Opus Discovery
I've got an opus dicovery 1 with 2 x 3 1/2" drives. I used it many times on my 48k but it doesn't work with my 128k toastrack. It also had some sort of video out on it as well that always displayed in black and white on my tv, never colour.
I bought it 2nd hand of a friend about 15 years ago and I've always wondered:-
can it be made to work with a 128k machine?
and
should the video output be in colour?
any help would be greatly appreciated
I bought it 2nd hand of a friend about 15 years ago and I've always wondered:-
can it be made to work with a 128k machine?
and
should the video output be in colour?
any help would be greatly appreciated
Post edited by BiNMaN on
Comments
When you say "it doesn't work", what do you mean? It's like if you haven't connected anything to the rear connector? Or does the computer hang when you switch on with the Opus connected?
Do you know if your toastrack works with devices like DivIDE or Interface 1? Maybe the Z80 on your computer has a faulty M1 signal (not uncommon).
The early Discoveries were not 128 compatible, they have ROM version 1.2 or so. The ROM is a chip inside that can be exchanged. The version number is written on a small label on top of the chip. Versions 2.1 and 2.2 are 128 compatible and also add a few new commands, like a.o. CLS#. ROM v2.2 holds a slight modification for faster copying from drive to drive.
There also exists a 'QUICK-DOS' ROM that makes loading/saving of standard files 10-20 times faster.
Send a PM if you're interested in a v2.2 ROM.
With a 128 I get the (c) 1986 logo but no menu system
maybe it does need an upgrade on the rom a little more playing around first, roko I may be PMing you soon
The drives both still read/write - hurrah
fimware version 2.1 - thanks Fred
still won't boot up with any 128's - I've got 5 -boo
video output is b/w no matter how I connect to any of my TV's and the signal quality is poor on it - b00
on another point, how come the floppies only format to 178k like the +3 disks?
Regarding formatting disks only with 178k: I have to put and cat a 720K-formatted disk in drive and then I am able to format an other disk with 720K. Weird workaround I know but was not able to find a proper solution yet.
The disk drives of cause have to be DD/DS. Some (all?) Opus came with SD/SS drives initially if I recall correctly.
Have not tried it with the 128 at all though my ROM-version is 2.22
You need to configure the interface to tell it the drive format before you can use DSDD drives to full capacity. As the format is stored on formatted disks, that is why you were able to format them that way once you have used a disk already so formatted in the drive. There is a program on the Discovery users group newsletter disk 2 which can configure and format a disk from scratch.
The 'correct' table must be present when formatting a new disk. In fact that is the only moment when the issue is relevant.
@Fred: I was convinced that v2.1 is 128-compatible, I feel uncertain now...
Find a (type-in) BASIC program for making changes in the Discovery disk table on this and the following pages:
ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/magazines/DUC/Issue08/Pages/DUC0800039.jpg
Note that a SAVE *1;"10K" CODE 0, 10240 must be done first,
and that a line "155 LET b= b/2" must be added.
1 - how do I flash the 2.2 firmware?
2 - the jpg is for formatting a 720k disk right?
1 = You'd have to burn a replacement Eprom. Judging by your question you don't seem to possess the necessary equipment to do so.
If no-one close to you can help, I could mail you a burned Eprom with v2.2.
2= Yes, but this JPG is only part of the program, it is continued on the next page.
Frans
[URL] http://www.worldofspectrum.org/opus.html[/URL]
For a fresh Eprom one might consider poking the values for 720K in the drive2 or drive4 table.
Find a DOS-disk copier for 720K drive at:
http://www.biehold.nl/rudy/sgg/index.htm
can anyone tell me what this does, will it flash an attached opus?
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseek.cgi?regexp=^EPROM+Programmer$&pub=^G.+Windt+Opusdisk$&loadpics=3
I'll experiment with increasing the disk sizes another day
cheers
I am not aware of any possibility to flash an attached Opus, even if it would be fitted with an EEPROM.
It looks to me like a program to burn EPROMs via a special extension card.
As Cameraman said, you'd have to burn a replacement EPROM or get one from a person who possess the necessary equipment.
It's a program that together with dedicated hardware (a so called EPROM programmer) can program EPROMs. I do not know the hardware, but expect it to be a rather 'medium' hardware project. Note that a full set-up for EPROM programming (on top of programmer hardware!) must include an Eraser working with UV light.
The oldfashioned method of BURNING EPROMs differs significantly from FLASHing RAMs! The socket for the ROM chip inside the Opus is too small to hold a semi-modern FlashRAM. The good news is that (used) EPROMs nowadays are sold per kilo, and that several hobbyists possessing the programming gear will be glad to have a last chance for using it. I am among those.