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Author Topic: Questions about SymbiFace3 (Read 16613 times)

Offline geco

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #30 on: 2020.July.14. 21:42:07 »
I tried with EPRAM[#05-#07]  but then I got an 64K ram error and no SD card reader working/showing up.
sorry, i meant with i would leave...
please remove that line from config, because you will not have sd ROM

Offline TMTLOGIC

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #31 on: 2020.July.14. 21:54:11 »
i can change the memory mapping.
but there are some limitations with the cpld.

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Offline gflorez

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #32 on: 2020.July.14. 21:58:53 »
I mean, 16KB resolution only for the cartridge zone, 04-07. The rest of memory range is correct with 64KB resolution.

Offline gflorez

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #33 on: 2020.July.17. 11:20:02 »
Let's continue with the explanation about the INI file.

As you can see on the Rom definitions, you could put your Roms on a directory or on a complex path on the SF3 SD, not on the root of the SD card like I have done.

You surely have seen this line on the Rom definition section on the file:

Code: [Select]
*ROM[#XX] =HTTP:www.tmtlogic.com/cyrus.rom
Yes, you even can download a file from a remote web page and also from another place on your house...

Try this line on your Enterprise, remove the asterisk and select the segment where you want to inject the chess game.

The SF3 will try to connect to WIFI even if you have the "WIFI_CONNECT" command disabled.

About downloading files from the home net, better I will wait with the explanations until making some tests to know better how it works.
« Last Edit: 2020.July.17. 11:24:28 by gflorez »

Offline gflorez

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #34 on: 2020.July.17. 15:54:42 »
Now only remain the explanation about the SF3 sound modes:

Code: [Select]
AUDIO=  SYMAMP
This is the default option, MP3A. You can put here other Sound mode(I will explain them later), but better not, because some programs expect this mode at start.

If you deactivate it(Asterisk) or directly you remove the lin, the SF3 will not sound, but it will also lose the USB "disk commands", because these are based on AT commands, that are on the software sound module.

Why it is named SYMAMP?, because the sound module on the SF3 is based on the SE-ONE(TMTLogic) MP3 MSX cartridge, a clone of the Sunrise Mp3 cartridge. The classic cartridge is supported on SymAmp(SymbOS) since its creation on 2013, so that was the reason on making the SE-ONE and the SF3 compatibles with that hardware, to have an immediate use on existing software.

Offline gflorez

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #35 on: 2020.July.20. 12:06:21 »
Now I ask myself: Has the SF3 more versatile ways to inject Roms?

Yes, they are named Rombanks.

Imagine that you need to have two or more Rom arrangements. I mean, various Rom configurations at boot, selectable at the touch of a button.

Do we Enterprise users need that? Seriously, I think that EXOS  allows a huge amount of Roms to be integrated all at the same time on the system. But this doesn't happens on a CPC. If you install more than 16x16K Roms the system hangs, due to not have place for the stack, because every Rom needs to add a descriptor.

The solution: On a CPC you can place more, up to 128 Roms if memory provided, but only the first 16 will be on the system Rom list.

This situation leads us to the Rombank method, that we have inherited from the CPC SF3 development. The need to have at hand a lot of Roms integrated on the system.

The only advantage this system gives us is that is a lot faster than the usual INI Rom definitions, but it needs to leave the Rom without its real name.

The implementation of this method works as this: just before the INI file execution, the SF3 searches on its SD for a directory named BANKXXX on the path SD:EP/ROMTABLE/.   XXX is a number from 000 to 999. If found, the Rom files found on it will be injected on memory. If not found, the normal procedure, searching for the INI file is continued.

Where are the files injected?

The Rom files have this name format: ROMXXX.BIN, with an associated descriptor file ROMXXX.TXT to store the name of the file. XXX is the target segment number on decimal. On the same BANKXXX directory an additional file can be found:  BANKNAME.TXT , that contains the name of the Rombank.

Once injected the selected Rombank, the searching for the INI file is executed, so it can be that the previous Rom configuration could be thrashed by the INI's Rom or Ram definitions. Is the user who must control how the boot configuration is executed.

Usually the default Rombank is 000, but the SF3 has commands to change it, or you can press the Right button on the OLED screen to select other bank of the present Rombanks.

All that rename, create files and DIRs can be made with a simple Basic program, attached to this message. The only rule is to have the Roms we want to put on the Rombanks on a DIR on the SF3 SD(or the USB), to be find by the program.

On the Rom Manager program, transcribed from the CPC Basic program, the segment positions of the Roms are from 96-127 decimal, 60-7F hexadecimal, but on the Enterprise you can put by hand other Roms on other segment positions.

Remember that this arrangement will only work on Zozo's modified EXOS Roms, on the stock EXOS Roms only the 60h and 70h(96 and 112 decimal) segments will be searched for Roms.

Once the Enterprise+SF3 booted, you will see something like this:

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

The second line means that the left button below the OLED screen re-connects Wifi., the middle button is still not defined, and the right one points to Rombank 0. I have already defined it, and some others more for tests. If you press the button it will lead you to a dialogue to select other rombank, only if you have defined it.

Remember, on the boot sequence, first goes the Rombank, and then the INI itself, so the later has priority over the first.
« Last Edit: 2020.November.11. 11:08:22 by gflorez »

Offline gflorez

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #36 on: 2020.July.21. 11:33:09 »
How to manage the Rom Manager program?

The Rom Manager is very easy to manage, but maybe I must insert here some hints.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

As you can see, its screen has a two columns approach with a cursor(moved by the internal joystick), with the current boot bank and the current edited bank indicated on the upper side, and some key options on the bottom side.

As I have said before, it is important to save all the needed Roms on a directory on the SF3 Sd, let's say, "Roms", for example. This program doesn't have a file manager for this, so we must know previously the path of the Rom file.

On the image I have some Roms already introduced, but you can go to an empty segment and press the "u" key. Avoid selecting a segment adjacent to one Rom bigger than 16KB, always leave enough space for them.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

On other screen we will be asked about the SF3 drive, and then the path. The original Rom will remain untouched, but a copy of the file will be created on the actual Rombank directory. If the file is not found, the program exits showing us the error. This can be modified on a future.

The other options of the main screen are very descriptive of what they do, "e" will exit the program and "r" will allow us to modify or add text to the Rom description.

The "b" option is important, because it will lead us to a similar screen showing us the list of Rombanks actually in use.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

The most relevant keys here are Enter, that will set the cursor Rombank as the editable one(and will exit from here to the main screen), and the "£" key("#" on German keyboards), that will set the cursor Rombank as the Boot one. Here you can also create a new Rombank or modify its name. Observe that a delete Rombank option has been avoided, but it can easily  made erasing the complete directory.
« Last Edit: 2020.November.11. 11:09:38 by gflorez »

Offline szipucsu

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #37 on: 2020.July.21. 12:18:22 »
Wow, it seems impressive!
« Last Edit: 2020.August.05. 23:47:25 by szipucsu »
100 SOUND SOURCE 2,STYLE 128,PITCH 25.2,SYNC 1
110 SOUND PITCH 25,SYNC 1
120 ! Videos

Offline Tutus

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #38 on: 2020.August.05. 19:04:00 »
I don't see the names of the ROMs.
(startup bank: 0, Actual bank: 0)

Offline TMTLOGIC

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #39 on: 2020.August.05. 19:18:59 »
The Rom bank structure can you found on the SD card.
Only what this programs do is edit the bank directorys
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Offline gflorez

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #40 on: 2020.August.05. 20:46:52 »
I don't see the names of the ROMs.
(startup bank: 0, Actual bank: 0)

These are test names that I have put in my EP.... put them you also on your EP if you like them... or better put your own names.

Remember to remove Rom definitions on the INI file if you use Rombanks at the same segments.

To define Roms, first you have to store the original Roms on a directory defined by you, for example on the root of the USB(drive 1). Then search the Roms on the ROM Manager program.

Offline gflorez

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #41 on: 2020.August.05. 20:49:39 »
Ah ok, now I see. You have to create a RomBank dir on the second screen(press "m" on the first screen to enter the banks screen).

Offline Kapitany

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #42 on: 2020.August.07. 11:37:56 »
Hi Hans,

It is me, who would like to use the SF3 card with my MSX, CPC and EP computers. If I understand well, when the wire is soldered to PIN1, I can use the card with both my MSX and EP machines, but I would have problems with my CPC. If I put a switch between the wire and the PIN, interrupting the wiring there, the card could be used with CPC computers, couldn't it? No other hardware modification is needed, right?

Thanks in advance!

Offline gflorez

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #43 on: 2020.August.07. 12:05:31 »
That's it, then you must update the SF3 with the specific computer DFU and CPLD firmwares.

Offline gflorez

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Re: Questions about SymbiFace3
« Reply #44 on: 2020.August.15. 12:48:15 »
Following with the Rombank explanation, a new option has been added on the 10 August 2020 update, emulated Roms in Ram. This is not new to the Enterprise, it is a characteristic of EXOS, but SF3 can do the process automatically.

A Rom can be defined on the Rombank, let's say EPDOS21.Rom on 04-05 segments, by the procedure of renaming a copy of the Rom file as ROM004.BIN inside the EP/ROMTABLE/BANK000 directory inside the SF3's SD. Remember to also add a ROM004.TXT file explaining the real name of the Rom.

Then, you must edit the INI file and add this line to the Ram definitions:

Code: [Select]
EPRAM[#04-#07]
On the actual CPLD SF3 firmware, the Ram/Rom zones can't be smaller than 64KB, so you only can define X0-X3, X4-X7, X8-XB, XC-XF zones, not individual segments. This means that the Romtable has selected as write-protected(Rom) the whole 04-07 cartridge area, not only the needed 2 first segments, 04 and 05.  

At switch-ON, the INI file is executed just after the Rombank definitions so the INI file will un-protect the already injected Rom, leaving it as Ram filled with the Rom data, and 06-07 segments as the emulated SRAM chip. Once the SF3 initialised, EXOS will start searching for Roms and Ram, and will read the Rom header on 04, adding it to the Roms list.

EPDOS2X  also needs some more configuration executing some batch files from a floppy disk(EXDOS needed), I am not going to continue with it, but at least the special hybrid cartridge can be simulated with the SF3. This is theory, sorry.... I still have not tested it...  

Once the experiment being over, remember to erase ROM004.BIN on the Romtable dir and the Ram definition line on the INI file.

--------

I understand that the concept of "write-protected Ram" instead of ROM can be strange, but it is how the SF3 works inside. And I also know that EPDOS2X was not the best Rom example to demonstrate the use of emulated Roms on the SF3....

On Enterprises provided with the Quick Ram Test from Zozo, the emulated ROMs can be erased from system if F4+Reset are pressed while on the Ram test.

-----

Why I have not used the Rom Manager program to do the EPDOS thing? because the Basic program only deals with the 60-7F zone, as it was inherited from the CPC.
« Last Edit: 2020.August.15. 15:29:16 by gflorez »