Re: Looking for ALS Z-Card (CP/M clone) Rev 1 documentation

[datajerk <datajerk@gmail.com>]

On Jun 20, 11:35 am, schmidtd <schmi...@my-deja.com> wrote:
> On Jun 18, 6:31 pm, datajerk <dataj...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I just acquired an ALS Z-Card Rev. 1 for my newly acquired IIe.  I
> > placed the card in slot 4 and it works just fine.  But I am unable to
> > determine the speed of the card.  The CPU model number indicates its a
> > 6MHz chip (Google search), however a benchmark indicate otherwise.
> > Unfortunately I do not have another 6MHz to compare it with.  All I
> > have is Virtual ][ on my Mac and I am starting to ask myself how
> > accurate is emulated performance of memory intensive code?
>
> > There are 4 dip switches on the card as well.
>
> > The quickest way to solve this mystery would be to find the docs.
>
> I have no such docs to help you with, but all the Z80 cards I have
> used/seen were 2 or 4 MHz, as I recall.  The PCPI AppliCard ran at 6.
> But what does your benchmark say on the real hardware you have?
>
> And of course just because the chip is capable of running at 6MHz
> doesn't mean it's really clocked that way in its current circuit.
>
> The four DIP switches were common to the MS SoftCard clone cards of
> the day - they were usually wired this way, and off by default:
> s1 address offset disable
> s2 Z80 DMA
> s3 Z80 NMI
> s4 Z80 IRQ
>
> http://mirrors.apple2.org.za/ground.icaen.uiowa.edu/MiscInfo/Hardware...

Thanks for the info.  My benchmark suggest 2MHz.  It runs in 5151
seconds whereas Virtual ][ runs it in 5138 seconds.  Pretty close
(99.75%).

I posted this request on comp.os.cpm and an individual there confirmed
that it's 2MHz.  He also has the docs and will scan and post them
eventually.

For now I am very satisfied with the ALS Z-Card.  I have had no
problems creating CP/M diskettes, testing on Virtual ][, and then
transferring via ADTPro and running on my IIe.