Re: More Cards to Ponder

[nparker@cie-2.uoregon.edu (Neil Parker)]

In article <travis-2301971231330001@dream-king.cisco.com> travis@cluracan.org
(Ward C. Travis) writes:
>[...]
>The Alaska Card by Central Point Software (circa 1983). Appears to be a
>RAM device of some kind; the software seems to be made for copying RAM
>images directly to/from disk - there's got to be more going on there,
>BSAVE would do that. The card has a momentary-contact switch on a long
>cable -- does this thing snapshot memory to the floppy?

I believe this is a copy card...one of those cards that takes a snapshot
of the currently-running program.

>Microsoft Softcard -- the Z80B -- just wondering if anyone can point me at
>a URL that describes the DIP switch settings for this, or how to boot CP/M
>on it.

If this is the original Microsoft Softcard, then the switches are as follows:

     1:  Off = Z80 addresses remapped to avoid conflict with 6502 addresses
         On = Z80 addresses are the same as 6502 addresses
     2:  Off = Softcard ignores DMA requests from other cards
         On = Softcard allows higher-priority slots to do DMA
     3:  Off = Z80 ignores NMI
         On = NMI causes a Z80 non-maskable interrrupt
     4:  Off = Z80 ignores IRQ
         On = IRQ causes Z80 interrupt

Normally all four switches are off.

Booting CP/M is easy--just insert the CP/M boot disk, and turn on the
machine (or press control-apple-reset).  You'll need a Microsoft CP/M
boot disk--other brands won't work.

If the Softcard is in a IIGS, you'll have to set the system speed to "slow",
or CP/M won't boot.

              - Neil Parker
-- 
Neil Parker, nparker@{cie-2,cie}.uoregon.edu, http://cie-2.uoregon.edu/~nparker
     "I was going to be a neo-deconstructivist but Mom wouldn't let me."
                                     -- Calvin and Hobbes, 7/13/1995
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