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Michtron v3.0 BBS Software?


DarkLord

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On 12/6/2023 at 6:30 AM, Lastic said:

That's is exactly the information I was looking for, thank you very very much.

So far I've been able to make a Python script that reads a csv file with the file details and transforms it into a DOWNLOAD.BBS file.
Only need to work on the date and time bit-shifting.

Then try to enhance it further.

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On 12/5/2023 at 11:16 PM, Techman said:
typedef struct _download
{
char dwn_name[14];
char dwn_logname[20];
DATE dwn_date;
TIME dwn_time;
long dwn_size;
int dwn_count;
int dwn_level; /* if '0' then hidden */
unsigned dwn_sigs;
int dwn_hidden;
int dwn_revs[7];
char dwn_desc[5][80];
} DOWNLOAD;
 
These might also help you.
 
#define g_hr(p) ((((p) >> 11) & 0x1f) % 12)
#define g_min(p) (((p) >> 5) & 0x3f)
#define g_sec(p) (((p) & 0x1f) << 1)
#define g_pm(time) (((((time) >> 11) & 0x1f) >= 12) ? 'p' : 'a')
 
#define g_yr(p) (((p) >> 9) & 0x7f)
#define g_month(p) (((p) >> 5) & 0x0f)
#define g_day(p) ((p) & 0x1f)
 

A few more questions regarding Michtron BBS itself

  • uploads only allow Xmodem ? Was there any further plans to include Ymodem or Zmodem ?
  • downloads also allow up to Ymodem-G , no further plans to include Z-modem ?
  • the MAINT program only allows to set the modem speed up to 9600 , is this the limit of the software or would 19200 (or higher) be feasible ?

And last but not least, a merry Christmas and a happy NewYear to all .


 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Just throwing my crazy ideas out here until I get my hands on 2 Wimodem232 Pro's (end of February) to have at least a baseline of same modem types with same settings.

MegaSTe setup with the 2 standard serial ports.

I have a Wimodem232 connected on Serial 1 which is detected and allows callers to connect.
I have a Wimodem clone connected on Serial 2 which is detected but Michtron keeps saying there is a call detected altough I did not connect to it ?
This might be due to the Wimodem clones firmware or settings hence this will become easier if I have 2 Wimodem232's.

My current setup
Wimodem232 fixed LAN IP , fixed port
WimodemClone different fixed LAN IP, different port

I was basically thinking of using a Software Loadbalancer that makes a pool of 3 IP's

1 VIP or the main LAN IP and port to which users can connect ,which is load-balanced and which is NATed to a public WAN IP with dyndns behind it for accessing it from the Internet.
2 seperate IP's and ports for both Wimodems, and let the software loadbalancer check if telnet is BUSY then switch to the other next available IP.
If both are busy well I guess then I need a 3rd serial port :)

In theory this setup would allow for 2 connected users simultanously or well that is what I'm thinking what would be working.

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1 hour ago, Lastic said:

My thanks in advance

MBBS 3.0 was never adapted to handle the STE, I seem to recall there was some interested back in the day, but it was never coded. I did a few internet searches, and I can’t seen to locate any technical information on the additional serial ports (the Wiki says 3 ports?). Pretty sure the binary could be patched to handle the extra ports. My Mega4 is still boxed up, hasn’t been turned on in years. I intend to pull it out and turn it on one of these days. I did compile the source on my MacBook, and made some updates that allows it to operation over native IP on OSX, I also intend to see if I can cross compile it to a TOS executable.

Edited by Techman
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58 minutes ago, Techman said:

MBBS 3.0 was never adapted to handle the STE, I seem to recall there was some interested back in the day, but it was never coded. I did a few internet searches, and I can’t seen to locate any technical information on the additional serial ports (the Wiki says 3 ports?). Pretty sure the binary could be patched to handle the extra ports. My Mega4 is still boxed up, hasn’t been turned on in years. I intend to pull it out and turn it on one of these days. I did compile the source on my MacBook, and made some updates that allows it to operation over native IP on OSX, I also intend to see if I can cross compile it to a TOS executable.

The Mega STe has 2 standard Serial Ports (on the picture just beneath the power connector) and an extra one on a card ( left of the power connector) .

atari_megaste_3.jpg

Mine only has the 2 standard ones but a normal Mega STe would have the 2 standard serial ports + extra serial port.

Currently working but I will see if I can find more relevant technical info later after work.

A patched version would basically allow a standard MegaSTe to have 3 modems connected without the use of the DC Port Extender.
 

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Well...the first serial port on the Mega STe is a bog standard ST serial port limited to 19200.

 

The second serial port on the Mega STe is not a bog standard ST serial port. It will allow much

much faster speeds, up to 57600 (IIRC).

 

HTH's...

 

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The serial driver in MBBS is about 1,500 lines of assembler. It consists of two layers, the lower level that manages the interrupts, etc. and a higher level that the ‘C’ code calls and manages the send/receive buffers, baud rate, DTR, CTS, etc. It would be possible to work in an alternative if the technical details were know.

 

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2 hours ago, DarkLord said:

Well...the first serial port on the Mega STe is a bog standard ST serial port limited to 19200.

 

The second serial port on the Mega STe is not a bog standard ST serial port. It will allow much

much faster speeds, up to 57600 (IIRC).

 

HTH's...

 

It looks like it is a Z85c30

 

https://zilog.com/docs/serial/z85c30.pdf

 

Based this schematic.

 

https://dn790009.ca.archive.org/0/items/Atari_Mega_STe_Schematic_1986_Atari/Atari_Mega_STe_Schematic_1986_Atari.pdf

 

-tim

Edited by Techman
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4 hours ago, DarkLord said:

Well...the first serial port on the Mega STe is a bog standard ST serial port limited to 19200.

 

The second serial port on the Mega STe is not a bog standard ST serial port. It will allow much

much faster speeds, up to 57600 (IIRC).

 

HTH's...

 

Are these the onboard serial ports Modem1 and Modem 2 ?

Since I don't have the VME card with tthe 3rd serial port, is that also a standard one or does it allow higher speeds also ?

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2 hours ago, Techman said:

This is what I found from a post on Exxos forum

U306 (MC68901) appears to control "Modem 1" while UA04 (Z85C30) appears to control "Modem 2" and "Serial 2".
Serial 2 being the LAN port on a MegaSTe.

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13 minutes ago, Lastic said:

Are these the onboard serial ports Modem1 and Modem 2 ?

Since I don't have the VME card with tthe 3rd serial port, is that also a standard one or does it allow higher speeds also ?

 

As far as I know, yes - the onboard serial ports are Modems 1 + 2.

 

I don't have the VME card with the 3rd serial port either, but if I recall

correctly, it's also higher speeds than just the stock 19200 (modem 1).

 

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12 minutes ago, Lastic said:

This is what I found from a post on Exxos forum

U306 (MC68901) appears to control "Modem 1" while UA04 (Z85C30) appears to control "Modem 2" and "Serial 2".
Serial 2 being the LAN port on a MegaSTe.

 

I agree with your assessment of Modem 1 +2. It looks that way to me too.

 

I'm not so sure about the LAN port though. I think it's like the Apple LocalTalk standard

and has it's own, separate port on the left side of the Mega STe (from the front), not on

the VME card/port. It's between the Reset button and a MIDI port. Here's a picture:

 

AtariMegSTe-MIDI.thumb.JPG.d7b6757c5c79bbc59d7b13ee35081329.JPG

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8 hours ago, DarkLord said:

 

As far as I know, yes - the onboard serial ports are Modems 1 + 2.

 

I don't have the VME card with the 3rd serial port either, but if I recall

correctly, it's also higher speeds than just the stock 19200 (modem 1).

 

Yes, but I don't think it has all the lines.  I doubt you'd be able to run a BBS on that port.

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8 hours ago, DarkLord said:

 

I agree with your assessment of Modem 1 +2. It looks that way to me too.

 

I'm not so sure about the LAN port though. I think it's like the Apple LocalTalk standard

and has it's own, separate port on the left side of the Mega STe (from the front), not on

the VME card/port. It's between the Reset button and a MIDI port. Here's a picture:

 

AtariMegSTe-MIDI.thumb.JPG.d7b6757c5c79bbc59d7b13ee35081329.JPG

The LocalTalk/AppleTalk is a RS-422 port...  I'll see if I can find the info as to which ports do what and the pinouts.

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1 hour ago, Techman said:

Does anyone have the bios/xbios call definition for the second port? 

This have what you need?  It doesn't show the Mega STE in the chart, but it mentions that it's like the TT with the exception of one MFP port.

 

http://ftp.pigwa.net/stuff/collections/Atari documents/Manuals/The_Atari_Compendium.pdf

 

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1 hour ago, Tillek said:

This have what you need?  It doesn't show the Mega STE in the chart, but it mentions that it's like the TT with the exception of one MFP port.

 

http://ftp.pigwa.net/stuff/collections/Atari documents/Manuals/The_Atari_Compendium.pdf

 

I remember this resource. This is what I was looking for. In the past, I had used custom serial port handlers as we were providing multi-tasking layer over a single-tasking OS, once I can figure out how to build, I’ll try to make a version that makes BIOS calls for serial I/O and then someone can test it for the group.

 

 

 

 

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11 minutes ago, DarkLord said:

 

I believe that's correct.

 

Just for my own understanding are we talking about the 3rd serial port that sits on a card on the VME BUS or the second (SCC) onboard Serial port ?

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