North Star Advantage Technical Manual

·.·ADVANTAGE

Technical

Manual

00464C

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

Section

1

INTRODUCTION

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

2

ADVANTAGE

2.1

2.2

using System

this

Description Warranty ADVANTAGE

OPERATION

Operating

2.1.1

2.1.2

2.1.3 System

2.2.1

Keyboard

Rear

Diskette

Startup

Standard

From

2.2.2

Alternate

From

2.2.3

Alternate

From A

2.2.4

Mini-Motor

Manual

Specifications

Cont~ols

Panel

Controls

Loading/Unloading

Startup

Drive

1

Startup

Drive

2

Startup

Serial

Startup

Port

-

Booting

-

Booting Booting

-

Page 1-1 1-2

1-3 1-6 1-7

2-1 2-1 2-1

2-4 2-6

2-7'

2-7 2-8

2-8 2-8

2.3

Restarting

2.3.1

3

IMPLEMENTING

3.1

3.2

Microprocessor

Memory

3.2.1

3.2.2

3.3

Inter'rupts

3.3.1

3.3.2

3.4

Shared

The

System

Keyboard

ADVANTAGE

Reset

FEATURES

Control

Control Memory

Memory

Maskable

Mapping Parity

Interrupts

Non-Maskab1e

I/O

Interface

Interrupts

Registers

2-9 2-9

3-1 3-1

3-6 3-7

3-8

3-8 3-9

ADVANTAGE

i

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

(continued)

Section

3.5.

3.6

3.7

Keyboard

3.5.1

3.5.2

3.5.3

3.5.4

3.5.5

3.5.6

3.5.7

3.5.8

Video

3.6.1

3.6.2

3.6.3

3.6.4

3.6.5

Floppy

3.7.1

3.7.2

3.7.3

3.7.4

3.7.5

3.7.6

3.7.7

3.7.8

Keyboard Reset

Interrupt Read Character Cursor All Auto

Display

Screen Forming Display Screen

Video Disk

Power-on Motor Drive Seek Sector Read

Write

Floppy

Control

Keyboard

Lock

Caps

Repeat

Control Mapping

Blanking

Driver

Drive

Enable Selection

Selection

Data

Disk

Reset

or

Enable

Polled

Overrun

Letters

and

Flag

Control

Initialization

Data

Symbols

Format

Page

3-16 3-16

3-17

3-17 3-19 3-19 3-12

3-21 3-21

3-22 3-23

3-25 3-27 3-27 3-27

3-31 3-34

3-34 3-34 3-34 3-35 3-36 3-37

3-39

ADVANTAGE

3.8

3.9

Hard

3.8.1

3.8.2

3.8.3

3.8.4

3.8.5

3.8.6

Disk

I/O Head Data Format Read Write

Accessing

3.9.1

3.9.2

3.9.3

3.9.4

Reset Board Byte Interrupt

Drive

Commands

Positioning Format

Operation

Operations

Operation

The

I/O

Identification

Transfers

ii

Control

Boards

TECHNICAL

3-40 3-40

3-45 3-47 3-48 3-49 3-50

3-51 3-51

3-51 3-53 3-53

MANUAL

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

(continued)

Section

3.10

3.11

3.12

SIO

Board

3.10.1

3.10.2

3.10.3

3.10.4

3.10.5

3.10.6

3.10.7

3.10.8 PIO

Board

3.11.1

3.11.2

3.11.3

3.11.4

3.11.5

3.11.6

3.11.7 Speaker

Reset Board Data

Identification

Transfers Control Status Interrupt SIO

In

SIO

In

or Asynchronous Synchronous

Reset Board Data

Identification

Transfers Control Status

Interrupt

or

Programming

Control

Polled

Example

Mode

Page 3-54 3-54

3-54 3-55 3-55 3-57 3-58 3-58 3-66

3-72 3-72

3-73 3-73

3-73 3-74 3-75 3-77

3-77

3.13

4

THEORY

4.1

4.2

Bootstrap

3.13.1

3.13.2

3.12.3

OF

OPERATION

Main

4.1.1

4.1.2

4.1.3

4.1.4

PC

Central Main Boot Auxiliary Keyboard

4.1.5

4.1.6

Floppy Dislay

4.1.7

4.1.8

4.1.9

Hard

Speaker

Voltage

Disk

Firmware

Startup Boot Boot

From From

Board

RAM PROM

I/O

Board

Controller

Disk Serial

Processor

Disk RAM

Controller

and

Interface Circuit Regulators

Board

Drive

Port

Video

and

Generator

3-78 3-78

3-79 3-82

4-1 4-1

4-4 4-15

4-18

4-18 4-22 4-25 4-36 4-41 4-41

4-44

ADVANTAGE

iii

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

(continued)

Section

5

PREVENTIVE

5.1

5.2

5.3

6

DIAGNOSTICS

6.1

6.2

4.2.1

4.2.2

4.2.3

MAINTENANCE

Wear

and Voltage Voltage

and

Adjustment

The

Mini-Monitor

The

General

6.2.1

6.2.2

6.2.3

6.2.4

6.2.5

6.2.6

6.2.7

Track Hard Hard

and Disk Disk

Damage

Checks

and

Controlled

Diagnostic

Single

Floppy

Block

Disk Executable Video

SIO

Memory

Board Keyboard Display

Monitor

Sector Controller Drive

Inspection

Adjustment Oscillator

Programs

Mode

Subsystem

Memory

Test

Format

Test

Page

4-44 4-44

4-55

5-1 5-2

5-3

Check

5-4

6-1 6-2

6-4

6-6 6-8

6-11

6-12

6-13 6-22

6.3

TROUBLESHOOTING

7

7.1

7.2

7.3

Hard

Tools Troubleshooting

7.2.1

Assembly

7.3.1

7.3.2

7.3.3

7.3.4

Disk

Diagnostic

and

Test

AND

REPAIR Equipment

Troubleshooting

Replacement

Opening

and Cabinet Removing Keyboard Removing

PC

Main

Board Removing Disk

Drive

Procedures

Chart

Procedures

Closing

and

Installing

and

Installing

and

Installing

6"';23

?,-l

7-1 7-2

7-2 7-15

ADVANTAGE

7-16

The

7-20

The

7-24

a

7-27

ADVANTAGE

iv

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

(continued)

Aggendix

A

B

C

o

E

F

G

H

I

J

CHARACTER

IIO

ADDRESS

PC

BOARD ERROR PARTS

FULL Z80 8251

MESSAGES LISTS

ASSEMBLY

MICROPROCESSOR

USART

CODE

JUMPERS

SCHEMATICS READER

RESPONSE

TABLES

SUMMARY

DRAWINGS

DATA

SHEET

FORM

DATA

SHEET

~

A-I

B-1

C-l

0-1

E-l

F-l

G-l

H-l

I-I

J-l

ADVANTAGE

vi

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure

1-1 1-2

2-1 2-2

2-3 3-1

3-2 3-3 3-4 3-5 3-6 3-7 3-8 3-9

3-10 3-11 3-12

3-13

3-14

3-15

3-16

The

ADVANTAGE

Functional The

ADVANTAGE

Block

Rear

Computer

Keyboard

View

Loading a Diskette Memory

The Data Disk Floppy Hard Asynchronous Asynchronous Current Current Buffer Synchronous Synchronous Synchronous Synchronous Standard

Mapping

Three

Shared Format Read/Write

Disk

Track

Loop

Full

PIO

Registers

In

Display

Timing

Track

and Modem'Configuration Terminal Configuration Circuit

Modification

Modem Modem Terminal Terminal

Configuration

Diagram

I/O

Interface

RAM

and

Sector

Configuration

Clock

Header

Configuration

Clock Configuration

Registers

Format

Header

~

1-1

1-5

2-1

2-4 2-6

3-3

3-10

3-24

3-38 3-39 3-47 3-59 3-60 3-61 3-62

3-63 3-66 3-66 3-67 3-67

3-72

'

4-1 4-2

4-3

4-4 4-5

4-6

4-7 4-8 4-9

4-10 4-11

4-12 4-13 4-14

4-15

4-16 4-17

4-18 4-19

4-20

The

ADVANTAGE Central Main Main

Processor RAM RAM

Auxilliary Disk Display

Controller

RAM Horizontal Vertical

I/O

Board

I/O

Board Voltage Hard SIO

Regulators

Disk

Board Connector SIO

Connector PIO

Board PIO

Connector Standard PIO

Port

System

Block

Diagram

Timing

Processor

and

Video

Scan

Timing

Interface

Timing Controller

Block Pin

Diagram

Assignments

Block

Diagram

PIO

Configuration

Timing

Block

Diagram

Block

Diagram Driver

Block

Assignments Assignments

Diagram

(Asynchronous)

(Synchronous)

Header

4-2

4-5 4-15

4-17 4-19 4-22 4-26

4-31

4-35 4-36

4-40

4-42 4-45 4-58 4-60

4-60

4-63 4-65 4-66

4-68

ADVANTAGE

vii

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

ILLUSTRATIONS

(continued)

Figure

6-1 6-2

6-3 6-4

6-5 6-6

6-7 6-8 6-9 6-10

7-1 7-2 7-3

7-4

7-5 7-6 7-7

7-8 7-9

7-10

7-11 7-12 7-13

7-14

7-15

7-16 7-17

7-18

7-19

7-20 7-21 7-22

Single Floppy

Block Disk

Executable

Locating

a

Loacating

SIO

Board

Keyboard N-Key Keyboard

Display

Test

Rollover

Test

Format

ADVANTAGE

Locations

(Solder Power Bottom Cabinet Major

Side)

Cord

View

Separation

Components

ADVANTAGE

Main Disk Disk

PC Drive Drive

Upper Power Cover Fan

Cable Video Video CRT

Removal CRT

Installation

80-5

Board

Disk Supply

Assembly

Removal/Installation Components PC

Board

Mode -Display

Subsystem Memory Defective

a

Defective

Test

-

Display

Test

Main

Video

Modules and

Test

Summary

for

Display

Troubleshooting

on

the

Disk

on

the

Controller

Removal

of

the

ADVANTAGE Sequence

Inside

20

Base HD-5 20

Cable

Assembly

Base

Assembly

Connections

Cable

Connections

Removal

Shield

Removal Cabling Drive

Removed

Components

-

Display

RAM

Format

Sections

Chart Drive

the

Format

-

Display

Format

Chip

RAM

Chip

Monitor

Test

Board

ADVANTAGE

Format

~

6-5 6-7 6-9 6-10 6-11 6-12

6-14

6-19 6-20 6-22

7-1

7-11

7-13

7-16

7-17

7-18 7-19

7-20

7-21

7-22 7-23 7-25

7-27

7-28

7-29

7-30 7-32 7-32 7-34 7-35 7-36

7-38

ADVANTAGE

viii

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

ILLUSTRATIONS

(continued)

Table 1-1 2-1

2-2 3-1

3-2 3-3 3-4 3-5 3-6

3-7 3-8

3-9

3-10 3-11 3-12 3-13 3-14 3-15 3-16 3-17 3-18

3-19

3-20 3-21 3-22 3-23

3-24 3-25 3-26

3-27 3-28

3-29 3-30 3-31

·3-22 3-33

ADVANTAGE ADVANTAGE

Rear 256K

Panel.

Address

Specifications Keys

Controls

Memory Mapping Memory Mapping Memory Memory Shared I/O I/O I/O I/O Sample

Video Video

Video

Floppy

Floppy Hard Hard Hard

I/O

I/O First SIO

Serial Asynchronous Sample

Parity Parity Register

Control Commands Status Status

Register Register

Routine

I/O

Addresses

Driver Driver

Disk Drive

Disk Disk Disk

Board Board

Drive Drive Controller/Drive

Addresses

Identification

Digit

Interrupt

I/O

Addresses

Asynchronous

Register

Control Data

I/O

Control

of

Baud

Board Synchronous Sample

Synchronous

Baud

Board PIO

Interrup

PIO

Status Parallel Sample

Boot

PROM

Routine

Mask

Byte

I/O

Addresses

CRC

Space

I/O

Register

I/O

Address

Status

Addresses

for

I/O

for

Block

Addresses I/O

Control

I/O

Mask

Rate

Format

for

Routine

Allocation Addresses

Configurations

and

Control

Format

Control

1

Format

2

Format

Reading

Characters

Codes

Format

Register

Commands

Register

Status

Codes Addresses Format

Selection

I/O·

Routines

Selection

I/O

Routines

Outputting

Bytes

Register

Format

Bits

for

PIO

Data

~

1-7 2-2

2-5 3-2

3-4 3-5

3-6

3-7

3-9

3-11 3-12 3-14

3-15

3-20 3-26 3-28 3-29 3-31 3-33 3-41 3-43 3-44 3-52 3-52 3-55

3-56 3-57 3-64

SID

3-65 3-68

SIO

3-69

3-74 3-75

3-76

3-77 3-81

4-1 4-2 4-3 4-4 4-5 4-6 4-7

I/O I/O I/O I/O I/O I/O

Floppy

ADVANTAGE

Status

Register Address Select

PROM Control Commands Status

Register

Disk

Decoder

Summary

Register

I/O

Instructions

ix

1

Format

Signals

Format

2

Format

TECHNICAL

4-8 4-9 4-10 4-12 4-13 4-20 4-23

MANUAL

Figure

ILLUSTRATIONS

(continued)

4-8 4-9 4-10 4-11 4-12 4-13 4-14 4-15 4-16 4-17 4-18 4-19

5-1

6-1 6-2

6-3

7-1 7-2 7-3

7-4

Floppy HTIML HTIMH 60 50

1/0

Hard SIO

SIO PIa PIa PIa

Disk Horizontal Horizontal

Hz

vertical

Hz

Vertical

Board

Disk

Board Board Board status

Interrupt

Controller

I/O

1/0 1/0

Preventive Mini-Monitor

Keyboard Keyboard

Main Main Main Driver

Test Test

Board Board Board -Floppy

Status

Control

Register Scan Scan

Timing Timing

Assignments

Instructions Instructions Instructions

Byte

Format

Mask

Format

Maintenance

Commands

Abbreviation

Control

Input

Video

Power

Interface

Disk

Signals

Format PROM PROM PROM PROM

Input/Output

Schedule

Codes

Keys

(Jll)

(J7)

Power

Sign~ls

(JI0)

4-24 4-28 4-29

4-33 4-34 4-38 4-46 4-61 4-62

4-67

4-68

4-69

5-1

6-3

6-16

6-21

7-6 7-6

7-10 7-14

ADVANTAGE

x

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

1.2

SYSTEM

DESCRIPTION

The

impact

keyboard

North

plastic

features

Star

programmable The

monitor, board disk power

two

5" The

cpu.

(RAM)

20

Kbyte

ADV~TAGE

video which controller, supply

floppy

Winchester

ADVANTAGE

64

Kbyte

is

provided

Kbyte

200

PROM auxiliary disk

The with display

input/output

display

24

lines with

controlled

ADVANTAGE

unit

function

cabinet circuit

contains

regulator.

disk

drives

hard

uses of

nsec

contains

8035

microprocessor

can

x

240 x 640

by

one

with

an

ASCII

keys

the

I/O or

disk

a 4

200

nsec

for

program

RAM

for

the

(I/O)

operate

80

characters

bit

in

is

packaged

an

integral

typewriter-like

and a numeric

holds

the

assembly,

CPU,

the

interface

The

cabinet

one

floppy

drive. MHz

Z80A

microprocessor

dynamic

storage,

the

bit-mapped

resident

bootstrap

controls

to

and

from

as

a 1920

pixels.

the

20

Kbyte

in

l2-inch

and

memory,

circuits, also disk

random

the

character

or

as display

a

molded

keyboard.

layout

keypad.

(diagonal)

main

processor

the

houses drive

access

with

a

separate

display.

program.

keyboard

cpu.

a

bit-mapped

Each

pixel memory.

high

The

with

floppy

and

the

either

and

one

as

the

memory

A 2

An

and:

display

is

The

n-key

typewriter

numeric/cursor

function In

the disk density

In

the

provides

keys.

ADVANTAGE

drives

to

ADVANTAGE

5 Mbytes

rollover

keys,

control

are

quad

provide

HD-5,

keyboard

9 symbol

2Q,

the

capacity

360 Kbyte

the

of

storage.

contains

or

control

pad,

two

integral double-sided

of

Winchester

and

15

storage

49

keys,

programmable

5-1/4"

and

per

hard

disk

standard

a

l4-key

floppy

double-

diskette.

drive

ADVANTAGE

1-3

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

A

simplified shown below. more blocks.

in

Figure

Refer

detailed

block

1-2.

to

Chapter

descriptions

diagram

The

of blocks

4,

the

ADVANTAGE are

Theory

of

ADVANTAGE

described

of

Operation

computer

briefly

component

is

for

- The

the

Central

system.

processors

- The

64K temporary executed

- The

2K provides for

debugging

- The

Video

resolution applications, operator.

- The

floppy diskettes. second

- The

Speaker operator. are

under

Control

Contained

and

Main

storage

while

Boot

PROM

bootstrapping

functions.

Monitor

display

Disk

The

floppy

drive. produces

The

program

Unit

the

controllers

RAM

(Random

of

residing

(Programmable

and

or

to

Drive(s)

optional

frequency

control.

maintains herein

Accesp

programs

in

this

and a built-in

20K

Display

that

can

display

use hard

a

tone

and

are

for

and

RAM.

be

used

messages

5-1/4

Disk

used dUration

primary

the

Z80

the

I/O

Memory)

data.

Programs

Read-Only

Mini-Monitor

RAM

produce

for

inch

Drive

to

quad

replaces

signal

of

control

and

devices.

provides

Memory)

a

high

graphics

for

capacity

the

of

8035

are

the

the tone

- The

ADVANTAGE

Keyboard configuration, function

I/O

keys.

Board customized board external computing Star area: Parallel ADVANTAGE slot

slots

devices

power

boards

the

Input/Output

contains

one.In

Controller

for

specific

which

of are Serial

an

resides

includes

a

numeric

Slots

may

contain

or

other

the

ADVANTAGE.

presently

Input/Output

(PIO)

an

ADVANTAGE

in

I/O

1-4

the keypad

allow

standard

and

the

applications.

interface

boards

available

(SIO)

Board.

SIO

board

HD-5

slot

six.

typewriter

15

programmable

ADVANTAGE

There

boards

which

Two

for

expand

types

use

Board

As

supplied,

installed

the

Hard

TECHNICAL

to

are

of

North

in

and

in

MANUAL

be six for the

this

the the

I/O

Disk

Functional

VIDEO

MONITOR

20K

DISPLAY

RAM

Block

Diagram

64K

MAIN

RAM

2K BOOT PROM

SPEAKER

I·

CENTRAL

CONTROL

UNIT

KEYBOARD

---

FLOPPY DISK

I/O

EXTERNAL

1

DRIVE

2

DRIVE

BOARD

SLOTS

..

;>

~

7

I/O

DEVICES

r------------.

I I

or

I I I I I

HD-5

HARD DISK

'------r----.J

I

I I I I I I

ADVANTAGE

Figure

1-5

1-2

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

1.4

ADVANTAGE

SPECIFICATIONS

Table characteristics

CABINET Dimensions

Net

Weight

Composition

POWER External

Internal

REQUIREMENTS

(with

Line

Domestic

1-1

lists

ADVANTAGE

48

(18-3/4

19.5 High

Filter)

115

VAC,

60Hz

of

the

Table

cm

wide x 51

in

kg (43

impact

the

physical

ADVANTAGE.

1-1

Specifications

cm

x

20

in lbs) structural

(98

to

132

long x

12-112

VAC)

x

31.5

foam

and

in)

electrical

cm

high

International

Internal

Supply

Voltages

Power Consumption

TEMPERATURE

Operating:

(with

diskette)

Non-operating

230

50/60

±5

AND

VAC,

Hz

VDC

±5%

+12

VDC

±5%

2 amps @ 1

amp

@ 230V

HUMIDITY

10 C

(50 F

20%

to

-40 C to

(-40 F to

(196

ll5V

40

104 F)

80%

60 C 140 F)

to

264

VAC)

C non-condensing

ADVANTAGE

1-7

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

Table

1-1

(continued)

Shipping

PROCESSOR/MEMORY

CPU

Memory

VIDEO Screen

28

P31

High

Grid

1920 24

5X7

-40Cto52C

(-40

5%

Z80A

8035

64K 20K 2K

F

to

95%

Microprocessor, auxiliary

byte byte

byte

cm

(12

phosphor

impact,

character

lines

character

to

125 F) non-condensing

processor

Main

RAM

Display

Boot

in)

PROM

diagonal

(green)

non-glare

display,

by

80

characters

in

8xlO

RAM

operating

for

safety

dot

matrix

speed:

keyboard

shield

4MHz and

disk

Graphics

resolution Refresh CRT

Anode

rate

Voltage

KEYBOARD Key

tops

Number Key

of

Groups

Keys:

240 60

17

pixel Hz KV

high

maximum

x 640

Sculptured Selectric-compatible N-Key

roll-over 87 49

Standard

l4-key

15

Additional

9

Numeric Pad

Programmable

Typewriter

Function

Symbol/Control

for

pixel

fast

with

data

Keys

ENTER

Keys

wide

entry

key

Keys

ADVANTAGE

1-8

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

Table

1-1

(continued)

Other

FLOPPY Number

features

DISK

of

drives

Diskettes

storage

Transfer Latency

(average)

DRIVES

Rate

Full Special 5 Auto

Two

Standard

Cursor

Shift

Repeat

floppy

Shift-Lock Modes

5-1/4

Recommended 512

bytes/sector,

35

tracks/side,

.Quad

360K 250K 100

(double-sided, bytes bits/second

ms

control

disk

type:

per

Keys

drives

in

floppy

Dysan 10

(hard)

2

sides/diskette

double-density)

diskette

housed

in

diskettes.

part

No.

sectors/

(formatted)

cabinet

107/2D.

track

Access

Time

Track-to-Track Track Tracks

ERROR Soft Hard Seek Disk

Density

per

RATES errors errors errors speed

Side

1

5 48 35

per per per

300

ms

tpi

108bits

l011bi 106 seeks

rpm

read

ts

read

+ 3.0%

ADVANTAGE

1-9

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

Table

1-1

<Continued)

HARD

DISK

Capacity

Unformatted

Formatted

Transfer

Access

Average

DRIVE

Per

Drive

Per

Surface

Per

Track

Per

drive

Per

surface

Per

track

Per

sector

Sectors

Rate

Time

Track Average Maximum Settling

Latency

to

per

track

time

track

6.38

1.59 10416

5.0

1.25

8192 512

16

5.0

3

170

.500

15

8.33

megabytes

bytes

megabytes

megabytes bytes

bytes

megabits second

ms

per

Rotational Recording Flux Track

Density

Density Cylinders Tracks

R/w

Heads

Disks Max

Error

Less Not

bad

recoverable

Speed

Density

Rates:

Soft

Hard Seek

spots,

read read

errors

errors errors

if

any

within

=

(max

16

1

per

1

per

1

per

16)

retries.

3600 7690 7690 255 153 612

4

2

109 bits

11

10

bi

ts

106 seeks

tpi

read read

rpm bpi fci

±

max

1%

ADVANTAGE

1-10

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

INPUT/OUTPUT I/O

Bus

Table

Slots

plug-in

for

boards

1-1

up

(continued)

to

six

in

the

plug-in

HD-5)

boards

(up

to

five

Serial

(SIO)

Parallel

I/O

Each RS232

Current

board

Serial

loop

addressed

Asynchronous: Synchronous: 8-bit

for Maximum

data

each

in

port

speed

Port

option

45

baud

2400

and

is

limited

by 16

baud out

to

19.2

to

with

by

I/O

51

kilobaud

three

the

addresses

kilobaud

handshake

processor.

lines

ADVANTAGE

1-11

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

ADVANTAGE

OPERATION

2

2.1

2.1.1

This

the

keyboard

also

floppy

performing

OPERATING

The

keyboard

are

system

diskette

chapter

ADVANTAGE.

and

provides

drive(s),

a

CONTROLS

ADVANTAGE

and

a power

Reset

loading

Keyboard

Primary

commands

keyboard

keys, standard codes.

tabu1~tions

system

and

is

described

ASCJI

Keys

in

describes

It

rear

panel

instructions

booting

system

operating

rear

panel

switch,

button.

and

control

data

illustrated

in

codes

and

their

Appendix

startup

contains

controls

a

reset.

controls.

screen

For

operation

unloading

is

from

the

in Table as

well

codes

A.

and

a

of

for

loading

program,

controls

brightness

procedures

maintained

ADVANTAGE

Figure

2-1.

as

additional

are

listed

general

description

the

ADVANTAGE.

diskettes

and

consist

On

the

control,

of

the

are

by

keyboard.

2-1.

The

There

keys

under

operation

of

in

methods

of

rear

panel

and

disk

drives,

given.

entering

are

generate

8-bit

various

of

the

It

the

for

the

The

87

hex

Characters on maintained where

ADVANTAGE

the

CRT

the

entered

screen

cursor

under

marks

character

The

ADVANTAGE

Figure

2-1

the

program

the

entry

Keyboard

2-1

keyboard

control.

position

will

be

are on

displayed

A

program-

the

displayed.

TECHNICAL

screen

MANUAL

Table

2-1

Key

Group

CHARACTER

KEYBOARD CONTROL

ADVANTAGE

Keys

ABCDEFGHIJKLM

NOPQRSTUVWXYZ

l234567890!

$%A&*()

'",.<>I?[]{}

__

@#

=+;:

(space)

SHIFT

ALL

CAPS

RETURN

Keys

Alphabetic,

symbols. symbols on

the

Either

which

keys

(see

Shifts

(.,-)

numeric~pad.

of

cause

to

shift

Appendix

only

characters

is

a

"push

LED

to

signal

is

active.'

Carriage

Description

numeric,

Numbers

are

two

identical

most

into

A).

alphabetic

to

upper

on-off"

when

return.

and

three

also

of

the

upper

case. type function

special

available

keys other

case

Key

with

CURSOR CONTROL

TAB

<X]

ENTER

8

direction

arrows CURSOR

LOCK

Position line.

is

Setting

done

Character

delete

upon

the Numeric All

cursor

program

Shifts

(1-9 cursor SHIFT

push

signal

only

on

positioning

key.

off"

when

to

delete,

and

backspace

program

pad

data

activity

control.

cursor

numeric

Key

type

key

tab

and

releasing

program

backspace, being entry

is

control

pad)

without

is

a

"push

with

is

LED

active.

set

on

control.

depending

used. key.

under

to

allow

on-

to

the tabs

qr

keys using

ADVANTAGE

2-2

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

Table

2-1

(continued)

Key Group FUNCTION

PROGRAM

Keys

Fl

F2

F3 F4 F6 F7 Fll

Fa

Fl2

FlS

ESC

CONTROL

CMND

FS

F9

FlO

F13 F14

Special

under

program

Function

three

codes.

(ESCAPE)

control.

(CTRL)

shift

for

(Command)

shift

for

Description

purpose

control.

key

can

key

under

operates

keys. operates

keys.

keys

entirely

generate

program

as

a

as

Each

up

special

a

special

to

ADVANTAGE

2-3

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

2.1.2

Rear A

rear

Table

Panel

view

2-2

Controls

of

the

ADVANTAGE

describes-the

controls

is

shown

in in

Figure

the

figure.

2-2.

On/Off

Switch

Power Cord

Receptacle

Fuse

Holder

ADVANTAGE

Rear

Figure

View

<l)

\

Reset Push Button

2-2

~-4--

Brightness Control

ADVANTAGE

2-4

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

Table

2-2

Control

ON/OFF

Switch

Power Cord

Receptacle Fuse

Reset

I/O

Holder

Pushbutton

Plate

Rear

Panel

Applies/removes Mates

current Contains

(time

IA

Resets

reset,

minate

time

with

from

the

delay)

delay

and data but

power

AC AC

initializes

in

disk

affected. Openings

connectors Serial

in

slot

Disk

in

plate

on

I/O

Board

1.

In

Controller

Controls

Description

electrical

cord

power line

fuse

fuse.

for

Main Memory

storage

allow

I/O

Boards

is

a

hard

disk

resides

power

to

provide

source.

Use

llSV

230V the

operation

operation.

system. is

data

access

I

through

standard

systems,

in

slot

to electric

2A

slo-blo

After

indeter-

is

not

to

I/O

6.

installation

the

6.

the

and

Hard

unit.

A

Brightness Control

Controls Turn

clockwise

brightness

to~increase

of

the

display brightness.

screen.

ADVANTAGE

2-5

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

2.2

SYSTEM

STARTUP

2.2.1

Startup

contained drive

the

in

drive

system.

Standard

To

boot

1.

Insure disk

2.

Turn switch position.

is in

ROM.

the

bootstrap

normally

Startup

from

floppy

that

drive(s).

Turning diskettes

data

on

at

a

function

Drive

program;

used

-

Booting

disk

there

CAUTION

power on

loaded

on

the

diskettes.

ADVANTAGE

the

rear

of

the

1

is

programmed

for

From

drive

are

1,

no

diskettes

or

may

power by

of

the

bootstrap

Drive

booting

Drive

proceed

off

cause

pressing

cabinet

1,

1

loss

as

the

therefore,

the

in

as

the

operating

follows:

with

of

the

to

routines

default

floppy

ON/OFF

the

is

ON

3.

Insert into

4.

Press appears 1,

system

5.

Proceed diagnostics for

drive

-

the floppy

-

the disk.

and

further

a

system

1.

upper

drives

lower

RETURN on

the

control

or

the

as

information.

diskette

Drive

1

drive

after

screen.

is

turned

diagnostics.

prompted have

been

is: in

an

in

an

the

A

program

by

the

loaded,

or

diagnostic

ADVANTAGE

message

is

over

to

program

refer

with

"LOAD

read

the

loaded.

to

diskette

with

a

SYSTEM"

from

drive

operating

Chapter

dual

hard

If

6

ADVANTAGE

2-7

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

2.2.2

Alternate-

An

ADVANTAGE

drive

2

proceed

At

into

At type

Startup

(the

as

step

Drive

step

D2

with

lower

in

Section

3

insert

2.

4 when

before

-

Booting

dual

the

pressing

floppy

drive).

2.2.1,

the

system

"LOAD

From

Drive

drives

To except

or

SYSTEM"~message

2

may

be

boot

from

as

diagnostic

follows:

RETURN.

booted

Drive

diskette

appears,

from

2,

2.2.3

2.2.4

Alternate

The

bootstrap program this

Startup

through

feature, installed the

communication

To

boot

1.

from a serial

Power up

(Section

2.

When

then

the

press

serial

Mini-Monitor

The

built-in

Refer

to

Section

commands:

-

program

a

you

in

slot

3.

link.

the

ADVANTAGE

2.3) "LOAD

to

SYSTEM"

RETURN.

port.

Startup

Mini-Monitor

6.1

Booting

allows

serial

must

Section

port,

obtain

The

for

a

From A

the

Serial

system

communication

have

a

3.13.3

proceed

as

(Section

the

"LOAD

message

system

may

be

appears,

then

started

description

Port

link.

Serial

gives

follows:

2.2.1)

SYSTEM"

boots

up

of

to

load

To

1/0

details

or

use

board

of

Reset

message.

type

as

Sand

from

the

follows.

Mini-Monitor

a

1.

Power up

(Section

2.

When

the

CONTROL-C

ADVANTAGE

the

2.3)

"LOAD

to

ADVANTAGE

to

obtain

SYSTEM"

enter

the

2-8

(Section

the

"LOAD

2.2.1)

SYSTEM"

message

Mini-Monitor.

or

message.

appears,

TECHNICAL

Reset

press

MANUAL

2.3

RESTARTING

THE

SYSTEM

2.3.1

The

ADVANTAGE keyboard pushing forces

the the

(OOOOH);

both

(refer

send

to ADVANTAGE SYSTEM"

prompt.

Resetting

program

data.

to

RESET PANEL METHODS

Keyboard

Reset

may

Reset

rear

CPU

the

Reset

a

non-maskable

Section

to

reset

recover

be

restarted

sequence,

panel

Reset

program

switch

4.1.1).

re-initialize

CAUTION

the

operation

Use

the

keyboard

the

from

THE

ADVANTAGE

SWITCH

HAVE

ONLY FAILED.

by

cycling

button.

counter

and

the

interrupt

This

and

ADVANTAGE can

cause

reset

ADVANTAGE

system

hard

USING

WHEN

ALL

entering

Cycling

to

the keyboard

(NMI)

interrupt

display

during

loss

feature

only

errors.

THE

RECOVERY

the

power,

base

to

forces

the

of to

REAR

unique or

the

power

address

sequence

the

"LOAD

by

CPU the

The

ADVANTAGE simultaneously both equivalent of

The

under the the feature

(see

SHIFT

keys, to

the

ADVANTAGE

keyboard

program

ADVANTAGE

keyboard

can

Section

system

on

pushing

cabinet.

reset control. or

after

reset

be

disabled

3.5.1).

may

the

and

<Xl. The

the

feature

be

reset

keyboard.

Reset

may

When

the

and

power

Reset

is

enabled.

re-enab1ed

by

pressing

The

keys

effect

of

pushbutton

be

enabled

is

first

pushbutton

Thereafter,

by

are:

this

on

and

is

the

four

CMND,

reset

the

disabled

applied

pressed,

program

keys

is

rear

to

the

ADVANTAGE

2-9

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

IMPLEMENTING

ADVANTAGE

FEATURES

3

3.1

3.2

3.2.1

This various devices.

and

chapter

PIO

boards

provides

sections

It

also

MICROPROCESSOR

The central

for

MEMORY

ADVANTAGE

processing

the

programming

CONTROL

Memory Mapping

The

expand bytes Memory

ADV~TAGE

its

to

memory

256K

Address

of

explains

to

change

CONTROL

uses

unit

details

computer

addressing

bytes.

bus

from

programming

the

ADVANTAGE,

how

their

the

Z-80A

(CPU).

of

uses

This

16

bits

a memory

effectively

information

including

to

reconfigure

mode

of

operation.

microprocessor

Refer

this

to

the

integrated

mapping

capabilities

to

18

bits.

for the

the

as

Appendix

circuit.

scheme

from

expands

the

I/O

SIO

its

G

to 64K the

The

addressing pages major the

Display

assigned

of

areas

to

16K

the

scheme

bytes

of

memory

RAM,

divides

each

in

and

the

addresses

the

(see

the

Boot

shown

Table

ADVANTAGE:

PROM,

in

256K

the

bytes

3-1).

the

are

table.

into The

Main

16

three

RAM,

permanently

ADVANTAGE

3-1

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

Table

3-1

Page

0

1

2 3

4

5"

6

7 8

9

A B

C

D

E

F

2S6K

18-Bit

00000

04000 -

08000 -

OCOOO

10000

14000 18000 1COOO

20000 24000 -

Address

- 03FFF 07FFF OBFFF OFFFF

-

- 13FFF

- 17FFF

1BFFF

- 1FFFF

- 23FFF 27FFF

28000 - 2BFFF

2COOO 30000 -

34000

38000 -

3COOO

- 2FFFF 33FFF

37FFF

-

3BFFF

- 3FFFF

Address

Space

bytes

16K

bytes

16K

bytes

16K

bytes

16K

}

Not

First Last

16K

4K

repeated

Not

used

Not

used

}

2K-byte

to

Allocation

Contents

Main

of

Main

of

Main

of

Main..

of

presently

bytes bytes

four

times

-

Boot

fill

64K

RAM

used

of

Display

of

PROl~

bytes

Display

repeats

RAM

Memory

mapping

registers.

First,

output register time program

memory Mapping

the

address

registers.

memory

address wi

thou t change.

With

anyone registers, 16

possible wishes of

the

to

Mapping

Figure

with

are

the

pages.

access,

is

implemented

3-1

shows

instructions

the

appropriate

is

accessed,

automatically

by

selecting

The

remaining

passed

through

configuration

program

In

the

has

order

program

registers.

by

how

these

are

bits.

the

one

to

of

access

to

change

must

four

registers

used

Thereafter,

upper

generate

of

the

14

bits

the

to

only

the

change

Memory Mapping

work.

to

load

the

each

two

memory

Memory

four

of

four

bits

four

the

four

one

of

bits

Memory

program

address

Mapping

of

the

pages

or

more

the

of

it

ADVANTAGE

3-2

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

Memory Mapping

Registers

PROGRAM

LOAD

4\.

\.

DATA

IN

MEMORY

ADDRESS

(

117

1 16 I 15 I 14 1

\

PAGE

115

114113

\

W 9

ADDRESS

'\

r"-

2

FOUR

4-BIT

MAPPING

REGISTERS

jDATA

OUT

A "

1 12 1

11

I 10 I

1\

I 12 1

11

13

I 10 I

-

w

SELECT

"

Figure

1

918

I

9 1 8

ADDRESS

3-1

7 I

7

,

II

1·6

w

ON

6

I I

5

1 5 1

PAGE

I

3

4 2

1 312 1

4

1

1 0

1

,

I

1

o I

I

ADVANTAGE

3-3

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

•

Bits

0-3

acknowledge

•

When a

bits

range

following

are

0-3

of

special

only

that

0-9

E = F =

valid

the

contain

for

the

codes:

disk

index

Table

NOTES

after

command

the

10

drive

pulse

3-10

(Continued)

bit

has

disk

sector

sectors,

motors

detected

7

changes

been

or

off

state

executed number,

one

of

• they

the

to

have

3.5

3.5.1

KEYBOARD This

the tables

section

ADVANTAGE

in

Keyboard

The be feature

4-key

enabled

is disabled command address

sequence

FOH) sequence NMI

flag

I/O

Status

The

pushing

"6,7"

feature

reset reset.

system

keyboard

the

sequence

is

functions

It

as

CONTROL

contains

keyboard.

Section

Reset

reset

or

3.4

Enable

feature

disabled

initially

under

program

"6,7"

when

the complements and

places

register

reset

RESET

button,

to

disabled.

exactly

forces

a

described

the

programming Refer

for

the

following

of

the

under

enabled

at

control

to

the

I/O

feature

the

its

2

(I/O

is

the

Once

current current

or

I/O

is

address

enabled

by Control enabled,

like

non-maskable

in

the

following

information

to

the

-

ADVANTAGE

program

power-up.

by

issuing

Control enabled. state state

of

into

DOH).

by

power-on

the

program

register

the

RESET

interrupt

section.

diagrams

discussion.

keyboard

control.

It

may

the

register

This

the

command

Keyboard

bit

0

issuing

when

4-key

keyboard

pushbutton

to

reset

for and

may

This

be

two-

(I/O

of

reset,

the the

the

ADVANTAGE

3-16

TECHNICAL

MANUAL

North Star Advantage Technical Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual