Smokeless Joe

I’m looking at the Star Raiders source code listing at: https://atariwiki.org/wiki/Wiki.jsp?page=Star Raiders source code by Lorenz Wiest And I’m intrigued by these lines: 00050 ; This assembly language source code file is compatible with the MAC/65 00051 ; assembler for the Atari 8-bit Home Computer System. I was able to assemble it 00052 ; on an emulated Atari running MAC/65, producing the identical binary of the ROM 00053 ; cartridge. I would also like to assemble this using MAC/65, but I’m an assembly noob. Are there instructions anywhere?

It turns out the cable is the problem. As per Tim Mann’s excellent FAQ, “Generally, Radio Shack handled drive select by pulling pins in the cable connectors”. This initially included pin 32, “which later was officially defined as side select for two-sided drives.” Sure enough, my cable has pin 32 removed, probably because it came with single sided drives. Trying to use a 720K double sided disk image on such a cable confuses it. Replacing the cable with one that has NO pins removed allows my GoTek to boot from and otherwise fully access 720K disk images. Hooray! Of course, I’ll need to pull some pins or adjust some jumpers to get drive :1 recognized (the GoTek is drive :0), but I’m optimistic.

I'm working on a Model 4P gate array version. I've added a GoTek and can boot LS-DOS 6.2.1 and LDOS 5.3.1 (in Model III mode) from it. I can also create, access, and boot from 360K disk images. My experiments with adding a 3.5" floppy drive show promise; a random 1.44 MB drive seems happy to format and access 720K disks as either 180K or 360K. I can NOT seem to use disks or images at 720K capacity. I can create and use them on an emulator (trs80gp 2.5.2) just fine. On the GoTek, a "FREE" command will show an image has 720K, but it can't take a "DIR" or run anything from it. On the 3.5" floppy, it will act like formatting 720K (double density, two sides, 80 cylinders) is okay, but then chokes when verifying the format. Can a Model 4P really use disks and disk images at 720K, or am I stuck with 360K?

Apparently, the TRS-80 Model 4 was designed to accept a high-resolution add-on, so more hi-res software was designed for the Model 4. The archives that I know about either separate Model 1 and Model 4 software (the *HUMONGOUS* TRS-80 Archives, Planet Emulation) or make a note about which system the software was for (The Big List of TRS-80 Software). My mistake was only looking for Model 1 software. For example, THIS SEARCH shows there are two versions of Star Bird: one for Model 1, one for Model 4. I was using the Model 1 version and wondering why I was only getting lo-res graphics. Once I tried the Model 4 version, I was able to frolic in vast fields of pixels on my Model 1 using a MISE. I'm still interested in what other hi-res games were available for the Model I/III/4 family, but at least I know my MISE is working correctly.

I‘ve had one of Bartlett Labs wonderful MISE devices for over a year, but only recently started playing with it. I love it! There’s an old demo of it on YouTube HERE. At about time 11:05, he shows off the PCG-80 emulation capabilities of the MISE by loading the game Starbird. The only copies of Starbird that I can find use default low resolution. The copy used in the video is named “sbirdHR/cmd”, suggesting there’s a separate HR version somewhere. Does anyone know where to get the PCG-80 version of Starbird, or any other PCG-80 compatible games? Thanks!

Winning bid was $185.50 + $25 shipping from San Antonio, TX. The Buy-It-Now price was something like $225, which I would have paid, except someone already bid on it by the time my saved search notified me. Then I forgot to bid on it. Maybe someday I’ll get a CosmosEX, but not today.

I just got a sweet TRS-80 Model 1, but it has Level I BASIC, so it's not compatible with the MIRE and MISE I already have. What's the recommended way to upgrade the Model 1 from Level I to Level II? Does anyone still sell an upgrade? Thanks!

I see the source of my confusion! When I download everything from your GitHub HERE, and look in the Output folder, the .ZIP file gives a board that only has C1 and is missing C2: But the individual .GBR and .DRL files in the Output folder (NOT in the .ZIP file) give a different board, which includes both C1 and C2: So... which board do you recommend?

The image and BOM on your GitHub page refer to a 10uF radial capacitor (see red arrow on attached image), but the Gerbers and the images of the boards you posted last Saturday don't have it. Is it no longer needed? I'm hoping to make one of these myself (eventually) and just want to make sure I have everything straight. Thanks!

Thanks! This looks really cool!

Thanks for all the replies! Not having the keyboard work in games is a downside, but it seems like a useful device otherwise.

Has anyone been able to successfully use a NETUSBee device with a USB keyboard? I’m looking to replace the keyboard on my MSTE with something that can talk to a KVM.

Henry from ReActiveMicro confirmed that the TWGS does not need to be in slot 3. He even offered to make a longer cable for me if/when I order one. So yes, the whole premise for my card-swapping test was faulty. I’m a big monkey.

I figured out the problem. I needed to set slot 6 to “your card” in the control panel. Now it’s booting .dsk files from USB like a champ. It was a dumb setting, but it outsmarted me! Thanks for all the suggestions! I learned a lot.

I was reluctant to check since it doesn’t have much recently activity, but yeah! That’s a great idea! This thread sounded promising, and it led to this other thread. Looks like others have had the same problem, but I’ve found no indication that any of them solved it. Reaching out to ReActiveMicro is a great idea too. On it! I think I just broke it in a very small but significant way. I won’t be switching cards around again. Not for a LONG time anyway. It might be worth it to remove the CFFA and reattach a physical disk drive, to make sure it can boot of ANY floppy, virtual or otherwise, and to see if I broke the IIgs itself. The CFFA is not easy to replace, but it’s easier than getting another IIgs.