PAL16L8

The CPC6128 second bank of 64K RAM is controlled by a PAL 16L8 chip. It has the Amstrad part number 40031.

On the CPC 6128 schematic, it is top centre: CPC6128 Schematic however the X inputs aren't distinguished.

Original version from Porchy suffer from a bad handling of the RAMDIS signal. This cause screen artefact when accessing an external extension RAM like XMEM.

A14OUT     = !(  !A14
             #   !A15 & !Q0 & Q2 );

A15OUT     = !(  !A15 & !A14
             #   !A15 & !Q1
             #   !A15 & !Q0 & !Q2 );

Q0     = (  D7ANDD6 & nRESET & D0 & !A15 & !nIOWR
         #   !D7ANDD6 & nRESET & Q0
         #   nRESET & A15 & Q0
         #   nRESET & nIOWR & Q0 );

Q1     = (  D7ANDD6 & nRESET & D1 & !A15 & !nIOWR
         #   !D7ANDD6 & nRESET & Q1
         #   nRESET & A15 & Q1
         #   nRESET & nIOWR & Q1 );

Q2     = (  D7ANDD6 & nRESET & D2 & !A15 & !nIOWR
         #   !D7ANDD6 & nRESET & Q2
         #   nRESET & A15 & Q2
         #   nRESET & nIOWR & Q2 );

nCAS0     = (  nCAS
            #   RAMDIS & !nCPU & nCAS0
            #   !A15 & A14 & !nCPU & Q2 & nCAS0
            #   A15 & A14 & !nCPU & Q0 & !Q2 & nCAS0
            #   !nCPU & !Q0 & Q1 & !Q2 & nCAS0
            #   !nCAS1 );

nCAS1     = !(  !RAMDIS & !nCAS & !A15 & A14 & !nCPU & Q2 & nCAS0
            #   !RAMDIS & !nCAS & A15 & A14 & !nCPU & Q0 & !Q2 & nCAS0
            #   !RAMDIS & !nCAS & !nCPU & !Q0 & Q1 & !Q2 & nCAS0
            #   !nCAS & !A15 & A14 & Q2 & nCAS0 & !nCAS1
            #   !nCAS & A15 & A14 & Q0 & !Q2 & nCAS0 & !nCAS1
            #   !nCAS & !Q0 & Q1 & !Q2 & nCAS0 & !nCAS1 );

File:CPC6128.JED : Fixed version of Amstrad 40031 GAL replacement

File:CPC6128.hex : Fixed version of Amstrad 40031 GAL replacement, Hex Intel version.

The following equations were worked out by Porchy (member on CPCWiki Forum). These can be used to program replacements:

A15OUT = (!X2 & !X1 & A14
     # !X3 & !X2 & A14
     # A15); 

!X1 = (!A15 & D7ANDD6 & RESET & !IOWR & D0
     # !X1 & RESET & IOWR
     # !X1 & !D7ANDD6 & RESET
     # !X1 & A15 & RESET);

!X2 = (!A15 & D7ANDD6 & RESET & !IOWR & D1
     # !X2 & RESET & IOWR
     # !X2 & !D7ANDD6 & RESET
     # !X2 & A15 & RESET);

!X3 = (!A15 & D7ANDD6 & RESET & !IOWR & D2
     # !X3 & RESET & IOWR
     # !X3 & !D7ANDD6 & RESET
     # !X3 & A15 & RESET);

!CAS1 = (X3 & !X1 & A15 & A14 & !NCAS & !RAMDIS & !CPU & CAS0
     # !X3 & !A15 & A14 & !NCAS & !RAMDIS & !CPU & CAS0
     # X3 & !X2 & X1 & !NCAS & !RAMDIS & !CPU & CAS0
     # !NCAS & CAS0 & !CAS1);

!CAS0 = (X3 & X2 & X1 & !NCAS & !RAMDIS & CAS1
     # X3 & !X1 & !A15 & !NCAS & !RAMDIS & CAS1
     # !X3 & A15 & !NCAS & !RAMDIS & CAS1
     # !X1 & !A14 & !NCAS & !RAMDIS & CAS1
     # !X3 & !A14 & !NCAS & !RAMDIS & CAS1
     # !NCAS & !RAMDIS & CPU & CAS1
     # !NCAS & !CAS0 & CAS1);

A14OUT = (A15 & A14
     # !X1 & A14
     # X3 & A14);

File:Amstrad6128.jed Original JED File posted on CPCWiki Forum

This register controls how the extended RAM is banked into the CPU address space. It doesn't affect the video display at all as the Gate Array can only access the Base 64k page of RAM.

On a standard 128k machine (unexpanded), bits5..3 are ignored. Page will always be fixed to Page 0.

Note that no settings are stored in the Gate Array regarding register 3, but the PAL and Gate Array share an I/O port address.

Bit14 of the PAL selection address can be at 0 or 1 on CPCs equipped with CRTCs 3, 4. It must be at 1 on CRTCs 0, 1 and 2 (The result is not guaranteed).

For compatibility reasons, it is strongly advised to always set bit14 to 1 to select PAL.

10 OUT &7F00,&C0:POKE &4000,&C0
20 OUT &7F00,&C7:POKE &4000,&C7:OUT &7F00,&C0
30 IF PEEK(&4000)=&C7 THEN PRINT"PAL chip absent/inactive":END
40 OUT &3FFF,&C7
50 IF PEEK(&4000)=&C7 THEN PRINT"IO Bit14=0 PAL selected" ELSE PRINT"IO Bit14=0 PAL not selected"
70 OUT &7F00,&CO:POKE &C000,&C0
80 OUT &7F00,&C3:POKE &4000,&C3:OUT &7F00,&C0
90 IF PEEK(&C000)=&C3 THEN PRINT"Valid RAM mode &C3" ELSE PRINT"Invalid RAM mode &C3"

• CPC 464/664 cannot deal with A14/A15 for Base 64k page like the 6128 does. So external RAM expansions differ in their behaviour regarding &C3 mode. See Discussion on the forum and Another discussion

• Gate Array and ASIC Pin-Outs

• Standard Memory Expansions