Posted By
bubis
on 2002-07-02
|  I need a fastloader
Is that true that every fastloader for C64 is portable to Plus/4?
If it is than what are the rules.
Do anybody have a good fastloader for Plus/4 with source code?
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Posted By
Noro
on 2002-07-02
| 1541 or 1551 ?
It could be possible with a 1541, but AFAIK theres no way to speed up the transfer
from a 1551, at least definately not by porting from C64/1541.
If You have a 1541 the best solution is to get a 1551
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Posted By
bubis
on 2002-07-02
| 1541
Hi!
I have 1541 and I think this is the default drive for these machines. Anyway I need this for a demo. I want to load fast and I want to load during effects.
bubis
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Posted By
Luca
on 2002-07-02
 | fl
There are lotta fastloaders, both for 1541 and 1551, and many demos and games allow a driveloader choiche.
Try:
ftp://c64.rulez.org/pub/plus4/Tools/Disk/
on single files or tool collection.
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Posted By
Noro
on 2002-07-02
| Interesting ...
... I did not know about the fastloaders ... will have to look at them ...
1541 is not really the default drive for Plus4, as 1551 is made specially for it and much faster (without fastloader) due to parallel transfer, so (I think) most Plus4 users should have a 1551.
Of course there was a problem that the 1551 was not sold everywhere, so maybe it is only widespread here in Germany 
So if You want to make a demo with integrated fastloader which runs for all Plus4 users You should detect (or ask) the drive type and then use the right fastloader. Or maybe there is a fastloader doing it already?
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Posted By
JamesC
on 2002-07-02
| 1551 was not released in North America
therefore we had to use 1541's. Commodore's own diskette-based software has copy protection that allows use only with a 1541..... I can't load Hitchhiker's Guide on my 1551 because of the ROM routine differences.
I had to import a used 1551 from Germany a few months back. To my knowledge there are only 3 other 1551s over here: Moise Sunda in Canada, Jim Hehl in Alaska, and Bo Zimmerman in Texas. If anyone else MIGHT have one, it'd be Tramiel's kids who pushed the Plus/4 out into the marketplace, and they kept the demo units. Someone somewhere has to have the SFS drive that was pictured in the promotional materials.
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Posted By
BushRat
on 2002-07-03
| The SFS was abducted by Aliens... I think
I sent a 1551 to Dave Cook in California.. so you can add that to your list, James. I recall doing a few demos and some slideshows using a low mem fastloader. There are both Highmem and Lowmem loaders. You won't kill them between section loading on a demo or slide as long as you set the mem markers to protect the area of mem they reside in. That was always the problem, forgetting and having the memory resident loaders overwritten in ram. You could always use a fastloader cart.
James, a lot of prototype stuff was sold off as auction lots when Commie died.. I still have my old 1582 drive (hidensity 1581) and am still convinced that CMD, originally ripped their drives from these protos. There were 6 hand-made '82s made that I know of. Mine is #2 of 6 as marked on the bottom of the board.
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Posted By
JamesC
on 2002-07-03
| 1582 ROMs
Would be interesting to see the ROM code and the wiring/controller for this, as compared to the 1581. Could build 3 1/2" HI-Density 1582T's (T for TED haha) and not infringe on Maurice's property rights..... okay you have me thinking now.....
With a PC HD 3 1/2" drive-only (Mitsumi) costing around $10 wholesale, this actually might be a possibility IF we had proper working controllers and DOS code.
Wonder why Fred didn't use HD in the C65? It used 1581 LD code according to the documentation I've read.
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Posted By
BushRat
on 2002-07-03
| I guess I'll have to dig it out...
Thought I might have already copied the Roms, don't find them in my files. That means I will have to drag out my old C64 (sorry I had to use that "C" word in this group) and hook up my old Eprom burner and remove and rip the code to a file. Will also check who manufactured the floppy transport mech (might be a Toshiba). Looked to me, at the time, that the board had jumpers for various density mechs. Worked just fine with the Toshiba PMF-2ED floppies that CMD was using. The unit was sent to Jack Vander White, then on to me as a gift, from a engineering friend at Commie following one of their West Coast shows. Played with it some, as Jack was sending me files for the Mag on the CMD disks. Then it went into the closet...
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Posted By
JamesC
on 2002-07-03
| Jim -->
I thought you had adapted your Promenade C1 to your Plus/4? That's why I bought mine! (I have a 128D to use it on if I have to though)
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Posted By
BushRat
on 2002-07-03
| Nope
Don't have that modified one anymore... took quite a bit to to modify it for the different expansion slot, on the plussy. The C1 I have left is the original for the C64/C128. I have a eprommer from Christian, for the Plus4, but my 256k machine is down. Never did get the hang of it on the Plus4. I have a spare 256k board that I need to slip in the old case.. when I have time.
By the way, if you want to try something awesome, with a terminal program, just replace the 1.8432 mhz xtal on your board with a 3.6864 mhz xtal and stick on a 33.6k pocket modem and adapter. The Plussy was rated at a 19,200 bitrate with the stock xtal.
Did we REALLY drift from this subject line, James, or what... Sorry guys 'n gals...
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