Help with MS Softcard Z80

[jos...@gmail.com]

Hello all.

I got an "untested" Softcard Z80 (Microsoft one) in eBay.

I received it and went to test in my two Apple IIe. Tried with several CP/M boot disks but always when booted (in CP/M) i get the screen full of video reversed A's (in an enhanced A2) or full of @; (also inverted) when trying in a not enhanced one, then the ;'s converts randomly and slowly to A's.

If boot DOS / ProDOS all works fine with the card installed.

If boot CP/M without the card i get the message "CAN'T FIND Z80 SOFTCARD", so i thing it works "something"

Do anyone has any idea about what to check / test / try to fix?

Thanks!

Best

[Benoit0123]

Hello,

There are some dip switches on the card. Could you report what is their
status here. One of them deals with a translation scheme between Z80 and
6502.
Also the thread @
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/comp.sys.apple2/Benoit$20Gilon%7Csort:relevance/comp.sys.apple2/ow4KmOgZdlo/fsw6_i0RQzoJ
could be of some help to you.
HTHATS,
Benoît


--
Growing old is mandatory..
growing up is optional..
But the other way round is as true.

[jos...@gmail.com]

> There are some dip switches on the card. Could you report what is their
> status here. One of them deals with a translation scheme between Z80 and
> 6502.

Thanks, the dips are all in off status.

Best

[Michael J. Mahon]

The original Microsoft SoftCard was designed for the Apple II and Apple
II+. The bus timing constraints changed slightly on the Apple //e, which
could be a problem for some system/card combinations.

--
-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://michaeljmahon.com

[mdj]

On Monday, 19 December 2016 11:10:04 UTC+10, Michael J. Mahon wrote:

> The original Microsoft SoftCard was designed for the Apple II and Apple
> II+. The bus timing constraints changed slightly on the Apple //e, which
> could be a problem for some system/card combinations.

I can confirm that the original MS SoftCard does work in a IIe. I used one of those for years until I got an AppliCard.

You're right though; that design is marginal in the IIe, so a heavily loaded system could conceivably push the timing into "no worky" territory. All I can say for sure is it works in mine :-)

[Benoit0123]

Hi again,
Here is an extract from the Microsoft Z80 Softcard manual @
http://www.applelogic.org/files/MSZ8MANUAL.pdf
switch meaning
SW1-1 address offset when OFF -> OK
SW1-2 Z80 DMA enable when ON -> wildl depend on your whole peripheral card
setting
SW1-3 transmit NMI to 6502 when ON -> OK
SW1-4 transmit IRQ to 6502 when ON -> OK
So if every switch is Off in your configuration, there is no direct trouble
source I can see. I suggest that you remove some other peripheral card as
the loading on the periperal card bus might impact the detection of your
card.
The URL I mentionned in a previous message was wrongly reproduced here is
the correct link:
http://bgilon.free.fr/apple2/D34Merlin_ZBrun.do
From within this disk image, you'll have a source file ZEXEC.s which will
try to detect the softcard from DOS 3.3 prompt and running Z80 programs from
there (w/o using CP/M).

HTHATS,
Benoît

[jos...@gmail.com]

Michael, mdj, Thanks.

This can cause the behavior of that garbage in screen?

As i'm trying to get an A2, if i get it i'll try.

Thanks again.

[jos...@gmail.com]

El lunes, 19 de diciembre de 2016, 14:09:03 (UTC+1), Benoit Gilon escribió:

> So if every switch is Off in your configuration, there is no direct trouble
> source I can see. I suggest that you remove some other peripheral card as
> the loading on the periperal card bus might impact the detection of your
> card.
> The URL I mentionned in a previous message was wrongly reproduced here is
> the correct link:
> http://bgilon.free.fr/apple2/D34Merlin_ZBrun.do
> From within this disk image, you'll have a source file ZEXEC.s which will
> try to detect the softcard from DOS 3.3 prompt and running Z80 programs from
> there (w/o using CP/M).
>

Thank you Benoit.

I'll try this later when I arrive home.

Best.