ZX Format #02 30 ноября 1995

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Interview - Interview with Sergei and Andrei Zonov Larchenko

  Today we present to you

An interview with Sergei Zaw
New and Andrew Larchenko.

________________________________


ZX-Format: - Sergey, please tell me when did your
hobby computers?

Sergei Zonov: - beginning, perhaps, when the first domestic 
microprocessors 580 series, when the first

publication, allowing yourself to collect your computer.
This 1980-81 year. When I was
the final year of the Institute, I
carried away by digital technology and, as
consequence - microprocessor
technique. In the not so distant time and it was a wonder, all 
the unusual and therefore very interesting. Had to

Holes 3.2 read books on
microprocessors, which are then
time have been published on the subject. There was a dream to 
collect my first computer, or rather not

as the computer itself, how much
implement some of its projects on the basis of modern
At that time the microprocessor (with
large letters) that I was thinking, as an avid amateur. But 
from the outset, I rests on the lack of both knowledge

on microprocessor technology,
and the basics of programming. In addition, totally lacking 
even the most primitive debugging tools. And here, as not 
incidentally, there was a remarkable series of articles in the 
journal "Radio" on your computer Micro-80.

Quickly assembled his computer for
based Micro-80, I received a unique opportunity at a time
in practice to perceive a basis
programming codes, then
assembler, and then managed to master the most popular and this
day is not dead OSes -
CP / M, to adapt it to your
computer. All this has brought and
knowledge and invaluable experience as a
circuit design and programmer.

ZF: - How much time have you spent
to develop your very first
scheme ZX Spectrum?

SZ: - Time passed quickly, and
came in 1986. Here and there
in conversations with friends and colleagues now say ZX
Spectrum, Sinclair, etc.
Rasckazyvali of the most unimaginable possibilities of the 
computer, on an excellent plot in the interesting game 
programs. A later managed to finally see and the first for me a 
scheme of one of the overseas counterparts miracle. Now about 
her and remember something funny. But it was she It has 
prompted a long-term search, research and development. After 
collecting the first, then second, third computer, it was 
possible in the course of studies strongly reduce the number of 
chips (Willy-nilly going about it

think, when all of these computers
mounted manually on the prototyping board with MGTF-a).
Managed to reduce the first scheme
50 IC, then to 45 and finally leave the 41-42 shell. For
this time it was collected about
10-15 computers. By this time the scheme, as it seemed,
was perfected, and
the question arose about the development of the PCB. And so, in 
the summer of 1987, when I "rested" on vacation, Six weeks were 
devoted that manually diluted

printed circuit board. Since I myself
engaged in board layout and could
in the process to adjust
scheme to rearrange the valves in
chips, etc., could
a very successful design.
 At the time when the mine
machine, it was already several options for computers - Moscow,
Novosibirsk, Krasnodar and
etc. Each of these options
had its own dignity, and their
disadvantages. I think the important thing is not so much the 
scheme computer as a general result emerging from several 
factors: ease of circuits, beauty layout, high repeatability 
and ease of setup. That it all together ensured that this option

Spectrum-compatible computers
received the widest circulation in the CIS. When
All the existing shortcomings in it.

ZF: - And what happened? For example, why your next version was 
called the "composite"? 

SZ: - A year after the onset of my first board, it is becoming 
increasingly popular, Someone managed to organize more or less 
mass produced. Of course, become "fish out" various minor 
problems inherent this board, found that

it was not possible if
computer was not popular and not
"Tested" by thousands of users. Therefore, the summer of 1987
was slightly adjusted
scheme, a little pererazvedena
fee. Pattern of this new board
as well as the very first payment,
resounded all parole in exchange for a pattern to return in 1920
sound card, manufactured by
this pattern. Exactly the same
through the template has been transmitted to humans,
which, as it turned out,
were co-operative "Composite". But co-op, as it should
it should be, these began to stamp
computers under the brand name "Composite" - hence the title of 
my second motherboard.


ZF: - Sergei, and themselves, then why are not you engaged in 
the production of computers back then, at the peak

flowering ZX Spectrum?

SZ: - Well, probably because
to do most production
their computers I have not had
nor the desire (not very interesting from
creative point of view) nor the financial means.

   Theme ZX Spectrum, I continued to work, but only for
themselves. Variant appeared Spectrum
128, then the option - analog
Spectruma 2 +. At this time
market began to appear different
interface options for the system
TR-DOS, the first program, adapted to this system. C
Every month they became
more and more. And it became clear, at least to me, that as
Had this system was not bad
the other a system, even
one that was installed on
firm Spectrum +2 and +3 (a
a system +3 DOS) in our poor country will not reappear. In
this sense, the system IS-DOS rather an exception to the rule 
that proves the rule. Although a lot of problems with it,

Despite all its advantages.
So I abandoned the idea of ​​repeating the computer-compatible
with the ZX Spectrum 2 + and 3 + in pure
form. I wanted to do something,
another type of computer
"Hit", but at the present
at the time level, taking into account
all information, knowledge of all
subtleties of the ZX Spectrum,
For example, such as the Port of FF, or
duration of the signal INT and
temporary position with respect to
HR синхроимпульса.Неотъемлемой part of such a computer would be 
an interface Beta-Disk and Memory 256 KB, music processor and 
interface printer. The scheme of such a computer by being born 
again and issue long-term experiments dozen experimental 
options for practical check circuit solutions. In the summer of 
1991, again in while on vacation, I manually run the wiring the 
first board of the computer, which was named "Scorpion ZS 256". 
Again also thanks to the manual PCB layout has been achieved

very high rates in
sense of repetition, simplicity,
production, etc.

ZF: - Scorpion once had a volume
Memory: 256 KB?

SZ: - Yes, it was originally
laid, and 256 K is cheaper in terms of costs
production than 128 KB. And I
still wonder why once our developers machines 128
did their "256 KB".

ZF: - I guess they just do not
know what to do with the remaining
128 KB. And by the way, where did you get the standard memory 
allocation, or rather, addresses, ports and distribution of 
digits in them, responsible for expanding the memory?


SZ: - Of course, this question
standing in front of me, because
While computers with memory
256 K was not. And I decided not to
introduce any new ports
Compared with existing
Software - Spectrum +2, +3.

   These were the 128-th machine, but
They existed ports 7FFDh,
1FFDh. Separate bits of
ports are run by RAM and
Rom. In particular, the port managed switch 1FFDh pages
RAM, the formation of the gate on
printer, turning the motor drive. All that could be saved from 
these machines - it was all stored in Scorpio.


ZF: - A shadow monitor?

SZ: - From the very beginning was
the idea that, because of
64 KB ROM is really used
48 KB and 16 are simply lost, then
it would be nice to have a computer built-in additional
software, access to which would be on the button
Magic. An example of such a system
While the computer was "The Hobbit".
Therefore, was originally laid, that if you press the button 
Magic leads to switching banks

Rom. And then came Andrew
Larchenko.

ZF: - And as you came,
Andrew?

Andrew Larchenko: - Yes, I no longer
I remember how I came.

SZ: - We have collaborated, communicated ...

AL: - ... I was near the shop
"Young Tech" that Krasnoputilovskaya street, this wonderful 
"market - second-hand market." He was going to just on 
Saturdays, regardless of whether it be postponed to Monday or

no. And people came there
somehow related to electronics. And not only for
that would have something to sell, buy, but simply to share
views. Time there were no other
such a place. After the market we
small groups, "scattered"
the nearby cafe, it was
a kind of ritual. Hunger for information at the time was very
great, and "crush" was one
of the few vents. Then,
whether in jest, or earnest
Someone called it a club. Incidentally, Business Club "Juno" - 
is because it echoes of the "crush".


   I'll try to remember how I got there. Approximately 8 class I
greatly carried away by two things: the chemistry and 
electronics. Was this year in the 82 th. In radioelektronniki 
seemed particularly attractive digital technique (about any 
microprocessor then still we did not know). But top at the time 
took chemistry, and on such subjects as programming, I learned 
only in the first aware of the Leningrad Institute of 
Technology. And although the institute I graduated, programming 
still won. Basic knowledge in programming, so and "iron" I have 
learned in the physics department, where he was a wonderful 
team of staff laboratory NIRS and wonderful

for the time machine "Elektronika-60". And somewhere in the 
87-year at We at the department has its first

homemade Spectrum. Brought it to show one of the students.
Naturally, the whole team
literally "rushed" to repeat
this design.

   In fairness, we must
say that it was the Spectrum version of Novosibirsk on a huge 
board and a "bunch" of scarce items. Then I accidentally met 
with Valery Volyhinym, reason was that is the Spectrum. Valera 
has amazing ability to acquaint all with all. That he "pulled" 
my "flea market", well there are already acquainted and with 
Nicky Rodionov, and Sergei Zonov. However, before the 
"Scorpion" was still far.


   It so happens that both
Only a freshman, I saw
first computer, I have without him
I could not. All coursework
graduate work I have done so or
otherwise the computer. Running
ahead, even the statement "I beg to fire at will" I printed on 
a laser printer in our institute, it was perhaps the first 
case. And since I have been "Corrupted" so comfortable

devices such as disk drives, the
the emergence of at least some disk
system to the ZX Spectrum impression on me, like a red rag
the bull.

   The fact that the "iron"
TR-DOS appeared, and descriptions
As always, it was not. And about
per month, putting all the things I
was the same "gut" the system and to write those three cherished
leaves with more or less detailed
description of the internal challenges and
system variables. My God,
how many clandestine and official publications I have seen 
information of the leaflets (with carefully repeated errors). 
On Based on information received

then came my first program for the Spectrum: lentochnodiskovy 
copyist AM-Copier, and later - the shell MOA Service. By the 
way, I'm quite modest estimate their abilities, and so somehow 
ashamed to sign his program this name.


   So come the 90 th year. Thanks Rodionov I got into a 
cooperative Fanny, who very soon become a MP, Peter, and now it 
is quite a large publishing house "Piter-Press. However, the 
first book of this publishing house was our Kolya "ZX Spectrum 
for users and programmers. "We wanted to reduce

all our "leaves" to some
logical end. The book was published in
beginning in 1991.

   And here is me and asked Sergei Zonov with his project of a 
new computer. Fee have not even been divorced, she

was soldered wires on conventional
"From Leningrad" (though quite
was extended and its name - "Zone"). Sergei proposed to adapt 
to this board system CP / M and to consider option of something 
that operates at Clicking on Magic.


ZF: - What was the first Scorpions without shadow businesses?

SZ: - Same as now
just was not the shadow of the monitor. Magic was on the same
that in the 128-m. A shadow businesses appeared
we have exactly one year later, the first
version. And then went to working hours
new versions, eliminating errors encountered, the embodiment of 
new ideas.


ZF: - The first monitor was once with
monitor / debugger?

SZ: - Yes. All this zateivalos
as a kind of Hobbit, and The Hobbit
mainly been the shadow screen. AND
We would like to have on Scorpio was something like that
only better.

AL: - I am generally more interested in system software, let 
alone nice and easy to use debugger - it

first case. And not even so much
for "digging" into other people's programs, how to debug their
own. Once Kohl Rodionov brought a tape with "lumps"
from the pack Laser Genius. There was
just a debugger, and, naturally,
No description. But seeing the Monitor, I realized that this was
what you need. And after
"For users and programmers, where we have written honestly about
that the full package we can not
saw us in publishing
called "sinklerist. This was
Cyril Murzin, and he was surprised
told us that long enjoyed by this package, has a distribution 
and supply with a box little book-description. Naturally, there 
is a version, adapted to the TR-DOS.


   However, how good was the debugger to run from RAM,
just as bad, he was
when working from the ROM. Had to rewrite virtually everything, 
leaving just a block reassemblera, ideas and

appearance of the interface.

SZ: - When did the first
version of the debugger, then there
problem - had it
embedded commands that would
to configure.

AL: - And then decided to divide
shadow monitor into two parts -
shadow debugger and menu system
which would be configured and the hardware capabilities of the 
computer and something from the program things

the same interface as the printer.

   And because the mechanism for calling
debugger was quite
handy and small (RST command
8 with a small number of parameters), we decided to expand 
through this interface is a set of routines

Basic standard OS. Done
For example, disc features, independent of the TR-DOS.

ZF: - Where are they used?

AL: - First, the monitor itself, as it should be "transparent" 
to the "standard" devices. And, secondly, describes an 
interface that allows them to be called from user programs. 
Say, adapting programs to a conveyor TR-DOS becomes easier.



                            ...

...

ZF: - What was subsequently done with this machine?

SZ: - Improvements to develop new versions of the TM and 
Professional ROM and, of course, Turbo mode. At first it did

on multiple chips, but
it was not technologically, but then decided to make use of 
modern element base - chip programmable logic company INTEL. 
One such chip to replace the order of 10

1533 series chips, an order of magnitude
them safer and, most importantly, do not
gives to those who had copied
our projects, do it now. These chips have a bit
copy protection, and
"Cracker," there remains no
chance to repeat our development, but to think of himself
exactly the same thing. And this,
experience has shown the last eighteen months or two years 
until no one failed. I think that's why

Those who still continues to do
"Pirate" Scorpions, often
declare that the Turbo mode to anyone
is not needed, it does not work reliably, etc. Do not believe 
it, but better yet ask someone who

Turbo runs on the board, and even
and Professional ROM that he
think about it. Except
This, today, all further
Our developments built
software being
only for professional
ROM, which works exclusively on the boards Turbo. Therefore,
My advice to those thinking about
acquisition of our board or
computer. If you buy
our products is not straight with us,
then for 100% certainty
that the board or the computer - brand, the best to date 
purchase option TURBO. All the more so since 1996, computers 
and the board of non-Turbo We will not publish at all. A

better yet, contact directly to the
us, the more that we are actively
send our products by mail
in Russia, and the price when purchasing by mail only 15% (for
residents of the Far North and Sakhalin - 25%) due to costs
the shipment is higher than in our
St. Petersburg. To obtain
Detailed information about ordering, our current prices, 
detailed specifications of our products please send a written 
request to address: 199048 POBox 083 Zonov

SY or call one of the
our phone: (812) 524-16-53,
251-1262, 172-6994.

ZF: - Sergei, all books,
are attached to the Scorpion
says that this card is protected.

SZ: - Yes. So it was, and
there. The first boards were reserved
the fact that the names have been erased
chip and the circuit was kept
secret. In addition, introduced a variety of defense-related
bound rates ROM to the content of individual cells of RAM upon 
power-up, and if this number does not match, then

board began to behave very
countries, such as in a few minutes after power ceased to 
respond to reset button, or a sudden

spoiled diskette, etc. In general,
In my opinion, the conditions of our
Soviet disregard for the rights to
Intellectual Property
These ways of protecting themselves justified and gave us the 
opportunity to be ahead of our competitors, though,

of course, and created some
inconvenience to some of our
users.

   Today we have abandoned these
ways to protect and moved on to the fact
which I have already mentioned, and
namely, once again - the use of a programmable LSI
logic of having a bit of protection from
copying. These chips
reserved all our latest developments: board-Turbo Professional 
ROM controller IBM keyboard and mouse interface MIDI. They are 
fully carry out their protective functions, completely 
reliable, and very technical. 

ZF: - Tell me, how long
passed since the creation of your
computer before the first
"Pirated" copies?

SZ: - I do not know exactly when
"Pirated" copies of our computers first appeared. According to 
my data, it was in Ufa, about

a year - a half after the actual release of our boards
market.

ZF: - What is left branded computers are much worse?

AL: - First of all pay different quality. In addition,
fee, in general, can be "at loggerheads" one to one, but it
were laid by the things that is difficult to replicate without 
disassembling the topology of the circuit. 

SZ: - Starting with the use of
certain circuits of certain series. If combined
other series of the same chip
type, the fee or not
works or does not work,
as it should. And most importantly,
almost all pirated "Scorpio" manifest certain
impact protection integrated in the
Rom. In addition, acquiring
"Pirated" version of the computer
user deprives itself of the possibility of gradually improve 
this computer, because all new development on it will not work.


ZF: - Thank you. And finally
please tell us about their
plans.

SZ: - First on the agenda
is repeatedly promised
disk drive controller card, and ROM, which supports a hard 
drive. Terms of any call I will not, but the hardware part is 
already working on a program - ask Andrew. 

AL: - Well, with software support for the work remaining 
percent fifteen to twenty. If remember how much effort has been 
to She spent, it is simply

required to appear. Enough
to say that debugging was written by a complete cross-emulator
Scorpion on a computer IBM PC.

ZF: - And at what speed the hard drive will work?

AL: - The very transfer of data
IDE bus is ten times faster
than drive, but the speed with which it will actually work is 
still unknown. Of course, slower.


ZF: - How will it look and
how much it cost?

SZ: - Controller - a handkerchief
like the keyboard controller,
it will cost you about fifteen - twenty dollars. But
I repeat, it is imperative
to dress, to which the controller connects to a Turbo
Professional ROM.

ZF: - Thank you very much for this interview, we hope that it 
will not the last. One more, one can

say, a personal question. You've seen the first issue of our 
magazine. What do you think about it?


SZ: - What I saw, I
liked it. Not all true, but
this is purely for decoration. Here at
you use different fonts -
Some I liked more,
others less. But the fact that
can be done on the Spectrum, it is
very well. In my
opinion, the most important thing that
the magazine has its own face.

   Would like to see the first issue did not last.

AL: - If you have made
Well, at least 40 characters per line
and somehow got rid of
horrible mezhslovnyh gaps in
aligning the lines ...

        ________________



       Instead of an epilogue



   As you might guess,
The first issue did not last and
it makes us happy. As for
AL the last comment, we
not going to comment, though
language and itches ...
________________________________