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Model 4 & M3SE question

thevowel

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
12
I'm looking at picking up a Model 4 that may or may not have working floppies. Since there are now auto-boot EPROMs available for the M3SE, does that mean that I'd be able to get things running as-is and worry about fixing the floppies some other day?

Thanks!
 
If your Model 4 did not have a floppy that worked for booting, you could install a GOTEK, and boot
from a USB Flash Drive to get OS (of choice) running on the Model 4. You could use an emulator
and/or the HxC software to get a bootable image to the USB flash drive. you would need the floppy
Definition for your choice of OS, for the USB's Flashdrive configuration.

Example:
Code:
# cpmtools Definition
#
# TRSH  TRS-80 Model 4, Montezuma - DSDD 48 tpi 5.25" - 256 x 18
#diskdef trsh
#  seclen 256
#  tracks 80
#  sectrk 18
#  blocksize 2048
#  maxdir 128
#  skew 2
#  boottrk 2
#  os 2.2
#end
#
# libdsk Definition
#[trsh]
#description = TRSH  TRS-80 Model 4, Montezuma - DSDD 48 tpi 5.25" - 256 x 18
#sides = eagle
#cylinders = 80
#heads = 2
#secsize = 256
#sectors = 18
#secbase = 1
#datarate = DD

# Flashfloppy/GOTEK Definition
[trsh]
cyls = 80
heads = 2
secs = 18
interleave = 2
bps = 256
id = 1
#rpm = 360
rpm = 300
rate = 250
mode = mfm
iam = no

Larry
 
Yeah, the M3SE with autoboot ROM would get you up and going if you want to spend the money.

Cheaper option is a Gotek with HxC or FlashFloppy like Larry said above. My machine has a HxC based gotek with a custom front panel I built, and I really don't feel I need more expansion or modernization than that.

 
Thanks for the tips, but for no good reason I really want to have a M4 on my home network. Based on the research I've done, it looks like a M3SE is the easiest way to do that?
 
Yes, sort of. It comes with an ftp server, but that is about it. You’d need to write anything else. It also has a ftp client, but youd have to find a compatible ftp server. It does support dhcp, and ntp client and battery backed up clock, so there is that. It also is faster than gotek, but harder to do things like create a boot partition for anything other than ldos or Trs dos.
 
I don't have anything to provide networking to my TRS-80 Model 4p, but I have seen references to TRS-Box which adds something else you can use a TRS-80 with M3SE for:

TRS-Box is a Dropbox client for the TRS-80 Microcomputer. It allows you to navigate and copy files from and to your Dropbox from your TRS-80. It is an easy and powerful way to manage the files on your TRS-80.

TRS-Box requires a TRS-80 Model I with MISE or a TRS-80 Model III or 4 with M3SE or TRS-IO setup with a broadband Internet connection and a Dropbox account.
Then there is TRS-Pix that is a Google Images browser for a Model III or 4 with an M3SE or a Model I with a MISE.

And there is also TRSWiki for browsing Wikipedia on a Model 4 with an M3SE.
 
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