80-Bus News

Firstly, in COMPARE, in sub-routine TADDR (D025), a CALL CONOUT should follow the LD E,0AH at D02E. In INTEL-HEX DUMP, in sub-routine LOADBUFF (8015), an LD BC,16 should follow the LD DE,BUFFER at 8018. Again in INTEL-HEX DUMP, in sub-routine TYPENDFL (80BE), the instruction at 80D1 should be LD A,0l and not LD A,L. I hope the above help to solve any problems which anyone may have had.

On the topic of GEMPEN and Diskpen, I have GEMPEN VG:1. My question now is:– Can I purchase Diskpen VG:3 on tape to run under RP/M, from any of the usual Gemini dealers, or does this latest version need to access disks whilst in use, for such things as HELP overlays. One further question:– presumably the GM829 FDC card copes satisfactorily with the interfacing to a TEAC FD 55E or 55F drive, but can Gemini’S distribution CP/M disk be simply slotted in and expected to run? TEAC drives are somewhat cheaper than Micropolis!

Did DRH make any sense out of the AMTOR spec I sent him some time ago?

Is there any advantage in swapping to the latest version of the GM812 IVC monitor, which I now belive is in a 2732 as opposed to my version in a 2716, when I don’t have the latest keyboard? Exactly what are the differences between the two versions – does the later one have any extra “goodies” in?

Sorry I haven’t had time to submit anything else for your perusal, but hopefully others will have done so. Keep up the good work on the magazine – rest assured that it’s much appreciated. Please, no more 6-month gaps though!

Yours truly, Martin Davies, Tewkesbury, Glos.

{Ed. – As far as I am aware it is not possible to use the latest PEN on tape as, as you have observed, it needs to be able to access the Overlay files, and coping with this with a tape recorder would present quite a problem!

With regard to the Teac drives and Gemini CP/Ms, yes these will run, although the standard Gemini products assume the 10mS track-to-track time of the Micropolis drives, rather than the 3mS capability of the Teacs. They will still run perfectly alright, it’s just that they will be a little slower than they should be, and for some reason the Teacs make quite a bit more noise when stepping at the slower rate. The much awaited (and awaited) Gemini CP/M with BIOS 3 will get around this feature when (if) it appears!

The IVC monitor situation is covered in David Parkinson’s article in this issue, and hopefully that will answer your final question. ]

Polydos

In the latest pricelist from Gemini I noticed that Polydos will soon be discontinued. If you should find it interesting for 80-BUS News” readers we are still supplying PolyDos and other PolyData Nascom software.

Yours truly, Piezodan Aps, ___________ __, Dk-____ Fredensborg, Denmark

Nascom Dying?

Please find my next years subscription enclosed. What reminded me, was the receipt of the final Nascom Newsletter. This seems to indicate that Nascom is dying. I trust that Gemini is going to keep the breed gong. How about publishing a review of where Gemini are and what we might expect in terms of product development. Thanks for an excellent magazine.

Yours truly, M G Nixon, Chelmsford

Don’t Forget

Please don’t forget us humble Nascom 2 owners without disks. Otherwise, keep up the good work.

Yours truly, K Ward, Kent