Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

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RalfR
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by RalfR »

Chr$ wrote:Thanks for the comments. I did find the instruction PDF, which is very useful.

Just for fun and to explore the software, I attempted to use the ROM data that I took from the original chip in Qemulator as an "ext. ROM", but it didn't do anything - no boot message and of course no reaction when entering 'eprom'. I expect one of you will know instantly why that is, not that it's important, I was just messing around.
Perhaps it checks the existence of the firmware.


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Pr0f
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by Pr0f »

The ROM in the QEPIII is 'jumbled' so if you read it using another eprom reader it will make no sense as a QL ROM, - if you sbytes the ROM when the card is in the QL, it will give you a valid ROM - I believe there was a program on Dilwyns site to unscramble the ROM image to a standard ROM layout.


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Pr0f
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by Pr0f »

a quick test with the unscrambled ROM shows it does load the banner and the eprom keyword is there - but typing it hands the emulator, as the hardware doesn't exist


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Chr$
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by Chr$ »

Pr0f wrote:The ROM in the QEPIII is 'jumbled' so if you read it using another eprom reader it will make no sense as a QL ROM, - if you sbytes the ROM when the card is in the QL, it will give you a valid ROM - I believe there was a program on Dilwyns site to unscramble the ROM image to a standard ROM layout.
Gotcha, thanks. So that was some kind of copy protection?

(reminder to self: SBYTES dev_filename,48*1024,16*1024 should be the correct location/length to save the QEPIII ROM data - that is correct?)


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Pr0f
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by Pr0f »

Chr$ wrote:
Pr0f wrote:The ROM in the QEPIII is 'jumbled' so if you read it using another eprom reader it will make no sense as a QL ROM, - if you sbytes the ROM when the card is in the QL, it will give you a valid ROM - I believe there was a program on Dilwyns site to unscramble the ROM image to a standard ROM layout.
Gotcha, thanks. So that was some kind of copy protection?

(reminder to self: SBYTES dev_filename,48*1024,16*1024 should be the correct location/length to save the QEPIII ROM data - that is correct?)
Not really - it was done to simplify the pcb tracking on the board, and I think that's why they then offered the jumble pins feature - which means the data lines for the device can be connected in any order, as long as each is unique, and likewise the address lines.


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Pr0f
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by Pr0f »

The unscrambled eprom layout is here:
Attachments
QEP3v108.zip
(7.32 KiB) Downloaded 132 times


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Chr$
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by Chr$ »

Pr0f wrote:The unscrambled eprom layout is here:
Thanks. I'll sbytes mine and then at least I have something to compare it to, to make sure I did it right.


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QViewStu
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by QViewStu »

Campfire memories - the in house production Minerva(e) were born on a QEPIII. Including the ones that went round twice on the first production batch for the Papworth QL show where we debuted. At 2 am Lau discovered a bug in his code we had to fix…

Thinking maybe I should write a Tales from the QView memoir while I can still remember…


One third of the original QView Minerva crew.
Derek_Stewart
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by Derek_Stewart »

QViewStu wrote:Campfire memories - the in house production Minerva(e) were born on a QEPIII. Including the ones that went round twice on the first production batch for the Papworth QL show where we debuted. At 2 am Lau discovered a bug in his code we had to fix…

Thinking maybe I should write a Tales from the QView memoir while I can still remember…
The production of Minerva was one of the greatest developments for thr QL.

I used to logon to Lau BBS: Lau Place to talk to him about Minerva.

I would interested in reading the Qview memiors.


Regards,

Derek
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mk79
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Re: Sinclair/QJUMP QEPIII Eprom programmer

Post by mk79 »

QViewStu wrote:Thinking maybe I should write a Tales from the QView memoir while I can still remember…
I'd like that :-)


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