Where are all the ICD P:R: Connections?

[+Nezgar]

it will emulate an 850, and an internet modem, so it will work for wherever you can use an 850. I _have_ to emulate an 850 exactly, because the PLATO cartridge literally has an 850 handler baked into it, and does not load it from the 850 itself (there is NO RAM left to do so.)

 

I was thinking a more modern hack might be nice to just let the user load their preferred R: handler before executing the PLATO code.. Maybe only possible as an XEX.

[tschak909]

I have repeated this repeatedly:

There is no RAM to do so.

 

Not possible. The handler has to be baked onto the cartridge ROM.

 

-Thom

 

We will try to do the following, ideas once the cart is fully disassembled:

 

(1) remove the 1030/835 and MPP handlers, to get room to either add other handlers, or add additional features like flow control.

(2) remove the zoomed mode, which will gain 24K of RAM, so the image can be written to disk and/or relocated so that normal handlers can run (after removing the built in handler, and the code which plops it into HATABS.)

Edited April 16, 2018 by tschak909

[+Nezgar]

 

Both the MIO and the Black Box should take over from any run-time installed driver. SIO gives PBI devices first crack at satisfying the request, and if they do, then any other drivers aren't checked.

 

Powered up my 1MB MIO today - v1.1

 

I can confirm that even though the two options for Serial port in the menu is either 'R1:' or 'Not configured' it in fact seems to block the PRC handler from loading at all. Disabling the MIO R1: allows PRC.COM to load the handler from the PRC, and BobTerm will communicate over PRC...

 

Wow the 9600 pitch is annoying... reminds me how silent PBI Serial on MIO sure was nice!!!

[Quantum Mechanic]

Wow, that brought back a memory! I totally forgot how the MIO was silent compared to its predecessors. I remember going to a buddy's house when they first came out. He had purchased two of them, one for his BBS and one for his personal system. I hopped on the BBS machine and was struck by the deafening silence as the characters zipped by at 1200 baud speed. It was disconcerting... like when someone would turn down the volume on their TV and you couldn't hear the comforting SIO bleep bleep bleep.

[+Nezgar]

For further nostalgia - I meant to attach this picture of the config screen to my last post (Accessed by select-reset), guess i forgot to click something!

 

I've seen something about newer firmware, but maybe only for the later recreated MIO's.

 

The print buffer was a nice thing too, configurable memory allocation.

 

I would configure the ram disk to 900KB or something, and then ran a utility for the BBS called MIOCACHE - and it would use any unallocated MIO RAM for a disk cache... it tremendously sped up repetitive directory access, like scanning message bases, command folders, and file areas. the MIO RAMdisk was even faster than any internal ramdisk (less memory copying between banks) so a lot of the time i never even used the internal RAMdisk for the BBS even with 320K.

 

I had the MIO for about a year before I even got a hard drive, and it was great that the RAMdisk would keep its contents as long as it was left on, even when the computer got turned off. Being able to reassign floppy drives to other drive numbers in software was nice too. my standard setup had my floppy D1: reassigned to D4: by the MIO. (So I could boot D1: from the HD)

[BillC]

For further nostalgia - I meant to attach this picture of the config screen to my last post (Accessed by select-reset), guess i forgot to click something!

 

I've seen something about newer firmware, but maybe only for the later recreated MIO's.

 

The print buffer was a nice thing too, configurable memory allocation.

 

I would configure the ram disk to 900KB or something, and then ran a utility for the BBS called MIOCACHE - and it would use any unallocated MIO RAM for a disk cache... it tremendously sped up repetitive directory access, like scanning message bases, command folders, and file areas. the MIO RAMdisk was even faster than any internal ramdisk (less memory copying between banks) so a lot of the time i never even used the internal RAMdisk for the BBS even with 320K.

 

I had the MIO for about a year before I even got a hard drive, and it was great that the RAMdisk would keep its contents as long as it was left on, even when the computer got turned off. Being able to reassign floppy drives to other drive numbers in software was nice too. my standard setup had my floppy D1: reassigned to D4: by the MIO. (So I could boot D1: from the HD)

According to the thread the updated MIOs are backwards compatible with the originals, all MEtalGuy66 did was change to 30-pin SIMM DRAM and update the serial/parallel ports to be compatible with common PC type cables. This means the updated firmware is supposed to be compatible with original ICD MIOs, it adds increased support for later SCSI HDD.

 

The v1.41 firmware is available from http://www.rasterline.com/, click the support button.

[+Nezgar]

I never realized the new firmware would work with the old MIOs. I'll definitely check that out, see what EPROM it needs.

[+Nezgar]

One thing I still want to try some day is changing the R: part of the 850 ROM to, let's say, M:. Maybe it's possible to use two of those simultaneously that way, however, for me it's more that I can use an 850 (or P:R:) together with the serial R: port of a Black Box.

 

Since the 850 is set-up to use R1: -> R4: it may also be possible to edit the ROM and change that part to R5: -> R8: I suppose that can work when the driver is loaded from disk.

 

Got the image of my BBS working in Altirra with the telnet-capable R: handler this evening, as my main goal was to see my ANSI logon screens again, and I had a real Deja Vu moment when I came across this message in the NET_IMR-Sysops base!!! These bases are a real time capsule. Looks like you've been pondering this idea for a few decades!

Edited April 26, 2018 by Nezgar

[Fox-1 / mnx]

 

Looks like you've been pondering this idea for a few decades!

 

1998! Now I'm really feeling old...

 

Yeah, I already had that idea 20 years ago but never got to it. Since no one ever seemed to made an attempt to try something like that makes me think it isn't a good idea after all :-) Back then I just solved it by getting an extra Black Box, however, I guess times haven't changed that much as I'll probably have another 2 soon but still want to try that R: thingy some day.

[ACML]

UPDATE: Looks like May was a good month for P: R: Connection sightings on eBay. I even bought one of them. I was saying last month that these seemed to have dried up and them boom! I think three or four have popped up on eBay this month. Checked in out on my Epson FX-980 and its works great!

Edited May 27, 2018 by ACML

[+Nezgar]

Oh my I see there's a new in box 1MB MIO here in Canada for $500 with make offer. (Good deal in USD with the poor exchange rate, ~$385?)

 

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/163058929113

 

I would have bought it if I didn't already have one

Edited May 27, 2018 by Nezgar

[ACML]

Oh my I see there's a new in box 1MB MIO here in Canada for $500 with make offer. (Good deal in USD with the poor exchange rate, ~$385?)

 

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/163058929113

 

I would have bought it if I didn't already have one

I had a 1 MB MIO back in the 80's. I enjoyed it, but don't really need something like that anymore. Besides, my real hardware is down to 1200XLs and a 400 so I couldn't interface with it anyway. They were super cool at the time. I really liked the RAM disk feature that would not get dumped when you powered down. For an 800XL rig, it's pretty compelling.

[_The Doctor__]

Yeah, seen them often now for 240.00 usd give or take. Not going crazy for it, but I would like one of Metal Guys MIO's all the mistakes fixed updated firmware better ports connections and using much much less electricity!

[_The Doctor__]

Hey do the PBI mod on those machines! Then you have the full run of peripherals!

 

Interestingly enough, _The Doctor__ has MIO surgery to perform but is looking for consultants before he starts in on it.

[Mr Robot]

it will emulate an 850, and an internet modem, so it will work for wherever you can use an 850. I _have_ to emulate an 850 exactly, because the PLATO cartridge literally has an 850 handler baked into it, and does not load it from the 850 itself (there is NO RAM left to do so.)

 

-Thom

 

 

Hi Thom,

Any news on the progress of this?

 

Happy new year!

[tschak909]

I have been working entirely on versions of PLATOTerm for over a dozen systems (with a dozen more planned)

 

Jeff Piepmeier is working on a different solution that uses the cartridge port and side-steps all the issues with trying to use the SIO port for high-speed modem use.

 

I've come to understand that trying to use the SIO port for this sort of thing, is a very dead end.

 

-Thom

[+mytek]

I have been working entirely on versions of PLATOTerm for over a dozen systems (with a dozen more planned)

 

Jeff Piepmeier is working on a different solution that uses the cartridge port and side-steps all the issues with trying to use the SIO port for high-speed modem use.

 

I've come to understand that trying to use the SIO port for this sort of thing, is a very dead end.

 

-Thom

 

I totally agree , but perhaps it would be even better as a true parallel device (i.e., PBI).

 

A parallel port solution with a real UART and/or a parallel accessed WiFi chip is the way to go. Although from an implementation aspect SIO is easy, so that is why it is the go to for this sort of thing. But I think it's long overdue that we move past this, and do it right. After all this is what the XL PBI and it's XE equivalent were meant to be used for. To allow for intelligent high speed peripheral support.

[tschak909]

The only problem I have with PBI, is that it totally cuts off the 400/800 people, which is why I suggested cartridge, as there is more than enough address space in D500 to handle things.

 

-Thom

[Mr Robot]

I thought you said it had to emulate an 850 or PLATO wouldn't work with it?

[tschak909]

The original Atari cartridge, yes.

 

I have since written a terminal which replaces it. (PLATOTerm) with something a lot better.

 

PLATOTerm will work with any loaded R: handler.

 

-Thom

[ACML]

Just picked up my fifth P: R: Connection. They are still showing up on eBay, just not that often anymore.

[+Nezgar]

Just picked up my fifth P: R: Connection. They are still showing up on eBay, just not that often anymore.

 

Wondering if you would be willing to post pictures of the PCB's of each in the following thread, to compare to the two already posted? (If they are actually any variations)

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/268787-icd-pr-connection/

 

Hopefully one day we'll figure out how to dump the ROM from the mystery microcrontroller on the board...