Happy Computers Discovery Cartridge ?

[Atari_Only]

Can any one remember or have the instructions to install MAC 128 ROMs into a Discovery Cartridge. I seem to remember being able to mod your discovery cart so that the 128 ROMs would work. I cant find anything on the internet but, maybe Im loosing my mind or the information is not available any longer.

 

Thanks, Don

[Greenious]

That cartridge is meant to copy disks with.

 

Apart from that, if it has software built in on roms, you can probably just exchange them.

 

If it doesn't. No, there is no way to do it, unless you're ready to do extensive modifications to it, in which case it is probably easier to make a new cartridge or buy another cart to put them in...

[Atari_Only]

The cartridge is not just for back ups. It has a few options like

3rd and 4th disk drives

Clock

Cartridge pass thru

Mac emulator 64 ROMs

MAC Back ups

 

If you remember Dave Small had a problem with Happy Computers saying they copied Magic SAC and used it to develop the Discovery cartridge. Dont know what ever happened there but dave small later developed the GCR.

[ijor]

The cartridge doesn’t have any built-in ROM. Depending on the “option” model it includes sockets for ROMS. In theory you could put any ROM. But it was explicitly designed for MAC ROMs and I'm no sure if you could use anything else.

 

As I recall, the initial design was for 64k Mac Roms. I think you need a mod for 128k Roms and later versions of the software include documentation on how to do that.

 

Happy Computeers didn’t copy the Magic Sac. But with the DC and Mac Roms, you could easily use pirated copies of the Magic Sac. With the additional benefit that the DC could read/write native MAC disks and the Magic Sac couldn’t. That was the reason of the conflict with Small. He later developed the GCR for accessing MAC disks. I think you can still use the DC with a pirated copy of the GCR “software”, but you can’t access MAC disk with the emulator as you can with the GCR. You must convert them outside the emulator.

[walter_J64bit]

I have the Happy Computers Discovery Cartridge but I need an working ST any one here have the software fot the Happy Computers Discovery Cartridge if so can you post them here?

[walter_J64bit]

I've found a backup of a backup Happy Computers Discovery Cartridge software rev_2.6

happy_rev2.6.zip

[karlm]

i'm pretty sure that you could add in 128k roms as well. Will have a look to see if i still have the docs.

I know for sure that you could put 64k roms in, I would like to put my 128k roms in so I can bypass having my spectre128 cart in.

 

And it does indeed have provision for sockets Greenious!

 

Will see if I can scan it tonight.

 

btw i think the last software was revision 2.7.

 

cheers,

 

karlm.

[muguk]

btw i think the last software was revision 2.7.

851921[/snapback]

 

Good, could do with the latest edition of the software as I want to sell mine to someone who's going to use it more than I have. It came as part of a large collection of disks, along with a MegaSTE and stuff last summer but it's not been out of its box since I got it.

 

Needs someone who will appreciate it and use it more than I have.

 

Offers? UK preferred although will consider worldwide shipping.

[karlm]

the instructions are in a text file within the discovery software, I think you need to read DCMACXROM.DOC or something similar and also there are two more docs detailing which traces need to be cut/bridged and where to add the two position dpt switch for switching between the discovery cart and the add-on roms (the DC cart chip has a 128k address space, the addon roms have a 128k max space, and as the cartidge port only works with 128k, you have to switch banks)

 

cheers,

 

karlm.

[techie_alison]

Hi All,

 

May I join the Happy Computers Discovery Cartridge club? :-)

 

Just picked one up on eBay for £1.99. Here it is; http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...ssPageName=WDVW

 

Haven't a clue what it's for, well ok, yes I have, I've been reading up on the net. I'm also going to search through my old ST mags for further reviews and info on it.

 

Here's the info I have so far from the net;

 

http://www.pustan.com/comp/atari/bonus.html

 

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:Mhy_T...cartridge&hl=en

 

That's about it really. I'd really like to find this 2.7 version software though but this is the only place I've found anything, up above in this thread.

 

Hugs,

 

Aly

[ijor]

Hi Aly,

 

The basic purpose of the DC is to make backups of copy protected disks. For this goal, is perhaps the best device ever sold for any personal computer. The Catweasel comes second close.

 

It can also be used for accessing HD disks (with the right drive) and for accessing converting disks with formats that the ST normally can't (for example MAC).

 

The hardware is almost useless without software. You need special software for each and every task. You can consider it being a microcontroller (it isn't) that must be programmed correctly for the goal you want.

 

The DC comes with two "main" programs only. One is to covert MAC disks. The other is the main backup program for DD MFM disks.

 

There is a single version of the main backup program, with two minor revisions. The latest revision is exactly the same as the first one except that it allows bigger configuration files.

 

The only difference between 2.7 and previous versions is the documentation.

[techie_alison]

Hi igor, thanks for replying, good to read.

 

I'll try to add to this for all in the next few days with a scan from the old computer mags if I can find a review.

 

One thing that you've said has caught my eye though, and that's the reference to HD high density disks. I've never fancied pushing the WD controller by whatever means but did read somewhere that the HCDC has it's own FDC in it.

 

There are also references to plonking other roms in and the real time clock is my current fancy if fitted to this flavour that I have coming. Might be sensational internet fluff, eager to find out.

 

I'm in the process of redoing my website to make it a little more structured and easily updatable so I'll include a breakdown of this thing and dismatle it too. I have an EPROM burner at home which can do upto 512Kbit (64Kbyte) chips so would be interesting here.

 

Thanks again,

 

Aly

[ijor]

One thing that you've said has caught my eye though, and that's the reference to HD high density disks.  I've never fancied pushing the WD controller by whatever means but did read somewhere that the HCDC has it's own FDC in it.

 

HCDC == "Happy Computers Discovery Cartridge" ?

 

If so, not exactly. The cartridge has a custom chip that performs only the most basic function of an FDC. The rest is done all by software. Being wholly software driven is exactly the reason that you can do whatever you want. The only limits are the constrains of the drive itself, and a maximum bit rate which is a little above the HD bit rate.

 

When the DC is active the internal ST's FDC is bypassed (except for handling the control signals). I never used the DC myself for HD disks (never connected an HD drive to the ST). There are other solutions for accessing HD disks without the DC.

 

There are also references to plonking other roms in and the real time clock is my current fancy if fitted to this flavour that I have coming.

 

Yes, I forgot to mention the options. There were models with extra options. As I remember they are:

 

- Battery backed RTC.

- Switch and connectors for two extra drives.

- ROM/EPROM sockets for MAC roms.

- Passthrough connector for another cartridge.

 

They are all described in the docs (which are all as text files in the original disk).