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TANDY Dos-Gaming-Thread (1000RL/HD)

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Reply 20 of 177, by dr.zeissler

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Do I understand this correctly that I need a special cable http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.de/2014/09/ta … nd-laplink.html in order to get a lap-link connection. I have a Standard Lap-Link cable here...but not tested.

Doc

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Reply 24 of 177, by Cloudschatze

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The "semi-official" Tandy 1000 FAQ is outdated with respect to the parallel port capabilities. Most of the information and testing regarding bidirectional transfers is very recent.

Concering LapLink/Interlnk, Microsoft provides the following document, which shows the requirement for the Select status line on Pin 13 of the DB25 header:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/121246

Connecting this status line is mentioned in a number of Tandy documents, and for various members of the 1000 family, but a specific reference to the RL is included in the "Notes and Jumpers" manual:

ftp://ftp.oldskool.org/pub/tvdog/tandy1000/do … ts/notejump.zip

Just be aware that even the Tandy documention describes the function of the modification incorrectly. The jumper connects the Select status line from a printer/device - not the Select control line to a printer/device.

I installed a three-pin jumper header in my RL, but (as I've mentioned a number of times on the VC forum now) you can also simply bridge the connection with a conductive pen, etc.

Reply 25 of 177, by dr.zeissler

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Cool, THX!

This will enable either a LAPLINK-Connection (with Standard cable) or a Zipdrive!

This is nice!

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Reply 26 of 177, by dr.zeissler

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...installing a jumper should be easy, but what means "installing staking pins" ?

E2-E3?

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Reply 27 of 177, by dr.zeissler

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I think I have an idea...I have to put PINS at the correct place and connect them ?
This I cannot do, because I have no tools to change something on the board. It is extremly risky... i don't want to damage the machine.

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Reply 28 of 177, by Cloudschatze

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dr.zeissler wrote:

This will enable ... a Zipdrive!

Not a standalone Zip drive, no.

A parallel Zip drive will not work with the RL's built-in parallel port, even with the aforementioned modification. The internal parallel-to-SCSI chipset in these Zip drives requires the Select control line, which is not available in any PSSJ-bearing Tandy system.

A SCSI-connected Zip drive will work with the RL, if attached to a Shuttle-based parallel-to-SCSI interface, and assuming the E2-E3 jumper/bridge connection has been made. This is the configuration I use.

dr.zeissler wrote:

...installing a jumper should be easy, but what means "installing staking pins" ?

E2-E3?

If you look at the RL motherboard, you'll find the filled holes for E2-E3-E4 near the J5 connector. With a solder sucker or copper braid, you can remove the solder from these holes and then solder in a three-pin header ("staking pins"), which you can then put a jumper shunt on. Not very risky at all.

If it's a concern though, you can buy one of these, and simply draw a line that connects E2 to E3:
http://www.amazon.de/Radio-Shack-2760037-Cond … /dp/B004M2EFVW/

Reply 29 of 177, by dr.zeissler

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I bought the PEN eBay: 201040761589.Though E2 and E3 are direct beside each other, so it should be not so difficult to connect both.
Is it a stable connection with a line of this PEN ?

As you mentioned this connection does not mean that i get a "normal" bidirectional" LPT Port, so no ZIP-Drive will work, but I can
connect the Tandy with a normal PC over a normal? LaplinkCable. Is that true? Or does it mean that I need a special wired LapLink-Cable?

Sorry for the questioning, my normal language is german, sorry.

Please make a picture of your connection of E2-E3. Thx.

Doc

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Reply 30 of 177, by Cloudschatze

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dr.zeissler wrote:

Is it a stable connection with a line of this PEN ?

It should be more than sufficient for this connection, yes.

As you mentioned this connection does not mean that i get a "normal" bidirectional" LPT Port, so no ZIP-Drive will work, but I can
connect the Tandy with a normal PC over a normal? LaplinkCable. Is that true? Or does it mean that I need a special wired LapLink-Cable?

I believe your normal LapLink cable should work fine.

Please make a picture of your connection of E2-E3. Thx.

rl_jmp.jpg

Reply 31 of 177, by dr.zeissler

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Thank You!

I know that the Tandy's are meant to be used with "Deskmate" but I want to use other GUI's too.
So I tested GEM1x, GEOS1x and WIN1.x yesterday, all work, but only in B/W mode, so no colors 🙁
I searched the internet a lot, and I am nearly sure, that there will be no colors in the GUI's mentioned above.

Win2x has a Tandy-Driver but only 4colors, that won't help me much.

The Amstrad(PC1512,1640) had e.g. a special Mode with GEM2x that allows all 16colors at once, I haven't found
a special Tandy-Version like this Amstrad. http://www.seasip.info/Gem/Drivers/video.html

I think the fact is, that the Tandy's are meant to used with Deskmate and so, no other Gui's had got special Drivers
to support all native Colors at High-Resolutions. 🙁

I thought I can use the galaxy-player (glx212) for playing MOD-Files other the Dac, but this nice player does
not work, but there must be a good alternative that works with the Tandy.

Deluxe paint features 320x200@16colors, but not 640x200@16colors. Is there any GFX-Program, GFX-Vierwer,
Paint-Program, Fractal-Generator that uses the Highresmode 640x200@16colors?

Thx
Doc

PS: Here are the Demo and the Sources of the best CGA-Demo I watched so far, if anyone is able to add music
to it (e.g. TLN The Wilderness) this would be very nice. http://bohemiq.scali.eu.org/CGADEMO.ZIP

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Reply 32 of 177, by idspispopd

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dr.zeissler wrote:
Thank You! […]
Show full quote

Thank You!

I know that the Tandy's are meant to be used with "Deskmate" but I want to use other GUI's too.
So I tested GEM1x, GEOS1x and WIN1.x yesterday, all work, but only in B/W mode, so no colors 🙁
I searched the internet a lot, and I am nearly sure, that there will be no colors in the GUI's mentioned above.

Win2x has a Tandy-Driver but only 4colors, that won't help me much.

The Amstrad(PC1512,1640) had e.g. a special Mode with GEM2x that allows all 16colors at once, I haven't found
a special Tandy-Version like this Amstrad. http://www.seasip.info/Gem/Drivers/video.html

I think the fact is, that the Tandy's are meant to used with Deskmate and so, no other Gui's had got special Drivers
to support all native Colors at High-Resolutions. 🙁

...

Deluxe paint features 320x200@16colors, but not 640x200@16colors. Is there any GFX-Program, GFX-Vierwer,
Paint-Program, Fractal-Generator that uses the Highresmode 640x200@16colors?

Actually, the Amstrad PC1640 has EGA compatible video, it is only the PC1512 which needs special drivers for its proprietary extended CGA capabilities.

Re GEM: If you have the specifications for the 640x200x16 Tandy mode, it shouldn't be too hard to make a driver. There are a lot of drivers including source code here, maybe the site's owner could help.

Re graphics viewer: According to this documentation CompuShow is able to use the mode:
T2=Tandy 1000SL/TL
640x200x16

Reply 34 of 177, by dr.zeissler

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I don't think that I can do a driver, because I have no idea about programming, but it would be extremly nice to have a GEM1.2 Driver.
The later Versions are not so good.

Today I got the PEN, so I could do the connection between E2 and E3.

Neardy-pleasures wrote about a special LAP-Link-Cable without making the Connection between E2 and E3. I must decide if it is the
better way to build a "special" Laplink-Cable or to modify the Mainboard.

In the past, I was not shy about letting old hardware be modified in order to get upgrades, but actual I am more interested in letting
the machine "as it was before" and accept the limitations.

Not so easy to decide 🙁

Retro-Gamer 😀 ...on different machines

Reply 35 of 177, by dr.zeissler

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Currently I am testing a lot of games with Tandy support. I use "myabandonware" for download.
A lot of games that are Tandy-compatible don't work with the download version because:

- The Tandyversion is a special one (perhaps on other Disks) e.g. Falcon (Spectrum Holobyte)
- The Tandysupport is not installed from the original Diskset (the installed Version is either CGA or EGA or both.)

So I need to search for the original Disksets as Download or go for the Original Disks at ebay.

😀

PS: I have not found a Site yet witch has Diskimages of the Original Disksets.

Retro-Gamer 😀 ...on different machines

Reply 36 of 177, by Great Hierophant

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dr.zeissler wrote:

Today I got the PEN, so I could do the connection between E2 and E3.

Neardy-pleasures wrote about a special LAP-Link-Cable without making the Connection between E2 and E3. I must decide if it is the
better way to build a "special" Laplink-Cable or to modify the Mainboard.

Either you misread that blog entry or I made a mistake. If you want standard LapLink software to work in the RL, then you must bridge E2 and E3, otherwise you are missing a data bit, which is very bad.

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/ - Nerdly Pleasures - My Retro Gaming, Computing & Tech Blog

Reply 38 of 177, by dr.zeissler

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really cool stuff for an XT-CGA: http://scalibq.wordpress.com/2014/11/22/cgade … y-codeblasters/

I haven't found a lot of Tandy.-Versions yet, dos anyone found them?

- Falcon (TandyDisk)
- North&South
- Xenon1
- 007 Bond
- Hostages

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Reply 39 of 177, by filipetolhuizen

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I just tried Alley Cat in DOS Box emulating a PCjr and gosh, how it looks and sounds so much better! I've never seen it looking so good before.