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Post by Zippy Zapp on Mar 10, 2016 5:23:18 GMT
Hi All, I am new around here and since I am using my C128 more lately and really trying to get everything I have working with it I thought I would join a lively C128 forum and this seems to be the place, Yeah! I purchased a uIEC a few months back and think it is a fantastic device. It doesn't completely replace my 1571 but it is great. The only thing it is missing is support for Fast Serial. I don't want to put JiffyDOS in my 128. I see some one did a pretty cool thing and added it to the firmware here: sites.google.com/site/h2obsession/CBM/C128/fast-serial-for-uiec (This is a treasure trove of information on this site, by the way) This is really something cool but is there a newer version with the latest uIEC firmware? Since this firmware was released they have released a lot of cool additions and fixes to the SD2IEC firmware and it would be great to have also Fast Serial part of it. I do not posses the skills to merge it or I would but I was hoping there is a new version or perhaps one in the works. Does anyone know anything about if it is updated or planned? Thanks!
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Post by robertb on Mar 10, 2016 5:51:10 GMT
Does anyone know anything about if it is updated or planned? That would be a question for Shadowolf. However, I suspect that to add any new features, like Fast Serial, to the firmware would require something with more space than the ATmega644 et al currently has (almost all the SD2IEC implementations use the ATmega644). IIRC, the ATmega644 is nearly full with the current SD2IEC firmware implementation. The uIEC has enough space with its use of the ATmega128X, but there is no special SD2IEC firmware to make use of that extra space in that one device. Truly, Robert Bernardo Fresno Commodore User Group www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
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Post by tokra on Mar 10, 2016 8:55:46 GMT
The uIEC-hack firmware was done by hydrophilic some years back. I got an uIEC specifically to be able to use burst-mode on my C128. I agree that an update of this hack to the latest binary is kind of overdue. So, we can only try to persuade/bribe hydrophilic to try to apply this hack to the latest firmware, since it does not look like Burst-mode support will become part of the official firmware.
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Post by Zippy Zapp on Mar 10, 2016 14:51:46 GMT
Thanks guys for the info, much appreciated. Perhaps the firmware devs could remove some of the seldom used fast loaders that were added that are only in a couple of games to make room, or is this an oversimplification? Would be cool if someone could write a uIEC specific firmware so as to utilize it. I wish I had the skills to do this.
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Post by motrucker on Mar 21, 2016 18:40:56 GMT
Thanks guys for the info, much appreciated. Perhaps the firmware devs could remove some of the seldom used fast loaders that were added that are only in a couple of games to make room, or is this an oversimplification? Would be cool if someone could write a uIEC specific firmware so as to utilize it. I wish I had the skills to do this. Good to see you over here. As is pretty usual, I agree with you. We really need updated software for these devices. It's a bit over my head too.
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Post by Zippy Zapp on Mar 23, 2016 16:28:40 GMT
Thanks motrucker. From what I have seen so far this is a great board with lots of nice c128 users here.
uIEC specific firmware with added bells and whistles would be cool. Why not put that extra hardware in the uIEC to work!
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Post by ilkerficicilar on Mar 26, 2016 8:43:23 GMT
As far as I know this patched version (uIEC-firmware-0.8.291.bin) does not support GEOS... So, a version with fast-serial + GEOS + FCIII support is definitely a need.
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Post by zap on Mar 26, 2016 8:48:38 GMT
Thanks guys for the info, much appreciated. Perhaps the firmware devs could remove some of the seldom used fast loaders that were added that are only in a couple of games to make room, or is this an oversimplification? Would be cool if someone could write a uIEC specific firmware so as to utilize it. I wish I had the skills to do this. Good to see you over here. As is pretty usual, I agree with you. We really need updated software for these devices. It's a bit over my head too. Makes me wonder if multiple firmware version could be developed when their is limited space or one update kicks another to the curb. Flash this one to use feature A, B and C but if you need A, D and F then you will need to flash this one. Just a thought. zap aka c64web.
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Post by Zippy Zapp on Mar 29, 2016 17:19:21 GMT
Makes me wonder if multiple firmware version could be developed when their is limited space or one update kicks another to the curb. Flash this one to use feature A, B and C but if you need A, D and F then you will need to flash this one. Just a thought. zap aka c64web. That is a good idea, zap. I would be willing to ditch a fastloader or two for the fast serial/burst.
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Post by hydrophilic on Mar 30, 2016 9:36:42 GMT
I haven't looked at most recent firmware, but I'm pretty sure the uIEC should have enough free space left for fast-serial because it has more F-ROM space (as RobertB said).
For other ports of SD2IEC, might could remove one of the rare 1541 fast-loaders it supports. There isn't really much code for fast-serial, except for the numerous U0xxx commands (several of them are needed for CP/M to work).
I've been wanting to update uIEC firmware because I would like D81 disk support, and also would like to have REL files working in native partition. I also have idea for "auto-REL" feature... open any file (in native partition) as a REL file... thus you can 'fseek' any file (random access to PRG/SEQ file)... main problem with that idea is that REL syntax limits file size to about 16MB (similar to CMD-HD). Not a problem for music videos being about 4MB, but could be an issue for sit-com (22 minutes) or full-length movie.
Besides other projects, main reason I haven't tried to patch firmware again is my AtMega programming tools and my notes are on a different computer that I do not use often. I know that is not a very good excuse, but true...
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