Tatung Einstein..

[Lardo Boffin]

Its a quiet place but there is a tatty forum:

https://www.robheaton.co.uk/tatung/index.php

[simulant]

Thanks I've posted there too to see if anyone can help. Thanks again

[RobC]

I'd be tempted to dump and disassemble the OS ROM.

I've got the "Albert Revealed" manual for the original Einstein and that seems to imply that the ROM start-up routine looks to drive 0 after checking for a ROM in the spare socket. If there is an extra ROM present, it'll try to run code in that first.

I no longer have a 256 but, if it's similar, your best option might be creating a modified OS ROM that boots from drive 1 or putting a new ROM in the spare slot that does the same.

[simulant]

I'd be tempted to dump and disassemble the OS ROM.

I've got the "Albert Revealed" manual for the original Einstein and that seems to imply that the ROM start-up routine looks to drive 0 after checking for a ROM in the spare socket. If there is an extra ROM present, it'll try to run code in that first.

I no longer have a 256 but, if it's similar, your best option might be creating a modified OS ROM that boots from drive 1 or putting a new ROM in the spare slot that does the same.

Thanks that's just the kind of crazy Hack I was hoping for! I can't see the 256 being too different from the TC01?

Someone on the other forum said I can just jumper the drives different, so the internal is drive 1 and the external is drive 0 - however I can't see any actual jumpers to change on the 3" Amstrad-type floppy disk drives... Does anyone know if you they can actually be jumpered differently?

Thanks again for the help

[RobC]

Does anyone know if you they can actually be jumpered differently?

Not sure about the jumpers although I could get my Einstein out to have a look.

You may also be able to swap the drive select lines over but I can't remember how the 256 hooks up to the external drive. I think you have to cut some PCB tracks to do this on the Amstrad CPC. I think it'll depend on which lines are brought out to the drive connector.

The 256 is supposed to be pretty compatible with the TC01 so dumping the ROM, disassembling and consulting "Albert Revealed" might still be the least destructive way of doing it.

EDIT: I've looked at the TC01 hardware manual and its Teac FD30A drive definitely does have drive select jumpers. Which drive does the 256 use?

[simulant]

Does anyone know if you they can actually be jumpered differently?

Not sure about the jumpers although I could get my Einstein out to have a look.

You may also be able to swap the drive select lines over but I can't remember how the 256 hooks up to the external drive. I think you have to cut some PCB tracks to do this on the Amstrad CPC. I think it'll depend on which lines are brought out to the drive connector.

The 256 is supposed to be pretty compatible with the TC01 so dumping the ROM, disassembling and consulting "Albert Revealed" might still be the least destructive way of doing it.

EDIT: I've looked at the TC01 hardware manual and its Teac FD30A drive definitely does have drive select jumpers. Which drive does the 256 use?

Hi sorry for the slow reply, I've been waiting all this time for a chance to get the lid off the 256 and let you know which drive is in there!! It is the newer 26pin variety like Amstrads use and quite a bit different from the one in the TC01. No molex power, but more standard slimline floppy power and the drive is a EME-150[ME25PB56] Matsushita Drive (so I don't think it has jumpers unless I missed them...)

[vanpeebles]

The two machines using different drives is a pain I had when trying to get some working drives. I was looking at your replacement system for the 256, is it easy to use and fit? Do you just dump the files on or does it require more tweaking than that?

[simulant]

The two machines using different drives is a pain I had when trying to get some working drives. I was looking at your replacement system for the 256, is it easy to use and fit? Do you just dump the files on or does it require more tweaking than that?

Hi thanks - yes the replacement kit I've done for the 256 is just as easy as putting the disk images on a fat32 usb stick and then they boot no issues. I used the disk images from tatungeinstein.co.uk website which all seem to work great I've been told though there are some lost games and software still out there like demos and pre-releases like Batman etc. I don't know if this is true but would be great if we can get them online somehow...

[vanpeebles]

Yes the search goes on, I dumped a load of rare stuff recently. I think it’s filtering through. I’ll be buying a setup on payday! Are they cheaper outside of ebay?

[simulant]

Yes the search goes on, I dumped a load of rare stuff recently. I think it’s filtering through. I’ll be buying a setup on payday! Are they cheaper outside of ebay?

Hi great thanks for the support - I hope to develop the kit further but there doesn't seem to be a lot of 256 users out there hehe.
Yes cheaper outside of ebay definitely:

https://www.simulant.uk/shop/Tatung-Ein ... ulator-kit

[TonyB]

I designed and made the Tatung Einstein Speculator and Silicon Disc. I still have original PCBs for both of these, a small number for the former and quite a lot for the latter (a 256 kilobyte RAM drive). I hope to be able to start assembling and selling some of these later this year. My aim is to upgrade the Speculator software to support far more games by loading snapshot files via RS232, avoiding the need for cassette input and custom loading code for each game.

Tatung Einstein Speculator board photo

Tatung Einstein Silicon Disc board photo

P.S. Any chance of a mod correcting spelling mistake in topic title?

[danielj]

P.S. Any chance of a mod correcting spelling mistake in topic title?

Your wish, etc, etc...

[RobC]

I designed and made the Tatung Einstein Speculator and Silicon Disc. I still have original PCBs for both of these, a small number for the former and quite a lot for the latter (a 256 kilobyte RAM drive). I hope to be able to start assembling and selling some of these later this year. My aim is to upgrade the Speculator software to support far more games by loading snapshot files via RS232, avoiding the need for cassette input and custom loading code for each game.

That would be amazing - I'd love one of each for my Einstein.

On a related note, I've read a bit about the Einstein Speculator and am aware of other versions (MSX, Enterprise) - did you design those too? If possible, it would be great to have a technical write-up explaining how they worked.

[TonyB]

I designed and made the Tatung Einstein Speculator and Silicon Disc. I still have original PCBs for both of these, a small number for the former and quite a lot for the latter (a 256 kilobyte RAM drive). I hope to be able to start assembling and selling some of these later this year. My aim is to upgrade the Speculator software to support far more games by loading snapshot files via RS232, avoiding the need for cassette input and custom loading code for each game.

That would be amazing - I'd love one of each for my Einstein.

On a related note, I've read a bit about the Einstein Speculator and am aware of other versions (MSX, Enterprise) - did you design those too? If possible, it would be great to have a technical write-up explaining how they worked.

Thanks for the interest, I'll post a reply here when the devices are ready.

I designed the Memotech MTX Speculator, an early Spectrum emulator, then the Einstein version with extra hardware for tape I/O and a beeper, but no other versions. For more details, please see http://primrosebank.net/computers/mtx/t ... ulator.htm

[jonb]

P.S. Any chance of a mod correcting spelling mistake in topic title?

Your wish, etc, etc...

Oh, the shame... etc, etc...

(I'm the one who originally misspelled it!)