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Author Topic: SymbOS (Read 443051 times)

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #210 on: 2014.November.10. 12:54:41 »
Thanks again for these details!
 What's about reading track 2 instead, as you save some seek time (you will be at track 0, too, for reading the boot sector, so it's not so "far" away)?
Probably also will work :-)

Quote
Does it always use the seek command (for turning the motor on), even if the track didn't change during the last access?
Yes, for the Motor On reason. But compare the old and new track numbers, and set a Head Moved flag when the head really moved.
This flag checked at the begin of execution of the main transfer routines, and if head moved then set bit 2 of the command byte, which enable 30ms delay at the WD command execution.

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #211 on: 2014.November.10. 14:55:29 »
About the Drive E:
This is the RAMDISK on the Enterprise.
On expanded machines in a EXOS compatible mode can be support this, especially because the SymbOS only support 1MB memory, on 1MB+ machines lot of free memory for RAMDISK :-)
It is standard FAT volume, at the boot sector from 100h- stored the segment numbers (each 16K) where the RAMDISK stored. Easy to calculate from LBA sector number the memory location where the sector stored.
The loader program can ask the RAMDISK for the SymbOS driver: get the boot sector of the Drive E: and if succesful then get the first segment number from the boot sector at 100h, and this segment number passed to the RAMDISK driver.

Offline lgb

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #212 on: 2014.November.10. 15:14:45 »
About the Drive E:
This is the RAMDISK on the Enterprise.
On expanded machines in a EXOS compatible mode can be support this, especially because the SymbOS only support 1MB memory, on 1MB+ machines lot of free memory for RAMDISK :-)
It is standard FAT volume, at the boot sector from 100h- stored the segment numbers (each 16K) where the RAMDISK stored. Easy to calculate from LBA sector number the memory location where the sector stored.
The loader program can ask the RAMDISK for the SymbOS driver: get the boot sector of the Drive E: and if succesful then get the first segment number from the boot sector at 100h, and this segment number passed to the RAMDISK driver.

I also suggested using RAMdisk, if there is enough RAM of course. Someone may create RAMdisk even if there is not enough RAM left for fast SymbOS operation (ie: 128K is barely enough to run SymbOS, thus not optimal). I guess the loader should detect RAMdisk anyway (to be able to pass SymbOS driver to support it) and warn user (or even allow to destroy it, but only if user accepts!!!) if ramdisk is too big to be able to run SymbOS (or too big and left only the minimal space for SymbOS, etc) but otherwise there will be enough RAM to run SymbOS without the ramdisk. I am not sure if this idea is good, though ... And of course it only makes sense if system segment etc is preserved, otherwise you can't use EXDOS too much (I guess) to access it because of the cold reset. Though it can be still useful for one way (EP->SymbOS) data transfer. Or such ...

Offline edoz

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #213 on: 2014.November.10. 20:23:57 »
Very cool that SymbOS is already  running on the Enterprise! Cool to have a new z80 computer that join's  the SymbOS family  :) :) I don't own a enterprise computer (only MSX)  but it would be wonderful  to have SymbOS apps  running on this System as well :) The cool thing about SymbOS is that if  you build a new SymbOS app other communities have benefits!! Because it runs on the CPC, MSX and Enterprise! .. It would be fun to play a network game on different systems together!!! Who know;-)
Have fun with the Z80!

Offline Z80System

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #214 on: 2014.November.10. 20:34:40 »
Quote
It would be fun to play a network game on different systems together!!! Who know;-)

Does SymbOS have a network API, already ?

Do CPC and MSX have a network hardware interface, already ?

EP does not have network hardware, yet. Or did not you think of IP networking ?
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Offline Prodatron

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #215 on: 2014.November.10. 20:37:57 »
Because it runs on the CPC, MSX and Enterprise!
...and the PCW Joyce :P

.. It would be fun to play a network game on different systems together!!! Who know;-)
Yes, network support is a "must have" for the next version.
On the MSX the Denyonet ethernet card will be used for this, and on the CPC we are currently studying the ESP8266 wlan module, which can be connected via a serial connection. Cool thing is, that on the EP this has been discovered, too: http://enterpriseforever.com/hardware/another-possibility-for-enterprise-on-ethernet/. So maybe no need to write too many different network drivers :)
« Last Edit: 2014.November.10. 20:50:18 by Prodatron »

Offline Prodatron

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #216 on: 2014.November.10. 20:43:14 »
Does SymbOS have a network API, already ?

Do CPC and MSX have a network hardware interface, already ?

EP does not have network hardware, yet. Or did not you think of IP networking ?
SymbOS network drivers are planned for the next version. Regarding the hardware check my other post :)
« Last Edit: 2014.November.10. 20:50:00 by Prodatron »

Offline Prodatron

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #217 on: 2014.November.10. 21:16:35 »
Now it has loaded the first application from floppy disc :)



There is still an issue with the disc driver, which I have to fix now before I can load more apps.

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #218 on: 2014.November.10. 21:29:56 »
When possible download beta (or alpha? :-) ) version? I want to see with my eyes :-D

Offline Prodatron

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #219 on: 2014.November.10. 21:36:57 »
When possible download beta (or alpha? :-) ) version? I want to see with my eyes :-D
I will upload a DSK as soon as this floppy stuff is fully working in the emulator! :)
I really wonder, if it will run on real hardware, too...

Offline edoz

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #220 on: 2014.November.10. 22:12:41 »
Wow.. Crazy the taskmanager is running already!!! Enterprise users did you see symbos already in action ?.. Here a small movie I created Las week. Symbos on my msx
Have fun with the Z80!

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #221 on: 2014.November.10. 22:29:58 »
Wow.. Crazy the taskmanager is running already!!! Enterprise users did you see symbos already in action ?.. Here a small movie I created Las week. Symbos on my msx
I think the MP3 encoder need a new hw topic :-)

Offline Z80System

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #222 on: 2014.November.10. 22:40:03 »
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Here a small movie I created Las week. Symbos on my msx

Hmmm ... that MSX seems powerful 8 bit computer ...

Is that scrolled virtual desktop feature a common one, or MSX specific only ?

(Maybe EP could do that vertically (scrolling) with multi desktop (amiga like dragging of screens/desktops) simultaneously ... :))
« Last Edit: 2014.November.10. 22:48:37 by Z80System »
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Offline lgb

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #223 on: 2014.November.10. 22:41:30 »
I think the MP3 encoder need a new hw topic :-)

Decoder? :) Or I just see a portion of the video, and there was encoder too in it. Maybe something similar:

http://www.hestore.hu/prod_10025007.html
http://www.hestore.hu/files/vs1011.pdf

Offline Z80System

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Re: SymbOS
« Reply #224 on: 2014.November.10. 22:41:54 »
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Hmmm ... that MSX seems powerful 8 bit computer ...

Can we play mp3 on z80, at all ? Or is it an accelerated MSX ?
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