NEW MIO production run.

[sl0re]

I just a real quick look at the mux rom. the 800 v ersion would also loose the config menu.

I can re do it If you want, but won't be able to look at it till after easter. Then you will need to get it going in the 800.

 

James

 

unfortunatily, no. i lost them years ago. i did have to mod them a bit. ie get the nmi reset working.

I did it just to see if it could be done. leaving the cart door open all the time would be a bit of a pain.

I Used a local rom upgrade board that had both a 4k and 8k rom on it for $Cxxx and $E000-$FFFF reagons. The orignal maths rom was left in.

 

James

 

 

Do you still have the 800 roms? After this talk about the muxes I bought a starter set today and would LOVE to get my 800 on the [future] network.

 

Yeah, true.... I'd still like to find out how to use a 1200xl with them though. They are my main atari. Puff said it could be done. Something about needing a second rom.

 

I'm interested and I'd appreciate it. Then we'd have solutions for the 800 and 1200xl, problem/s solved.

[+warerat]

OK, I am releasing an updated MIO firmware, version 1.4b3. All standard disclaimers apply.

 

This release features:

 

- Full 32-bit LBA addressing supported. The complete drive capacity is able to be addressed.

- Extended 24-bit SIO sector addressing. MSB is $307. Must have DOS to support.

- Extended 24-bit sector sizes returned in Percom config block.

- MIO internal config menu able to handle 32-bit quantities. This means you can address up to a 2 TB drive.

- Increased performance of 6%-8% for on-board RAM disk read/writes.

- Improved data phase code for sector I/O. Can request > 512 bytes per sector if device supports it (i.e CDROM).

- You can query drive capacity and block size information directly from the drive as the disk config menu no longer has "Heads" and "Cylinders". This is been replaced with "Blksz" and "Total" and are read-only fields. "Blksz" is the sector size in bytes reported by the drive (most likely 512). "Total" shows how many blocks you can address on the disk (this is the last sector on the drive you can use). Press space when the Blksz field is highlighted to query the drive. If the values are nonsense then either the drive doesn't understand or there's some other problem. These parameters are informational only and do not affect the config.

- Jump vectors in the disk code bank for the internal SCSI routines to facilitate manipulating the SCSI CDBs and I/O directly.

- Two new SIO commands for configured hard drives (will return error if done on ramdisk):

 

- You can perform a SCSI Inquiry on a configured drive through SIO "I"nquiry command:

.....DDEVICE = $31

.....DUNIT = Atari drive number (must be configured in MIO menu with SCSI ID, etc)

.....DCOMND = $49 ASCII "I"

.....DBUFLO/DBUFHI = 96-byte buffer for SCSI Inquiry data. Data format is described here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCSI_Inquiry_Command. First 36 are standard for all devices, 37-96 are vendor specific and may contain additional information.

 

- You can get media capacity information on a configured drive through SIO "M"edia command.

.....DDEVICE = $31

.....DUNIT = Atari drive number (must be configured in MIO menu with SCSI ID, etc)

.....DCOMND = $4D ASCII "M"

.....DBUFLO/DBUFHI = 8-byte buffer for SCSI Media Capacity info. Data format is described here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCSI_Read_Capacity_Command.

 

CAVEAT: The MIO config format on the disk for this release and subsequent releases is incompatible with earlier releases. If you go back to the ICD firmware you will have nonsense values in the config menu.

 

 

I'm thinking the next release will have 15 drive support, support for 16MB ramdisk, and new configuration menu. I'm successfully using it with different Seagate SCA drives with no problems. Some of the drives have bone-stock factory firmware and they work fine.

 

Good luck!

miov14b3.zip

[drac030]

- Two new SIO commands for configured hard drives (will return error if done on ramdisk):

 

- You can perform a SCSI Inquiry on a configured drive through SIO "I"nquiry command:

.....DDEVICE = $31

.....DUNIT = Atari drive number (must be configured in MIO menu with SCSI ID, etc)

.....DCOMND = $49 ASCII "I"

 

"I" is "index formatting" in some drives. See the list of already used SIO commands here (the list is not necessarily complete):

 

http://atariki.krap.pl/index.php/Lista_kom...3w_operacyjnych

[+warerat]

- Two new SIO commands for configured hard drives (will return error if done on ramdisk):

 

- You can perform a SCSI Inquiry on a configured drive through SIO "I"nquiry command:

.....DDEVICE = $31

.....DUNIT = Atari drive number (must be configured in MIO menu with SCSI ID, etc)

.....DCOMND = $49 ASCII "I"

 

"I" is "index formatting" in some drives. See the list of already used SIO commands here (the list is not necessarily complete):

 

http://atariki.krap.pl/index.php/Lista_kom...3w_operacyjnych

 

Crap. I'll change that in the next release. So if you have a Toms 1050, don't do any device inquires to it.

[drac030]

Crap. I'll change that in the next release. So if you have a Toms 1050, don't do any device inquires to it.

 

Of course, it can be worked around by assuming that only hard drive partitions can be "inquired" this way (i.e. when PERCOM[0] == 1, then INQUIRY else INDEX FORMAT).

 

Anyway, it is safer to select another opcode for that (so that a program wishing to inquire a SCSI device does not accidentally apply this command to a floppy drive and format the disk instead).

[+warerat]

I've had numerous questions asking what my exact test setup is. I don't have any narrow 50-pin, small capacity drives.

 

Stock 130XE with Sun 5.25" external drive drive case.

 

Regular Seagate ST373405LC 73.4GB SCA SCSI drive. (This is a few of the drives I've tested and it works fine.)

 

Standard firmware on drive, not OEM for HP, SGI, or Sun. Only jumper set on drive is parity disable.

 

Sun enclosure has terminator power provided by MIO. Internal connection to drive is 80-pin SCA. External ports are standard 68-pin SCSI.

 

External cable that connects MIO to enclosure is 68-pin to 68-pin. I'm plugged into a 68-pin to 50-pin converter that connects to the MIO.

 

Config screen for v1.4.0 (unreleased) and 73.4GB drive. Notice 143373740 available sectors (multiply by 512 to get total capacity). 16MB partitions are 256-byte, 32MB partitions are 512-byte.

 

Config screen with ST118273LC connected. This drive only has the parity disable jumper connected.

 

RWTEST done in SDX 4.42. D1: is 256-byte, D2: is 512-byte.

 

That's all there is to it. The unreleased firmware has improved arithmetic calculation routines (will display up to 65535MB) and selectable block size to return in Percom config, so it's essentially cosmetic. Disk code is the same.

Edited April 13, 2009 by warerat

[tuf]

NICENESS!!!!

[Xebec's Demise]

Regular Seagate ST373405LC 73.4GB SCA SCSI drive. (This is a few of the drives I've tested and it works fine.)

 

The unreleased firmware has improved arithmetic calculation routines (will display up to 65535MB) and selectable block size to return in Percom config, so it's essentially cosmetic. Disk code is the same.

 

Wow! A 73GB drive connected to an Atari 8-bit!

 

Simply amazing!

 

How much of that 73GB can be used?

[+warerat]

Regular Seagate ST373405LC 73.4GB SCA SCSI drive. (This is a few of the drives I've tested and it works fine.)

 

The unreleased firmware has improved arithmetic calculation routines (will display up to 65535MB) and selectable block size to return in Percom config, so it's essentially cosmetic. Disk code is the same.

 

Wow! A 73GB drive connected to an Atari 8-bit!

 

Simply amazing!

 

How much of that 73GB can be used?

 

You can address all the blocks of the drive with the Atari. You could have 2187 65535-sector partitions, or 199130 720-sector partitions. If you had the 65535-sector partitions formatted as 512 bytes, then you could technically have 73GB worth of files (otherwise ~36GB in DD). The limitation is how many partitions (drives) are visible to the Atari at one time and how large the filesystem on each one can be. Time for a fancy partition manager.

[+bf2k+]

OK, I am releasing an updated MIO firmware, version 1.4b3. All standard disclaimers apply.

...

 

With 1.4b3, is it still possible to run 256byte sectors?

[+warerat]

OK, I am releasing an updated MIO firmware, version 1.4b3. All standard disclaimers apply.

...

 

With 1.4b3, is it still possible to run 256byte sectors?

 

It should support a 256-byte physical transfer on a 256-byte formatted sector.

 

Y'all are obsessed with those old drives.

[+bf2k+]

...

Y'all are obsessed with those old drives.

 

More on that later.

 

I noticed that when I setup 1.4b3 for 512b sectors (BLKSZ) and make a 65535 sec partition, it still reports 16383k in the bottom table. Is this normal? Or should it say 32766K?

[+warerat]

...

Y'all are obsessed with those old drives.

 

More on that later.

 

I noticed that when I setup 1.4b3 for 512b sectors (BLKSZ) and make a 65535 sec partition, it still reports 16383k in the bottom table. Is this normal? Or should it say 32766K?

 

That's normal. If you lay down a DD 512 filesystem it will be 32MB. The blocksize you see is what is reported by the drive. The version I'm using (unreleased) has the arithmetic stuff changed and you can toggle between 256/512 and it shows 16383K/32767K, but that only affects the sector size reported back on the Percom config. If you set it for 256 bytes on a 512 byte device it will still do 512 bytes at the physical level but only present the application with 256.

[+Larry]

That's normal. If you lay down a DD 512 filesystem it will be 32MB. The blocksize you see is what is reported by the drive. The version I'm using (unreleased) has the arithmetic stuff changed and you can toggle between 256/512 and it shows 16383K/32767K, but that only affects the sector size reported back on the Percom config. If you set it for 256 bytes on a 512 byte device it will still do 512 bytes at the physical level but only present the application with 256.

 

I just looked up your drive and noticed it is a 10,000 rpm drive. Do you think that it would be markedly faster than a 7200 Cheetah (same SCSI generation)? Would you say that it runs cool and quiet?

 

Can a more modern SCSI drive such as you are using be run with (fairly short) ribbon cable? Or should we stick with a "bundled" cable such as you use?

 

Thanks,

Larry

[+warerat]

That's normal. If you lay down a DD 512 filesystem it will be 32MB. The blocksize you see is what is reported by the drive. The version I'm using (unreleased) has the arithmetic stuff changed and you can toggle between 256/512 and it shows 16383K/32767K, but that only affects the sector size reported back on the Percom config. If you set it for 256 bytes on a 512 byte device it will still do 512 bytes at the physical level but only present the application with 256.

 

I just looked up your drive and noticed it is a 10,000 rpm drive. Do you think that it would be markedly faster than a 7200 Cheetah (same SCSI generation)? Would you say that it runs cool and quiet?

 

Can a more modern SCSI drive such as you are using be run with (fairly short) ribbon cable? Or should we stick with a "bundled" cable such as you use?

 

Thanks,

Larry

 

The Atari barely tickles the SCSI bus bandwidth so you really won't see any noticeable difference between 7200 and 10K. They're quiet but definitely not cool. I don't see why a ribbon cable wouldn't work-- I used a three-way 68-pin ribbon cable before with no problems.

[+bf2k+]

The Atari barely tickles the SCSI bus bandwidth so you really won't see any noticeable difference between 7200 and 10K. They're quiet but definitely not cool. I don't see why a ribbon cable wouldn't work-- I used a three-way 68-pin ribbon cable before with no problems.

 

I've never used anything but ribbon cables.... of course right now my Stuff doesn't work... maybe I need a bundled cable.

[+warerat]

Perform at your own risk. These are two simple things I did to mine to make things more compliant on the SCSI connector. This adds MIO provided terminator power and terminates the unused parity pin. These mods aren't necessary to make things work, but it's nice to know when something doesn't work it's not because the interface is incomplete.

 

Terminate DBP- (Parity):

Solder jumper from J4 pin 18 to U50 pin 6

(parity generator circuit will eventually connect to this pin 6)

 

Add terminator power: (I used a 1N4004, any general purpose rectifier diode will do)

Connect +5V from power filter cap C29 to diode anode.

Connect diode cathode to J4 pin 26.

Use common sense and make sure nothing is shorting.

 

Top right of picture is top left of board looking at solder side (back of MIO is on the right). I don't know what you guys are doing but my stuff works.

[+Larry]

Hi Warerat-

 

Is this still the best version (or do you have a newer mod)?

 

This mod provides the necessary high-byte termination when using a W type drive?

 

I think I've learned enough now to get an 80-pin drive (I hope).

 

-Larry

 

 

Perform at your own risk. These are two simple things I did to mine to make things more compliant on the SCSI connector. This adds MIO provided terminator power and terminates the unused parity pin. These mods aren't necessary to make things work, but it's nice to know when something doesn't work it's not because the interface is incomplete.

 

Terminate DBP- (Parity):

Solder jumper from J4 pin 18 to U50 pin 6

(parity generator circuit will eventually connect to this pin 6)

 

Add terminator power: (I used a 1N4004, any general purpose rectifier diode will do)

Connect +5V from power filter cap C29 to diode anode.

Connect diode cathode to J4 pin 26.

Use common sense and make sure nothing is shorting.

 

Top right of picture is top left of board looking at solder side (back of MIO is on the right). I don't know what you guys are doing but my stuff works.

[+Larry]

This is a question about the original MIO's. What is the purpose of J5 which is the unused 50-pin header immediately behind J1 (which connect to the 800XL PBI or 130XE adapter)?

 

Did ICD have some plans for this or?

 

-Larry

[JokerCPoC]

This is a question about the original MIO's. What is the purpose of J5 which is the unused 50-pin header immediately behind J1 (which connect to the 800XL PBI or 130XE adapter)?

 

Did ICD have some plans for this or?

 

-Larry

I don't know for sure, But It might have been for the 80col add on to plug into, If I'm wrong, Ok.

 

Oh and on a side note on old MFM drives and the Adaptec 4000a interface, If You can find a used Seagate 80MB ST-4096 FH 5.25" hdd, It will work with the 1.1 firmware as I went through I think 10 before I found one that worked(9 would not spin up, the 10th did), The rest were bad as Seagate was pumping them out so fast their quality control was nil back then. I had this hooked up with a 1MB version and an 800XL, All of this is gone now, I now have a 1200XL(No PBI, Bummer, 9.0v AC 400/800 ps brick), Indus GT(5200 ps brick), ICD PR: Connection(untested), Wico joystick, a disk(Shamus, also untested) and some Carts. The 1200XL needs an S-Video fix and an SIO 5v+ voltage fix and a place to put the stuff at within reach of My 57" TV, I also have a 5pin Din to 4pin Din S-video cable for the 800XL/130XE on the way that's replacing a C64 6pin Din to 4pin Din S-video cable(I remembered I was told a 5pin cable would work in either, But I didn't know the 6pin cable existed for the C64). But the Mods will have to wait until maybe February or March of 2010 as I'm trying to save up some cash for a good faith deposit on a house and My income is quite limited @ $850.00 a month and It might go down to $830 a month If the Governator gets His way soon(I'm Disabled and I receive an SSI/SSP check in the Bank every month). Until then the motherboard and such is covered by a 1200XL vinyl dust cover that I snagged off ebay.

Edited July 15, 2009 by JokerCPoC

[MEtalGuy66]

Bumpety-bump...

 

If theres anyone who still wants to buy a new MIO, I am ready to build some more..

 

The price is $300US + $15.00 shipping..

 

http://www.rasterline.com/mio.html

 

PM me or email: kjones66@earthlink.net

[Defender II]

Free bump!

Also any progress on the Memory and video upgrade?

[MEtalGuy66]

Naah. Im dead till after Ramadaan, at least.. And the way married life is going, Im having a real hard time doing any work whatsoever.. I gotta figure out this new lifestyle, get organized, and get my wife to understand a few things, I guess..

Edited August 2, 2010 by MEtalGuy66

[+orpheuswaking]

Naah. Im dead till after Ramadaan, at least.. And the way married life is going, Im having a real hard time doing any work whatsoever.. I gotta figure out this new lifestyle, get organized, and get my wife to understand a few things, I guess..

 

Can you ask her for permission to go to FEDEX to send a package?

[Divya16]

Naah. Im dead till after Ramadaan, at least.. And the way married life is going, Im having a real hard time doing any work whatsoever.. I gotta figure out this new lifestyle, get organized, and get my wife to understand a few things, I guess..

 

Can you ask her for permission to go to FEDEX to send a package?

 

FEDEX is fast, but I gather it's not an item for his fast as fasting slows him down even for fast items.