HCCS Ultimate podule ROMs

[IanJeffray]

The A3010 Ultimate version E ROM.

ULTIMATE_A3010_VER_E_(1.02).bin.zip

(77.9 KiB) Downloaded 22 times

And a ROM labelled A3020 Ultimate VER F, but from an Ultimate A3000 podule. Odd.

ULTIMATE_A3020_VER_F_(1.10).bin.zip

(69.32 KiB) Downloaded 29 times

[Pernod]

Thanks for those, also a later version at viewtopic.php?f=16&t=23556

[IanJeffray]

Thanks for those, also a later version at viewtopic.php?f=16&t=23556

Ah. Magic. I'd bet that's the "G" I was after - it's ~3months newer.
I'm inclined to think all the ROM images are interchangeable on all the podules -- for example the "A3020" ROM here was found on an A3000 podule and does include IDE, yet the A3020 podule itself has no IDE.

[Pernod]

I'm inclined to think all the ROM images are interchangeable on all the podules -- for example the "A3020" ROM here was found on an A3000 podule and does include IDE, yet the A3020 podule itself has no IDE.

It makes you wonder why they labelled them as though they're specific to a machine, but good to know that a A3000 and A3020 version is known to match.

[IanJeffray]

I'm inclined to think all the ROM images are interchangeable on all the podules -- for example the "A3020" ROM here was found on an A3000 podule and does include IDE, yet the A3020 podule itself has no IDE.

It makes you wonder why they labelled them as though they're specific to a machine, but good to know that a A3000 and A3020 version is known to match.

Well. The thick plottens. I've just been poking the newer ROM and it gets a whole load extra IDEFS config commands appearing. But the SCSI's not showing up now. It's as if SCSI and IDE are mutually exclusive. Trying to understand it all. I'm wondering if the small 128K ROM size is limiting what's in there -- but SCSI does appear to be in the newer ROM, so .... yeah, bit confusing. Need to get some SCSI and IDE devices hooked up to really understand what's working.

[Joka80]

I have a HCCS Ultimate Expansion ROM that’s for the A5000 on a standard sized podule marked “A5000 revision F”. Could you tell me how I’m to read the contents of the ROM to see how it differs from the A3000 / 3010 / 3020 ROM?

This “should work” in the A3000 ultimate expansion?

[IanJeffray]

I have a HCCS Ultimate Expansion ROM that’s for the A5000 on a standard sized podule marked “A5000 revision F”. Could you tell me how I’m to read the contents of the ROM to see how it differs from the A3000 / 3010 / 3020 ROM?

You need to pull the ROM and read it in a programmer - AFAIK that's the only way to get the full image, including the podule loader.

This “should work” in the A3000 ultimate expansion?

I wouldn't necessarily expect so; A5000 (full size podules) has a 16bit data bus available, whereas A3000 etc only have an 8bit bus on the internal podule header. It's possible it's all just using 8bit access to the micropodules, though for ones like SCSI that do use all 3 rows of micropodule pins, it still may be that it can use 16bit accesses.

[Joka80]

Do you have a “programmer kit” you can recommend to use that is easy to use?

[IanJeffray]

Do you have a “programmer kit” you can recommend to use that is easy to use?

I used a XGecu TL866ii for quite a while, before upgrading to a XGecu T56.

[DutchAcorn]

I have a HCCS Ultimate Expansion ROM that’s for the A5000 on a standard sized podule marked “A5000 revision F”. Could you tell me how I’m to read the contents of the ROM to see how it differs from the A3000 / 3010 / 3020 ROM?

This “should work” in the A3000 ultimate expansion?

I also have this version. Rom dump attached.

[IanJeffray]

I have a HCCS Ultimate Expansion ROM that’s for the A5000 on a standard sized podule marked “A5000 revision F”. Could you tell me how I’m to read the contents of the ROM to see how it differs from the A3000 / 3010 / 3020 ROM?

This “should work” in the A3000 ultimate expansion?

I also have this version. Rom dump attached.

That's also 1.10, the same as the A3020 'F' posted above, but there's more "junk" in the ROM. Most things in these ROMs appear compressed, and the loader / Ultimate module then does some kind of unpacking or enabling of other modules depending on what's enabled. It's possible there's just more modules in here - as mentioned the 'F' I started with doesn't seem to enable the SCSI like 'G' did. I'll burn this A5000 'F' to a ROM and stick it in the A3000 for a lark anyway.

[Joka80]

That's also 1.10, the same as the A3020 'F' posted above, but there's more "junk" in the ROM. Most things in these ROMs appear compressed, and the loader / Ultimate module then does some kind of unpacking or enabling of other modules depending on what's enabled. It's possible there's just more modules in here - as mentioned the 'F' I started with doesn't seem to enable the SCSI like 'G' did. I'll burn this A5000 'F' to a ROM and stick it in the A3000 for a lark anyway.

That’ll be interesting to see what results you get putting it into an A3000 Ultimate Expansion and report back…

Interestingly enough, there was an A3000 Rev F module as pictured below. Not sure how it would differ from the A3020 / A5000 “F” ROM

If anybody has this ROM, it would be great if they could dump the contents for investigation

HCCS A3000 Rev F