Date   : Thu, 09 Feb 1989 02:27:23 GMT
From   : pacbell!sactoh0!bkbarret@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Brent K. Barrett)
Subject: Z80 Co-processors

In article <6531@cadnetix.COM>, rusty@cadnetix.COM (Rusty) writes:
> In article <8902021749.AA09055@freedom.llnl.gov> rzh@FREEDOM.LLNL.GOV
(Roger H. Hanscom (415) 423-0441) writes:
> >
> >I got a catalog in the mail last night from Central
> >Computer Products.  The co-processor that they carry
> >is "UniDOS".  It runs a Z-80 at 8 MHz.  How do these
> >things communicate with DOS over the buss?  What is
> >the software like?  How does one run CP/M on the Z80,
> >or is that done??  In other words, how does CP/M on
> >the co-processor access the PC hardware (disks)??
> >The UniDOS device is on a half-card, and costs $175.
> >
> I have just such a co-processor board (the Baby Blue(tm?)), and
 [ZAP!]> 
> On the Baby Blue, you prepare a CP/M program by adding the loader
> to the .COM, and then you just run the program as though it were a
> standard MS/DOS program.
> Be sure that the UniDOS board will actually run on your PC when the
> PC runs at the speed you wish it to.  My Baby Blue board is for sale
> because it would not run fast enough to keep up with my AT. (8MHz BUS
> Think about it... a Z80B is a 6MHz part.  Anybody with a PC or XT want
> to buy a good Baby Blue board?)
>   
> (And I personally think $175 is too much. I only want $70 for mine!)
> Hope this helped.  Anybody else have contrary info to mine?

 Sure do, Rusty.
 
 I happen to own one of the above mentioned boards. It's from
MicroSolutions, BTW, and "UniDOS" is the name of the software that
comes with the board. That answers one of your questions right
there: UniDOS loads as a TSR and when you type an executable name
at the prompt, it will "help" DOS by looking for a *.CPM file if
all else fails. If found, the CP/M program is loaded in the 64k
that is on-board the coprocessor card (no memory sharing with this
board), and executed with the Z80/UniDOS combo in control.
 
 I operate my machine at 8 MHz as well, and I have no problems with
this board. Note that even though it claims to do 8 MHz, it comes
out to about 5 or 6 MHz in the long run.
 
 I highly recommend it, since it comes complete with a current
legal copy of MiscroSolutions most famous product: Uniform-PC,
which allows you to read/write/initialize CP/M format disks in your
IBM drive.
 
 BTW, Rusty, leave me some E-mail, I'm having problems getting back
to you on that KQ4 problem.


-- 
 "Somebody help me! I'm trapped in this computer!"
  
 Brent Barrett ..pacbell!sactoh0!bkbarret GEMAIL: B.K.BARRETT


End of INFO-CPM Digest
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