Nicron #51 06 сентября 1997

ZX Клоны

Information - "Sprinter-97 '. Description and features.

The firstborn of a new era
         spektrumostroeniya

 (C) PETERS
 (R) IRONMAN



  ... In the pause between the showing of luchshh IBM 
demonstrations on the screens Monitor suddenly appears the sky, 
covered with sparse clouds, and inscription at the bottom of 
the screen - "Sprinter-97" - saying that it not just another 
PC'shnaya demonstration, as it seemed at first (The computer 
screen has a resolution of 640 * 512 pixels) and screen saver 
had heard many spektrumistami, the new ZX-compatible computer.


  The hall rose rapturous applause, and under these
applause appears on the stage director of "PETERS" -
Nikolay Noskov, who spoke about the creation of the firm over
present in the courtroom.



    N. Noskov (with microphone), surrounded by spectators



  In the course of the story on video monitors were replaced by
Picture for picture, for many it was a truly stunning
spectacle: the pictures have a resolution of 640 * 512 pixels 
with a palette of 16mln. flowers every now and then in the hall 
heard cheering and applause from the fans SPECCY. Also were 
shown: Text editor, working in text mode screen 80 characters 
to 32 line; possible hardware scrolling screen

horizontally, the possibility of home computers with multiple
programs simultaneously - Ability to work in one of the 16
various programs that are loaded into memory home computers. And
there was only one current program, the rest are
temporarily disabled, it can be stopped at any time
Time and switch to another pending before the program (like
rabotaesh simultaneously on multiple computers, but with one
monitor).

            Hardware capabilities.


  "Sprinter" is a PCB with
approximate size 200 * 200mm, having all the necessary
connectors and freely installed in any IBM case. On
board is located all the necessary peripherals. Fee Sprinter'a
consists of the following components:


  1. Processor Z84C15 - 14MHz or 21MHz.

  The instruction set processor absolutely compatible with the 
system command processor Z80, including undocumented

teams, due to this is achieved almost complete
compatibility with software written for the Spectrum-compatible
computers.

  TURBO-mode switches the processor with the frequency of 
3.5MHz for 14 or 21MHz and provides an opportunity to work with 
the floppy-disk drives to 1.44Mb. Enable / Disable TURBO 
proizvodidsya software or manually.



  2. Main memory - up to 4 Mb (done on one SIMM 72 pin.).

  Operates at a frequency of 7MHz. Memory allocation scheme is 
built such a way that provides compatibility for the 
organization pages from the ZX Spectrum 48 and Scorpion ZX-256, 
etc. Additionally created a new scheme rapredeleniya memory

allows you to connect any of the 256 pages of memory in any of
16Kb four areas of the processor.

  Accelerator operations with RAM increases the speed of 
shipment information to the physical limit of the speed of the 
main RAM, which dramatically increases the speed of the video 
images. This allows us to make a dynamic high-resolution mode.


  The computer has an extra high-speed RAM capacity of 64
Kb, which makes it possible to run the CPU cycles without 
waiting; it accelerates the programs on the CPU clock speed

over 14 MHz.


  3. High-speed video RAM 256/512Kb. Clocked at
42 MHz.

  256Kb RAM allows support video modes up to G16-16
on the full screen mode and the G16-256 in the window, not 
exceeding half display area. 512Kb RAM allows support

Modes to G256-16 on the entire screen.


  4. Modes.

  a) Standard ZX-Spectrum 256 * 192 pixels with two colors in
A familiarity 8 * 8 pixels.

  b) Advanced Text: 80 characters by 32 lines with the quality 
of IBM CGA and set the color of each character.


  c) Graphics Mode G256-8320 * 256 with 256 colors on job
each pixel is chosen from a palette of 16mln. colors.

  g) BOUOD - special submode G256-8. Increases the rate of O
dynamic images that contain a large number of
-color planes.

  e) Graphic mode G16-16640 * 512 (mode INTERLIVE) with
task 16 colors for each pixel selected from the palette
16mln. colors.

  e) Graphical Mode G256-16 640 512 (during INTERLIVE) with
specifying 256 colors at each pixel selected from the palette
16mln. colors.


  5. Display Features:

  a) Programmable screen size (change the number of pixels
vertically and horizontally from the standard 256 * 192 to 640 
* 512); 

  b) Ability to split the screen into regions with different
video modes, and various palettes. This allows
arrange on a single screen set ups, with the task of any
output mode images in the window. Windows can be 
programmatically move around the screen without having to move 
large volumes of graphics information by setting the start 
address of data in each window. Specification of the initial 
data address of each window allows produce rapid scrolling 
images in windows and on the whole screen in any direction.


  c) Ability to implement multiple screen pages, from 1 to
44 pages, depending on the video mode.

  When the amount of RAM 256Kb - 1 page mode G16-16, 2
page mode G256-8, and 22 normal Spectrum
screen pages. When the amount of RAM 512Kb - 1 page mode
G256-16, 2 page mode G16-16, 4 page mode
G256-8 to 44 screen pages of Spectrum.

  d) The ability to control the momentum of
Interrupt INT. This allows us to obtain the maximum
compatibility with programs that are sensitive to the position 
of the pulse.



  6. Flexible allocation of ports to override
configuration of the ports and configure them to work in 
different modes, it lists you PENTAGON or SCORPION, at any time.


  Any new device, developed for both the Sprinter-97
and for any ZX-Spectrum-compatible machines will be
connect without any problems with the incompatibility of
ports. This allows for maximum compatibility
ports with existing software for computers such as ZX-Spectrum.


  7. Ability to connect as 5.25 ~ drive mode 720Kb,
and 3.5 ~ drive mode 720/1.44Mb.


  8. Keyboard IBM-AT. Emulation Keyboard ZX-Spectrum
hardware, the signal / WAIT CPU is not involved. Each
key keyboard can be remapped by the user.


  9. Integrated IDE - controller lets you connect
hard drive capacity of up to 1Gb, but if the drivers - and the 
CD-ROM. 


  10. Two built-in serial ports that allow
connect the serial mouse, modem or other device.


  11. Two built-in parallel port type for CENTRONIX
connecting a printer or other devices.


  12. The ports ZX-Spectrum.

  # FE - keyboard, recorder, curb, AUDIO.

  # 1F - KEMPSTON joystick.

  # 7FFD - control port Spectrum-128.


  13. The system bus in the standard ISA-8 (2.3 slot), giving
the ability to connect an internal modem, Sound Card, or other
devices. Each slot is connected to the address space
processor as a block RAM, and has its own range
addresses to 1Mb of RAM and 64K ports. This ensures
the absence of conflict between the connected devices.


  14. 8-voice 16-bit sound card emulation AY 3-8910.


  15. Coder PAL-woofer with the ability to at least 256 colors.

           Software capabilities.


  1. Management of all modes of home computers through
function BIOS. This makes it easier to write software for the 
Sprinter-97 accelerate its work, and leaves open the 
possibility of hardware without losing compatibility with 
earlier written software. 


  2. When enabled computing system executes a program written in
ROM, which allows you to:

  a) Work in all text and graphic modes;

  b) Oraganizovyvat from 1 to 16, RAM-drives of any size
ranging from 16Kb up to 3.5 Mb.

  a) manage a scheme of distribution ports.

  d) Make use of the memory allocation up to 4Mb.

  g) Work with the floppy and hard disks in a format TR-DOS and 
MS-DOS, introducing the MS-DOS files as virtual drives TR-DOS, 
which reserves compatible with TR-DOS, and removes the 
limitation of 1Mb discs.


  e) Work with the keyboard IBM-AT, mouse, printer.


  3. The transition to the regime of ZX-Spectrum ROM Sprinter-97
replaced the RAM with pages written in their standard
BASIC programs and TR-DOS, that maximizes
compatibility with existing software.



  This whole range of possibilities has been obtained through 
the use of universal programmable chip firm ALTERA, which

replaces almost all logic circuits and programmed
the necessary configuration settings from the ROM BIOS home 
computers, as it can be programmed externally, boot from the 
floppy desired program. Application of this chip allows

increase the reliability of home computers, as well as get rid 
of expensive upgrade iron simply change

chip ROM or download the new BIOS program from a floppy disk,
ie there is one single version of the board, and all the iron
updated software.



  Sprinter-97 was designed as a purely home computer, and its
The authors have made good progress in price / hardware
opportunities, but they are too late in its development.
At this point in time Sprinter'u will be very difficult to win
its niche in the computer market, and perhaps this best by
in essence, an 8-bit machines will not demand,
supported by a small group of enthusiasts. Imagine:
if the Sprinter came 4-6 years ago, yes MICROSOFT be written
program exclusively for him, and IBM in comparison with the nim 
would anyway, that "Microsha in comparison with the 'AMIGA'.




  At the moment, SPRINTER-97 is being tested and
elimination of all identified bugs. According to the authors, 
the first Party cards will go on sale in autumn 1997.


  Approximate cost of a customized card SPRINTER'a
700-1000 rubles. In the case with IBM disk drive, hard drive,
mouse and kaviaturoy respectively twice as expensive.



  According to the director of the firm 'Peters', just around 
the corner and the new a truly revolutionary development in the 
computer world, to which scheduled to begin in the future in 
1998, but perhaps this will no longer old Speccy, but something 
extremely new, and that it - as long kept secret, commercial 
secret. 


          Firm "Peters" consider any proposals
        to improve the hardware and
        software parts of a new computer, as well as
        to create software for it. Their proposals
        the following address:
        198320 St.-Petersburg, Lenina, 77,
        off. 332, "Company" Peters. "
        tel (812) 132-0586, tel / Fax (812) 327-3531
        e-mail: peters@atlant.ru
        2:5030 / 529.24 @ fidonet


          Captain Nemo -
            for simplicity
            and cheapness


Nemo: What I want to say about cars? Perhaps, Amiga, and
IBM has not stood the test of the car is home. (Loud
applause). Although aybiemy will be, I myself
I use, I have two people sitting on the Pentium, they do
real problems, working professionally and earn money.
But if you do not earn money on them, such power is not
needed. In general the networks compare platforms prohibited. 
Machines must exist, each must have its own problems.


  Spectrum is ideal for training, ie people really feel
architecture, the architecture of the Spectrum is conceivable, 
it is very important, and I think Asa-professionals, who can 
then work on aybiemah and earn money if they really want it, 
then they can pass a very good school in the Spectrum. I think 
that Spectrum is still at the stage where from it has not yet 
done so, Roughly speaking, a professional machine, and perhaps 
this and not to do. I did not want to speak, but as Peters 
made, I was forced to say a few words.




    "Captain, Captain, smile ...". NEMO.

-------------------------------------------------- 
-------------( C) WLODEK BLACK: 

P.S.:


  During the preparation of this article with its author's 
computer broke down, so yes, that also ruined the disc. 
Nevertheless, the author with enviable patience typing again. 
However, the material on the "iron" Scorpion-but not yet ready.


  Even at the Festival there was a clash of two opposing
opinions: "Peters" - for power and modern machinery, Nemo - a
simplicity and cheapness. Apparently, both views are equally 
valid. Here's a look, for example, results from a recent user 
survey conducted by the newspaper "MAXIMUM": the vast majority 
of spektrumistov sits on the 128K of conventional machines, 
despite the existence of "Profi", "ATM", "Scorpion"-a. No 
wonder - on a normal 128K-machine successfully address the full 
range of everyday challenges and to students and the students. 
And the fact that can not be solved, not solved and the "Profi" 
and their ilk, and the man goes to the "Pentium". A powerful 
"Sprinter" could take on and some of these problems, which are 
now solved at IBM. For spektrumista "Sprinter" as "friendly" 
and understandable, as the good old ZX, and at the same time - 
a power that opens limitless horizons of the prospects for the 
future of this machine. We wish same success and its developers 
and authors of the software for it!