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UIDE Universal IDE adapter cards for Z-80 computers

175 bytes added, 10:23, 3 March 2017
Addition of 6128 XTEST.COM download link
* Implemented using cheap, readily available parts (7400-series ICs only, plus some capacitors, resistors and LEDs).
* Can be connected to the PCW expansion port (see below) or internally via a Z80 shim card (note, this requires a socketed Z80).
* Driver supports Amstrad PCW CP/M Plus only at this time (it is implemented as a FID).
* A separate driver exists for Lifeboat CP/M 2.2 on the TRS-80 Model II that can be ported on demand to other CP/M 2.2 variants.
* The CP/M driver runs the IDE device in LBA / 8 bit mode, so DOMs or CF cards are recommended (at least 128MB is recommended).
* Fully programmable I/O address decoding (via on-board jumpers). Initial I/O range (uIDE-16, for the as yet unwritten CPC driver) is FEF0-FEF7 and (uIDE-8, for the PCW driver) is C8-CF, but you can change this to suit your own hardware / driver.
* Can be used on any other Z80 computer with a socketed processor.
* Implements a standard bus connector that exactly matches the Z80 pinout. Further expansions are planned, including a Z80 bus board, serial port, parallel port (possibly a clone of the CPS8256), mouse port, dk'tronics sound clone (PCW), etc.
== Testing the IDE device ==
In the PCW driver distribution there is a program called XTEST.COM. XTEST is a program that tests and returns information about connected IDE
devices.
 
There is also a version of XTEST.COM for CPC6128 CP/M Plus that you can use to check that your uIDE-16 is working coorrectly:
 
[[File:XTEST-6128.zip|XTEST for CPC6128 / uIDE-16]]
To use, issue the command XTEST, followed by any combination of the
== Drivers ==
At present there is a driver for the PCW which is a FID ("Field Installable Driver") file. To install it, simply copy it to your boot disk (USER 0). Not all CP/M Plus versions support FIDs though (notably the earlier ones - see below). I will be porting this driver to the 6128 in due course, but AMSDOS is not supported. I may need assistance with this!
The driver's capabilities are:
* A formatter and some IDE test utilities are provided as part of the driver suite (see above). Use the formatter to prepare a CF card or DOM prior to use. Use the test utility to verify that your uIDE is connected properly and the DOM or CFD card is compatible.
The provisional PCW driver suite can be downloaded here: [[File:Xdriver PCW suite 0.1.zip|framed|All Board BOMPCW CP/M Plus Xdriver suite]]. '''Note: There are no drivers available for the CPC6128 at this time.'''
=== Transferring software to the PCW ===
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