Adventurer #04 31 июля 1996

Железо

System - Spectrum-compatible computers: Pentagon, ATM-Turbo, Scorpion.

         (C), Konstantin Breeders



                SPECTRUM
            compatible (?)

                Computer literacy



      This article I decided to write not by accident, because 
in our time has divorced a lot of computers based on Spectrum, 
and each has its advantages and disadvantages. And from the 
handouts still unclear what exactly actually better, because 
producers obtained as in the proverb: "Every

frog my swamp praises. "Situation
even worse, the USER'y divided into several camps of fans
of a machine, and each mumbles
his own. All this and gave me the idea

sober explanation of the situation.
Let's start "flushing the bones" from the old
and the order of the sensational PENTAGON'a.

      PENTAGON 128 (48-model will not be considered because it 
has virtually disappeared from use.) My eyes came across two 
versions of this machine. First and the oldest model of the 
Soviet fleet SPECTRUM'ov memory has more than 48k

on-board controller drive interface
for the printer, but with all this missing Kempston joystick 
(no great loss) and a music processor. Missing connects a 
separate board, after which the computer appears a number of 
extra wires. But in the second model (PENTAGON 128-03, which 
appeared Recently sold out) all these problems are eliminated. 
Now the board has all and, in the words, realized TURBO-SH. The 
first PENTAGON (for simplicity I will call them

by numbers) has, I believe, two gadskih properties. Property 
number one - do not coincidence of timing with the screen

SPECTRUM'om, produced once abroad. As a result Multicolor
effects that were made for the "native" SPECCY,
either absent or appear as a
by ... But the trouble is not only a multicolor,
still happens and sprites in games pomigivayut.
Play-ka in ARKANOID 2 or BATMAN 2 ...
That feel the difference? Fortunately,
second PENTAGON'e of this outrage
disposed of. That's, like, and suggests
the idea that the second something better PENTAGON
first, yes there it was! During that time,
while smart people puzzled over the second
PENTAGON'om, our coders "nalyapali" programs under the first 
device. And now we have what was the first one to PENTAGON'a 
programs for the "native" SPECCY, ie inoperability of the first 
multicolor PENT'a on other machines, including on

second PENTAGON'e. But here people are having
Computers SCORPION, ATM-TURBO, and more
some models, began to sob combustible

tears of programs written in (for)
PENT'yuhe (a). This flow of tears would not cease to this day. 
And blame it all port configuration is rather incorrect use 
encoders and these same coders. But in his own defense

they say that it all works fine on the company's SPECTRUM'e. 
Ha! And let me ask you, how much is actually people saw the 
brand best samples of this miracle machines? That all? Now let

still ask something. Why, in the
All imported programs use
Port # 7FFD, rather than # FD? Without waiting for the answer: 
because all instructions port configurations listed under the 
address and # 7FFD no footnotes as to what bits are required to 
activate the port no. So in fact know where you can rolled 
away? Someone may ask: "Why does it all

work? "All this works because
on a simple 128th computer schematic
simplified decoding paging port and

required for successful control of two bits, which is available 
at PENTAGON'ah. This reduces the

the number of chips, and accordingly,
price of the unit. But if you decide to hang on to his "friend" 
is something else, then you It is worth pondering that page

port and your new port is not in conflict.
This was done on SCORP'ah and ATM'ah,
ie increased the number of controllable bits.
The same goes for memory expansion PENT'a to 512k. Increase the 
memory in his PENTAGON'a (if you have one), and

then run some DIGITAL
STUDIO. Well, what is the reaction to the sound
DIGITAL'a? And so there were no such glitches
extra memory must be disabled, and all this
due to the Malfunction of paging port and muses. processor.
Here we found another flaw.
And at the expense of the port # FD perfectly described in
Section ASSEMBLER magazine "ZX-FORMAT 3"
SOVSEM POSLEDNEY chapter!


     To all this there is a PENTAGON'e
one (?) glitch. This is how well it was said somewhere, its 
"rubber" interrupt. Ie more than normal is cycles

CPU between interrupts (and put 70000). Than with the success 
enjoyed by some friends (who we do not comrades). If you want 
to see that the it turns out, first look at

the work of these fellows (or gentlemen) at the
PENTAGON'e, and then on another computer,
which is normal (?) reacts to the port
# FD. For example: Take the game NAVY SEALS
with the loader on PRESTIGE.

      With PENTAGON'om, like, all time
do SCORPION'om. What can I say
about the invention ... Particular attention to
currently attracts shady monitor the machine. It is more 
powerful than the famous STS, although it appeared earlier. 
They really well something "to prick" or track

errors in their (or others) programs.
There, in the monitor can be done ka
Kie any operation on a disk (eg,
format the drive with inherited muzykalkami) popechatat 
something on a printer indulge regime TURBO (if implemented), 
etc. etc. A significant drawback of this monitor is occupied by 
the volume. It is located in a separate 16k ROM and, in 
addition, prihvatyvaet part of the memory TR-DOS and other 
firmware. In consequence of that, there is no possibility to 
change any part of the ROM. Another trouble on that computer - 
TR-DOS. When you leave from the main menus in TR-DOS, then

it starts shipping "boot". But if
"Boot'a" no, or pressing BREAK,
computer just reset, but if
realized an error message. To
everything else, thanks to some changes
in TR-DOS, some downloaders in the programs do not work. But 
what is most in This computer glitch - a port of additional 
configuration # 1FFD (when you try to spend some machinations 

Port # FD). Mr Zonov made a big mistake when he decided to 
establish its port with address # 1FFD. And generally, when

do something extra to komp'u, it is necessary
to hide his extra ports farther away, as was done in TURBO 2 +. 
Here we reached and memory Scorpion. Those

256k, which are available for SCORP'a by anyone and
nothing more than not used in practice (mainly shadow and 
monitor operating system CP / M). True, in this most CP / M

work program with other computers
but using standard procedures. But
here is still not clear why this
CP / M on SCORP'e? How do I know all software for CP / M for 80 
characters in a row, but on a simple screen Spectrum

can realize a maximum of 64 characters
(I mean the readable text / maybe
I'm wrong, but still after 80 characters per line and a CP / M 
on ATM'e on SCORP'e it looks ugly /).



      Turn came up "big" cars.
In this article, will be affected only
computers from the family of ATM-TURBO (PROFI
I unfortunately could not find).

      Thus, ATM-TURBO, manufactured by ATM, distinguished from 
the variety SPECTRUM'ov presence of CP / M and additional 
graphics modes (320x200, each point with a different color, 
640x200 two colors on one znakoryad). Ports of additional bells 
and whistles available to the user of SPECTRUM-mode, which 
leads to horror when you do appeal to some

"Left" port (# FD, for example). More
improved model - ATM-TURBO 2.
It became possible to connect:
keyboard from IBM, Winchester, HAYES-compatible modem. A well 
was added 80x25 character text display and an opportunity to 
increase the RAM to PC one megabyte. After some problems

ATM firm and developers of computer, all
right to the car moved to the firm MicroArt.

Here and there was TURBO 2 +. Has been altered
IBM-controller keyboard (because of this
on ATM-TURBO 2, some programs in CP / M
have not worked with Claudia). All additional port 
configurations vserazlichnyh were hidden from the random data 
that increased compatibility with the company

SPECTRUM'om. But then there was another
problem. Guys BIOS developers for
TURBO 2 + befoul TR-DOS, which is why some programs do not load 
or in the future, when referring to drive,

hang (the problem as that of the Scorpion). It seems that 
MicroArt quite sick trumpet. Even in the intro, where the 
selected CP / M or SPECTRUM, jumping title this firm. And after 
some waiting in intro text appears in the advertising content, 
which again referred to the firm MicroArt and discusses its 
steepness. Intersnyh, if you remove all of this, it might

TR-DOS will work as expected. But despite
to all claims in this komp'e good
Shaw made the PLL. That's where the really
improves reading "rotten" drives (personally I do not have 
this, do not read other people's disks, which would not be the 
drive). What else is worth special mention, since this 
additional memory on this machine. In Unlike previous komp'ov 
here any page RAM can be installed on any

address (# 0000, # 4000, # 8000 or # C000),
that makes the machine more flexible. And also
there is a possibility you can install ROMdisk 64 kBt, where 
you can sew anything should useful. But this machine is another 
claim, or rather to those who do program for CP / M-mode. 
Recoverable, for example, PRINCE OF PERSIA or GOBLINS. Well 
before too toys brake that is already sick. Well, one can not 
do so, so only you can opozorit opportunities

machine. Must at least occasionally to write programs in 
assembler, rather than Pascal or C (B), there is a non-IBM 
Intel- 486DX4/100.



     Because on the street and the house is impossible because 
of the terrible heat and work generally have no desire to, I'll 
start "Call it a day" article. And in the end,

Look at the results of tests your computer to a TURBO and 
NORMAL (perhaps someone will need it).




         but this is not the end ...

ca.: JC - Jemmini Commander

       TEST - test is placed in our

              Journal

       ZX-BENCHMARK - test program

       Journal of the ZX-FORMAT (this

       bad program from my special

       opinion. And so, with whom she still is,

       My advice - erase!)

       * - This data was obtained on

       TURBO 2 +, with a connected IBM-cluster
       viaturoy.

       When turbirovanie PENTAGON'ov, values
       radiation at different komp'ah different.

       So, in a table column TURBO

       ON - the value of one particular

       case.

Up what you read here. Something really
article came out with the direction to search for deficiencies 
of a car. But Still would like to have been made

any conclusions.



      And finally, my advice:


 ... If you just USER or GAMER, who wants to play, but small 
capital, or DEMOMAKER, which seeks to shove

the entire program in one interrupt, then
will suit you PENTAGON (cheap and cheerful).

 ... If you hurry, and if
in order to be considered cool by a hacker
you something is missing, or if there is
hunt to find all the "glitches" in their new
development, then take the SCORPION, yes
newer, you will not regret. But do not forget
to put the switch, the blocking port
# 1FFD.



 ... And if you're interested in something to investigate if 
the graphics are burning desire ponaslazhdatsya steeper than 
SPECTRUM'e, or you can do something very cool with the steeper

possibilities if you dream about IBM'e,
but no money for its purchase, then
buy (ATM) TURBO 2 + (but not below
version 7.00).



                  *