To: 999 (all members)
From: K4E (Richard Walker)
Subject: Modems (again!)
As some may know, from my last
comments, I have a new interest in
communications with my BBC Master.
I was going to get myself a modem and
some comms software, but a local
school gave me a slight hand...
They gave me a modem (2 actually!)
which they have had for the past 10
years (ish!) and only really used on
'Newsdays'. The modem is a 'DACOM
2123AD Auto-dialling' and it has a
sticker on the top, saying 'DTI
SCHOOLS PROJECT'.
Inside the modem, on the PCB, there
are 4 empty IC sockets and space
labelled 'BATTERY' there are also
solder links and a space for something
which looks like a transistor, but
it's not!!!
There is also a (4Kb?) EPROM labelled
'AAQEAAT 167D 02-07-86'. I popped
this in a ROM cartridge and dumped it
to my printer and some key words (?)
jumped out from the garbage:
&CTL, &DIS, &???, &RNG, &WHT,
CONNECTED, DISCONNECTED, WHAT?,
DIALLING, RINGING etc.
Also, some words which look like
commands (similar to Hayes ones?):
V21T, V21C, NP, APT, PLS, RESET, ALT
etc.
Does anybody out there have any
expertise on the modem (how do I work
it, what software, what are the PCB
spaces for...) or even a manual for
the modem which might explain the
command set.
If you can help me. A BIG THANKYOU!
*** The modem (with TTNS software) did
dial-up Silicon Village viewdata and
Healthdata (another viewdata) but it
won't dial, say Arcade or Chaos
Cottage - it gets to the point where
the BBS asks for a 'username' so I
type 'NEW' (like you're supposed to if
you do not have an ID) and the modem
lights flicker slightly, but nothing
happens on the screen. Like a crash!
Help with any part of this saga is
much appreciated. I just thought it
might be nice to get a gift working...
If I were to give up with the DACOM
(if it is no good), what modem should
I go for? Also, which software? I
think that COMMSTAR is supposed to be
the best, but what about the modem?
Would COMMSTAR work with my DACOM
modem? If so, it may give it a new
lease of life!
Contact:
Richard Walker (K4E)
7 Hackforth Road
Hartburn
Stockton-on-Tees
Cleveland
TS18 5NF
Before I go, could someone please tell
me what EPAD, PSS and DIRECT mean,
regarding calls to comms services?
TTNS mentions them in it's help part
of the program. Does anyone have a
manual fo TTNS or any DACOM modem?
Oh, and what exactly is BT Local Dial
Plus??? I need to know.
Sorry the colour work is boring, but I
typed this message with a BBC on a
monochrome monitor!
To:All
From: S.Mason D3L
Re: BBC Keyboard damaged in post.
Here are the details regarding the
procedure for compensation claims for
items damaged in the post.
I ordered a BBC keyboard from '8BS'
a couple of weeks ago. This arrived in
the usual double quick time, well
wrapped in 'bubble-wrap' in such a way
that it would have withstood an
elephant standing on it - well, almost.
Unfortunately, upon opening the
said package, the printed circuit
board had been broken in no less than
three places.
After a telephone call to Chris,
I made a claim for compensation,
details of which are on leaflet 'UK
Letter Rates' no.RMN18/93/L, which
allows a maximum claim of £25. This
required a visit to my local sorting
office to complete the mandatory form
and exhibit the damaged article.
I was pleased to receive a cheque
for the full amount of the claim
during the following week, together
with a very nice letter from the Royal
Mail Customer Service Centre in
Birmingham.
Should any members of '8BS' have
similar problems, I hope that the above
information is of help.
ALSO...... Can anyone help me out with
instructions for Castle Quest.
My 8271 Chip has developed a fault. Can
anyone help?
Steve Mason (D3L)
To: 999 (all members)
From: K6D (Mick Sanders)
Subject: Power Supply Repair
I was having problems with my B+ in
that it was having trouble
starting up after being off for a day
or longer.The main symptom being a
total lack of anything (no bleep, no
logo and no response to any input)
for up to ten minutes after switch
on. I put up with this situation for
a while but eventually I cracked and
dismantled the beast. Thanks to the
article by K3B in issue 37 I had a
vague idea what was up with
it.(However the article isn't so
useful when the only thing you can
read it on is very, very dead.)
So I removed the Power Supply
(PSU) by taking out the three screws
underneath the case of the Beeb and
pulling the power leads CAREFULLY off
the connectors on the circuit board.
With a bit of careful juggling,
the mains plug will fit through the
hole in the back of the Beeb case and
then you have a PSU sitting looking
sadly at you. Next, the
Disc drive power plug has to come off
and this can be achieved by carefully
pressing down each of the four
securing lugs and easing the plug out
of the metalwork. Also, the mains
switch has to be pushed out through
its hole as well. You now should be
able to undo the four Philips screws
holding the board in the casing.
Lift the board out and make a
note of all the electrolytic
capacitor values, nip along to your
friendly local electronics shop and
buy a set the same. Make sure the new
ones are no bigger than the ones you
are going to replace. Or send for
them from somewhere like Maplin, you
can check the sizes in their
catalogue. If you can't find the same
values of capacity or voltage go for
the next higher ones keeping in mind
the size restraints imposed by the
box they are going into.
This next bit is easier if you have
a desoldering tool. Heat each of the
two wires on one capacitor with a
small soldering iron and gently bend
the wires straight. Don't worry about
the amount of heat you have to use
because the capacitor is now
officially dead but be careful not to
damage the circuit track. This is
where to desolder the legs of the
component if you can, otherwise just
heat the thing and gently work each
leg out through the hole a bit at a
time. Having removed one immediately
replace it with a new improved one of
the same values. Cut the wires to the
same length as the old one, bend them
over and solder in place, carefully
this time, checking that you haven't
bridged a track with solder.
Do the rest of the capacitors the
same way then reassemble the PSU
shoveing everything back where you
found it and making sure that no
parts touch things they shouldn't!
When you come to fit it back in
the case you will find that the wires
"remember" where to go and make it
easy to refit them, however if you
can't find where they go you should
have labelled them when you took them
off! The whole job is best done in
one day 'cos that way there is less
time to forget where it all goes.
I hope this could be of some use to
anybody hoping to mend their ailing
Beeb but, as in my case, it'll
probably be too late!
To: 999 (all members)
From: 0E7 (Fred Nevin)
Subject: MANUALS
As you may be aware I have been after
a CANON PW-1080A manual for about the
last twelve months. I had advertised
in Computing Weekly after Tim Parsons
had very kindly sent me some entry
forms out of his magazines.
Two Characters promised
to send manuals after all terms had
been agreed but no manuals arrived.
After shouting for help again on last
months disc I advertised again in
Computing Weekly and within a week I
had a mint copy.
I suppose this proves the old adage
'IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE' or something.
Thanks to all members who have
assisted in this matter and for all of
you that are still chasing Manuals
perhaps it will PAY TO ADVERTISE in
Computing Weekly.
PS Its Free!!!
To: 999 (all members)
From: 0E7 (Fred Nevin)
Subject: RAMESIS
Are members who have PC's aware of
the RAMESIS DISK BANK vending system
which is available from some Major
Public Libraries
This scheme allows you to try out
on site Shareware programs which if
reaching the standard you require can
be copied onto disk for a fee of some
#2. Some require a fee if the program
is to be used and in some cases are
very low whilst others are absolutely
free.There seems to be a considerable
number of programs by our 'COUSINS'
I came across this information in our
local Library in the form of a free
SOFTWARE QUARTERLY paper.
I was going to list the programs for
your information but there are too
many and cover all TOPICS as well as
SNICKERS Please excuse the JOKE!!!)
For those of you interested I can only
suggest you have a look in at your
local Library.
I would think the Summer Issue is due
soon. That is if we are going to get a
Summer up in this part of the country.
Cheers for now.
To: 999 (all members)
From: D4A (Paul Richmond)
Subject: Replay and Spellcheck Roms
As a new member I must say first that
I am very impressed with 8BS and would
like to thank Chris for all his help
getting me going.
When I bought my "B" from the local
paper I found it had a Replay Rom
installed, I have had problems making
it work.In issue 36 Albert Schofield
mentions it,but not in detail. I wonder
if anyone has a copy of the manual I
could have?
I also have Inter-Word and would like
to get hold of a Spell Checker Rom to
work with it, any ideas???
My phone Number is 01582 769917
To: 999 (all members)
From: K4V (Trevor Crapper)
Subject: View Professional Tutorial
Part 3
I want to complete the printer driver
tutorial this time. Type in *PDE and
press RETURN. If you get a request to
run X.DRIVER then you will find this
program and make sure you copy it so
that both PDE and X.DRIVER are
together, it does make life easier.
When PDE has loaded in you can either
press the ESCAPE key and enter into a
blank printer driver screen, or type
in LO T.FX80 and press RETURN, press
the ESCAPE key will present you with a
screen that has printer codes for an
Epson FX80 printer or, one that is
compatible with the FX80.
I will assume that you have loaded in
the FX80 file, in this way you do get
a view of what a printer driver looks
like, and it will help you to follow
the tutorial more easily.
The part of the screen we are
interested in is the centre section
that starts with the word Highlight on
the left and the words STRING 1 (on)
STRING 2 (off) Off at CR? follow
across the screen.
Highlight is the number(s) you will
input when telling your printer to use
these codes when it prints what you
have written.
STRING 1 (on) This is the printer code
which tells the printer what it wants
printed following the Highlight number
or numbers.
STRING 2 (off) This is the printer
code which tells the printer to turn
off the code you were using and return
to the printing style you intend using
for your letter, etc.
Off at CR? This can be used to turn a
code off at the end of a line. Or if
it is left blank then you will have to
remember to turn the code off yourself
by using the appropriate Highlight
code.
Where it says Translations and below
this Characters and Changes to, use
this to change the Pound sign from "£"
to 6 so that the sign will be printed.
As you will have noticed there are two
empty spaces, these can be used for
you own special needs. Looking down
the list of codes:-
1 Underline, underlines text
2 Bold, creates bold printing
3 Ext. Char., put your code in here
4 Italics, prints in italic style
5 Subscript, used in mainly for maths
6Superscript, as above
7 Alt.font 2, this prints 12 cpi
8 User def, put your code in here
The above is simply one set of codes
for a particular printer, and the
codes can be changed to suit your
needs. I don't use either sub or super
script and put other codes in their
place.
If you do want to experiment with
different printing sizes then you will
have to input the codes for these into
the printer driver.
If you only want to print using the
default size then there is no need to
input anything.
The default size of printing is 10
characters per inch, this is also
called PICA style. There is a code for
printing at 12 characters per inch at
number 7 Alt. font 2. This is called
ELITE style.
That's all folks and remember CJR sells
VP. Until next time then.
To: 999 (all members)
From: K3H (ALBERT SCHOFIELD)
Subject: TAPE TO DISC ON THE BBC'B'
Some cassette based games which, when
transferred to disc, will load and run
but will not work properly. One such
game is SPACEMAN SID. When loaded from
disc, all that appears is the top part
of the screen and the bottom part but
no action in between. The reason for
this is because the last part is
locked and will not work properly when
unlocked. In this case it is necessary
to make the computer think that it has
loaded a locked cassette file. A
locked cassette file can only be *RUN.
It cannot be *LOADED or *DUMPed. When
a locked cassette file is *RUN the
byte at location &3CA is set (See page
347 of the ADVANCED USER GUIDE). So
this byte must be set to make the
computer think that it has loaded a
locked cassette file. With SPACEMAN
SID it should be set to A1. This can
be done with the following poke:-
?&3CA=&A1.
The game can be transferred to disc
as follows. SPACEMAN SID is in three
parts SID, SID1 and SID2. The first
part is a basic program so load it
into memory and alter the *T. command
at line 21 to ?&3CA=&A1 and save to
disc. Load in the second part using
*LOAD""1900.
The second part is part basic and part
machine code. The machine code section
contains the tape token 8C. This must
be replaced by a space (20) to prevent
the computer reverting to the cassette
filing system. The file could be saved
to disc and a sector editor used to
alter the 8C which is at location &F6F
in the file but an easier way is to
type ?&286F=&20 before saving the file
to disc. Then save to disc using
*SAVE SID1 1900+1600. The third part
SID2 will have to be loaded at &1900
using an unlocking utility. Then saved
to disc using:-
*SAVE SID2 1900+3600 E10 400. As this
file loads in at &400 it will also
have to be downloaded. I use the MOVE
DOWN routine on the BEEBUG DISCMASTER
disc for this but any downloader will
do. The game should then load and run
perfectly. More next month.
PRESS BREAK