April 25, 2024 – TRS80GP Updated to v2.5.3

George and Peter Phillips have updated their awesome TRS80GP emulator to v2.5.3. Changes are:

New Features:

  • Model I/III/4 now accept .wav files as cassette input.
  • Add -pp/-ppx options to control printer window pop-up.
  • Model I RS-232 sense switches (thanks to Tuc for hardware tests).
  • Add loopback device to RS-232 choices (-r :loop on command line)
  • Add -rx option to disable RS-232 on Model I,2,III,4,12,16.
  • Semigraphics 6 modes will display alternate palette (Electric Crayon, MC-10, CoCo).
  • Add “-im disksummary” and disksummary on drive exports to output a summary of drive structure just like the Disk Viewer window.

Bug Fixes:

  • $317A and $317B are now memory mapped printer port alises on Model I.
  • Model I/III/4 RS-232 receive bug fixed.
  • CoCo BASIC ROM 1.0 printer output fixed.
  • Text pasting works for CoCo 1.0 and 1.1 ROMs.
  • Printer auto-turbo works for all models now.
  • Model 4 software keyboard no longer missing ‘+’ character on keycap.
  • trs80gp -m1 -dx no longer loads lower case driver by default; use -lld to do so.

You can download it at George’s web site or by clicking here.

April 25, 2024 – Emulator trs80gp updated to v2.5.3

Version 2.5.3 of trs80gp has been released by brothers, George & Peter Phillips.

This software emulates TRS-80 Models 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 16, 6000, MC-10, Color Computer, DT-1, and Radio Shack Videotex terminals.

The download zip file contains binaries to run on Windows, MacOS, Linux and Raspberry Pi.

Release Notes:
• Model 1, 3, 4 now accept .wav files as cassette input.
• Add -pp/-ppx options to control printer window pop-up.
• $317A and $317B are now memory mapped printer port aliases on Model I.
• Model 1 RS-232 sense switches (thanks to Tuc for hardware tests).
• Model 1/3/4 RS-232 receive bug fixed.
• Add loopback device to RS-232 choices (-r :loop on command line)
• Add -rx option to disable RS-232 on Model 1,2,3,4,12,16.
• CoCo BASIC ROM 1.0 printer output fixed.
• Text pasting works for CoCo 1.0 and 1.1 ROMs.
• Semigraphics 6 modes will display alternate palette (Electric Crayon, MC-10, CoCo).
• Printer auto-turbo works for all models now.
• Add “-im disksummary” and disksummary on drive exports to output a summary of drive structure just like the Disk Viewer window.
• Model 4 software keyboard no longer missing ‘+’ character on keycap.
• trs80gp -m1 -dx no longer loads lower case driver by default; use -lld to do so.

Get it at http://48k.ca/trs80gp.html

April 12, 2024 – Update to TRS80Tools Multi-Utility

Lawrence Kesteloot has updated his TRS80TOOL to v2.7.0. Release Notes:

  • In the run command, if the mounted floppy is modified, the changes will be written to the underlying virtual floppy file. Specify the –write-protected option to mount the floppy write-protected.
  • The dir command has a new –system option to show system files.

You can download it at Lawrence’s web site or by clicking here.

April 10, 2024 – SDLTRS2 Updated to v1.2.29

Thanks to eagle eyed David S, I am told that Jens Guenther has updated his Windows/Linux fork of the SDLTRS Emulator to v1.2.29

Changelog:

  • Added 1024 KB memory support for TCS Genie IIIs.
  • Added 512 KB memory support for TRS-80 Model I Selector.
  • Added 2nd printer MMIO for TRS-80 Model III/4/4P.
  • Added more shortcuts for command line options.
  • Added SDL2 aspect ratio option in GUI.
  • Added debugger command to change Z80 HALT action.
  • Fixed TRS-80 Model 4 MMIO in map 0.
  • Fixed redraw of HRG1B screen.
  • Fixed IMPORT.COM utility for CP/M 3.0.
  • Fixed debugger alternate register set assignment by Nick Andrew.

You check it all out at https://gitlab.com/jengun/sdltrs/-/releases.

March 29, 2024 – New Scans from Steve H

Steve H. has sent in a bunch of scans … Thank you, Steve!

Catalogs


Title: CLOAD Magazine
Publisher: CLOAD Magazine
Year: 19xx
Size: 709,924
Pages: 2

Title: Computer TEXTile Catalog
Publisher: Computer TEXTile
Year: 19xx
Size: 2,888,502
Pages: 6

Title: TRS Yellow Page
Publisher: Micro Architect
Year: 1978
Size: 2,581,055
Pages: 8
Notes: [78-11]

Magazines


Title: CLOAD Magazine 1978-08
Publisher: CLOAD Magazine Inc
Year: 1978
Size: 1,493,333
Pages: 4
Notes: [Set 2]

Title: Level One Magazine
Publisher: Level One Magazine
Year: 19xx
Size: 1,359,518
Pages: 4

Title: TRS-80 Computing
Issue: Vol 1 No 1
Publisher: Computer Information Exchange Inc
Year: 1978
Size: 16,654,542
Pages: 32

Service Manuals


Title: 16K RAM Expansion Service Manual Addendum
Publisher: Tandy
Year: 1978
Size: 758,978
Pages: 4
Notes: [26-1101]

Hardware Manuals


Title: Important Notice Regarding Model I Mini-Disk Drives
Publisher: Radio Shack
Year: 19xx
Size: 240,607
Pages: 1

Title: Model I Double Density System Start-Up
Publisher: Tandy
Year: 19xx
Size: 2,445,499
Pages: 2

Title: Oasis Systems Light Pen Users Manual
Publisher: Oasis Systems
Year: 1980
Size: 2,269,574
Pages: 11

March 17, 2024 – Catweasel Utilities Updated to v4.10

Quentin Barnes has updated the Catweasel Utilities to v4.10

New to this release are:

  • Add -S option. This option allows the user to specify a minimum number of sectors per track and side. If that minimum is not reached during a read, it’ll trigger a retry.
  • Extend the -x and -X option argument syntax when specifying a track range to also allow giving sides.
  • Add partial support for RX02 in dmk2jv3.

The -S is a feature that I find to be a necessary evil. Many disks with issues can erroneously report an end of track data before all the retries are finished, and CW2DMK would then decide “Oh, OK – then this track is 7 good sectors” when it really is “7 good, 11 bad” that was just mishandled. With this, you can make a second pass that FORCES CW2DMK to keep re-reading until it either gets 18 good sectors or the retry count expires.

A ZIP file with the DOS, Linux, and Source Code can be downloaded here.

The main GITHUB can found at https://github.com/qbarnes/cw2dmk/.

March 1, 2024 – New TRS8BIT Newsletter

TRS8BIT – Vol 18, No. 1

Click to Enlarge

We have the first news of the 2024 competition from George Phillips. There are articles from Ian Mavric on replacing Co-Co 2 keyboard membranes, a very detailed account of the FB series of disk drives and looks forward to the 2024 T.A. Jim Adams hunts down the start of BASIC making, what is a ‘must go to’ guide. E.T. Fonehume creates a BASIC one-liner to print a 5×5 magic square using consecutive numbers. Juergen Buessert explains how to create a ‘WAV’ file from a DMK image. Vince Otten continues his series ‘Software Tools in BASIC’ with episode 3, ‘Open For Business’ and an article using ROM calls from TRSDOS. Tony G sends details of various pieces of hardware he created, ‘back in the day’. And, of course, there’s the regular features of ‘The Way We Were’, U.K. Ebay bargains, various finds from ‘Surfin the Net’ and finally, there’s a BASIC one-liner game for all you M2 fans. (Is this a first I wonder?)

Issue Information:

Date:
March 2024
Pages:
92

Table of Contents:

02
“Blurb (editorial Sounds Too Grand!)” by Unattributed
03
“2024 Competition Details” by Unattributed
05
“In Mav’s Workshop: Coco 2 – Replacement Keyboard Membrane” by Ian Mavric
12
“The Basic Family Tree: Ever Wondered How Basic Started? Find Out With This Fantastically Detailed Article” by Jim Adams
35
“5×5 Magic Square: A Basic One-liner Creating A 5×5 Magic Square’ Using Consecutive Numbers” by E.T. Fonehume
36
“Creating A WAV File” by Juergen Buessert
39
“Software Tools In Basic: Episode 3: Open For Business” by Vince Otten
57
“The Way We Were: What Were We Up To, Back In The Day?” by Unattributed
62
“In Mav’s Workshop: Mav Gives A Detail Account Of The FB Series Disk Drives Which Were Prolific Back In The Day” by Ian Mavric
73
“U.K. Ebay Bargains” by Unattributed
74
“Using TRS-80 Rom Calls From Trsdos: More Useful And Helpful Hints From Vince” by Vince Otten
79
“Real Hardware Made Back In The Day: Address Decoder, Midi Interface And Binary Coded Decimal Counter” by Tony G
85
“2024 Tandy Assembly” by Ian Mavric
90
“Surfin’ The Net: Super Items/ideas I’ve Come Across – Well Worth Checking Out” by Unattributed

February 25, 2024 – eBay Auctions to support the site

Two sets of auctions sold … So I will keep going …

Right now the following auctions are live.

  • Disk Editor Assembler (26-2202)
  • Disk Payroll (26-1556)
  • Disk Accounts Receivable (26-1555)
  • Disk General Ledger I (26-1552)
  • Tape Budget Management (26-1603)
  • Tape Assembly Language Tutor (26-2017)
  • Disk Accounts Payable (26-1554)
  • Tape In Memory Information System (26-1502)
  • Tape Videotex/Compuserve Information Service
  • Knights of the Desert: North African Campaign 1941-43 by Strategic Simulations Inc. (Tape)