E Program RAM with -Management Schemes

DR DOS 6.0: Better Than. MS-DOS 5.0?

June 1992 $2.95 THE PRACTICAL MAGAZINE FOR PERSONAL COMPUTERS & MICROCONTROLLERS (Canada $3.96)

e Program RAM With -Management Schemes

06 Uen g Q PC Me M gghpod@weDopalffl Se2Gua

o üen Lo Ong-Nig

74820 08559 H -P DeskJet Prints Hi -Res Color At Modest Cost

www.americanradiohistory.com IJNICORN SINCE 1983 - YOUR I.C. SOURCE - AND MUCH MORE!! NO SHIPPING CHARGES ON PRE -PAID ORDERS!* ELECTRONICS NO CREDIT CARD SURCHARGE! 10010 Canoga Ave., Unit B-8 SCHOOL P.O.'s WELCOME! Chatsworth, CA 91311 '_Fi 4:II si rei] S PROTOBOARD DESIGN STATION OUTPUT OPER. OPER. STOCK MFG. WAVE- 1-24 25-99 100+ Variable DC output LENGTH POWER CURR. VOLT. -5-to -15 VDC @ 0.5 amp, ripple - LS9220 TOSHIBA 660nm 3 mW 85 mA 2.5 V 129.99 123.49 111.14 5 mV LS9200 TOSHIBA 670nm 3 mW 85 mA 2.3 V 49.99 47.99 43.19 Frequency generator L59201 TOSHIBA 670nm 5 mW 80 mA 2.4 V 59.99 56.99 51.29 frequency range: 0.1 Hz to 100 KHz in 6 ranges LS9211 TOSHIBA 670nm 5 mW 50 mA 2.3 V 69.99 66.49 59.84 output voltage: 0 to ± 10V (20 Vp-p) V 109.99 104.49 LS9215 TOSHIBA 670nm 10 mW 45 mA 2.4 94.04 output impedance: 600 (except TTL) LS3200 NEC 670nm 3 mW 85 mA 2.2 V 59.99 56.99 51.29 output current: 10mA max., short circuit LS022 SHARP 780nm 5 mW 65 mA 1.75 V 19.99 18.99 17.09 protected SB1053 PHILLIPS 820nm 10 mW 90 mA 2.2 V 10.99 10.44 9.40 output waveforms: sine, square, triange, TTL sine wave: distortion 3% (10 Hz to 100 WAO II ROBOTIC KIT KHz) PROGRAMMABLE TTL pulse: rise and fall time 25ns The pen mechanism in- drive 20 TTL loads cluded with the robot allows it The total design workstation - including Square wave: rise and fall time i 1.5 s to draw. In addition to drawing expanded instrumentation, breadboard Logic Indicators straight lines, it can also accu- and power supply. 8 LED's, active high, 1.4 volt (nominal) rately draw circles, and even Ideal for analog, digital and micro- threshold. inputs protected to * 20 volts draw out words and short processor circuits Debounced pushbuttons (pulsers) phrases. WAO II comes with 8 logic probe circuits 2 push-button operated, open -collector 128 x 4 bits RAM and 2K ROM, Function generator with continuously output pulsees, each with 1 normally- and is programmed directly via variable size, square, triangle wave open, 1 normally -closed output. Each the keypad attached to it. With forms, plus TTL pulses output can sink up to 250 mA its built-in connector port, WAO Triple power supply offers fixed 5 VDC Potentiometers +5 Il is ready to communicate with supply plus 2 variable outputs - - 15 1 - 1K . 1 10K , all leads available your computer. With the VDC and -5 - 15 VDC and uncommitted optional interface kit, you can 8 TTL compatible LED indicators. switches BNC connectors connect WAO II to an Apple II, Pulsers 2 BNC connectors pin available and Ile, or II+ computer. Editing and Potentiometers uncommitted shell connected to ground transfering of any movement Audio experimentation speaker Speaker program, as well as saving and Multiple features in one complete test 0.25 W, 8 loading a program can be instrument saves hundreds of dollars Breadboarding area performed by the interface kit. needed for individual units 2520 uncommitted tie points The kit includes software, Unlimited lifetime guarantee on bread- Dimensions cable, card, and instructions. board sockets 11.5" long x 16" wide x 6.5" high The programming language is Fixed DC output Input BASIC. +5 VDC @ LO amp, ripple - 5 mV 3 wire AC line input (117 V, 60 Hz Variable DC output typical) Power Source - 3 AA batteries (not included) +5 - to *15 VDC @ 0.5 amp, ripple - Weight 5 mV 7 lbs. STOCK a DESCRIPTION 1-9 10-24 25+ 1-9 10-24 25+ MV961 WAO Il Programmable Robotic Kit 79.99 75.99 68.39 STOCK 6 DESCRIPTION WIIAP Interface Kit For Apple 11, IIE. Il+ 39.99 37.99 34.19 PB503 Protoboard Design Station 299.99 284.99 256.49 IDC BENCH ASSEMBLY PRESS COLLIMATING PEN LASER DIODE MODULE The Panavise PV505 1/4 ton A low power collimator pen Contain- The LDM 135 integrated as- manual IDC bench assembly ing a MOVPE grown gain GaAIAs laser. sembly consisting of a laser press is a rugged, practical instal- This collimator pen delivers a maximum diode, collimating optics and lation tool designee for low CW output power of 2.5 mW at 820 nm. drive electronics within a single volume, mass termination of The operating voltage of 2.2-2.5v @ compact housing. Produces a various IDC connectors on flat 90-150mA is designed for lower power bright red dot at 660-685 nm. It is ribbon cable. applications such as data retrieval. supplied complete with leads for Assembly base & standard telemetry, alignment, etc. connection to a DC power supply platen included The non -hermetic stainless steel case from 3 to 5.25 V. Base plate & platen may be is specifically designed for easy align- Though pre-set to produce a rotated 90° for maximum ment in an optical read or write system, parallel beam, the focal length versatility and consists of a lens and a laser diode. can readily be adjusted to Locus Base plates & cutting acces- The lens system collimates the diverg- the beam to a spot. sories are quickly Changed ing laser light .18 virad. The wavefront Sturdy, small and self-con- without any tools required quality is diffraction limited. tained. the LDM135 is a precision Additional accessories below The housing is circular and precision manufactured measuring 11.0 device designed for a wide range Size - 10" W x 8.75" Dx9"H mm in diameter and 27.0 mm long. Data sheet included. of applications. 0.64" diam. x 2" Weight - 5.5 lbs. As with all special buy items. quantity is limited to stock on hand long

STOCK < DESCRIPTION 1-9 10-24 25* STOCK e DESCRIPTION 1-9 10-24 25+ STOCK a DESCRIPTION 1-9 10-24 25- 171/505 Panawse Bench Assembly Press 149.99 142A9 128.24 SB1052 Infra -Red Collimator Pen 49.99 47 49 42 74 LOM135-.5 5 m W Laser Diode Module 179.99 170.99 153.89 LDM135-1 1 mW Laser Diode Module 189.99 180.49 162.44 COLLIMATING LENS DUAL MODE LASER POINTER LDM135-2 2 m W Laser Diode Module 199.99 189.99 170.99 This economical collimating New slimline laser pointer is only LDM135-3 3 mW Laser Diode Module 209.99 199.49 179.54 lens assembly consists of a in diameter x 6'." long and weighs black anodized aluminum under 2 oz., 670 nm @ less than 1 He -Ne TUBES barrel that acts as a heat sink, mW produces a 6 mm beam. 2 New. tested He laser and a glass lens with a local switches, one for continuous mode, 632nm -Ne tubes ranging from point of 7.5 mm. Designed to fit and one for pulse mode dot .5mW to 3mW (red choice) Perfect for hobbyists standard 9mm laser diodes, flashesrapidly). 2 AAA batteries lour for home protects Because of the this assembly will fit all the provide 8- hours of use. 1 year above laser diodes. Simply warranty. variety we purchase. we cannot place diode in the lens assem- guarantee specific outputs will be available at time of order. All units bly, adjust beam to desired STOCK r DESCRIPTION 1-9 10.24 25- focus. then set with adhesive. are new, tested. and guaranteed LP35 Dual Mode Laser Pointer 199.99 89.99 170.99 to function at manufacturers specifications. STOCK z DESCRIPTION 1.9 10-24 250 ROBOTIC ARM KIT LSLENS Collimating Lens Assembly 24.99 23.74 21.37 STOCK e DESCRIPTION 1-9 10-24 25e Robots were once confined to science POWER SUPPLY fiction movies. Today, whether they're performing dangerous tasks or putting Input: 115/230V together complex products. robotics AVOIDER ROBOT KIT are finding their way into more and Output: .55 @ 3.75A more industries. The Robotic Arm Kit An intelligent robot that knows how *t2v @ 1.5A is an educational kit that teaches to avoid hitting walls- This robot emits an infra -red -12v @ .4A basic robotic arm fundamentals as well beam which as testing your own motor skills. detects an obstacle in front and then Size 7"Lx5'/."Wx2 "H Command it to perform simple tasks. automatically turns lett and continues on.

STOCK k PRICE STOCK PRICE STOCK R PRICE PS1003 $19.99 YO1 $43.99 MV912 S43.99 Ob ORDER LINE (800) 824-3432 INTERNATIONAL ORDERS (818) 341-8833 - - VISA FAX ORDERS - (818) 998-7975 TECHNICAL SUPPORT - (818) 341-8833 15.00 MINIMUM ORDER UPS BLUE, RED & FEDERAL EXPRESS SHIPPING AVAILABLE OPEN MON-FRI 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, SAT 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM PDT CA RESIDENTS ADD 8'/.% SALES TAX CALL FOR QUANTITY DISCOUNTS CALL FOR FREE CATALOG (FOR 1ST CLASS DELIVERY OR CATALOGS DELIVERED OUTSIDE THE U.S. - SEND S2.00) WE CARRY A COMPLETE LINE OF ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS 'NO SHIPPING CHARGES ON PRE -PAID ORDERS DELIVERED IN THE CONTINENTAL U.S.

CIRCLE NO. 140 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com Volume 2, No. 6 June 1992

12 84

UPGRADING & 40 Timing Diagrams Eight -Bit Serial DAC With Data ENHANCING By Jan Axelson Readback. How to use these informative aids in designing and troubleshooting 76 The World On -Line 26 Image Scanning With a PC computer circuits. By Stan Veit By Hardin Brothers Low-Cost/High-Speed Modems Hardware and software that dress 56 VGA to the Max, Part 2 Update & Combating Computer up documents and presentation By Crady Pawlak Viruses. demos with captured photos, line Computer Graphics Glossary of art and text. Terms. DEPARTMENTS 32 A PC Micro -Development System REVIEWS By Nick Goss 4 Editorial Lets your IBM PC/compatible By Art Salsberg Parts computer perform as a 59 DR DOS Version 6.0: Is it a ISO's Battle Factory microcontroller development Better 0/S Than MS-DOS 6.0? Practices. system. By Tom Benford 5 Letters 47 Build an Ultrasonic Ranger to Your 62 Add Some Color 6 What's Happening! By Joseph O'Connell Output add-on can be used to Latest PC News. Computer By Ted Needleman measure distances, dimensions, Hewlett Packard's DeskJet 500C of liquids and much more. 8 What's New! height Color Ink -Jet Printer. By Peter R. O'Dell 51 The Super Sleuth 84 Computer Games A roundup of new computer and By Jim Stephens electronic products. By SF Sparrow -controlled telephone Computer Of Mars, Monkeys and Magic. call monitor deciphers scanners 89 Advertiser's Index and mobile radio calls, and also tracks long-distance phone use. COLUMNS ON THE COVER: Add -in soft- APPLICATIONS ware products manipulate and manage use 66 GUI Guts of working RAM to give application pro- 12 Memory Management, Part 2 By Yacco grams the room they often need, just as By Yacco Getting to the Next Frontier. if it was possible to add more memory Memory -management resosurces beyond DOS's 640K barrier. in MS-DOS 5.0 and DR DOS 6.0 71 Joseph Desposito and evaluations of more -efficient An Adapter Card That Makes PCs Cover art courtesy of Kingston CA. add -in memory managers. 12C Bus Compatible and a Quad Technology Corp., Fountain Valley,

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 3

www.americanradiohistory.com EDITORIAL STAFF Art Salsberg Editor -in -Chief Alexander W. Burawa ISO's Battle Factory Parts Practices Managing Editor Dorothy Kehrwieder Production Manager Emily Kreutz Production Elizabeth Ryan Independent service organizations (ISOs) and associations have Art Director rallied to support Image Services in Barbara Terzo Technical Inc., et al, a legal Assistant Art Director battle with Eastman Kodak Co. over a manufacturer's right to Susan Reale refuse to sell parts or service literature to an independent service Artist Pat Le Blanc company. Florence V. Martin Linda Romanello Kodaks' friends include Digital Equipment Corp., Hewlett- Phototypographers Packard, Prime Computer, Unisys, Wang, the Computer and Hal Keith Business Illustrator Equipment Manufacturers Association and the Motor Bruce Morgan Vehicle Manufacturers Association, who filed Friend of the Court Photographer Jan Axelson, Tom Benford, Hardin Brothers, briefs on behalf of it. Joe Desposito, Nick Goss, Ted Needleman, Although the case, now before the U.S. Supreme Court, con- Peter R. O'Dell, SF Sparrow, Stan Veit, Wayne Yacco cerns copier and other office equipment parts, the suit's princi- Contributing Editors ple can be extended to any other manufactured product, including computers and peripherals, of course. BUSINESS STAFF Richard A. Ross ISOs originally sued Kodak in 1987 when the manufacturer Publisher stopped selling repair parts to them or to consumers, charging Art Salsberg Associate Publisher Kodak with restraint of trade. The suit was dismissed in a San Fran- Dorothy Kehrwieder cisco District Court, scoring a victory for Kodak. On an appeal General Manager Frank V. Fuzia in 1990, Kodak lost. Last year, Kodak appealed that decision to Controller the U.S. Supreme Court, which agreed to hear arguments. A deci- Catherine Ross sion is expected before year-end, which might be to send the case Circulation Director Melissa Kehrwieder back to a lower court. Carol Minervini A case with similarities occurred in the automobile aftermarket Data Processing Denise Pyne industry. Here, car radio retailers, distributors and installers Customer Service challenged Chrysler Corporation's practice to include autosound equipment as a standard feature in some of their automobiles, ADVERTISING SALES without deducting the cost if a consumer didn't want the product. Margaret Milanese (516) 681-2922 The U.S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia went against the big FAX: (516) 681-2926 auto maker on this, overturning a lower court's decision. A three - Karen Nauth judge panel noted that Chrysler would be restraining competition Sales Assistant and could sell an inferior product at an exorbitant price. It's clear that some manufacturers want to own the aftermarket Officer. 76 North Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801. Tele- phone- (516) 681-2922. FAX (516) 681 2926. Computer - Craft (ISSN 1055.5072) is published monthly by CQ action for their factory output, whether it's servicing or an an- Communications, Inc. Subscription prices (payable in I US Dollars only): Domestic-one year $18.97, two years cillary product. would hope that the courts don't allow them to 536.00, three years $53.00; Canada/Mexico-one year $21.00, two years 840.00, three years 559.00; Foreign- weaken independents, which I'm convinced would increase end - one year $23 00, two years $41.00, three years $65.00. Foreign Air Mail-one year $76.00, two years 5150.00, user costs and make it less convenient to obtain service. Competi- three years $224.00.

tion is what keeps everyone on their toes, to the benefit of all. The U.S. Government Agencies: Subscriptions to Computer - Craft are available to agencies of the United States gov- last thing we need is more monopolists. ernment, including military services, only on a cash with order basis. Requests (or quotations, bids, contracts, etc. will be refused and will not be returned or processed. Entire contents copyright 1992 by CQ Communications, Inc. ComputerCraft or CQ Communications Inc. as- sumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. Al- low six weeks for delivery of first issue and for change of adighier address. Printed in the United States of America. Postmaster: Please send change of address notice to ComputerCraft, 76 North Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801-

4 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Letters

Reader Feedback the January issue. The author complains, mand was not necessary. Using the curly "When we tried the built-in WordPerfect brackets alone was sufficient to bring ev- I've very much enjoyed your articles on Help utility, we couldn't locate an indica- erything into line. Also, there was a com- microcontrollers. I just can't seem to get tion under Copy command for copying plaint about being unable to put limits on enough on the subject. Keep those articles text multiple times." It's there, all right. the right of the integral sign, but that is ex- coming. The steps are: F1, C (three times), Ctrl -F4 actly where they show up in the example Richard C. Forman (twice)-seven entries in total. The same given, which is where they belong. Irvine, CA is true about the comments on instructions William Templin Congratulations on your excellent maga- for macros. Again using F1 and "M," the Mississauga, Ontario, Canada zine. I am an electronics technology educa- author would have found that by entering The article wasn't about one word proces- tor and an avid analog and digital experi- Ctrl -F10, up would come help screens that sor versus another. It concerned using one menter. I find your publication well give required information. for the first time and weighing learning - thought out, easy to understand and of On the other sidebar about using the curve difficulties against another power- high technical quality. equation editor, I found that, contrary to ful word processor with which the author Before we get too puffed up with our the comments made, the STACK com- had some experience.-Ed. great digital technical expertise, consider this analogy. Compared to a digital computer, my analog golden retriever is far superior in snatching a thrown Frisbee from Electronics Workbench® midair. Perhaps some day in the distant future we will reach a point where we will be- the electronics lab in a computer - come intelligent enough to build a micro - controller with a hybrid digilog molecular Powerful software to build DOS Professional Version - $299 memory unit where each bit of each byte Macintosh Version - $199 will be an analog variable. Maybe then we and simulate analog and Electronics Workbench includes: can build a better golden retriever. Until digital circuits. Analog Module with passive and active then, I must be content with my present components including transistors, diodes, dog and my Von Neumann -based comput- and op -amps; a function generator, an Building and testing circuits is fast and oscilloscope, a multimeter, and a Bode er system that is maybe just a little bit easy with Electronics Workbench. Just plotter. smarter than a planarium worm. click -and-drag with a mouse to add parts, Digital Module with gates, flip-flops, Vic Numbers adders, a word generator, a logic analyzer, Portland, OR run wires, and adjust instruments. The and a unique logic converter and simplifier. When I first found ComputerCraft on tracts on the simulated instruments are the newsstand, I obtained all back issues, the same as you'd get on real equipment. (416) 361-0333 just to be sure I didn't miss anything. It fills Workbench really is an a void left by the sudden demise of PC Re- Electronics Interactive Image Technologies Ltd. Falls Boulevard sources, which was the one magazine that electronics lab in a computer. It's ideal 908 Niagara for learning about electronics, North Tonawanda, NY had useful "hands-on" information. It is 14120-2060 v, nice to see some of the writers from it back. exp 3rinlenting, and prototyping circuits. Fax (416) 368-5799 Although I do not have the time to do INTERACTIVE "Electronics Workbench is pretty Prices are In US dollars. Offer valid In the USA and Canada only. breadboarding (despite once having a ham Macintosh Versicn Is monochrome only. All trademarks are the amazing." - Jerry Pournelle, Ph.D., InfoWorld property of their respective owners. radio license and building equipment from scratch), I appreciate practical articles. The recent article on building serial data communication cables was helpful. In my work, which involves data acquisition from blood -pressure monitors via a serial port, I have had to build several cables. The kind of articles that are most helpful to me are "hands-on" upgrades. Keep it up. Most of my work is with MS-DOS computers. Ronald J. Kallen, M.D. Highland Park, IL I have greatly enjoyed your series of articles on various aspects of microprocessor design and use. It has really boot -strapped my understanding of single -board controllers and facilitated my experimentation with them at my workbench in our laboratory. J.D. Roberts Jr., M.D., M.S.

Disappointed `e I was disappointed with the comments WordPerfect 5.1 versus XyWrite in about °s e ess,eS

CIR( I. I. NO.61 ON FR FE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 5

www.americanradiohistory.com What's Happening!

New Spec Boosts Portable Battery Life. Intel and Microsoft introduced a software specification that extends battery life of portable computers by up to 25% during full -on conditions. The interface spec, Advanced Power Management (APM), was endorsed by 37 companies, and complements existing power management designs. Supporting a portable computing initiative further, Microsoft announced an MS-DOS ROM version. New Spec Boosts Portable Battery Life. Intel and Microsoft introduced a software specification that extends battery life of portable computers by up to 25% during full -on conditions. The interface spec, Advanced Power Management (APM), was endorsed by 37 companies, and complements existing power management designs. Supporting a portable computing initiative further, Microsoft announced an MS-DOS ROM version.

Pen Computing. GeoWorks enters the pen computing arena with a new pen -based, graphical operating system, called "Pen/GEOS." It's aimed at low-cost handheld computers in an anticipatd under - $500 device market....GO Corporation's PenPoint operating system gets a boost with "SafetyPen" utilities from Slate Corp., headquarted in Scottsdale, AZ. Slate teams with Day -Timers, a major maker of business planner -organizers. The first product from this collaboration is Pen Scheduler software. Slate also announced password security and a backup utility using PKZip data compressions.

Microsoft Services Hearing -Impaired. Microsoft announced direct access for hearing -impaired customers through a new Telecommun- ications Device for the Deaf (TDD) service. Effective Jan. 27, 1992, it provides access to the same tech product support and customer services as the normal -hearing customer. The direct TDD phone line is 206-635-4948 during regular operating hours (6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST).

New EIA Standards Catalog. The Electronic Industries Association (EIA) is making available free of charge a new, 108 -page catalog of all its standards, specifications and other EIA publications. Call Global Engineering Documents for the free catalog or other technical documents at toll -free 1-800-854-7179. Baseball Statistics Software. The new "Rotisserie" Scout baseball program from Computer Sports World (702-294-0191) gives a user the ability to access statistics in a variety of categories for player comparisons. It can show a player's performance at any point during the season. Information can be kept up-to-date by downloading data each week using CSW's "Stats Service."

New Windows Software. Windows version 3.1 upgrade was a best- seller before it ever came out. With some 9 -million people owning Windows 3.0, it's sure to be grabbed up by most of them at only $49.99. Beta testers (there were about 12,000 of them) we've spoken to say it has many worthwhile improvements...."Virtual Monitors" from Baseline Publishing (901-682-9676) is a new low- cost ($39.95) productivity tool for Microsoft Windows. Its allows users to open serveral applications at once without screen clutter from various windows, icons and boxes.

6 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com THE PARTS PLACES/

11) srgeeea....-

131

Micromini Toggle Switches. Reli- (1) Double -Shielded, 4 Conduc- (1) 1N914/4148 Switching Diodes. (1) Themral Fuses. 128° C., #270-1321. 141° C.. ability at low cost. Rated 3A at tor Cable. For data or audio. The Popular silicon type. Rated 75 PIV. N270-1320. 228° C., #270-1322 .... Each 1.19 (2) Resistance is propor- 125VAC. 1/4" -dia. stem. best! 30 ft. #278-777 7 95 #276-1122 Pkg. of 10/996 Thermistor. tional to temperature. #271-110 ... 1.99 (2) Coiled Mike Cable. Replace (2) 1N34 Germanium Diodes. SPST. #274-624 2 29 (3) Surface -Mount Resistors. 200 CB, ham, marine radio cords. 4 con- Hard -to -find signal diodes. Rated SPOT. #274-625 2 39 pieces, 15 popular values! Rated Ye watt, 10/996 DPDT. #274-626 2 59 ductors. 5 ft. #278-358 2 99 60 Ply. #276-1123, Pkg. of 5%. #271-313 Set 4.99

Raiwin (1) IC Inserter/Extractor Kit. Why (1) TO -220 Heat Sink. Ideal for PC (1) 11/2 to 3VDC Motor. Use in solar (1) Coiled 6 -Ft. Test Leads. Why put board use. #276-1363 896 power demos. #273-223 996 up with tangles? #278-750 .. Set/4.99 risk bending or breaking pins on (2) TO -3 Mounting Hardware. Com- (2) Electret Element. #270-092, 2.99 (2) Posts to BNC. #274-715 .... 8.95 expensive chips? This kit makes it plete kit. #276-1371 996 (3) 12VDC Magnetic Buzzer. A more (3) Posts to Bananas. #274-716, 4.95 easy to install and remove any DIP - TO -220 Mtg. Kit. #276-1373 996 pleasing tone! #273-026 2 19 (4) Stackable Dual Inline Banana style IC from 6 to 40 pins. Both tools (3) Heat Sink Grease. Assures maxi- (4) "Ding -Dong" Chime. Classy entry Plug. Versatile! #274-717 2 99 are groundable to prevent static mum heat transfer. #276-1372 1.59 alert. 6 to 18VDC. #273-071 8 99 (5) 6 -Ft. BNC-to-BNC. #278-964, 5.99 "zaps". #276-1581 6 95

- IMIIiN INUIIII4IIIIIINIIIIItIIIAIIII(IIAflUIIIIIIlIIIB)III)IIIlIIINI: nrxmtrziaeaecºsucr-razree» .111assesxsnrt^m, 'Pr .ri:rrle-rMneeuri,

UL -Listed DVM. Micronta® makes Right -Angle D -Sub 25 Female electronics testing a snap! PC/XT Experimenter's Circuit Card. This premium -quality prototyping Connector. Ideal for use with PC/ Autoranging, 1/2" LCD digits, bar board fits a computer's XT expansion bus connector. Features durable epoxy XT circuit card at left. Radio Shack graph to spot peaks, data hold to glass construction and plated -through holes on standard 0.100" centers. also stocks a big selection of D -sub freeze display, continuity sounder, Accepts D -sub connector shown at right. 37/e x 101/16 x 1/16' and IDC-type connectors for com- diode -check. #22-186 69.95 #276-1598 29.95 puter hookups. #276-1504 .. 2.49

Since 1921 Radio Shack has been the place to obtain up-to-date electronic parts 1921 as well as quality tools, test equipment and accessories at low prices. Nearly 7000 SINCE locations are ready to serve you-NOBODY COMPARES fladio Ihack s~ Pnces apply at participating Radio Shack stores and dealers. Radio Shack is a division of Tandy Corporation AMERICA'S TECHNOLOGY STORE

CIRCLE NO. 78 ON FREE INFORMATION CARO

www.americanradiohistory.com What's New! By Peter R. O'Dell

Portable Hard Drives Radio Shack Parallel Peripherals Technolo- 50 -MHz 486 gy has a new line of 21/2" IDE The Tandy Model 4850 EP portable hard drives targeted features Intel's new 50 -MHz for the laptop/notebook mar- 486 DX2 microprocessor that ket. These miniature drives doubles the internal speed of weight only 1.5 pounds and the processor to 50 MHz, add- measure 5" x 5" x 1.5". In- ing built-in math coprocessing stallation consists of simply capabilities and providing a plugging a supplied cable into performance gain of up to 70% the portable computer's paral- over 25 -MHz Intel 486 -based lel port. The drives range in $1,999. Parallel Peripherals systems. Fully configured, the capacity from 40M to 360M Technology Inc., 260 W. Ar- 4850 includes 4M of RAM (ex- DOS 5.0, Windows 3.0, and and feature access time of 22 row Hwy., San Dimas, CA pandable to 32M), one 3'/," MS Works. An open 5/, " bay is ms and data -transfer time 91773; tel.: 714-394-7244; fax: 1.44M floppy drive that sup- available for a CD-ROM drive ranging from 4M to 6M/sec- 714-394-7242. ports 2.88M floppies, 15 -ms or other peripheral. $2,699. ond. Prices range from $499 to CIRCLE NO.31 ON FREE CARD 120M IDE hard drive with Radio Shack, 700 One Tandy cache, Super VGA (512K ex- Center, Fort Worth, TX 76102. pandable to 1M), mouse, Windows Monitor MS- CIRCLE NO.33 ON FREE CARD The ViewSonic 7E Super VGA monitor boasts a 17" flat - Single -Board square screen with the image area extending from edge -to - Computer edge and with 0.31 -mm dot The Allen Systems CP-332, de- pitch. It supports resolution signed for process -control ap- from 640 x 480 to 1,024 x 768 plications. is based on the Mo- noninterlaced and is designed torola 68332, a 32 -bit micro - to work with XGA, UVGA, free image, the 7E has an ultra- controller. It has both parallel 8514/A, SVGA and VGA high 72 -Hz refresh rate at all and serial I/O, an optional an- video control boards. It oper- resolutions and is FCC Class B alog daughter board and a A bare board is also available ates in any IBM/compatible or approved. $1,199. Viewsonic, socket for a 68881 floating- The CP-332 measures 51/2 " x Macintosh II. Scanning fre- 12130 Mora Dr., Santa Fe point processor. The fully as- 81/2". $750. Allen Systems, quencies range from 31 kHz to Springs, CA 90670; tel.: 310- sembled board features 256K 2346 Brandon Rd., Columbus, 60 kHz horizontal and 50 Hz to 946-0711; fax: 310-946-1618. of EPROM and 256K of RAM. OH 43221; tel.: 614-488-7122. 90 Hz vertical. For a flicker - CIRCLE NO.32 ON FREE CARD CIRCLE NO.34 ON FREE CARD

Video Cameras VSLI technology and produces PCX files). Up to 30 images per standard NTSC output. A second can be captured. The The Supercircuits PD-2ex is a wide-angle multi -element f/2.0 new EDC-1000 interfaces to micro video camera that weighs lens is included. $197. Super - IBM/compatible computers only 2.3 ounces and is less than circuits, 1403 Bayview Dr., and features computer -con- Hermosa Beach, CA 90254; trolled exposure time, near li- tel.: 310-372-9166; fax, near response over wide dyna- 310-372-0717. mic range, asynchronous image capture, time -delay -inte- CIRCLE NO.35 ON FREE CARD gration compatibility, direct configuration. Chinon access to frame buffer data, The Chinon CX-200 family of America Inc., Industrial Prod- micro video cameras is another ucts Div., 1065 Bristol Rd., design based on CCD technol- Mountainside, NJ 07092-1248; ogy. Measuring 2.12" x 1.38" tel.: 908-654-0404; fax, 908- x 1.26", the CX-200 weighs 654-6656. 2.64 ounces. All three versions CIRCLE NO. 36 ON FREE CARD produce 240 x 249 -pixel pictures. A built-in electronic auto iris automatically compensates The EDC-1000 from Electrim and integrated software with 2" square. It produces 240 lines for lighting between 2 and Corporation measures 2" x 2" linkable routines. $400. Elec- of resolution and features 2 to 100K lux, while the electronic x 1.1" and weighs 4 ounces trim Corp., PO Box 2074, 80K lux light capability, with shutter automatically adjusts and produces output of 192 x Princeton, NJ 08543; tel.: automatic exposure control. between '/ and Al 3,000 second. 330 x 8 -bit image data into 609-683-5546. The camera uses CCD and Versions differ only in lens computer memory (TIFF or CIRCLE NO.37 ON FREE CARD

8 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com ALK TO YOUR COMPUTER ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURES WITH VOICE MASTER KEY A PROFESSIONAL VOICE PROCESSING SYSTEM Everything to complete your project - ADD UP TO 1024 VOICE COMMANDS TO EXISTING PROGRAMS! Speeds data entry and command input to CAD, desk -top publishing, word processing, spread From initial concept to finished product! sheet, data base, or game programs. Simply train the computer to recognize a word or phrase and assign a series of key strokes to that command. Pop-up TSR program features pull -down menus and mouse support. Requires under 15K of main memory if EMS present. Near instant response time and high recognition accuracy. SOUND RECORDING STUDIO Digitally record your own speech, sound, or music. Software controlled sampling rate (up to 25Kbytes/sec) with graphics - based editing and data compression utilities. Create customized audio software for use within Rack Mount Universal Split Case education, language training, presentations, entertainment, etc. DMA data transfer provides con- - tinuous recording and playback of Complete line of Enclosures in Aluminum, Steel or ABS, sound to/from hard disk. PC inter- Hardware, Silkscreening, Tools, Custom Fabricating nal speaker supported. INTERACTIVE SPEECH INPUT AND OUTPUT Call for our FREE Full Color Catalog Tag your own digitized audio files to voice recognition macros. Provides speech response to your spoken commands -- all from within virtually ALL DOS application (800) 800-3321 or (216) 425-8888 (216) 425-1228 Fax software! Reduces CRT "eye fixation". Also ideal for training, security, robotics, factory - business -home automation, science experiments, handicapped, etc.

COMPATIBLE with talking software from IBM, Milliken, First Byte, Davidson, Optimum Resources, Britannica Software, Electronic Arts, Hyperglot, Orange Cherry, Wesson Intl, Villa Crespo, McGraw-Hill, etc. -- both DOS and Windows -compatible versions. EVERYTHING INCLUDED Voice Master Key System consists of a half-size card, durable lightweight microphone headset, software (5.25" floppies unless otherwise specified), and manual. Made in U.S.A. One year warranty on hardware. Knobs & Parts Linear ONLY $199.95 (plus shipping) Cage & Preamp ORDER HOTLINE call: (503) 342-1271 Monday -Friday 8 AM to 5 PM Pacific Time. VISA/MasterCard/American Express phone or FAX orders welcome. NO CODS. Add Enclosures $5 shipping charge for delivery in USA and Canada. Payment by personal check subject to 3 week shipping delay. Foreign inquiries contact Covox for C&F/CIF proformas.

30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE IF NOT COMPLETELYSATISFIED. ABS CALL , WRITE, or FAX US FOR FREE PRODUCT CATALOG COVOX INC. Tel: (503) 342-1271 675 Conger Street FAX: (503) 342-1283 (Project Pro Eugene, Oregon 97402 U.S.A. BBS: (503) 342-4135

1710 ENTERPRISE PKWY. TWINSBURG, OHIO 44087 CIRCLE NO. 55 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

CIRCLE NO.58 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Free Catalogs

For Industrial PCs cessories for disk drives, switches, buffers, cables and Source - The PC Compatible connectors. Dalco also makes has Book is 24 pages and custom cables. Dalco Elec- more than 400 IBM/compat- tronics, 223 Pioneer Blvd., ible PC related products. Springboro, OH 45066; tel.: at scien- Targeted primarily 800-445-5342; fax, 513-743- engineers who are tists and 9251. looking for products that of- CIRCLE NO.40 ON FREE CARD fer industrial reliability at Improve Level 2 can also speed print- commercial pricing, it in- by Instrumentation ing of complex documents cludes computers, laptops, HP PS Cartridge providing separate caches for Global Specialties' new motherboards, CD-ROM 16 -page color catalog con- The new HP LaserJet Post- fonts, forms and patterns so drives and numerous peri- Script Cartridge Plus for LJ III that only information that tains listings for PC instru- pherals, all built for industrial mentation and data acquisi- series printers is said to provide changes from page to page use. Industrial Computer by the tion products. It features vir- authentic Adobe PostScript need be interpreted Source, 10180 Scripps Ranch can access more tual instruments on a card Level 2 and can switch between printer. Users Blvd., San Diego, CA 92131- fonts or create and analog and digital I/O PostScript (PS) and HP PCL downloadable tel.: 619-271-9340; fax: than 1298; cards for IBM/compatible 5 modes. HP's earlier PS cart- more complex graphics 619-271-9340. ridge required that the printer they could previously. An computers. The catalog also CIRCLE NO.39 ON FREE CARD of be powered down to insert or upgrade path is available for contains several pages -item listings that remove the cartridge to switch owners of the earlier Level 1 accessory interfac- modes. PS Level 2 offers speed cartridge. $695. Hewlett- PC Products Catalog simplify application and convenience advantages Packard Co. Inquiries, 19310 Dalco's free 76 -page lists and ing. Global Specialties, 70 Terr., New Haven, over Level 1. It can accept com- Pruneridge Ave., Cupertino, describes such devices as PC Fulton pressed data, which takes less CA 95014; tel.: 800-752-0900. components, power systems, CT 06512; tel.: 800-572-1028. time to transfer from the com- networking products and ac- CIRCLE NO.41 ON FREE CARD puter to the printer. CIRCLE NO.38 ON FREE CARD

COMPUTERCRAFT / 9 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 /

www.americanradiohistory.com What's New!

Inexpensive UPS The Patriot series uninterrupti- New Books ble power supplies from Best each listing includes any spe- Power Technology feature full- Encyclopedia of cial requirements needed by time lightning and surge pro- Shareware, the program and the author tection backed by UL 1449, 4th Edition registration fee. high -voltage protection, full- There's also a list of auth- time emi/rfi filtering, automat- (Windcrest/McGraw-Hill. orized dealers by state, as well ic shutdown kits and software Soft cover. 679 pages. as a glossary and cross-refer- and status indicator and alarms. PO Box 280, Necedah, WI $19.95.) ence indices. Helpful? In less 250 VA, $169; 450 VA, $279. 54646; tel.: 800-356-5794; fax, This tome consists of a brief than a minute, I located a Best Power Technology, Inc., 608-565-2929. introduction and thumb -nail program that appears to be CIRCLE NO.42 ON FREE CARD descriptions of more than what I need for my sideline 2,000 programs. The pro- business. Several shareware grams are arranged in over vendors had told me that no Hi-Fi Stereo PC Sound 100 categories that run from such program exists. The "Accounting, Billing" to book is well -organized and Digimetrie's PC-DSP-56K-ST "Writing and Composition thorough. If you buy share- is a fast audio -signal coproces- Aids." In addition to a short ware, even occasionally, this sor board for IBM/compatible discussion of the program, one is for you. computers. Built around Mo- torola's DSP 56001 digital signal processor, it operates at Programmer's coprocessors, numeric fun- 10 MIPs and has a clock rate of Technical damentals, coprocessor in- 20 MHz (33 MHz optional). The board's software envi- struction set, processor ini- The standard version comes ronment can be used to readi- Reference tialization, incompatibilities with 576K RAM. Its real-time ly develop applications in C By Robert L Hummel and bugs, and protection and acquisition/restitution system and Pascal. An extensive sig- (Ziff-Davis Press. Soft cover. task switching. The appen- uses 16-bit AD/DA converters. nal -processing library elimi- 761 pages. $49.95.) dices consist of an instruction You can sample two channels nates the need to learn the Programmers will love this set reference, coprocessor in- simultaneously at a program- assembly language. French tome that covers virtually struction reference, opcode mable frequency up to 100 Technology Press Office, Inc., everything that they might matrix, and additional re- kHz. A MIDI facilitates ex- 401 N. Michigan Ave, Suite want to know about the sources. change of data with musical in- 1760, Chicago, IL 60611; tel.: 80x86 processor and 80x87 There are no obvious omis- struments that have compatible 312-222-1235; fax: 312-222- coprocessor series. The book sions, the book is beautifully dialog systems. 1237. is divided approximately designed with easy -to -spot CIRCLE NO.43 ON FREE CARD equally between 15 chapters subheadings, the material is and four appendices. Chap- logically organized, and the ter topics include the 80x86 author's writing style is clear Inexpensive DVMs family, data types, processor and easy to understand. Pro- 11111111.111111F architecture, memory struc- grammers will want this one The new Fluke Series 10 multi - - ture and management, input/ as a wonderful technical ref- meters measure dc and ac volt- output, instruction encoding erence they'll refer to again age in five ranges from 4 to 600 and timing, interrupts and ex- and again; readers with a volts, and resistance in six rang- ceptions, combining 16- and more casual interest might be es from 400 to 40M ohms. 32-bit code, debugging, math overwhelmed by it. Model 11 adds the "V-Chek" function that automatically tells the user if the circuit is Expansion open, continuous, or if voltage is present. When the meter de- Chassis tects potentials greater than 4.5 the minimum and maximum PC Horizons has a new PC- volts, the meter switches from occurred during a 100 -hour pe- XTRA with five available slots continuity/ohms to volts and riod. The unit will for IBM/compatibles. capture and It has PEP. displays either ac or dc voltage, provide a symbolic display of special features that make it us- whichever is greater. The unit opens or shorts as brief as 250 able with Tandy 1000 systems. IIII111111IIIIIIIIilll11111 also checks capacitance rang- its. Display is 3'/. digit LCD; To keep cost down, it uses the ing from 400 µF to 9,999 F. size is 5.55 "H x 2.75 "W x system power supply. The PC- Model 12 has all features of 1.35 "D; weight is 10 ozs. $70/ XTRA SP holds any option Model 10/11 and adds Min/ $80/$90, Models 10/11/12. that fits into the computers sys- measures 9V, " wide and has the Max recording with a relative John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., tem's slots. No modifications same height and depth as an time clock. The Min/Max P.O. Box 990, Everett, WA are required to either operating XT. $349. PC Horizons, Inc., function records highest and 98206-9096; tel.: 206-347-6100; system or application pro- 1710MNewport Circle, Santa lowest voltages, and an inter- Fax: 206-356-5116. grams. PC-XTRA SP connects Ana, CA; tel.: 714-953-5396. nal clock records the time when CIRCLE NO. 44 ON FREE CARD directly to the system bus. It CIRCLE NO.46 ON FREE CARD (Continued on page 78)

10 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com P. 0. Box 280298 Dallas, Texas 75228 (214) 271-5546 B. G. MICRO Muat«perd I VISA FAX (214) 271-2462 SPECIAL S SUPER BUYS TEXT TO SPEECH BOARD MAX232 2.30 DTMF PC/XT COMPATIBLE. MAKE YOUR COMPUTER TALK! 1488 45 SSI-202 Decoder 2.25 1489 45 8870 Decoder . 2.25 DB25-(Solder Cup) M/F 2/1 00 5087 Generator 2.00 c Angle F .. 55 DB25-Rt. PC BD. 5089 Generator 2.10 $6995 DB9-Rt. Angle PC BD. M/F 35 ASSEMBLED & TESTED THE 625 NETWORK ADD 53.50 SHIPPING FANS a HANDLING 12VDC - Brushless Try The 1st Truly Low Cost LAN Manufactured by Commonwealth Connect 2 or 3 PCs, XTs, ATs Model FP 108D-7 Blades Uses serial ports and 5 wire 8" Wire Leads - 150MA cable A VERY POWERFUL AND AMAZING SPEECH CARD. USES THE 3'/e" Square - 1" Thick Runs at 115 K baud GENERAL INSTRUMENTS SPO256-AL2 SPEECH CHIP AND THE This size commonly used in Runs In background, totally CTS256A-AL2 TEXT TO SPEECH CONVERTER. computer power supplies. transparent THIS BOARD USES ONE SLOT ON THE MOTHERBOARD AND $6.95 ea. Share any device, any file, any REQUIRES A COM SERIAL PORT. BOARD MAY ALSO BE USED IN A time STAND ALONE ENVIRONMENT (EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY) WITH DISPLAY DEVICES Needs only 14K of ram ALMOST ANY COMPUTER THAT HAS A RS232 SERIAL PORT. TO Skeptical: We make believers! USE THE BOARD IT IS ONLY NECESSARY TO SEND ENGLISH TEXT FLAT PANELLCD TO THE RS232 INPUT ON THE BOARD. THE BOARD INCLUDES A GRAPHICIC DISPLAY LITTLE BIG LAN 1500 BYTE TEXT BUFFER AND HANDSHAKE LINE TO ALLOW YOU EPSON EG -7004S -AR TO SEND DATA TO THE BOARD; THE SAME AS YOU WOULD SEND Low cost - 575 par LAN, not per node! 640 r 200 dole - Super twisted nematic type. DATA TO AN RS232 PRINTER. YOU BATCH Hardware Independent network SERIAL CAN SET UP Built In drivers 4 bll TTL Interface - Capable of ARCNET, Parallel. and Serial FILES THAT WILL MAKE YOUR COMPUTER GREET YOU WITH displaying numerics, graphics, atphabellce, apeclat port support on first release "GOOD MORNING MASTER," ETC. EVERY TIME YOU TURN IT ON. characters, graphs, chart*, Iand patterns. Serial Speed: 650011(T)-8500(AT) bytes Viewing area 10.7/16",4.5/6". Ovsrdl 11.3/6" 721-1/16' per second DEMONSTRATION SOFTWARE AND A LIBRARY BUILDING PRO- 14 pine for signals and power (KV, -12V). Parallel Speed: 8000(XT)-29000(ÁT) bytes GRAM ARE INCLUDED ON A 51/. INCH PC/XT DISKETTE. FULL Complete 27 page renal per second DOCUMENTATION AND SCHEMATICS ARE ALSO INCLUDED. $19.95 6/5100.00 ARCNET Speed: 40000 plus byte. per second FOR INFORMATION ON A LOW COST SPEECH SYNTHESIZER LTP 1157AE Use any PC/XT/AT/386 mlr. even laptops SYSTEM FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED, PLEASE SEND FOR FREE Displays and PS/2 machines PACKET T.M.1. 1.2" 507 Matrix Connect up to 254 computer.. can mil 5x7 Array with x.y select. connection methods (Serial, Parallel, STAND ALONE POWER SUPPLY Be Arcnet) This Red Orange Matrix Can FOR ABOVE DOS Flle and Record locking support $1999 Stacked Horizontally. Choice of ADO 52.50 SHIPPING 8 HANDLING Two Matrix Orientation -Cathode Share any device, any file, any program Runs In the background, totally transparent Column, Anode Row. Great For Low memory overhead "Moving Message" Signs. Typically only 261( Is needed. but will STATIC RAM EPROM SPECIAL $1.19 Ea., 8/$6.95, 100/$75.00 vary with various setups Works with most software, Including DBASE 2016-2KX8 200 n.s. 1.00 III, Microsoft We bought a large quantity of 2101-1 - 256X4 500 n.s. . .75 74LS WORD, LOTUS 12.1, Windows 3, 2708s, 2716s, 2532s, 2732s, AUTOCAD, Word Perfect, ell compilers, 21L02-1 350 n.s. .65 2764s, 27128s, 27256s and LSOO .14 LS114.25 LS241 .60 GWBASIC, and in fact, most anything! 2102AL-4 L.P. 450 n.s. . . .49 27512sfrom a computer manu- LSO1 .14 LS122.35 LS242.65 Works with DOS 2.0 to DOS 5.0 end DR - DOS 2111-1 256X4 500 n.s. . . . 1.00 facturer who redesigned their LSO2 .14 LS123.45 LS243.50 DOS 3.1 or greater i. preferred 2112A-2 2.50 boards. We removed them from LSO3 .14 LS1241.35 LS244 .55 Open network. programmer API provided n.s. . . .45 sockets, verified LSO4 .14 Example for low-inel Ilnk modules - 2114L-3 1KX4 300 erased and LS125.30 LS245.55 you can support special hardware 2125A-2 1KX1 70 n.s. . . 1.70 them, and now we offer the sav- LSO5 .14 LS126.35 .45 Full specs on packet level LS251 provided ings to you. Complete satisfac- LSO8 .14 LS132.35 LS253.40 protocols 2147 4KX1 1.95 CABLES 8 ARCNET CARDS tion guaranteed. LSO9 .14 LS133.25 LS257.35 6116P-4 1.00 AVAILABLE - PLEASE CALL $75. Your Choice LS10 .14 LS136.28 6117 1.20 LS258.45 2708 1.20 10/8.00 LS11 .14 LS138 .35 LS2591.00 SOCKETS 6264-15 1.40 LS12 .20 62256 32KX8 5.75 2716 1.75 10/15.00 LS139.35 LS260.40 2532 2.00 10/17.50 LS13 .25 Low Profile SOLDER TAIL LS145.75 LS266.30 2732 2.00 10/17.50 LS14 .30 LS148.35 LS273.75 6 Pin 14/1.00 DYNAMIC RAM 2764 2.00 10/17.50 LS15 .20 LS151 .35 8 Pin 13/1.00 LS279.30 2108-4 8KX1 1.50 27128 3.00 10/25.00 LS20 .14 LS153.35 LS280.80 14 Pin 13/1.00 2118-4 16KX1-5Volt .70 27256 3.50 10/30.00 LS21 .16 LS154.85 LS283.35 16 Pin 13/1.00 4027-4KX1-250 n.s. .80 27512 4.75 10/40.00 LS22 .16 LS155.50 LS290.70 18 Pin 13/1.00 4116-16KX1-250 n.s. .40 LS26 .14 LS156.42 LS293.50 20 Pin 13/1.00 n.s. .75 LS27 .20 LS157.30 LS298.65 22 Pin 13/1.00 4116-16KX1-200 8000/80000 4116 16KX1-150 n.s. .90 LS28 .15 LS158 .25 LS299 1.00 24 Pin 8/1.00 8031 2.95 8251 1.10 LS30 .14 4164 150 n.s. . . . .49 or 9/3.50 LS160 .25 LS3221.30 28 Pin 7/1.00 80C32 12 3.95 8253-5 1.75 120 n.s. 1.10 LS32 .16 L S 161 .35 LS323 2.25 40 Pin 7/1.00 4164 8035 1.00 8254 1.80 LS33 .25 LS162.45 LS348.75 BUY $10 4164-100 n.s 1.40 8039 1.00 8255 1.50 n.s. 2.75 LS37 .24 LS163 .36 LS353 1.00 GET $1.00 - FREE CHOICE TMS4416-16KX4-150 8085 t55 8255-5 1.75 LS38 .24 LS164.45 LS357.80 68 Pin PLCC .79 4464-150 n.s 1.40 8086 1.55 8257 1.50 LS42 .35 LS165.60 LS363.75 84 Pin PLCC .89 4464-120 n.s 1.45 8087 87.50 8259A 1.85 LS51 .15 LS166.75 LS364.75 4464-100 n.s 1.45 8087-1 167.50 8259C-5 2.10 LS54 .20 LS169.90 LS365.30 6500/6800 4464-80 n.s 1.45 8087-2 127.50 8275 10.95 LS55 .20 LS170.45 LS366.28 41256 150 n.s. . 1.25 or 9/9.95 8088 2.20 8279 2.25 6502 2.00 6821 1.00 LS73 .33 LS173.60 LS367.35 41256 120 n.s. 1.30 or 9/10.99 8088-2 3.25 8284 1.49 6520 1.25 6845P 2.20 LS74 .22 LS174.35 LS368.30 41256 100 n.s. 1.30 or 9/10.99 8155 2.25 8286 3.50 LS75 .25 LS175.35 LS373.50 6522 2.70 6845S 2.20 41256-80 n.s.. 1.30 or 9/10.99 8156 2.25 8287 2.49 6530 LS83 .30 LS181 1.25 LS374 .45 3.00 6850 1.75 41256-60 n.s 1.85 8202A 8.00 8288 3.50 LS85 .45 LS191 .45 LS375.35 6532 4.25 6852 3.50 1 Meg - 100 n.s. 4.40 8212 1.25 8530 3.00 LS86 .20 LS192.65 LS377.75 6545 2.10 6860 3.95 8214 2.00 8741 7.00 1 Meg - 80 n.s. 4.40 LS90 .35 LS193.65 LS378.80 6551 2.40 68681 3.00 8216 1.25 8742 7.00 414256-80 n.s. 256 x 4 . . . 4.60 LS92 .30 LS194.40 LS390.80 6800 1.40 68A09EP 1.29 8224 1.25 8748 7.00 SIPPS & SIMMS AVAILABLE LS93 .25 LS195.52 LS393.75 6802 2.50 68A40 4.00 8228 1.75 8749 7.00 LS95 .30 LS196 .55 LS399 1.00 6803 3.00 68A54 3.00 THREE CHIP SET 8237-5 2.80 8755 7.00 LS96 .33 LS197 .75 LS541 1.20 6805 2.95 68B09 4.00 8243 1.75 80286-8 PLCC 8.50 .28 LS107 LS221 .50 LS645 .75 6809 E P 2.75 68B10 2.00 B.G. SPECIAL 8250 2.95 80287-8 125.00 LS109 .20 LS240 .50 LS646 .75 6809P 2.50 69845 4.95 16450, 1488, 1489 $6.95 (16450) 6.50 80287-10 135.00 LS112.25 LS670.80 - 6810 1.25 68B54 4.00 (16550) 13.00 V-20-10MHZ 6.50 LS113 .25 25LS2569 1.50 16550, 1488, 1489 - $13.50

TERMS: (Unless specified elsewhere) Add $3.25 postage, we pay balance. Orders over $50.00 add 858 for Insurance. No C.O.D. Texas Res. add 8'/4% Tax. 90 Day Money Back Guarantee on all Items. All items subject to prior sale. Prices subject to change without notice. Foreign order - US funds only. We cannot ship to Mexico or Puerto Rico. Countries other than Canada, add $9.00 shlpping.and handling.

CIRCLE NO.90 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com Applications By Yacco Memory Management Part 2

Memory -management resources in MS-DOS 5.0 and DR DOS 6.0 and evaluations of more -efficient add -in memory managers

Last month, we introduced you to ing code into UMBs-also differ, as .SYS can sometimes recover the mem- the means by which you can the following examination of the two ory circuits used by re -mapping them move as much of software resources competing DOS systems shows. into extended memory. you use into high memory beyond the In addition to its XMS and EMS 1M DOS limit to free up as much memory managers, DOS provides one memory as possible in the critical MS DOS 5.0 memory utility and a few services, lower 640K for running memory-hun- MS-DOS memory management is di- scattered throughout its other com- gry applications. This time around, we vided between two drivers: HI- mands and facilities, such as those in conclude with descriptions of the re- MEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE. HI- DEBUG. The DOS MEM command, sources available in Microsoft MS- MEM provides the XMS services, and for example, displays locations of al- DOS 5.0 and Digital Research DR EMM386 manages EMS and upper located and free memory, as well as DOS 6.0 and evaluations of add -in memory. Both drivers load from the loaded programs. It can be run to products that take memory manage- CONFIG.SYS file, and the division of check the results of a configuration ment beyond what's possible with memory space between XMS and change after rebooting. these two operating systems. EMS is fixed as the computer starts. Built-in MS-DOS memory manag- A configuration command in DOS ers are among the few that don't sup- can be used to direct the operating port either recovery of video memory DOS Memory Services system to create the link that joins the or relocation for at least some system The more -recent DOS versions have upper and conventional areas of mem- resources. DOS has a number of re- added memory -management services. ory and loads much of its kernel into sources that take from small to mod- DOS operating systems from Micro- the HMA. erate amounts of memory. Many soft and Digital Research now have so The commands DEVICEHIGH and managers can free additional conven- many features that they've forced LOADHIGH load TSRs, network re - tional memory by relocating some of some of the products in this category directors, drivers and basically any these areas to upper memory. The out of the marketplace. resident code into upper memory. BUFFERS resource, for instance, re- They also compete with each other Both commands require the presence quires 528 bytes for each of its sector on these features. While the most fa- of EMM386.EXE or an equivalent buffers. miliar and frequently used DOS com- EMM. DOS can deliver roughly 617K Larger drives may require 40 or mands are shared among DR DOS, (±4K, depending on machine ar- more buffers; the DOS User's Guide MS-DOS and such vendor versions as chitecture) of conventional memory recommends 50 buffers for drives over PC DOS, many of the memory -man- by loading processes into as much as 120M. This may explain why BUF- agement commands tend to be more 128K of upper memory. FERS is the most peripatetic of re- different than similar. The XMA Switches for EMM are limited to a sources among managers that move drivers required by certain PS/2 hard- few common functions, such as speci- them into upper memory. ware, and available in PC DOS and fying the location of the page frame Earlier versions of DOS provided a DR DOS, but not in MS-DOS, are one and including or excluding memory /X switch that moved these buffers in- case making this point. ranges. HIMEM's switches, likewise, to expanded memory. But /X is no MS -DOS's DEBUG program has provide few alternatives-principally, longer a part of DOS 5.0. Instead, several commands for mapping and XMS through INT 15 and a variety of DOS 5.0 automatically moves this allocating expanded memory that are A20 handlers to accommodate the ad- area into the HMA, along with the lacking in DR DOS's SID debugger. dressing schemes of different BIOSes. DOS kernel. The LASTDRIVE re- More frequently used commands- DOS itself can't shadow a BIOS in source requires approximately 100 for managing XMS, managing EMS, RAM, but if the feature is provided by bytes for each drive -table entry it loading code into the HMA and load- a computer's built-in logic, HIMEM- creates, while the FILES and FCBS re -

12 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com sources each use about 53 bytes per memory adapters. EMM386.SYS pro- HMA. The DR DOS task switcher entry. vides extended- and expanded -mem- further helps exploit memory re- Some DOS facilities do have the ory management for 386 and 486 com- sources by managing up to 20 tasks ability to relocate parts of themselves puters. It can also load the DOS kernel from either the command line or a into extended or expanded memory. high or into HMA, and it supports graphical shell. If there's insufficient The /X parameter moves FAST- Windows in all modes. However, up- extended and expanded memory, OPEN's name cache from conven- per memory must be disabled to sup- DOS swaps background programs to tional to expanded memory. The /E port Windows in standard mode. The a mass -storage device. and /A switches move the RAM disk EMMXMA.SYS driver supports 4.0 for 286 -based PS/2s with an created by RAMDRI VE. SYS into ex- EMS Reviews tended and expanded memory, respec- XMA card. Product normally MemoryMAX delivers a maximum tively. SMARTDRV.SYS 6.01, $99.95 627K without tapping video space. QEMM-386 puts its cache into extended memory, of Quarterdeck as much as 96K in video but the /A parameter can be used to You can add 150 Pico Blvd. put it into expanded memory instead. addresses to conventional memory for Santa Monica, CA 90405 The visual MS-DOS interface, text applications. This memory is con- Tel.: 213-392-9851 DOSSHELL, includes a task switcher figured by the MemoryMAX drivers, CIRCLE NO. 107 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD that can seemingly fit several applica- but it can be switched on and off by tions into memory at one time. DOS the MEMMAX DOS command. The QEMMprovides XMS and EMS services. can execute only one program at a MEMMAX command also enables and Both types of memory are shared dynam- time, but the shell makes it possible to disables both lower conventional and ically from a common pool. Its memory HIMEM.SYS and keep a number of tasks in progress upper memory. manager replaces both Windows' EMM, simultaneously by suspending all ex- DR DOS manages memory princi- EMS providers like It replaces HIMEM.SYS, one currently in use. A sus- pally from the CONFIG.SYS start-up EMM386.SYS. cept the but it can work with it if necessary. As an at ex- file. The configuration command, pended task can later be resumed example, it can access memory beyond HIDOS, the system to load as actly the same point at which it was in- directs 16M on Compaq computers. (This re- terrupted. DOSSHELL also has pro- much of the kernel as possible into up- quires Compaq's version of HIMEM.) It visions that allow you to specify the per memory. HIDEVICE and HIBUF- supports all three forms of the XMS: minimum conventional- and extend- FERS load system resources there. UMB, HMA and EMB. ed -memory requirements for the ap- HIINSTALL loads TSRs high. Quarterdeck's memory manager fills plications it juggles in and out of Two more DOS commands are unused regions of upper memory with memory. available for memory allocation. UMBs for loading TSRs and drivers high. provided by HILOAD is the equivalent of the HI - It recovers shadow RAM & Technologies LEAP, NEAT and INSTALL configuration command, ex- Chips Top Mem- DR DOS 6.0 cept that it's used from the command SCAT ChipSet and equivalent ory (Top384) in Compaq and Compaq is line. to the Microsoft version, DR DOS's MemoryMAX feature a Similar compatibles from Micronics, Trillion and set of drivers that create EMS, XMS the DR DOS MEM command displays others. If upper addresses are unpopulat- and UBMs; provide access to the memory statistics: how much of each ed, QEMM shadows BIOS code into HMA; and relocate TSRs and operat- type of memory is available and details mapped memory. ing -system drivers. A full range of on the processes using it. It can be run QEMM keeps a library of Microchan- memory -management functions is after rebooting to check the results of nel adapters that it uses to configure up- supported for 386 and 486 systems. a new configuration. per memory in IBM PS/2 machines. It also memory. QEMM XMS is supported for all systems with Because it's an operating system, backfills conventional modes, including memory if they use any 286 DR DOS can also provide some mem- supports Windows in all extended standard mode, but you can also disable 286 have ory -related services. For example, it or later processor. If systems its built-in EMM and use it with an exter- to do a Chips & Technologies NEAT Chip - can use memory management nal substitute like EMM386.SYS-with- Set, or an AMD 286LX processor, up- single -pass DISKCOPY or DISK - out losing its other features. It also sup- per memory is available. COMP on a computer with only a sin- ports applications with VCPI. EMS is available for 286 machines gle floppy drive. Its task switcher pref- Not only does QEMM load TSRs and if they have an EMS 4.0 or EEMS erentially uses available extended or device drivers high, but also most DOS adapter installed. To maintain com- expanded memory over slower disk resources: BUFFERS (DOS 4 excepted), patibility with IBM PS/2s, and PC space. There's also an interactive FILES, FCBS and LASTDRIVE. Unfor- only those drive -table entries DOS, EMS 4.0 is also available for the CONFIG.SYS that allows you to have tunately, used with the DOS SUBST command can IBM extended -memory adapter multiple memory -management con- Of course, you can also be loaded high. (XMA). DR DOS is compatible with figurations. includes a choice versions of QEMM installation Windows, and VCPI is also supplied. add this feature to other between loading upper memory manual- BOOT - On 286 computers, MemoryMAX DOS with add-on utilities like ly or with its OPTIMIZE utility. OPTI- uses the HIDOS.SYS driver to relo- CON from Modular Software Sys- MIZE tries to determine what TSRs and cate its kernel to upper memory or tems 1-800-438-3930. drivers can be loaded high and then where HMA, access portions of upper mem- This DOS allows both its operating - it's best to locate them. Installing QEMM ory on machines with supported chip system kernel and TaskMAX task automatically revises the CONFIG.SYS, and nested files and sets and support UMBs on expanded - switcher to run from either UMB or AUTOEXEC.BAT

1992 COMPUTERCRAFT / 13 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June /

www.americanradiohistory.com optionally creates a separate "response stalled, it traps and prevents attempts to The LOADHI command (used to load file" that substitutes for direct changes to change from text to graphics modes. This program code high) also produces a report those files. The response file allows inhibits crashes, yet still allows you to that breaks upper memory into address changes to be made for nested batch files manually switch modes. ranges. It lists the addresses in use, what that ce,°1 be changed directly (public batch There's an OVERRIDE modifier for code is loaded at each and how much files on networks, for example). VIDRAM that lets you use mapped mem- memory remains available for loading ad- The forgoing notwithstanding, this pro- ory, too. However, while OVERRIDE and ditional code. It can quickly suggest where gram offers so many alternative configura- its own additional options let you precise- to load a program or reveal why something tion scenarios that you many find yourself ly control VIDRAM, they also make it a might have failed to load. wanting still more automation. little more complicated. In addition, QEMMis available by itself, but it also One of QEMM's options, SQUEEZEF, QEMM allows you to optionally LINK comes bundled with Quarterdeck's DES- extends UMBs into the EMS page frame free upper memory to the conventional Qview operating environment as DES- while programs load high. Like the memory space when needed and UNLINK Qview 386. DESQview 386 provides vir- 386MAX FlexFrame and QMAPS Load - it when no longer required. tual -machine abilities similar to those pro- extend features, this scheme allows excess Another utility, EMS2EXT, can switch vided by the Windows environment. code to temporarily load into the EMS between expanded and extended memory If options give you a thrill, nothing has page frame during TSR installation. to provide access to EMS handles for older more than QEMM. There are enough to If you need still more upper memory extended -memory programs like VDISK make you dizzy. It should come as no sur- space, there's STEALTH, a feature new- that can't directly access addresses above prise, then, that QEMM's documentation ly added in Version 6. Quarterdeck claims real memory. They acquire extended mem- is good enough to help you understand the that its STEALTH technology can reclaim ory logically through BIOS calls to INT 15 competition's products. Exceedingly com- 20K to 115K of memory address space (the original cassette I/O interrupt), and plete, and almost uniformly clear, perhaps from the system BIOS area above F0000. the EMS page frame can provide the re- two of its paragraphs demand an inor- Some of this may be in areas that simply quired access. Programs that use the XMS dinate amount of inference. But they're for contain no code or data, but there are fre- or VCPI don't need EMS2EXT (for exam- obscure features of interest principally to quently one or more areas that aren't used ple, NETROOM EMS2EXE). QEMM's programmers who understand them. Of after a computer boots. XMS.COM program can configure the course, compatibility and robustness are STEALTH comes in two flavors. EMS handle "EMS2EXT" on -the -fly for also issues. Radical solutions entail more STEALTH F is closest to the technology use by EMS2EXT. risk. QEMM's broad array of options is in NETROOM. An EMS page frame must Quarterdeck includes three utilities that important because it gives you many be present to access the BIOS. Like provide diagnostics: Manifest, QEMM- chances to play with the tradeoffs. NETSWAP(4), STEALTH F places a .COM and LOADHI. They can help you page frame over a memory area and to optimize manual installation of the 386MAX Version 6.0, $99.95 switches between two sections of memory, memory manager and diagnose memory BIueMAX, $124.95 as required. Since STEALTH F maps the conflicts. ASQ 1.3, $5 fee or EMS page frame over a BIOS area (the QEMM.COM switches on and off On Compuserve: GO PCVENA video BIOS at C0000), you have to re -map memory manager QEMM.SYS from the Qualitas memory every time an interrupt call oc- command line. However, from either the 7101 Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 1386 curs. STEALTH F copies the BIOS into command line, using option parameters, Bethesda, MD 20814 the page frame and makes the BIOS visi- or from within Manifest, via its easy menu Tel.: 800-733-1377 or 301-907-6700 ble there. Then it puts EMS back. system, it provides a number of reports on The F option is a little faster than the M the first megabyte of memory. The Sum- CIRCLE NO. 108 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD option, but has more compatibility issues. mary report includes the status of the mem- If it doesn't work, STEALTH tries to use ory manager, amount of available EMS 386MAX provides XMS and EMS ser- its M mode. STEALTH M leaves the BIOS and location of the page frame. The Type vices, allocating all memory dynamically in place, maps UMBs over it and then uses report lists memory areas and their sizes from a common pool (shared -memory al- 386 translation tables to bank switch be- and uses. The Accessed report indicates location). It can replace HIMEM.SYS, tween the UMBs and BIOS. regional read and write activity. EMM386.EXE (the DOS 5.0 EMM) and With STEALTH, QEMM can recover Data for the Analysis report are collect- EMM386.SYS (the Windows EMM); pro- up to 620K of DOS -program area under ed dynamically by QEMM while applica- vides UMBs for loading TSRs and drivers DOS 5.0. Total upper memory available tions run and actually access memory. It high; provides optional instancing; back - for TSRs and drivers may reach 211K. suggests which areas of memory should be fills conventional memory; and supports Quarterdeck says this configuration can placed in INCLUDE and EXCLUDE state- applications with VCPI, DPMI and VDS. give Windows an extra 8K-24K of mem- ments and which are available for use. The The company claims that it's the first utili- ory. QEMM can only recover about 570K Memory report shows how the manager ty to provide DPMI host services for DOS of conventional memory from DOS 4.0, has allocated all of the system's memory applications. but it adds the same 211K of upper mem- to conventional, upper and expanded Furthermore, 386MAX increases the ory and recovers the 64K of HMA that memory. Except for Summary and Mem- contiguous UMB area by re -mapping a DOS 5.0 uses. ory, all reports are available as either lists VGA BIOS from C0000 itself, rather than QEMM can add unused video regions or memory maps. allowing a built-in shadowing feature to to conventional memory-704K, with the In addition to QEMMreports, Manifest move it to E0000. Its backfilling can in- 64K below the VGA/EGA monochrome lists conventional and upper memory re- crease conventional memory to 704K, with region, or 736K, with the 96K below the gions, including the category of program the 64K below the monochrome buffer, or EGA/VGA color -text region. The VID - code or system features that reside in each. to 736K, with the 96K below the CGA buf- RAM command provides this memory, de- It also lists specific hardware features, fer. However, it doesn't allow you to pending on monitor type, and only if a CMOS contents, drivers and memory - switch these for use with monochrome and VGA or EGA adapter is installed (RAM management commands that are found in color -text VGA applications. must occupy the addresses). Once in- the start-up files. It can alternately recover the 32K mono -

14 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com High loading drivers & TSRs like puzzle pieces _ that never fit Lppiskrj S--_ Cache f Mouse ' Even if you use QEMM; 386MAX; DOS 5 or any other memory manager, your PC has wasted high RAM. How does your PC use that wasted RAM? It doesn't! Unless you have Memory Commander. R Memory Commander is the only 386/486 memory manager that recovers the unused high RAM and adds it to low DOS. Memory Commander automatically loads your TSRs and Drivers and optimizes your high RAM. Then the unused high RAM can be added to conventional, low DOS; significantly increasing the standard 640K. Low DOS can be increased to as much as 800K for running VGA graphics programs and 920K for running VGA text programs. Best case VGA examples

Extended' ' Extended' Extended Memory Memory Memory 1M 1 M 1M

920K ilEailier. 800K "What a feeling. I'd installed V 640K Communications' Memory Commander ... Low Low and was seeing something I had never DOS DOS seen before: 792,636 bytes free. Wow!" Memory Memory BYTE 9/91 "Wow!" "Memory Commander is an 0 DOS 5 Memory Memory innovative product that will be your best QEMM Commander Commander choice if you must have a really large 386MAX (graphics) (text) for DOS." memory pool To get more low DOS than with your PC MAGAZINE 2/11/92 current memory manager send/FAX "Memory Commander from V Comm. its manual's title page. We'll send takes the ultimate step." you Memory Commander for $49.95. 11/91 PC Sources If you don't have a memory manager "...my computer now comes on... with the and want to start with the best, order proud message:827,392 total bytes. " "What a Memory Commander for $99.95. product! How did I ever live without it?" U.S. TECH 11/91 V Communications, Inc. 4320 Stevens Creek Blvd, Suite 275 -CC San Jose, CA, 95129; FAX 408-296-4441 or 408-296-4224 Beats QEMMITM Guaranteed. 800-648-8266 U.S.A. shipping $6, Can & Mex $10, Other $18 We're convinced Memory Commander is the CA res. add 7 1/4% tax. VISA/MC/AMEX best. If you don't agree, return it within 60 days of QEMM is a trademark of Quarterdeck Office Systems purchase for a no -questions -asked full refund. 386MAX is a trademark of Qualitas, Inc.

www.americanradiohistory.com Facts Box

Md, inize Info Help 306aIAN 6.8 DR DOS 6.0 Digital Research ASIJ Quick keference Y Box DRI

lln nn.,. r: , 13,856 ( 13 D) Computer memory i. 70 Garden Ct. 2,896 t 3 K a (AO l khoard , where Monterey, CA 93942 rn ofiguration 2,912 ( 3 10) winrk. r,rn he written Tel.: 408-647-6675 1:y nipment 73,632 (72 10) and then erased. 109 FREE 562,784 1558 10) Memory is defined CIRCLE NO. ON INFORMATION CARD Total Low DOS: 655,268 (648 10) and configured MS-DOS 5.0 several using Microsoft Corp. Video: 98,384 ( 96 10) different methods RAH: 4,896 t 4 M) One Microsoft Way ROH: 57,341 ( 56 10) This option uses Redmond, WA 98052 Deve$M13TAFA: 4,832 ( 4 10) the ASU memory Tel.: 800-323-3577 or 206-882-8080

HSCDEX .DOE : 27,536 ( 27 M) summary to evaluate CIRCLE NO. 110 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Dev4ZOH : 4,288 ( 4 10) and describe the IXHMD2.COH: 5,776 t 6 10) system's memory MS-DOS 5 Installation & Optimization PTVBTF.COH: 6,381 ( 6 10) configuration. Video Course DevIISCD882 : 12,672 C 12 MO) MOUSE.COM: 15,312 ( 15 10) Microsoft University 10700 Northup Way Bellevue, WA 98004-1447 Tel.: 206-828-1507 16,1p Pr II int CIRCLE NO. 111 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Status screen for Qualitas' "386MAX" memory manager. be possible to load as much as 58K of additional TSRs after it. 386MAX further stretches memory while loading programs high with a feature chrome area at B000 for upper memory if ic installation isn't satisfactory. ASQ 1.3 called "FlexFrame." Like the QMAPS the VGA BIOS can be placed elsewhere. reports on all types of memory, as well as Loadextend and QEMM SQUEEZEF It can shadow both system and video BIOS on how programs are using each. It also features, FlexFrame gives programs tem- in extended memory. If a computer has reports on the processor, video system and porary use of the EMS buffer during in- Chips & Technologies or Compaq -style other relevant hardware. It includes a tu- itialization. top memory shadowing, 386MAX will op- torial on memory management, as well as ROMsearch may not work for every sys- tionally recover that RAM for its pool. An- SnapShot, a utility that records instantan- tem, but like Maximize, you'll want to give other feature, Virtual High DOS, allows eous system information. Incidentally, it a try. It tests all areas of system ROM, you to reuse the same free UMB memory ASQ is also distributed free by Qualitas. and anything that's not used --POST, fill- in every Windows 3.0 DOS session. Also, Anyone who wants a copy can obtain it er, other diagnostics and setup program- 386MAX automatically locks out instanc- through Compuserve, users groups and is recovered. However, BIOS services ing of cache programs. bulletin boards or directly from the com- aren't re -mapped to areas of extended MOVE'EM, Qualitas' 286 memory pany (by paying a nominal shipping and memory, as they are in some other man- manager, has been rolled into 386Max with handling fee). agers. This is because, Qualitas states, that 6.0. It provides management through Maximize is one feature that you'll use doing so can cost a 1007o or more perfor- Chips & Technologies' ChipSets. Or it during every installation if you load pro- mance hit. Also, accessing BIOS without works on any PC, including 8086 -based grams high. It analyzes start-up files; finds going through system interrupts can cause systems, with an EMS 4.0 adapter. Owners TSRs and drivers and the best region to conflicts. Instead, fragments are recovered of MOVE EM(or earlier versions of either load modules when UMB space is frag- in -place. This works if Maximize can find MAX can upgrade to the new MAX for mented; determines the optimal for load- the right -size application to fill each hole. under $30. ing modules into upper memory; and mod- The maximum amount of space 386MAX One of the things that sets 386MAX ifies the start-up files, including CON- provides for a VGA -graphics system is apart is its suite of utilities. They're inte- FIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT and nested 224K of UMB and 640K of conventional. grated by MAX, the menu -driven shell, batch files. The bigger advantage of 386MAX is and include: an automatic installation pro- Automatic program re -ordering can in- rock -solid reliability. Qualitas restrained gram and an update installer; STRIPMGR crease the number of applications that will ROMsearch to better serve network envi- to undo the work of the installers; fit in UMB space because TSRs can take ronments. As a result, ROMsearch doesn't 386UTIL for mapping memory; the much more room to initialize themselves change the BIOS location, and it may not Qcache upper -memory disk cache; the than they do to remain resident. For exam- recover as much BIOS area as some tech- 386DISK RAM disk; ASQ, a combination ple, FASTOPEN requires approximately nologies, but its recovery mechanism isn't system analyzer; Maximize for optimizing 60K to initialize itself but reduces to a resi- likely to cause a crash, either. Qualitas also installation; and the STEALTH -alterna- dent size of about 2K. If it follows a pro- has an unqualified advantage for some de- tive, ROMSearch, for recovering unused gram that leaves less than 60K, it can't in- velopers. If you want memory -manage- sections of ROMs. stall itself, even though it needs only 2K to ment for Borland's protected -mode de- Some of these utilities are obviously in- run. By installing it before other programs bugger, the MAX products alone are tended to aid in installation when automat- reduce available UMBs below 60K, it may compatible.

16 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com BlueMax has all of the 386MAX features, including the ability to read IBM's Micro - channel Architecture (MCA) Adapter De- scription Files (ADFs). This information is used to run Adapter Description Pro- Conurawler 1918-191t 10''áaalinaïasllt4 grams (ADPs) that configure the PS/2's emu ! l l l,» adapters for optimal exploitation of upper Memory Mode Selection, use tt to select: System BIOS 64KB memory. A - 640KB, Standard configuration w High Memory IZKB graphics Uideo BIOS 32KB BIueMAX also takes all the areas you H - 736KB, No hi -res color C - 788KB, Screen memory moved Display Memory 8KB don't need out of the 128K PS/2 BIOS. D - 884KB, Screen moved, no graphics You're typically left with just 40K of + E - 908KB, Screen moved, 1 text page BIOS, and that's compressed to the top of Options: upper memory. The rest is recovered for UMBs. Compatibility is ensured by main- Quit control panel taining a compression file for each version Program test Low DOS Memory 900103 BIOS. Aun program in current mode of PS/2 M BIueMAX has been optimized for 386 Low á High memory status display and 486 PS/2s. As a result, it's well -suited Microsoft says you can get a total Memory to them. Available w Added by Memory Commander of 865K real memory on a PS/2 model 70 LOW 040K running DOS 5.0; 621K conventional and HI 11.9K 244K UMB. The PS/2 BIOS -compression [708HB EMS off Video buffer at E300 304X ? for help files in BIueMAX are also highly reliable, Low DOS Memory XMS making BIueMAX a good choice for LANs. And BIueMAX, like 386MAX, can -mode de- be used with Borland's protected Status screen forV Communications' "Memory Commander" memory manager. bugger without a problem. Memory Commander 2.11, $99.95 MegaMiser, $99 V Communications 4320 Stevens Creek Blvd., Ste. 275 San Jose, CA 95129 or driver to a built-in database that speci- 640K of conventional memory. Tel.: 800-648-8266 fies the location where code is to be load- The next version of MC, 3.0, is expected CIRCLE NO. 112 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD ed and other requirements, such as Win- to add a feature similar to Quarterdeck's dows instancing, for example. If you must STEALTH, called "virtual ROM" (V - Like other utilities in this class, Memory make a rare change for something like a ROM). Both technologies hide almost all Commander provides typical EMS and network driver, it's made using the control of the BIOS. Whenever the BIOS is re- XMS services. It loads TSRs, drivers and panel's menus. quired, either switches to the ROMs or to pre -DOS 4 DOS BUFFERS into UMB Because it's installed before you config- shadow RAM in extended memory, if im- memory; provides optional instancing for ure it, MC is able to walk you through trial - plemented. There's a significant difference TSRs and drivers; supports programs with and -error tests that determine the optimal in how the code is accessed, though. V - VCPI and VDS; and provides additional mode for running each application you ROM uses protected mode to directly ac- contiguous main memory. It also offers a use. Once you make a selection, based on cess the moved BIOS code. You don't need few of its own extras, some of which have those test results, and put it into the data- to tie up 64K for the EMS page frame. If already been mentioned. In addition, it base, MC automatically allocates one of you don't require EMS, you're free to use provides shadow RAM from extended five memory models to the application the area for more TSRs, drivers or conven- memory. whenever it runs. You don't need to run tional memory. to Memory Commander can further boost a utility before or after an application, and V Communications is also preparing performance with its own video accelera- you get the greatest amount of memory ship a hardware memory -management the Mega- tor. It uses extended memory to backfill possible for each. product for the 286. At $99, main memory to a full 640K if the appro- Memory Commander's five operating Mizer can compete against motherboard priate low addresses aren't physically filled modes provide from 640K to 920K of con- upgrades for a range of machines. with RAM. Both its own RAM disk and ventional memory for a VGA system. For Memory Commander benefits have a a replacement for the ANSI.SYS console a VGA -graphics application, V Commun- good fit at both ends of the user spectrum. driver are built-in. ications asserts, you can generally improve Due to its menus, standard memory mod- What really makes Memory Com- conventional memory to 700K and still els, simple trial -and -error tests, bootless mander different, though, is the way you have 100K of UMB space. Memory Com- memory reallocation and excellent docu- use it. Under normal circumstances, MC mander's best case is 896K for VGA and mentation, MC is among the better choices isn't manually configured like other mem- 928K for CGA. If you're only running text for novice users. Program development is ory -management software, even to cus- mode, it adds another 24K to either of another noteworthy application for it. tomize it. And you never have to edit a those figures giving MC's largest model. Since compilers are text -based applica- CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT This is a whopping 952K of main memory tions and tend to use DOS services and statement to include or exclude regions of -more than any other memory manager! BIOS calls, they can benefit from the huge memory. The program does this automat- However, if an application writes directly conventional -memory models this utility ically through a special control panel, after to the video buffer, some modes have a provides and still give full performance. In installation. performance penalty. Obtaining optimum some cases, developers may have no alter- The control panel lets you add each TSR performance may require switching to native for acquiring needed space.

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 17

www.americanradiohistory.com NETROOM2.1, $99 HEADROOM, $129.95 Helix Software Co. v1.15 4709 30 St. )ISCOiI! File Print Edit Seim Long Island City, NY 11101 View Tel.: 718-392-3100

CIRCLE NO. 113 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

NETROOM has just about as much con- emaaad Help (F18)=Save t bit trol over memory as you can get. It replaces HIMEM.SYS for XMS and HMA memory. It also provides both UMB and EMS memory. TSRs, drivers, DOS BUFFERS, DOS FILES and COMMAND.COM can Decreases the anent of tine needed to open fre gently used files be loaded high using revisions to the CON- and directories. FIG.SYS AUTOEXEC.BAT files. and/or FASTOPEM drive:[[:knl [drive:[[:lal[ ...11 1/X1 The program runs on 386 and 486 machines, 286 computers with a Chips & drive: Specifies the hard disk drive you want Fastopea to work wi Technologies NEAT ChipSet and any ma- n Specifies the maximum number of file locations Fastopea to chine with EMS hardware, including old in its filename cache. EMS 3.2 boards. (Not all features are sup- 'X Creates the filename cache in expended memory. ported for EMS 3.2 hardware. The CUS- TOMIZE function and creation of UMBs Press Escape both require EMS 4.0 or built-in support from a processor or ChipSet.) NET- =HELP ROOM's RAM-MAN/386 utility provides EMS services on any 386 and 486 and any 286 with the Chips & Technologies NEAT ChipSet. Helix Software's "Netroom" memory -manager Discover screen. You can also load drivers and some TSRs with NETSWAP4. Helix says that "loading out" (that is, using NET- SWAP4), combined with loading high, can give you a total of at least 704K for TSRs and drivers (776K with BIOS compression, 800K with compression and monochrome video). Does this mean you can have more than 1M of DOS -addressable real memory? Surprisingly, if you're willing to pay a per- Irla fleiw formance penalty, the answer is yes. You could run PC Tools, NetWare and a CD- ROM drive without using any conven- Md as application tional space. him as applicatioa/TSI The virtual machine created by NET- Modify an applicatioa/1S1 SWAP4 (or NETSWAP, a 64K version for View the conf iguratMa EMS 3.2) also gives NETROOMthe ability Save the coafipratioe to load drivers high from the command line quit instead of from the CONFIG.SYS file eliminates the need to reboot when adding to a configuration. NETROOMcan be installed automatically, and it normally allocates all memory from a shared pool. But a vast array of parameters alternately allows you scalpel - like precision in controlling memory resources. Sometimes that's necessary. For example, NETROOM's RAM-MAN/386 Helix's "Headroom" Configuration Utility screen. retains some control over UMBs in Win- dows' enhanced mode. As a result, it's recommended that XMS, not EMS, be used to load high when running enhanced the TSRs and drivers in AUTOEXEC- ory. If a computer has an EMS 4.0 card or mode. Its tools permit you to do this. It's .BAT, but also those in nested batch files. hardware shadow RAM, DISCOVER can fortunate that, although NETROOMis a Its DISCOVER module provides both a recover those memories, too. NETROOM very technical product, its documentation memory map and an editor for modifying claims to be more clever than most EMMs is, largely, quite readable. CONFIG and AUTOEXEC files. You can at excluding such areas as hard -to -detect Automatic installation is rather sophis- use it to find available memory regions and token ring cards. ticated. NETROOM ferrets out not just add them to UMBs in XMS or EMS mem- EMS frames are automatically created

18 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com LIMITED TIME SPECIALS! ORDER TODAY! Buy with confidence from HCC! 07'19 Items stamped with this seal are compatible * LOWEST PRICES GUARANTEED! with X-10 Powerhouse, Leviton Decora Elec- * DOUBLEMANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY I,Ag.,.i tronic Controls, Radio Shack Plug-n'Power, Sears * TECHNICALSUPPORTSECONDTONONE Home Control, Stanley Lightmaker, GE Homeminder, NOME CONTROL CONCEPTS and most powerline carrier remote control systems. IMMEDIATE SHIPPING tree Home Automation Mug !Free Home Automation T-Shirt Wall Switch Module 1 'eychain control of anything3 of ^!( cost RF link is Get th is excl usive g ift with you r order of $149 or more! Get this great gift with every order $199 or ''Replaces existing wall switch. Manufactured by Linear, this low ideal for wireless control of your own projects, Great for drinking freshly brewed coffee from your more! Limited edition, available in S, M, L, XL Controls incandescent lights up to 500 tff your home and car alarm, car doodocks, and module -controlled coffee maker. Mention thisspecial. Mention this special when ordering. Watt max. Ivory color button. Only even X-10 modules (with addition of HCC-284 X- 830 modules reserved for this promo, 10 Powerflash Module)! Set security code on so order now! By Stan! transmitter and receiver, apply power to receiver Limit 16. HCC-2475. 12, board, and you're ready for wireless control! rBrand New! One -For-All L-19C-2476 3 -Way Switch Set (pair) ONLY 511 c RANSMITTER: Tiny keychain Lets You Control X10 and Infrared from one remote! links to PC's serial port. Use the and appliances. Has Illuminated face, or Keychain RF Link. See plans description SendIR program to transmit infrared signals ALL LIGHTS ON button. Also has when ordering. new ES1400e puts out 50% stronger `below. Mention this special The brand (e.g. The dos command SendIR TV MUTE will DIM/BRIGHTEN and ALL UNITS OFppJ The X10 signal strength than original ES1400! mute the tv!). Call SendIR from DOS batch files, buttons. Off-white color. has ES1400e comes with new Version 2 software & your existing software program, or develop a limit 16. HCC-2551. ONLY $Q -J r Useful Plans capability for future integrated products. expansion program from scratch using sample sourcecode. HCC-PLN1 Add local dimming (from the switch Complete with interface, cable, development itself) to your X-10 Wall Switch! Push on / push This intelligent X10 scheduler with 2 -way rDecora Electronic Controls software, sample C -language source code, off; hold in button for dim/bright. Capability is and allows interface monitors your powerline technical info/data and documentation. Professional quality, X-10 compatible switches, redesigned into the switch (for Leviton's specs). IF with Stanley motion test -THEN control. Combine Requires One-For -All or 1 -Control remote ceptacles, controllers, filters, signal bridges and Simple to modify; just cut two parts & add ajumpar detectors and have music and mood lighting control and IBM or compatible computer with equipment by Leviton. Improved new design and wire! Works for X-10 3 -way switches too! Ex follow you from room to room! Use X10 serial port. HCC-PCIR ONLY $69! styling; switches look IDENTICAL to Decora wide informational purposes only. Complete plans $6 LED indicates ON/OFF status. Sundowner to give your system dusk/dawn rocker switches, HCC-PLN2 Control your Hi-Fi's volume with PRICED BELOW input. Great for setting up one -button macros! In white, ivory and brown. X-10 dim/bright buttons! For informational Once you've setup your home program, the on- rMotion Detector & Floods TRADE (contractor/builder/electrician pricing)! purposes only. Complete plans $6. Detects motion, line simulator allows you to test it completely! , 6291 Wall Switch Use to control HCC-PLN3 Cable television secrets; watching turns on floodlights, Once the ES1400e is set up, your PC may be { / fluorescent lighting, appliances, pay channels. For informational purposes to four powered down or used for other purposes! and sends up motors, etc. Rated 15A. only. $9. X.-10 ON signals to o, X-10 modules for The ES1400 is packed with features, including modules located inside or outside the 6381-U Ceiling Fan / Low Voltage HCC-PLN4 Modify Dims low momentary on or off. Or, modify mini -controllers a battery back-up, Hayes Chronograph clock house. OFF delay (10 sec, to 35 min.), dusk/ Dimming Switch Module for momentary on or off control; just add a calendar functions, programming samples, dawn and sensitivity adjustments. Detects 40 voltage lighting and controls motor and jumper wire! For informational purposes only. t 0° arc. Weatherproof. Bulbs not incl. By speed (e.g. ceiling fans) using X10 DIM/BRIGHT! on-line help, complete documentation, P4 ft. at i o.0P4e, Complete plans $6. 500W incandescent, 500VA inductive. 1 yr.warranty. Limit 12. HCC-PLANS All 4 plans for only $19! (Reg. $27) HCC-14C-1400 ONLY $359 Ux4O `CC -2651 ONLY $3999 L Call or write for free Leviton listing. '^J INFO, PRICING & CUSTOMER SERVICE WHOLESALE PRICES. $100 MIN. PER ORDER.

TERMS: Most in -stock orders ship within 24 hours. Tax applies to Calif. orders for non-resale. Shipping 8 Handling charge will be added to order. COD orders add $6.50 to shipping charge. Our standard shippinc method in the Continental U.S. is by UPS ground service. Additional charge for UPS second day air, UPS Vex: 1-619-693-8887 orders are shipped by air serice E=,_r Day Air, Federal Express or Airborne Express. Alaska and Hawaii International orders must be paid in U.S. funds by money order, cashiers check, or credit card. Returnee TOLL -FREE ORDER LINE (ORDERS ONLY) merchandise subject to 15% restocking fee; before returning call for required RMA number. Certair. merchandise (test equipment, software, books, etc) may not be returned for credit' Defective prodcuts will be repaired or replaced at our option. Double manufacturer's warranty on most doms.' We will match or boa: an p11VEn e o rs usto Notre spotinVb. fortypographicalerrors. Limitedtimespecials. Quantitiesrriaybelimitei Phone our Customer Se rvice Department between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific Time for complete detail=_. 1-800-CONTROL

CIRCLE NO. 59 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com for RAM-MAN/386 by the CUSTOMIZE NETROOM has been designed with net- SCAT ChipSet to provide high loading in- routine. CUSTOMIZE automatically works in mind-literally. As a result, it's to physical memory at UMB addresses. finds the optimum fit for loading TSRs and a good choice for workstations. It provides Systems without these logic chips can use drivers high and places the required com- roughly the same conventional memory as SoftNet's proprietary Max8 board ($149 mands into the AUTOEXEC.BAT and most other managers. In addition, it can with software). The current version of CONFIG.SYS files. It also exercises the provide a huge amount of EMS memory Maximizer doesn't support either VCPI or system BIOS and finds areas that cari be for relocating even the largest network re- DPMI and, thus, can't coexist with pro- recovered for UMBs. As a result, NET- director into its virtual mind. This means grams like Lotus 1-2-3 Version 3.1. How- ROOM frequently compresses the BIOS more conventional memory is actually free ever, DPMI Version 0.9 will be included down to 32K. Under DOS 3.x or 4.x, it then for application software. in Maximizer, beginning with Release 3.0. moves the system BIOS, together with the Its smaller VM can sometimes run the Maximizer's low overhead of just 47K 32K of video BIOS, into HMA. This gives relocated code with no performance degra- is a big advantage on small-minded ma- you an additional 96K of UMB. dation, despite providing a second upper - chines. All but 500 bytes is loaded into ex- You have a choice with DOS 5.0, since memory space. (There isn't a performance tended memory. Its documentation is quite it can also be loaded into HMA, and HMA loss if programs and drivers in UMBs don't clear and includes a number of examples can hold only one program. Of course, you communicate directly with the network for network users. Finally, its lack of an want to conserve as much memory as driver or other drivers in the VM.) There EMM (and ability to work with HIMEM- possible. Therefore, load the larger pro- are other options for networks and plenty .SYS and EMS386.SYS) actually offers a gram into the HMA and the smaller high. of advice, including a special appendix. compatibility advantage with Windows. On systems without VGA BIOS, DOS 5.0 is bigger; so the system BIOS is automati- Maximizer 3.3, $49.95 QMAPS, 2.0, $99.95; net license, $99% cally moved into UMBs. If DOS 5.0 is Max8, $149 UMB Pro, $79.95 smaller than the combined system and Softnet Communications Quadtel Corp. VGA firmware, move DOS into upper 15 Hillcrest Dr. 3190-J Airport Loop memory. Great Neck, NY 11021 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 As a third option, NETROOM will Tel.: 516-829-2977 Tel.: 714-754-4422 place other drivers, such as bus -mastering drivers that can't operate in upper memo- CIRCLE NO. 114 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD CIRCLE NO. 115 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD ry, into the HMA. Either load strategy leaves only 32 bytes (not K bytes, just Maximizer provides UMB management QMAPS gives full EMS and XMS services bytes) of reserved upper memory for the that can load TSRs and drivers into upper with some choices. You can have either a DOS reset vector. memory and provide optional instancing shared pool from which both types of QEMM and MC also leave the jump of them. It can also load the DOS BUF- memory are allocated automatically or in- table in addition to the reset vector. But FERS high. It doesn't provide EMS ser- dividual memory resources for each. It can Helix avows it's never encountered a com- vices, however. Nor does it replace HI- completely replace HIMEM.SYS or defer plaint about a program failing because MEM.SYS; rather, it works in conjunction to it, as you prefer. The utility's principal modern programs use interrupts instead of with it to actually map XMS into UMBs. memory functions let you load TSRs and the jump table. Helix even does it on Maximizer also reclaims unused video drivers into UMBs. It can also provide PS/2s, but the software turns off BASICA buffer area as main memory: 64K video for shadow RAM in extended memory, if re- automatically, unless you override it. monochrome, 96K for CGA and color quired-not only for video and system (IBM's built-in BASICA is the principal text. It can shadow BIOS ROMs in extend- BIOS, but for any adapter -card BIOS that jump -table user.) Helix has named this ed RAM, too. Lastly, Maximizer maps out isn't bridled by its timing. compression -and -relocation technology unused ROM code and replaces it with Both VCPI and VDS are supported. "Quantum." RAM. Individual maximums are 736K of QMAPS supports shared -memory alloca- For 286 machines that don't have appro- conventional memory and 256K of UMB. tion, which is compatible with Windows' priate chip sets, NETROOM includes an (Note that these maximums aren't avail- enhanced mode, but it isn't compatible EMS2XMS utility that creates UMBs for able simultaneously; maximizing conven- with Windows' standard mode. (Many DOS 5.0 by using an EMS adapter. tional memory takes 96K from upper EMM programs, including the EMM386- EMS2XMS is required with such a hard- memory.) .EXE shipped with DOS 5.0, aren't fully ware configuration only if you want to use For those exceptional programs that compatible with Windows in this mode.) the DOS LOADHIGH and DEVICEHIGH know how to use them, Maximizer also In Windows' real mode, it supports only commands, but not if you want to use supports memory control blocks (MCBs) large -frame EMS. NETROOM's XLOAD. that are basically UBMs that DOS main- Unused video -buffer areas can be Conventional memory can be backfilled tains in a linked list. MCB-aware applica- moved to conventional memory by to 704K for monochrome or 736K for tions software like FoxBase+ can use QMAPS to provide 704K (monochrome) CGA, but only on systems using these them as additional data space. or 736K (CGA or color text). Or the buf- adapters. This curb on adapters is imposed This utility does everything from the fers can be used to provide additional by one of NETROOM's few handicaps. AUTOEXEC.BAT file, not CONFIG- UMB areas: 32K for either monochrome This is the lack of a utility to restore mem- .SYS like most of the competition. As a re- or color monitors attached to EGA or ory to the video buffer when switching ap- sult, you don't have to restart the system VGA adapters. The QMAPS.EXE control plications between text and graphics modes to change a memory configuration. Unfor- program moves video buffers when the on an EGA or VGA adapter. The program tunately, there's no method of unloading. video mode changes, provides a map of can also move a 32K VGA BIOS, usually It doesn't have automatic installation but memory and controls EMS support and at C0000, to B0000. Such a move can in- does have an interactive menu that allows other features. terfere with some super -VGA graphics, it you to experiment and on-line help. Once QMAPS has a few other long jumps on but won't cause the system to bomb. NET- configured, you set it permanently. its flowchart. For example, you can run a ROOMprevents this by marking the mem- Maximizer also works on 286 systems SMARTMOVE utility after the installa- ory -translation tables as read-only. with a Chips & Technologies NEAT or tion program to do an analysis that deter -

20 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com If a system already has EMS memory, Pro can use it for UMBs and doesn't interfere with the operation of Windows. Both large -frame and small -frame EMS can be QMAPS Fbout supported by it. The principal advantage of Pro is that it saves 275K over QMAPSD, using a mere The Apply parameter specifies that MAPS 2K to 4K of main memory. Like QMAPS, will overlay part of the system BIOS to assure that it it has both the SMARTMOVE and Load - can unload on system reset. The extend features as, well as QUADTOOLS. parameter defirts the level of QMAPS As a replacement for HIMEM.SYS, services. AUTO, OM, or (FF may be specified. The Quadtel believes its move -block XMS Fastest First parameter specifies that function to be slightly faster at copying the memory should be reordered so that fastest memory data between conventional, or UBM, and on Power -Up parameter is used first. The extended memory. It also supports the that memory shculd be tested by QMAPS when specifies fast-gate-Azo function, found on some QMAPS is loaded. The systems, that can speed transitions to ex- specifies that the comrard line parameters should be tended memory by circumventing the key- displayed Wien QMAPS is loaded. board controller. UMB Pro can't convert extended memory into UMB, as can QMAPS. It must ob- from RAM, EMS > Exit About tain memory shadow provided by a chip set or an EMS adapter. Both shadow RAM and EMS provided by chip sets are supported by physical upper memory. It's this memory that UMB Pro must use if an EMS adapter isn't present. Fortunately, Quadtel's experience in Information screen for Quadtel's "QMAPS" memory manager. providing original -equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with EMS firmware allows it to recognize the memory capabilities of mines what's in conventional memory and On the other hand, an engineering focus 22 different chip sets, including all C & T find the best fit for loading TSRs and may also be why the manual is so tersely ChipSets, Headland's HT12 and many drivers high. Then it puts QLH (Qadtel technical that many users are bound to others. "We're a BIOS company; so we Load High) commands into CONFIG- have a tough time with it. work with a lot more chips than the com- .SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT and AUTOEX- The current QMAPS method for recov- petition," says its company president. It's EC's embedded batch files. You can also ering unused address ranges from BIOS a significant advantage on 286 systems. load programs high from the command memory space is the primitive trial -and - However, you must first provide a hard- line with QLH, or use it without parame- error use of an INCLUDE command in the ware -type parameter garnered from a table ters to display the memory map of a con- CONFIG.SYS file. While QMAPS cur- located on your software distribution disk figuration. rently doesn't have a feature similar to or Pro's CHIPSET utility. The Loadextend feature, like the QEMM's STEALTH, Quadtel president UMB Pro's manual configuration pa- 386MAX FlexFrame and QEMM Scott Daniels says, "We definitely have an rameters let you make precise allocations SQUEEZEF features, extends UMBs into answer to STEALTH," and "It is well in of memory. While it's a technical product, the EMS page frame while programs load the works." its familiarity with a wide assortment of high. This lets a program load into memory QMAPS comes bundled with three util- logic chips improves the likelihood it will that's just large enough for its resident size, ities collectively known as QUADTOOLS. support a 286 machine. so long as its excess code fits into the 64K They include a disk cache, RAM disk and of an EMS buffer during initialization. print spooler. They have the advantage of Turbo EMS 6.0, $99.95 Quadtel is a relatively recent entrant in being configurable from within the InfoSpotter, $79.95 utility software, but it has long been QMAPS installation program. Conse- Remote RX, $129.95 building the EMS drivers that end up in quently, command -line parameters aren't RenaSonce Group., Inc. computers from Tandy, Hewlett Packard, required. 5173 Waring Rd., Ste. 115 Phillips, Dell, AST, ALR, Wang, IBM and QMAPS provides fairly complete and San Diego, CA 92120 others. It's the number -one supplier of precise control over memory resources and Tel.: 619-287-3348 hardware EMS memory managers in the includes some powerful features. How- FREE INFORMATION CARD world, and its code is in system -logic chip ever, using special features or modifying CIRCLE NO. 116 ON sets from Chips & Technologies, Western its automatic configurations, requires both Digital, Headland, TI, VLSI and National a degree of expertise and the ability to Turbo EMS provides expanded memory Semiconductor. This is the reason make a number of inferences from its doc- and access to upper memory on any AT - QMAPS can automatically recover fallow umentation and text files. It also isn't a type system, including 286 machines with ranges from physical memory used for a complete replacement for EMM386.EXE Chips & Technologies ChipSets and any computer's built-in shadow RAM. Fur- or EMM386.SYS, since Windows won't PC with an EMS 4.0 or EEMS board in- thermore, the company claims that its in- run in standard mode with the QMAPS stalled. It also works with EMS 3.2 boards side information gives it a performance ad- memory manager loaded. if they have an EMS 4.0 driver. vantage and that QMAPS lets programs UBM Pro supports both 286 and 386 Turbo even provides reduced services on that make extensive use of EMS functions computer architectures, but it provides only a PC that doesn't have a board or chip set run faster. U MB and XMS support (including HMA). by using emulation. Only EMS services can

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 21

www.americanradiohistory.com DC/CAD be emulated, however. It simply isn't pos- ing to continue evolving their products introducing ... sible to relocate code into UMBs without for the foreseeable future. Quarter- a board or a chipset that implicitly has deck, for one, can't do without THEeTERMINATOR shadow RQM. Physical memory has to QEMM for DesgVIEW386. (And it's come from somewhere other than conven- about to assume additional import- Super High Density Router tional memory. (There would be no advan- (Complete with Schematic & PCB Editor) tage if UMBs used conventional memory.) ance with support for X Windows on Features the following powerful Many common services are provided. commodity personal computers.) As algorithm & capability: Among them are: TSRs and drivers that for the rest, market opportunities can be relocated to UMBs; ROM that can haven't dried up yet. For one thing, Rip -up and Retry F C Pre -routing of SMT eDtro' be shadowed; VCPI support; expansion of memory on the next generation of per- components Me `7O conventional memory to 736K for color - sonal computers will increase User defined strategies S29 'eoge.ìs/i text applications (by recovering part of the dramatically. Real -Time clean up passes $7496 video buffer); and adding to UMB any Workstations are already moving to Real -Time via minimization unused chunk of upper memory-includ- Window 3.0 capability as DOS Task 256M configurations. When it being areas of the BIOS. 1 -mil Autoplacer and Autopanning comes common, much of those huge Two-way Gerber and DXF Turbo EMS also has some extensions. memories (by today's standards) will Automatic Ground Plane wl Cross - It provides menu -driven installation and Hatching configuration for 386 and 486 processors. begin to migrate to the desktop per- Complete w/ Schematic & Dolly sonal computer. Advanced processors Libraries It can optimize the fit when loading pro- Optional simulation capability & grams high. And it can run on really small will also be on the scene. To remain a enhanced mode for 386 users machines, even old laptops that have just viable competitor against alternatives *PCB LAYOUT SERVICE AT a pair of floppies. It requires only 256K of like OS/2, Unix, New Technology LOW COST* main memory and DOS 2.0 or later to run, (NT), the forthcoming Pink, and oth- and it LEASE PROGRAM & SITE LICENSE AVAILABLE can page EMS from any type of disk ers, new techniques will have to be de- drive instead of extended memory. (As you o veloped for DOS. So far, as you can - r 7 can imagine, replacing RAM with a flop- see, reports its impending lv py drive provides considerably reduced of death i -ëti ~IIM% have been premature. »DESIGN performance.) «COMPUTATION RenaSonce is still selling Turbo EMS, If DOS vendors adopt more radical 1771 State Highway 34, Farmingdale, NJ 07727 but probably not for long, according to tools for their own arsenals, the com- (908) 681-7700 (908) 681-8733 (FAX) partner Pat Bryan. "We're still develop- petition will get hotter for third -party "DC/CAD ... The focal point of CAD i future market" ing the product as long as there's a demand utilities. Leading developers are al- CIRCLE: NO. 56 ON FRET: INFORMATION CARD for it, but we think that DOS is going to ready working hard to stay ahead, as replace this category," says Bryan, who the current crop of products shows, serves as VP and general manager. Most and they display an encouraging of the company's development effort is go- breadth of creative approaches. This ing into a new diagnostic product line that is always good news for users who can includes InfoSpotter, a system -diagnostic depend in program, and Remote RX, a diagnostic on advances technology to with built-in remote communications. produce additional features, increased reliability, more compatibility and, Diagnostics perhaps, even lower prices. Infospotter, Remote RX, QAPIus, On the other hand, if OS/2, NT or System Sleuth, Kickstart and like pro- some other system comes along to grams are all designed to diagnose replace DOS tomorrow, it's a sure bet troubled hardware. They include diag- that the memory sophisticate still nostics that show you the memory in- stands to benefit from knowledge that stalled in a computer and often the helps to configure memory. You have adapters and controllers at upper - only to look at all the memory -man- memory addresses. Access to the lat- agement options that Microsoft Win- ter information can be especially crit- dows provides for DOS applications ical when installing memory -manage- and ask yourself if those thousands of ment software. applications are going to go away Some of these utilities also provide anytime soon to determine the odds. a list of the programs in memory and drivers and other processes installed in upper memory. They can be very useful when troubleshooting difficult in- stallations and become indispensable if you configure systems for others where documentation isn't handy. Conclusion Despite the note of pessimism at Rena- Sonce, most EMM developers are go- Yacco

CIRCLE NO.51 ON FREE INFORMATION GARD 22

www.americanradiohistory.com 5 sure steps to a fast start as a hiqh-paid computer service technician

Plus, now you train with and keep the latest in diag- COMPUTER nostic hardware and software: the R.A.C.E.R. plug-in 1 Choose training -SERVICE diagnostic card and QuickTech diagnostic software, for B both from Ultra-X. Using these state-of-the-art diag- that's right today's nostic tools, you learn to quickly identify and ser- good jobs vice virtually any Jobs for computer service technicians computer problem will almost double in the next 10 years, on IBM-compat- according to the latest Department of ible machines. Labor projections. For you, that means unlimited opportunities for advance- stg ment, a new career, or even a com- 1992 Good pay, too! 2002 puter service business of your own. ,. But to succeed in computer service today, you need training- complete, practical training that gives you the confidence to service any brand of computer. You need NRI training. Only NRI-the leader in career -building, at-home electronics training 4 Make sure you've always got for more than 75 years-gives you practical knowledge, hands-on skill, someone to turn to for help real -world with a powerful 386sx/20 MHz computer you and experience Throughout your NRI you need for a fast start as a high - keep. Only NR1 gives you everything training, you've got the paid computer service technician. full support of your personal NRI instructor and the entire NRI technical staff. Always 2 Go beyond ready to answer your "book learning" questions and help you if you should hit a snag, to get true hands- your instructors will on experience make you feel as if you're in a classroom of NRI knows you learn better by one, giving you as much time and personal attention as you need. doing. So NRI training works overtime to give you that invaluable practical experience. You first read about the subject, 5 Step into a bright new future in studying diagrams, schematics, and photos that make the subject even sending for clearer. Then you do. You build, examine, remove, test, repair, replace. computer service-start by You discover for yourself the feel of the real thing, the confidence gained your FREE catalog today! only with experience. Discover for yourself how easy NRI makes it to succeed in computer service. Send today for NRI's big, full -color catalog describing every aspect of NEW! NRI's one -of -a -kind computer training, as well as Get inside training in TV/video/audio servicing, telecom- 3 MHz and 386sx/20 munications, industrial electronics, other a powerful com- Mini Tower growing high-tech career fields. puter system If the coupon is missing, write to: NRI Computer! School of Electronics, McGraw-Hill Continuing If you really want to get ahead Education Center, 4401 Connecticut Avenue, NW, in computer service, you have Washington, DC 20008. to get inside a state-of-the-art R.A.C.E.R. and QuickTech are registered trademarks of Ultra -X, INC. computer system. That's why NRI now includes the powerful ,School of For career courses new West Coast 386sx/20 MHz Electronics approved under GI Bill mini tower computer as the tiÌÌ check for details. centerpiece of your hands-on McGraw-Hill Continuing Education Center 4401 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008 training. ONE CATALOG ONLY As you build this 1 meg d CHECK Microcomputer Servicing Computer Programming RAM, 32 -bit CPU computer *Sidi at.ma. TVNideo/Audio Servicing D PC Applications Specialist from the keyboard up, you Telecommunications Desktop Publishing & Design actually see for yourself i` Industrial Electronics/Robotics Programming in C++ with Windows how each section of your 1 Basic Electronics Bookkeeping & Accounting computer works. You assemble and test your computer's "intelligent" keyboard, install the Name power supply and high -density floppy disk drive, then interface the high - resolution monitor. But that's not all. Address You go on to install a powerful new 40 meg IDE hard disk drive- today's most-wanted computer peripheral-included in your course to City State Zip dramatically increase the data storage capacity of your computer while Accredited Member, National Home Study Council 6-0621 giving you lightning-quick data access. L

www.americanradiohistory.com Enhancing By Hardin Brothers

Image Scanning With a PC

Hardware and software that dress up word-processing and desktop -publishing documents and presentation demonstrations with captured photos, line art and text

or some users, a scanner is an es- couple hundred dollars more expen- Scanner Characteristics sential accessory. A scanner lets sive than the monochrome variety. As you "read" all or part of a printed the name suggests, a color hand scan- A scanner's resolution power is a func- page that contains a photo, line art or ner can sense separate colors, usually tion of the size of each sensing area. even text into your computer's mem- in a single pass over the original. A few Normally, scanners have resolution ory. With support software, you can available hybrid hand scanners can selections of about 100, 200, 400 and then edit a photo or line -art image cap- scan a color image in three or four 800 dots per inch (dpi). The lower res- tured with a scanner and save it for lat- passes with the help of color filters. olutions are most useful for text and er merging with word-processing and Full -page or flatbed scanners look simple line drawings because flaws in desktop -publishing documents or use similar to an office photocopying ma- the original or dust between the origi- it to generate presentation graphics. chine. With this type of scanner, you nal and the sensor are unlikely to ap- With other software, you can have place an original document, which can pear in the final image. The higher res- your computer read a graphics image usually be as large as legal -size paper, olutions are most useful for scanning scanned into memory and turn it into face down on a plate of glass. An 8 "- photographs and other high -quality ASCII text that you can then save and or 8 % "-wide sensing arm moves under graphics images. use like any other text file. the glass to "read" the entire page at A scanner's sensitivity is measured For other users, a scanner is an in- once. Like their smaller hand-held by how many different levels of gray teresting fun toy. They may use a cousins, flat-bed scanners are avail- or color values it can sense in any given scanned logo to create new business able in both monochrome and color document area. Most scanners have forms and stationery. More often, versions. Top -of-the -line flat-bed settings for text and line drawings they may share images with other users scanners include a page feeder so that (where each dot will be either on or on several different bulletin boards multiple pages can be scanned and off), as well as for gray -level or full - and information services. With a scan- processed automatically. Page feeders color documents. Finally, a full -page ner, you can turn almost any photo- are usually useful only if you're em- scanner's speed is measured by how graph or drawing into a piece of com- ploying a scanner as part of a visual quickly it can move the sensor across puter art. document storage -and -retrieval sys- the page. A hand-held scanner's speed Even if you don't have a scanner, tem or if you have a need to turn large is determined by how quickly it allows you've probably looked at several numbers of pages into text. you to move the scanner across the models at computer stores or shows Hand-held and full -page scanners page without causing a read or data and wondered how they work and are based on the same technology. As overflow error. whether you could justify buying one. the scanner moves across the page, a Because standard serial ports are special intense light illuminates a nar- too slow, most hand scanners Types attach Scanner row strip of the original document. to a dedicated interface card that must Four kinds of scanners are common- Next to the light is an array of sensors, be installed in an expansion bus slot in- ly available. At the low end are hand- usually CCDs (charge -coupled de- side a computer. Full -page scanners ei- held scanners that can "see" black, vices), that create individual voltages ther have a dedicated interface card or white and shades of gray. Hand-held that signal the amount of light reflect- connect to a SCSI port, depending on scanners usually have a sensor about ed from each small portion of the specific make and model. 41/2" (a half -page) wide. Available page. These voltages are converted in- A little math demonstrates how fast monochrome hand scanners are dis- to digital data values and sent to your data rates must be to make a scanner's tinguished by their sensitivity, number computer through a dedicated inter- reading speed acceptable. Let's as- of gray shades they can sense and face card. Software running on the sume you want to scan a full -page doc- amount of software included in the computer collects the data and turns ument at 400 dpi resolution. One package. it into an image on your screen and, square inch of scanned area will have Color hand scanners are usually a eventually, into a graphics data file. 400 x 400 = 160,000 dots. An 8" x

26 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com 10" document has 80 square inches or to scan and again to end a scan, which 160,000 x 80 = 12,800,000 dots. If eliminates the need to hold down the you want 256 gray levels (or 256 col- button as you drag it down the page. ors), every dot will be represented by one byte (eight bits or one byte has 256 possible values). So the computer you "Hand scanners are much use with the scanner will have to receive 12,800,000 bytes from the scan- more difficult to use skillfully." ner. If you want to complete the scan in 10 seconds, the computer must be The quality of the image stored in able to receive and manipulate about your computer at the end of a scan de- 1.2 megabytes per second. pends on whether you can move the The above example reveals another scanner in a straight line and at a con- problem with scanners that many us- stant speed. You might think that ers don't think about. Data from a moving the scanner over the page couple of high -resolution scans at a should be simple. If you do, try this: full 256 gray levels will soon over- Place a sheet of paper on your desk; whelm most data -storage devices. If hold a pencil in your fist as if you were you're willing to scan at lower resolu- going to stab something with it; and tion or with reduced sensitivity, the place the point of the pencil at the top amount of data drops considerably. A of the paper and pull it slowly towards 200 -dpi scan at 16 gray levels or col- the bottom. It should take you about ors produces just over 1.5M of data: 5 seconds to draw a line down the entire page. When you're done, use a rul- 200 x 200 = 40,000 dots per er to see how straight the line really is square inch; and whether it runs parallel to the edge 80 square inches x 40,000 = of the paper. When you use a hand 3,200,000 data points per page; scanner, any sideways motion or 16 gray levels = 0.5 byte per dot; will result in dis- on from the comfort of your PC 3,200,000 x 0.5 = 1,600,000 twists of the scanner tortions in the final image. +.r.'ith P3rzdigrr.'c Turbo Debugger bytes per page. vt). you up when you use a hand Remote Intertace (TDRF If stand visibility into better job (Unprecedented Many full -page scanners have the scanner, you'll do a much the operation of your ability to do a quick scan or preview of producing a distortion -free image. embedded application -- scan that displays a very rough image Several companies sell plastic frames running on your target hardware of the page. You can use the rough im- that help in guiding a scanner in a Supports both Paradigm age to define the part of a page that in- straight line over a page. Alternative- DEBUT/R-1 and the Turbo terests you and then reduce the data rely, you can use any straight -edge with Debugger quirements by seeing just that section a thickness of %" or so to guide your Compatible with compilers and II Intel of the page appear on the screen. If scanner as you drag it across the im- assemblers from Borland, and Microsoft only a small chart age being scanned. you want to copy Target system independent also start your scan above - from a full page, there's no reason to You must works with any Intel 80x86 or it be- capture the entire page first if software the image to be captured and end NEC V -Series microprocessor in and scanner have a quick -scan option. low the image area. Uneven move- any target ments at the beginning and end of the Serial, parallel and EPROM scan that produce distortions will then emulator interfaces available for Using a Scanner be outside the area of the image you ultimate flexibility. Full -page scanners are particularly wish to capture. easy to use. After you set one up on If you want to scan a full page with Call for information! your desk, plug its adapter card into a hand scanner, you must make two Toll -Free 1-800-537-5043 your computer and install the neces- passes. You scan the left side of the sary software, you're all set. You sim- page first and then the right side. You ply put the page to be scanned into the then use software to put the two halves scanner and run the software, and together in a process that's sometimes your page appears on the screen, ready called "stitching." The Model for for any processing you need to do. Keeping the scans straight and free Programming Productivity Hand scanners are much more dif- of distortions is doubly important ficult to use skillfully. After you've when you want to stitch together two 3301 Country Club Road started the software, you drag the scans because the software uses Suite 2214 in the separate scans Endwelt, NY 13760 scanner over the page while holding matching shapes (607) 748-5%6 down a button usually located on the to decide how to create the final full - FAX: (607) 748-5968 side or top of the scanner. Some hand page image. CAT ImageLINKS from All trademarks are property of their respective scanners have a button you press once Computer Aided Technology simpli- holders.

CIRCLE NO.89 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 27

www.americanradiohistory.com Laser fies stiching together the two halves ware have a very difficult time identi- of a scanned image. It comes with a fying individual letters and numerals. special template that's used during In fact, some type styles make it diffi- scanning of alternate halves of an im- cult for a computer to tell where one Printer age and then automatically matches letter stops and the next begins. So ex- the pattern on the template halves to pect that your software will misread Toner Cartridge seamlessly stitch them together to some characters and words, especial- create a single image. ly if you use a hand scanner. Recharging Most modern OCR software is ad- Scanner Software vertised as "omni-font," which means Earn up to $125/hr at home Once you create an image, how you that it identifies characters by their - $250K income $30K possible manipulate it depends on the software general shapes, not by trying to match Huge market - less than 15 in 100 you use. Most scanners come bundled each character to a table of outlines. cartridges were recharged last year with software specific to the hard- Make sure that the software you use Low -Cost, high -quality videotape ware. There are also a number of is also "trainable," which means that and "Hands-Oñ traini available third -party image and text -manipula- you can tell it how to identify charac- 'Complete training pac age m tion programs you can use. ters it finds ambiguous and that it will only.$595 - $995! (None -higher) If you need to save a graphics im- remember your hints at a later time. No supply d requirements age, the process is usually quite sim- An OCR package claimed to be or on -going franchise ple. The software will probably let you 99% accurate may or may not be suf- All supply sources fully disclosed cut and erase extraneous objects that ficient for your purposes. A full page of typewritten, single-spaced Ask about the "Business in a Box" appear in the scan. It may also let you text con- 100% Money -Back Guarantee! rotate, re -size or stretch the image on tains about 4,000 characters. A program that's 99% accurate will correct- -Call for details & DEMO VIDEO the screen, perform pixel -level editing, change colors and gray scales or soften ly identify 3,960 of those characters, 1-800-527-3712 or enhance the contrast of the image. which sounds great. But it will fail to The Laser Group, Inc. Most programs either support a identify 40 characters. Do you really mouse for doing the real work or run want to find and correct 40 mistakes 223 Palmer Court De Kalb. IL 60115 (1-815-748-5823) under Microsoft Windows. on each page you scan? Actually, CIRCLE NO. 86 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD The most important feature in these many modern omni-font packages are programs, in my opinion, is the File 99.9% accurate (four mistakes on our All the tools Save command. You should be able to hypothetical page) and contain a spell- save a scanned image in a variety of file ing dictionary to help you find and & test equip- formats, including PCX, TIF and correct errors. But nothing will help ment you need EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), as you find an error in a column of num- for hobby or work! well as one or more compressed for- bers or similar data. Electrical, mats. If the file is in a popular format, If you use a hand scanner with typ- electronics, you'll be able to import it easily into ical OCR software, it may take an computers, advanced word-processing and desk- average of 10 minutes to scan in a page communica- top publishing programs. If it isn't, with a hand scanner, stitch together tions, sound the halves, run an OCR package and systems - you'll have to invest in a separate file - all the tools, conversion utility before you can use proofread the page. A flat-bed scan- meters and the image in your applications. ner and OCR software are more accur- other equip- ate and faster because stitching isn't ment you needed and fewer letters will be dis- need to do a professional "If you want your computer torted and misinterpreted. High -end job! to read a page as text, you page scanners and OCR systems are need an OCR program:' much more accurate and can be useful Top technicians and field service in offices that need to convert a lot of personnel prize their Jensen tool kits. Our new 232 -page Master paper documents to computer data Catalog will show you why. You'll If you want your computer to read formats. But you still need a trained discover hard -to -find items, the a scanned page or part of a page as operator to find and correct mistakes. latest high-tech developments, text, you need an OCR (optical char- The moral is that scanners are very soldering stations, wire & cable acter recognition) or ICR (intelligent accessories and many more quality good if you want to capture images products you want and need. character recognition) program. and are barely acceptable to good at Send for your free copy today! There's really no difference between capturing and interpreting text. Be- JENSETÍTOOLS INC. the two. Several scanners come bun- cause of their large storage require- dled with such a program. ments, almost all scanner software 7815 South 46th St., Reading seems like such a natural packages will be a Phoenix, AZ 85044-5399 lot happier and Phone: (602) 968-6231 activity to us that it's sometimes dif- more efficient if your computer has a FAX: (800) 366-9662 ficult to believe computers and soft- large block of expanded or extended

CIRCLE NO. 63 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

28 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Prairie Digitai, Inc. memory available, along with a lot of If you need a color scanner, expect PC DATA ACQUISITION free hard -disk space. to pay $500 to $800 for a hand-held SYSTEM - $79 A full -page scanner ups INCLUDES SOFTWARE ON 5.25" FLOPPY model. color MODEL 30 -FOR 386'S, XT'S, AT'S, PS2 Selecting a Scanner the ante to the neighborhood of 81,500 MODEL 25 & 30'S.

Before you purchase a scanner, you and more. FEATURES: must have some idea of how much Top -of -the -line scanners designed * 24 LINES OF PROGRAMMABLE INPUT/OUTPUT to meet heavy OCR use demands and * 8 BIT ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTER you'll use it. If you intend only occa- * 8 CHANNEL ANALOG MULTIPLEXOR sional use, buy a simple monochrome high -end OCR software may cost you * 12 BIT CMOS COUNTER $5,000 $10,000, on your * PC BUS CARD ELIMINATES USING THE SLOW model. A hand scanner is great if you to depending RS232 PORT have a need to import small pieces of particular requirements. * EASY INTERFACETOALL POPULAR LANGUAGES * HIGH QUALITY PCB AND COMPONENTS clipart or logos to add to a desktop - Closing Thought * A/D CHANNELS SELECTED BY SOFTWARE published document. If you need to * OPTIONAL 7 CHANNEL 50V DRIVER AVAILABLE a worthwhile investment FOR ADDITIONAL $5 convert paper documents to computer Scanners are for some people and just a lot of fun text, you'll be much happier with a for many you understand monochrome full -page scanner and others. If good OCR sof?w,uc. You probably the limitations of current affordable technologies and are willing to accept won't need a color ;canner, whether hand -operated or fail -page, unless the scanner's shortcomings, and if you have the necessary expansion slot and you want to import pictures into a extra memory to a scanner, paint program or add color clipart to support presentation graphics. you'll enjoy having one attached to your You'll probably be When you shop for a scanner, you computer. how you'll find a use have only a few things to consider be- surprised at often yond the basic configuration. What for it. I particularly enjoy being able APPLICATIONS: * CONTROL RELAYS, LIGHTS & MOTORS kind of software do you want bundled to scan images from royalty -free graphics arts books instead of buying * MEASURE TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE, LIGHT with the scanner, and what are you LEVELS, & HUMIDITY * INPUT SWITCH POSITIONS, THERMOSTATS, & willing to pay for separate software? disk after disk of clipart for desktop publishing. You may find other uses LIQUID LEVELS If you're planning to purchase sepa- * GREAT FOR ROBOTICS, SERVO CONTROL LOOPS rate OCR or/and image -handling for the newest accessory on your computing desk. software, make sure it's compatible MODEL 150 TRUE RMS with your choice of scanner. DMM W/RS232 PORT - $149 Nothing is more irritating than hav- INCLUDES RS232 PC CABLE AND ing to start one program to perform a SOFTWARE ON 5.25" FLOPPY scan, then start a second program to work with the scanned image. Most OCR and many image -manipulation programs have the "smarts" to work with the most -popular scanners. ELECTRONIC Another important consideration for a scanner (any accessory, for that COMPONENTS matter) is how it fits into your com- Whether you order 1 part or puter system. Scanners usually need a all group of I/O addresses and a hard- 38,370-MOUSER stocks * LARGE 3 3/4 DIGIT DISPLAY (3.999 VS. 1.999 FOR ware interrupt or IRQ line. If you select and...can ship today!! 3 1/2 DIGIT METERS) a scanner and adapter board that give MOUSER also makes it easy to * RS232 SERIAL INTERFACE COMMUNICATES WITH as much leeway in selecting both COMPUTERS AND PRINTERS I/O do business. * MEASURES AC -DC VOLTAGE AND CURRENT. addresses and IRQ, you should be able FREQUENCY, RESISTANCE * 20 AMP CURRENT RANGE, 30 Hz TO 40 KHz to avoid conflicts with both the boards FREQUENCY RANGE already in your computer and with any * DIODE TEST AND AUDIBLE CONTINUITY * AUTO -RANGING SELECTION CAN BE DEFEATED boards you'll install in the future. USING RANGE BUTTON * TRUE RMS READING ELIMINATES ERRORS DUE Probably the most -popular gray - TO NON -SINUSOIDAL SIGNALS scale hand scanner is Logitech's Scan - * DATA HOLD, MAX/MIN, AND RELATIVE READING Man. You should be able to find it for MODES WITH INDICATORS * ANALOG BAR GRAPH DISPLAY - UPDATES AT 5X less than $200. The best-known full - THE RATE OF DIGITAL DISPLAY * OVERALL SIZE 6.4 x 3.1 x 1.2" page grayscale scanner is Hewlett- * INCLUDES 9V BATTERY AND TEST LEADS Packard's ScanJet Plus, which is generally priced at less than $700. Both l products have many worthy competi- tors; so you should find several brands Prairie Digital, Inc: 846 Seventeenth Street from which to choose when you go Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin 53578 shopping for a scanner. ELECTRONICS U.S.A. Tel (608) 643-8599 Sams & Stocking Locations Nationwide FAX: 608-643-6754

CIRCLE NO. 70ON FREE INFORMATION CARD CIRCLE NO.72 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 31

www.americanradiohistory.com Enhancing By Nick Goss

A PC Micro -Development System

Lets you use your IBM PC/compatible computer as a microcontroller development system

The PC that sits on your desk can signed to directly interface with input be used to do a lot more than and output control lines, rather than what you've likely been using it for. If having to work through address and you're into working with microcon- data bus -based peripheral interfaces. trollers, it can be used in conjunction Though some people perceive them with the build -it -yourself Cyber HC5 to be limited in terms of computing Micro -Development System describ- ability and the number and variety of ed here to add another dimension to operations they can perform, these are its use. With the system we're about the greatest strengths microcontrollers to describe, you can directly program have to offer. By tightly coupling the and evaluate your own processor de- internal processor directly with sen- signs without having to purchase ex- sors and actuators on input and out- pensive equipment. Based on the pop- put lines, microcontrollers often pro- ular Motorola MC68HC705Cx series vide the most cost-effective and ver- of microcontrollers, the Cyber HC5 satile solutions to applications in real makes the development process fun, world problems. fast and easy to do. Since you'll be using the Motorola With a PC/Cyber HC5 Micro -De- MC68HC705C8 series of microcon- velopment System, you can develop trollers, contact Motorola to obtain a applications limited only by your im- kit of documentation materials. In- agination and the amount of effort cluded will be product documentation you're willing to devote to a project. and free MC68HC705C8 assembler Among the diverse things you can do and Programmer programs. You can is create the ultimate thermostat for obtain this documentation package by your home, design a new robotics de- writing to: Literature Distribution EPROM. The idea was simple. You vice, even design a new consumer Center, Motorola Inc., P.O. Box developed the program code that suit- product you might have been thinking 20912, Phoenix, AZ 8036-0924. Re- ed your application and then plugged about designing for years, to name quest the Technical Data Book it onto a special version of the proces- just a few. and Applications Guide for the sor. Later, when you debugged your MC68HC705C8. Include a SASE with code, the manufacturer would trans- The Preliminaries postage for 1 pound of material. fer it into a "masked" ROM. For low - If you're new to the microcontroller The documentation you receive volume runs, this process was time- development process, you may at first will bring you up to speed on the consuming and expensive and, thus, find it to be extremely intimidating. MC68HC705C8. It details some de- not very practical. Persevere, though, and you'll soon be sign examples based on the device and By developing a microcontroller designing a whole battery of micro - gives lots of ideas for implementing that could program itself (transfer controller applications. your own designs. ROM code directly into its own inter- The first thing you should know is nal EPROM), Motorola now allows the difference between microcontrol- About the Circuit you to program one device or thou- lers and microprocessors. Basically, The MC68HC705C8 was designed to sands in a very cost-effective manner. microprocessors (the so-called "self-program," using a ROM -based The "bootstrap" ROM routine, locat- "brains" around which personal com- "boot -strap" routine. Originally, ed inside the MC68HCO5C8 package, puters are built) use external memory. EPROM -based microcontrollers had handles details for programming the In most cases, they're designed to be to be programmed with a separate, us- internal EPROM. All you need to fa- used with data and address buses and ually expensive, programmer. cilitate the process is the hardware to other peripheral devices. Microcon- Some microcontroller versions had interface the MC68HC705C8 with trollers, on the other hand, usually sockets mounted directly on top of the your computer, which is the task of the have internal memory and are de- IC to receive a preprogrammed Cyber HC5.

32 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com CO V

N W W d M N -0 al CC N W W d M N -O O) CO N 1.0 LO s} N) N O 0) W N W+n v N M N) N) M M M M M N N N CN N NNNNN N O N r cK ?

-111- Ln -

N W to V N) N O) CO N W ln V M O Cr) CO N W 1n V M O O pp N Lp ir y M M M M M M M N) N N N N N CN NNNN

+ICO z N IW II - O N W OY IN Kl4 --w- cr 1MW ó0. o ó -O .--,+ ,. LO Ki N O 6-6 1111 U - J d - co N O O N 7 Y > OW N u") N u7 v M M M + W M M N lY M ^ N Ill JO N W 7 N CO M N W NW O N W NN Il,

+ + In O O W ,f) n +' U U Y x O u -X ce p T U O N W V C.) v M N Ñ Vl (~/)I-M M N )n W 00 ON N > > p ó O) O) J J JÑT. O + cc

Fig. 1. Complete schematic diagram of circuitry used in the Cyber HC5 Micro Development System.

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 33

www.americanradiohistory.com PARTS LIST

Semiconductors U1-78105 fixed + 5 -volt regulator U2-NE555 oscillator/timer U3-MAX-232 RS -232 interface U4-78115 fixed + 15 -volt regulator U5-MC68HC705C8E EPROM version D1,D2,D3-1N4148 signal diode D4-Red light -emitting diode D5-Green light -emitting diode Capacitors Cl,C2,C4,C5,C9,C10,C11,C12,C14, C15 -10-µF, 16 -volt tantalum C3 -0.01-µF, 100-volt Mylar C6,C7-22-pF, 100-volt ceramic C8,C13-1-µF, 16 -volt tantalum Resistors (''h -watt, 50/o tolerance) R1,R5,R10,R14,R15,R16-10,000 ohms R2,R3-33,000 ohms R4-4,700,000 ohms R11,R12-470 ohms R13-6,800 ohms R6 thru R9-Three elements inside 10,000 -ohm SIP network Miscellaneous PS1-9-volt, 100 -mA dc plug-in power supply X1 -2.0 -MHz crystal SI thru S8-Eight-position DIP switch S9 thru S12-Dpdt slide switch SKI -40-pin IC socket ZIF1-40-pin ZIF (zero -insertion force) socket CONN1-DB-25 male connector Printed -circuit board (see text); suitable enclosure (see text); three -conductor shielded cable; 25 -conductor ribbon cable and IDC connectors for emulation cable; solder; etc.

Note: The following items are available from U.S. Cyberlab, Inc., Rte. 2 Box 284, Cyber Rd., West Fork, AR 72774; tel.: 501-839- 8293 or 1-800-232-9865: Ready -to -wire pc board, $19.95; complete kit of all parts for Cyber HC5, including pre-cut case and front panel, $89.95. Also available is complete Cyber Lab Breadboarding System for all microcontrollers/microprocessors, $89.95. Add $4.95 for P&H per order. Arkansas residents, please add 5% sales tax. MasterCard and Visa welcome.

Fig. 2. Actual -size etching -and -drilling guide for the Cyber HC5's pc board.

Shown in Fig. 1 is the complete Regulated + 5 volts from UI sup- US's internal clock circuit and permits schematic diagram of the circuitry plies U5 and RS -232 interface U3. Un- communication with the host comput- used in the Cyber HC5. Power is sup- regulated + 9 volts powers voltage er at 4,800 baud. plied to the circuit from a plug-in ex- doubler U2. The output of U3 is held With an MC68HC705C8 plugged in ternal 9 -volt dc module. The + 9 volts to a constant + 15 volts by regulator the US ZIF socket and power applied is applied to the circuit through U4, which supplies Vpp to US. to the circuit, a voltage across RS rap- POWER switch S9 and is regulated to Chip U3 and charge-pump capaci- idly brings high C8 and forces a hard- + 5 volts by regulator Ul. Unregu- tors C9 through C12 form a self-con- ware reset at pin 1 of US. Setting SII lated + 9 volts is also applied to oscil- tained RS -232 -to-digital interface. to PROG, causes US to sample the in- lator U2. Crystal XI , a 2 -MHz device, controls put at its pin 2 and "sees" a voltage

34 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com greater than Vac' (+ 5 volts). This tells from the Cyber HC5 to your proto- Note that the SIP that contains R6 the microcontroller to go into self -pro- type hardware, eliminating the need to through R9 can be an eight- or nine- gramming mode. remove US from the Cyber HC5 every pin type. During mounting, simply In self-programming mode, US exe- time you wish to test it. Simply move fold the pins that aren't used under the cutes the internal "bootstrap" com- SIS to RUN and then use S12 to reset SIP on the top side of the pc card. munication routine that subsequent- the device. It automatically begins exe- When you install S9 through S12, be ly reads the input at Port Don pins 31 cuting the new program internally and sure to space them vertically and hori- through 34 of US. These pins are operates as though it's installed in zontally across the board. Use the controlled by the settings of SS your prototype unit. front-panel cutouts in Fig. 4 to line up through S8. the switches for a neat appearance. "Load program via SCI to RAM Construction Mount and solder into place 78L05 and execute mode," causes US to be- Though you can build the Cyber HC5 regulator UI. Then use a dc voltmeter gin downloading the required pro- on perforated board that has holes on or the dc -volts function of a digital gram and data from the host computer 0.1" centers, using suitable Wire Wrap multimeter to check the output of the through U3. Later, when prompted by or soldering hardware, you'll be much powered 9 -volt dc supply module. the control program running on your better off if you use a printed -circuit Mark the polarity of each lead. Un- host computer, you set SIO to PROG to board. You can fabricate your own pc plug the supply from the ac line and place + 15 volts on pin 3 to program board using the actual -size artwork plug the conductors of its output cable the internal EPROM. If it's necessary shown in Fig. 2. Alternatively, you can into the polarity -correct holes in the pc to reset the above process, set S12 to purchase a ready -to -wire board from board and solder them into place. RESET to short pin 1 to ground and the source given in the Note at the end Make two or more same -size photo- force US to reset. of the Parts List. copies of the front panel artwork Transfer of data to and from US can Wire the pc board exactly as shown shown in Fig. 4 and trim them to size. be visually monitored via light -emit- in Fig. 3. Begin populating it by mount- Then use rubber cement or contact ting diodes D4 and DS. These LEDs ing and soldering into place the DIP spray (Scotch No. 77) to adhere one light to provide visual verification of IC sockets, followed by the resistors, copy to the front panel of the enclo- the PROGRAM and VERIFY functions. capacitors and jumper wires. If you, sure. Use this to transfer the hole di- As you can see, almost every pin on wish, you can plug the ICs into their mensions to the front panel of the the MC68HC705C8 plugged into the respective sockets now or wait until enclosure. US socket is connected to a 40 -pin IC after you've conducted your pre- Use a hot knife to cut the switch and socket shown to the right. This socket liminary voltage checks and are cer- IC holes and a slot at the bottom of the allows you to connect a ribbon cable tain that all wiring is correct. enclosure to accommodate the 40-con -

Fig. 3. Wiring guide for the pc board.

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 35

www.americanradiohistory.com ductor ribbon cable option. (A hot - knife is a small razor-sharp knife fit- ted to the end of a soldering iron and is used to cut precise holes in plastic. If you don't already have one, you can obtain a hot knife from a hardware store. It's a good investment. You'll use it whenever you build a project that requires a home -machined plastic enclosure.) When using a hot knife, work very carefully. If you haven't used a hot knife before, start by making the holes a little under -size until you're comfortable with the cutting process. (A pre- cut enclosure can be obtained from the source given in the Note at the end of the Parts List if you wish to avoid hav- rrrl 1tr1rri ing to machine your own.) You can **%;.'-'222=4 trim to final dimensions later. When you're finished using it, always remember to thoroughly clean the tip of your hot knife, allow the knife to cool Assembled Cyber HC5 is ready to be installed in its enclosure. and stow it safely for the next time you need it. Test fit everything in the enclosure. 40-pin IDC header at both ends of the ford to include them. If this is your When you're satisfied with the hole emulation cable. Using this option al- first time around with this thinking sizes and spacing, peel away the first lows you to plug the Cyber HC5 cable process, don't worry about making photocopy of the artwork from the into the 40 -pin processor socket mistakes. Every product you've ever front panel of the enclosure. Trim the on your project. When you finish seen and every project ever designed second photocopy, (or the membrane programming and debugging your goes through changes between con- applique for the front panel provided software, move the programmed ceptualizing them and bringing them with the kit, if you purchased it) for MC68HC705C8 from the U5 socket to fruition. a perfect fit on the enclosure's front on the Cyber HC5 to your project. Step 2. Now turn on your design "fil- panel. Then use spray adhesive to se- ters." Draw a schematic diagram of cure the artwork in place. your project, using the MC68HC705C8 It's sometimes useful to run a No. documentation. Use the design ex- 2 pencil around the inside of the front Designing a Project amples provided to determine what to panel holes, where the edge of the Before you learn how to use the Cyber do with pins on the processor that front panel applique meets the black HC5, you should become familiar aren't used. If you don't initially un- plastic. This masks the cut marks and with the design process you'll be using. derstand how a particular processor blends the front panel into the enclo- The procedure is as follows: function or peripheral works, the doc- sure for a factory -finished appearance. Step 1. No matter how simple or so- umentation should clear the air. Now assemble the RS -232 interface phisticated a project, begin by con- With schematic finished, build the cable and connector. Referring back ceptualizing it in your mind. Don't put project. (The Cyber Lab Breadboard- to Fig. 1, note that you must connect too many limitations on your first ing System mentioned in the Note at together pins 5, 6, 8 and 20 using No. thoughts. You'll use Step 2 to filter out the end of the Parts List is an ideal test- 22 hook-up wire. Connect the RS -232 what can and can't reasonably be ac- bed to use during this stage. With it, cable to pins 1, 2, 3 and 7, as detailed. complished. Sketch out your ideas and you can quickly breadboard your cir- Depending upon your particular host concepts on paper, deciding on the cuit and interface it directly with the computer serial interface configura- basic hardware you need in addition Cyber HC5.) tion, you might have to swap pin 2 and to the MC68HC705C8. Check the Take your time building the proto- 3, as in a "null" cable arrangement. Motorola documentation examples to type. Keeping in mind that it may re- When you finish wiring the connec- get a "feel" for how your software will quire extensive modification as it tor, run the serial cable through the be structured. Be creative, and spend evolves, it's important to keep your hole at the top of the Cyber HC5 case as much time as you can in thinking work modular so that sections of the and solder its conductors to the pc through each of your project's fea- circuit can be changed and enhanced board, as shown in Fig. 3. tures and where they'll lead. without affecting the entire system. As an option, you may want to in- Decide on which features are musts Step 3. If you're familiar with BASIC, stall a 40 -conductor ribbon cable be- and which are "bells and whistles". Fortran, COBOL or other program- tween the 40 -pin IC socket and your Include the latter only if the hardware ming language, you have a good head - project. In this case, you should use a makes them feasible and you can af- start on things. Programming experi-

36 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com DON'T JUST BUY AMERICAN... BUILD AMERICAN! Our CYANCE LAB kits let you learn while you build!

We learn by doing. Often, building a project from a kit can give us the head start we need in a new area of interest. The entire line of CYANCE LAB kits is based on our desire to help you construct high technology products at home. If America is to maintain her leading -edge advantage in high technology science, it will be up to individuals like you. As a technologist, your role in re -inventing America will rely almost entirely upon your personal knowledge; the "under your finger -nails" knowledge that can only be had by doing! Enhance your "hands-on" education and ability by building projects that interest you. Join the many who are, quite literally, taking America's future into their own hands... Build a CYANCE LAB kit today!

U.S. CYBERLAB, INC. 72774 CALL FOR NEW 1992 CATALOG! (501) 839-8293, RT 2 Box 284, Cyber Rd., West Fork, AR * SUPER EXPEDITE SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE ON DEMAND! One and two day kit delivery service! Watch for progress report from Nick Goss on our Cold Fusion Cell Kits! CIRCI.E NO. 82 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

www.americanradiohistory.com most ideally suited to this application. I highly recommend making the move to C if you haven't already done so. Motorola provides all new users of the MC68HC705C8 a freeware version of its '05 Assembler. Although it isn't the most powerful assembler you CYBER HC5TM can get, it's free. If you don't receive a copy of the assembler with your documentation package, call Motorola's Freeware BBS (512-891-3733) and ON 15V RUN RST download it. You must set your modem to 300, 1,200 or 2,400 baud. Download using KERMIT, Xmodem or any other protocol Freeware BBS supports. Details for operating the assembler and programmer programs OFF OFF HOST RUN are included. Step 4. Begin programming your first device by plugging in the Cyber HC5 and setting its POWER switch to OFF. Then, connect the DB -25 connector to the serial communications port on your host computer. The next step is very important and must be done each time you use PROG7. Use the DOS MODE command to configure your serial port. It may be necessary to copy MODE from PROG VERF your DOS disk or directory to the disk HC705C8 or directory that contains your assembler and programmer programs. Key in MODE COM1:4800,N,8,1 and press ENTER to open your serial port at the proper baud rate for the PROG7 pro- CABLE gram. Make sure your serial card is I configured as COM1, or change the card or command. Next, run the PROG7 freeware program. Select < C > from the main menu to check the Cyber HC5 connec- Fig. 4. Actual -size artwork for the front panel of the Cyber HC5 enclosure. tion to your computer without the MC68HC705C8 plugged into the U5 socket on the Cyber HC5. Turn on ence in any of these high-level lan- gram into EPROM. Never assume power to the Cyber HC5 and set Si in guages is helpful. Machine language, anything when working in Assembler! the eight -position DIP switch to open machine code, assembler and assem- If a particular detail isn't completely and leave it there from now on. (Switch bly language are all names commonly clear to you, don't assume the proces- SI will always be open when you applied to what you're about to be- sor can sort it out. use the Cyber HC5 for programming come involved with. Don't rush things. I often write a very simple input/ the MC68HC705C8.) Switch S2 isn't Use the Motorola documentation to output routine for my new projects. connected to anything and isn't used carefully work your way through the Using the Cyber HC5 it's an easy mat- in the Cyber HC5. Close switches S3 example listings, and use the exact list- ter to re -program my MC68HC705C8 and S4. This shorts or "loops -back" ings from the book if you feel they're each time I make a substantial change serial port data from the computer to applicable in your particular project. to the control program. Keeping my the host. (Make sure the MC68HC- Assembly language gets its "tough" programs modular, (dedicating indi- 705C8 isn't plugged into the U5 socket reputation because of the amount of vidual sections, or blocks of memory, during this test.) detail involved. By taking your time to to particular functions) makes it Select the loop -back test from the work through each instruction (called easier for me to debug my programs. PROG7 menu and press ENTER. the "single-stepping process"), you'll If you know how to program in C, Whatever you now type on your com- catch most of the errors you'll make a C compiler is available for the puter's keyboard should be "echoed" before you "burn" a defective pro- MC68HC705C8. The C language is al- on the screen of your video monitor.

38 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com US exe- Table 1. MC68HC705C8 Operating Modes Using Cyber HC5 byte-transfer routine to and cuting it. S5 S6 S7 S8 Mode Other modes exist for the MC68HC- On X X X Execute program in RAM at $0051 705C8, but aren't used with the Cyber Off Off On Off Load program from host to RAM and execute HC5. I think you'll find you can do Off On On Off Dump EPROM contents to host about anything you want using the Off On On On Secure EPROM and Dump to host PROG7 routine. Just be sure to use the MODE COM1:4800,N,8,1 command line before running PROG7; otherwise, you'll chase your tail for hours. If echoing doesn't occur, you might < P > to program and < B > to Although you may find it a little dif- have to transpose the connections to "blast" the device. Carefully follow ficult to program at first, persevere be- pins 2 and 3 on your DB -25 connector. PROG7's menu. When it asks you to cause the HC705C8 provides you with With the Cyber HC5 echoing all apply the + 15 volts, move the Vpp a powerful microcontroller for your characters, you can begin your pro- switch to the + 15 volts position. designs. This inexpensive chip lends it- gramming session. The following is When programming is done, set the self well to high -volume applications. the procedure for programming the Vpp switch back to OFF. Contact Motorola about mask -ROM EPROM in the MC68HC705C8. (13) The program automatically parts and pricing. (1) Set the positions of the DIP verifies the contents of U5 and com- switch as follows: SI to open; S2 to pares it with the myprog.S19 data, open; S3 to open; S4 to open; S5 to which should match. If it doesn't, open; S6 to open; S7 to closed; S8 to repeat the above process. When open. This configures US to accept you're done, power down. data from the host computer and au- Step 5. With a programmed MC68HC- tomatically program itself. 705C8, you can decide whether or not (2) Set the POWER switch to OFF. you want to physically move it from (3) Set the RESET switch to RST. the Cyber HC5 to your hardware proj- (4) Set the Vpp switch to OFF. ect or use the 40 -conductor emulation (5) Set the HOST switch to HOST. cable on the Cyber HC5 to test U5 in - (6) Plug the MC68HC705C8 into place. If you want to use the Cyber Nick Goss the US ZIF socket. Make certain pin HC5 in the emulation mode, connect 1 is in the correct position. the 40 -conductor cable and header to (7) Set the POWER switch to ON. the 40 -pin socket on your hardware YOUR (8) Set the RESET switch to RUN. project. (Be sure to connect and re- OPTIMIZE (9) Use the PROG7 program to connect this cable each time you pro- mcu PROGRAM select the "blink" check. (PROG7 gram. In some cases, the program- prompts use different switch numbers ming process could interact with your DEVELOPMEIIT ! than Cyber HC5.) hardware to affect the process.) IDTEGRATE THE POWER OF (10) The two LEDs should begin to Next, set the RESET switch on the Editors Cross assemblers blink and then stop after about 16 sec- Cyber HC5 to RST and the HOST Disassemblers Cross Compilers onds to indicate that U5 is ready to be switch to RUN. Apply power to your Data Conversion Utilities programmed. hardware and then the Cyber HC5. Simulators Communications (11) Select to load your as- When you're ready to view execution HRMHDILLO + TM sembled program and then for of your program, set the RESET switch R URIQUE, URIVERSRL file. Be sure to select to flush the to RUN and watch as US automatical- DEVELOPRIERT / COIRmunicn Ions < O ROM first. Then select ly begins executing your program. > buffer ERVIRORRIERT SUPPORTIRG < R > to read your file to be pro- Step 6. Debugging your project will of- fill families of cross -assemblers. grammed to <0 > ROM. The assem- ten be the most time-consuming part All families of cross -compilers. bler will generate a file called "myprog. of the design process. Testing, testing Communications mith target CPU. S19," where myprog is the name you and more testing is the order of the Easg to use pull -down menus. day. Each time you find a re- User definable utilities menu. gave to your program. The .S19 exten- "bug," IDS mouse or kegboard control. sion means the program contains the peat Steps 3, 4 and 5. If you keep at IBDI PC or compatible. "S" record file data that's a Motorola it, you'll get it. Dom you can EDIT, ASSEMBLE, standard used to exchange binary data At this point, you should be aware UPLOAD, DEBUG, and MORE, all between devices. PROG7 uses this da- of some other Cyber HC5 operating from within ODE, FAST, EASY -TO - ta to program the MC68HC705C8. modes. Table 1 lists the modes the USE D1EDU DRIVER EDVIRODDIEDT (12) Select

to program US MC68HC705C8 can be forced to as- $99.00 + $2.00 P/H to indicate ROM. Select to sume by setting the positions of SS and TO ORDER CELL OR WRITE: < B > blank -check US (to make sure through S8 accordingly. "Load pro- it has been erased prior to program- gram from host to RAM and execute" LIFE FORCE TECHROLOGY ming it. With a blank MC68HC705C8 is the mode used to program US. 5177 RUTLEDGE RD. plugged into the US socket, select PROG7 works by downloading a VIRGIDIR BEACH, VR. 23161 (804)979-3893

CIRCLE NO.87 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 39

www.americanradiohistory.com Application By Jan Axelson

Timing Diagrams

How to use these informative aids in designing and troubleshooting computer circuits

Timing diagrams are drawings that describe how a microcomputer, memory or other peripheral IC communicates with the world external PRESET to it. They show what happens and when as data, program instructions and other information pass into and out of a chip. They're one of the many useful pieces of information you'll 74HC74 find on an IC's data sheet. You can build, repair, use and even CLK design circuits without consulting a timing diagram. Many people do just that. However, knowing how and when to use timing diagrams can make CLEAR circuits easier to design, more reliable o in use and quicker to troubleshoot. +5V Here are a few situations where timing diagrams can be beneficial: You've purchased one of the many popular boards that contain a micro - controller, memory and other basic system components and are wonder- CLK ing if you can substitute a 350-ns EPROM in place of the 250-ns chip supplied with the board. You'd like to use a circuit design you D saw in ComputerCraft but would like to use a higher- or lower -frequency to drive the microprocessor crystal 0 and wonder about what effect doing so will have on the other components in the circuit. - You're designing your own micro 0 controller circuit and want to know how to connect RAM, EPROM and other devices to the microcontroller. Fig. 1. A 74HC74 flip-flop is a synchronous device, since its o outputs change You've replaced a memory chip with state only on the rising edge of CLK. what appears to be an identical chip, but the circuit no longer works and now want to know what's wrong. lers, the same principles also apply to workings of microcomputers. Internal In this article, I'll introduce you to other digital circuits. operations in most popular micro- timing diagrams and how to decipher computer chips, including microcon- them and include examples of how to trollers, are synchronous. That is, use the diagrams in analyzing circuits. The Basics they're controlled by a frequency Though the focus will be on basic cir- To understand a timing diagram, you source, or clock signal. cuits that use eight -bit microcontrol- must know a little about the internal The 74HC74 flip-flop shown in Fig.

40 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com 1 is an example of a basic synchronous changing changing circuit. The D input may change at any I I I I time, but the logic level at D passes to the Q outputs only on the rising edge of CLK. The outputs are thus syn- X chronized to the clock input. The outputs of the flip-flop may ap- steady. valid logic high OR logic low pear to switch instantly as the clock changes state. In reality, there's a small delay, called the propagation de- changing. high to low changing. low to high lay, between when cLK goes high and when the outputs switch. According to its data sheet, typical maximum propagation delay for the 74HC74 is 20 ns. The data sheet specifies other re- I i i I quirements that must be met for the steady. vdid logic low steady. valid logic high flip-flop to operate properly: the CLK pulses must be at least 16 ns wide, and

D must be stable for at least 20 ns be- don't core changing changing

fore CLK goes high. In many circuits, 1 I I I however, these requirements are easily met, and you don't have to concern »)> yourself with them. )OOOO (((l In microcomputer circuits, opera- I tions are synchronized to a signal us- high impedance logic high or low ually referred to as the master clock, which derives from á crystal or other frequency source that connects to the Fig. 2. The basic signals used in timing diagrams for microprocessors, memory computer chip. ana other computer chips. Because computer chips are more complex inside than is a simple flip- flop, their timing requirements are Figure 2 illustrates the basic sym- form a multiplexed data/address bus. more complex. One important specifi- bols used in timing diagrams, along Both data and address bytes appear on cation of EPROMs and other memory with their meanings. The symbols in- these pins at different times. The pins chips is the address access time. This dicate when a signal is, or must be, a act as outputs when they hold an ad- is the amount of time a chip requires logic high, logic low, valid logic level dress or data to be written, and as in- between when it receives a request for (either high or low) unstable (chang- puts when the microcontroller reads a byte of data and it places the byte on ing) or high impedance. In a complete data. (Data is meant here in a general its output pins for the requesting de- diagram, labeled arrows point to criti- sense to mean stored information, vice to read. Current common access cal timing relationships among the sig- whether it's used as a numeric quanti- times for EPROMs are between 100 nals, and a chart specifies maximum ty, program instruction or another and 450 ns. As technology improves, or minimum times (or both) for these value.) The multiplexed bus saves pins devices with shorter access times be- relationships. Exact drawing styles on the component package. Without come available. may vary slightly from source to multiplexing, the 8031 would need When a microcontroller or other source, but most follow a format simi- eight more pins. microcomputer chip wants to read a lar to the one shown. Before it can execute an instruction, byte from an external EPROM, it typ- the 8031 must first request the instruc- ically places the address it wants to tion from the EPROM. Reading a read on its address outputs and toggles EPROM Timing byte from the EPROM involves sever- control pins that tell the EPROM to Figure 3 shows a basic microcontroller al actions by the 8031 and EPROM. place the requested byte at its data out- circuit with an Intel 8031 microcon- Figure 4 is a timing diagram that de- puts. Following a short delay, the mi- troller, Texas Instruments 27C256 scribes a read operation from the crocontroller latches the byte into its 32K EPROM and 74HC373 octal 8031's point of view. Figure 5 does the internal memory for processing. latch. The EPROM contains 32,768 same from the EPROM's point of view. The control signals ensure that (7FFF hexadecimal) memory loca- What occurs during a read opera- everything occurs in the correct timed tions, each of which holds a byte of in- tion at ALE, PSEN, DAO through DA7 sequence and allow the EPROM formation. The locations are addressed and A8 through A15 on the 8031 is illus- enough time to produce the data be- from 0 to 7FFFh in memory. On pow- trated in Fig. 4. Though this diagram fore the microcontroller tries to read er -up, the 8031 reads and executes the is for the 80C31BH-1 version of the it. Timing diagrams can help you to instructions stored in the EPROM, be- chip, it's similar to timing diagrams choose components that will work to- ginning at location 0. for other 8031 -family chips. Critical gether without timing conflicts. Pins DAO through DA7 on the 8031 timing relationships are labeled and

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 41

www.americanradiohistory.com 74HC373 19 39 3 2 10 II XI DAO ID AO 0 1 38 4 5 9 2 DA I 2D 20 A I 02 12Mhz= 37 7 6 8 3 DA2 3D 30 A2 03 18 36 8 9 7 5 27pF 27pF X2 DA3 4D 40 A3 04 35 13 12 6 6 DA4 5D 50 A4 05 34 14 15 5 17 T T DA5 6D 60 A5 06 33 17 16 4 18 DÄ6 7D 70 A6 07 32 18 19 3 19 DA7 8D 80 A7 08 8031 30 II 27C256 ALE LE OC EPROM

21 25 A8 A8 Vpp 22 24 .5V A9 A9 23 21 AIO AIO 24 23 Al I Al I 25 2 Al2 Al2 9 26 26 RESET A13 AI3 27 27 A14 A14 28 20 AI5 É 131 29 22 E-A PSEN G

Fig. 3. In this circuit, the 8031 microcontroller executes a program stored in the 27C256 EPROM. A 74HC373 octal latch presents the lower address byte to the inputs of the EPROM. described in the chart below the dia- '373 latch. When ALE is high, the logic output the requested byte by the time gram. Since DAO through DA7 all fol- levels at DAO through DA7 pass through the 8031 expects to read it. The timing low the same timing, one signal repre- to AO through A7 on the EPROM. diagrams tell which ones can do so. sents all eight pins. The same is true for When ALE goes low, the current logic Because timing diagrams contain a A8 through A15. levels at DAO through DA7 are latched lot of information, sorting through all Figure 5 shows what happens dur- to 1Q through 8Q, and these outputs of the signals and timing relationships ing a read operation at AO through A14, won't change until ALE goes high with their cryptic names may seem a E, G and Q1 through Q8 on the EPROM. again. The latch thus holds the lower daunting task. But there are a few im- The chart includes values for devices address byte for the EPROM's AO portant pieces of information you can with five different access times. As through A7. This type of latch is called learn to look for and use without too with the 8031, a variety of timing rela- a transparent latch, since it's invisible much trouble. tionships are defined and described. to the EPROM when LE is high. A When choosing components, the To get the two components to work short time after ALE goes low, DAO most important signal in Fig. 5 is together, you must make sure the re- through DA7 change to a high -imped- ta(A), access time from address. The quirements of both devices are met. ance state. chart shows that on a the -12 version The following is what occurs when the When E goes low, the EPROM of the EPROM, Q1 through Q8 hold 8031 in Figure 3 reads a byte from pro- fetches the data stored at the address valid, stable data 120 ns after a stable gram memory: specified on AO through A14. When the address is available on AO through A14 The 8031 first pulses ALE and PSEN 8031 brings low PSEN and, thus, G, the (assuming other device requirements high and places an address on DAO EPROM places the requested byte on have also been met). The other ver- through DA7 and A8 through A15. This Q1 through Q8, where the 8031 reads sions of the EPROM require more address tells the EPROM what loca- it. Bringing high E or G completes the time, up to 250 ns for the -25 version. tion the 8031 wants to read. The read operation, and the 8031 can then Different manufacturers may use EPROM requires 15 address lines to execute another program read or a dif- different names for the address access address each of its 32,768 locations. ferent operation. time, but the data sheet for any memo- The 803l's top address bit, A15, con- ry chip should specify this value. Parts trols E (chip enable or chip select) on vendors should also provide it along the EPROM. The EPROM is selected Using Timing Diagrams with the part number, and the access whenever Al5 is low, which occurs The 27C256 EPROM is available in time is often printed on the face of the whenever the 8031 addresses a loca- five access times: 120, 150, 170, 200, device as well. Sometimes the access tion from 0 to 7FFFh. and 250 ns. Which can you use in the time is abbreviated, with -25 indicat- The 803l's ALE (address latch en- Fig. 3 circuit? For the EPROM to ing 250 ns. for example. able) controls LE (latch enable) on the work with the 8031, it must be able to Let's now look at how the EPROM's

42 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com access time relates to the requirements TLHLL> described by the 8031's timing diagram in Fig. 4. The EPROM's access time is TAVIV, ALE or address to valid instruction in. The chart and diagram shows that with a TAVLL TLLPL TPLPH 12 -MHz clock, the 8031 must see val- (-- TLLIV id, stable logic levels on DAO through TPLIV DA7 by at least 312 ns after it places an address on AO through A15. PSEN of the What about the effect E- TPLAZ It does cause a short TPXIZ 74HC373 latch? TLLAX H delay between when the 8031 places < > TPXIX --> F the lower address byte on DAO through INSTRUCTION DA7 and when that byte is available at -( AO -A7 AO -A7 IN DAO-DA7 AO through A7 on the EPROM. Be- / cause the '373 is a transparent latch, TAVIV DAO through DA7 pass straight through the latch when ALE is high. The only delay is the '373's propagation delay, which its data sheet specifies as typi- A8 -A15 XA8 -A15 A8 -A15 cally 18 ns. This brings the maximum allowable access time for the EPROM down to 294 ns. Since all EPROM access times in 12Mhz OSC VARIABLE OSC Fig. 5 are less than 294 ns, any of the SIGNAL PARAMETER MIN MAX MIN MAX UNITS EPROMs listed would work in our circuit. Even the 250-ns device has a com- I/TCLCL Oscillator frequency 3.5 16 Mhz 44-ns margin of safety. fortable TLHLL ALE pulse width 127 2TCLCL-40 nonos ec. All of the values in the above example assume that the 8031 is clocked at TAVLL Address valid to ALE low 28 TCLCL-55 nonos ec. if you speed 12 MHz. What happens TLLAX Address hold after ALE low 48 TCLCL-35 nonos ec. up the clock? The "Variable Osc" col- nonos umn in Fig. 4 gives formulas for calcu- TLLIV ALE low to valid instruction in 234 4TCLCL-I00 ec. lating values for clock frequencies TLLPL ALE low to PSEN low 43 TCLCL-40 nonos ec. other than 12 MHz. For example, with nonos ec. a 16 -MHz clock, TAVIV would equal TPLPH PSEN pulse width 205 3TCLCL-45

5TCLCL - 105. TCLCL equals 1,000 TPLIV PSEN low to valid instruction in 145 3TCLCL-105 nonos ec. divided by the crystal frequency in nonos ec. megahertz, or 1,000/12 fora 12 -MHz TPXIX Input Instr hold after PSEN 0 0 clock. TPXIZ Input Instr Float after PSEN 59 TCLCL-25 nonos ec. At 16 MHz, TAVIV equals (5,000/ 10 nonos ec. 16) - 105, which works out to 208 ns. TPLAZ PSEN low to address float 10 With the '373's propagation delay fig- TAVIV Address to valid instruction in 312 5TCLCL-105 nonos ec. ured in, the maximum EPROM access time at this clock speed is 190 ns; so only an EPROM with an access time of Fig. 4. A timing diagram forexternal program -read operation of Intel's 80031 BH -1. 170 ns or less would work reliably here. What if you use a slower crystal to clock the 8031? With an 8 -MHz clock, crystal frequency to increase. Or some Timing diagrams include much the same formula gives a value of 520 200-ns EPROMs might work in a cir- more information than just the access ns, which would allow you to use an cuit, while seemingly identical ones time. For example, for a 250 -nanosec- EPROM as slow as 450 ns. don't, due to individual differences in ond EPROM, Fig. 5 shows that E and Timing characteristics can vary with the components. G should be low for 250 and 100 ns, re- load capacitance, supply voltage, tem- If you run into problems like these spectively, before QI through Q8 are perature and other conditions. So it's in a circuit, timing conflicts could be read. If you examine the diagrams a good idea to leave room for such va- the cause. If so, a slower clock or fast- carefully, you'll see that A15 and PSEN riations when selecting components. er peripheral chips may be the solu- on the 8051 meet these requirements In the 16 -MHz example above, a tion. It often costs little or nothing to at 12 MHz. 200-ns EPROM might work most of use components with access times at For RAMs and other read/write the time, but it could fail if least 10% shorter than the timing dia- chips, data sheets include correspond- temperature variations cause the grams require. ing diagrams for writing to the chip.

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 43

www.americanradiohistory.com address valid AO -A'4

ta(E)

< > tdis ten(G)

to(A) tv(A)

output valid 01-08

DEVICE 27C256-12 27C256-15 27C256-17 27C256-20 27C256-25 SIGNAL PARAMETER MIN MAX MIN MAX MIN MAX MIN MAX MIN MAX UNITS

ta(A) Access time from address 120 150 170 200 250 nanosec.

ta(E) Access time from chip enable 120 150 170 200 250 nanosec.

ten(G) Output enable time from G 55 75 75 75 100 nanosec.

tdis Output disable time from G or É 0 45 0 60 0 60 0 60 0 60 nanosec.

tv(A) Output data valid time after 0 0 0 0 0 nanosec. address change. E. or G

Fig. 5. A timing diagram for the read operation of a Texas Instruments 27C256 EPROM.

For EPROMs, the write diagrams are form the same basic functions, dif- '373 in the same way that ALE did on used only for EPROM programming; ferent device families vary in exactly the 8031. so they aren't relevant in circuits where how they do so. Different families use Unlike the 8031, which executes its the EPROM is a read-only device. different control signals, and even program beginning at 0, in normal op- Timing diagrams are also provided for similar devices may vary in their tim- eration the HC11 begins program ex- directly reading and writing to port ing diagrams. ecution at FFFEh,FFFFh. For this pins and serial I/O and accessing any Figure 6 shows our same EPROM reason, the EPROM in Fig. 6 is ad- other inputs and outputs a chip has. connected to a Motorola 68HC11 mi- dressed at 8000h-FFFFh. (Since the For internal functions, such as read- crocontroller. Figure 7 is a timing dia- starting address is at the top of the ing from an on -chip EPROM, there gram for the 68HC11. Like the 8031, EPROM, the first program instruc- are no timing diagrams, since there's the 68HC11 has a multiplexed data/ tion is typically a jump to a lower ad- no interface to design. This is a good address bus, and the waveforms for dress.) To access the EPROM at these reason to use devices with on -chip DAO through DA7 and A8 through A15 addresses, A15 must be high. So A15 is memory and other functions when- are similar to those on the 8031. The inverted before it connects to the ac- ever possible! high address byte appears on A8 tive -low E on the EPROM. through A15, and DAO through DA7 The HC1l's Eclk output is similar hold the lower address byte first, fol- to, but the inverse of, the 8031's PSEN. Another EPROM Interface lowed by data. The 'HC11's AS out- So Eclk is also inverted. Eclk and R/W Although most microcontrollers per- put latches AO through A7 through the are NANDed, which results in the

44 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com 74HC373 7 9 3 2 10 1 EXTAL DAO ID AO 01 8Mhz -oi- 0 4 5 9 2 DA I 2D 20 A I 02 7 6 8 3 10M 8 DA2 3D 30 A2 03 I XTAL 2 8 9 7 5 DA3 4D 40 A3 04 3 13 12 6 6 18pF.¡.++ DA4 5D 50 A4 05 18pF.i. 4 14 15 5 7 DA5 6D 60 A5 06 5 17 16 4 8 DA6 7D 70 A6 07 6 18 19 3 19 DA7 8D 80 A7 08 .5V 27C256 68HCII 4 II AS LE OC EPROM 42 25 4.7K A8 Vpp .5V A8 41 24 -O 17 A9 A9 MC34064 RESET 40 21 A10 A10 39 23 Al I Al I 38 2 .5V Al2 Al2 4.7K 37 26 I I AI3 AI3 36 27 4.7K 15 A14 A14 35 20 A15 E 4.7K 40 UHc003 I 6 4 4.7K 41 R/W 5 i_5HC0(2>6 22 G E

Fig.6. This circuit is similartotheone in Fig. 3, except that it usesa68HC11 microcontroller instead of an 8031.

EPROM's G input going low only If the EPROM doesn't place the byte while others had no such requirement. when R/W and E are both high. on Ql through Q8 by the specified To get the circuit to work with all On the HC 11, EcIk is defined as one - time, the microcontroller may not RAM chips, I had to change the mi- quarter the HC 11's crystal frequency, read it correctly. Either way, the crocontroller/RAM interface by AND- so an 8 -MHz clock results in a 2 -MHz EPROM's address access time must be ing two control signals, so that WE was Ecik. (Motorola calls this signal E, but less than that of the microcontroller. brought high before data was removed I use Ecik to avoid confusion with the Whichever way you look at it, it would from the data bus. This modified in- EPROM's E input.) be nice if the chip manufacturers terface met the timing requirements In Fig. 7, the relationship labeled would agree on a single convention for all of the RAM chips. Without the tACCA (MPU address access time) has and stick with it. timing diagrams, I may have come up the same function as TAVIV on the with theories, even found a solution 8031. From the chart, an 8 -MHz crys- by trial -and -error, but I never would tal requires an EPROM access time of Substituting Parts have known for sure what was causing 296 ns or less. So a 250-ns EPROM Often, popular ICs are offered by a the problem. will work here also. variety of manufacturers. For exam- 16 for Notice that the HC11 specifies ple, IC Master lists sources Software tACCA as a minimum value, while the 27C256 EPROMs. Most, if not all, are Timing Diagram 8031 specifies TAVIV as a maximum, offered in the same 28 -pin package As faster components and circuits are yet both describe the same timing rela- and pinout. Is it safe to assume that all developed, timing requirements be- tionship. Whether you call it a mini- components with similar designations come more and more critical. Trying mum or maximum depends on how and descriptions are identical, except to sort out the timing relationships for you look at it. In one respect, tACCA for access times? Once in a while, there two or more components on paper (or and TAVIV are the shortest (minimum) are subtle differences that can cause in your head) becomes more and more time the microcontroller will wait be- problems when you substitute difficult. To meet the need for a bet- tween placing an address and reading components. ter way, a couple of companies have the requested byte. That is, the micro - For example, in a microcontroller come up with software that helps cir- controller won't try to read the byte circuit I once built, I found I could cuit designers investigate and analyze until at least the minimum specified write to many, but not all, static RAM timing relationships as they develop a time has passed. chips. On checking the timing dia- design. Looking at it another way, tACCA grams, I discovered that some RAM Chronology's Timing Designer for and TAVIV are the longest (maximum) chips required the data to remain on Windows ($995) and engineerium's time that an EPROM can wait before the data bus 10 ns after their WE dV/dt for MS-DOS ($725 and $825) responding to a request to read a byte. (write -enable) pulse was brought high, and the MacIntosh, ($695) are similar

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 45

www.americanradiohistory.com tcyc Sources

PWEL Chronology Corp. PWEH 2721 152 Ave. N.E. Redmond, WA 98052-5516 Tel.: 1-800-800-6494 tAH Fax: 206-869-4229

R/W engineerium A8 -A15 8950-1200 Vila La Jolla Dr. tAVM tDSR La Jolla, CA 92037 < Tel.: 619-292-1900 tACCA Fax: 619-292-6236 tDHF Project Pro DAO-DA7 1710 Enterprise Pkwy. Twinsburg, OH 44087 Tel. :1-800-800-3321 tASL H Fax: 216-425-1228

AS HtASD PWASH a look if you're interested in learning more about timing diagrams.

8 MHZ Moving On EXTERNAL If you're in the market for good-look- OSC VARIABLE OSC SIGNAL PARAMETER MIN MAX MIN MAX UNITS ing enclosures for your projects, send for Project Pro's free catalog. It lists tcyc Cycle time 500 nonos ec. a wide assortment of metal and plastic PW EH Pulse Width. E High 222 I/2tcyc-28 nonos ec. enclosures, along with knobs, fix-

PW EL Pulse Width. E Low 227 I/2tcyc-23 nonos ec. tures, brackets, LED bezels, panels, hardware and tools. There's no mini- tr E and AS rise and loll time 20 nonos ec. mum order, but there's a $5 handling tAH Address hold time 33 I/8tcyc-23 nonos ec. charge on orders less than $25.

tAV Non-Muxed Addr valid to E rise 94 PWEL-(tASD.801 nonos ec. Next time, I'll discuss how to use keypads and other devices to allow tDSR Read Dota Setup Time 30 nonos ec. you to interact with your circuits. nonos ec. tDHR Read Doto Hold Time 10 83 Send your comments, suggestions and nonos ec. tAVM Muxed Addr valid to E rise 84 PWEL-(tASD+90) questions on topics relating to design- nonos ec. ing, building, and programming mi- tASL Muxed Addr valid to AS fall 26 PWASH-70 nonos ec. crocontrollers and other small, dedi- tAHL Muxed Address Hold Time 33 1/8tcyc-29.5 cated computers to Jan Axelson, nonos c. tASD Delay Time. E to AS rise 53 I/8tcyc-9.5 ComputerCraft, 76 N. Broadway, nonos c. Hicksville, NY 11801. For a personal 'WASH Pulse Width. AS High 96 I/4tcyc-29 nonos C. reply, please include a self-addressed, ACCA MPU Address Access The 296 tAVMiitrPWEH-tDSR stamped envelope.

Fig. 7. A timing diagram for the read operation (or expansion -bus timing) of Motorola's 68HC11.

products that allow you to draw tim- times, and the software tells you what ing waveforms on -screen and specify will work and what won't. The key to the timing relationships between sig- successful analysis is to describe the nals. The software then analyzes the signals completely and accurately as waveforms and their requirements you enter them into the diagrams. and lets you know if there are timing Both companies offer free demo violations. You can experiment with disks that allow you to try out the soft- different clock signals and access ware on simple circuits. They're worth Jan Axelson

46 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Application By Joseph O'Connell

tl 1 t t ,11111111I, tt ut lilt l,ttlui iultuluiltí6t1 tttliuliitlit,ri l,ttltttlttt tt111ttltttlttl tuluillultit 1 11 Build an Ultrasonic Ranger This multi -purpose computer add-on device can be used to measure distances, dimensions, height of liquids and much more

!If11nIn1111r 111111 1 11111111 1111111I111,I11 1111 !II ,11111ii i 01 ¿I El t'tT9n P'`ttti'

The Ultrasonic Ranger described The Ranger emits 16 pulses at a feet. Its resolution is limited to 0.15 here is a complete distance -mea- time, at a frequency of 49.4 kHz. Its inch by the wavelength of the ultrason- suring device that connects to virtual- automatic digitally -controlled gain ic pulses. Typically better than 11% in ly any computer via an RS -232 serial and variable -bandwidth amplifier normal use, accuracy is limited only by port. With only a few lines of program minimizes false triggering that can be the module's resolution, provided air code, it lets you measure room dimen- caused by noise and side -lobe detec- temperature hasn't changed since last sions, liquid levels and particles in a tion. Sensitivity to objects is highly calibration. tank; detect intruders in a home and directional. visitors in front of a display; and mea- The Polaroid ultrasonic module About the Circuit sure the height of people standing un- around which the Ultrasonic Ranger The Ultrasonic Ranger doesn't direct- der it, to name just a few of its many is built has a range of 16 inches to 35 ly measure the distance to an object. possible applications. When a visitor stands under the Ul- trasonic Ranger, it measures the distance from the ceiling to the top of his head. It then subtracts this distance from the distance between ceiling and floor and displays the result on the screen of the computer being used with it. The prototype of the Ultrasonic Ranger is being used at a science exhibit in Canada, running on an Apple Macintosh with Hypercard, though it can just as easily run on any other computer equipped with a standard RS -232 serial port and a BASIC language interpreter. The Ultrasonic Ranger requires an RS -232 port with selectable baud rates between 300 and 4,800 bps, eight data bits, even parity bit, one start bit and one stop bit. As many as 127 Rangers, each individually addressable, can be Fig. 1. Polaroid's factory -assembled ultrasonic ranging module and transducer connected to the same computer. greatly simplify building this project.

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT 47 www.americanradiohistory.com Note: No pin numbers are shown for any DIP IC because all ICs are shown exactly SW2 as they are in physical form. That is, pin 1 baud rate in all cases is at top -left. Numbering pro- selector ceeds downward from there, across to the next row and up to the last pin at top -right. 012 VDD C5 0.1µF 1200 013 (D 010 O 600 014 08 R2 C6, C7 Ú 10MS2 4800 20pF 7 to 20 volt 06 r 09 power 9600 05 Reset _L CO supply 2400 07 D Clock v V 19202 04 Clk out T VSS Clk out XTAL I 19.6608 M H z C1 C2 1011F 100µF 1.2288 MHz clock

R1 C4 -L 0.1µF SW1 4.7KS2 Osci VDD T resistor address (corn) osez Co > network selector RESET C1

- O"-o AO C2 > LI I Al C3 C3 A2 C4 > -0'o A3 C5 OO A4 C6

A5 CS

A6 VAP IDO SEND <

101 SO

102 S1 103 S2 < 104 S3 < 105 S4 < 106 S5 107 S6 < RI S7

VSS TRO

C1+ ^VCC R3, R4 V+ GND 10KS2 Ct- M T+.out C8 -C11 C2. X RI n RS232 10µF connection C2. 2 Rlout to computer V. Tli1 01 I- T2out T2in o 0 gen. purpose o R2in R2out NPN o

48 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com I1 pvT U5: 74HC08 R5 4 01 02 C1 > 9 100K CI41 Cr) 02 C2 > 10 Rse1 CIk2 C3 > 12 11 D1 Data1 g Rst2 13 1N914 V Set1 Data2 VSS Set2 v012 VDD CS > 06 O 011 05 0 010 D2 Send < 07 () 08 1N914 2 S7 < 04 ñ 09 R6 S6 < 03 CD Reset 10K U S5 < 02 Clock C12 100µF S4 < VSS 01 S3 < ECHO (7) S2 < Polaroid S1 < ultrasonic SO < ranging module ID7 < 012 VDD ID6 < 06 O 011 GND (E2) 05 ID5 < O 010 XDCR (El) ` ID4 < 07 C 08 Polaroid GND (1) _ electrostatic O1NH (8) ID3 < Q4 09 BLNK (2) ñ transducer ID2 < p3 r Reset ID1 < 02 Clock IDO < VSS 01

Fig. 2. Complete schematic diagram of the circuitry used in the Ultrasonic Ranger.

It measures the time it takes for sound tion is to measure temperature every It would be difficult to design and waves to make the round-trip circuit time you wish to measure distance and build an ultrasonic transmitter and from its transducer to an object and make an appropriate compensation or receiver from scratch. Fortunately, back again. It can obtain quite accur- measure the temperature once and re - Polaroid Corp. has a nifty module ate measurements using sound waves calibrate the Ranger only when the air (Fig. 1) that obviates the need for this. because the speed of sound in air is temperature has changed appreciably. This ultrasonic transmitter/receiver relatively constant, except for its de- The program that controls the pro- ranging module requires only a 5 -volt pendence on temperature. totype Ranger at the science exhibit dc power supply. It accepts a logic - Speed is calculated using the for- mentioned above is set up to automat- level pulse to initiate transmission and mula 331.4 VT/273 meters/second, ically calibrate at start-up in the morn- responds with its open -collector out- where Tis ambient temperature in °K. ing and then calibrate later in the day put when an echo is received. Exter- Within the 0 ° to 40 ° C range over when a button is pressed. The Ranger nal circuitry need concern itself only which the Ranger will most likely be is typically re -calibrated once or twice with triggering the module, detecting used, the speed of sound varies by ap- later in the day to accommodate the the module's response and timing the proximately 140/o . slight temperature rise that occurs in interval between these two events. The best way to deal with this varia- the building. Shown in Fiig. 2 is the complete

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 49

www.americanradiohistory.com schematic diagram of the Ultrasonic Ranger's circuitry. Regulator UI is the heart of a simple 5 -volt dc power sup- Semiconductors transducer (see Note 4); power supply, which accepts 7 to 20 volts dc as DI,D2-1N914 diode ply; cables and connectors to attach its input. Most of the current drawn QI-General-purpose silicon npn to RS -232 port; experimenter boards by this circuit goes to the Polaroid transistor (2N2222, 2N3904 or (see text); sockets for all IC chips; ranging module, which draws less similar) suitable enclosure; machine hard- than 100 milliamperes continuously U1-7805 fixed + 5 -volt regulator ware; hook wire; solder; etc. and has a peak current requirement of U2-MC14469 addressable 2.5 amperes when it transmits. Even asynchronous receiver/transmitter Notes 1. Some programming languages have trouble handling the number 0 and can't though Ul is rated to deliver only 1 (Motorola; see Note 2 below) ampere continuously, it can easily U3-74HC4060 CMOS oscillator/ send it over serial ports. To get around this divider problem that occurs when you want to tog- power this circuit because most of the gle low control pins, send a command word U4-MAX232 single -supply RS -232 2.5 amperes drawn by the ranging that toggles high an unused control pin, transceiver (Maxim or Intersil) rather than sending O. module is supplied by C12. U5-74HC08 CMOS quad AND gate The most sophisticated chip in the 2. The MC14469 isn't commonly used; so U6,U7-74HC4040 CMOS divider it may help to contact Motorola and obtain system is addressable asynchronous U8-CD4013 CMOS dual -D flip-flop Application Note 806: "Operation of the receiver/transmitter U2. On power - Capacitors MC14469" (Motorola Semiconductor up, U2 is reset by the momentary low C1,C8 thru C11 -10-µF, 16 -volt Products, 5005 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, that C3 impresses on its RESET pin. electrolytic AZ 85008). 3. If you don't think you'll frequently have It's then ready to accept serial data ap- C2,C12-100-µF, 16 -volt electrolytic C3,C4,C5-0.15-µF ceramic or Mylar to change the address of a particular node, plied to pin RI. you can tie high or low pins 4 thru 10 of U2, C6,C7-20-pF ceramic disk Chip U2 expects to receive one or to permanently set an address, and eliminate Resistors (1/4 -watt, 507o tolerance) RI and SW 1. Likewise, if you don't antici- two 11 -bit words from the host com- R1-Eight-element SIP 4,700 -ohm pate changing baud rates, connect the ap- puter. The first word should contain resistor network (see Note 3.) propriate output of U3 to pin 1 of U2 and the address. If the address matches the R2-1 megohm eliminate SW2. binary number applied to pins AO R3,R4,R6-10,000 ohms 4. The Polaroid ultrasonic ranging module through A6, U2 transmits back to the R5-100,000 ohms and electrostatic transducer are available it Miscellaneous from Polaroid Corp., Ultrasonic Compo- computer the information reads nents Group, 119 Windsor St., Cambridge, SW I,SW2-Seven-position DIP from pins IDO through ID7 and So MA 02139 (Tel.: 617-577-4681). Parts used (see Note 3) through S7 in two 11 -bit word data switch in this device are the 6500 Series module XTAL-19.6608-MHz crystal streams. Each 11 -bit word contains (No. 615077) and instrument -grade trans- Polaroid ultrasonic ranging module eight data, even parity, one start and ducer (No. 604142). Polaroid's $99 OEM and instrument -grade electrostatic Kit contains two of each of these. one stop bits. If the first 11 -bit word received by U2 doesn't contain the address programmed onto pins AO through A6, U2 does nothing. This would occur if two MC 14469s were connected to the same (1) Send the first number over the connection, a switch or an AND gate data line and the other chip was being serial port: first number = 128 + in this circuit. If a valid address has addressed. The second 11 -bit word re- A6*64 + A5*32 + A4*16 + A3*8 + been received by U2 and its SEND pin ceived by U2 contains a seven-bit word A2*4 + Al *2 + AO, where A6, A5, is brought high within seven bit times that's latched onto pins co through C6 A4, A3, A2, Al and AO are either I or of CS, it returns two numbers to the for controlling external devices, pro- 0, corresponding to the logical status host computer. The task of the com- vided U2 has received a valid address. of those pins on the MC14469 to be puter will be to: Rather than go through every possi- addressed. (3) Receive an eight -bit number over ble way of communicating with the (2) Send the second number over the the serial port. This number corres- MC14469, a subject covered in detail serial port: second number = C6*64 ponds to the number present on IDO by the application note mentioned at + C5*32 + C4*16 + C3*8 + C2*4 through 1D7, where IDO and ID7 rep- the end of the Parts List, we'll discuss + C 1 *2 + CO, where C6, CS, C4, C3, resent the least- and most -significant only what you must know to use the C2, CI and CO are either 1 or 0, cor- bits, respectively. MC 14469 with the Ultrasonic Ranger responding to the logical status you (4) Receive a second eight -bit num- or similar circuit. want latched onto those pins of the ber over the serial port. This number You must first initialize the serial MC 14469. At this point, U2 will brief- corresponds to the number present on port of your computer with the correct ly take its cs (Command Strobe) pin so through S7, where SO and S7 repre- baud rate, eight data bits, even pari- to a logic high. sent the least- and most -significant ty, one stop bit and one start bit. This If you want to receive data from U2, bits, respectively. done, a typical send/receive cycle, as you must arrange the circuit so that the For the above to work, the baud seen from the point of view of the pulse on cs brings high SEND. This can rate to which your computer's serial computer controlling U2 is as follows: be accomplished with a hard -wired port is initialized must match that at (Continued on page 81)

50 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Enhancing By Jim Stephens The Super Sleuth Computer phone -call monitor deciphers scanner and mobile radio numbers ...and also tracks long- distance phone use

Your PC can decipher the tones received by a scanner, mobile telephone, shortwave radio and telephone instrument when dialed. The DTMF (Dual -Tone Multi -Frequency) tones being transmitted contain coded numbers and information you might like to decode and log. To do this with a PC, you need a decoder circuit like the one described here. Several uses could be made of the Super Sleuth decoder, including the phone -line monitor application to be described, which uses the circuit to record dialed numbers, register times the calls came in and list the duration of each. Keeping a log like this has a number of benefits, among them track- ing long-distance phone usage. Other logs could be made of numbers from your scanner and mobile phone for the same purposes. About the Circuit The decoder circuit is built around the SSI-202 DTMF decoder and Intel's versatile 8255A peripheral interface adapter chips. The 8255A provides port control for the decoder. Though the circuit configuration shown in Fig. 1 is designed for PC/XT and compatible computers, you can easily adapt it will decode eight separate chunks of read two port addresses simultaneously. for use in AT and faster machines. memory between decimal 512 and 736. Decoded data is supplied by IC/, Chip 1C2 is basically a port control- DIP switch S1 lets you select the ad- which converts standard DTMF tones ler that provides three separate parallel dress that best suits your needs and to binary values between 1 and 16. The I/O ports to and from the PC with doesn't interfere with other I/O ad- circuitry to perform all required filter- which the project is used. These ports dresses connected to your system. ing, band splitting and analog convert- can be made either input or output, de- The DIP switch is connected to the ing is contained inside IC/, which re- pending on the control signals sent to decimal 576 port address, which quires only a single 5 -volt source of dc the controller through three -to -eight - makes this the base address. The vari- power to operate. The decoder uses an line decoder/multiplexer 1C3. If the ous addresses that can be selected are inexpensive 3.579 -MHz crystal and decoder is enabled using AEN (Ad- shown next to the appropriate pin on has very high noise rejection. Special dress Enable), A8 and A9 from the bus, Si. If address 576 is already in use in provisions have been made on the fil- the decoder decodes the inputs con- your computer, select another pin ters to reject the dial tone. nected to address lines AS, A6 and A7. connection via S1 simply by setting the The tone input at pin 9 can be cou- The decoder sends a chip -select (Cs) 576 line to OFF and the chosen one to pled through a ceramic capacitor to pulse from one of its eight outputs to ON. Make sure you set only one DIP - the signal source. All standard DTMF 1C2 when various combinations of ad- switch position to ON. If more than tones are recognized and converted to dress lines AS, A6 and A7 are active and one position is active at a time, strange unique binary values on data output AEN is low. This means the decoder results will occur as your PC tries to pins D1 through D4. This gives the IC

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 51

www.americanradiohistory.com N cNi m' m â áÑa a a á

1.13 r-

e0 > Ln

.i A III

N N Lo O +

Fig. 1. Complete schematic diagram of Super Sleuth's circuitry.

52 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com PARTS LIST tors and pull-up resistors when con- green -insulated telephone conductor. nected to power sources that deliver These tones are effectively blocked greater than + 5 volts, damage can oc- from the ring voltage swings by Cl, Semiconductors cur. This would be especially true of which is held high by pull-up resistor IC1-SSI-202 DTMF tone decoder (see the ring -signal voltage found in stan- R5. The voltage drops below ground Note below) dard telephone lines. potential when an incoming call is 1C2-8255 peripheral interface adapter Figure 2 is the schematic diagram of completed. Resistor R5 prevents this IC3-74LS138 decoder multiplexer a demonstration interface circuit you negative voltage from occurring and Q1 npn transistor -2N2222 can build for the phone line. This is not protects the analog input to the SSI- Capacitors part of the decoder project. It's given 202. The signal is double protected by C1 -0.047-µF ceramic disc C2,C3,C4-0.1-µF ceramic disc here for for discussion purposes only being routed through CI on the decod- Resistors (Y4 -watt, 5% tolerance) since it hasn't been certified by the er circuitry. R1-22,000 ohms FCC. A suitable interface circuit could R2 thru R5-2,200 ohms be built using certified transformers Construction Miscellaneous that meet with phone -company You should have no difficulty finding S1-Eight-position DIP switch approval. the components needed for this proj- XTAL1-3.579-MHz colorburst crystal The Fig. 2 circuit shows that some ect locally. If you do encounter a prob- Radio Shack Cat. No. 272-1310 means of recognizing the off -hook lem with the SSI-202, you can obtain or similar) condition of the handset is needed and it from the source given in the Note at Perforated board with holes on 0.1" provides a means of receiving DTMF the end Parts List. centers (Radio Shack Cat. No. 276-192 of the 72 -position Plugboard or similar; see tones generated by a caller. When the As you can see from Fig. 1, this text); sockets for all ICs; hookup wire; handset of a telephone instrument is project contains very few components. solder; etc. lifted off -hook, the potential on the Mount the components on a prototyp- Note: The following items can be obtained phone line drops from about 48 to 5 ing board designed specifically for from Syntronics, 2143 Guaranty Dr. Nash- volts. High -voltage transistor QI is IBM PC -type expansion slots, and use DTMF tone de- ville, TN 37214: SSI-202 clamped to read 5 volts and 0 volt, re- sockets for all ICs. coder, $14 and enhanced compiled Tele- phone Call Log program, $15. spectively. The actual + 5 -volt signal Figure 3 shows all 62 contacts and is fed through Q2, which conducts their functions for the PC expansion when the handset is lifted off -hook. bus. You build the project on a This signal can then be routed to Port 62 -contact experimenter's card that C of the 8255 in the decoder circuit to fits into the expansion connector in provide the program with a means for your computer. detecting an outgoing call. Although you can buy expansion Analog tones can be detected via the cards made for the PC case and con - a decoding capability of 15 separate tones. A value of 0 on its output pins indicates no decoded tones. Pin 14 is the DAV line that goes high (-->To analog input of when a valid tone has been decoded Cl IC1 successfully. This line can be used to 0.01µF provide handshaking between the IC +5Vdc PC bus and output device. Once a pause between tones is detected, the DAV line R4 returns to low and doesn't activate 2.2K GREEN again until the next tone is decoded. To part C input The DAV line is used in the small de- To R1 (Bit 3) coder test program given elsewhere in phone 100K line R2 this article to permit decoding of a sin- R3 44K q GND PC bus gle tone and avoid repeating if the tone RED 470 key is held for a longer -than -normal 1 time. Because the DAV line doesn't have high drive capability, Ql is used to present a clean, reliable signal level to the 8255. The analog input of static -sensitive ICl must be protected against high current and voltage spikes. Power - R C E supply leads to each IC must be suit- al TIP42 ably bypassed with capacitors to avoid BOTTOM VIEW noise and voltage spikes from getting to the IC. If the analog input isn't protected with specific blocking capaci- Fig. 2. Example of an experimental telephone interface for project

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 53

www.americanradiohistory.com nector, a much less expensive method Table 1. Port Configuration is to purchase the Radio Shack experi- GND B1 Al - -10 CH CK - Words For Base Address + 3 menter's card specified in the Parts Reset drive - - +D7 List and trim it to fit. The connectors +5V - - +D6 Decimal Port must be cut down to 62 pins by trim- +IRQ2 - - +D5 Word A B C five fingers ming double from the end -5Vdc - - +D4 128 Out Out Out of the board. The + 5 -volt and ground +DRQW - - +D3 130 Out In Out buses for the decoder circuit are taken -12Vdc - - +D2 133 Out Out In directly from the expansion bus on Reserved - -+D1 135 Out In In pins B1 B31 136 In B3, B29, and of the ex- +12V - - +DO Out Out 138 In In Out pansion connector. GND - 810 A10 - +10 CH RDY Make sure you beef up the traces to 130 In Out In -MEMWR - - +AEN the power supply fingers on the card 143 In In In -MEMRD - - +A19 with solder to provide greater current - -low - +A18 handling capability. - -IOR - - +A17 Wire the crystal and RI close to pins -DACK3 - - +A16 or assembly code, which would yield 11 and 12 of the decoder chip. +DRQ4 - - +A15 extremely fast operation. -DACK1 - -+A14 Often, tones are entered as fast as Programming the I/O Ports +DRQ1 - - +A13 three per second. Regular BASIC -DACKO - - +Al2 must watch the data bus almost con- The data lines from the parallel inter- Clock - B20 A20 -+A11 stantly to avoid missed tones at such face adapter are accessed only when +IRQ7 - - +A10 speed. The enhanced machine -code the cs signal is active. One of the three +IRQ6 - +A9 telepone-log program can be obtained ports can be read as an input or used - +IRQ5 +A8 from the source given in the Note at as output, depending on your pro- - - +IRQ4 Parts List. For simple gramming. - - +A7 the end of the +IRQ3 +A6 decoding, however, the sample test The control register that configures - - program in Listing 1 works extremely the ports as either input or output is -DACK2 - - +A5 well for this. located at base address 576 + 3. +T/C - - +A4 Therefore, the control register for +ALE - - +A3 your configuration is 579. Port A of +5V - - +A2 Operation & Troubleshooting the 8255 is read at the base address, +osC - - +A1 After assembly and before plugging Port B is accessed at the base address GND - B31 A31 - +AO the ICs into their respective sockets, + 1, or 577, and Port C is accessed at check all power -supply connections to the base address + 2, or 578. Table 1 each chip. This is particularly neces- shows the combinations that can be Fig. 3. Pinout configuration and con- sary for ICI , since a reversed connec- sent to the control register to configure tact assignments forthe standard IBM tion here could destroy this chip. This -bus Ports A, B and C as all input, all out- PC (and compatible) expansion test can be done with an ohmmeter connector. put or any combination in between. without having to insert the board in- Listing 1 is a simple BASIC pro- to your PC expansion bus. Note that gram that configures all three ports as four pins of the decoder are brought input and reads the data from the 8255 DAV line to see if the tone is still ac- to ground and four others connect to on Ports B and A. Only bit AO is read tive. If so, it waits until a pause has the positive rail. Check each of these on Port A as a status bit. This line is occurred and returns to again sample pins to make sure they're electrically connected to DAV and is used as a the data line. This keeps the program and mechanically solid because, if not, data -ready signal that shows that the from repeating the same digit if the a bad connection will inhibit proper data is available. The actual data is key is held down for longer than a operation if the connection is reversed. read from Port B on data lines BO "normal" period of time. When the board checks out okay, through B7. This program waits until A more elaborate machine -code install the ICs and plug the board inline AO goes high and reads the data program can be written around this to an available expansion slot in your from Port B. The program prints the sample listing to store numbers in PC. Power up your computer and run decimal value to the screen and waits memory, format them and any area the BASIC program shown. Nothing until another valid tone is generated. codes included, record time and date should appear on -screen until a tone Lines 70 and 80 convert binary and send a formatted listing to the is received. If a number does occur or values 11 and 12 to the asterisk (*) printer for hard -copy printout. Since keeps repeating, the DAV line may be and number (> signs, respectively, as regular BASIC isn't fast, this format- remaining high or there's an error in found on the standard telephone key- ting might have to be done after num- program entry. pad. If more than the standard set of bers are acquired. Placing the num- For simple tone decoding, tones can tones are to be decoded, line 50 must bers in formatted strings and storing be tape recorded from the phone or be changed to permit all 16 numbers them is too much for regular BASIC scanner and played back to check the to be recorded. After decoding a to do quickly. This program could operation of the circuit and program. tone, lines 100 and 110 sample the easily be written in compiled BASIC Input can be provided from the ear -

54 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Listing 1. Sample BASIC Program If no data is getting through 1C2, use the logic probe to check for a pulse at the Cs pin of 1C2 each time a port 1 REM SAMPLE PROGRA - SUPER SLEUTH is accessed by the program, and check 2 REM BY JIM STEPHENS for the DAV pulse each time a tone is 3 REM DECEMBER 1990 10 OUT 579,143 sent. If the DAV pulse is absent, try in- 20 C = IN P(577) creasing the level of the tone, either 30 IFC>O THEN GOTO50 with the recorder's VOLUME control or 40 GOTO 10 a change in the capacitor's value. 50 IF C>14 THEN GOTO 10 Also, verify that address selector 60 IFC=10 THEN C=C -10 switch S1 is set to decode Port 576. 70 IF C=11 THEN PRINT "*";:GOTO 100 Otherwise, the program must be 80 IF C=12 THEN PRINT "*";:GOTO 100 changed to reflect the new address. 90 PRINT C; Once you have the project up and 100 D = I N P (576) running, you'll find it fascinating to 110 IF D>OTHEN GOTO 100 120 GOTO 10 watch your computer interpret numbers that you once couldn't fathom. Many decoded numbers that fill the screen of your computer still won't be recognizable. An acquaintance of plug jack of the recorder. If proper op- If the project consistently gives de- mine who is familiar with tone trans- eration fails to occur, reverse the con- coded numbers that are incorrect by missions tells me that many of these nections to the earplug, since many re- a factor of 1, 2, 4 or 8, one or more numbers are probably access codes, corders interchange ground connec- data lines are being held higher than account numbers and even credit card tions. If the decoder still fails to oper- allowed. The data line at pull -down re- numbers. This is really no concern to ate properly, vary the setting of the sistors R2 through R5 should all be me since my main interest is to connect VOLUME control of the recorder either reading zero when no decoding is be- the decoder to the phone (through an up or down or change the value of in- ing done. A logic probe can be of help approved interface) and tabulate the put capacitor C/ to greater or lesser in checking the data lines from ICI numbers, times, duration and dates of value than that specified. back to the PC expansion bus. outgoing calls.

PAY TV AND SATELLITE DESCRAMBLING ALL NEW 1992 EDITION ALL NEW CET 1992 edition update on cable, wireless and satellite. Turn-ons, circuits, bullets, bags, B -Mac blackciphers. Includes new VC plus fixes. Our best yet. Only SYSTEMS; INC. $15.95. Other (all different) editions: volume one (basics), 1989 edition, 1991 edition, $15.95 each. MOS Handbook $9.95. Satellite systems under $600. $12.95. Any 3/29.95 or 5/549.95. Scrambling News Year One (154 pages) $39.95. Video $29.95. Scrambling News Monthly $24.95/yr. Sample $3. New catalog $1. Special this month everything listed for $99.95. Intel Motorola 130V0 Scrambling News. 1552F Hertel' Ave.. Buffalo. NY. 14216. Voice/FAX (716)-874-2088. (018 C and Pascal COD'S ARE OK. ADD S6. 8085 Compilers 8096 6)80f 6801 DOS IN ROM! Hitachi Simulators 6802 Tired of waiting for the H üí h80"á Prompt? Speed up with an HO 6804 MVS ROM Drive. Boot Instantly) Also used for Assemblers (1í3l) 5 Diastase Workstations and Western 6(3 x{ Embedded control. Easy to install half-size card. 65816 360 In -Circuit Zilog 360k $1150 4h/ 1.44m $300 -Zockweli Emulators /8 PROM Programmer $95 6500 ZOO MerrimackValleyy ems 6502 /180 Box 850 MerrlmaaI4NH .MVS EPROM Phone: (508) 792 9507 Programmers WORLDS SMALLEST PC I TI robots -alarms -d atalog 32010 3 Easy Steps: 1. Develop, debug on PC 32020 2. Download, test In SBC 3. Burn PROM, stand alone -LCD port -3 ser 2 par -Keyboard in -PC bus The Sys% -Battery or 5v -BIOS option Source'Por Quality Embedded -Real Tm Clk -LED display 120 Union Street, P.O. Box 490, Rockport, ME 04856 Use Turbo C, BASIC, MASM Ïn Maine, or outside U.S., call (207) 236-9055 TLX 467210 Avila) Cl FAX': (207) 236-6'13 Call today: 8088 SBC $95 1-800-448-85Ott,

CIRCLE NO. 67 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD CIRCLE NO. 52 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 55

www.americanradiohistory.com Applications By Crady Pawlak

VGA To The Max Part 2 A brief but comprehensive Computer Graphics Glossary of Terms

Last month, in Part 1 of this article, we discussed in de - Attribute-A single defined color element of a computer graphic. tail the latest trends in computer graphics technology Also referred to as on -screen colors, the combined attributes are as it pertains to the VGA standard and beyond. In this con- the maximum number of simultaneous colors a graphics adapter cluding part, we present a brief but fairly comprehensive can generate at one time. Glossary of Terms commonly used in this area of comput- Banding-The visual anomaly that occurs when a graphics adapter lacks the necessary pixel depth to smoothly gradate a color from er technology. light to dark shades. This effect appears on -screen as coarse strips or "bands" of color. Aliasing-See Jaggies. BitBlt-(Bit-Block-transfer). The moving of visually rectangular Analog Video-A method used to generate the signals delivered groups of pixels (display memory) from one on -screen location to the video monitor. Digital picture information is passed to the to another. Microsoft Windows is an excellent example of a BitBlt- graphics card, on which a video DAC (see RAMDAC and DAC) intensive application. converts the binary data into continuously variable analog volt- Bitmapped Image-Also known as a raster image, this is the sim- ages that drive the CRT's electron guns. Accelerated electrons plest method of manipulating and storing computer graphics. Cit- from the guns excite the RGB (red, green and blue) phosphors ing VGA as an example, each pixel of the display corresponds from which each viewed pixel is constructed. to a byte value stored in video RAM's frame buffer (it's no coinci- Anti-Aliasing-A technique used to alleviate the jaggies often dence that the order in which these bytes are arranged is similar observed along the edges of on -screen curved and angular ob- to the way each video scan line is displayed). Usually, the first jects (text and graphics). Performed either by software or in hard- address location of image data within the file corresponds to the ware, these algorithms appear to smooth such anomalies by slight- upper -left -most corner of the screen, the final address to the lower - ly blending (blurring) the colors of pixels immediately adjacent right -most corner of the screen. Variations of image bitmaps are to an edge. employed by the majority of graphics file formats, including Area Fill-Sometimes referred to as "flooding," area fills are TGA, GIF, TIFF, PCX, PIC and Windows BMP. the complete painting of any enclosed area, regardless of its shape, BPP-(Bits-Per-Pixel). The number of data bits that determine with a solid color. the color of each displayed pixel. The maximum number of dis- Artifacts-Unwanted portions of an image usually resulting from playable colors a pixel can assume (color depth) is determined an incomplete or incorrect conversion process. In color space con- by the weighted sum of these bits. A 15 -bit value, for example, versions, artifacts can appear as patches of color within the con- yields a weighted sum of 32,768 colors, while an eight -bit value verted image that don't approach those in the original. This can yields only 256 colors. also occur when attempting to drastically alter the scale of a bit- Example. Sierra 32K HiCOLOR BPP mapped image. RGB = red, green and blue primary colors of each pixel Aspect Ratio-The perceived proportional relationship in pix- R + G + B = final color els between an image's horizontal X and vertical Y axes viewed 25 = 32K possible combinations of R, G or B on -screen. A brief breakdown of these ratios versus common com- 25 x 25 x 25 = 32,768 possible colors = 32K HiCOLOR puter resolutions is as follows: The BPP in 32K HiCOLOR would then be the sum of the three powers of 5 (to which the RGB values are raised), yielding a BPP Mode Resolution Aspect Ratio Percent of 15. The amount of video RAM required for an 800 x 600 x 32K CGA 640 x 200 2:1 200 display would then be (800 x 600 x 15)/8 = 900K bytes. EGA 640 x 350 1.33:1 133 64K HiCOLOR (XGA color) is obtained by raising the green VGA 640 x 480 1:1 100 bits to the power of 6. The BPP in 64K HiCOLOR would then SVGA 800 x 600 1:1 100 be the sum of two powers of 5 plus one power of 6, for a BPP of 16. 8514/A 1,024 x 768 1:1 100 CGA-(Color Graphics Adapter). A false -color, low resolution TTL-based digital graphics standard developed by IBM. CGA As the Percent column reveals, images displayed at VGA resolu- has a maximum of 16 displayable and available colors. tions and better are reproduced at a balanced 100% of their CMYK-(Cyan Magenta Yellow blacK). The color primaries used original proportions (1:1 aspect ratio). Simply put, this means by the printing industry to create four-color separations. The that a given image, like one captured from PAL or NTSC video, CMYK color model has been proposed for PCs as an option to will appear "proportionally correct" (though at different scales) the more -familiar RGB format currently in use. The reasoning across these modes. The same image, however, will appear dis- behind this proposal is the increasing use of PCs to generate col- torted (elongated or squeezed) at modes less than VGA, where or artwork destined to be typeset. Errors in color selection (a com- the percentages become exaggerated. mon problem when estimating CMYK results on an RGB plat -

56 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com form) would be eliminated by working in a single, defined color display memory and video output circuitry. Calculations required space, from layout to final printing. Although emulated in some for line draws, circles, BitBlts and other display algorithms are graphics software, CMYK has yet to become an adopted hard- all performed by the host CPU. To draw a line, the host must ware platform for computer graphics. first calculate the X -Y coordinates of each pixel within the line Color Depth-See BPP. and then pass the results to the DFB for display. Color Space Conversion-Also known as color enhancement, EGA-(Enhanced Graphics Adapter). A medium resolution, these are algorithms performed in hardware and/or software to false -color analog graphics standard developed by IBM. A pred- convert colors in one graphics format to those in another. Conver- ecessor to VGA, EGA can display a maximum of 16 simultaneous sion is required when a source like broadcast TV has far more colors from an available palette of 64 colors. colors available or fewer, as in CMYK, than the target, which False Color-A method of displaying computer graphics with might be 256 -color VGA. If the source color space is greater than a pixel depth of less than eight (usually four or two) bits. Indepen- the color space of the target format, a distillation must be per- dent of the actual stored image BPP, "false" refers to the fact formed to more closely match the limitations imposed on the des- that displayed colors are essentially a "best guess" by virtue of tination. Depending on the algorithm used, the conversion can this shallow BPP limitation. CGA and EGA graphics standards assume a very close approximation of the original, with only fall into this category. minor anomalies and artifacts remaining. Gradient Fill-Similar to an area fill, except that the colors used CRT-(cathode-ray tube). The vacuum tube that makes up the to paint the area gradate from light to dark shades, often lending bulk of the video monitor on which computer data (text and the illusion of three-dimensional "shadows" to an object. graphics) is displayed. Graphics Accelerator (GA)-The next step up from the dumb DAC-(digital-to-analog converter). A device that converts digi- frame buffer. Inclusive of the functions found in the DFB, the tal computer data into a variable analog output voltage directly typical GA also contains engines to perform BitBlts and generate proportional to the numeric value of the input data. For exam- graphics primitives (lines, polygons, circles, etc.). More -recent ple, if data received by a DAC is in eight -bit bytes (2°), the input single-chip GAs, are essentially standard VGA cores with an em- range can be said to vary from 0 to 255 (256 contiguous steps). bedded processor that relieves the host CPU of computing most Additionally, if the DAC's reference is 2.5 volts, the range of the graphics tasks to greatly accelerate display throughput and overall analog output would be 0 to 2.5 volts in 255 steps of 9.8 mV. Val- system performance. To draw a line, the host need only tell the ues of the voltage steps are approximated by dividing the reference GA the beginning and ending coordinates (vectors) of the line. (in this case, 2.5 volts) by the input range (256). The GA calculates the positions of the pixels along the path be- Dithering-Sometimes (often not accurately) referred to as half- tween these points and displays the line. XGA and 8514/A graph- tones, this is a method of emulating gradient shades of colors (or ics adapters fall into this category. grays) by varying the density of the "dots" within an area of the Grid-Virtually the electronic equivalent of graph paper, a grid image, using tightly spaced groups of dots to reflect deeper tones within a drawing program assists the video artist in placing items and moving to more loosely grouped dots to reflect lighter tones. on -screen with greater accuracy. Grids are usually visible as a Deep Color-Color graphics with a BPP of 15 -bits or greater are framework of faintly colored (so as not to detract from any art- collectively called deep color and produce a minimum of 32,768 work in progress) and uniformly spaced dots across the drawing simultaneous colors. Although this approaches the visual effects field. Popularized by CAD programs, grids have become au rigeur of true color, there's a distinction. Deep color is capable of repro- of even the simplest of paint software. ducing photographic -quality imagery in some cases, but in others GUI-The graphical user interface, or GUI, was first conceptual- it yields unwanted anomalies, like banding. Only 24 -bit true col- ized at Xerox PARC (Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center) and or can reproduce images with the accuracies demanded by the later adopted and popularized by Apple with the Macintosh. It publishing and broadcast video industries. has matured and proliferated across numerous system platforms, Display Driver-A program -specific software file written to sup- including X -Windows for UNIX, OS/2 for IBM, Windows and port proprietary features of an installed graphics adapter. These Desqview for DOS, etc. Each with its own unique look and feel, files contain such information about the graphics card as display a GUI presents a collection of small graphical objects (icons) that resolutions available and how to enable them, methodology for represent different applications or tasks. Ideally, this method of performing BitBlts, color programming, cursor overlays, etc. user/computer interaction eases the burden of navigation in what Dot Pitch-The physical distance (in millimeters) between ad- would otherwise be a complex and time-consuming series of text - jacent phosphors that make up each pixel on a CRT's screen. As based queries. this value decreases, perceived sharpness of the displayed image Horizontal Sync-Also referred to as the horizontal scanning fre- increases. Current CRT technology permits dot pitches of 0.26 quency, this signal determines how often a video monitor draws and smaller, with 0.28 mm being the most economically popular. a single, horizontal line of the display. Measured in kilohertz Values greater than 0.28 mm render images that can appear fuz- (kHz), the standard VGA horizontal frequency is 31.5 kHz, while zy and lacking in detail, even at higher resolutions. Though a SVGA can range from 35 kHz to 50 kHz, depending on the ver- difference of only 0.03 mm may seem slight, the resulting fuz- tical refresh rate of the display adapter. ziness is a cumulative effect across the full display area and is easily Icon-Familiar to GUIs, an icon is a small graphic image that seen in side -by -side monitor comparisons. represents a function or software application. An icon of a pen- DRAM-(dynamic random-access memory). Commonly used cil, for example, might indicate a tool for drawing lines. as PC main memory. Use of DRAMs is the most cost-effective Image Buffer-Also page buffer, frame buffer or video memory. means of implementing a frame buffer (video memory) on a It's the RAM used by a graphics adapter to hold screen data. The graphics adapter. Although slower than VRAMs, these chips can size of the image buffer determines maximum displayable resolu- be used in non -interlaced display modes, providing the video con- tion. Example: The amount of RAM in bytes required for a resolu- troller can access its frame buffer in 0 wait states. "Dynamic" tion of 1,024 x 768 x 256 (1,024 horizontal pixels by 768 ver- refers to the need to periodically send a refresh pulse to the device tical pixels with 256 color attributes) is determined by multiply- to recharge the individual capacitive memory elements. ing 1,024 x 768 x BPP, and then dividing by 8. Since 256 color Dumb Frame Buffer (DFB)-Applies to the vast majority of cur- graphics have a BPP of 8, the RAM requirement for a full screen rently installed PC display adapters, including VGA. A DFB isn't using the above formula would be 786,432 (786K) bytes. In con- capable of processing display data beyond simply accepting in- trast, the image buffer size required for CGA graphics is only 16K structions from the host CPU and effecting traffic control of its bytes. This collection of bytes comprises a bitmap of the display

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTE RCRAFT / 57

www.americanradiohistory.com area, or one page of video memory. video DACs (one each to generate the R, G and B primary col- Interlacing-If a computer display is conceptualized as a stack ors used by analog color computer monitors). of horizontal lines, "interlacing" refers to the graphics adapter Raster-The action of producing a horizontal line of pixels on generating an image by first displaying only the odd -numbered a computer screen; one horizontal line of a displayed image (text lines of an image, then returning to display the even -numbered or graphics). lines. Half the image data is displayed first, and then a second Ray-Tracing-A method of creating computer images based on pass is made to display the other half. Each group (odd and even perceived reflective and refractive qualities of virtual "rays" lines) is called a field. Combining, or interlacing, the two fields of light striking various surfaces. Its usage in animation still produces the complete image, or a frame. This method has been largely limited to super -computers, a much scaled -down ver- employed in broadcast TV since its inception and is the least -tax- sion of ray -tracing software (capable of generating static im- ing on a computer graphics system. An inherent drawback to in- ages) has been ported to PCs in the form of Pixar's Render- terlacing is the slow scanning frequency (56 or 60 Hz) that can man (an add -in tool for AutoCAD). To give some idea of the generate annoying flicker that's exacerbated at SVGA resolutions complexity of ray-tracing, consider that employees at Apollo of 800 x 600 and better. Computer created a very impressive, 5 -minute animated short, Jaggies-Also referred to as aliasing, is the "stair -step" effect using only Apollo workstations (based on Motorola's 68000 mi- apparent along the edges of curved and angular lines viewed on- croprocessor) titled "A Long Rays Journey Into Light" (the screen. Exacerbated at low resolutions, jaggies result from the final cut being filmed directly from the screen of a high -resolu- "building-block" nature of pixels to display images. tion video monitor using an antique motion picture camera to Mosaic-The blurring of an image area by greatly increasing per- avoid synchronizing with the monitor's refresh rate). Total com- ceived pixel size and blending adjacent colors. Sometimes referred putation time was 50,000 -plus CPU hours! to as low-pass filtering, mosaics are often used by TV news media Refresh Rate-Also scanning frequency or vertical retrace fre- to mask a person's identity. quency, expressed in hertz (Hz) or events -per -second. It's how Non-interlacing-The most ergonomic method of generating a often a display adapter updates the complete on -screen image. computer display. Horizontal lines in each frame of video are RGB (Red/Green/Blue)-The three primary colors used by ana- drawn continuously from top to bottom in a single pass. The ob- log computer graphics hardware to create various color combina- vious advantage is that screen flicker is significantly reduced by tions. Unique colors are established by varying the intensities of virtue of the higher scanning frequencies (70 Hz or faster) em- each primary color and then combining them to achieve the le - ployed in non -interlaced video. sired shade. The breadth of possible color combinations is deter- Panning-This is movement (shifting) of the displayed images mined by the range of variations available to each R, G and B in any direction without changing its current magnification. It's value. See also True Color and BPP. useful if the image boundaries extend beyond the limits of the Rubber-Banding-Essentially a graphics previewing tool for screen's viewing area. placement of objects on -screen. Connecting the cursor (mouse Picture Element (PEL)-Archaic form of pixel. pointer, etc.) to a fixed point along a line or other object that Pixel-Smallest viewable element of a computer image. On color stretches or contracts like a "rubber band" as the cursor is moved. monitors, a single pixel is inclusive of the three RGB phosphors Sprite-A group of programmable rectangular pixels, usually 32 (grouped in triads) that determine the pixel's color. Different x 32 or greater, used in computer animation. Requiring dedicated colors are determined by varying the intensity of each RGB hardware (common to arcade games and some small computers), phosphor independently within the pixel. Conversely, gray sprites appear to travel smoothly about the screen and can pass shades are determined by varying these intensities equally. The over or behind other on -screen objects without disturbing them. following helps to illustrate the relationship in dots -per -inch SVGA (Super VGA)-Sometimes referred to as EVGA (Extend- (dpi) between pixels and common graphics resolutions. ed VGA), SVGA graphics modes are proprietary controller-specific methods of boosting the 320 x 200 resolution of standard 256 -color VGA to 1,024 x 768. Mode Resolution Horizontal* Vertical* Tiling-Similar to both area fills and gradient fills, tiling paints an area with a repetitive pattern of defined graphical sub -entities CGA 640 x 200 96 48 or "tiles." EGA 640 x 350 96 72 True Color-A method of displaying computer graphics with a VGA 640 x 480 96 96 pixel depth of 24 bits or greater. "True color" refers to the dis- 8514/A 1,024 x 768 120 300 played colors being the most accurate and natural reproductions Laser Printer N.A. 120 300 possible, provided the original image file was captured on equipment capable of not less than 24 BPP. This studio -quality graphics inch (dpi). *Figures in these columns are in dots per standard is derived from the fact that the human eye can't distin- guish the subtle differences between more than 256 adjacent Pixel Depth-See BPP. shades of any color. Essentially, the individual R, G and B primary Primitives-The most basic graphics elements (lines, polygons, colors have a minimum depth of 256 shades each, for a possible curves, etc.) that can be combined to create more -complex im- 16.7 -million colors. First popularized on PCs by Truevision's ages. It's desirable to have the ability to generate these in hard- Targa boards, 24 -bit color has quickly become the de facto stan- ware (a feature common to some graphics accelerators) because dard for high -end computer graphics, where photo -realistic im- of their math -intensive nature. age processing is required. Pseudo Color-A method of displaying computer graphics with TTL Video-An all -digital method of communicating image data a pixel depth of eight bits. "Pseudo" refers to the fact that dis- between display adapter and monitor, TTL (transistor -transistor played colors are only an approximation by virtue of the 8-BPP logic) video was among the earliest forms of computer displays limitation. Each pure primary color value (R, G and B values) but now has all but disappeared from the marketplace due to the is limited to only 64 possible shades. This is far below even the huge success of analog graphics formats. The major drawback upper limits of how many shades of a given color the eye can of TTL video is its restricted image -data bandwidth that severe- perceive. This category includes 256 -color VGA graphics. ly limits both pixel depth and graphics resolution. RAMDAC-Also hardware color palette, a device inclusive of Vectored Graphics-A format common to CAD software that a 256 -byte RAM color lookup table (attribute buffer) and three defines an image as a collection of absolute physical coordinates (Continued on page 80)

58 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Software Review By Tom Benford

DR DOS Version 6.0: Is it a Better 0/S Than MS-DOS 6.0?

A computer's operating system can be likened to the neural centers of the brain. After all, it's the operating system that en- dows the computer with a set of instructions that enable it to do useful work and interact with its user. Back in the early days of "personal" computing, the pre-eminent operating system was CP/M, created by a chap named Gary Kildall. Kildall is the founder and CEO of Digital Research, Inc., a multina- tional organization that develops and markets a range of general-purpose operating systems for microcomputers, family of real-time operating systems and line of graphics systems and applications software products. The advent of the 16 -bit IBM PC with its PC -DOS operating system (developed by a fledgling company named Microsoft) marked the beginning of the end for the eight -bit CP/M. Digital Research, however, developed a competitive product to Microsoft and continued to wage a quiet operating -system war with Microsoft for years. DR released DR DOS 5.0 a couple of years ago for IBM-compatible PCs, and it produced quite a stir as a greatly -enhanced alternative to the then -popular Microsoft MS- has packed its new operating system with of MS-DOS, and virtually all of the same DOS 3.3 and new DOS 4.01 versions. loads of "extra" goodies-features like a utilities and commands of MS-DOS have DR DOS overcame many of the defi- built-in dynamic disk compression and ex- equivalents (usually with the same name) ciencies of the Microsoft operating sys- pansion utility that effectively doubles the in DR DOS. To applications, DR DOS tems, including better support for high - capacity of a hard disk, a full version of "looks" like MS-DOS 3.31. So any appli- capacity hard disks. Also, a full -screen text PC-Kwik disk -cache software, excellent cation that runs satisfactorily under MS- editor and more -efficient memory man- system security options and more. DOS 3.3 should, in theory, run without a agement made it a better product than ei- I always approach a major system con- hitch under DR DOS 6.0. ther of the Microsoft versions against figuration change with some trepidation, The SETVER.EXE program in MS- which it was positioned to compete. But, and shifting operating systems is certain- DOS 5.0, used to establish compatibility alas, it wasn't a stellar success in the mar- ly a major change. Upgrading to MS-DOS with some programs, is conspicuously ab- ketplace, compared to Microsoft DOS. 5.0 within the last year was relatively pain- sent in DR DOS 6.0. That's not to say that Several OEMs (Asian makers of laptop less; the improvements of this new version compatibility problems aren't an issue with and notebook computers) selected DR over earlier ones are significant. One of the the DR product, however. While Digital DOS 5.0 as the standard operating system nice "comfort" features of the MS-DOS Research guarantees that any program that for their machines. The DOS was com- 5.0 upgrade was the uninstall option if you runs on a true IBM-compatible PC will run monly put into ROM, which made it con- felt "antsy" about it and wanted to revert under DR DOS 6.0, some conditions are venient for the user and saved disk space back to your original configuration. imposed. Some features of the operating that DOS would normally take up. Micro- I had the same anxieties about install- system may have to be disabled, system soft's DOS, in contrast, couldn't be easi- ing DR DOS 6.0, although finding that configuration may require alteration and ly put into ROM because of the way its Digital Research also included a complete loading order of device drivers and TSRs code was written at the time. uninstall utility with DR DOS 6.0 bolstered may have to be modified. In comparison, It seems that Microsoft did pick up a my confidence. Microsoft's SETVER.EXE is a remark- pointer or two along the way, as evidenced Installing DR DOS 6.0 is about as pain- ably effective and simple -to -use compati- by the release of MS DOS 5.0 last year, less as it can get, since the install program bility "band -aid." (Configuring DR DOS which was hailed as the "DOS you've been analyzes system resources and automatic- to work with Windows proved to be a trial - waiting for." Hot on Microsoft's heels, ally selects installation and configuration by -fire ordeal that I'll get into later.) Digital Research released DR DOS 6.0. options to optimize your system. You're Documentation supplied with DR DOS The operating -system competition was also given the choice of manual override. 6.0 is excellent, surpassing Microsoft's 5.0 back again in full swing. In truth, the automatic mode does a pret- user's manual. Digital Research provides In an effort to make DR DOS more ty good job of it, but manual adjustment a 666 -page user's guide, in addition to a useful and more attractive and to over- of several parameters will improve overall 94 -page ViewMAX user's manual. Within come the inbred preference for Microsoft's performance in many instances. weeks of receiving the initial DR DOS DOS that many users feel, Digital Research DR DOS 6.0 has the same look and feel package, I received an additional 52 -page

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 59

www.americanradiohistory.com manual, titled "Optimization and Config- uration Tips," along with a software up- File Qptions Vieta Help UirwflA: date disk. Moreover, excellent context -sen- TasktiAX Interface sitive help is always available for any DR 113 folder(s).

DOS command or function with the DOS - I 1C:\ .Swap Space Ava í Ih l, BOOK command. Adding a /? or /H t 1 IZLIB switch to any internal or external DR DOS - I---B(1RDel it: command produces help text for that item. 111 t P T,, F, in conTR: DR gets four stars the documentation ntn,ri i l,n . department. ELECT' tinUTiiry ViewMAX is a graphical shell that has FI.O4! 4 1; I ORG(.IG windows and is largely icon -driven. It Iì I:;Knt'T 6 IRIDELETE bears a strong resemblance to the GEM l EDITUh graphical environment, another Digital Research product, but this is no surprise 13 folder(s). since the GEM "desktop" was around 2,3i Ius while Windows was just a gleam in Bill Gates' eye. The shell uses a point -and -click Run Delete Insert interface for accessing DOS functions, ) data and applications. If you like working from a graphical shell rather than a system ? Çancet prompt, ViewMAX is easy to learn and use (if you've ever used any GEM -based application you're already an expert). MemoryMAX is the memory -management center of DR DOS 6.0. This system - moves the op- oriented memory manager DR DOS 6.0's TaskMAX Interface is shown superimposed on main program screen. erating system itself, buffers, drivers, TSRs and any networking software above the 640K memory area, freeing up huge amounts of RAM (625K or more free RAM isn't unusual) for use by applica- DOSBook tions. There's a section in the manual that Window goes into great detail about memory alloca- SUPERPCK tion, configuration and optimization. This Contents AltC is very helpful, although many users will Glossary AltC 1`rm.+ t. Index AltI find it to be too technical. The newly -supplied Optimization and SUPERPCK [/ Backtrack AltB Next AltN Configuration Tips manual goes a long Explanation Previous AltP way in clearing up some of the techno mumbo -jumbo in the manual and is inval- The SUPERPC About... per PC-KWIK d. I. I.. This is a memory -re - system's performance by uable in setting up your system to get the reducing the as to physically access hard most out of it. Table 1 shows the Memory- disks or diskettes. It also increases the speed at which data is written to MAX features available with various hard- disk. ware/device driver combinations. You can choose to install the disk cache when you run INSTALL or ETIIP DiskMAX is the on -board file compres- in which case the correct statements to load and run the disk cache program are automatically added to your t files. sion and expansion utility that can double hard -disk space. Dynamic compression and expansion, in conjunction with a very Command switches fast disk caching program (PC-Kwik), significantly speeds up accessing and us- Inset on this DR DOS 6.0 DOSBook screen shows keyboard commands that are ing applications. Two drivers, SUPER- to be used for executing various options. STOR.SYS and DEVSWAP.SYS, are loaded to activate compression and caching capabilities. pasting from one application to another dard serial cable to interconnect the two It's interesting to observe that SUPER- via the system's clipboard, just as is possi- machines, files can be transferred back and STOR by itself slows disk performance be- ble in Microsoft's Windows. Keeping a forth directly (as with Laplink and Brook- cause files have to be compressed when "bookmark" of each active application lyn Bridge) without using a modem. writing and expanded when reading. The for quick switching uses memory, how- Digital Research had the first really PC-Kwik disk cache counteracts this effect ever. So TaskMAX isn't a panacea for useful full -screen text editor in DR DOS and, in so doing, actually improves data having several heavy-duty programs all 5.0, simply named "EDITOR." This utili- and application access time. running at once. ty used common Wordstar commands (the TaskMAX is the Digital Research task - If you've ever had occasion to transfer control key in concert with one or two al- switching utility that permits loading up to files between one computer and another, pha keys) and allowed you to work with 20 programs into memory simultaneous- say from a laptop to a desktop machine, a full screen of text, rather than a single line ly and hot -keying from one to another. the Fi1eLINK serial file -transfer utility will at a time, as with MS -DOS's EDLIN and This is particularly handy for cutting -and - be a very appealing feature. Using a stan- coin, CON commands. EDITOR is again

60 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Earn Your B.S. Degree in Table 1. DR DOS 6.0 MemoryMAX features Configurations ELECTRONICS Applicable DR DOS DR DOS or Hardware Driver LIM Kernel XMS Upper Memory COMPUTERS 386SX,386,486 EMM386.SYS * 386SX,386,486 HIDOS.SYS, * Third -Party XMS Memory Manager IBM PS/2 80286 EMMXMA.SYS, * IBM XMA Card 80286 With HIDOS.SYS Extended Memory 80286 With HIDOS.SYS * Mappable Shadow, Extended Memory 80286, Mappable HIDOS.SYS Shadow, No Extended Memory 80286 with NeAT, HIDOS.SYS By at Home LeAP or SCAT Studying Chip Set Grantham College of Engineering, 80286, LIM 4.0 HIDOS.SYS, * now in our 42nd year, is highly ex- Driver, Extended Third -Party perienced in "distance education"- Extended Memory LIM 4.0 Driver * * teaching by correspondence-through 8088/8086/80286, HIDOS.SYS, printed materials, computer materials, LIM 4.0 EMS Third -Party Card, No LIM 4.0 Driver fax, and phone. External Memory No commuting to class. Study at your own pace, while continuing on * = supported feature; -= unsupported feature; ? = dependent on features offered your present job. Learn from easy -to - by 3rd -party memory manager. understand but complete and thorough lesson materials, with additional help from our instructors. Our Computer B.S. Degree Pro- included in DR DOS 6.0, with all of the ly when you get into advanced configura- gram includes courses in BASIC, same features and functionality it had in tion and optimization of the system to PASCAL and C languages - as well as the earlier version but without mouse sup- squeeze the most out of each individual ap- Assembly Language, MS DOS, CADD, port. On a personal level, I prefer the new plication you're running. EDIT.COM in Microsoft's MS-DOS 5.0 At boot -up, you select the optimized Robotics, and much more. as a friendlier text editor with its drop - configuration that maximizes your re- Our Electronics B.S. Degree Pro- down menus and full mouse support. sources for the selected application. This gram includes courses in Solid -State Undelete and unformat commands are is certainly much easier than my MS-DOS Circuit Analysis and Design, Control also included in DR DOS 6.0. They're method of renaming CONFIG.SYS to Systems, Analog/ Digital Communica- powerful medicine, on a par with or sur- CONFIG.TMP and renaming CON- tions, Microwave Engr, and much more. passing dedicated -purpose products that FIG.SY1 to CONFIG.SYS and then re- An important part of being pre- perform equivalent functions from third - booting. This doubles the effort if you pared to move up is holding the right party developers like Norton, Mace and have to modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT. Multisoft. Passwords can be assigned to files and college degree, and the absolutely neces- I frequently have to change my system directories to prevent unauthorized access sary part is knowing your field. configuration to accommodate new de- via the PASSWORD command. The key- Grantham can help you both ways- vices and/or software for specific projects board can be locked with a command, and to learn more and to earn your degree on which I'm working, and my root direc- disk partitions can be security -protected to in the process. tory usually has at least a half -dozen ver- make them inviolable. Write or phone for our free sions of AUTOEXEC.BA? and CON- Disk and file management is excellent in catalog. Toll free, 1-800-955-2527, or FIG.SY? files which reflect various cus- DR DOS 6.0, which has the ability to dis- see mailing address below. tomizations (the ? is replaced by a number play files in multiple subdirectories using for each version and I keep a log of what the xDIR command. Using the TREE com- each contains). mand, you can search for a file or multi- Accredited by DR ple occurrences of a file display the the Accrediting Commission of the One of the really handy features of and National Home Study Council DOS 6.0 is the ability to keep multiple file's location on your disk. This gives the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT se- operating system functionality like some lection options available at boot time to of the independent shell programs exhibit, GRANTHAM select the configuration "flavor" that's such as X-Tree and Still River Shell. best for the current work session. The real There are scores of other useful features College of Engineering strength of this feature is appreciated on- (Continued on page 74) Grantham College Road Slidell, LA 70460

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERC RAFT / 61

www.americanradiohistory.com Add Some Color to Your Output

Back in the earliest days of microcom- puting, we were all so excited by the power and potential of the desktop PC, few of us paid much attention to the form the output took. Though my original Apple II offered color output with a composite monitor, for the first few years, I was glad to have its standard 40-column monochrome screen. Over the years, as my applications (and budget) grew, I added an 80 -column adapter, letter -quality daisywheel printer and, finally, an RGB composite monitor. It didn't provide anywhere near the quality display of even an ordinary color TV receiver, but it was color! At the time, it was almost as much of a kick as my first color TV. That was then, this is now. All the PCs I use, other than my old 512K Mac, have VGA color adapters and monitors capable of 256 colors at 640 x 400 resolution. And I'm in the process of testing a Super VGA card/monitor combo that promises 32,000 colors at standard VGA resolution and crisp 256 -color display at 1,024 x 768 resolution. The one thing that hasn't changed much in the last 14 years of PC use is my output. With 300 -dpi laser resolution, it looks good, but it's predominantly black and bands on the ribbon are produced by over- mixed color, these mechanical limitations white. I say "predominantly" because for printing. For example, overprinting red make it difficult to obtain proper registra- the last few months I've been using the new and blue produces purple. For an inexpen- tion at any kind of decent resolution. Hewlett Packard Deskjet 500C color ink - sive way of adding color, this method The most commonly used color printers jet printer. works-with a few serious limitations. nowadays are thermal -transfer printers, Color printers have been available for There are two inherent limitations of this which also use a wax -based ink in the form quite some time, of course. However, in process that explain why color dot-matrix of sheets or a long roll. An image is created the past, there have been enough negatives printing hasn't become more popular. One on paper by a thermal printhead that melts in using them that few of these printers is color quality. It isn't too bad when print- tiny dots of the desired color onto the have become popular. In fact, until recent- ing a pure color that's contained on the rib- paper. Multiple passes of the paper under ly, much of the color output generated bon band. However, colors created by each color panel of the ribbon produce col- from PCs has been created on plotters, overprinting two or more primaries are of- ors other than the primaries. Because wax - which are hardly more than motor -driven ten very "muddy" looking, a result of the based ink is melted onto the paper, dif- pens. type of wax -based ink used in these ribbons ferent colors overlaid on each other blend Most color printers in use today are (it doesn't mix very well). The other inher- much better, yielding brighter and more either dot-matrix or thermal -transfer ent limitation is registration and resolution. consistent colors. units. Apple's ImageWriter II was one of Registration and resolution both relate Resolutions of thermal -transfer print- the first popular printers to offer color out- to the placement of the dots on the page. ers, at a laser quality 300 dpi, are much put capability, using a special four-color Modern dot-matrix printers are capable of higher than with the dot-matrix method. (red, blue, yellow and black) ribbon. Other resolutions of up to 360 dpi, which is some- Also, because the paper -handling mecha- printer vendors-Epson, Panasonic, Cit- what better than the standard laser's 300 nism is more precise, registration is far izen and Star Micronics-also offer color dpi. In reality, though, this resolution is superior. Most thermal-transfer printers kits for some of their dot-matrix printers. difficult to achieve with any consistency are PostScript -based and contain several Printing color with a dot-matrix printer across a page because of the mechanical megabytes of memory. They even offer so equipped isn't difficult, but it requires limitations imposed by the movement of hard disks for storage of fonts. that the ribbon carriage be able to be the print carriage and paper -handling There are two downsides that preclude moved up and down so that a particular mechanism. When you try to place single the use of color thermal -transfer printers color band can be positioned in front of dots of different colors right over each for casual use. Both relate to cost. The first the printhead. Colors other than the four other, which is necessary to produce a is acquisition cost. Color PostScript print -

62 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com ers are expensive. The NEC PS Mate printer used to print the sample in the exhibit, for example, has a list price about $6,000. The per -copy cost of using such a printer Color Therm. is also high. With replacement ribbons costing close to $100 and special paper necessary for best results, it can cost between Transfer versus Colc 70 cents to a $1 per page to generate color output. If you need to run out two or three copies of each page to get the color balance J4 right, your final cost can be in excess of $2 Ink per usable page. The newest color printers, which use a dye -sublimation process, are a refinement A Demonstration of tl of thermal -transfer technology. These use a similar wax -based ribbon, but they va- HP500C's Capabilitii porize the ink before depositing it on the paper. By controlling vaporization temperature, the printer can vary the size of the dot produced. This technology produces an almost continuous -tone quality output, but it's several times more expensive than Color Thermal the already pricey thermal -transfer printer. A third alternative, color ink jet printers, has also been around for a while. Un- Transfer versus til recently, these printers, like the HP PaintJet, have offered moderately poor resolution (in the range of 170 dpi). The Color Ink Jet most workable way of adding color to a high -resolution page was to use a color - transfer system like LetraSet's Color Tag, A Demonstration of the reviewed in this column a while back. These systems use a heat process to melt HP500C's Capabilities a color into laser printer toner. You can get a Color Tag starter set for less than $100 at many graphic supply houses, but it's a Outputs from NEC PS Mate (upper) and Hewlett Packard DeskJet 500c color printers. The very labor-intensive process and is most latter sacrifices some color density, but at only a sixth of the price of the former, it's a real appropriate for adding limited spot color bargain. to laser -printed documents. I've run across a color output device that lets me do high -resolution color output at a reasonable price. The Hewlett Packard to plug in the interface cable an easy task. ever cartridge isn't currently being used. DeskJet 500C is a color printer that's both While offering similar choices in resolu- It's a good idea to keep this storage box affordable to buy and inexpensive enough tion (75, 150 and 300 dpi) the DJ500C dif- right on top of the printer so that, when to use. It's an extended version of HP's fers from the rest of its family in another you're not printing a color document, you popular DeskJet 500 inkjet printer intro- way. To install the ink cartridge, you must can quickly pop in the standard cartridge. duced in 1990. The original DeskJet Plus, hit a button on the control panel marked You'll want to use the black ink cartridge and the DeskJet 500, introduced laser "Print Cartridge." This moves the print that's both less expensive to use when quality 300 dpi output at a price that was, carriage into the middle of its travel, where printing black -and -white documents and at the time, about a third of what a laser the cartridge can be easily accessed. produces much "blacker" black than the printer sold for. The 500 added more RAM The 500C can use one of two different somewhat muddy black produced by mix- (to hold downloaded softfonts), and the ink cartridges. One is the standard black ing colors. 500C model extends the line-up by offer- ink cartridge used by all DeskJet series Unfortunately, you can't just plug the ing full -color output. The price for the printers. This obviously yields black -and - DeskJet 500C in and start printing every- DeskJet is a very reasonable $1,105 at white output. At about $20, the black ink thing in color (other than the printer test retail, which translates to about $700 to cartridge is much less expensive for day- pattern, that is). Most DOS -based soft- $750 "street" price. to-day printing than the other choice-the ware won't know how to make use of the Physically, the only way to tell the color cartridge. The color cartridge is color capabilities of the 500C. Hewlett DJ500C from any other DeskJet is to look slightly larger than the standard cartridge Packard provides a number of printer driv- at the identification plate. It has the same and costs about twice as much at $39.95. ers that enable selected DOS applications compact dimensions 17.3 "W x 8 "H x It produces somewhat fewer pages than the to print in color. 14.8"D and light 14 -pound weight. Like black cartridge, depending on how dense Applications for which there are drivers other members of the DeskJet family, it you've set the color print. to take advantage of the color capabilities also has an external power supply and ser- The printer automatically senses which of the DeskJet 500C include Ashton-Tate's ial and parallel ports. The ports are accessi- cartridge is installed. The 500C comes Applause II, SPC's Harvard Graphics, ble from the bottom of the printer, but the complete with one of each cartridge, as The HP Gallery Collection, several ver- unit is light enough to make turning it over well as a handy hinged box to store which- sions of Lotus' 1-2-3 and Borland's Quat- (Continued on page 86)

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 65

www.americanradiohistory.com Getting to the Next Frontier

If you work with Windows because the ratio helps, but it doesn't seem like much scribes each uniquely). For significant stor- "G" in GUI stands for graphics, I've got on an 11 " x 14", full -color bleed that age savings in the most demanding color an incredible new product for you-two, takes around 100M. And if that doesn't applications, this is a viable solution. actually. When it comes to making graph- give you gas, consider that an uncom- LEADVIEW supports compression and ics files small, they're more potent than the pressed, 600 x 600 -dpi, 32 -bit tabloid page decompression of the following standard chemistry Lewis Carroll's Alice used. And can consume an enormous quarter of a image modes: RGB 4:4:4:; YUV 4:2:2: or while you won't have to go down a rabbit gigabyte. Feeling queasy yet? 4:4:4:; eight -bit grayscale; and CMYK hole, you'll get there faster if you do. Alka-Seltzer won't help. JPEG's lossy 4:4:4:4:. This allows you to work with This technology could be the engine that compression can get rid of that bloated compressed files produced from other drives us to the next frontier of video on feeling, but you lose some of your image products, if they're in any of these formats, the PC. The need for fast eight -bit video quality. Fortunately, LEAD Technologies and even to further compress them. And has largely been satisfied by the technolo- has two new Windows products that offer LEADVIEW supports many file formats: gies used in the forthcoming glut of Win- extended compression ratios. The com- TGA (8- to 32 -bit), TIFF (8- to 24 -bit), dows video -accelerator cards. Even truly pany claims either will digest a file down BMP (4-, 8- and 24 -bit), GIF, PCX. It also low-cost full color is coming. Genoa is as much as 255:1, and they'll produce as provides the JFIF and JTIF interchange planning to ship a 16 -million -color board good an image as JPEG's 20:1 ratio at a compression formats, in addition to for Windows by the end of March. It will 180:1 crunch. There's no question that, at LEAD's own Extended Compression. sell for less than $300! equivalent compressions, LEAD's propri- Software -only and combination hard- What we need now are developers that etary algorithm produces far less color ware -and -software products are available. support image compression to speed up the loss, contouring and other deterioration Both support Targa cards (up to full col- monstrous files of real -world color appli- than JPEG. The differences are easy or) and eight -bit (256 -color) VGA or Su- cations-not just for real-time video, but enough for the untrained eye to pick out per VGA cards, with resolutions up to

for all full -color applications. While video immediately. "JPEG isn't bad, but a 1,024 x 768. It takes from 1 to 2 seconds has both the storage and speed problems typical 1M file that looks good at 60K in to go from 1M down to 5K with the hard- that compression addresses, work requir- JPEG will look at least as good with ware. The software takes from 8 to 25 ing a high level of image quality can benefit LEAD's compression at 6K," according seconds. A Windows -specific version of from compression, too-if the quality is to vice president of engineering Moham- LEADVIEW is in beta and ships sometime preserved. mad Daher. in the second quarter of this year. Right now, we're at the stage where the LEADVIEW works on-line to display This program has built-in drivers for inexpensive commodity computer can do on the fly its compressed files directly to many video cards, including those with the acceptable color work for a limited number the screen. It's the feature that makes a Sierra RAM-DAC, Tseng 3000 and 4000, of applications. Ventura Publisher 4.0, hardware version of the product worth its Video 7, Paradise, VESA, Targa and other with its color extensions, and Quark 4.0 for price. Decompressing to the screen is typ- compatibilities. In addition to compress- Windows, are going to bring many color ically a lot faster than the I/O time that's ing a file, LEAD's technology produces a professionals down from higher -cost solu- normally required to view the original un- color palette that accompanies each. This tions. But they're going to pay a penalty compressed file. palette is ignored in 16- or 24 -bit true -color in productivity when they switch from their Incredibly, LEADVIEW also has a loss- environments, but it contains an optimum high-performance workstations. Putting less compression that can produce size re- selection of 256 colors that provide ap- support for fast compression into applica- ductions comparable to JPEG-without propriate color conversions for use on tions like those cited above could go a long changing your files. Compression is done eight -bit cards. A single file, thus, provides way to bringing high -end color perfor- at 24 or 32 bits (lower resolutions are con- images that are suitable for either hard- mance down toward the desktop's irresis- verted automatically), and, depending on ware platform. tibly attractive prices. the image, it can range from a 10:1 to 20:1 However, conversion to an eight -bit Most artists and designers have probab- ratio. The number of colors won't change. mode is very time-consuming. So, Targa ly solved their storage problems by buying The number of pixels won't change, either. or other 16-bit, or higher, cards are recom- a huge hard drive and a Bernoulli or Sy - While there's no loss involved, you may mended for applications where the card's quest removable mass -storage -media drive. sometimes find that DOS COMP.COM fast display capability is required. Under They know from experience that a lossless will find discrepancies. Windows, LEADVIEW will support any algorithm like LZW (the one used in prod- Daher explains that decompression can driver up to 32 bits, which, of course, is the ucts like PKzip) may only compress those select a different output format without Windows advantage. natural -image TGA and TIFF files down changing the image, but it does change the It isn't magic. The LEADVIEW 255 about 6% to 10%. file slightly in other ways. These may be uses C -Cube's CL550 B chip as its main But solving the storage problem, even due to header information or format type. processor. (It's a single-chip JPEG engine, with one of the new super -fast Bernoulli For example, there are 12 varieties of which means that standard JPEG files are 90s, doesn't reduce the delay when huge TGA, he says, and a potentially unlimit- also available for interchange when nec- files move into memory. JPEG's lossy 20:1 ed number of TIFF formats (the header de- essary.) It's lossy, but it can do 30 frames

66 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com A Quick Tour In Color -Image Compression

After compression, images were decompressed to a TGA 32 -bit Notice the quality of the PFQ shot. You shouldn't be able to file, which was then output to a 4,000 -line matrix film recorder. tell the difference between this and the original. Also notice that The recorder produced the film and the slides were generated. the Maxcomp image scanner, which is 17.7% smaller than the The original was scanned by Terry Wessling of Coyne & Wes- JPEG maximum. Look at the difference in quality between this sling (704-332-1990). The slides were digitized and created by Dave and the original. Crook of Vargo Color Lab (704-529-1555). Both are located in Lead delivers a smaller size and better image quality. Charlotte. North Carolina. -Rich Little

This original was shot with a Canon EDS Rebel 35 -mm camera with This PFQ shot was compressed at Lead perfect quality to a size Fuji Velvia 50 ISO slide film. It was then scanned on a Nikon of 482,058 bytes, for a ratio of 15.26:1. The RGB haven't changed. AF3500 to a 32 -bit TGA file (6,358,840 bytes).

This Maxcomp shot was compressed at lead size now more im- This shot was compressed at maximum JPEG compression to a portant than quality to a size of 35,623 bytes, for a ratio of 206.57:1. size of 43,282 bytes, fora ratio of 170:1.

All photos courtesy of Rich Little, Lead Technologies, Inc. per second (full -motion video). Lossless ware version doesn't include software to ware and software -only products. The compression is done in software. select addresses for its own configuration hardware version costs less than half as LEAD Technologies bundles a utility on the AT bus. This must be done with much as the LEADVIEW 255, but VIC that converts, scales and re -sizes TGA (8 - jumper blocks. doesn't have LEAD's enhancements. Pic- to 32 -bit), TIFF (8- and 24 -bit), BMP (4-, ture Packer's 30:1 compression limit is 8- and 24 -bit), GIF and PCX file formats. necessary, VIC claims, to limit informa- And it captures frames of live or still video A Second Alternative tion loss to an unnoticeable level. "Our Q from the buffers of targa -compatible cards Video & Image Compression Corp. offers factor is around 10, and that produces very like the Viga -16. Unfortunately, the hard- an example of straight JPEG in both hard- little loss," maintains executive vice presi -

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 67

www.americanradiohistory.com GUI Guts By Yacço

dent Alan Shen. Picture Packer com- everything through the fax. chipped in with a study of the way people presses a 1M file to roughly 33K in about Due to ship by the end of March, Paper - use their faxes and data. 3 seconds (it's machine dependent). The Works lets you send and receive data from software takes about 20 seconds to accom- files on your PC through an ordinary fax plish the same task. machine, using nothing more than a pen Mutant Ninja Morons Packer has a second advantage, beyond and blank piece of paper. "If you think of Did you survive the Michaelangelo Virus? low-cost JPEG compression, that can the PC as your docubank, we're turning That's what everybody, including Bill, the make it the preferred choice in some en- fax machines into ATMs," quips project guy from UPS, has been asking me. I spent vironments: interoperability. Versions are leader Z Smith. Not only can you down- most of last night organizing and archiv- available for both DOS and Windows on load files by using a type of fax polling, you ing several year's worth of data. I suppose the PC, and for the Mac. "I think that can direct the system to broadcast them to I should be grateful to the fan of comic nobody else has a product on both plat- a distribution list. Send a text file to one culture who wrote this virus for the motiva- forms," Shen says. On the PC, the hard- recipient, a technical drawing to another, tion to do something I've been putting off ware uses a TI TMS320C25 DSP (digital a handwritten memo to a third. The only for a long time. But these virus writers signal processor), on the Mac an SGS equipment they need is a conventional fax. aren't exactly virtuous. I wouldn't be sit- Thomson IMSA121 DCT (discrete cosine The back -end that drives everything is ting here now creating files with tomor- transform) chip. a program that runs on any PC with a sup- row's date on them if they were. In fact, Supported file formats include TIFF ported fax -modem. You control the pro- it occurs to me that what motivates them (8 -bit gray and 24-bit color), TGA (16 -bit), gram remotely from any standard fax ma- is a need to control and terrorize people. PCX, GIF (but not BMP) for the PC. It chine with a "paper user interface" on In other words, they're a new breed of rap- supports PICT and TIFF on the MAC. which you check your requests. And if you ist: the mass rapist. And just like physical Packer doesn't have LEADVIEW's wide don't have a form handy, you can request rape isn't about sex, electronic rape isn't range of image -modes. Only a few are sup- one by sending a blank page. Generic about intellectual challenges. ported: RGB 4:2:2: or 2:1:1:; YUV 4:2:2:; forms come with the product, and the soft- and 8 -bit grayscale. Packer's display com- ware includes an "object-oriented" patibility isn't provided by drivers but by custom -form generator. a TSR on the PC or a CDEV or an init on There's more. You can also enter and the Mac. It's compatible with a wide ar- store data from the field. In fact, Paper - ray of PC video cards: VGA, SuperVGA, Works is a complete system designed to Targa cards and any card that works with organize documents around the work or Genoa Systems its supported file formats. a particular job. So an architect, for exam- 75 E. Trimble Rd. One last word before I change topics. ple, can organize communication with his San Jose, CA 95131 Although PKzip isn't well -suited for some customers, contracts, sketches, CAD files Tel.: 408-432-9090 types of graphic files, I don't mean to and cost spreadsheets, around each proj- disparage it. It's a good product that's ect. Multiple instances of a document CIRCLE NO. 101 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD available as shareware, and it's worth hav- (those related to a subassembly used in LEADVIEW, $129, ing for other files, especially for transmis- multiple projects, for instance) are repre- LEADVIEW sion between modems that don't have sented by an icon, not an actual file. (From 255, $1,495 Lead Technologies, Inc. compatible compression built into them. what I know so far, it sounds like Saros' 8701 Mallard Creek Rd. PKware offers a number of other utilities, Mezzanine.) Charlotte, NC 28262 too. PKfind and PKzmenu make it easy to Paper Works sells for $249 and has sup- Tel.: 704-549-5532 work with the compressed files. There's a port for four fax boards: Intel's SatisFAX- version of PKzip for OS/2. Another utili- tion, Complete PC's Complete FAX or CIRCLE NO. 102 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD ty, PKlite, produces compressed ex- Complete Communicator and Singapore ecutables that spontaneously expand when Technologies' CEI proFAX. (Note: A rep- Picture Packer Accelerator Card, $595 you run them. If you need disk space, these resentative of Singapore Technologies in- (PC); $695 (Mac) products can provide it cheaply, and dicated that it's no longer actively market- Video & Image Compression Corp. they're well worth supporting with a paid ing its fax -modem.) About the only thing 2221 Rosecrans Ave., Ste. 203 registration if you use them. they seem to have overlooked was a catchy El Segundo, CA 90245 high-tech spelling like Xerox "Paper- Tel.: 310-643-7571 WorX." You can order from Xerox by Everything Plus the Fax calling 800-4FAXFAX (800-432- 9329). CIRCLE NO. 10 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD The propellers at Xerox PARC have been Incidentally, there's an interesting story busy whirring like a wind farm in a hurri- behind Paper Works. It's fairly common PKzip, $47 (DOS or OS/2); PKlite, $46; cane. If you're not familiar with the Palo knowledge that Xerox is almost as infa- PKfind $25; PKzmenu, $36 Alto Research Center's earlier work, it mous in marketing circles as it's renowned Developer products: PKlite Profes- manifests itself in products like the Mac in- in the research community. This time, sional, $146 (enhanced version); PKware terface and the laser printer. This time, though, the company plans to actually Data Compression Library, $295 they've whipped up a radical new way to make money from its research. To forestall PKware use the ubiquitous facsimile machine. another of its historic technology turn- 9025 N. Deerwood Dr. When PC fax boards were first introduced, overs, PARC brought company research- Brown Deer, WI 53223 several vendors used a paraphrase of Sgt. ers, developers and marketers into the Tel.: (414) 354-8699 Joe Friday's line, "Just the fax." One same facility, where they worked together product, JT Fax, was named after it. But to make sure a product was developed. The CIRCLE NO. 104 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD the idea behind PaperWorks is to provide staff even included anthropologists who

68 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Joseph Desposito

An Adapter Card That Makes PCs I2C Bus Compatible and a Quad Eight -bit Serial DAC With Data Readback

The first IBM-PC compatible 12C serial communications adapter, the Calibre Elec- tronics ICA-90, already popular in Eur- ope, is now available from The Saelig Co. (1193 Moseley Rd., Victor, NY 14564). This half-length card supports the full two - wire I2C (inter-I.C.) protocol and is based on the Philips PCD8584 I2C bus controller. It works with any IBM compatible PC or AT. With link -selectable PC I/O addresses, bus termination/protection and hardware interrupts, the ICA-90 makes all I2C functions software controllable via a library of supplied routines, including data transmission mode and clock speed. The ICA-90 can work as an I2C master or a slave in receiver and transmitter operations. Both polled and interrupt -driven modes can be supported, making programming in popular languages easy. Provided software library routines allow a user to start system communication with minimum software. All the intricacies of driving devices "clipped" onto the I2C bus are made easy with the ready-made library provided, including a bus -monitoring capability. Convenient external + 5 - I2C Communications' plug-in adapter board for PC/compatibles. volt power for devices is also available on the nine -way D -socket that carries the I2C bidirectional serial data (sDA) and serial municate accurately and decide which part used, one to carry data and the other to clock (scL) lines. can communicate first when two or more carry timing information. The ICA-90 adds inexpensive PC com- parts of the system want to communicate Because I2C communicates serially, the puting power to any I2C system and offers at the same time. Deciding which part can number of physical connections required an attractive alternative to using a micro - communicate first is called arbitration. between parts is reduced from eight or controller. The ICA-90 is already in use for Most microprocessor (MPU) based sys- more to just two. This reduces the number setup and control of I2C systems, auto- tems have, as a main bus, a set of parallel of traces on the pc board and the number matic computer monitor setup, frequen- wires that are traces on a printed -circuit of pins required on the circuits used. I2C cy control of radio -based telecom links, board. These are grouped in bundles of also eliminates the extra logic circuits re- development systems, data collection, in- eight or more (one for each bit) that inter- quired to manage parallel buses. strumentation and chemical plant control, connect the circuits. An entire unit of data, These savings cut the complexity, size production line test of I2C-based equip- such as a byte, is transmitted in its com- and cost of the design. So the cost of mi- ment, etc. ponent parts (bits) across all wires at the crocontroller-based products that use I2C The ICA-90 package includes software same time. is cut considerably. in C and TurboBASIC, an instruction Most microcontroller (MCU) based sys- An I2C bus interface is incorporated manual and the I2C adapter card. It's tems, found in a wide range of products on -chip in every I2C integrated circuit. priced at $299. that include subsystems of MPU-based This means no external components are re- products, usually don't require the high quired to tie the I2C circuits to the bus. speed of today's MPUs. Hence, there's no Only two pull-up resistors are required for An I2C Bus Primer need for a fast parallel bus. Microcon- the entire bus, one for the data line (sDA), A system bus handles communication be- troller buses like the I2C bus are general- and one for the clock (scL) line (Fig. 1). tween components (usually integrated cir- ly serial buses. Individual bits of data It's also possible to interface non-I2C circuits) in electronic products like printers, follow each other sequentially over a wire cuits to an I2C bus with external logic. computers, disk drives, calculators, TV re- in a serial bus. Circuits that currently incorporate the ceivers and telephone instruments. The I2C is a serial bus standard developed I2C bus interface include a 68000 -based main functions of a system bus are to allow by Phillips/Signetics that allows all circuits CMOS microprocessor; an extensive selec- all of the system's parts to communicate within a system to communicate with each tion of microcontrollers, including a large with each other, ensure that the parts com- other bi -directionally. Two conductors are family based on die popular 80051 archi -

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 71

www.americanradiohistory.com Joseph Desposito

function (handles an interrupt, for exam- VDD ple), it R Pull-up R can force the master into a wait state SCL Resistors SDA using the clock (scL) line. Data transfer continues after the SCL is released. Arbitration is handled by on -chip Serial Data Line (SDA) wired AND logic (see Fig. 1). An I2C bus committee is available to coordinate the al- Serial Cloc ine (SCL) location of PC component addresses. Several types of circuits currently use the I2C bus. Each type has different internal requirements. So various on -chip I2C in- SCLK 1 J 1JDATA OUT OUT terfaces are different from each other. All I2C interfaces include latches to trap data and logic for arbitration as well as other DATA 1_< I2C control circuitry. ICs that have inter- IN nal parallel buses-some microprocessors, for example-also include DEVICE 1 serial-to-parallel and parallel -to -serial converters to convert the data to the format used by the non- Fig. 1. Schematic details for interfacing the I2C bus to other circuitry. I2C part of the circuit. Also, peripheral circuits include filters that ensure the integrity of the data. tecture; general-purpose ICs, including than 13 feet) in length to permit connec- What are the alternatives to I2C? This I/O drivers, data converters, memory and tion to external devices. technology is rapidly emerging as a world- clock calendars; and application -oriented I2C-bus circuits offer special features wide standard for microcontroller buses. ICs for video, radio, audio and telecom for portable equipment and battery - An alternative to it is the designer-defined products. backed systems. These include low -power bus that uses port pins and interrupt lines Examples of application-oriented ICs options on some chips (such as an idle or of circuits, but this is very design -intensive include: voice - synthesizers, picture -in "sleep" mode that retains data integrity), and may not offer the flexibility of the I2C picture controllers, tuning circuits, stereo high noise immunity, different voltage bus. These designs may also slow down the components, car radio components, tone supply ranges, and wide operating temp- speed of the bus. generators for telephony and a frequency erature ranges. Some designers opt to use a microcon- synthesizer for mobile telephones. Some of the benefits of the I2C bus are troller's UART to perform some inter -IC Some of the features of the I2C bus are reduction in system size and cost and a communication functions. This alternative as follows: simplified design process. Designing with not only uses a UART but can present de- the I2C bus is relatively easy. Hence, time - sign problems and limitations of its own. Only two bus lines are required to carry to -market is cut significantly, and modi- Other designers find it more convenient to serial data (sDA) and serial clock (scL) fications can be made quickly. Also, the work with parallel bus structures. When signals. I2C bus simplifies diagnostic testing, as the speed of a parallel bus is not required, No external parts needed to connect I2C well as testing during manufacture. this alternative adds unnecessary circuitry circuits to the bus. I2C simplifies the design process in sev- and traces to the board, which increase its Data transfer rates ranging up to 100K eral ways. One is that bus interfaces are al- cost and complexity. National Semicon- bits per second. ready on -chip and don't have to be de- ductor, Motorola and Intel offer alter- Communication that's independent of signed in. Another is that functional blocks native serial buses to I2C. speed (fast and slow circuits can commun- on a block diagram actually represent the National Semiconductor and Motorola icate over the same bus because I2C fea- layout of the board (Fig. 2). Also, an I2C- buses require more lines than are required tures automatic synchronization). based system can be completely software by I2C, increasing design complexity and Non-I2C components can be used on defined. Additionally, ICs can be added cost. Intel's nine -bit bus doesn't permit the with bus extra interface circuitry. to or removed from the system without af- clock synchronization. All circuits on the Full multi -master capabilities so that fecting other circuits on the bus, making nine -bit bus must operate at the same more one master than can attempt to con- it easy to change or enhance system fea- speed. This is an unlikely occurrence in trol the bus without corrupting data. tures. Finally, malfunctions can be easily many designs and reduces design flexibili- On -chip collision detection and ar- traced to their sources. ty. In addition, some versions of the Intel bitration. How does the I2C bus work? Each cir- bus do not offer the automatic addressing On -chip addressing and data -transfer cuit has its own bus address. The master features of I2C. protocols. generates clock signals and initiates and On -chip filters on peripheral devices pre- terminates data transfer. Data packets serve data integrity. start with a seven -bit address and a single - Design -Simplifying DAC Any or all circuits on the bus can be ad- bit that defines a request for read or write, National Semiconductor's (2900 Semicon- dressed with a single address. followed by an acknowledge bit that allows ductor Dr., P.O. Box 58090, M/S 16.300, Addressing is automatic so that micro - the master (initiator) to know if anyone on Santa Clara, CA 95052) DAC0854 is a controllers don't have to be slowed or the bus is receiving its message. quad eight -bit serial digital-to -analog con- stopped by interrupts to process addresses The data packet itself can contain an un- verter with readback that simplifies test that aren't theirs. limited number of eight -bit bytes, each system design. It minimizes system design Up to 40 components or so can be con- byte followed by an acknowledge bit. If a complexity by integrating a 2.65 -volt ref- nected to a single I2C bus. device on the bus can't deal with the next erence, four output amplifiers, and four Bus length can be up to 4 meters (more oncoming bit until it performs some other eight -bit DACs on a single chip. This com-

72 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com NOW YOU can afford SDA sct. w InTrol-PC provides futuristic: BURGLARY PROTECTION ENERGY MANAGEMENT FIRE PROTECTION EMERGENCY/MEDICAL

- APPLIANCE CONTROL and tones more for your home! Amazing NEW device you canbuild in am evening! Construct for lees than 5150.00.. Easy taol ees installation! Does more than systems costing thousands! Uses IBM-PC or compatible. Cornet with POWERFUL yet easy-to-uae software that is unlike any other. Save money on energy; feel secure from theft, in-home assaults and fire. Remote Enjoy the convenience of having a SMART HOME that Control knows how to mange your lights, appliances, sprinklers, heating/air conditioning and more. AMAZINGLY simple and fun tobuild and instal -wireless convenience too! Uses =caws parts. PLANS and POWERFUL SOFTWARE ONLY $19.95 HoopaWare Send Check or M.O. to: POB 3079 Dept. IPC or cal 702322-6875 Sparks, NV 89432-3079

CIRCLE NO.60 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

Interactive design system. C source, tutorial $109

Audio Processor TDA8421 "Highly recommended" -- J. Dvorak, PC Magazine "Outstanding... lets you explore the creative possibilities of fractals" -- Amstrad PC Magazine .1.3 "Quick and easy to master" - New Scientist "Impeccably lucid... operations are fast" -- BYTE

Fractal programming tutorial, 160 -page Guidebook, Microsoft C programs, 200+ modifiable templates. Supports .DXF and .PCX files, CGA to Super -VGA. Orders/Into: CALL 802-888-5275 Fig. 2.12C bus products are easy to design and manufacture, as this model Cedar Software Sox 5140-R1, Morrisville VT 05661 of acomputer-controlled TV receiver illustrates. CIRCLE. Nt). 53 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD plete 5 -volt quad DAC also features a data to permit all four DAC outputs to be up- NOW - THE ALL NEW URDA®, INC. readback function that adds diagnostic dated simultaneously. capability at the chip level in such applica- Four DAC supplied reference inputs tions as automatic test equipment, proces- provide maximum design flexibility, al- SDK386IM* sor -controlled instrumentation and indus- lowing independent range selection for trial monitoring equipment. each DAC. The output of each DAC can '366 is a trademark of Intel Corporation. Used by permission. Data readback permits a user to verify range between 0.3 and 2.8 volts. The 32 err MICROPROCESSOR TRAINER the digital data path between the host pro- DAC0854 has a guaranteed voltage output AND DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM a dis- 2.7µs and cessor and DAC0854 and performs settling time over temperature of With optional 80387 Floating Point Coprocessor, 16 Kbytes o1 EPROM or By writing a power dissipation of 95 mW. A Monitor, Utilities and User Expansion, 32 Kbytes of Static RAM, 508 tributed memory function. maximum Matrix Keypad, 40 Character x 2 Une Dot Matrix Liquid Crystal Display data word to the DAC0854 and having it "power -fail" feature enables the with Optional Accesssories. read back to the processor, a designer can DAC0854 to flag the host processor in the Also available: code has been system. verify that the correct digital event of a power failure on the the 8 Bit SDK -85 and the 16 Bit SDK-86 received by the converter. Housed in 20 -pin plastic DIP, ceramic The DAC0854's serial data I/O con- DIP and surface -mount packages, the Coming in 1992: the 8 Bit SDK -51 Microcontroller forms to National Semiconductor's Micro - DAC0854 is available in industrial and mil- wire serial data exchange standard for easy itary temperature ranges for the ceramic CALL URDA®, INC. interface to the COPs family of con- DIP package. It's available from author- 1-800-338-0517 or (412) 683-8732 trollers. It can easily interface with stan- ized National Semiconductor distributors dard shift registers and microprocessors. at a suggested price ranging from $7.50 to URDA®, Inc. Has Additional Single Board Products: In addition, the input is double-buffered $22.50 each in 100 -piece quantities. 8086 68000 68020 68030 32010 D S P With Cross Assemblers for MS-DOS Computers

CIRCLE NO.81 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 73

www.americanradiohistory.com Tom Benford (from page 6/) LA1 General -Purpose PC Logic Analyzer - $149.00 Designed especially for efficient sophisticated digital analysis of non -microprocessor circuits. IBM PC/XT/AT/386 MOUSE and enhancements to DR DOS 6.0, most compatible compatible of which have compatible counterparts in > The first PC Logic > 48" color -coded ribbon Analyzer designed to cable with spring -loaded MS-DOS 5.0, such as command -line his- be cost-efficient for low - micro clips tory and command -line editing. They all frequency applications. > Uses your PC's contribute to making DR DOS a rich and > Works with 5-Volt digital microprocessor and robust operating system. But the real acid logic (5V CMOS or TTL). memory with an assembly > 8 color-coded data language data acquisition test, at least for me, is whether it could han- lines & external clock routine for maximum dle Windows 3.0 with Microsoft's Multi- input. speed on your system. media Extensions. range internal clock >6 >A 12 MHz PC clone easily (1Hz-100KHz) My system configuration has several de- for handles over 100,000 periodic sampling. samples per second. vice drivers and several environment "set" Add logic analysis to your bench for the price of a DMM variables in it to provide adequate buffer- Ideal for the professional as well as students & hobbyists Proven excellent teaching aid ing for its multimedia capabilities and > Integrates with the power & Intelligence of your PC to produce a low-cost yet Impressive test in- hardware devices installed. Using MS- strument. > "Snapshots" Logic States for observation. DOS 5.0's HIMEM.SYS and 386- > Quickly & reliably performs tests that a dual -trace oscilloscope, DMM, and Logic Probe can't (ex- EMM.SYS drivers, coupled with DE- ample: multiplexed digital displays, stepper -motor controllors, ... etc.). > Pop -Down Menus. > 8 Channel color -coded logic probe mode. VICEHIGH and LOADHIGH designa- > File / Print Utilities. > Free tech support and software upgrades. tions for drivers and TSRs, everything

Ohotrwcs LAI ree 27,1990 > Full -Featured Model LA1 works fine with Windows 3.0. Converse- Byte 18 Pad*. Data Test software & 29 Logic Analyzer ly, using the DR DOS install program's 10[a] data display (I) CLK Comes Completely graphics (Dis- choices, I couldn't get Windows to oper- Assembled & Tested I 00' plays in full with Disk & Manual ate properly. It would bomb and return me o m. color or monochrome). 1 Year Warranty to a system prompt for no apparent reason 1 c 02 > On-line help FAX Orders: from within an application. 2o3 system. (504) 222-4146 After reading the sections on memory 04 Takes only Phone Orders & 0 ô 05 minutes to Information management a couple of times and exper- master the (504) 748-9911 o 06 easy -to -use imenting with different configurations, I o of software. C.O.D. VISA MC was able to get Windows to run stably in 8 16 > Made in the o 24 32 40 48 56 64 real in BI. Sampled USA. Photronics, Inc. standard and modes but not en- tars r1 r 3,7 ,xt 109 Camille Avenue hanced mode. It still went to lunch for no Amite, Louisiana 70422 discernible reason. CIRCLE NO. 71 ON FREE INFORMATION CARI) Digital Research provides free lifetime user support for the product, and the tech support team is courteous and knowledge- able. A phone call to tech support for some advice resulted in more experimentation with the HIDEVICE loading order and USE YOUR FREE some other tweaking, which finally worked. By the time I received the upgrade INFORMATION CARD disk and Optimization and Configuration Tips booklet from Digital Research, I had already found most of the right combinations through trial and error, although Windows would still occasionally "bomb" for no apparent reason. These upgrade Affordable 8031 Development materials specifically addressed problems with Windows under DR DOS, and it did Single Board Computers, Assemblers, Compilers, Simulators, and EPROM make things better ... temporarily. Emulators. Ask about design and manufacturing services for your product) The following week, I received my edi- Windows hell The Control -R series of single 8031 "C" Compiler $200.00 torial beta copy of 3.1 and all board computers make prototyping broke loose when I installed it over Win- with and one -of-a -kind projects easy and Full featured K&R style C develop- dows 3.0 DR DOS as the primary op- affordable. Both feature 8K EPROM, ment system includes compiler, as- erating system. Mysterious "insufficient conventional memory" messages required RS232 port, Port 1 & 3 access plus: sembler, linker, documentation and complete library source code. High more shuffling of the drivers in CON- FIG.SYS, and assorted error messaging in Control -R Model 1 $49.95 level language plus in -line assem- 5v dc operation, 3"x4", assembled. bly code gives you the best of both Windows 3.1 made life with DR DOS rather testy. When I finally got Windows worlds. 5 memory models allow 3.1 to several the Contrl-R Model 2 $79.95 code generation for any 8031 de- run, of multimedia capabilities either wouldn't execute or the Model 1 features + 8K RAM and ex- sign-even those with no external would pansion bus. 3.5"x4.5" RAM! MSDOS 360K disk. system or frequently lock up, neces- sitating a total reboot. Cottage Resources Corporation It didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't live like this, so I initiated the Suite 151, 10271 South 1300 East "uninstall" program, bidding farewell to Sandy, Utah 84094 USA DR DOS 6.0 and saying hello once again VISA/MC, COD. Call to order: (801) 269-2975

CIRCLE NO. 54 ON FREE INFORMATION CARI) 74 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com RUN RC SERVOS NO CARDS NEEDED!

Mouse controls 8 RC Servos from a Parallel Port RoboticsGames MS-DOS 5.0. With the Microsoft op- to Let your PC manipulate the world! Get Radio Control Servos erating system in place, I reinstalled the at most any hobby store and wire them to your AT computer's Beta version of Windows 3.1 on my ma- Parallel Port. and rebooted. All was at peace once SERVO 1 -Jr. $49.95 chine Your 2 or 3 button mouse controls 8 Radio Control Servos again. There are still some multimedia individually or as four XY pairs. Eight bars or 4 cursors indicate File Editor disabled) functionality issues of which Microsoft is servo positions. (Position resolve in the release SERVO 1 -EDITOR $249.00 (reg. $289) special aware and promises to Same as above plus: Store and recall servo positions on version of Windows 3.1, but I experienced diskette. Create complex movement sequences. plus: SV_TSRI.EXE Pass servo position values to our TSR none of the memory or bombing problems Servo Controller Software from your programming language. while DR DOS plus: SVASM.obj An object module to convert Integers to like those I'd encountered physical movement. 6.0 was in control. For IBM AT 8 Compatibles or better. Call for details

RC Servoware 9205 Turtledove Lane Gaithersburg, MD 20879 Conclusion (301) 928.8583 CIRCLE NO.77 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD DR DOS 6.0 is an excellent operating system that has lots of features that will ap- & HITACHI PRODUCTS CALL TOLL 48 HOUR ELENCO 1-80092-7711 peal to many but not all users. The disk - SHIPPING AT DISCOUNT PRICES 1-800-445-3201 (Can.) caching feature was no big deal to me, since Hitachi 050 Series HITACHI COMPACT SERIES SCOPES my i486 system has built-in caching. More- (Portable Real-time Digital Storage Oscilloscopes) SPECIAL BUY This sees provides many new functions such as CRT Raadcan.Cursor measurements (V-1085I1065A/665A),Fre- VC -6023 - 20MHz, 20MS/s $1 695 V-212 - 20MHz Scope $409 I quency Ctr. (V-1085), Sweepbme Aulorengmo. Delayed over, don't feel comfortable with dynam- VC-6024 - 50MHz. 20MS/s El 995 sweep and Topper Lock uamg a 6-ireh CRT.You don't del VG - 50MHz, 20MS/s $2 195 ic compression and expansion -6025 the compactness in terms of perrormerrce and operation. data VG -6045- 100MHz, 40Má/s Can Hitachi Portable Scopes Cal DC 50MHz, 2 DC func- V-660 - 60MHz, Dual Trace 51.149 (I be VC -6145 - 100MHz, 100MS/s to -Channel, offset schemes don't trust them, to honest), V -665A - 60MHz, DT. w/cursor RSO's from Hitachi feature roll mode, averaging. save tan, Alternate magnifier function $1,345 m '' '0 smoothing, imerpolatmn, Pretn990nnu, V-1060 - 100MHz, Dual Trace $1 395 I wasn't enticed by the SUPERSTOR fea- e'"°' V-525 - CRT Readout, Cursor Meas. $995 measurements. These scopes enable more accurate, V -1065A - 100MHz, DT, w/cursor _ $1,649 of comgex in addition to V-523 - DelayedY Sweep$975 ture of DR DOS, either. The enhanced simpler observation V-1085 - 100MHz, OT, w/cursor $1,995 .,n wndions as via a plotter interface and V-522 - Basic Model $875 V-í100A - 100MHz. Quad Trace E2,79á waveform transfer via the RS -232C interlace 5 n v the V422 - 40MHz $775 memory management held the biggest to V-1150 - 150MHz, Clued Trace $2,695 contort of analog and the power digital V-223 - 20MHz delayed sweep $695 promise for me, but tweaking the system 25MHz Elenco Oscilloscope V-222 - 20MHz deluxe $625 Elenco 40MHz Dual Trace to find the optimal configuration for all the $349 PRICE ` Ñ $495 he. -g BREAKTHRU S-1340 S-1325 20MHz Digital Storage Oscilloscope r / applications and devices I run could prove High luminance 6" CRT - Dual Trace Analog/Digital Scope ,,141 l mV Sensitivity to be a life's work. And since I don't use 1 mV Sensitivity 2K word per channel memory DS203 Y 6' CRT tOM&s sampling rate 10KV Acceleration Voltage the MS-DOS shell, I didn't find DR DOS's X -Y Operation State-of-arttechnolagy $775 - 9na Rise Time Tv Sync Includes probes X -Y Operation shell to be alluring, either. 5-1360 60MHz Delay Sweep $775 TaskMAX (2) 10, 10x Probes included Includes (2) 10, 100 Probes DR has better documentation and ter- All scopes include probes, schematics, operators manual and 3 year (2 yrs for Elenco scopes) world wide warranty on pans 8 labor. Many accessories available for all Made scopes. Call or ...for complete spechicarbns on these and marry other fine 050105copes. Ix, 10x Scope Probes: P- 165MHz 517.95, P-2 100MHz 021.95 rific on-line help, but MS-DOS 5.0 has a Multimeter with Digital Capacitance Meter Digital LCR Meter FLUKE MULTIMETERS friendlier text editor and better mouse sup- Capacitance 8 CM -1550B I amLC-1801 (All Models Available Call) $125 Transistor Tester Scopamaters port. All the way down the line, there are $58.95 Madel93 $1,095.00 70 Series CM-15008 Model 95 $1,395.00 Model 7011 $65.00 9 anger Measures: $55 strong points and weak points for each op- Model 97 01.695.00 Model 7711 $145.00 .10-29.00000 Abe Coils luH-200H Reads Vohs, Ohms Caps 10.2000 Cunene, Capacitors.. 10 Series Model 7911 $169.00 .5% bas c accy did erating system. But in the end, the element and Model10 $62.95 80 Series Taro control (Co:, Res 01.20M Transistors Diodes l with caso Model 12 $79.95 Model 67 $289.00 that tipped the scales in Microsoft's favor Big 1 - Display Ng I. Display was MS-DOS 5.0's ability to run Windows Soldering Station Video Head Tester COMPUTER INTERFACE Color Convergence Generator 3.1 beta version with Multimedia Exten- Temperawn Conuollad B + K HT-200 TRAINER SG -250 SI -30 $99 sions without making me feel like I was P $44.95 XK-450 -I $89.95 TEST Digi al Display ~ Temp Range: n''''Shed $139.95 EQUIPMENT VHS Mad 611 969.95 walking through a mine field. aWF900F M OMxIHs Finest in 0e industry All Models Available Grounded Tip ' i or 10 in the patternstry 9O warn. rock t While Digital Research's DR DOS 6.0 Overheat Protect Amust for Comet your ION PC/XT or compatible RF6VIdeo output Carl rocsspecialprice P ` omputer into a trainar 7 is a strong contender that will likely be a [ y - e VCR won good choice for many users, especially Quad Power Supply XP --580 Triple Power Supply XP-620 AM/FM Transistor True RIM 41/2 $69.95 Assembled $75 Radio Kit De Multimeter those who want its excellent extra features Kit may 02A 950 with Training Course M -700T to15V@IA, that I personally don't need, Microsoft's 120 01A $135 - to -155 @ IA 50 3A Model AM(FM 108 0 tod @, MS-DOS 5.0, for me, is a clear winner by [email protected] fur and V@3A $26"95 .10%ReeManceac' All the desired Iºalums Ior darn experiments. with Frw1. Counter a technical knockout. Others, however, Fully regulated an. hen circuit protected 14 Transistors 5 Diodes . Features shon circuil proledion. all supplies Data Hold may feel that it's well worthwhile waiting asked a great shod project GF -8016 Function Generator Function Generator LASER KITS a short time for an upgrade disk that en- with Freq. Counter Bloc Build your own laser. This great kit includes all parts needed to build a class ll laser. 59600 ables DR DOS to work with a new program 'ßáL $249 Sate to use, output is under one milliwatt. Kit includes a new He-Ne1.125 dia x 5.75' parts. : if'o - Sine. Square. Mangle $28.95 long laser tube. Comes with building instructions, schematic and all version, such as the anticipated release of r.__p--/ Pulse. Ramp..2to2MHx Model LK-1 $79.95 Freq Counter .1 - 10MHx Provides sine, triangle, square Windows 3.1. PIPEn operation wave from ,Hx to rMHt CF -8015 without Freq. Meter $179 AM or FM capability Specifications LK-1: P) Build Program Learn to and Wide Band Signal Input voltage 12VDC @ 1.25 amp (-1 ff 1 computers with this Kit Generators Output voltage 2-3KV @ 3-4.5MAU c Ircludes' All Parts. Assembly and Lesson Manual Trigger voltage 6-8NV Q r DR DOS 6.0 ®t.J Model Laser power 1 milliwatt li - neon Research Corp. MM -8000 ,...... ,,,.. ' Laser tube type helium Digital _ Laser tube size 1.125" dia e 5.75' long Box DRI $129.00 , .)."+ 70 Garden Ct. Monterey, CA 93942 _ _ Mirror & Motor Kit This unique kit allows you to protect laser patterns on the ceiling or walls. You change Tel.: 408-647-6675 SG -9000 $129 the patterns by varying the speed of the motors. The kit comes complete with 2 lePrae,O ON -45o0MH AM Nodule' motors, 2 front surface minors, 2 motor brackets and l power rheostat control to vary homscrarcn ou buiMaoxnpiews smm W, SNimg y y lion of 11(Hz Venable RF output speed of the motor. Mao-krasmr trainer teaches you to wine nn MMs. $G9á110 w/DI 1181 ROcc and run a aces mwroocesa«,pr which uses 9 Done Model LM -1 $19.95 sever machine language as IBM Pc. 150 MHz burn-In Counter5249 CIRCLE NO. 117 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD 15 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD C&S SALES INC. v/ UPS SHIPPING'. 48 STATES 5°.0 2 YEAR WARRANTY 12 5 ROSEWOOD. EERFIELD. IL 60015 IL RES 7.5'0 TAX 153 min $10 maxi WRITE FOR FREE FAX: 708.520.0085 (708l 541 0710 CATALOG OTHERS CALL CIRCLE NO.85 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTE RCRAFT / 75

www.americanradiohistory.com Low-Cost/High-Speed Modems Update & Combatting Computer Viruses

In past columns, I discussed the new, low- in the same telephone channel bandwidth. cost, high-speed modems that were ap- While the V.32bis standard (14,400 bps) Beware the Ides of March! pearing on the market, operating at speeds is an extension of the V.32 standard (9,600 By the time this is published, the threaten- of 9,600 and 14,400 bps. Now I have more bps), there are several key differences. ing month of March will be long past and information on how and why these super- V.32bis adds the new speeds of 7,200, the virus threats that were timed to occur speedsters are available and what you can 12,000 and 14,400 bps. It also includes a in then will be over. We can't even begin expect from them in the near future. new speed -changing procedure called to add up the costs of the multiple virus Back in the old days (15 years ago), it "rate re -negotiation," or on-line speed threats to the computer industry and to all was common knowledge that the fastest switching. This allows modems to change the clients it serves. However, the comput- one could communicate over the dial -up transmission speed quickly without hav- er industry responded to the threats with telephone network was 300 baud! The av- ing to re -synchronize the two modems. a remarkable demonstration of coopera- erage modem back then used analog fre- Under V.32bis, speed changes can be action and unselfish free distribution of anti- quency -generating devices composed of complished in a few hundred milliseconds, virus software and public-service advertis- coils and capacitors in an LC circuit or rather than the 8 to 20 seconds it took using to ward off the problem. The Michel- crystal oscillators in more -expensive units. ing older V.32 modems. Under V.32, the angelo strain was the most -talked -about Neither the coils nor capacitors had long- time penalty was so great it didn't pay to virus. Most viruses are easily detected by term stability; so the modems that used change speed. Rate re -negotiation makes such programs as McAffee's Scan, Nor- them weren't very reliable. Moreover, the it practical to change speed to precisely ton Anti -Virus and similar programs. crystal -controlled ones were very expensive. match line conditions. Because I'm writing this in February, I Following the first flush, modems and U.S. Robotics augmented the V.32bis don't know what happened on March 6, every other type of frequency -sensitive de- standard with additional enhancements 1992, but I do know this. A friend's com- vice went digital, and modem operating called Adaptive Speed Leveling (ASL). puter tested positive for the Michelangelo speeds increased to 1,200 baud. With the The standard defines a procedure for speed virus. So he decided to test it. He set the development of large-scale integrated switching, but not a strategy. ASL permits computer clock to March 5 at 11:59 pm (LSI) modem chips, speed took another even faster on-line speed switching without and waited. Within a few minutes he said, jump to 2,400 bps and then to 9,600 bps. interruption in data transmission. It's "It's still working! That virus is the bunk." We're now about to go to 14,400 bps. How claimed that modems that employ ASL are Then he switched off his computer. and why did this come about? more efficient and result in lower tele- When my friend tried to turn it on again The International Telegraph and Tele- phone line charges. he found the boot tracks on his hard drive phone Consultative Committee (which we According to a study in Business Com- were gone! Norton Utilities couldn't help know by its French initials as CCITT) es- munications magazine, time charges in him, nothing could. He had to wipe every- tablished the V.32 specification for sending a 100K file via AT&T long distance thing, start with a low-level format and re- 9,600 -bps modem transmission in 1984. from New York to Los Angeles during a build his system from original disks. Even Since then, however, data -traffic and data - business day, can be reduced by 50% us- his backup disks were infected! If you had using applications grew exponentially. ing 14,400 bps instead of 9,600 bps. Using problems on March 6, please drop me a line Manufacturers like U.S. Robotics and V.32bis modems instead of 2,400 bps re- about them. others recognized the need for a higher - sults in an 85% reduction in line charges. You aren't defenseless in the face of this speed standard. At first, they sought to de- Using data compression, U.S. Robotics' massive assault by viruses. You can take velop an asymmetrical modem standard V.32bis modems can operate at an effec- precautions to avoid being infected. First that would allow fax transmission to ex- tive speed of up to 38,400 bps. However, never download directly to your hard disk. ceed 9,600 bps by using a slower back chan- according to Dave Walsh of USR, "You Route downloaded programs to floppy nel for error control. The push for this type can't always depend on just data compres- disks. Then have a write -protected anti- of standard died out, but modulation sion to achieve higher speeds. Many of the virus -programmed floppy on hand and use schemes developed for it eventually be- files that people transfer aren't compressi- it to scan your newly downloaded software came part of two CCITT standards: ble or are already compressed. So in those for virus infection. If an infection is found, V.32bis for high-speed symmetrical duplex cases, you have a real need for the higher run a "Clean" program. modems and V.17 for high-speed fax transmission speeds specified under Many anti -virus cleaning computer pro- transmission. V.32bis, both for convenience and to de- grams are available both as Shareware and The modulation scheme for the new crease line charges." as commercial software packages. There V.32 bis standard uses the same trellis -en- The CCITT has begun work on a 19,200 - are also anti -virus programs for networks. coded, quadrature amplitude modulation bps standard called V.fast. However this McAfee Associates' Netscan can be used (QAM) used in the V.32 standard (9,600 standard isn't expected until 1993 because over most networks from Novell, Banyan, bps). At 14,400 bps, however, a more com- it's a much more difficult task. It may be Microsoft, IBM, 3 -Corn and Artisoft. The plex scheme that allows 50% more infor- a very long time before modem transmis- company also has Winscan for Windows mation to be transmitted is used. This re- sion speeds are pushed above V.32bis' 3.x systems. quires sending four times as much infor- 14,400 bps. The remarkable thing is the No anti -virus program will help you if mation per time division (baud). The result speed at which the cost of high-speed mo- the one you buy isn't kept up-to-date with is the ability to transmit more information dems are being made available to PC users. current viruses.

76 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Memory mapped variables HITACHI In -line assembly language The option MODEL / V-212 to select only Compile time switch Z d' ii.,' l ¡ 8051/52 8051/8031 or 8052/8032 CPUs * . d i REGULAR Compatible with any RAM $525.00 BASIC or ROM memory mapping SALE compiler Runs up to 50 times faster than $419.95 the MCS BASIC -52 interpreter. that is MODEL DESCRIPTION REGULAR SALE Includes Binary Technology's 100% SXA51 cross -assembler Analog Oscilloscopes & hex file manip. util. V-212 20 MHz, Dual Channel 525.00 419.95 Y-660 60 MHz, Dual Channel, Delayed Sweep, BASIC 52 Extensive documentation CRT Readout 1345.00 1045.95 V -665A 60 MHz, Dual Channel, Delayed Sweep, Tutorial included CRY Readout, Cursor Measurement, Counter 1545.00 1285.95 Compatible Y-1060 100 MHz, Dual Channel, Delayed Sweep Runs on IBM-PC/XT or CRT Readout 1645.00 1365.95 Y -1065A 100 MHz, Dual Channel, Delayed Sweep, and compatibile CRT Readout, Cursor Measurement, Counter 1895.00 1645.95 Compatible with aIl 8051 variants Digital Storage Oscilloscopes

has full BXC51 $ 295. VC-6023 20 MHz, 2 Ch, 20 MS/s, 2 KN/Ch, RS -232 1995.00 1689.95 VC -6024 50 MHz, 2 Ch, 20 MS/s, 2 KN/Ch, RS -232 2295.00 1989.95 floating VC -6025 50 MHz, 2 CH, 20 MS/s, 2 KW/Ch, Sweep 603-469-3232 Autorange, RS -232 2595.00 2189.95 YC-6045 100 MHz. 2 Ch, 40 MS/s, 4K Rem, Sweep point, Autorange, RS -232 3395.00 2959.95 FAX: 603-469-3530 VC-6145 100 MHz, 4 Ch, 100 MS/s, 4K Mem, Sweep integer, Autorange, RS -232 5295.00 4489.95 byte & bit T variables. Binary Technology, Inc. PRIN Products International Main Street P.O. Box 67 Meriden, NH 03770 8931 Brookville Rd, Silver Spring MD 20910 800-638-2020 * 301-587-7824 * FAX 800-545-0058

CIRCLE NO. 74 ON FRET INFORMATION CARD

M I I\/I L.J M Order Back Issues of A1111 -

INIMUM PRIG

The Micro -440 is a versatile, full -featured controller Compact & Versatile with an on -board 8051/8052 BASIC interpreter. Microcontroller Board Available with For Production Applications economical development packages (including C51) and a wide range of accessories. AUTOMATION Low power CMOS technology Only 3.5"x4.5" with mounting holes DATA LOGGING Supports RS232 or RS485 HOBBY/HOME PROJECTS Battery -backed RAM socket OEM APPLICA TIONS Watchdog timer and power -fail interrupt circuitry FREE Parallel I/O: 41/2 8 -but I/O ports CIRCUIT

Configurable for a I I known byte-wide devices : L BLUE EARTHRESEARCH ., -t Jumper -Selectable Memory Maps BOARD 603-469-3232 FAX: 603-469-3530 OFFER Call for detailed brochure and quantity pricing 310 Belle Ave Mankato, MN 56001` ®Binary Technology, Inc. 507-387-4001 FAX 507-387-4008 Man St PCB v7,Me =,- VISA/

CIRCLE NO. 92 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 77

www.americanradiohistory.com What's New (/ruht page /0) Universal

Emulator Corel SCSI Interface Corel card provides a feature Assembler Corel Systems, publisher of called "auto -sense termina- CoreIDRA W, has entered the tion that automatically un - hardware peripherals market terminates the SCSI card when with Core1SCSI, a series of it's no longer the last device on SCSI adapters for eight -bit the SCSI chain. This eliminates ISA, 16 -bit ISA and MCA ma- the need for users to open their chines. Corel has made a com- computers to either terminate mitment with this product to or un -terminate their SCSI Over 170 different microprocessors are supported support every SCSI device cur- cards. Improper termination, in this high-performance software/hardware rently available and to continue according to Corel, is the most to environment for assembly language development. add support for new devices common compatibility prob- as they're introduced. Call today for a FREE ECAL Demo Disk and SCSI lem with SCSI devices. Back- Engineering Tool Product Guide. permits up to seven devices to up software is included with be daisy -chained to a single each interface card. $150, Vail Silicon (305) 978-6083 adapter card. Slight differences eight -bit; $325, 16 -bit; $195, in SCSI implementation MCA. Corel Systems Corp., CIRCLE NO.83 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD among various manufacturers The Corel Building, 1600 Carl- result in incompatibilities that ing Ave., Ottawa, ONT, Can- have hampered the growth of ada K1Z 8R7; tel.: 613-728- the SCSI market. The 16 -bit 8200; fax: 613-728-9790. AC/DC VOLTAGE AC/DC CURRENT CIRCLE NO. 47 ON FREE CARD DIODE TEST Stock No. LOGIC TEST 990092 LED TEST GOOD/BAD 5 FREO RANGES 5 CAPACITANCE RANGES 30 DAY LOW BATTERY Warning separate utilities. The program CONTINUITY TEST/BUZZER MONEY BACK Novell TRANSISTOR CHECKER GUARANTEE! contains more than 30 netware- VISA Batch 20 MHZ FREQ COUNTER Enhancer oriented commands that help o KELVIN Electronics G MOB 10 Hub Drive, Melville, NY 11747 Horizon Consulting's NOV- the system administrator/in- 13 In (516) 7561750 1 (800) 6459212 BAT is a Novell Batch staller develop powerful log-in FAX (516)7561763 Enhancer designed to assist the scripts and batch files quickly Netware LAN manager in de- and easily. It requires DOS 3.0 veloping network -intelligent or later. $129. Horizons Con- batch files. With NOVBAT, sulting, 1432 E. Commercial To Order Back Issues one can interrogate the net- St., Springfield, MO 65803; work for information that pre- tel.: 417-839-2174; fax: viously Send $3.50 Per Issue (Check, Money required using several 417-831-1329.

Order, Mastercard, VISA, And CIRCLE NO. 48 ON FREE CARD AMEX).

Send All Correspondence To: High -Performance greater throughput between CO Communications, CPU an UART when engaged. Serial Interface The 16550 reduces data loss 76 North Broadway, Twincom ACI/550 from Im- and increases overall system Hicksville, NY 11801 age Communications is an ad- performance in high-speed Or Call 516-681-2922. vanced communications inter- communications, multitasking face board that incorporates environments, CPU -intensive two 16550 UARTs for dual application and multi -port sys- RS -232 communication ports. tems. A further benefit is that Each UART supports 64 chan- the 16550 decreases the actual CABLE TV nels and six interrupts, making time the CPU interacts with the it virtually impossible for exter- UART. Fewer interrupts need DESCRAMBLERS nal high-speed modems to have to be presented to the CPU. 1 -800-582-1114 conflicts with existing bus de- Additionally, the 16550 re- FREE CATALOG vices. Transmission includes all quires up to 75% less servicing GUARANTEED BEST PRICES IMMEDIATE SNIPPING M.K. ELECTRONICS standard speeds up to 112,000 time from the CPU than the 8362 Pines Blvd. Sulle 276 bps, and the unit is compatible standard 16450. Pembroke Pines, Fl 33024 MID with all normal software. It's Twincom features one 9- and a direct replacement for older one 25 -pin serial connectors on serial boards built around 8250 an eight -bit half-size card. $99. and 16450 UARTs. An on- Image Communications, 6 p/ TEST EQUIPMENT board buffer offers 16 bytes Caesar Pl., Moonachie, NJ Oscilloscopes roquecyFunction FIFO transmit and receiver 07074; tel.: 800-666-2496; fax: ¡¡111/' Generators Frequency Counters ill Power Supplies Video Head Testers Etc. buffering, which results in 201-935-6548. Since 1972 CALL OR WRITE FOR OUR FREE CATALOG CIRCLE NO.49 ON FREE CARD BRUNELLE INSTRUMENTS INC. P.O. Box 1223 Newport Vermont 05855 Tel: 1-800-5673506 Fax 1-819-569-1408

78 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com DON'T REINVENT! MAIeTEprsimehteamitC INTERNATIONAL CORP". USE OUR MICROCONTROLLER BOARDS

MODEL 2120 Oscilloscope, 20 MHz, Dual Trace. $9995 REG. $549.00 MODEL 388-HD SALE SCall For Quote! Test Bench REG. $129.00 MODEL 1541A Oscilloscope, 40 MHz, Dual Trace. REG. $845.00 SALE SCall For Quote!

MODEL 2160 Oscilloscope, 60 MHz, Dual We have done the tedious job of getting the Trace w/Delayed Sweep. processor, memory and serial port working. You REG. $1099.00 SALE SCall For Quote! can spend your time on more creative designs. MODEL 2501 We sell low cost 80C32 microcontroller boards Digital Storage Adapter Analog Scope which are ideal for quickly developing products, Converts Your To Digital Storage! prototypes or test fixtures. REG. $357.00 SALE $299.95 Breadboard area and expansion connector MODEL 2522 12 application notes included DSO, 20 MHz, 10 MS/s, Software tools available from BASIC to a 2K Memory/Channel. REG. $995.00 Multitasking System SALE $836.95 Call for a quote on custom designs. TM

EiRINT(tíiti) Mmicem Iota Systems, Inc. v t'rodu(Jets In tarnatlonal POB 8987 Incline Village, NV 89452 8931 Brookville Rd, Silver Spring FD 20910 PH: 702-831-6302 FAX: 702-831-4629 800-638-2020 * 301-587-7824 * FAX 800-545-0058

CIRCLE: NO.62 ON FRET INFORMATION CARI) CIRCLE NO. 73 ON FREE. INFORMATION CARD

MICONA-196KC for only $245.00 Menu Software "16 -BIT Personal Controller KIT"ml FOXMenu from Alamo City Computer is said to be an easy - COMPLETE DIGITAL CONTROL SOLUTION to -install general-purpose menu system that runs on mul- MICONA-196KC offers: ti-user or single -user systems. Using no memory when execut- 1. A HARDWARE KIT containing: ing applications, FOXMenu - 1(one) CPU MODULE (3.5"x3.5") with includes a small executable file 80C196KC processor (16 MHz), 8 ADC size for fast loading on net- channels 10Bit resolution, 3 PWM outputs works; full mouse and key- (DAC), one DMA channel, 6 High -Speed board support; screen saver Output channels, 4 High -Speed Capture logic; and password security on Input channels, 40 Digital I/O ports, one all functions. Available are 20 full duplex RS -232 serial port; - 1(one) MEMORY MODULE (3.5"x3") each level of menu options on with 64K Memory space RAM / EPROM; the FOXMenu system. 2(two) Connectors BUS MODULEs; FOXMenu automatically - 1(one) PROTO MODULE (3.5"x3.5") configures first-time users on - 1(one) Power Supply and network systems according to - 1(one) RS232 Communication Cable. defaults established by the network administrator. The new 2. A SOFTWARE KIT containing: menu can then be tailored to - PC based SYSMON - System Monitor; the needs of the new user. $49. - 80C196 Machine Language Assembler, Alamo City Computer, 16601 MICONA CORPORATION - User's Guide and Application Programs. Blanco, Ste. 206, San Antonio, 1885 Surveyor Ave., Bldg. 102 TX 78232; tel.: 512-492-2225; Simi Valley, Ca 93063, U.S.A. fax: 512-492-2827. Tel. 1-805-522-9444 Fax. 1-805-522-9779 CIRCLE NO. SOON F'REF. CARD P.O., Visa & MC accepted. Immediate delivery.

CIRCLE NO. 100 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERC RAFT / 79

www.americanradiohistory.com VGA (Jrom page 58) Cross -Assemblers from $50.00 Simulators from $100.00

Cross-Disassemblers from $100.00 (or vectors) between each picture element. It differs greatly from Develoer Packages simple bitmap graphics because the bulk of a vector file points from $200.00(a $50.00 Savings) to dimensional information throughout an image, rather than the memory locations of its pixel values. Although highly math - Make Programming Easy intensive to generate, the advantage of vectored formats is that Our Macro Cross-assemblers are easy to use. With powerful image proportions can be infinitely scaled without loss of image conditional assembly and unlimited include files. integrity. Get It Debugged --FAST VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association)-Established in 1988, VESA's goal was to eliminate incompatibilities among Don't wait until the hardware is finished. Debug your software with our Simulators. proprietary SVGA modes. Before adoption of VESA guidelines by all display adapter and most monitor manufacturers, enter- Recover Lost Source! ing an 800 x 600 SVGA mode often meant performing manual Our line of disassemblers can help you re-create the original adjustments to a monitor's horizontal and vertical positioning assembly language source. to re -center an on-screen image. Image misalignment was caused Thousands Of Satisfied Customers by conflicts in video signal timing between display adapter and monitor. At the time, SVGA graphics adapter manufacturers de- Worldwide fined their own timing signals arbitrarily, with different timing PseudoCorp has been providing quality solutions for resulting in different on -screen positioning. By bringing together microprocessor problems since 1985. the graphics hardware industry, VESA goes a long way toward Processors eliminating such inconveniences by cementing standards across different SVGA graphics platforms. Intel 8048 RCA 1802,05 Intel 8051 Intel 8096,196kc Motorola 6800 Motorola 6801 Motorola 68HC11 Motorola 6805 VGA (Video Graphics Array)-A pseudo -color graphics stan- Hitachi 6301 Motorola 6809 MOS Tech 6502 WDC 65CO2 Rockwell 65CO2 Intel 808085 Zlog Z80 NSC 800 dard developed by IBM for its line of PS/2 personal computers, Hitachi HD64180 Mot. 68k8,10 Zlog Z8 Zlog Super 8 VGA is a true analog method of generating color images on a com- All products require an IBM PC or compatible. puter. Maximum displayable colors are 256, from For Information Or To Order Call: a palette of 262,144 possible colors. Video Bandwidth-Expressed in megahertz (MHz), this refers MasterCard PseudoCorp to the highest frequency at which a given video monitor can ac- 716 Thimble Shoals Blvd, Suite E cept image information and, thus, determines the maximum Newport News, VA 23606 displayable resolution of the monitor. (804) 873-1947 FAX:(804)873-2154 Video BIOS (Basic Input/Output System)-Routines (firmware encoding) contained within the ROM chip(s) located on a display CIRCLE NO. 75 ON 1 RLE INFORMATION CARO adapter board that contain such information as how to decode instructions from the host CPU, alphanumeric character sets, self - THE $99.95 tests, etc. VRAM-This is dual -port video random-access memory permits simultaneous access by the host CPU and video controller to let EDUCATION the host write new instructions to the frame buffer, while the video controller reads previous data. Providing greater throughput than THE PRIMER MICROPROCESSOR conventional DRAM frame buffers, VRAM is usually the only way a video controller can access its memory fast enough to gen- TRAINING SYSTEM erate a non -interlaced display. TEACHES: INTEL 8085 PROGRAMMING YCrCb-Luminance and chrominance (intensity and color -dif- DIGITAL & ANALOG INTERFACING ference). The composite picture signals extracted from broad- PROGRAMMING INTEL PERIPHERALS cast TV, color video cameras and VCRs. To capture and digitize MICROCOMPUTER DESIGN & ASSEMBLY an image from YCrCb requires its color space and format to be FEATURES: MONITOR O.S. SOFTWARE IN EPROM converted to RGB before it can be processed by a computer. OVER 100 PAGE SELF INSTRUCTON MANUAL Zooming-The visible magnification of an area within an image. 6 DIGIT, 7 SEGMENT, LED DISPLAY 20 KEY KEYPAD DIGITAL INPUT PORT WITH DIPSWITCH DIGITAL OUTPUT PORT WITH LEDs To Order Back Issues ANALOG TO DIGITAL CONVERTER DIGITAL TO ANALOG CONVERTER Send $3.50 Per Issue (Check, Money Order, TIMER/COUNTER WITH SPEAKER OUTPUT Mastercard, VISA, Or AMEX.) OPTIONS: BASIC OR FORTH LANGUAGES IN EPROM RS232 SERIAL PORT CONNECTS TO PC Send All Correspondence To: BATTERY BACKED CLOCK AND RAM TRAINING EMAC OFFERS A COMPLETE LINE OF MICROPROCESSOR CQ Communications SYSTEMS STARTING AT $99.95 QUANTITY 10 FOR THE PRIMER KIT. 76 North Broadway Hicksville, NY 11801 Or Call inc. (516) 681-2922 618-529-4525 FAX: 618-457-0110 FAX P.O.BOX 2042 CARBONDALE, IL 62902 (516) 681-2926

(7RCLE NO. 57 ON IRLE INFORMA -FION ( ARI)

80 / COMPUTERCRAFT / hure /992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com Ultrasonic Ranger (front page Sol

Fig. 2. Complete schematic diagram of the circuitry used in the Ultrasonic Ranger.

which U2 is running. This equals the U2 and the T2IN input of U4. PRINT #1, CHR$(ADDRESS) frequency present at oscI divided by Additional MC 14469 chips can be PRINT #1, CHR$(16) `Toggle C2 low 64. For example, to operate at 1,200 added to U4, as shown in Fig. 3. Up by toggling C4 high (see Note 1) baud, you'd initialize your computer's to 127 Ultrasonic Ranger circuits can Having reset the flip-flop and count- serial port to 1,200 baud and drive be connected to a single computer, ers, you want to tell the ultrasonic oscl with a 76.8 -kHz signal. The eas- provided each has a different address. ranging module to initiate a measure- iest way to obtain 76.8 kHz is to divide To all of the Rangers, the computer ment. This is accomplished by bring- a higher frequency by a multiple of 2. will send an address and command ing high the INIT pin of the module. At In conjunction with a readily available word, but only the chip that receives the same time, you want to begin tim- 19.6608 -MHz crystal, oscillator/di- its own personal address will respond. ing how long it takes until the ultra- vider U3 provides the proper frequen- You can best understand the func- sonic signal bounces back from its cies for 1,200 baud and other com- tions of US through U8 by stepping You can do this by toggling monly used rates. through the sequence of events that target. high c1, ensuring that a cS pulse is Figure 2 shows DIP switch SW2 occurs each time the computer re- generated by U2 and then toggling low connecting to one of the outputs quests the Ranger to take a measure- oscl CI. The code for this is: of U3. If you don't anticipate fre- ment. First, you must initialize the quently changing the baud rate of your serial port and establish the address of PRINT #1, CHR$(ADDRESS) system, you might prefer to hard -wire the Ranger with which you wish to PRINT #1, CHR$(2) `Toggle Cl high oscl directly to one of U3's outputs communicate. In BASIC, this could and send CS and save on the cost of a DIP switch. be accomplished by keying in: PRINT #1, CHR$(ADDRESS) #1, `Toggle Cl low Besides generating the correct baud PRINT CHR$(16) by toggling C4 high rate, U3 also produces a 1.2288 -MHz ADDRESS = 255 'This corresponds clock signal for use by another part of to A0 -A7 held high When cI is toggled high and the CS the circuit. OPEN "COM1:1200,E,8,1" AS #1 pulse that follows reception of the sec- Chip U4 contains two transmitters To initiate a measurement, it's best to ond word by U2 is ANDed with CI, a and two receivers that translate be- start by resetting U6, U7 and U8. This pulse is generated at the CLOCK input tween RS -232 levels and the logic lev- is done by toggling high C2, ensuring of D -type flip-flop U8. This causes the els used by U2. There are many differ- that a cs pulse is generated by U2, and flip-flop's output to latch high, caus- ent transceiver chips that could be then toggling low C2. In BASIC, a ing the ranging module to emit an ul- used instead, but the MAX232 speci- subroutine to perform this sequence of trasonic signal because its INIT pin was fied was chosen because it's readily actions might be as follows: taken high and the output of the flip- available and operates from a single flop opens an AND gate to allow the 5 -volt supply. Transistor QI and a PRINT #1, CHR$(ADDRESS) 1.2288 -MHz clock pulses from U3 to pull-up resistor inside U4 form an in- PRINT #1, CHR$(4) `Toggle C2 start incrementing U7 and U8 (U7 and verter between transmit output TRO of high and send CS U8 form a 16 -bit binary counter).

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 81

www.americanradiohistory.com When the ultrasonic signal is received by the ranging module a few milliseconds after it was emitted, the CALIBRATION: MEASUREMENT:

module allows its ECHO pin to be A number is obtained, A number is obtained, pulled high by R6 (it has an open - which we call count,a. which we call countnn collector output). This resets the flip- flop, forcing low its output and stop- ping the 16 -bit counter. At this point, U6 and U7 have on their output pins a 16 -bit number that

corresponds to the number of clock count known while unknown distance = 2.400 meters cycles that have elapsed the ul- county^ trasonic signal traveled from the trans- 2.. ducer to the target and back. This

number is directly proportional to the known distance distance to the target. of 2.400 meters All that remains is to read the number off U6 and U7. To do this, you issue another command to U2. This time, you toggle high U3 to allow the CS pulse that follows to briefly take high the SEND pin. This tells U2 to read the 16 -bit number on pins IDO through ID7 and so through S7 and send them to the computer. This is accomplished as follows: Fig. 4. Illustrated here is the ratiometric approach to calibrating and measuring distance in the application for which author's prototype is used. WHILE B$ <> "" B$ = INPUT$(1,#1) WEND 'This loop clears the serial port buffer Construction fies assembly and is something you can The ultrasonic transducer is supplied probably get away with in most appli- PRINT #1, CHR$(ADDRESS) by Polaroid with a short two -conduc- cations. If you eliminate R1 and SW1, PRINT#1, CHR$(8) `Toggle C3 high tor cable for connecting it to the rang- be sure that pins AO through A7 are ei- and send CS ing board. If you wish to extend this ther grounded or connected to VDD, wire very much, use shielded cable. The numbers have been sent from the rather than leaving them floating. The ranging module has a connec- Ranger to the computer, but you must The circuit is simple enough that it tor for a supplied nine -conductor foil still read them from the computer's can be built on a few experimenter ribbon cable. If you can't locate a boards. No pin numbers are shown in serial port buffer using a subroutine matching connector (Burndy No. like: Fig. 2 because the ICs are drawn ex- SLP9s-2) for the other end of the spe- actly according to their physical pack-

cial cable, you have two options. The 1 BYTE1$ = INPUT$(1,#1) aging. Hence, pin is at the top -left simpler is unsolder Burndy BYTE2$ = INPUT$(1,#1) to the con- and the last pin number is at the top - COUNT = ASC(BYTE1$) + ASC nector from the module and replace it right of each DIP IC. This makes it (BYTE1$)"256 with your own ribbon cable soldered relatively easy to work between sche- into the holes left by the connector. matic and board layout. At this point, the variable "count" If you don't want to tamper with the You may want to build the left and holds the number (0 through 65,535) Polaroid module, you can use the right halves of this circuit on separate of clock cycles that elapsed while the Burndy connector and foil ribbon ca- boards because the circuit half cen- ultrasonic signal traveled to the target ble by modifying the end of the ribbon tered around the U2 has considerable and back. "Count" is directly propor- cable. To do this, separate the foil rib- utility apart from the Ultrasonic Ran- tional to the distance to the target. bon into its separate conductors and ger and might at some point be used From here on, the program code carefully insert the conductors into a elsewhere. should be dictated by your applica- DIP socket. This method seems to There's nothing critical about com- tion. In the prototype, what follows is work best with AMP DIP sockets. ponent layout. Just make sure to lo- computing the distance from the total Decide now whether to include cate bypass capacitors C4 and C5 count, subtracting the measured dis- SW1, SW2 and R1 (for convenience physically close to pin 40 of U2 and pin tance from 2.400 meters to find the when connecting multiple Rangers to 16 of U3, respectively. Connect C12 visitor's height and various proced- the same computer) or omit them and close to the ranging module because its ures to display and vocalize that hard -wire baud rate and address. function is to supply the brief pulses height. Eliminating these components simpli- of current needed by the module.

82 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com You can use any type of enclosure measure a known distance and then which the Ultrasonic Ranger is slight- into which all elements fit to house use the number obtained to calculate ly late in giving an echo pulse when your Ultrasonic Ranger. Machine the unknown distances, utilizing the linear directed at such acoustically "soft" selected enclosure as needed to mount relationship that exists between counts targets as carpeting and heads of hair. the circuit -board assemblies, using and distance. In our science -exhibit setup, we deter- 'h " spacers and suitable machine At the science exhibit in Canada, mined that the echo pulse was 0.32 to hardware. Mount the transducer that for example, the Ultrasonic Ranger 0.38 milliseconds late, making our comes with the Polaroid ranging mod- starts each day by counting the num- distance measurements a few centime- ule outside the enclosure. ber of clock pulses it takes the ultra- ters too large. sonic signal to travel the distance from It appears that only the last of the Using It transducer to floor (2.400 meters). Ac- 16 pulses emitted by the ultrasonic There are two ways to convert the tually the average of three successive transducer are reflected from our tar- number returned by the Ultrasonic measurements, this number is stored gets with enough strength to register Ranger into a usable distance mea- as a variable the computer uses with the Ranger as an echo. (The Po- surement. One is to measure the tem- throughout the day to make measure- laroid ranging module increases its perature of the air, calculate the speed ments of unknown distances per the gain with time to compensate for sonic of sound at that temperature and then formula given in Fig. 4. attenuation with distance to give later calculate distance based on the speed If you anticipate a relatively con- pulses a better chance of being detect- of sound and the clock frequency, us- stant temperature in your environ- ed.) Subtracting 0.38 ms from every ing the equation: distance = [counts/ ment, and if it's feasible to calibrate measurement corrected the problem. frequency (Hz)] x 331.4 ß/(T/273) = the Ranger by measuring a known dis- meters/second. Here, T is tempera- tance, you can do as we did. On the ture in °K and clock frequency is other hand, if you expect the temper- 1.2288 MHz. ature to vary over a wider range, or if A far easier method to compute dis- you can't calibrate by measuring a tance is to forget about directly mea- known distance, you can add a tem- suring the temperature and calibrate perature sensor to your computer to the Ultrasonic Ranger in such a way mathematically compensate for tem- that temperature is taken into ac- perature changes. count. Do this by having the project You may encounter situations in Joseph O'Connell

EASY TO USE CAD TOOLS The Award Winning Amish Utilities for Windows provide a refreshing change from the usual assortment of third party Windows PCB II utilities. -Launch unclutters your desktop, frees up system resources, and allows you to customize your windows shell.

-Desk is the original virtual desktop for Windows. It allows you to view 64 full screen applications, all on a window on your desktop. SUPERSKETCH -File is the file manager that should have been in Windows Easy to Use PC Software - ICON Based from the beginning. It's small, powerful, and intuitive. Ultra Fast Performance - Mouse Driven Complete With Advanced Editing Tools -MemoPad will ensure you never lose or throw away Output to Printers, Plotters & Lasers important phone numbers and addresses anymore with PCB BOARD DESIGN auto save, alarms, and complete configuration and layout Full range of products available from entry level facilities. through to auto routing. -Clock allows you to run programs at specific times. SCHEMATIC CAPTURE -Mem gives you real time status of A family of products that feature modern graphical memory, disk space, and system user interface & an intelligent diagram editor. resources. The Amish Utilities for Windows are I I I Windows 3.0, II $1 us fully compatible with PCB or SUPERSKETCH 49 and Windows 3.1. R4 SYSTEMS Inc. P.O. Box 451 'Free Evaluation Package West Hill, Ontario Write or Call Today Canada M 1 E 4Y9 Amish Software, Inc., 1325 Mills Street #1B (416) 439-9302 MICROSOFT. Menlo Park, CA 94025 WINDOWS. 415-323-5627 Download DEMO from BBS at 416 289-4554 (2400/8/N/1) COMPATIDLE 800-26 -AMISH-Orders only CIRCLE NO.76 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD CIRCLE NO.88 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 83

www.americanradiohistory.com Computer Games (from page 87)

adventure as "a true Multimedia Experi- As I mentioned, this technique was skill- ence" and "the first interactive cinema fully used in Mean Streets, which pre- Monkeys ... product" for the home market. These miered long before Martian Memoran- Does the name Guybrush Threepwood claims are debatable, depending much on dum. Yet there appears little change in gen- ring a bell? It should if you've played The the unclear definitions of "multimedia" eral game presentation. Mean Streets and Secret of Monkey Island, LucasFilm's off- and "interactive cinema." Multimedia is, other Access games witnessed a digitized beat pirate adventure game. In case you're in part, the intertwining of video, speech speech technique called RealSound. That an adventurer who missed this one, let me and music to produce an integrated prod- was before all the fancy add-on sound refresh your memory. uct. Interactive means that the user in some cards hit the market. Martian Memoran- Threepwood is a young man with the sense takes part in the play or operation of dum supports some sound cards, but its great ambition of becoming a pirate. In the the product, other than just running the speech reproduction isn't as clear as what's original Monkey Island, he faced three program. being heard in other games. challenges that, if he solved them, saw him The video portion of this game is en- Enjoyment of a graphic adventure can to that glorious social status. He fights hanced by digitized images of people and be greatly affected by its interactive sys- voodoo, used -ship salesmen, cannibals distinctive places in San Francisco. Height- tem. This makes sense because character and puns that are so bad they'll knock your ened visuals greet users, thanks to the use and story interaction is the nature of ad- socks off. Eventually he has to defeat ghost of background coloration and brief scenes venture games, no matter how graphic they pirate LeChuck, who's so mean he some- of animation. Sound enters in the form of may become. Mean Streets' interactive sys- times even scares himself. Well, enough music that varies from scene to scene, play- tem was somewhat clumsy because players history. If you want more, you can read ing along with digitized voices of people often had to make unnecessary keystrokes my review of original Monkey Island game Tex meets. The overall effect is very im- (or mouse clicks) to obtain or examine a in the August 1991 issue. pressive when added to a detective story. game object. Clumsiness in this instance As you might have guessed by now, was easy to overlook because Mean Streets Guybrush Threepwood is back. He's a offered a fairly new look to the graphic full-fledged pirate with a daring story to adventure, especially with the use of Real - tell. Now he sits around camp fires on the Sound. Gladly, interaction improves for shores of Scabb Island recounting the chill- SuperSitéTM Martian Memorandum. Talking with ing details of how he beat of LeChuck and game characters is more efficient. So is the evaporated away the ornery apparition. Programs it All! ability to interact with game objects, al- It's a good story when you hear it the first though the interface isn't quite as smooth time. But after hearing it several hundred for only $895 as in other game programs I've used. times, all of Scabb Island is sick of it. So Talking with game characters highlights begins the tale of Monkey Island 2: Le - Martian Memorandum's interesting pro- Chuck's Revenge. cedure for interaction. When Tex meets a Like the original Monkey Island, un- game character, players can choose to con- abashed humor is the impetus for this com- verse. The character says something and puter game. When Threepwood tells his pi- waits for Tex to respond. Players select rate friends that he's aiming for big adven- from a list of responses that may be radi- ture, they think he wants go grow a mus- cally different. PLD,GAL,Micro,PROM,EE/PROM tache. "No, bigger!" Threepwood re- Response tones can be polite and witty sponds. Then they think he wants to grow Get the best software based 40 pin-device or rude and threatening. Furthermore, the a beard. But no, Threepwood wants to find programer today and receive a FREE CUPL proper response must be selected in correct ... Big Whoop! That's right, Big Whoop. Starter Kit and Engineerrng Tool Product Guide. sequence. Anything else, and the encoun- Nobody seems to know what it is exactly. 14 Day Money Return Policy ter is unsuccessful, yielding little useful in- But it's something either so wonderful or Vail Silicon (305) 978-6083 formation. This method presents a double- so horrible that its original discoverers edged effect for game playing. To its cred- took great pains to keep it hidden. CIRCLE NO.84 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD it, it's a different and always -welcome ap- Big Whoop is a quest that's sure to yield proach in computer games, but it's also a good story, and a pirate needs a good To Order Back quite rigid. Discovering the correct re- story as much as he needs his humor. sponse sequence for any one character is There's a darker reason, though, that im- Issues a matter of methodical trial and error that, pels Threepwood to find Big Whoop. It at times, becomes fatiguing. turns out that ghost pirate LeChuck isn't Martian Memorandum is an overall really dead. He's just plain miffed, and Send $3.50 Per Issue (Check, good -quality game. It evidences much he's looking for a certain fresh -faced pi- work and forethought, Money especially on the rate. Legend has it that Big Whoop holds Order, Mastercard, part of visual presentation. Its music is ade- the key to unimaginable power. VISA, And AMEX). quate but not very diverse. The story is in- The only way to finish off LeChuck for Send All Correspondence To: volved and lengthy, which is just what's good (and save a young pirate's life) is to needed for an adventure game. Martian find Big Whoop. What a plan! But a minor Memorandum is interactive, as adventure obstacle stands in the way. Threepwood CQ Communications games have to be, and it has the key com- has to get a ship and leave Scabb Island. ponents of multimedia. If you like graphic Preventing any departure is ruthless Largo 76 North Broadway adventures, this one won't displease you. Legrande, the island bully who has forced Hicksville, NY 11801 You'll really like it if you're a fan of Tex an embargo so that no ships can leave. He Murphy, the tough private eye from Mean also shakes down everyone he meets and Or Call Streets. swills grog like a pig. Of course, every pi - 516-681-2922

84 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com rate swills grog like a pig, so that's okay. board matrix of squares. Little icons, pic- Bird's Eye View Legrande is hated and feared by every in- turing game characters, moved from one habitant of Scabb Island. First task as square to another. Results were reported Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, game player is to bust the Largo Embargo. in the form of text. This method of play $59.95 The playing stage is set for cemeteries, relies much on player imagination for its LucasFilm Games tombs, voodoo dolls and ancient maps. success, which is what games do anyway. P.O. Box 10307 Monkey Island 2 picks up where the first But improved game execution heightens San Rafael, CA 94912 game leaves off in both plot and game de- imagination. Tel.: 415-721-3300 sign. Player interface is still as seamless as In Might And Magic 3, game players see ever, allowing full concentration on plot all of tie action instead of just reading the Requirements and puzzles. Music sets the right mood textua_ results. Even though numbers like from foreboding and spooky to shameless- hit points and spell points represent the Memory 640K (Hard drive rely jovial, with a score that fits so well as core o' fantasy role play, games are more quired) to be transparent. The intricate artwork is enjoyable if players aren't inundated with Graphics VGA, MCGA consistently sharp and colorful from scene such as this. Sound Roland, AdLib, to scene. And the humor is again second This version of Might And Magic is one SoundBlaster, to none. Monkey Island 2 is a perfect con- of several fantasy adventure games that are SoundMaster tinuation of the series and an excellent moving toward more -elegant play. Still, it Controllers Keyboard, Mouse, graphic adventure in general. and other fantasy adventures have some Joystick milestones to pass before running pace And Magic... with the smooth style of other adventure Evaluation Fantasy adventures abound in the world games on the market. of computer gaming. It remains a favorite Might And Magic 3 is interesting to play, Documentation Good vehicle for gaming, whether role playing strictly from an adventure game point of Graphics Excellent with computers or real people. Interesting- view. It's full of puzzles and unusual char- Learning Curve Short ly, fantasy adventure has lagged other acters taken from the myth and lore of leg- Complexity Easy graphic adventures' quality of user inter- end and fantasy. Experienced fantasy Playability Excellent face and player interaction. The typical players will like its new look and better In Brief: Well-executed graphic adven- fantasy adventure is basically a text -based handling. Gamers who are new to fantasy ture where humor and silliness are as im- numbers game traditional for the genre. will find it a playable introduction into the portant as any other game aspect. Fantasy adventure games are all alike in of good and evil in which allurirg realm CIRCLE NO. 121 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD the same manner flight simulators are all might and magic reign supreme. alike. Differences between competing items in any category are in execution of the game concept. If a game doesn't play Bird's Eye View Bird's Eye View well, it ends up just another game. This was the case with the first two installments of Marian Memorandum, $59.95 Might and Magic 3, The Isles of Terra, Might And Magic. They were simply two Access Software $59.95 more titles in the wash of adventure games, 491C Amelia Earhart Dr. New World Computing appealing mostly to garners. The third in- Salt Lake City, Utah 84116 20301 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 200 stallment, however, made many changes Tel.: 800-800-4880 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 toward a more playable interface, better Tel.: 800-325-8898 graphics and sophisticated sound. These Requirements changes make the game accessible to gam - Requirements ers who don't do much with fantasy but Memory 640K (Hard drive would like to try it sometime. Traditional Memory 640K role-play methods tend to frighten away required) VGA, MCGA Graphics VGA, MCGA, EGA, the curious or occasional gamer, due to al- Graphics Sound Roland, AdLib, Tandy most mandatory tedium. SoundBlaster, Sound Roland, AdLib, The quest of Might And Magic 3 is to SoundBlaster, Tandy defeat Sheltem, the returning evil Guar- RealSound Mouse, Controllers Keyboard, Mouse, dian of the Isles of Terra. Ostensibly, the Controllers Keyboard, Joystick Joystick evil antagonist was killed in Might And have a way of com- Magic 2, but bad guys Evaluation Evaluation ing back. Before players battle Sheltem, they must solve a host of smaller but necessary mini -quests that comprise the meat Documentation Fair Documentation Good of the game. They have to search the land Graphics Excellent Graphics Good for clues, speaking with inhabitants, deal- Leaning Curve Short Learning Curve Medium ing with magic and fighting monsters along Complexity Easy Complexity Medium the way. This, too, is a typical but strong Playability Good Playability Good feature for fantasy adventure. In Brief: Interesting science-fiction In Brief: A quest of monsters, magic, and The biggest change to the Might And graphic adventure with complex plot and difficult puzzles. A little more playable Magic series is its three-dimensional view. intrigate story. than most fantasy adventures. Formerly, as in other fantasy adventures, CIRCLE NO. 118 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD CIRCLE NO. 120 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD the action was represented by a checker-

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 8º

www.americanradiohistory.com Ted Needleman (from page 65) POST CODE MASTER Debug PCs, Using Built in Power On Self Tes (POST) tro Pro 3.0. Installing these drivers (as well slow when compared to a laser printer. A Listings and database as the drivers for MS Windows) is amply full page of black -and -white bit -mapped for major BIOS types detailed in the very well written Software graphics can take a minute or more to print Power Supply LEDs Information Guide that accompanies the out, and a color page takes about 7 min- For IBM AT & comp- printer. In addition to this excellent man- utes. It's also more expensive than black - atibles including Compaq ual, the printer comes with an equally well and -white printing. Depending on how Only $59.00 done hardware manual and a guide to much white space my pages contain, I'm using color effectively. not getting more than about 500 pages out PORT TEST Color printing is much easier to accomp- of a color cartridge. Though for the quality PC Serial/Parallel Port lish with Windows applications. You just of the output, 8 cents per page seems like Diagnostic Software. install the new DeskJet Family driver un- an outright bargain. Comprehensive der the Windows printer driver Control I've liked HP's DeskJet printer since I Diagnostics and Utilities Panel. When you install this driver, you first used it, though the standard version Universal Loopback can specify the color density you wish to has become somewhat obsolete by the in- plug Included use (from light to dark). The samples expensive 4-ppm laser printers that have Identify Addresses reproduced here, which were generated us- recently become available. The DeskJet Only $89.00 ing the fabulous new Freelance Graphics 500C should breathe a lot of vitality back for Windows from Lotus, were printed us- into the DeskJet product line. HP has MicroSystems Development 4100 Moorpark Avenue, #104 ing the highest available print density. I'm developed the reputation of setting the 111i! San lose, CA 95117 not sure the difference will be highly visi- standards for non -impact printing. HP did (408)296-4000 Fax: (408)296.5877 ble when the printouts are reproduced in it with the original LaserJet and original CIRCLE NO.68 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD the magazine, but the color quality and DeskJet. The newest member of the fami- brightness of the 500C does suffer some- ly is sure to again set a standard in low-cost, what in these areas when compared to the high -quality color printing. Satellite -TV Satisfaction Guaran(ead six times more expensive thermal -transfer SAVE 40% - 60% printer. The output, though, especially on Product Tested 56 Page Catalog; it's loaded with All Malor Brands, Systems, the special inkjet paper that HP recom- DeskJet 500C, $1,095 Upgrades, Components & Accessories Hewlett-Packard Corp. Huge Savings, Easy Installation and mends (which reduces ink "wicking" in- Complete Intruetiona is 18110 S.E. 34 St. 800-334-6455 to the paper), very usable for even im- SKYVISION INC. 416.739.5231 Intl portant business presentations. Camas, WA 98607 tl.atote FRONTIER DRIVE FERGUS FALLS, MN 56537 Keep in mind two things when consider- Tel.: 800-752-0900 INSTALL OR UPDATE YOURSELF! ing the DeskJet 500C. This printer is very CIRCLE NO. 105 ON FREE INFORMA -FION ('ARO

RECESSION BEATER! COMPUTER SHOW Would you spend $19.95 to save $35.00 on software and computer accessories? & SALE SCHEDULE And own it with a warrantee on quality? WHOLESALE PRICES - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Retail Price Your Cost Silent Service II 59.95 36.27 SAVE $1.00 OFF ADMISSION WITH THIS AD! F-15 Scenario Disk Operation Desert Storm 29.95 18.13 MAY 2 ROYAL PLAZA TRADE CENTER 10-3 Marlborough - West of Boston-soo Tables AND MORE! YOU SAVE... 3550 Lonlc Sat. ä I-495 Exit 24-B- North of Mass Pike jTHERE'S LOTS MORE SAVINGS ON: Software Hardware MAY 16 WM. PATERSON COLLEGE - Rec. CV. IBM PC / Compatibles Joy Stick 10-3 Wayne, NJ near 1-80 & Route 46 Nintendo / Super Nintendo Mouse Sat. Indoors - 400 Vendor Tables Mac /Mac II Lap Tops Amiga Monitors JUNE 6 WILLOW GROVE, PA - Near Phila. Atari ST Keyboards 10-3 PA Tpke Exit # 27 - Geo.Wash. Lodge Commodore C-64 Modems Sat. 200 Vendor Tables - On Route 611 Apple II / Apple II GS And More! Sega / Sega Genesis JUNE 13 EDISON, NJ - Raritan Center Expo AND MORE! 10-3 NJ Turnpike Exit #10 then Right Sat. 1,000 Tables - Our Largest Show! For a lifetime membership and color catalog Send 19.95 & 3.00 (S&H) to: JUNE 27 NEW CARROLLTON, MD - Sheraton 10-3 I-95 Exit # 20-B on Annapolis Road SOFTWARE+ Sat. No. of DC & So. of Baltimore -25o Tables 610 Liberty Street Salisbury, Maryland 21801 (410) 860-8252 KGP PRODUCTIONS, INC.

IST 1,000 WHO MENTION THIS AD GET A FREE GIFT! (800) 631-0062

A ('IR( I -. NO. 6-1 ON FREI. INF(IH11 Il(1N C.ARI1 (112(1.1C N0. NOON FRP:F: INFORMA IION CARO 86

www.americanradiohistory.com Computer Games By SF Sparrow

Of Mars, Monkeys and Magic

Question: What do Magic, Monkeys and Tex's first graphic adventure was a mur- president of Terra Form Corp., wants Tex Mars have in common? Answer: They all der case. A local university professor hired to find his missing daughter. It may well begin with the letter "M." After wrack- him to find the truth about his daughter's be kidnaping, but what's the truth? Alex- ing my brain, this is about all I could come murder. VGA graphics, digitized video, ander is reticent, providing naked facts up with to tie together the three unrelated voice, music and animation saw Tex ques- without insight. However, his stunningly computer games in this review. tion witnesses, sweet-talk dolls and threat- beautiful executive assistant, Rhonda Fox - en thugs. An ace secretary kept him in- worth, is bound to have an inside track on formed and in line via Com Link, a Dick important information. What will it take Of Mars... Tracy-esque wrist radio.. Mean Streets was to loosen her tongue? Get set for the thrilling return of Tex Mur- a push ahead for Access Software, which Elsewhere, the missing daughter's home phy. If you've never met him before, pioneered RealSound, a technique of re- is thoroughly searched by police. But they you're missing an interesting experience in producing understandable human voice on might have missed something. Unsavory graphics adventure. Tex is a hard-boiled a computer without requiring additional characters of all sorts pop up, and Tex has private investigator who muscled his way hardware. That was the computer game to learn something from everyone. The into computer games a couple of years ago. year 2033. plot skids forward with a grisly ritual kill- He drove a Lotus Speeder, lived in scenic It's now 2039, and Tex is on the beat ing, Central American smugglers and on- San Francisco, and got his job done by again in Martian Memorandum. Marshall ward to the Red Planet itself, Mars. breaking the rules. Alexander, the powerful and mysterious Access Software hails its latest graphic (Continued on page 84)

81g 14hoop? !/4/-i f , r ,/,/ /íF t !r // ((( i R 1$4 o,.

_ *,tvs son*. . *Sure. Take my *hfio's9onrta m ,s! , i dont *ay fafl.+ he a pirate: The quest for Big Whoop. Young Threepwood gets tough.

.;, r-- ,, .. EZ,- 25. Älk SHOOT 4 30 +PHOTO' 1s 8 4 EXIT .2

2 4 g

Spying is a dirty business, but Tex doesn't mind. A new interface for Might & Magic.

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 87

www.americanradiohistory.com REMOVE HARDWARE LOCKS Classified Commercial Rates: $1 per word, 15 -word minimum ($15.00) prepaid. (Word PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT! count includes name and address; ZIP code and abbreviation each count as one word; MAINTAIN PRODUCTIVITY! P.O. Box number and telephone number count as two words each.) Indicate free cate- Software utility that allows for gory heading (Computers, Software, Electronics, Video or Miscellaneous). A special the removal of hardware locks. heading is available for a $6 surcharge. First word only is set boldface caps at no charge. Avaiable for most major Add 25¢ for each additional boldface word. CAD/CAM and PCB Non -Commercial Rates: FREE to subscribers, as space permits; maximum 15 words. A software programs recent COMPUTERCRAFT mailing label must accompany ad. (All advertisers with P.O. Box addresses must supply permanent Easy - Simple - Guaranteed address and telephone number. Copy is subject to publisher approval.) Programs start at $99.00 U.S. Mailing Information: Copy must be received by the publisher by the 25th of the third Visa and Mastercard Welcome month preceding the cover date. Send Advertising material with check or money order or Call or Fax for more Information credit card information (Visa or MasterCard only) with number and expiration date to: COMPUTERCRAFT, Classified Department, 76 N. Broadway, Hicksville, SafeSoft Systems Inc. NY 11801. 202.1100 Concordia Ave. Phone (204) 669-4639 Winnipeg, Mb R2K 4B8 FAX (204) 668-3566 Canada

CIRCLE NO. 79 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

COMPUTERS FREE IBM PD and Shareware disk catalog. Low prices since 1988! ASP Approved Ven- dor. Finto Software, Dept CC, Route 2 Box B.S. & M.S. IBM PC AND LAPTOPS VIDEO DIGITIZ- 44, Rosebud, TX 76570. In Computer Science ER, 640 BY 480 RESOLUTION. 256 GRAY LEVELS $89.98. DEMO DISK $3, INFOR- ALL COURSES BY CORRESPONDENCE MATION $1. COLORBURST, BOX 3091 Increase your earning power NASHUA, NH 03061. PHONE (603) 891- ELECTRONICS Join students from leading AMERICAN 1588. computer INSTITUTE FREE! Catalog of exciting new electronic kits. companies MEASUREMENT -Microprocessor kits. Free slam Speech devices, microprocessors and more! Ada course available COMPUTER catalog. Temperature Datalogger plans, $5.00. For free information call TENSOR, Send request to: LNS Technologies, 20993 SCIENCES Box 2543-C, Thunder Bay, On- Foothill Blvd., 1-800-767-2427 tario, P7B 5G1. Suite 307C, Hayward, CA 94541-1511. COMPUFACTS The professional's computer VIDEOCIPHER troubleshooting manual. Nothing like it on II/Satellite/Scanner/Cable/ B.S. & M.B.A. the market today. Amateur/Cellular/Repair Manuals, Modifica- In "Tricks of the Trade" from Business Administration working technicians. Thoroughly illustrated. tion Books & Software. Catalog - $3.00. TEL- ECODE A Chadwick University degree program can help you Electronic students MUST read this before P.O. Box 6426 -CC, YUMA, AZ achieve a more successful future: 85366-6426. job hunting. BBS access included. 30 B.S. and M.B.A. programs day in Business Administration. guarantee. $39.95 ALL COURSES BY CORRESPONDENCE. Computers Etcetera, PO KENWOOD & ICOM Service Bulletins. 175 + Box Join students from Fortune 500 companies 8090, Berkeley, CA 94707-9991. 510- pages covering all models. $39.95 Catalog - Increase your earning power. 841-5201. $3.00. CODs 602-782-2316/ FAX 602- Call for our free bulletin: WICK 343-2141. TELECODE Box 6426 -CC, Yuma, 1-800-767-2423 AZ 85366-6426. tJNIVIt2SITY SOFTWARE CABLE TEST CHIPS. Scientific-Atlanta BEACH RADIO, 1148 Center Street 269, 8550-321, 8500-310, 311, 320, 321 (specify) - Newton Center, MA 02159, Dept CC. $33.95.8580-338-$69.95,8570/8590-$79.95. HEAR THE ZENITH ZF-1 - $33.95. STARCOM 6 -$33.95. TONES..SEE THE NUMBERS! FREE PROGRAM!! FREE DISKS!! DTMF DECODER/DISPLAYAND ASCII CONVERTER Save STARCOM 7 - $49.95. TOCOM 5503/07 VIP $15.00 & more! Most shareware and other o }^moo - $33.95. TELECODE P.O. BOX 6426 -CC, programs require an additional investment in YUMA, AZ 85366-6426. i viewing, or decompression utilities before I I COMPUTERS -Learn to 11 I_ I _I I _I running. You get 4 of the newest and most build computers and earn money. o I _I _I _I I I_ I I_ widely used picture and decompression pro- Send $14.00 for manual. Micro - grams available. All on 360K disk! Free!! Star Corporation, P.O. Box 737, New York, Mode TDD-8 de odes and displays all 16 DTMF digi s and provides an ASCI seria output. Digits are displayed on eight Plus, if you mention CC Special, we will send NY 10274. LED's. 32 character buffer can be scrolled. It will accept you another 360K disk chock full of our huge almost any audio source such as a tape recorder, telephone CELLULAR answering machine, scanner, etc. Perfect for remote rental, adult, & shareware listings absolutely HACKERS BIBLE. Theory - computer data entry using a telephone keypad. Serial output free!! Just send $4.00 for shipping (refund- Hacks - Modifications - $49.95. TELECODE can be connected to your computer. IBM compatible software P.O. Box 6426 -XX, Yuma, AZ 85366-6426. included for displaying, storing/printing time, date and number able) or $4.50 (refundable) for 720K disk. for automatic logging. Assembled tested circuit board, ready to use! 30 day money back guarantee! CAN YOU THINK IN FOUR DIMENSIONS? VISA/MC ACCEPTED Learn How! Play FOURSPACE, a tic-tac-toe TDD-8 DTMF DECODER/DISPLAY/ASCII $99.00 style computer game in 2, 3, or 4 dimensions VIDEO CAB -I AUDIO & COMPUTER CABLES $20.00 with 2-4 human or computer players. Adjust PS -12 110VAC TO 12VDC POWER PACK $10.00 size of playing field, computer strategy, ex- VHS -VCR Repair Solutions Sets I, II, III, IV, PMK-1 PLASTIC MOUNTING KIT $15.00 periment! Requires IBM PC or compatible. V, VI. Add $5.00 S/H USA/Canada, $10.00 foreign Each contains 150 symptoms and cures, MoTron Electronics, 310 Garfield St, #4 Send $29.00 to SCHAEFER SOFTWARE updated cross reference chart, free assistance, Eugene, OR 97402 DEVELOPMENT, 645 N. Michigan, Suite $11.95 each all six $59.95. Eagle Electronics ORDERS: 800-338-9058 (USA/Canada) 800, Dept. CC6, Chicago, Ill., 60611. Box A, 52053 Locks Lane, Granger, IN 46530. INFO: 503-687-2118 FAX: 503-687-2492

CIRCLE NO. 69ON FREE INFORMATION CARD

88 / COMPUTERCRAFT / June 1992 Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft

www.americanradiohistory.com TV NOTCH FILTERS PHONE RECORD- MORSE Code? No Problem. You can in- Advertisers Index ING EQUIPMENT, BROCHURE $1.00. MI- crease your speed, no matter how many times CRO THinc. BOX 63/6025, MARGATE, FL you've failed before. Results guaranteed when 33063.1-305-752-9202. you follow the instructions. PASS Publish- ing's CW Mental -Block Buster program helps RS# Page # you explode mental blocks that hold you CABLE back. 51 AMC Sales 22 Based on 40 years of research, the CW Mental - 103 Altex Electronics Coy IV Block Buster uses guided meditation, dynamic Amer. Inst. for Comp. Sci....88 ACTIVATE your Jerrold, Tocom, or Zenith visualizations, and powerful affirmations to 88 Amish Software 83 Box (Fully) in just minutes. Test chips only blast through mental blocks. You can do 52 Avocet Systems, Inc 55 $50.00. No CA. Sales. Orders Call 1-800-452- code! That means new bands, more contacts, 90 BG Micro 11 7090. Information 213-867-0081. more fun! (This is not a CW practice tape.) Binary Technology 77 The CW Mental -Block Buster audio cassette 92 Blue Earth Research 77 JERROLD Test chips for Starcom 6 and 7. In- and practice booklet are only $24.95 ppd. in Brunelle Instruments 78 stalls in just minutes only $50.00. No CA. the US (NY residents add $2.00 sales tax). In- CIE 90,Cov.III Sales. Orders 1-800-452-7090. Information fo: 516-584-8164. PASS Publishing, P.O. Box 85 C&S Sales 75 213-867-0081. 570, Stony Brook, NY 11780. 53 Cedar Software 73 54 Cottage Resources Corp 74 USE YOUR SIGNATURE AS CLIPART! 55 Covox 9 CABLE TV EQUIPMENT Send us your signature, and we will scan it and 56 Design Computation 22 sharpen it, then return it to you in your choice 57 EMAC 80 any 2 graphics formats. CABLE TV converters and descramblers dis- of Add the personal Grantham 61 count center. Jerrold, Tocom, Hamlin, Scien- touch to all your correspondence. Send $19.95 58 Hampshire Industries 9 tific, Atlanta, Oak, Zenith. Order your today to Computune, 7318 Osceola Dr., Cincinnati, 59 Home Control Concepts 19 OH 45243. 800-962-6836. Specify disk size and graphics for- 60 Hoops-Ware 73 mat(s). Write to same address, or call 513-244- 61 Interactive Image Tech. 5 9492 for info on LOW priced mother board 62 Iota Systems 79 upgrades! MISCELLANEOUS 63 Jensen Tools 28 64 KGP 86 ATTRACTIVE ORIENTAL LADIES seek- ing correspondence, marriage. Professional Kelvin Electronics 78 ASIAN LADIES want correspondence for 28 introductions since 1984. Asian Experience, 86 Laser Group friendship, marriage. SUNSHINE INTER- 87 Lifeforce Technology 39 NATIONAL -Dept. TW, Box 5500, Kailua- Box 1214TZ, Novato, CA 94948. (415) 897- 2742. MK Electronics 78 Kona, Hawaii 96745. (808) 325-7707. 67 Merrimak Valley 55 THAILAND Women, marriageable, Tours, 100 Micona 79 COMPUTER Profit Secrets Revealed! Dis- 68 Microsystems Development 86 cover many home based business. Free infor- Correspondence: 300 Photograph Brochure $3 CIub Thai, Box 4417(m) Miami, FL 33114. 69 Motron Electronics 88 mation: Tyler Electronics, PO Box 493, Rich- 70 Mouser Electronics 31 mond Hill, NY 11418. NRI Schools 25 IDEAS WANTED 89 Paradiem Systems 27 COMPUTER Business For Sale. Sales and in- 71 Photronics 74 stallation of systems and service. Phoenix/ 72 Praire Digital Inc 31 Scottsdale, AZ area. 3.5 Mil gross sales. INVENTORS! Can you patent and profit 73,74 Print Products Inter 77,79 $295,000 down, with terms. No special skills from your idea? Call AMERICAN INVEN- 75 Pseudo 80 required. A.C. Jeffryes Rlty. Ask for Harold TORS CORP. for free information. Serving 76 R4 Systems, Inc .83 at 1-602-258-2977. inventors since 1975. 1-800-338-5656. 77 RC Servos 75 78 Radio Shack 7 79 Safesoft Systems 88 80 Software + 86 Free Product Scrambling News 55 Information Skyvision, Inc. 86 Readers can obtain free information on Software Science 89 products advertised, as well as for Solderworld 89 some editorially mentioned products. 81 URDA 73 Simply circle the appropriate number 82 U.S. Cyberlabs 37 prinled below an advertisement onto 140 Unicorn Electronics Cov. II the CC "Free Information Service" V Communications 15 card bound into this issue. After filling in 83,84 Vail Silicon Tools 78,84 your name and address, just mail the postpaid card. Your request will be for- Alk warded directly to the advertiser with a mailing label prepared by our reader - service department.

ProtoQuick Z8 and 8051 PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS Compere s.ple board m+palers. It's easy to build PCB's. No camera or dark room are Al. 2a or l 803r41 means. required. All materials, even 4 drills, along with simple ,., M 321, EPROM arde 81f RAM r w. ^dared-Mraplr poro area instructions to use magazine or other types of artwork RS232C sena, ru,,.0825 corm. are included. All 6 4"x6" Cie sfe m EPROM wr source code boards are precoated with a Asoreler0 reads ro run 5,' strong easy to use dry film photoresist. For FREE simple, step by step, instructions and catalog or to We'd like to see your company listed here too. order the CIRCUIT BOARD KIT ($45.00) call or Contact Margaret Milanese at 516-681-2922 to $99.00 .... write: Solder World, Dept. M2, 9555 Owensmouth Ave. # 14, Chatsworth, CA 91311 work out an advertising program tailored to c.p, us. Run prototype apgrations o expenmenlal hardware "« (513) 561-2060 (818) 998-0627 Fax (818) 709-2605 suit your needs. from the senai poi - WITHOUT PROGRAMMING!

Say You Saw It In ComputerCraft June 1992 / COMPUTERCRAFT / 89

www.americanradiohistory.com If You're Serious About a Future in Electronics, Ensure that Future with the Best Educational Training Available.

ee FREE! SEND FOR YOUR CIE HOME STUDY COURSE CATALOG AND RECEIVE A FREE 24 PAGE CIE ELECTRONICS SYMBOL HANDBOOK!

Includes hundreds of the most frequently used electronic symbols. Published by CIE exclusively for our students and alumni. Yours free when you es.ew. N. t...+N...n. 3 request a CIE Course Catalog. n ,trttt.na, ).,,. iterc)aJwwtlllt.tt,vMnniniedon dye daRan. ; MUM >fntßeN'arcnnp,.tltn tNlrnt'a151A.Aaº tot_t1wk ,pst«orst,h Ln t t -J mt M t.sht a6t Ime.. Malta. lw,'tl toall Seiat anJ Mots.tot Ow twacM- 'a151A It; atttt+t he DIU .rn mos. the Meh the a uti. ,y. IP eltt atea.aat b. tKndtN.atil te Ißt MP,.e.ita.. 1049 Motto. ,IwNsk1 he oft , and the the nets ot tttt, 1he power ,.n 3333 i t tU.tn t uu tieing atnetc,t 333dnl ea,h 1 Nn, thew .INdnxm,. (UM oil : tn. MM^we .w5.- Mn 11 yon nlnw t tnita axh N 1 1 U.Mwk1 ,>r .twd 31.1014301 ,W.ph Ihr the power and ..hak YttNt ,t.ntN.ihNt] elJwtht tradire .eu ,ce the the iN' lNpul .NmWt,.n...n thc ma.l.. u to . S S. cemtwm ttom thr t`re.ent it S pe ) t.sandhi Ih[ tnPul will he rttd)itJ twt:he't to the tamer dau venti, tote pteticü.x, enned IntW1h_e'SNt ai.tynt,g,ate [MP esMck lti totem), atNt l'a,* gook: V. Set the /t t. the aptog1ty ed Ihe .eh,.tcd tttPtN Ll,. Iwhel.t a owdtOtK SttYt teauk. In te)nM _I1.1 ... lta,Nd 11Nte nt the Inu1h I ,atlt.al ,tkp.tnt lent nt Ih. J{glt(pMLN' I W the NNntttt of the data t1h':.attN+ Lkl) teylna.t tank rn itr la le tht N *43333W I U st the trip ,wthlt Set el: ,ope {"e. at.,:, Q. n et the :toed ht.ttN,n when tde twodl u1 when the ,tt+h eta www.americanradiohistory.com If you want to learn about electron- CIE PROVIDES YOU WITH A ics, and earn a good income with that LEARNING METHOD SO knowledge then CIE is your best educational value. GOOD, IT'S PATENTED. CIE's reputation as the world CIE's Auto -programmed lessons are a leader in home study electronics is proven learning method for building based solely on the success of our valuable electronics career skills. Each graduates. And we've earned that lesson is designed to take you step-by- reputation with an unconditional step and principle-by -principle. And commitment to provide our students while all CIE lessons are designed for with the very best electronics independent study, CIE's instructors training. are personally available to assist you Just ask with just a toll - any of the free call. The 150,000 -plus result is practical graduates of training... the the Cleveland kind of experi- Institute of ence you can put Electronics to work in today's who are marketplace. core lessons applicable to all areas of working in electronics. And every CIE course you high -paying LEARN BY take earns you credit towards comple- positions with DOING...WRH tion of your Associate in Applied aerospace, Science Degree. So you can work computer, STATE-OF- toward your degree in stages or as medical, THE-ART fast as you wish. In fact, CIE is the automotive FACILITIES only school that actually rewards you and communi- AND for fast study, which can save you cation firms thousands of dollars. throughout the EQUIPMENT. world. In 1969, CIE SEND TODAY FOR YOUR CIE COURSE They'll tell you success didn't pioneered the first Electronics Labora- CATALOG AND WE'LL SEND YOU A come easy...but, it did come....thanks tory course and in 1984, the first FREE 24 PAGE CIE ELECTRONICS to CIE. And today, a career in elec- Mircoprocessor Laboratory course. SYMBOL HANDBOOK! tronics offers more opportunities and Today, no other home study school greater rewards than ever before. can match CIE's state-of-the-art equipment and training. And all your laboratory equipment, books, and CIE's COMMITTED TO BEING lessons are included in your tuition. THE BEST....IN ONE It's all yours to use while you study at AREA.... ELECTRONICS. home and for on -the -job after graduation. CIE isn't another be -everything -to - mm lum m m om m im m im m ao m everybody school. We teach only one ' subject and we believe we're the best PERSONALIZED 1 YES! I want to get started. at what we do. Also, CIE is accredited TRAINING....TO MATCH YOUR 1 Send me my CIE school catalog includ- 1 by the National Home Study Council. 1 ing details about the Associate Degree And with more than a 1,000 gradu- BACKGROUND. I 1 Program. (For your convenience, CIE 1 ates each year, we're the largest While some of our students have a will have a representative contact you - home study school specializing working knowledge of electronics there is no obligation.) exclusively in electronics. CIE has others are just starting out. That's A030 why we've developed twelve career been training career -minded students Name: like yourself for nearly 60 years and courses and an A.A.S. Degree program 1 I we're the best at our subject to choose from. So, even if your not Address' ELECTRONICS ... BECAUSE IT'S THE sure which electronics career is best I I ONLY SUBJECT WE TEACH! for you, CIE can get you started with 1 1 1 City: State: 1 I WHY CHOOSE CIE FOR YOUR TRAINING? Zip: Age: ; 150,000 successful graduates from every country around the world.

1 Phone No. ( ) 1I Only CIE rewards you for fast study. CIE offers an Associate Degree program based on actual study time used. The faster you complete your I Check box for G.I. Bulletin Benefits i degree the less your overall tuition. 1 - Veteran 7 Active Duty 1I State-of-the-art laboratory equipment is yours to keep and it comes I assembled, ready for hands-on experiments. Approved for educational benefits under the G.I. Bill for veterans and other IIII:!!g' 1 eligible persons. 1 CLEVELAND 1 INSTITUTE OF h4c s2J9 Upon graduation, CIE offers free preparation to pass the Certified 1 ELECTRONICS A school of thousands. 1 Electronics Technician Exams. 1776 East 17th Street 1 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 A class of one. 1 1 (216) 781-9400 Since 1934. Ilhoommmmoommoommui

www.americanradiohistory.com TO DRDER (800) 531-5369 rAX (512) 637-3264 TO ORDER (800) 531-5369 FAX (512) 637-3264 TO ORDER (800) 531-5369 FAX (512) 637-3264 TO ORDER (800) 531-5369 FAX (512) 6372Gä4 ÆAltexElectromes,Inc, TO ORDER CALL 1(800) 531-5369 geldVISAasterOard '

MAIL ORDER DEPT., 113421H35 NORTH, SAN ANTONIO, TX 78233 - (512) 8373200; HOURS 7AM-8PM M -F, 10-5PM SAT. FAX (512) 8373284 TERMS: Nn surcharges on credit cards For C 0 D. orders add S5 C 0 D orders are cash or croaked check any Minimum C O.D order is $25. P.O.'s accepted horn approved accounts. Government, purchase orders welcome. FAX you order for taster service All orders under $99 will be assessed a S3 handing charge Orders over $99 or more no handkng charges NI shipping charges are . F San Antonio. Texas and will be added to invoice Texas residents add 8 114ió sales tax All returns rewire RMAI and we ask hat all reLms are sent back n the same condition in which fee MI be assessed on product 8ral is returned n non-resaleade condition Pnces and product descriptions sued to change CALL FOR CURRENT PRICING. Products are Fademarks of their respectve not responsible for In companies We are typographical errors. a hurry? Federal Express your order 2nd Day Economy - S8 up to 2Ubs. Overnight Priority - $17.50 up lo 2Utu.

MOTHER BOARDS DISK CONTROLLER BOARDS COMPUTER CASES Parte Description Each STC-12 Baby AT Case $83 STC-05 Baby Vertical w/230 Watt $69 Power Supply STC-10 Regular AT Case w/230 $95 Power Supply STC-08 Medium Vertical Case $119 w/230 Watt Power Supply Pa rte Description Each STC-18 Regular Vertical w/250 $133 IFC-14 2 Floppy Controller $13 Watt Power Supply Board PC/XT STC-16 Regular Vertical $136 FC -15 Disk 110 Board Serial, $25 w/250 Watt Power Supply Parallel, Clock, Game PC/XT WC -24 Fixed Disk MFM/2 Floppy $55 RELISYS Controller AT MB286-12 12 MHz 286 Mini $99 MONITORS Motherboard IFC-27.2 AT 2 IDE, 2/Floppy Controller 819 MONITORS MB286-16 16 MHz 286 Mini $109 IFC-27X XT 2/IDE Controller $69 MON -05 Monochrome TTL $89 IFC-28 XT MFM Hard Drive $47 Motherboard Amber 12' MB386-25 386 25 MHz $229 Controller Board MON -08 Paper White TTL 14' $112 Motherboard MON -10 CGA/RGB $219 ST -01 8 BA SCSI Controller $29 MB386.33C 386 33 MHz $459 (640 x 240) 14' ST -02 8 BA SCSI/Floppy $47 Motherboard MON -07 VGA .41 Dot Pitch $239 486 33 Controller Board MB486-33 MHz $799 (640 x 480) 14' IN -2000 16 BA SCSI Hard/Floppy $189 Motherboard RM9502 Monochrome VGA $139 KEYBOARDS EXPANSION BOARDS (800 x 350, 400. 480) NOW Limited Quantities CALL RE1420 Super VGA (1024 x 768) $359 Parte Description Each KBY-60 AT Style 10 Function Keys $19 1(800) 531-5369 Unlimited Colors FC -12 Serial Board PC/XT $11 XT or AT FOR THE NEW ALTEX CATALOG IFC-12A Second Serial Port Kit for $6 R E1520 15' Super VGA Monitor $469 IFC.12 INoninterlaced up tu 1024x7681 Parallel MEMORY BOARDS IFC-25 2 Serial Came $16 Board XT/AT POWER IFC-13 Parallel Board XT/AT All memory boards come with 0/K Call for $9 SUPPLIES pricing with memory IFC-19 Clock Board PC/XT $10 IFC-19B Chipohip for PC/XT $24 diem' Poona rDescription Each IFC-20 Game Board $9 KBY-39 Enhanced Style $49 XT/AT 2 Ports PS -150 150 watt XT Power Supply $32 12 Function Keys XT orA- IFC-70 BOCA 2 Serial 2 Parallel $49 PS-150UL Same as PS -150 - UL Listed $69 K-156 (XT/AT) $35 I/O Board PS -200M 200 watt XT power Supply $36 101 keys with regular footprint for XT or AT

1 PS-200MUL - IFC-73 BOCA 2 Serial Parallel $49 Same as PS -200M UL Listed$89 Size, 20 112'L x 7 7/8'W x 1 13/16'H. 8 Clock Board PS-200 200 watt AT Power Supply $42 K-160 Narrow Footprint $36

IFC-75 BOCA 2 Serial 1 Parallel $99 PS -2000L Same as PS -200 - UL Listed $89 101 keys XT or AT PS -220 MCA I/O Board 220 wan Vertical Case Size: 18 1/2'L x 6 1/2'W x 1 5/16'H. IFC-76 BOCA Parallel Port MCA $55 PowerSuppy $79 K-158 Small Footprint $43 Parte Description Each O Board PS-230UL 230 watt Vertical Case $99 101/102 keys. 22 percent smaller than regular Power Supply - UL Listed footprint IFC-47A BOCA 128K AT $79 COMMUNICATION BOARDS PS-200MINI 200 watt Baby Vertical Case Size: 15 3/4'L x 7 7/8'W x 1 13/16'H Memory Board Parte Description Each Power Supply $69 K-158-1 Small Footprint $47 IFC-60 AT Plus - Up to $119 MS -400A Muth.Serial Board $89 Spanish Language 8 MEG RAM for PC/AT DISK DRIVES IFC-60A AT Memory Board $119 MS -422A Dual RS -232/422 $69 HARD DRIVES 8 MEG Using SIMMS Serial Card for PC/AT FC-61 AT Memory Board $119 MU -440 Multi -User Board $139 with I/O - up to 4 MEG LCS-8880 4 -Port Multi -Terminal Card $75 IFC-62 PS -2 MOD 50 $119 60 EMS up to 2 MEG VIDEO BOARDS IFC-64 PS -2 EMS $99 up to 2 MEG MEMO-576 576K Ramboard $23 DD D-04 5 1/4 inch DSDD ST -251 40MB MFM 28MS 360K black faceplate $59 Hard Drive 5-1/4' $259 ITT MATH CO -PROCESSORS DDD -05 5 1/4 inch DSDD ST -351A 40MB IDE 28MS 2C87-12 For 286 up to 12 5 MHz $78 360k beige faceplate $59 Hard Drive 3-1/2' $219 2C87-20 For 286 up to 20 MHz 84 DDH-06 5 1/4 inch DSHD ST -3120A 105 MB IDE 15 MS 3C87-16SX For 386SX up to 1 2MB beige faceplate $59 Hard Drive 3.1/2' $ 359 16 MHz 100 DDH-09 3 1/2 inch 720K beige ST -3144A 120 MB IDE 19 MS 3C87-20SX For 386SX up to w/brkt $59 Hard Drive 3.1/2' $419 20 MHz 113 00K+10 3 1/2 inch 1 44MB ST -1239A 210 MB IDE 15 MS 3C87-25SX For 386SX up to 25 MHz 125 IFC-32 Mono Board $16 beige w/brkt $59 Hard Drive 3.1/2' $649 3C87-25 For 386 up to 25 MHz 150 w/printer port XT/AT DOH-11 Same as DDH-10 without $55 ST -296N 84 MB SCSI 19 MS 3C87-33 For 386 up to 33 MHz 163 IFC-33 Color Graphics $25 5-1/4' mounting bracket Hard Drive 5.1/4' 5369 w/printer port XT/AT Fits in 3.1/2' bay ST -1239N 204 MB IDE 15 MS $649 CALL FOR PRICING ON WC -42 640x480 VGA Card $59 RAIL01 AT Drive Rail KA 51.99 Hard Drive 3.1/2' DYNAMIC MEMORY WC -42C BOCA Super VGA Card $139 FP-BLK 1/2 Height Black ST -1480N 426 MB SCSI 14 MS $1399 AND MEMORY MODULES VG -7000 Super VGA w/512K $85 Faceplate $2A9 Hard Drive 3.1/2'

TO ORDER (800) 531-5369 FAX (5121 637-3264 TO ORDER (800) 531-5369 FAX (512) 637-3264 TO ORDER 18001 531-5369 FAX (5121 637-3264

CIRCLE NO. 103 ON FREE INFORMATION CARD www.americanradiohistory.com