Caution: Non registered users only see threads and messages in the currently selected language, which is determined by their browser. Please create an account and log in to see all content by default. This is a limitation of the forum software.
Also users that are not logged in can not create new threads. This is a, unfortunately needed, counter measure against spam. Please create an account and log in to start new threads.
I plan to run a real 1541 (Speeddos) on the IEC port and with parallel cable on the userport. That should work so far, right?
Yes.
Another question, is the real CIA2 used in this setup, or a virtual one in the Chameleon?
If the Chameleon is connected to a C64, then it's taking advantage of all available hardware, including the CIA chips.
Last question, can a virtual 1541 be used as ID9 at the same time?
If yes, is also a virtual parallel port possible?
Yes, you can use a virtual 1541 ad ID9, but you cannot give it a "virtual parallel cable". To be honest, I have never been successful connecting two real drives with two parallel cables, so I wouldn't expect a virtual one to play ball with a real one at the same time - if we were to emulate the parallel cable at all (right now we don't).
To be honest, I have never been successful connecting two real drives with two parallel cables, [...]
Would be nice to know why this was. Were you using a userport extender without driver IC?
I tried it a looooong time ago when I was a teenager, using a userport expander that was made by Rex Datentechnik. That was a pure mechanical thing, no chips at all. Today, I'd expect at least some gates for the strobe signals.
The goal of Chameleon is not to replicate every possible configuration - far from it. We only aim at replicating popular configurations, and that's mostly "C64 with a single 1541 drive". Also, knowing that the fastest IEC routines can easily compete with a parallel cable, I wouldn't know why we should add even more complexity to an already-very-complex product.
That said, I'd be interested to see what a userport expander for two parallel port cables should look like (schematics?), but I'm asking purely out of curiosity, clearly not for the Chameleon project.
BTW, i have a "Databecker Floppy Express" Parallel cable here, which actually comes with Socket for a second parallel cable - also without any extra driver ICs.
That said, I'd be interested to see what a userport expander for two parallel port cables should look like (schematics?) [...]
I found a replica of the "Scanntronik Userportweiche" (and derivative work of it) to be well functioning. Please see here (also for schematics): https://allzu.net/en/tlpp/C64_Userport_Expander.html
Does that work with standard parallel cables like SpeedDos? Looks like the parallel routines need to take care of switching using the PA2 signal.
And yes, as expected there's some gates for the strobe signals.
AFAIK for plain speeddos the two cables can just be wired in parallel (!) - all the handshaking is done via the IEC cable. Other speeders have extra wires and can not work this way.
Does that work with standard parallel cables like SpeedDos?
I guess so. My setup consists of two parallel cable modified 1541-II drives utilizing the 6502 RAM/ROM Expansion for SpeedDos and Dolphin Dos 2 (among others).
Looks like the parallel routines need to take care of switching using the PA2 signal.
Never heard of this being needed.
AFAIK for plain speeddos the two cables can just be wired in parallel (!)
I don't know if this is true for SpeedDos. When Dolphin Dos was introduced in 64'er 5/1986 (page 12) following was stated:
Dolphin-Dos verwendet auch das Standard-Parallelkabel, so daß diese Programme [wurden vorher im Artikel aufgezählt] auch mit diesem Speeder laufen. Der Nachteil dieses Kabels: Der User-Port geht verloren. Wer einen Centronics-Drucker am User-Port anschließen will, muß sich noch eine schaltbare User-Port-Weiche basteln oder kaufen. Die Weiche muß schaltbar sein, da sich Floppy und Drucker gleichzeitig am User-Port nicht vertragen. Das macht die in Dolphin-Dos integrierte Centromcs-Schnittstelle fast nutzlos.
Translating to:
Dolphin Dos also uses the standard parallel cable, so that these programs [listed earlier in the article] also run with this speeder. The disadvantage of this cable: The user port is lost. If you want to connect a Centronics printer to the user port, you have to build or buy a switchable user port expansion. The expansion must be switchable, because floppy and printer do not get along at the same time at the user port. This makes the Centromcs interface integrated in Dolphin Dos almost useless.
The last reply was more than 365 days ago, this thread is most likely obsolete. It is recommended to create a new thread instead.
