agenda which can handle multiple databases
- - (Alarm) Clock
- - Worldclock with database for 800 towns
- - Calculator (which can load simple OPL-programms)
- - OPL-Translator (BASIC-alike programming language)
-
- Using the Worldclock, one can set one's current location: then,
- all phone numbers in the Database are automatically adjusted to
- the correct dialling prefix and country code.
-
- The Psion can dial a telephone number for you, if your telephone is
- suitable and the exchange (central office) accepts tone dialling.
-
- In most applications there is a feature to copy-to or -from the clipboard
- which is shared with other programms.
-
- For the programming-language: It's a Basic-alike language with several
- features to deal with the Menus, Graphics and other specs of the OS.
- The OPL-Translator is able to make a so-called Q-code which is then
- interpreted when running then program, at BASIC performance levels.
- A manual for the language comes with the machine.
-
- Seperately available from Psion is a C-Cross-Compiler for MS-DOS PC's
- which can procduce real code which is of course by far faster.
-
- There are applications and there are programs. The big difference is that
- applications must be installed (unless they are the built-in ones already
- installed) and can then be accessed either by moving the cursor onto them
- and pressing Enter (or, in most cases, moving the cursor onto one of the
- file names listed under their icon, and pressing Enter). Programs are
- what
- you write yourself in OPL. These must be selected using the cursor,
- either
- under the OPL icon (to write the program) or under the OPO icon (to run
- the
- program).
-
- Expandability concerning RAM:
-
- The machine is expandable to a max. of 8MB RAM by two expansions
- slots on the left and right. Some professional programs, such as a
- Hotel-Guide, Dictionary, Chess, come on a ROM.
-
- There are two varieties of the SSD expansion modules, Flash and RAM.
- Flash SSD's are write-once-read-many type - the data will stay on
- them indefinitely unless you delete it. Deleting data from a Flash SSD
- does not release the space occupied by the data; the space is marked
- by the operating system as used, and cannot be used again until the
- SSD is reformatted, which wipes out all data on it.
- RAM SSD's are the ones with the backup battery, and data on them can
- be written, altered and deleted as desired.
-
- Both types of expansion modules are not compatible with the
- common PCMCIA-modules. For instance, only Psion manufacture them.
-
- For such programms, and even for self written programms, a minimum of
- free RAM is needed. The 128KB machine is less expensive but has it's
- big disadvantages when it comes to the multitasking and to real big
- programms.
-
- It is possible to get SSD with preinstalled programms, such as
- Tetris, to have the programms on them deleted and thus gain the
- full size of the SSD.
-
- Possible connection to the rest of the world:
-
- A serial and parallel Link is available to connect the Psion to a PC
- (in fact to any other kind of modern Computer) and swap data or print.
-
- The S3 and the S3a both do have only one connector where you can plug
- the interface.
-
- A parallel link is available for connecting a printer to the Psion.
-
- A serial link is also available, and can be used for connecting
- a serial printer, or for connecting the Psion to a PC, Mac or
- the serial port of most other computers.
- It can also allow the Psion to be used with a modem, or as a (dumb)
- terminal emulator.
-
- The serial link (called 3Link) is not just a cable: it contains a pod of
- electronics which includes some software on a ROM. It is supplied
- as complete packages for the PC or for the Mac: each package includes
- the pod, a cable and connector suitable for the particular micro, and
- diskettes of software for use on that micro, as well as an informative
- manual.
- With the PC version, for example, when the Psion is hooked up
- to the PC and the PC is running the software provided (MCLINK), then
- the PC's disks can be used like extensions to the Psion filestore,
- and the Psion's disk(s) can be used like extensions to the PC's
- filestore. A particularly convenient feature is that all of the
- Psion's files/subdirectories can be backed-up to the PC by means of a
- single command.
-
- It is not possible to make your own serial link, because the needed
- software is in the pod of the Psion's Link. The possible connector
- plug is a high speed serial link with special protocoll, which is
- also used to connect the SSD cards.
-
- A version of the serial link is also available for the Acorn
- Archimedes.
-
- If you are using the 3Link with some other computer, like Unix
- workstations or the Amiga, you can use XMODEM or YMODEM file
- transfer. 3Link does not support the Kermit file transfer protocol,
- but you can transfer files using Kermit's plain ASCII transfer mode
- (no error correction).
-
- Possible baud rates are available from 50 upto 9600 Baud.
- The new S3a can connect upto 19200 Baud.
-
- There are several version of the serial link software reported,
- unfortunately it looks like some older version do not properly
- work with new versions of the S3 or S3a.
-
- It is even possible top connect a modem, and the auto-power-
- on feature makes it even possible to run a BBS off the Psion :-)
-
- For that, and other purposes, a script-language with translator
- is included in the pod of the serial-link. It does allow you to
- write login-scripts or down/upload-scripts.
-
- Where do i get software ?
-
- Presently, you can get about 5MB of Public Domain and shareware
- Software for the Psion. Hopefully increasing. (Even a Psion
- Emulator for MS-DOS PC's).
-
- There are several games, some utilities, a small shell, some graphic
- goodies and more available via FTP on Internet, most of them FD or
- Shareware.
-
- The main archive for Psion on the Internet currently available via ftp
- is this site:
- src.doc.ic.ac.uk [146.169.2.1] in the directory
- /computing/systems/handhelds/psion
- The recent stuff is in icdoc and icdoc/NEW.
-
- [B.A.Price@open.ac.uk, Blaine Price means:]
- The [/computing/systems/handhelds/psion/]hcrl directory is a
- mirror of the site that I maintain (hcrl.open.ac.uk) which
- stores the various packages that I like in a non-ZIP format
- so that Mac and other non-PC users can get at them easily.
-
- If you want to upload your own programm, you should send an
- e-mail to lmjm@doc.ic.ac.uk, and he will take care of it.
-
- Otherwise you can uuencode it and post it on comp.sys.palmtops
- or comp.sys.handhelds, if the file is not too long.
-
- Please do NOT post sound samples of the new S3a, as this causes
- major headaches to many of the readers (modem, you know..), as they
- most probably arent ever be able to use those sound files, because
- they have the S3, not the S3a.
-
- --------- Questions and Answers -------------------
- 1)
- Q: Should I buy the optional mains power adapter?
- A: This depends on how you expect to use the Psion. Consider
- buying two or three sets of rechargeable batteries and a suitable
- charger, this may cost no more than the mains adapter and
- could be more convenient. If you are not going to use SSDs, and
- never or only rarely use a serial link, then conventional batteries
- may be fine for you (alkaline recommended): otherwise, you probably
- do want either a mains adapter or rechargeables.
-
- 2)
- Q: I fitted a set of replacement batteries but it still said the
- main batteries were low. What's up?
- A: This sometimes happens for a short period after fitting new
- batteries, especially rechargeables which have a lower voltage
- (typically 1.2V). The warnings should stop within a minute or so.
- If not, then you might have a poor contact - although this is not
- very likely: the main battery clips are pretty strong, but you could
- try cleaning the contact areas - or the replacement batteries really
- are defective.
-
- [Gary UDAP200@OAK.CC.KCL.AC.UK means:]
- The other possibility is the type of batteries. Some batteries have
- small dimples in the base (-) end. These tend to make the batteries
- a little loose in the machine, so that it sometimes loses power and
- switches off when you press the icon keys hard.
-
- A solution [...] is to pad the battery case out to make the batteries
- fit closer. What I have done is to tape a little folded strip of paper
- along the spine of the battery cover - I now have no problems. Of
- course you could always try avoiding batteries with dimples in them.
-
- 3)
- Q: My Psion reports Backup Battery Low. After only a few weeks/months?
- A: This is probably a poor contact. The backup battery should last
- for several years. First make sure your main battery is OK, since
- you don't want to lose your memory while playing around with the
- backup battery. Then give your backup battery a twist, or take it out
- and clean it. Gently cleaning or very gently bending the battery
- contact in the Psion may help, but take care not to damage it or to
- let solvent or dirt get into the case! Re-fit the backup battery and
- check it via the system screen menu or Psion-B.
-
- 4)
- Q: I don't seem to be able to get a replacement backup battery.
- A: Any 3V Lithium cell of the correct physical size will do the
- job. The recommended type is a 1620 - the 16 refers to the size
- and the 20 to the charge. Good places to try are camera and
- watch specialists. If you can get a 1616 then this will
- reportedly do fine.
-
- 5)
- Q: Is it possible to type on that tiny keyboard?
- A: Surprisingly well! In fairness, Psion have made the keyboard as
- large as they could, in a package of that size. Some users report
- that full hand typing is possible, while others use the two finger
- method or a compromise between them. A firm base is advisable, such
- as a table or executive case. Upholstery, or your lap, is less
- satisfactory: try a book as support. In awkward situations, some
- users rest the Psion on the fingers of both hands, and type with the
- thumbs, but using modifier keys is not so easy that way.
-
- 6)
- Q: Problems with the DIAL feature.
- A: Your telephone exchange (central office) accepts tone dialling?
- Then let's look at your 'phone, and at your 'Dial Defaults'.
-
- Some phones seem to work first time, every time; some seem difficult
- or impossible (an old dial-telephone with a carbon microphone, for
- example). The rest are just a bit choosy about where you place the
- Psion: try holding the Psion speaker at different distances (1-3 cm,
- say) from the phone mouthpiece.
-
- The other factor is the Dial Defaults parameters (on the WORLD menu,
- remember?). The User Guide seems to recommend lengthening them in
- adverse situations, but this could make things worse. Look for an
- optimum setting with tone time and delay time around 3 to 6.
-
- You can practise tone dialling by using your own number - you should
- get 'busy' tone of course. When things go wrong, you'll mostly get
- no response, or some kind of error message from the exchange: the
- chances of reaching a wrong number seem fairly small (your mileage
- may vary!).
-
- Many users report they have no problems; but if it does not seem to
- work with your phone, here is a suggested plan of attack.
-
- First set the tone time to say 4, and use 'free form dialling' to
- send your first digit repeatedly while moving the Psion towards the
- mouthpiece, until dial tone ceases - showing that the exchange has
- recognized a digit (you'll need to hold the earpiece to your ear to
- hear what's happening - try holding it with your shoulder if you
- can). Hang up, move a little closer, and try dialling the entire
- number, one digit at a time, from the freeform panel. Vary the tone
- time (use the WORLD and DATA buttons to swop screens), and the
- distance between Psion and mouthpiece, until it works reliably .
- Then, setting the delay time to values around 4-6, try having the
- whole number dialled automatically (TAB). You should be able to find
- settings that work with any phone (the author is using 4 and 4), but
- you'll need to remember the best Psion/mouthpiece distance for each
- phone you use. One informant suggests interposing a handkerchief.
- Good luck!
-
- 7)
- Q: The program buttons have stopped working.
- A: This was quite a frequent problem on early models. Psion are
- reputed to deal with the problem promptly and without fuss. It is
- possible to bring up the system screen by holding down CONTROL and
- hitting SPACE and TAB together (unless you have an OPL program
- executing, in which case this will take you to the OPL program's
- screen). From the system screen you can then move to any application,
- without needing to use the program buttons. Obviously this is less
- convenient and you'll want to get the problem fixed as soon as you can.
-
- 8)
- Q: The Psion character set includes a lot of weird characters. How
- can I get them into my documents?
- A: The appendix to the user guide lists short-cuts for some of them.
- Any code can be typed in by holding down CONTROL and typing three
- decimal digits of the character code. ?????It would be nice, though,
- to be able to pull down a menu which displayed these characters, since
- it's not easy to memorise more than half a dozen values - anybody
- got any suggestions?????
-
- 9)
- Q: The word processor has a number of tricks for inserting soft hyphens,
- non-breaking spaces, line breaks etc. They are shown in the manual,
- but not on the HELP panels, and I can never remember them when I need
- them.
- A: (ANY SUGGESTIONS????)
-
- 10)
- Q: I want to devellop some more programms for the machine, where can
- I get more Information ?
- A: There is the SDK - Software development kit - from Psion.
- The Documentation part of it costs about 50 UK pounds and contains
- two _big_ manuals about the Psion along with various utilities.
- However, you can't write C code using it without a copy of the
- TopSpeed C compiler which costs another 100 pounds or so.
-
- 11)
- Q: How can i translate a date given as the number of days into
- the day, month and year.
- A: [eric@chemeng.ed.ac.uk , Eric Fraga]
- According to the OPL manual, the following works:
-
- s&=(d&-25567)*86400
- secstodate s&,yr%,mo%,dy%,hr%,mn%,sc%,yrday%
-
- where d& is the day number. (don't quite remember what the magic
- constant 25567 is [don't have my manual with me] but 86400 is the
- number of seconds in a day...) SECSTODATE does all the work for you.
-
- 12)
- Q: How secure is the password option of the Series 3 ?
- A: Quite safe. Be sure you don't leave the S3 in its virgin state
- with no password assigned, so anyone can set it.
-
- 13)
- Q: How can i add cusomized or localized keymaps to my system ?
- A: Unfortunately there is no such way. What you can do is to
- type the appropriate ASCII-code. For example you need a backtick
- which is not on the german keyboard: CTRL-096 gives it to you.
-
- Also you can do: [FLAVELL@cernvm.cern.ch, Alan J Flavell]
- 2. Create a file containing all the obscure characters (and stock
- phrases such as company logo, disclaimer etc.). I create
- this file of type .OPL and put it in the same place as the other
- OPL files so that it can be opened easily using the OPL editor:
- do not worry that it contains no executable OPL statements - just
- don't try executing it! While I am working on my word-processor
- screen, I can press the OPL button to display my file of obscure
- characters - highlight the one that I want - press the word-processor
- button and then use Psion-B wherever I need that particular character.
-
- 14)
- Q: How do i have to setup a Unix-Machine to get the Psion working as
- a dumb terminal ?
- A: [naw@planet.bt.co.uk (Ab Wilson)]
- These are the settings I've got on my IPXttytab:
- ..
- ttyb"/usr/etc/getty psion"unknownon local secure
- ..
-
- gettytab:
-
- psion:\
- :p8:sp#9600:
-
-
- And on the Psion S3 I use this script:
- Setup (
- Baud=9600
- Date=7
- Stop=1
- Parity=Even
- Handshake=XonXoff
- Fail=Parity
- Timeout=0
- Echo=Off
- Newline="<$0D>"
- Backspace="<$7F>"
- )
- Exit
-
- This should run quite nicely and gives you full access to your
- Unix-Machine.
-
- 15)
- Q: I want to grab a screen from a running application ?
- A: <CONTROL><SHIFT><PSION><S> does the trick - it save the current
- screen in PIC file format as M:\SCREEN.PIC
-
- 16)
- Q: What are the differences between the S3 and the S3a ?
- A:
- - Screen approximately double the surface area.
- Screen resolution is now 480x160 (240x80 on the S3) and supports 1
- level of greyscale. (Actually, the ability to have black, white and
- grey does make a significant difference.)
-
- - 256K and 512K RAM (as opposed to 128K and 256K on the Series 3)
-
- - Double the clock speed (7.86 MHz) The CPU is now, together with two
- other customs chips in an ASIC, which consumes less current, which
- is now consumed by the larger screen.
-
- - Built in microphone and basic sampling software. A bit of a gimmick.
- 12-bit sampling and 8K sampling rate (about telephone quality).
-
- - More fonts and the ability to zoom in/out in most applications.
-
- - DRAMATICALLY improved time manager (and the Series 3 one was already
- pretty good). This is the most flexible and intuitive time manager
- software ever seen on a handheld.
-
- - The spreadsheet is now built-in.
-
- 17)
- Q: What does the S3 pic format looks like?
- A: (markc@compnews.co.uk (Mark Cooper)):
- MC> BitMap files start with with a P_FSIG header:
- MC>
- MC> struct P_FSIG {
- MC> UBYTE id[4];// 'PIC\xdc'
- MC> UBYTE file_ver;// 0x30
- MC> UBYTE app_ver; // 0x30
- MC> UWORD count;// number of bitmaps in file
- MC> };
-
- This structure describes the first few bytes of any BitMap file.
-
- OffsetLenDesc
- 04BitMap-ID, consisting of the three
- ASCII chars 'P', 'I' and 'C' and
- Hex $DC.
- 41File Version (always $30)
- 51Application Version (always $30)
- 62Count of real BitMaps in the
- file (Intel word)
- ------------------
- 8 Bytes
-
-
- MC> followed by "count" WS_PIC_HEADER structs:
- MC>
- MC> struct WS_PIC_HEADER {
- MC> UWORDcrc;// crc16 of data (ex header)
- MC> P_POINT size;// UWORD x, UWORD y, I think
- MC> UWORDbyte_size;// size of bitmap data
- MC> ULONGoffset;// offset of bitmap data in file
- MC> };
-
- Following the header are one or more instances of the PIC Header
- structure. Each of the structures describes individual BitMaps
- in the file.
-
- 18)
- Q: Are there any books recommended regarding Psion S3 ?
- A: Yes, quite a few:
- First Steps in Programming the Psion Series 3 by Mike Shaw
- ISBN 07457 0145 0
-
- Graphics Programming on the Psion Series 3 by Bill Aitken
- ISBN 07457 0156 6
-
- Serious Programming on the Psion Series 3 by Bill Aitken
- ISBN 07457 0035 7
-
- Introduction to Using the Psion Series 3 by Rod Lawton and Isaac Davis
- No ISBN info available.
-
-
- These books cost US$22 each and are available from:
-
- New World Technologies, Inc.
- 532 La Guardia Place, Suite 150
- New York, NY 10012
- Tel: 212-941-4633
- Fax: 212-274-8527
- Compuserve: 72360,3653
-
- 19)
- Q: What are the pin numbers of the Slink connector ?
- A: [pq@cs.man.ac.uk (Paul Quare)]
- You really need the SDK for its hardware reference and description of
- logical/physical device drivers,SIBO serial protocol and SLD bus etc etc
- before you consider attaching anything to your Psion serial link
- connector.
- (The hardware reference is not very expansive about the Psion3 & I believe
- may
- be expanded in the next release of the SDK.)
-
- FYI
- [Warning - use at your own risk - this information is derived from Psion
- Technical Data Sheets and I may or may not have made mistakes. - I did
- spot
- that I posted this with pins 4 & 3 wrong on my artistic impression and
- have
- cancelled,corrected and reposted]
-
- (looking into Psion3 serial link connector) i.e connector on machine
- --------------------
- | |
- | 2 4 6 |
- | |
- | 1 3 5 |
- --- ---
- | |
- -----------------
-
- 1 SD7 (Black) Master serial data channel 7
- 2 SCK7 (White) Master serial clock channel 7
- 3 Vcc5 (Red) Vcc supply 4-5 volts at 30ma
- 4 GND (Screen) Signal & power ground
- 5 SDS/INT (Blue) Slave data or active positive interrrupt input
- 6 SCKS/EXON (Green) Slave clock input or External wake up
-
- (and on the SSDs)
- looking into SSD pack/device
-
- -----------------------------------
- | 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
- -----------------------------------
- 1 CLK Data clock from host
- 2 GND Ground (0v) connection from Host
- 3 VBACK Backup voltage from host (RAM SSDs only)
- 4 VH Programming voltage from host (Flash SSDs only)
- 5 Vcc +5v supply from host
- 6 DATA Bidirectional Data to/from host
-
- 20)
- Q: Can i upgrade my SSD in some manner ?
- A: Yes, you can, if you can handle SMD soldering...
- [tmw@dl.ac.uk (Tom Weston)]
-
- Flash SSD upgrade 256K to 512K.
-
- Components required:
-
- 2 off intel 28F010, surface mount package ('J' lead), (these are sufixed
- by
- their speed ie 120, 150, 200) any/either will do. I bought mine from
- Spectron Electronics in Manchester 061-491-3300.
-
- Remove the printed circuit board (pcb) from the flash pack. I did this by
- pushing my thumb nail down the gap between the side and the top. Beware of
- a small coil spring that may leap out. This is used for screen continuity
- and must be replaced.
-
- Solder the two new memory chips onto the pcb in the unused locations and
- in the same orientation as the existing two.
-
- Next you need to reposition one of the five resistors (located near to the
- connector) that control the disk. The picture below shows how the modified
- card should look. I have not shown all the components, for obvious
- reasons.
-
-
- new chips old chips
- ------------------------------------------- SSD
- I ------ ------ ------ ------ I PCB
- I I I I I I I I I I
- I I I I I I I I I I
- I ------ ------- ------ ------ I
- I I
- I------- == I Move
- con I I == I top
- nec I I == I resitor
- tor . I I == I(==) to
- I I == I left.
- -------------------------------------------
-
- Sorry the graphics are a bit poor, but this is the only way all should be
- able to read it.
-
- (A picture of a Flash SSD is available on the FTP site).
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- The Psion 3a serial port.
-
-
-
- This is designed as ready response to FAQs on this subject, but not
- guaranteed to be 100 percent right. I have no connection with Psion,
- not am very technical. Much of what is here was contributed by others
- in response to my original questions. I have an Archimedes and some
- experience of PC, but no nothing of Macs, which are not covered. Alan
- Roblou (zebra) - 01 Mar 1994
-
-
- The six holes: ==============
-
- The socket with the six holes in the side of the Psion 3/3a is NOT
- a serial port. It is the port through which the Psion is connected to
- a serial port. The real serial port is the "soap on a rope" that you
- get when you buy a 3-link for a PC or an A-link for an Archimedes.
-
- The socket on the side of the 3/3a is not a socket at all but six pins
- covered by a little flap which folds back when the link connector is
- inserted. The pins give - a was told - AIUI, TTL levels only. It was
- explained that "This interface is basically a pair of signals over
- which we run a Psion Proprietary Synchronous Serial Protocol (PPSSP)
- at 1.536 MHz. The soap part of the "soap on a rope" contains an Asic
- which is basically a UART. The PPSSP can be used to send/receive data
- to registers in the Asic. This is best imagined as talking to a normal
- IBM/PC 16450 UART, execpt that instead of the data being sent in
- parallel over the ISA bus, its sent serially.
-
- The other 4 signals are power, ground, interrupt and external wakeup
- signal.The soap box contains driver circuitry as well as software.
-
- So your Psion 3/3a does not come with a serial port, but with the
- means to talk to a serial port, which is the soap on the rope dangling
- on the end of a short lead.
-
- The soap on the rope ====================
-
- As noted above, this is the real serial port. It terminated with a
- female socket with nine holes. These are the serial port connections,
- entirely comparable to a normal nine-pin serial port, but arranged a
- little differently. To this connector you can attach a normal null
- modem cable, which is what comes with the 3-link and A-link packages,
- or any other cable .. for instance a cable to a 25-way connector for a
- modem. For versatility you might find it best to use to just to attach
- a short connector cable terminating in an ordinary nine-pin serial
- port connector.
-
- Here are the connections for that titchy round port:
-
- Pin Direction Signal 1 < DCD 2 < RX 3 > TX 4 > DTR 5 -
- SGround 6 < DSR 7 > RTS 8 < CTS 9 < RI
-
- Viewed head on to the pins of the male connector
- you would use they are :
-
- 7 8 9
-
- 3 4 5 6
-
- 2 1
-
- If you DIY you need a small soldering iron, tweezers
- a magnifying glass and a third hand
-
- Differences between 3-link and A-link:
- =====================================
-
- As far as I can work out there is no difference except for the label,
- the connections in the final link from the soap on rope to your
- computer, and the price (the A-link is a bit cheaper).
-
- With tha 3-link you get transfer software to go into your PC called
- MCLINK, and a fairly good manual. With the A-link you get software for
- your Archimedes, written by Computer Concepts, and a fairly sparse
- manual. The Archimedes end works as a window which converts file
- types.
-
- Crucially, the software at the Psion 3/3a end of the link is already
- in the Psion in all cases. There is no difference. It exists as "Drive
- C" on the ROM of the 3a (it may be in the soap in rope in the 3, I am
- not sure), and becomes active when you connect the soap on rope. You
- have to install it the first time - like any other application - and
- it only comes to life thereafter when you prepare to use the serial
- port.
-
- The details of this end are NOT explained in the A-link application,
- but you can get the manual from Psion for £6.
-
- Software: =========
-
- MCLINK comes with the 3-link. I havn't used it but hear it is a bit
- tricky.
-
- RFM looks like being the successor to MCLINK and is available in an
- alpha version in the file list. It is brilliant. It allows a PC to
- treat the Psion at though it were another drive. You can use it with
- Laplink and shift files around as easily as moving them from floppy to
- hard disk on a PC.
-
- PocketFS for the Arc is tricky at first (especially if you have a
- modem which has been using the serial port) but fine after you get
- used to it. You can either transfer files by tugging them into a
- window, in which case they get converted by file type, or open the
- files on he 3a as though they were another directory on the Arc. (The
- applications on the Acorn Pocket Book are a bit different from the
- Psion3, so you have to make some adjustments if you use the 3a, but
- crucially it will still convert Word files to plain text and
- Spreadsheet files to Lotus123-like .WKx files)
-
- Inside the Psion is COMMS software, as mentioned which will allow the
- 3a to be used as a terminal and up and download files. It gives you
- the basic settings and will capture incoming streams as well as file
- downloads. There is also SCRIPT software which saves your fingers. It
- is limited in terminal emulation capability, but fine for Cix and BBS
- use..
-
- Widget have announced at VT100 emulator, and a first version is
- available in the files list here, but wil work only til the end of
- March 1994. It has a wider availity to connect to VT100 machines like
- Unix main and incorporates an imbedded keypad rather neatly. It
- wouldn't always handle the incoming stream from my works computer,
- giving "buffer overflow" but I have messaged them about that.
-
- Batteries =========
-
- Everyone agrees that use of the serial port cuts battery life, one
- said it finnished off a two-week-old set in hald an hour. Most
- recommend use of a mains adapter. But I have to say my experience is
- that the Psion even with serial link active is much better on
- batteries than other handhelds. If you use scripts and do your
- business quickly it isn't a big problem.
-
-
- EOFAQ
- ------------
-
-
- --
- Markus Illenseer
-