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Soviet IBM PC Clone POISK 1 ПОИСК 1

J

joeyd3119

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Joined
Sep 4, 2019
Messages
33
Location
Jackson, MI
Anybody out there have any machine language programming experience out there on old Soviet IBM clones?

I'm wondering what needs to be patched in actual IBM PC software so it will display on the Poisk?

The computer appears to emulate the CGA in BIOS so I think it calls stuff to the display differently.

Something needs patched for stuff to run on the display.
 
You would have a faster response checking with one of the Russian forums on it. The member who knows the Poisk best logs in here about once a month. I didn't see a programming guide in either of the websites storing Poisk software. There is even a demo program for the Poisk CGA but it doesn't have source code.

https://translate.googleusercontent...700271&usg=ALkJrhhiMa1ZHgRezQS1NEq4Um-PiHf9WQ shows that you aren't the only one with the issue.

I find the Poisk fascinating so if you discover anything, please make a posting about it.
 
I find the Poisk fascinating so if you discover anything, please make a posting about it.
Click to expand...

I have found that the CGA graphics modes seem to display/run correctly but anything that uses the text modes are the ones that go goofy....
Interesting thing is one of the programs that I was given with the POISK is a copy of Norton Commander that is a text based program...
that copy came with the POISK works on it and on my IBM PC!!
BUT my regular copy of Norton will not work on the poisk.

And its not "POISK DOS" causing the problem its the bios/display cga.
Another program that blows up is RK (this is a Russification program) for straight up plain Cyrillic text in MS-Dos.
I've run POISK DOS on my PC with RK and it works fine but running RK on the POISK itself in either MS-DOS or POISK DOS it blows up (locks up).
I would add that all versions of dos that I have used with the POISK are ver 3.3 PC-DOS,MS-DOS and POISK DOS.

And thanks for the lead on the Russian site!!
 
joeyd3119
Hi, i have two Poisk-1 versions - 128Kb and 512Kb. CGA emulation takes away 32Kb RAM, so 96 or 480 kilobytes are left for the user.
If you programming CGA using BIOS or DOS or direct memory writes - you do not need anything special. You can set modes via ah=0/int 10h and direct write to 0xB800, so Norton Commander, Volkov Commander, all text-mode utilites run fine. CGA games like Digger, Paratrooper, Prince, Karateka etc also run fine.
You can't use CGA I/O ports.
 
Tronix said:
joeyd3119direct write to 0xB800
Click to expand...
<-Winner!
Once I fixed where it writes to Planetfall and my programs now works on the Poisk.

I noticed in Russian forum zx-pk.ru that you contributed to discussion of POISK VGA.
I have a couple questions on Russian PROM chips from schematic
556PT4 and 556PT5 from the schematic of POISK that I have these chip look similar like intel i3601 (256x4) and i3604 (512x8 )
If you think these might work instead of the Russian chip I may try this...
Then it appears I will get my 32k back.
 
joeyd3119 said:
I noticed in Russian forum zx-pk.ru that you contributed to discussion of POISK VGA.
Click to expand...
I prefer to own the original Poisk without any modification. It is unique in itself. If you start modifying it, put VGA, add some RAM to 640Kb, it’s get so-so quality XT-computer. IMHO, easier to buy regular XT-clone motherboard.
joeyd3119 said:
I have a couple questions on Russian PROM chips from schematic
556PT4 and 556PT5 from the schematic of POISK that I have these chip look similar like intel i3601 (256x4) and i3604 (512x8 )
If you think these might work instead of the Russian chip I may try this...
Click to expand...
Yes, 556PT4 look similar to i3601 - 256x4 with open collectors outputs. 556PT4 is 70ns and 556PT4A is 45ns. 556PT5 like a i3604 - 512x8 with open collectors outputs.
 
Tronix said:
I prefer to own the original Poisk without any modification.
Click to expand...

I also would like to keep it as original but my problem is actually more "practical" I am located in the USA and SECAM monitors are a bit tough to come by!!
I have one such SECAM/PAL/NTSC monitor and use it for other endeavors besides the Poisk.
I have plenty of VGA flat panel monitors..... Basically using what I have and besides if I socket the chips and make jumpers to undo there is no harm to system and can put back to original quickly.
Similar to IBM PCjr modifications... Some of the better mods make the system more usable... but thats my thoughts.

Also
Thank you for the information on the PROM chips!! I really need a complete cross reference for the Russian Analogs to Western Equivalents!!

спасибо товарищ!!!
 
Got mine like a month ago much cheaper and including expansion boards from Ukraine .

Maybe this week i can get it on the mail, someone knows what is the pinout for the RGB port so i can do a scart adapter ?.
Also where i can download software it uses the same msdos format do 720k dsdd IBM compatible floppy drives work ?.
 
MikeModifed said:
FWIW: "New" 128kb POISK on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Poisk...138404?hash=item4d9f4d80e4:g:iHgAAOSwpNxdv0aY

Mike
Click to expand...

Thanks! I've been mainly looking for software and the ROM modules.
I have most of the disk software!
But I've been trying to collect all the Cassette Software I have #1 and #8 just need 2-7 and 9 & 10!
As far as Modules go I have the Major ones... Disk Adapter, I/O and Ram modules
I also have the Lan Adapter.
The I/O and Lan are NOTHING like western stuff while the I/O card can print to a centronics printer it's not XT compatible and has its own driver.
Its a fun toy for learning the Soviet PC!!
 
Soviet9922,

Making disks I use image disk if the image is IMA or IMG you need to convert to the IMD then make the disk. The conversion utilities come with IMD

If do not already have Image Disk IMD get it here.. http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/img/index.htm

If you want MS Dos
MS Dos 3.30 works fine on the Poisk you can use IMD to make a bootable 720K disk.

If you want the Sigma dos....
You can download the sigma-4-disk images here.. https://archive.org/download/MAME_0.202_Software_List_ROMs_merged/mc1502_flop.zip
Those disks are are for the MS1502 but run on the Poisk

Poisk Dos 3.30
Download here.... http://poisk-pc.narod.ru/poisk330.img
There are other versions of 720K disk on that same page as the poisk dos.. http://poisk-pc.narod.ru/poisk.htm

There is about a 9GB archive of Poisk items on Yandex.disk yadi.sk the link to
the archive can be found on the Russian language page https://zx-pk.ru/forums/78-poisk.html
I hesitate to post a direct link because I do not remember if the direct link was a members only share or a public link either way the
Russian site will be excited to have someone else interested in the Poisk.
Tronix might be able to say if the Poisk archive is public or not.


soviet9922 said:
Got mine like a month ago much cheaper and including expansion boards from Ukraine .

Maybe this week i can get it on the mail, someone knows what is the pinout for the RGB port so i can do a scart adapter ?.
Also where i can download software it uses the same msdos format do 720k dsdd IBM compatible floppy drives work ?.
Click to expand...
 
krebizfan said:
You would have a faster response checking with one of the Russian forums on it. The member who knows the Poisk best logs in here about once a month. I didn't see a programming guide in either of the websites storing Poisk software. There is even a demo program for the Poisk CGA but it doesn't have source code.

https://translate.googleusercontent...700271&usg=ALkJrhhiMa1ZHgRezQS1NEq4Um-PiHf9WQ shows that you aren't the only one with the issue.

I find the Poisk fascinating so if you discover anything, please make a posting about it.
Click to expand...

So what was happening with the Poisk was doing direct writes using INT10h AH=13h which is a string write it would have a fit.
It you use AH=9 single character write or AH=E TTY write, things were happy.
The AH=13h is something that was implemented in later IBM Bio's versions after about 1986 ish... And my POISK Bios says its 1991 "But copied from what??"
When I was Assured by Tronix that it does write direct to &HB800 the only thing it could be was it just does not like string writes.
FYI if you have an Early IBM PC it will do the same thing as the POISK with string writes.

As for that CGA demo you mention...
There is a Basic Language version of the POISK demo demo.bas it looks like the same as demo.exe the executable appears to just be a compiled version of the basic program
The basic file is only like 22K and the EXE is like 56K. All the basic calls work fine so it appears this confirms that the culprit is the AH=13h in my ML Code.
 
my poisk arrived but i think it must be bad when i plug the power supply i can hear a constant tone emitted by the beeper and nothing more, the tone will continue playing as long as the computer is plugin will have to check it later.
 
Hello,

Funny, I've also just received a NOS POISK-1 from eBay yesterday, and it displays exactly the same behaviour. I got in touch with the seller and it advises me to open the case to check if the keyboard was still plugged in. I plan to do it this weekend when I have more time. I hope it will fix this issue.
 
joeyd3119 said:
So what was happening with the Poisk was doing direct writes using INT10h AH=13h which is a string write it would have a fit.
It you use AH=9 single character write or AH=E TTY write, things were happy.
The AH=13h is something that was implemented in later IBM Bio's versions after about 1986 ish... And my POISK Bios says its 1991 "But copied from what??"
Click to expand...
Interrupt list says this call was added for AT/EGA, and Poisk was neither of those. There's not much point in using RK or another tool like it -- Poisk has cyrillic font in ROM and BIOS does keyboard layout switching.
 
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