Any "Copy II PC Option Board" owners here?

[tremoloman2006]

I finally scored a Copy II PC Option Board for my Tandy 1000. In the version I have it says it doesn't work with the Tandy 1000 but I know that is not true since I had one installed back on the system I had as a kid.

 

For those of you not familiar with this, it was a board that allowed you to make archival copies of copy protected games on the IBM PC. I've got a ton on vintage games I want to play but only want to use backups since the originals would be next to impossible to replace today.

 

 

 

 

If any of you have one installed in a Tandy 1000, would you mind sharing the settings and where I might find an extended cable it requires? Just my luck I got the first revision when didn't support the Tandy 1000 out of the box.

 

Here's a pic of the model that closely resembles mine:

 

 

Thanks in advance,

Trem

Edited December 13, 2009 by tremoloman2006

[gdement]

I vaguely remember having a DOS program with that name. I didn't know it was meant to be used with a board. Interesting.

[Great Hierophant]

I vaguely remember having a DOS program with that name. I didn't know it was meant to be used with a board. Interesting.

 

Try asking your question here:

http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/index.php

 

or even here, if you haven't already:

http://www.uncreativelabs.net/phpBB2/

 

These people contain the best source of knowledge about this type of hardware card.

[tremoloman2006]

Thanks for the links! I'll create an account and post on there tomorrow. (time for bed now)

[Bruce Tomlin]

I found two different versions of it over the past 10-15 years or so, but never got either one to work.

 

Then I got a Catweasel and was able to image all my old TRS-80 floppies easily.

[tremoloman2006]

I found two different versions of it over the past 10-15 years or so, but never got either one to work.

 

Then I got a Catweasel and was able to image all my old TRS-80 floppies easily.

 

Where can one purchase a Catweasel?

 

Based on wiki it sounds like a modern version of the Option Board and I'd love to find out more about it!

[Nebulon]

This is manual for a slightly later version:

 

http://www.applefool.com/se30/files/OBManual_1988.pdf

 

And here's a snippet that I found on a forum some time ago:

 

>>In my copy of the 1986 Rev. A Option Board manual, it states that you

should set the jumper for DMA 1 for the Tandy 1000 and invoke TC with

the /C1 option. Also, Central Point provided their own cable for the

1000--which is nothing more than a 34-pin edge connector-to-34-position

female dual-row header. Connect your motherboard to the controller using

J3 and hook the drives to J2. It's a little contorted.

J4, J5 and J6 should be set identically--the two jumpers occupying the

4 pins toward the bottom of the board (AT/Compaq setting, DMA 1).

J3 on the OB is an edge connector and J2 is a dual-row header, Mike. So

you connect up the Tandy as if it were an AT-style setup--the drive cable

goes to J2, the dual-oow header and the cable included with the OB goes

from J3 (edge connector) to the Tandy dual-row header. Note that on a PC XT,

it's just the reverse--the drive cable attaches to the edge connector and

the included cable goes from the dual-row header to the edge connector on

the XT floppy controller.

My OB works in my Tandy 1000 SX with DMA set to 1 and using the /C1 option

for Transcopy. There is nothing odd about the floppy cable for the Tandy

1000 SX except that the supplied cables are awfully short.

I can tell you what is wrong, however. His card is the long TTL card,

which does not have the jumpers to set it to DMA1. It won't work until

he busts out his soldering iron and X-acto knife.

>> Note: Mine is the short one, so it should work fine without any

modifications. <<

If he has the cable supplied with the OB (card edge to pin), then

his battle is half-won. He can use a "universal" floppy cable for the

rest after he untwists the twist.

Does your board have a jumper to set DMA1? If it doesn't, the board

will not work. You will need to trace the ISA pin connector B6, cut

the trace and solder a wire from it to B18. Ditto for B26 to B17.

The cable that comes with an Option board has a 34-connector card

edge on one end and a a 34-pin connector on the other end. The pin

connector plugs into the floppy port on the motherboard, the edge

connector to the card edge on the OB. <<

[tremoloman2006]

 

This is manual for a slightly later version:

 

http://www.applefool.com/se30/files/OBManual_1988.pdf

 

And here's a snippet that I found on a forum some time ago:

 

>>In my copy of the 1986 Rev. A Option Board manual, it states that you

should set the jumper for DMA 1 for the Tandy 1000 and invoke TC with

the /C1 option. Also, Central Point provided their own cable for the

1000--which is nothing more than a 34-pin edge connector-to-34-position

female dual-row header. Connect your motherboard to the controller using

J3 and hook the drives to J2. It's a little contorted.

J4, J5 and J6 should be set identically--the two jumpers occupying the

4 pins toward the bottom of the board (AT/Compaq setting, DMA 1).

J3 on the OB is an edge connector and J2 is a dual-row header, Mike. So

you connect up the Tandy as if it were an AT-style setup--the drive cable

goes to J2, the dual-oow header and the cable included with the OB goes

from J3 (edge connector) to the Tandy dual-row header. Note that on a PC XT,

it's just the reverse--the drive cable attaches to the edge connector and

the included cable goes from the dual-row header to the edge connector on

the XT floppy controller.

My OB works in my Tandy 1000 SX with DMA set to 1 and using the /C1 option

for Transcopy. There is nothing odd about the floppy cable for the Tandy

1000 SX except that the supplied cables are awfully short.

I can tell you what is wrong, however. His card is the long TTL card,

which does not have the jumpers to set it to DMA1. It won't work until

he busts out his soldering iron and X-acto knife.

>> Note: Mine is the short one, so it should work fine without any

modifications. <<

If he has the cable supplied with the OB (card edge to pin), then

his battle is half-won. He can use a "universal" floppy cable for the

rest after he untwists the twist.

Does your board have a jumper to set DMA1? If it doesn't, the board

will not work. You will need to trace the ISA pin connector B6, cut

the trace and solder a wire from it to B18. Ditto for B26 to B17.

The cable that comes with an Option board has a 34-connector card

edge on one end and a a 34-pin connector on the other end. The pin

connector plugs into the floppy port on the motherboard, the edge

connector to the card edge on the OB. <<

 

 

I know this is an old thread but thank you for posting this! I need to get that cable made so I start making copies again.

 

I've got 1 working version of Super Boulderdash and won't play it until I can make a copy since it's so hard to find. This game is a self boot game and supports Tandy's 16 color mode.

The executable I keep finding on all the freeware sites doesn't support the Tandy mode and look like crap in CGA so I really want to get this game going again.

 

Thank you!!!

[Great Hierophant]

 

This is manual for a slightly later version:

 

http://www.applefool.com/se30/files/OBManual_1988.pdf

 

And here's a snippet that I found on a forum some time ago:

 

>>In my copy of the 1986 Rev. A Option Board manual, it states that you

should set the jumper for DMA 1 for the Tandy 1000 and invoke TC with

the /C1 option. Also, Central Point provided their own cable for the

1000--which is nothing more than a 34-pin edge connector-to-34-position

female dual-row header. Connect your motherboard to the controller using

J3 and hook the drives to J2. It's a little contorted.

J4, J5 and J6 should be set identically--the two jumpers occupying the

4 pins toward the bottom of the board (AT/Compaq setting, DMA 1).

J3 on the OB is an edge connector and J2 is a dual-row header, Mike. So

you connect up the Tandy as if it were an AT-style setup--the drive cable

goes to J2, the dual-oow header and the cable included with the OB goes

from J3 (edge connector) to the Tandy dual-row header. Note that on a PC XT,

it's just the reverse--the drive cable attaches to the edge connector and

the included cable goes from the dual-row header to the edge connector on

the XT floppy controller.

My OB works in my Tandy 1000 SX with DMA set to 1 and using the /C1 option

for Transcopy. There is nothing odd about the floppy cable for the Tandy

1000 SX except that the supplied cables are awfully short.

I can tell you what is wrong, however. His card is the long TTL card,

which does not have the jumpers to set it to DMA1. It won't work until

he busts out his soldering iron and X-acto knife.

>> Note: Mine is the short one, so it should work fine without any

modifications. <<

If he has the cable supplied with the OB (card edge to pin), then

his battle is half-won. He can use a "universal" floppy cable for the

rest after he untwists the twist.

Does your board have a jumper to set DMA1? If it doesn't, the board

will not work. You will need to trace the ISA pin connector B6, cut

the trace and solder a wire from it to B18. Ditto for B26 to B17.

The cable that comes with an Option board has a 34-connector card

edge on one end and a a 34-pin connector on the other end. The pin

connector plugs into the floppy port on the motherboard, the edge

connector to the card edge on the OB. <<

 

 

That writing seems awfully familiar...http://www.vcfed.org/forum/showthread.php?19912-Copy-II-PC-Option-Board-install-questions-on-a-Tandy-1000-Tandy-1000-SX

 

 

I know this is an old thread but thank you for posting this! I need to get that cable made so I start making copies again.

 

I've got 1 working version of Super Boulderdash and won't play it until I can make a copy since it's so hard to find. This game is a self boot game and supports Tandy's 16 color mode.

The executable I keep finding on all the freeware sites doesn't support the Tandy mode and look like crap in CGA so I really want to get this game going again.

 

Thank you!!!

 

You can fix the common PC booter disk image. Download the patch linked on my blog page : http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-lost-tandy-and-pcjr-game-versions.html

Edited March 19, 2016 by Great Hierophant