PC Transfer

[hydrophilic]

I've been using my homebrew version of Big Blue Reader / Little Read Reader for xfering data with my PC on 5 1/4 floppy.  Initially loads of fun, but it gets old quick.  I've been considering other solutions, and had some questions.  I also have some assumptions based on what I've seen on the www.

Please correct me if I'm wrong or answer any questions you can.  Thanks!

Also let me say I do not have Jiffy DOS in either my C128 or C1571, and they both have original / buggy ROMs.  My PC has about every flavor of Windows except Vista plus a few versions of DOS and one version of Linux: Mandrake.

1. Can I do parallel transfers with user port on c128 and parallel port on PC?  Any recommended software?
2. I've heard CMD hard drives support 1541/71/81 partitions just fine, but they don't offer RAM and CPU so fast loaders and other M-E / B-E commands will not work.  True?
3. If using X1541 cable, is there software for PC that does emulate the 1541/71/81 drives' RAM and CPU for fast loading?  I know emulated drives in VICE do, but this would require some custom indirect interface through CBM4WIN.
4. Since the X1541 cable does not have SRQ, it cannot do burst mode.  Is there a cable and software that does this?
5. Finally, I've heard you can set up ethernet connection but I prefer not to go this way because A) I need a special cartridge, B) I need ethernet attachment to cartridge, and C) I need special software on C128 (i.e., F3 / DIRECTORY won't work).  Yes, I realize C applies to #1 above.

[hydrophilic]

Searching cmp.sys.cbm I discovered a few things,

Regarding #1, there is an XP1541 and XP1571 parallel cables, but these are for parallel transfers to the drive not the C128.  However, this page describes an 'adapter' for the XP1541 which looks like a perfect blueprint for a Commie to PC parallel cable.

Regarding #3, this page on how to access a CBM serial drive with VICE using cbm4linux.  I haven't examined the patch, but I don't think (hope!) it will require major changes for OpenCBM / CBM4Win.

[hydrophilic]

I've been experimenting with transfer over the IBM-PC parallel port in 'dedicated mode' which is to say without an operating system (unless you call the PC BIOS an OS).  And I must say I am VERY disappointed.

Of the three machines I've tried, (2 desktops and a laptop with CPU speeds from 233 to 700 MHz), all of them are limited to accessing the parallel I/O port at approx. 0.667 MHz.  ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE!!!  The C64/1541 can update the CIA at 1MHz and the 1571/1581/CMD-HD can update at 2MHz.  So this is a significant problem.

The IBM-PC hardware rate of 0.667 MHz is based on average access time 1.5us, but I have not tested multiple accesses.  I'm hoping the actual access time is 1.0us and the average is due to mis-matched clock-stretching (wait states).

Does anyone know if this is true in general for the printer port on a PC?

I realize this is probably the wrong place to ask.  But since plbyrd maintains GUI4CBM4WIN, I figured somebody here might have an idea.

P.S., of 3 PCs tested, I can only comment on the chip set used by the 350MHz unit, which has Intel 440BX chip set.  However, I don't even know if that has anything to do with the parallel port.

[nikoniko]

I don't know, but I recall seeing a book called "Parallel Port Complete" at the bookstore a few weeks ago. If your local bookstore or library carries it, might be worth taking a peek... assuming it really is "complete".