Possible new stuff for the BBQL

[Mr_Navigator]

Memory Lane Computing recently announced two new projects in the pipeline that may or may not see the eventual light of day. They can be contacted here sales@memorylanecomputing.com

The code-named Q-BUS and Ser-USB++

Ser-USB++ is a further development of the existing Ser-USB which is pictured here

Q-Bus is an external ROM based device and below is a picture of the prototype

More info to be provided in an article in the next issue of Quanta

[Mr_Navigator]

Update - is the Memory computing has continued to develop its ROM based boot device driver. Those on the User group list will have received a few odd emails lately, the latest specifying updates to the code held on the EPROM.

[MemoryLaneComputing]

For anybody who may have missed that mailing but are on this forum, here is the change list:

* New alternative Ser-USB FAT Driver allows the Ser-USB to be used with FAT12, FAT16 and FAT32 volumes. This driver is now the recommended one to use on low-end configurations and works on an unexpanded QL.

* Ser-USB Native Driver includes hooks to allow the FAT Driver to work alongside it.

* USBWizTerm detects either Native or FAT Ser-USB drivers and works correctly with either (or both) loaded.

* Trap #2/3 I/O Servicers are now run able to run entirely with private stack space on versions of the OS that support it (SMSQ, Minerva).

* Broken MOUNT command fixed.

* Fixed bug in ROM driver that tried to change the baud rate back to 9600 after setting it to 4800 on standard QLs.

* The ROM driver will now do an automatic QM_GO if it is started with a configuration to use a standard QL.

* Equivalent of a QM_GO can be invoked from machine code with a special long function code argument to qm_do_async_op.

* New QM_STOP command in the installable Queue Manager switches to synchronous I/O and forces all Queue Manager services to shut down.

* Equivalent of a QM_STOP can be invoked from machine code with a special long function code argument to qm_do_async_op.

* New functions in the Driver S*BASIC Extensions to read drive and partition information:

DRIVE_MAP(d) : Return the address of the drive's map
DRIVE_NAME$(d) : Return the name of the drive
DRIVE_PTCOUNT(d) : Return count of partitions on drive
DRIVE_PTSTART(d,n) : Return start LBA of partition on drive
DRIVE_PTNAME$(d,n) : Return name of partition on drive

* Default number of buffers increased from 64 to 128 in the light of real-world user experience with the driver

* Partition Manager no longer requires the Driver S*BASIC Extensions or Toolkit II to be loaded

Updated user manuals are here:

Native Driver User Manual:
http://www.memorylanecomputing.com/inde ... manual.pdf

FAT Driver User Manual:
http://www.memorylanecomputing.com/inde ... driver.pdf

We are also now supplying the Ser-USB Native and FAT drivers together (switch selectable) on our new QL ROM cards.

More information about the ROM Card can be found here:
http://www.memorylanecomputing.com/serusbrom.htm

and here:
http://www.memorylanecomputing.com/products.htm

Special upgrade prices on the new ROM card are available to all existing Ser-USB.

If you would like any further information or have any questions please get in touch. Contact details are on the web site.


Adrian
Memory Lane Computing Ltd