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Author Topic: Using Commodore peripherals with Enterprise (Read 7705 times)

Offline Zozosoft

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Using Commodore peripherals with Enterprise
« on: 2007.April.10. 15:08:12 »
In 1987 the 'a' Studio released a package called Commodore Multifile Transfer (CBM-MFT):


I think this is one of the mostly unknow Enterprise accessories. Currently I not know anyone who is have the original package.
Now we talked about these things in the Hungarian forum, and now szalai56 uploaded the program, and two hand-draws of the cable.
Now I try to make one cable :-)

Features of the package: can read/write Commodore disks via 1541 drives. And can print to Comodore compatible printer.
The program define the CBM: EXOS device.
For example save to disk:
SAVE "CBM8:PRG.BAS"
EXOS commands:
:$
display directory of the disk
:@
read the error channel of the drive
:@ command
send command to the drive, for example format disk:
:@ N:disk,id
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Offline Zozosoft

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Re: Using Commodore peripherals with Enterprise
« Reply #1 on: 2007.April.21. 12:25:47 »
Now working :-)
The pinout of the cable:

CBM 1   SRQ
CBM 2   GND   EP NET B1 GND      
CBM 3   ATN   EP Printer B7 Data7   
CBM 4   CLK   EP NET A3,A4 Control Bus   
CBM 5   DATA  EP NET B3,B4 Data Bus      
CBM 6   RESET EP Printer A2 Strobe   

The version 2.0 program have a bug:
After the program loaded needed to make warm start for initialising the serial bus.
I hope anyone have the later versions (3.1, 4.1) of this software.


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Offline kokkiklhs

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Re: Using Commodore peripherals with Enterprise
« Reply #2 on: 2022.April.12. 23:03:24 »
Wow, I just came across this ancient threax but I found it very interesting!
Is there any more detailed info about it? If I undrstood correctly, we could read/write EP software on commodore-formatted 1541 disks, using only a simple cable???
:shock:
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Offline Dr.OG

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Re: Using Commodore peripherals with Enterprise
« Reply #3 on: 2022.April.13. 06:23:30 »
Quote from: kokkiklhs on 2022.April.12. 23:03:24
Wow, I just came across this ancient threax but I found it very interesting!
Is there any more detailed info about it? If I undrstood correctly, we could read/write EP software on commodore-formatted 1541 disks, using only a simple cable???
:shock:
Yes, that's right. See details here (in Hungarian), schematic at bottom of the page:
http://www.ep128.hu/Ep_Util/CBM_MFT.htm
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Offline kokkiklhs

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Re: Using Commodore peripherals with Enterprise
« Reply #4 on: 2022.July.01. 10:35:37 »
Just to understand better, can someone load and run EP programs from CBM formatted disks using ONLY  a stock EP computer (without ANY addons), this cable and a 1541?
I know this is too good to be true... :D

I suspect that a floppy controller for EP is required and the cable/1541 is useful only for file transfers, like a second device?
Am I wrong? Right? What??? :roll:

PLEASE someone explain the situation in more detail, and if possible make a quick proper translation to english from the original hungarian text, this is an extremely interesting topic, but automatic translation is somehow confusing...
Cheers to all EP experts!!!
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Offline Zozosoft

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Re: Using Commodore peripherals with Enterprise
« Reply #5 on: 2022.July.01. 12:04:27 »
Possible load some games, but not all.
And need to reload the CBM software from tape after every reset.
Basic program will work right.

Machine code programs which are not EXOS compatible, will overwrite the CBM extension in memory, then machine freezee.
From the old days, only games which have a one file executable: Nodes, Bruce Lee, Beach Head, Raid over Moscow, etc (without the loading screen file) will work.
Games from the last ~15 years are EXOS compatible, but then come the second problem: the default Device. You can set it to CBM, but only valid until reset. When machine code program started, EXOS execute Warm Reset for make a clear enviroment. Then the default Device will also set to back TAPE.
Then need to modify filenames in the loader program for use CBM8: device.

The another CBM solution from MICROTEAM are more usable, but it is have a own harware.

Probably possible to make ROM version of CBM-MFT, which are eliminate the always-loading-from-tape problem, and also fix the default Device problem.
And if the CBM extension in a ROM, then will no more problem with the non-EXOS-compatibles games which are directly write to memory.
Only big question: the original CBM-MFT are run from RAM, how many variables, self modification codes, etc in the program? How many modification needed for make it ROM compatible?
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