Difference between revisions of "Aleste 520EX"

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[[Image:Aleste.jpg|thumb|right|Aleste 520EX - a CPC clone housed in a case with MSX keyboard]]
 
[[Image:Aleste.jpg|thumb|right|Aleste 520EX - a CPC clone housed in a case with MSX keyboard]]
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The '''Aleste 520EX''' is a [[Clones|clone]] of the Amstrad CPC 6128 developed 1993 Patisonic in  Omsk (Siberia). The Aleste is rare. The only existing photos are from http://aleste520.narod.ru. According to Patisonic themselves, they ''"produced several dozens of the model, some of them was in 'kit' form"''.
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The '''Aleste 520EX''' is a [[Clones|clone]] of the Amstrad CPC 6128 developed 1993 by [[Patisonic]] in  Omsk (Siberia). The Aleste is rare, according to Patisonic themselves, they ''"produced several dozens of the model, some of them were in 'kit' form"''.
  
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Additionally to the standard CPC6128 features, it includes a number of extra features: '''64-color''' palette, '''double color depth''' (eg. 16 color at high 320x200 resolution), battery-backed '''Real Time Clock''' chip, '''512Kbyte RAM''' (of which 192K can be accessed as on 64K CPC with 128K dk'tronics memory expansion), '''8bit printer''' port, expanded keyboard matrix with '''10 additional keys''', two software controlled '''LEDs''', extended Expansion Port (with additional pins for '''DMA support''').
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In addition to the standard CPC6128 features, it includes a number of extra features: '''64-color''' palette, '''double color depth''' in slightly '''decreased horizontal resolution''' mode (eg. 16 color at 256x200 resolution), battery-backed '''Real Time Clock''' chip, '''512Kbyte RAM''' (of which 192K can be accessed as on 64K CPC with 128K dk'tronics memory expansion), '''8bit printer''' port, expanded keyboard matrix with '''10 additional keys''', two software controlled '''LEDs''', extended Expansion Port (with additional pins for '''DMA support''').
  
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The computer works with Amstrad [[CP/M]] and MSXDOS as well (note: MSXDOS is a CP/M clone, which uses a FAT filesystem, as used on MSX and MS-DOS computers, instead of the normal CP/M filesystem).
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== Technical ==
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==Amstrad Mode==
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Differences:
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* [[Aleste 520EX - I/O Ports]] - I/O Ports, Memory, etc.
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* [[Aleste 520EX - Schematics]] - Schematics, Chipset, etc.
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* [[Aleste 520EX - Expansions]] - Hardware Expansions, External Connectors, etc.
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* [[Aleste 520EX - Software]] - CPC software, CP/M, MSXDOS, and games ported to Aleste
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* [[Aleste 520EX - Misc]] - Unsorted Notes
  
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- Interrupts can't be manually cleared. This was possible on the CPC by writing to the Gate Array with data bit 7 set 1, bit 6 set to 0 and bit 4 set to 1. In the Aleste this bit is controls an LED.
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== Pictures ==
  
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- Decoding of it's equivalent of the Gate-Array is based on A15 only.
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<gallery caption="Aleste 520EX">
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File:ALESTE_520EX_PCB_Top.jpg|PCB Top
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- The Aleste uses a patched CPC6128 Operating System ROM. It is patched to use the Aleste's 8-bit printer port and has a different startup message.
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File:ALESTE_520EX_PCB_Bottom.jpg|PCB Bottom
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File:ALESTE_Keyboard.jpg|Keyboard
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==Special Mode==
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</gallery>
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At this mode computer have different memory manager. The manager seems same like MSX mapper and could swicth ON any 16KB page of whole memroy at the any of 16KB page of CPU memory.
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The mode have different color coding system. It has the color lookup table (CLUT) or another name pallette. That is dual port memory one prot for coversion pixel's color number to RGB levels. But second for CPU acccess. There is 2 bits for each channel at the pallette present, then it lets to have 64 colors.
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The mode have two additional modes with 32KB of video memory. Pixel encoding the same as at Amstrad mode but each line has twice more bytes (and pixels). Two 16KB pages transfer to output, one buffer for odd and second even lines of screen.
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The computer have also mc146818 compatible RTC and a 8251 compatible serial. A serial mouse can be used.
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The 8253 timer is used to generate transmit and receive clock for serial. In addition the CURSOR output of the CRTC is connected as a trigger which is then connected to the colour hardware. So the CRTC cursor can be used to switch colours by the hardware.
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Aleste ROM is 64KB, additional page have BIOS SETUP and MSXDOS Boot Loader.
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The BIOS SETUP lets control over: date and time, boot drive, RAM disk, screen mode and style, printer, serial port, and mouse.
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At the boot time computer loads BIOS and MSXBDOS (BIOS for Disc BIOS) from a bood disc. After that COMMAND.COM (MSXDOS). Computer can bott from RAM disc as well. Computer go to AMSTRAD mode when "Shift" is pressed while reset.
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== Magic Sound Expansion Board ==
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* [[Magic Sound Board]]
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Additional sound board MagicSound is a four channel DMA playback. Supports 8 bit per sample, 6 bits of volume per channel, and 16bit samplerate timer per channel. Computer uses the board for playing STM (Scream Tracker) files.
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== VDP Emulator (is this an expansion board?) ==
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Computer have "GameBios" with is emulator of VDP9938. it was sufficiently - to replace the first several kilos-byte of game and MSX2 game worked. Certainly, video processor MSX is by apparatus sharpened for the games, but they worked sufficiently rapidly to 8MGts of game on "alesta" in order in them to play. Game "FireBird" typical
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"vertical scroller" worked very well.
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== Foton Expansion Board ==
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Another additional board FOTON is a "Light Processor". The board have D54 interface and Aleste with special FX application controls over club's light.
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== Pictures ==
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<gallery="Pictures from http://aleste520.narod.ru">
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<gallery caption="Pictures from http://aleste520.narod.ru">
 
File:Aleste Open.jpg|PCB and Keyboard
 
File:Aleste Open.jpg|PCB and Keyboard
 
File:Aleste PCB Top.jpg|PCB top (component side)
 
File:Aleste PCB Top.jpg|PCB top (component side)
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<gallery="Pictures from http://www.zonadepruebas.com>
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<gallery caption="Pictures from http://www.zonadepruebas.com">
 
File:Deepfb-aleste-with-keyboard.jpg|PCB and Keyboard
 
File:Deepfb-aleste-with-keyboard.jpg|PCB and Keyboard
 
File:Deepfb-aleste-without-keyboard.jpg|PCB only
 
File:Deepfb-aleste-without-keyboard.jpg|PCB only
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This version has 7pin+7pin sockets for printer (normal would be 5pin+7pin, though the extra pins are most probably left unused).
 
This version has 7pin+7pin sockets for printer (normal would be 5pin+7pin, though the extra pins are most probably left unused).
  
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== Schematics ==
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<gallery caption="Magic Sound board">
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File:ALESTE_MagicSound_PCB_Top.jpg|PCB Top
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<gallery>
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File:ALESTE_MagicSound_PCB_Bottom.jpg|PCB Bottom
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File:Aleste-Schematic1.gif|Schematic 1/4
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File:Aleste-Schematic2.gif|Schematic 2/4
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File:Aleste-Schematic3.gif|Schematic 3/4
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File:Aleste-Schematic4.gif|Schematic 4/4
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File:Aleste-Component-Map.gif|Component Map
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</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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A sound card for the Aleste.
  
 
== Documents ==
 
== Documents ==
  
 
* [[Media:Aleste-Programming-Manual-English.txt]] - original programming manual (english version, ported to ASCII format)
 
* [[Media:Aleste-Programming-Manual-English.txt]] - original programming manual (english version, ported to ASCII format)
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* [[Media:AlesteStartupManual.txt]] - info on building the computer, fixing bugs on the PCB (translated to english)
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* [[Media:AlesteSchematicDescription.txt]] - description of schematics (translated to english)
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* [[Media:AlesteUserManual.txt]] - includes external pin-out; some of them conflict with schematics (translated to english)
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* [[Media:AlesteBiosDisassembly.txt]] - Disassembly of differences between CPC6128 and Aleste BIOS
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* [[Media:AlesteBootmenuRomBank3.asm]] - Original source code for BOOTMENU (Upper ROM Bank 3)
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* [[Aleste Translation PROMs and EPROMs]] - description of the numbers in the look-up PROMs/EPROMs
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* [[Media:Aleste Interview Deepfb Valeriy.h t m l]] - Interview with one of the Aleste developers (to view the file: repair the extension, and/or insert HTML and /HTML tags - for some reason, cpcwiki doesn't support the html format)
  
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== Technical ==
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== Weblinks ==
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{|{{Prettytable|width: 700px; font-size: 2em;}}
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|'''I/O'''||'''Decoded as'''||'''Port'''||'''Read'''||'''Write'''
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|-
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|#7CXX||%0xxxxx00 xxxxxxxx||Mapper page 0 (note 1)]||Read||Write
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|-
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|#7DXX||%0xxxxx01 xxxxxxxx||Mapper page 1 (note 1)||Read||Write
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|-
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|#7EXX||%0xxxxx10 xxxxxxxx||Mapper page 2 (note 1)||Read||Write
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|-
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|#7FXX||%0xxxxx11 xxxxxxxx||Mapper page 3 (note 1)||Read||Write
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|-
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|#7CXX||%0xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx||Multiport (note 3)]||-||Write
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|-
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|#BCXX||%x0xxxx00 xxxxxxxx||6845 [[CRTC]] Index|| - ||Write
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|-
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|#BDXX||%x0xxxx01 xxxxxxxx||6845 [[CRTC]] Data Out|| - ||Write
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|-
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|#BEXX||%x0xxxx10 xxxxxxxx||6845 [[CRTC]] Status (as far as supported)||Read|| -
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|-
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|#BFXX||%x0xxxx11 xxxxxxxx||6845 [[CRTC]] Data In (as far as supported)||Read|| -
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|-
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|#DFXX||%xx0xxxxx xxxxxxxx||[[Upper ROM Bank Number (note 9)]]|| - ||Write
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|-
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|#F4XX||%xxxx0x00 xxxxxxxx||[[8255]] PIO Port A (PSG/8253 Timer/Real-Time Clock data)||Read||Write
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|-
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|#F5XX||%xxxx0x01 xxxxxxxx||[[8255]] PIO Port B (Vsync,[[Printer Port|PrnBusy]],Tape,etc.)||Read|| -
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|-
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|#F6XX||%xxxx0x10 xxxxxxxx||[[8255]] PIO Port C (KeybRow, Real-Time-Clock control,,Tape,[[PSG]] Control)|| - ||Write
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|-
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|#F7XX||%xxxx0x11 xxxxxxxx||[[8255]] PIO Control-Register|| - ||Write
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|-
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|#FA7E||%xxxxx0x0 0xxxxxxx||Floppy Motor Control (for [[765 FDC]])|| - ||Write
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|-
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|#FABF||%xxxxx0x0 1xxxxxxx||EXTPORT (note 10)|| - ||Write
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|-
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|#FB7E||%xxxxx0x1 0xxxxxx0||[[765 FDC]] (internal) Status Register||Read|| -
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|-
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|#FB7F||%xxxxx0x1 0xxxxxx1||[[765 FDC]] (internal) Data Register||Read||Write
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|}
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1.Mapper bits 7 and 6 of the data must be 1 for the Mapper write.
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2.Printer data-bits are connected to AY I/O port B.
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3. Multiport is similar to the Gate-Array in cpc.
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{|{{Prettytable|width: 700px; font-size: 2em;}}
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|''bit 7''||''bit 6''||Action
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|-
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|0||0||Pen index write (note 5)
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|-
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|0||1||Pen ink write (note 6)
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|-
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|1||0||Mode, Rom enable, Leds (note 7)
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|-
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|1||1||Used by mapper
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|-
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|}
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5. If bit 3 is set, border is selected. Otherwise bits 3..0 define the pen index.
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6.  The number is converted by IC D62. When MAPPER is set in EXTPORT, then the numbers effectively define R,G,B with 2 bits per element, but the rom then changes the order of the bits before it gets to the hardware.
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When MAPPER is not set, the number is equivalent to the CPC's Gate-Array colour value, but this is looked up in IC D62 and converted into a 2-bit per element R,G,B for the aleste video hardware.
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7. bit 0,1 define the mode. The actual resolution is then dependant on bit 1 of EXTPORT.
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8. bit 2 is the enable/disable for the lower rom. bit 3 is the enable/disable for the upper rom. bit 4 defines the RUS led. bit 5 defines the CAPS led.
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9. The number is looked up in IC and converted into another number which is the 16K page index in the Aleste's internal 64k ROM.
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10. bit 2 = enable/disable MAPMOD (changes how colour is decoded and how mapper values are decoded), bit 3 = force video to black, bit 4 = Enable 8253 timer. Any I/O write then accesses 8253 with data comming from 8255 port A. Bit A0/A1 of I/O port defines 8253 register, bit 5 = if 0, then AY is accessed when read/write to 8255 port A, if 1 then real-time clock is accessed with read/write to 8255 port A. When real-time clock is selected, bits 3..0 of PPI port C are used to define real-time clock operation. DS bit 2, AS bit 1, R/W bit 0. So combinations are 2, write address, 4 write data, 5 read data.
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== Keyboard ==
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The Aleste uses a MSX keyboard, as seen by the characteristic five function keys. The mainboard contains some excessive TTL logic, assisted by the upper data bits of the VDKEY eprom, that translates the MSX matrix to a CPC matrix.
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So, at I/O port level, the CPU "sees" a CPC matrix, not a MSX matrix. When running MSXDOS, this leads to the funny situation that MSXDOS must undo the hardware MSX-to-CPC translation by some software CPC-to-MSX translation.
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The keyboard has some additional keys, which aren't on normal CPC keyboards:
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* '''F1/F6, F2/F7, F3/F8, F4/F9, F5/F10''' - MSX-style function keys, mapped to keyboard row 10, bits 7,6,5,4,3.
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* '''HELP, INS, b''' - additional keys, mapped to keyboard row 10, bits 2,1,0.
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* '''R/L''' - Russian/Latin mode, mapped to keyboard row 9, bit6 (aka joystick Fire3).
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* '''RES''' - Reset button, goes to /RESET signal.
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* '''Four unknown keys''' - These keys (above the numeric keypad) may be unused, or having same function as other keys?
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The Aleste has a JCUKEN keyboard, rather than a QWERTY keyboard.
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* '''Unknown''' if this done by hardware, or by patched CPC bios (?)
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* Normally, the key next to TAB '''should''' be Row8.Bit3 in the CPC matrix. And the BIOS should assign "Q" to it for QWERTY keyboards (or "J" for JCUKEN keyboards).
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  _____ _____ _____ _____ _____                _____ _____ _____  _____ _____
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|F1/6 |F2/7 |F3/8 |F4/9 |F5/10|              |HELP |INS  | DEL | |N/A  | RES |
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|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|              |_____|_____|_____| |_____|_____|
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  _____ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ _____  ___ ___ ___
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| ESC | ; | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | _ | b |  BS | |N/A|N/A|N/A|
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|_____|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|_____| |___|___|___|
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|  TAB  | J | C | U | K | E | N | G | { | } | Z | H | : | / |  | | F7| F8| F9|
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|_______|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|  | |___|___|___|
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|  CTRL  | F | Y | W | A | P | R | O | L | D | V | \ | . |RETURN| | F4| F5| F6|
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|________|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|______| |___|___|___|
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|CAPS| R/L | Q | | | S | M | I | T | X | B | @ | '  |  | U |  | | F1| F2| F3|
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|____|_____|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|____| L |___| R | |___|___|___|
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|  SHIFT | COPY|        SPACE              | SHIFT |  | D |  | | F0| F.|ENT|
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|________|_____|____________________________|_______|___|___|___| |___|___|___|
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== Technical specs ==
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* CPU: Z80
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* Clock: 4Mhz (CPC mode derived from a 16Mhz crystal), 3.2Mhz (Aleste mode derived from a 13Mhz crystal)
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*  Memory manager: Dk'Tronics compatible memory mapper (CPC mode), msx-mapper (Aleste mode)
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* Memory: 512КБ (up to 2МБ)
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* Audio: AY8910
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* Graphics:
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** 256x212:16 colors
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** 512x212:4 colors
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** 320x200:16 colirs
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** 640x200:4 colors
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** 640x400:4 colors interleaved
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** Palette 64 colors
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** Hardware scroll (standard CRTC hardware scroll)
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* Floppy disk 3.5"
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* Mouse
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* RTC (mc146818 compatible)
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* Expansion slot
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** 19 address lines
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** DMA to whole memory
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** External board MagicSound
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*** 4 channels
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*** 8 bits per channel
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*** Stereo output
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* Touch screen (only prototype)
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* Light-Processor with D54
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== Software ==
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* http://aleste520.narod.ru - site dedicated to aleste (mainly english, plus some russian docs)
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* MSXDOS
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* [https://github.com/LasDesu/Aleste-520EX github.com/LasDesu/Aleste-520EX] - schematics, PCBs, ROMs and docs
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* С compiler
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* GUI Debugger
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* GameBIOS with VDP emulator
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* Text editor PowerEdit
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* Text files converter TRC. Convert between  MSX, Aleste, and DOS
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* Disk Fixer (ported)
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* Disk Edit (ported)
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* Image viewer
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* Player of S3M, STM files
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* Editor of S3M, STM files
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* Games ported from MSX2
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** VampireKiller
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** KingValery 2
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** FireBird
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** MetalGear
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[[Category:Hardware]]
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[[Category:Hardware]][[Category:Non CPC Computers]][[Category:Clones]]

Latest revision as of 12:50, 1 December 2020

Aleste 520EX - a CPC clone housed in a case with MSX keyboard

The Aleste 520EX is a clone of the Amstrad CPC 6128 developed 1993 by Patisonic in Omsk (Siberia). The Aleste is rare, according to Patisonic themselves, they "produced several dozens of the model, some of them were in 'kit' form".

In addition to the standard CPC6128 features, it includes a number of extra features: 64-color palette, double color depth in slightly decreased horizontal resolution mode (eg. 16 color at 256x200 resolution), battery-backed Real Time Clock chip, 512Kbyte RAM (of which 192K can be accessed as on 64K CPC with 128K dk'tronics memory expansion), 8bit printer port, expanded keyboard matrix with 10 additional keys, two software controlled LEDs, extended Expansion Port (with additional pins for DMA support).

Technical

Pictures

  • Aleste 520EX

  • PCB Top

  • PCB Bottom

  • Keyboard

  • Pictures from http://aleste520.narod.ru

  • PCB and Keyboard

  • PCB top (component side)

  • PCB bottom (solder side)

  • PCB illustrated

The above photos are showing a more or less fully assembled Aleste (the LEDs are missing, and, more important, there is no connection for an internal or external power supply attached to the mainboard - unless the owner used the Expansion Port connector to inject power supply voltages).

  • Pictures from http://www.zonadepruebas.com

  • PCB and Keyboard

  • PCB only

  • Rear-connectors

  • Bottom

This version has 7pin+7pin sockets for printer (normal would be 5pin+7pin, though the extra pins are most probably left unused).

  • Magic Sound board

  • PCB Top

  • PCB Bottom

A sound card for the Aleste.

Documents

Weblinks

Retrieved from "https://gryzor.info/index.php?title=Aleste_520EX&oldid=107475"