Today, I got the Megabit 128 Rom Adaptor board. For $20, it provides a lot of possibilities for an Eprom for your 128. for more info
here I believe I got the 32 Meg Rom, but honestly I can't remember at this moment.THE MEGABIT 128 INTERNAL ROM ADAPTER
For the C128/C128D Internal ROM Socket
Developed by D. C. Newbury
Review by Mark R. Brown
THE BASICS
The Megabit 128 internal ROM Adapter is a small circuit board that plugs into the internal expansion ROM socket on the Commodore 128 or C128D. Its purpose is to allow you to use high-capacity EPROMS: 27010 (1 meg.), 27020 (2 meg.), 27040 (4 meg.), or 27080 (8 meg.).
It's very easy to install. Since the board is longer than a standard EPROM, you have to bend down a couple of small disk caps on the 128 motherboard before you snap it into the internal ROM socket. There's also a pigtail with a clip that has to be attached to a pin on the U3 chip. Piece of cake. No soldering. Easily removed if you need to.
Newbury currently sells two different versions of the adapter board. One addresses up to 16K at a time; the other addresses up to 32K at once. Each is the same price: $15 PPD in the US. Each uses the same EPROMs; which you choose comes down to how big a memory space you need to have active at any one time. The 32K version lets you include bigger apps, like KeyDos, the Servant, and BASIC 8.
THE BARGAIN
An even better deal than just buying the bare board is to add five bucks and order either board with an EPROM preprogrammed with some apps and a nice menu program. This not only gives you a set of useful apps right out the gate, it means non-technical types can actually do something with this board.
Because if you want to do something of your own, you're on your own. While the developer is a very helpful guy, there's no easy way right now to get your own apps up and running on this board. Here's what he wrote back when I asked how to program my own EPROM apps for this board:
"I will have to put something together, like a separate manual that will have the commented ML listings for the auto start routine, menu and program loaders. It may take awhile."
Then he mentioned something about fishing.
Just remember that full support for developing your own menus and apps is planned. It's coming. Sometime. Also remember you're only paying $20 (shipping included) for the preprogrammed edition of either version of this little marvel. If it were $50 or more, I'd linger here awhile, complaining. But for twenty bucks I think that's more than fair.
Okay. Fine. So we're stuck for the time being with the programs and menu system he's burnt for us. So let's talk about that.
Because what's already included is a load and a half.
THE BYTES
When I turn on my C128 in 40-column mode and press F1, nothing happens. At least, nothing happens on my C128. It might be interference with JiffyDOS, since I get the JiffyDOS '@$' command with F1. I don't know, but I'm not going to pull my JiffyDOS chip to find out. Maybe it's just an 80-column app. The manual doesn't make that clear. So let's try 80-column mode.
Press F1 and... okay, THERE we go! A nice menu of apps. What's available? Some of the best, most-used C128 and C64 utilities. Here's a list:
16K version w/4meg EPROM:
Merlin 128 v1.0
Promos 2.0
My Disk Editor
Function keys
Viza Write 128
Viza Star 128
Seq Reader 128
Begin & End Adrs
Fastrac File copy
Directory Editor
Color 80 column
Basic Data Maker
Monitor 64
Basic Merge
Basic Merge +
Maverick File Copy
Maverick Track Editor
Single 41 Data copy
Dual 41 Data Copy
Single Nybbler
Dual Nybbler
Single 81 Data copy
Maverick File Tracer
Maverick Track & Sector Editor
64K VDC RAM Test
REU Test
32k version w/1meg EPROM:
Key Dos
Servant
BASIC 8
My Disk Editor
Seq Reader 128
Color 80 Col
BASIC Merge
Function Keys
Begin & End Adrs
BASIC Data Maker
BASIC Merge +
The 16k version is a melange of C128 and C64 apps, some commercial and some written by Newbury. All are very useful. I can't imagine there's much you'd want to do that isn't covered in here somewhere. But, just to be contrary, I do miss not having a disk cataloger and a simple text editor like ZED.
When you pick a program it comes up in a flash, of course. C64 programs kick into C64 mode and run flawlessly.
The programs have not been modified in any way that I can tell, other than to make them work from the internal ROM. That means when you're done using one of these programs, you have to power cycle your machine to quit. (Newbury's own programs do politely drop you back into BASIC when you exit them.)
No problem, as long as you didn't expect this thing to work like Partner 128, letting you jump back and forth from applications to utilities like Bond from babes to bomb blasts. You can't have everything, dude.
You DID remember to save your program before you hit F1, didn't you?
THE BITS
What other goodies do you get? For twenty bucks? Are you kidding?
Newbury sent me a review package that was complete with a printed manual and a CD-ROM containing the documentation for all of the programs on the EPROM. I doubt you'll get all that for a couple of sawbucks. But I assume he'll be making it all available on the web for free.
Installation instructions are complete and more than adequate to the (very simple) task. The manual includes documentation for all of the utility programs Newbury developed himself. The CD-ROM has PDF manuals and d64 files for all of the commercial apps included.
As stated above, there is, as yet, no documentation on how to create your own EPROMs. But did I mention that it's coming?
THE BOTTOM LINE
Best twenty bucks you ever spent. Ever. Pawn your grandpa's watch and buy this right now. Really. I mean it.
Though I desperately want to create a menu and load it up with my own apps, for twenty bucks what Newbury provides is an excellent selection.
The board couldn't be easier to install. If you can install an internal ROM, you can install this board.
This is a fine product and it solves a basic problem. At least it did for me.
I've already decided to keep the 32K version installed permanently. I had burnt EPROMs for KeyDos, the Servant, and BASIC 8, and have been struggling for a year over which of them to keep in that socket. Now I don't have to choose. Best of all, all three apps are 128-mode programs; I hate having to switch to C64 mode to do anything. Now I don't have to.
