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ZXblast
User Manual
17 pgs746.83 Kb0

Ginger Electronic ZXblast User Manual

ZXblast
User manual
(C)opyright 2016,2017 by ginger-electronic.com
V1.0 02/2017 ZXblast – user manual Seite 1 von 17
Contents
ZXblast.........................................................................................................................1
Short description............................................................................................................3
Getting started...............................................................................................................4
Configuration tool...........................................................................................................8
Tools Menu..................................................................................................................10
Loading...............................................................................................................11
Loading a program................................................................................................12
Loading data into memory.....................................................................................12
Loading data into flash rom....................................................................................12
Using a different/compatible ZX81 rom...................................................................12
Clear USB interface...............................................................................................13
Updating USB driver..............................................................................................13
Debug functions...........................................................................................................14
Debug monitor.....................................................................................................14
Hardcopies and screenshots...................................................................................14
Backup & Restore.........................................................................................................15
Instance backup...................................................................................................15
Instance restore...................................................................................................15
System backup.....................................................................................................15
System restore.....................................................................................................15
Reset system...............................................................................................................16
Reset a single ZX81 instance (by software)..............................................................16
Reset complete ZXblast (by software).....................................................................16
Hardware reset with switch (warm start).................................................................16
Hardware reset with switch (cold start)...................................................................16
Reset USB interface..............................................................................................16
Power-off system..................................................................................................16
Appendix 1 – list of key combinations.............................................................................17
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Short description
ZXblast is a memory expansion and a USB mass storage interface for the ZX81 and compatible computers for loading and storing programs and data. It offers 128k or 512k RAM depending on version and is configurable to enable and disable several memory areas to achieve a maximum of 56k RAM while the first 8k is used for the ZX81 rom.
ZXblast offers additionally 128k or 512k flash rom for loading different/modified ZX81 compatible ROMs or combined with additional and/or different drivers. The 512k version allows also to start up to 7 different programs concurrently while only the active or visible is executed and the others are in halted state. It is possible to switch between the programs (called instances) with simple keystrokes.
An additional feature is to activate paging with pagesize of 8k or 16k RAM with page window anywhere in memory. This is mainly a developer feature as there was never a standard for paging or ram banking and programs using this feature are hard to find at all.
The 128k version allows to start one instance only but with up to 56k RAM and allows to choose between a custom ROM with additional drivers or the original internal ZX81 rom.
ZXblast has two USB ports. One is used for flash media sticks to load and store programs or data and a second one for connecting other USB hardware like joysticks, keyboards, or similar. This is a feature to be used in future. ZXblast has additionally a battery backuped real time clock (RTC) to provide a correct time stamp when saving programs or datafiles. It takes it's power from an own voltage regulator from the 9V of the ZX81 to avoid additional heat to the internals of the ZX81.
The 128k or 512k flash ROM can be programmed with the ZXblast itself and some internal tools. ZXblast is full compatible to HRG (high resolution graphics by software) and allows execution of machine code (assembly) in the memory region above 32k but below 48k (called M1NOT mod).
Technical data/specification
Flash ROM 128k or 512k
RAM 128k or 512k
USB 2 Ports
I/O address bit used A3 (optional A4,A5,A6 or A7)
Power Supply 9V over expansion port
45 mA for ZXblast only (plus USB devices used)
Memory configurations 16k, 24k, 32k, 40k, 48k, 56k RAM
Extras RTC (real time clock)
paging/banking up to 448kByte with 8k or 16k window anywhere in memory
Features HRG high resolution graphics from memory
M1NOT (program execution >32k and <48k RAM)
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Getting started
The ZXblast can be easy attached to the expansion port with the extender board to original ZX81 systems.
Please remove power always before attaching or removing this module (!).
Please be careful when plugging it into the expansion port with not too much force and slowly and respect the keyway on ZXblast and ZX81. It should fit easy and with reliable contact. Be sure there is no wobble when slightly touching the ZXblast. Too bad if programs will crash during accidently touched with no good electrical contact.
Be sure, that the base address (J6) is jumpered to A3. This can be changed with the ZXblast update utility only in case of i/o address conflicts.
Welcome screen
When attaching power the welcome screen is shown instead of the standard ZX81 cursor.
The welcome screen prints the software release and date and can be skipped by pressing any key. Pressing L will try to restore a previous system backup, see section „backup & restore“
for more details.
The welcome screen can be forced by pressing double shift R in configuration screen or by pressing the reset button while holding the shift key or alternatively power-up the system by
pressing the shift key. See more details in section „reset“.
Whenever the ZXblast is not working after power-up or reset it is recommended to hold the shift key during power-up or during reset for a complete reset (cold start) while the reset button tries a partly reset only (warm start).
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ZXblast basics and concept
ZXblast controls a ZX81 while switching the internal /ROMCS signal and starts with its own firmware instead of the standard ZX81 basic rom. The internal RAM is switched off totally and the RAM of ZXblast is used instead. It is possible to configure RAM and ROM configuration depending on user request with up to 56k RAM if desired.
The 512k flash rom and 512k ram is divided into 8 instances while the first 64k ROM and RAM is used for ZXblast control functions (instance 0). The rest of ROM and RAM is used for up to 7 instances. There is a full overlap of ROM and RAM while the configuration defines the usage of ROM or RAM in several address areas. This allows to start up to 7 programs or sessions in parallel while only the active instance/session is executed and the other halted. The user can switch from one instance to another instance (session) with a simple key combination.
Double-shift key
To use ZXblast functions from a ZX81 session a special key combination is used, called double­shift key. For a double-shift key function the shift key has to be pressed twice consecutively, followed by a third key. To load a program from a ZX81 using the ZXblast USB port the
double-shift L is used. The shift key has to be pressed twice, followed by the letter L. The pause between this key combination must not exceed one second otherwise the double shift
function is aborted.
This key combination allows control of ZXblast functions from any ZX81 session without harming programs. The double shift is not used and ignored from the internal keyboard driver. Functions in ZXblast configuration tool (instance 0) can be used without double shift, this feature is reserved for controlling functions from ZX81 session only.
Config screen
After pressing „any key“ the config screen is shown with several data fields to see which instances are started, which programs are loaded and how the memory is configured. The picture below shows the config screen after system startup. The config screen shows the memory configuration, running ZX81 instances (sessions) and the last loaded program in the field description.
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Starting a ZX81 session
A ZX81 session is started in a specific instance (1-7) with pressing directly the digit 1-7 in the ZXblast config screen or alternatively using the double-shift combination with 1-7. The double shift 1-7 can be used for direct switch from one session to another. If a session is not started
yet it will be started automatically with doing the internal RAM test and showing the typical BASIC input cursor „K“.
The ZX81 session can be used normally while the ZXblast session is always listening in the background for double-shift key combinations to request several ZXblast functions like loading
or saving a program. The return to ZXblast config screen can be done with double-shift 0.
Loading a program
A program is loaded with double-shift L from the ZX81 session. It switches automatically temporarily to ZXblast instance, start the loader tool and request the user to enter the
program file to be loaded. After loading the program file the ZXblast switches back to the specific session and starts the program if it was saved with autostart option (ZX81 BASIC feature).
Otherwise the loaded program has to be run with RUN from the command line. Be aware that RUN clears all variables so there are programs which should be started with GOTO 0 instead. This is depending on the program.
The loader offers additional features which are described in a special section in the manual in more detail. The next picture shows how the program CLCKFREQ.P is loaded into a ZX81 session.
Be sure that the USB flash media is inserted in the upper USB port as the lower port is used for peripherals only. If the flash media is not present or file not found a corresponding error message is shown.
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