Psion 2 organiser P464 July93

[CMcDougall]

Does anyone own one of these?

had a hunt about on Google, but just gives rom images for Carts, might need to try YouTube...

does this have a OS built in the actual machine? when I put mine on it just says "DATAPACK?"

I have two carts 16k & 32k eproms, but they are not bog standard for the masses.

are the carts just extras to get things like View / Viewsheet on a electron plus1?

Hope I don't have to unsolder a eprom from a cart & put in a low profile socket to put in a normal run of mill rom image !!

[CMcDougall]

all answered now with this vid :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgVzHPE6m8Q

so mine is useless unless I find a new 16k rom for the OS LOL

[vanpeebles]

Haha, you managed to get a weird one I have an XP and an LZ, and they are wonderful little machines. Amazing to have a proper pocket computer way back then, with a programming language and machine code etc. They are built like tanks too.

[vanpeebles]

You can fix these, quite a lot of places online:

http://forum.psion2.org/YaBB.pl?board=f ... 1046000043

Have you tried both rom packs in different slots?

[CMcDougall]

yes it is dinky!

tried both my DataPaks (32k came with it, 16k in a drawer) but no diary

took it apart and it has 2x256 rams (64k )
and the other is the custom OS, which ain't socket ed or normal size, so I can't re burn a normal OS...

[vanpeebles]

You just need a way of getting some code wrote onto a datapak

[vanpeebles]

http://forum.psion2.org/YaBB.pl?board=f ... ay;num=103

I've had a read of this, do you want to send me a datapak, I'll type up the program here:

http://archive.psion2.org/org2/files/pos2lz64.zip

And see if we can get it working?

[CMcDougall]

Thanks for offer V

i had a quick read of the link you provided, on my phone yesterday, will try to unsolder one of the 'useless' eproms from the two rom DataPak's I have and use my beeb to make a good eprom to boot from, & hopefully turn it back to standard.....

also got a Comms Link cable too with a 10v adaptor to power it, think the other end would fit into the back of my old P1 laptop , again more reading /time at weekend to see what can be done with that

[vanpeebles]

Is it possible to write them that way using a BBC?

[CMcDougall]

^ just using the beeb to write the data to a blank 128 (16k) or 256 (32k) eprom,
as got a ground control UviProm (8/16/32k) programmer from BITD

looking at the file "http://archive.psion2.org/org2/files/pos2lz64.zip" , the readme says to 'Translate it' what is that? put line number on??
don't *think* this can be done without another normal working POS first......
..unless you could be so good to Translate it to a rom image & upload here, then I can do it to a blank eprom..

[vanpeebles]

Translate is when you compile the opl program into a runnable version. It might be possible to do this with an emulator? I don't have a cable etc to connect my psions to a pc etc.

It might be easier to buy the cheapest 2 line organiser you can find, and just write the pak that way. Your 64k LZ model is still well worth having

Or just send me a datapak

[vanpeebles]

Apparently there is a developer software you can use on dosbox, and it has an opltrans program, that will work on an old pc (or dos box)

https://www.jaapsch.net/psion/mandevkit2.htm#c41

[1024MAK]

For Psion OPL, Translate means compile.

OPL “text” file = source code = human readable
This is then translated into the compiled code, which can be “run”.

Mark

[CMcDougall]

^ if only all machine makers had same lingo as Acorn! DFS = DOS , but Disc spelt wrong

here is the stuff I saved, again wish just left it to be lost for eternity , as now need to learn something new

Psion Organiser II -front

^front

Psion Organiser II -back

^back

Psion Organiser II -roms a

Psion Organiser II -b

^roms 16k & 32k eproms, soldered straight to cart /DataPak PCB

comms link X3 cables

10v DC Adaptor (+ inside / - outside plug)

^comms link X3 cables & 1x 10v DC Adaptor (+ inside / - outside plug)

@VanP, would I not need to UV wipe the eproms first, as they are not Ram DataPacks, doubt the Psion2 can do that
so don't know if your kind offer is possible... but could try & would send you one of the Comms Link cables for keeps if any use for PC link

[vanpeebles]

Ah good question, maybe there is some space free left on the paks? I did have an eraser but not seen it for years!

[CMcDougall]

here is what I get so far....

new batts in

^new 9v battery in after 26yr of no use
then get "DATAPACK?" then turns off.

no comm link

^the 16k eprom does nothing (found it a year ago alone), but the 32k eprom gives this with no comms link cable in.

comm link

^with 32k rom & comms link inserted

can't find PC

^with 32k rom & comms link inserted, waiting for a PC??

[1024MAK]

Kilostream was a BT data communications system.

Mark

[CMcDougall]

^yes, just Goggled it, it finishes in 31 March 2020 , as it's faster than my so called Super Fast broadband

now to unsolder the 16k & 32k DataPacks eproms over weekend so can image them and wipe them to get this thing back to normal spec

[CMcDougall]

would I not need to UV wipe the eproms first, as they are not Ram DataPacks, doubt the Psion2 can do that

thought it would not be That clever! : 30mins? usually 15mins for 16-32k

[vanpeebles]

There are three kinds of backs, rampak with battery backed ram, datapak with the uv eproms, and flashpaks that eeproms you can erase via the organiser.

I think they are great little machines, shame they have such a niche following.

[CMcDougall]

tried very program / emulator, but none can convert from .OPL to .OPK file

I take it these machines need to boot to an OS, before allowing a DataPAK to be loaded in?
as just blown HB Games to a eprom, hoping it would boot to that to play City Bomber #
but it just said "DATAPACK?" again

here is the rom dumps of the two DataPaks I have, can't make head nor tail of them

PS even with low profile turned pin sockets soldered onto DataPak, it now still does not fit into the cart now

[Pernod]

here is the rom dumps of the two DataPaks I have, can't make head nor tail of them

Me neither

So MAME supports DataPaks in OPK format so I need some way of converting your ROM dumps to OPK, and you need some way of converting an OPK to an actual ROM image. At least the P464 runs in MAME so should be able to at least verify any conversions made.

[CMcDougall]

need some way of converting your ROM dumps to OPK

noticed the other Packs (from the emulator online) all have OPK at start of rom dump.
wonder as my machine is not standard, going by the links/forum VanP was good to find, it's some kind of BT thing....
so if you reverse what ever this does : (OPL file needing 'translated' to make a OPK/rom image for mine)
then my rom images will work (but don't see the words within the 32k image : MISSING PROG / KILOSTREAM IV )

Code: Select all

BOOT:
REM 464 - LZ64
REM PROG BY TERRY KITCHENER
REM 04/07/1997
LOCAL X,X%
POKEW $2065,$7D0B 
X=$7D0B
POKEB X,$4F :X=X+1
POKEB X,$C6 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$05 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$3F :X=X+1
POKEB X,$A1 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$BD :X=X+1
POKEB X,$C2 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$61 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$CE :X=X+1
POKEB X,$7D :X=X+1
POKEB X,$13 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$3C :X=X+1
POKEB X,$FE :X=X+1
POKEB X,$20 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$02 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$CC :X=X+1
POKEB X,$0C :X=X+1
POKEB X,$83 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$BD :X=X+1
POKEB X,$C4 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$FE :X=X+1
POKEB X,$27 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$24 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$C1 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$0C :X=X+1
POKEB X,$26 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$23 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$4D :X=X+1
POKEB X,$26 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$19 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$DF :X=X+1
POKEB X,$43 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$2B :X=X+1
POKEB X,$13 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$8C :X=X+1
POKEB X,$00 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$03 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$24 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$0B :X=X+1
POKEB X,$C6 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$03 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$09 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$27 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$03 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$3F :X=X+1
POKEB X,$A8 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$39 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$3F :X=X+1
POKEB X,$9F :X=X+1
POKEB X,$39 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$7E :X=X+1
POKEB X,$D9 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$3D :X=X+1
POKEB X,$6E :X=X+1
POKEB X,$00 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$4F :X=X+1
POKEB X,$7E :X=X+1
POKEB X,$C6 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$25 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$3F :X=X+1
POKEB X,$17 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$39 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$5A :X=X+1
POKEB X,$27 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$03 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$7E :X=X+1
POKEB X,$C9 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$FE :X=X+1
POKEB X,$7E :X=X+1
POKEB X,$CA :X=X+1
POKEB X,$25 :X=X+1
POKEB X,$39
RANDOMIZE USR($7D0B,0)
STOP

or can MESS do this for me? to sort mine out

noticed a FB page 'Psion Users' but looks mode dedicated to the series3+ , member 'Beagle' on *. must have one too!

[vanpeebles]

Are you getting mixed up between actual Psion machine rom, and the two card roms? I'm confused now

[CMcDougall]

Psion machine

can't do the machine surface mount eprom, as it's too small!!
these:

[okto]

Necroposting for future Googlers:

tried very program / emulator, but none can convert from .OPL to .OPK file
[...]
here is the rom dumps of the two DataPaks I have, can't make head nor tail of them

The 16k pack image is valid data (begins with 7A 02, indicates it's an unpaged 16k Datapak, which matches what you've told us, but seems to be full of garbage when I attach an OPK header and open in Jaap's OPK editor. The 32k image (why is it split into two parts?) does not appear to contain a valid Datapak data block in either half.
I'd really like to get the contents of that 32k pack in a usable format for archival purposes; have you since learned how to set up comms to a computer, and could I walk you through uploading the pack's contents as an OPK if you've still got it?

Also, in the intervening four years the original Organiser 2 forum has died, but there is a new one here: organiser2.com

[BigEd]

Also, in the intervening four years the original Organiser 2 forum has died, but there is a new one here: https://organiser2.com

Thanks for the pointer (and welcome!) - new forum includes "The history of the Organiser II on-line resources"