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No tea vicar on MB02

SpeccymanSpeccyman
edited March 2013 in Sinclair Miscellaneous
Hello Folks,

I have difficulties in getting "More tea vicar" (the free 128k version) running on the MB02. The game starts and you can choose control, but when the action starts it is crashing. Works fine on Emulator, but not with my setup.

Any idea where is the problem? Jonathan Cauldwell is a busy man and I don?t want bother him with that problem.

Regards

Thomas
Post edited by Speccyman on

Comments

  • velesoftvelesoft
    edited December 2012
    Speccyman wrote: »
    Hello Folks,

    I have difficulties in getting "More tea vicar" (the free 128k version) running on the MB02. The game starts and you can choose control, but when the action starts it is crashing. Works fine on Emulator, but not with my setup.

    Any idea where is the problem? Jonathan Cauldwell is a busy man and I don?t want bother him with that problem.

    Regards

    Thomas

    Work on emulator REALSPECTRUM in MB02 mode ? MB02+ use modified ZX rom (BS-ROM) and some software can work incorrect - see stable only 48rom. Often help if you load game and before start disconnect MB02 memory via OUT 23,0.
  • JmkJmk
    edited December 2012
    Are you running on a 128K/+2 or a +2A/+3?

    There's a problem with contended memory on a 128K/+2, so you may need this POKE:
    http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/showpost.php?p=622790&postcount=50

    I don't know if your MB02 version has a modified loader or not. To explain, that poke pages in RAM bank 4 when loading in the final block and when playing music, so you might need to change your loader to make sure that the final block is in RAM bank 4.
  • SpeccymanSpeccyman
    edited December 2012
    Jmk wrote: »
    Are you running on a 128K/+2 or a +2A/+3?

    There's a problem with contended memory on a 128K/+2, so you may need this POKE:
    http://www.worldofspectrum.org/forums/showpost.php?p=622790&postcount=50

    I don't know if your MB02 version has a modified loader or not. To explain, that poke pages in RAM bank 4 when loading in the final block and when playing music, so you might need to change your loader to make sure that the final block is in RAM bank 4.

    I do not use a special version. MB02 is used like a normal Spectrum with tape and therefore with this system there should be less problems than with any other disc systems on the Spectrum. However, I use just the normal TAP version, but it is not working on my Spectrum +2, even not with this poke you suggested.
  • SpeccymanSpeccyman
    edited December 2012
    velesoft wrote: »
    Work on emulator REALSPECTRUM in MB02 mode ? MB02+ use modified ZX rom (BS-ROM) and some software can work incorrect - see stable only 48rom. Often help if you load game and before start disconnect MB02 memory via OUT 23,0.

    When using that OUT 23,0 in the loader, it crashed when executes RAND USR 24000...
  • JmkJmk
    edited December 2012
    Speccyman wrote: »
    I do not use a special version. MB02 is used like a normal Spectrum with tape and therefore with this system there should be less problems than with any other disc systems on the Spectrum. However, I use just the normal TAP version, but it is not working on my Spectrum +2, even not with this poke you suggested.

    Do you get the flickery effect and screen corruption before it crashes? That would indicate the contended memory problem, but if you don't get that then it must be something else.
  • SpeccymanSpeccyman
    edited December 2012
    Jmk wrote: »
    Do you get the flickery effect and screen corruption before it crashes? That would indicate the contended memory problem, but if you don't get that then it must be something else.

    No flicker, but I have anyway an ULA corrector in my Spectrum+2, so no snow at all...

    The game starts with the menu (Keyboard, Kempston...) but then when I want start playing it crashes.
  • JmkJmk
    edited December 2012
    What about... a port clash between ULA+ and MB02?

    Try putting POKE 63035,201 before the RANDOMIZE USR 24000.
  • velesoftvelesoft
    edited December 2012
    Jmk wrote: »
    What about... a port clash between ULA+ and MB02?

    Try putting POKE 63035,201 before the RANDOMIZE USR 24000.

    Yes. Here is port collision between MB02+ and ULA+.
    ULA+ use ports #xx3B but port #3B is on MB02+ reserved for secondary PIO8255 chip. MB02+ use all ports with adress BIN 0xxxxx11. If software for ULA+ will use only writing to ULA+ port then will runable on real MB02+. Only reading from ULA+ ports is impossible (collision)

    Here is schematic with MB02+ port adress decoder:
    http://zxm.speccy.cz/dok/sch/mb02_schematic_v2.0.gif

    Secondary PIO 8255 in MB02+ not exist then MB02+ return on port #3B(ula+ port) undefined value (can be #FF). But on MB02+ PCB is switch signed as "S12" for possibility set internal PIO 8255 as active... Please test if IN 31 return joystick value.

    Please test this: OUT 59,192 ....
  • SpeccymanSpeccyman
    edited February 2013
    velesoft wrote: »
    Yes. Here is port collision between MB02+ and ULA+.
    ULA+ use ports #xx3B but port #3B is on MB02+ reserved for secondary PIO8255 chip. MB02+ use all ports with adress BIN 0xxxxx11. If software for ULA+ will use only writing to ULA+ port then will runable on real MB02+. Only reading from ULA+ ports is impossible (collision)

    Here is schematic with MB02+ port adress decoder:
    http://zxm.speccy.cz/dok/sch/mb02_schematic_v2.0.gif

    Secondary PIO 8255 in MB02+ not exist then MB02+ return on port #3B(ula+ port) undefined value (can be #FF). But on MB02+ PCB is switch signed as "S12" for possibility set internal PIO 8255 as active... Please test if IN 31 return joystick value.

    Please test this: OUT 59,192 ....

    Thanks for your suggestions. I tested the POKE 63035,201 as well as the OUT 59,192 and also both together. Still crashing. I have now also tested the game using "REAL SPECTRUM EMULATOR" with MB02 support and it is running on the emulator. But not on my real hardware. Can anyone with real Spectrum + MB02 setup test this game, maybe it is a problem of my hardware...

    Regards

    Thomas
  • velesoftvelesoft
    edited February 2013
    Speccyman wrote: »
    Thanks for your suggestions. I tested the POKE 63035,201 as well as the OUT 59,192 and also both together. Still crashing. I have now also tested the game using "REAL SPECTRUM EMULATOR" with MB02 support and it is running on the emulator. But not on my real hardware. Can anyone with real Spectrum + MB02 setup test this game, maybe it is a problem of my hardware...

    Regards

    Thomas

    OK, I contact my friend Hood.
  • SpeccymanSpeccyman
    edited March 2013
    velesoft wrote: »
    OK, I contact my friend Hood.


    Any news from Hood? Or somebody else tested it on a real MB02 setup?
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