Difference between revisions of "FO-DOS"

Revision as of 05:37, 24 July 2016

The FO-DOS is a BIOS/BASIC 1.1 ROM upgrade for the CPC 464 from Duchet Computers.

Contains a 32K BIOS/BASIC EPROM, two diodes, a LED, and a switch (for switching between old/new ROM).

Combining the FO-DOS with an additional Standard Memory Expansion expansion and an external DDI-1 disc drive would almost upgrade a CPC464 to a CPC6128.

But the CPC464 would still not be able to use RAM configuratins &7FC1 or &7FC3 f. e.

Exact EPROM content is unknown. It might be an original or modified, english or french CPC6128 BIOS ROM...?

(being made in 1989 it probably has the newer french rom).

From cpcrulez forum: Boot messages says "...v3 (1985)... basic 1.1"

The meaning of the name "FO-DOS" is unknown - and, it's misleading: it doesn't contain a DOS, only BIOS and BASIC.

Now, thanks to Jose Leandro, the hardware specialist of the spectrum, with his famous page :

http://trastero.speccy.org/cosas/JL/JL.htm

We can know more about this hardware.

Review

FO-DOS cartridge review from cpcrulez.fr originally from french magazine Amstar & CPC, issue 36 (1989), translated:

Who has not dreamed of having two computers in one. Until now, owners of 464 were to be pitied: Some software runs only on 6128, others require a memory upgrade. It was good to have new versions of CPC.

Finally here is that the dream became reality with the card FO-DOS extension 64K and a floppy drive, the 464 morphed into 6128 except for the look outside. All thanks to a piece of printed circuit supporting a ROM, a diode and a switch. The installation of the card is very simple: just place the connector on the floppy disk and then install the 64K (optional) and then the floppy drive. Obviously this is a little gas plant, especially if one adds a Mirage Imager or a Hacker, but who cares, just change the switch position so that you end up with a 464 or a 6128. If the programs are not used to call Bankmanager. then the extension is not required 64K. The listings published in the journal Amstar & CPC (for example!) Work so no problem.

You can get card FO-DOS with Extended Memory Duchet Computers with manuals in French please!

Hey while we're in Duchet products, the new version of the Hacker arrived. Just change a little ROM and voila: Version 7.0 brings an extra assembler. Then you fiddle with machine language!

Pictures

• Fo-dos Layout, thanks to Jose Leandro
• 

  Fodos-PCB-Top

• 

  Fodos-PCB-Bottom

• 

  Fodos-PCB

• 

  Fodos-Layout

Download

• FO-DOS (Eagle).zip (FO-DOS files for Eagle)

Links

http://hardware.speccy.org/temp/Amstrad-FODOS.html