LironGP ?

[Keatah]

Someone briefly explain what "LironGP" means? I overheard it the other day and guess that it's some sort of ROM replacement on a Grappler+ board that does something with SmartPort?

 

Didn't feel like fighting and sorting through nonsensical google search results..

[magnusfalkirk]

I did a Google search and only came up with this hit for LiRONGP:

 

https://www.applefritter.com/content/i-found-what-looks-iwm-disk-ii-controller-prototype-ebay

 

They mention LiRONGP code but not what it is. The post where they mention it is from softwarejanitor and is the sixth one down and jusy from Sep. The second mention is by softwarejanitor again and it's the last post in the thread. Sorry i couldn't be of more help.

 

Dean

[potatohead]

On 10/10/2022 at 11:02 AM, Keatah said:

Someone briefly explain what "LironGP" means? I overheard it the other day and guess that it's some sort of ROM replacement on a Grappler+ board that does something with SmartPort?

 

Didn't feel like fighting and sorting through nonsensical google search results..

There are people replacing the ROM on a Grappler + card with one that turns it into a sort of Smart Port for use with FujiNET.  I have a Grappler + card myself and have not gotten around to the project yet.

 

Apparently, there are "LIRON" cards that are somewhat rare and they are Smart Port cards, and that's probably the ROM being used.

 

On the Atari machines, for example, the POKEY and SIO system take the data serially and fast from what I can tell.  Need to get a FujiNET for my 800XL to know more.  On the Apple, it's gonna be easier to take the data in parallel, 8 bits at a time just like the little microcontroller in the FujiNET would want to send them.  Going serial on the Apple might be as fast, depending on the serial solution, but won't have the advantages using POKEY does for an Atari. 

 

SIO, on the Atari, is a forward looking cool feature that is getting it's day in the sun too!  I've long thought it quite advanced, and FujiNET shows why.  The Internet ends up being device N: and once a driver is in place, most software, including BASIC and the GET and PUT commands, becomes Internet aware.  DAMN SPIFFY!

 

Pretty sure the Smart Port offers something similar and would bring a lot of software onto the Internet in a similar fashion.  I am a mixed sort of Apple user.  Mostly used DOS 3.3, a little PRODOS and I mostly haven't done too much with my GS, preferring the 8 bit system because it hits my retro sweet spot.  16 bit machines that take better advantage of being 16 bit end up just a little bit too big for me.    That means I just don't know too much about SmartPorts, though I will learn enough about them to use a FujiNET.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by potatohead

[micheledipaola]

Liron cards are controllers for UniDisk 3.5 drives, the first Apple II 3.5" drives.

they give apple II / II+ / IIe a smart port.

recently a new card working as universal control for every kind of drive (Yellowstone card) has the same functionality.