8-Bit Software Online Conversion

                                                      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