Epson HX20 - first laptop !EVER! 1981+

[CMcDougall]

Epson HX20 - first laptop !EVER! 1981+
mine says on back sticker : battery installed 9 June 1989
last used per date on micro tape : December 1994

She lives! after......
Soldered a link as the blue ribbon from keyboard to LCD screen eaten by battery,
and -/neg was going nowhere, so soldered to PSU socket & +/pos to the fuse

some pics, as not alot of info on this on net, or insides , :

[CMcDougall]

and the better than CGA graphics card working...
NOTE: the adaptor to recharge the battery is wrong way round , so +/pos side of socket , -/neg middle pin on socket
will do pictures of mini tape deck & printer part if the sun comes back out

[Pernod]

Thanks for the photos, it's good to see it looks like a standard MOSU board. Have you found any other references to the CM6000 anywhere? I can find manuals for the HX-20 but no mention of the CM6000. It has to be different in some way to map those 3x16K ROMs rather then the usual 4x8K found in the HX-20.
Are you able to also dump the mask ROM at location 6G? This is used by the slave CPU, expect it to be 4K.

Date codes on the IC's place this at least 1988, the boards of the HX-20 are much earlier 84/85.

[jonb]

By the looks of it I'd suggest that "CM6000" is a rebadged HX-20. The keyboard surround looks very aftermarket.

HX-20 is one of the first machines I wrote code for professionally.. I recall it had a nice keyboard and a tiny little screen (too small for BASIC but otherwise readable). I keep thinking about getting one for old time's sake.

[Pernod]

By the looks of it I'd suggest that "CM6000" is a rebadged HX-20. The keyboard surround looks very aftermarket.

Agreed, looks like an overlay.

I've been comparing photos of motherboards:
1982 MOSU 20120200000 B:::.
1984 MOSU 20120200003 ?
1985 MOSU 20120200004 E:::.
1985 MOSU 20120200004 E::::.
1988 MOSU 20120200004 H:::

Yours is the latest. Note the dots after the board revision, maybe indicate ROM configuration.

[CMcDougall]

^good investigation work!

dump the mask ROM at location 6G? This is used by the slave CPU, expect it to be 4K.

good news, it's in a socket (& had other 2 out to check for rust before power it up 23yrs later), so no unsolder pump
bad news, my beeb or my Uviprom probably won't read, as not got 28 legs....

I just spent about 30mins blowing 5x 2764 /8k roms from version11 from 'emuparadise' site
and as you thought, not working screen just flashes and its beeps 3 times, then repeats
so much for turning it into a BASIC language machine and the SkiWriter word processor
if you go to that site, there is also Version10, and also a 4k file "hd6301v16d", might be that chip at 6G

suggest that "CM6000" is a rebadged HX-20. The keyboard surround looks very aftermarket

yes, not for general public, just like the Acorn Electron, turning into a business telephone system, and renaming it Merlin
mine has logo on it bottom left by same phone co
just noticed pics on eBay, on back of mine it still says "Seiko Epson Corp." & higher serial No. 049854

this is the screens I get from my 3x16k chip set, being Version4.3 & not clear in MB pic "CM6032A" on them too
can download them here : download/file.php?id=32539

[Pernod]

^good investigation work!

dump the mask ROM at location 6G? This is used by the slave CPU, expect it to be 4K.

good news, it's in a socket (& had other 2 out to check for rust before power it up 23yrs later), so no unsolder pump
bad news, my beeb or my Uviprom probably won't read, as not got 28 legs....

That's a shame, chances are it's the same as standard HX-20, but really need to know for certain.

I wouldn't give up on getting BASIC and SkiWriter working. Here's what we know about a standard HX-20:
- 5 ROM sockets, 8K each
- 11E 6000-7fff Option ROM
- 12E 8000-9fff BASIC
- 13E a000-bfff BASIC
- 14E c000-dfff Firmware
- 15E e000-ffff Firmware

Considering the CM6000 expects 3x16K ROM in 11E, 13E, 15E, let's assume:
- 11E 4000-7fff
- 13E 8000-bfff
- 15E c000-ffff

So with the standard HX-20 ROMs that you have, blow 3x16K as follows:
- 11E = SkiWriter in the top half only, 2000-3fff
- 13E = BASIC, join your ROMS with extensions 12e and 13e
- 15E = Firmware, join your ROMs with extension 14e and 15e

Fingers crossed

[CMcDougall]

back of mine, with dates etc, and the silver rusted thing to cover the 'green' rusty battery:

back of case

let's assume

was contemplating the same, great minds think alike
I was not sure of where the 'OS'/firmware was etc, so thanks for working it out, as does not have OS1.20 at start
so to confirm before 45+ mins of burning eproms, thought would take each of my original 16k chips out once at a time
starting with 11E out being optional rom, I got 'ambulance sounds' and this on screen "HALT 42 62 7E02"
all three eproms must need to be together, but confirmed range &7E02
then took out 13E being 'language' and got same noise with "HALT CD CE 8CCF"
confirming again &range
joined up the 2x8k 'OS'/firmware V11 onto 16k eprom, popped it in and got :

OS v11

carried on same with Basic, but a no show... so played with Monitor :

in MONITOR

done same with 'FF' then SkiWriter, no show, but then thought to play with the CTRL@ change date:

change date scr

111111111111 Return, then done a Break, BINGO! :

reset, now cooking the gas!

when pressing 3, it asks to goto Basic first, so did and got splash SkiWriter splash:

skiW splash scr

pressing 2 for Basic works :

basic prog

but will miss my 'wee man' on the beller

cool

[Pernod]

but will miss my 'wee man' on the beller

Awesome, so was I 100% correct with the mapping?

[CMcDougall]

^sure was
after all this time to solder it up to work & the 'new' 16k roms burning, I noticed the Return key not registering until 3 presses
so took keyboard to bits a little:

keySwitches

so the little shaped metal thing was not very good after all these years, so after 6+ different positions
i then got it to beep on my multimeter tester , put all back together, still did not work
so on close inspection of solder side of the 2pins, it had dry solder joint on one, and could move up/down
soldered on some more, all Working again

pics of Micro Cassette Drive:

deck10pin

deck back

interface connector 40pins:

interface40pin

RS232 lead maybe for it, black left is shielding on right plug to no pins:

lead

to get this machine to use Ear /Mic on right side of it, need to take tape deck aside/out & do a reset.
here is a little basic prog to load, use laptop volume at 66% to play out

TEST2(playVol66.zip

.WAV file tester 19seconds

(202.32 KiB) Downloaded 61 times

the first 4.5 seconds are not needed , nor the last 6 seconds, as probably just lead in/out

the WAV

I found two crap MP3s from years back on the WWW, but had to do a bit of fixing, and loaded some progs being:
STATPAK, FUTURE, DAYDATE, AMORTIZE, TENKEY, PHONE, HANDLER, TIMER, & WRITER (11mins total)
have then saved them back out, so if anyone wants them (or interested at all? ) just shout

& AND if anyone can supply more .WAVs of basic progs, especially City Bomber let me know !!

[Pernod]

I've been in contact with Terry Stuart of http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/col ... n-hx20.htm, and has provided a collection of BASIC programs. You'll need some way of transferring them or have to type them in though.

[CMcDougall]

^ cheers N, just noticed this post

hopefully MP3s , like I found , cleaned up to mono WAV & 95% of them worked.

its now up the loft , as not found City Bomber as yet to play on it

EDIT: does Terry want all my CSW / WAV files, as I can't even remember where I got the crap MP3s from
EDIT2: found all those .TXT files before, not typing them in, someone else must have easy load files!?

[CMcDougall]

checked against my list, & same, but I have another extra 11, two needed for WAV / CSW being: BOMBER & TOWERS

my HX20 is now out loft, now under bed

extra 11 below, some I got from the dodgy 2x MP3s I fixed so loaded 11 of 13 progs from that

Anyone got more 8k ROM images for this? can't find Forth, but someone on FB is going to image when got time
also "Pro...Write" ??

[CMcDougall]

STATPAK, FUTURE, DAYDATE, AMORTIZE, TENKEY, PHONE, HANDLER, TIMER, WRITER & HX20TEST

here is the CSWs for them, confirmed working when using BackToLife prog to convert them back to .WAV
play out laptop vol 23 ~ 66 :

[GeoffB17]

Hello,

Do you still seek BOMBER and TOWERS - I think I have both of these as ASC BASIC files, but I've got the 'hxtape' system working on my PC so I can convert the text back to a .WAV so you can LOAD it.

Did you get ther SkiWriter system sorted out - I downloaded the ROM files you'd posted, but couldn't see the binary, maybe I just missed it?

Are you still looking for a FORTH? I've got the HCCS Forth system in ROM on my HX, and I got a BIN image (this needs to be located 6000-7FFF).

Geoff

[Pernod]

Did you get ther SkiWriter system sorted out - I downloaded the ROM files you'd posted, but couldn't see the binary, maybe I just missed it?

Here's the SkiWriter ROM (yes, it's in the MAME torrents). I see you're also discussing it over at VCF.

Anything you have that is not readily available elsewhere is welcome, especially HCCS Forth, and I'm sure Col would appreciate BOMBER and TOWERS.

[GeoffB17]

Thanks for the SkiWrite piece.

I attach the bin image of the HCCS Forth system. I have the manual for the package. Most of the implementation is fairly standard, with the addition of a number of definitions peculiar to the HX. I worked out some extra definitions to allow access to the TF-20 floppy drive, not a lot of use just now as my HX and the TF are not communicating at all.

The Forth must be loaded in the ROM area 6000-7FFF. There are some MONITOR instructions to activate.

I've dug out the two progs. They are presently text files of HX BASIC, I'll run them through hxtape to convert them to .WAV that can be LOADed.

Geoff

[CMcDougall]

^hi Geoff, nice for finding Forth!

The guy on boring FB never imaged the ProWriter ROM so is still MIA.

The two games to .WAV would be good, might even fire her back up again

cheers, Col.

[GeoffB17]

Col,

Thanks for the message.

I assume you've not (yet) tried to do anything with the FORTH?

I'll get working with the conv of the two progs. This involves the software from the 'hxtape' project (php code), and also a bit of help from Audacity to get a suitable .WAV file. Once got that, can 'play' the file into the HX, which can LOAD the prog, but I'll test it to make sure it works. I've got this all working OK, although a bit fiddly. A relatively low audio resolution still seems to work OK, so when I ZIP the WAV files they won't be too massive. I hope.

Oh, if you're looking for WP software, I've got the .BAS code for WRITE, which was published by KUMA back in 198? Maybe another contack has got that saved as a WAV. But, the prog is fairly large, and you really need a 32k machine, the prog can be made to 'run' with 16k, but not to do very much. Just a couple of k of doc space.

Did you ever see Elizabeth Wald's Sideways print routine, again from 198?. Uses the internal printer rotated 90 degrees to print a doc in sections.

Geoff

[GeoffB17]

Col,

The good news is that I've converted both the text progs into .WAV files.

Better news, both files loaded into the HX, and LIST seemed OK for each.

BUT, both progs produce an error, so there's something amiss.

In both cases, the error is a NF error, which is 'NEXT before FOR'. Looking at the code, the FOR/NEXT loops seem OK, BUT I find places where the prog is doing a GOSUB or a GOTO into the middle of the For/Next loop, which will certainly cause a NF error. So, there's something wrong with the line numbering? The error is visible in the original ASC code, so it's nothing to do with the processes I've run.

In the case of TOWERS, it seems to me that line 60 has a GOSUB 700 and this OUGHT to be GOSUB 680 and this may well fix the problem.

In the same prog, lines 650 (COPY) and 660 (RUN) seem odd, although RUN may be OK just inconvenient. I'd just comment them out for now.

In BOMBER, I see a problem re line 570 where a GOTO goes into a For/Next loop, but it's not so clear what this should be fixed to. I'll need to study this more.

Anyway, the attached ZIP contains the two WAV files, which will load as they are (use MediaPlayer to 'play' the WAV file, while the HX performs a LOAD). The problem is already there, right back to the .HXA file as included.

Geoff

download/file.php?mode=view&id=43946

[CMcDougall]

evening Geoff,

only had 40 mins on laptop, 30 of that was a M$oft forced update

my beebs I use to burn eproms are on shelves at moment, so not tried your Forth ROM as yet, & doubt any .WAV progs out there for it?

Thanks for taking time to sort out those two games, will check them out when have an hour to myself....

Cheers, Col.

[GeoffB17]

Hello Col,

As for any .WAV files for the Forth (HCCS) - errm, I'd guess not. Certainly far from likely.

However, do note that the HCCS implementation is very specific to the HX, and it includes support for the tape storage, both microcassette and external. So there IS a way to SAVE and LOAD regarding CAS1:, so this could be done as WAV. The Forth simple makes use of the same HX ROM routines as would the BASIC. The FORTH works with 'screens', numbered, just like other FIG forth implementations of that period. You use the editor process within FORTH to enter a screen, of 1k of data, and then save it with a preset filename which I think is FILExxxx where FILE is preset and xxxx is the assigned page number. I see no reason the this process will not work to save to WAV just as it would save to tape, the HX will not know the difference.

Ditto on LOADING data.

The only bit of the process that MIGHT be a problem is with the --> word, that might be put at the end of one screen to force the system on loading that screen to automatically continue to load the next screen, but if the ROM and FORTH code will wait long enough so that the user can start the audio 'play' of the correct next screen then it COULD work.

Anyway, I've not tried this yet. I should do so. I've got the HXTAPE processes so that I could generate the screen files manually, as in bypass the editor process within FORTH and use a full screen text editor on the PC to enter the data. Make sure the data is 16 lines of 64 chars so that the format is correct for FORTH, save as a valid filename, and then try a load. Like I say, if this will work with BASIC, it must work for FORTH as well as both systems use the same ROM code.

How much did you look into the ROM routines in the HX? How well do you know the workings of FORTH? One of the processes that I'd entered, and had working, for the HX was a de-compiler, which took a FORTH definition and displayed (usually as a printout) the step-by-step decompile with the required translations - so where a 'word' included various jumps into the ROM code this was obvious from the address given, and where the code was simply calling another FORTH 'word' that the word was shown rather than an address. I can prob get this code entered up and saved as WAV, I certainly have it as a .TXT file somewhere. I had created FORTH definitions so that the FORTH could access the TF-20 disk drives, and save definitions there, and I was able to then access the disk sectors as .TXT (my TF no longer communicates with the HX, I'm sorry to say) but the HXTAPE processes in effect allow the same thing.

Geoff

[CMcDougall]

morning Geoff,

the loading of .WAV files are ok & also saving to laptop mic in, hence I re-made all the files I found on crap quality MP3 & converted to .CSW for smaller files to upload (see early posts further up) but mind to unplug micro tape deck then do a reset so that HX20 can hear stuff from ear in!

Not played with Forth language since 1989 on the beebs at school

Does your HX20 have basic AND forth ROMs inserted at same time? Or do you have to swap the roms?? A pic of your menu screen would help, as was going to try on mine (16k eproms with Forth in first 8k then SkiWriter in next 8k....)

might get 2hrs to myself later, but I won't hold my breath

Col.

[GeoffB17]

Hello Col,

Your HX is clearly non standard. I assume it's one (one of many) that was modified for a specific vertical system, had special ROMs inserted (and I guess some standard ROM removed).

Mine is (or rather was) a standard machine, bought new 1982 soon after they were first available (after reading the splendid review of the machine in PCW). So mine came with an empty 'Option' ROM slot. BASIC is there in the standard ROMs. My config is exactly as detailed near the top of this thread as 'Standard HX-20'

Originally, at turn-on, the menu shows MONITOR and BASIC, as per the manual. After installing the FORTH ROM, I need to change a byte in RAM using the monitor, and then FORTH appears as item 3 on the menu. Swapping between BASIC and FORTH will mess up things in RAM, so it's wise to assume that this is the case. Going into FORTH offers a 'Warm Start' which is OK if you've NOT been into BASIC in the meantime, I usually say No to this anyway. Just in case.

I've got an internal RAM expansion board (16k) in mine, although if the FORTH is active only 8k is available. If I need the full 32k RAM then I need to disable the FORTH ROM. The extra 8k is usually sufficient though.

I note from your pics that your keys are quite different inside. If I take the top off my keys, all I see underneath is a much bigger (diameter) spring, no coloured bits. I'd guess that mine may be an earlier production? The plate on the base shows Serial No 011130. Not looked for other differences.

Geoff

[CMcDougall]

afternoon Geoff,

my HX20 is an after market one, built for British Telecom, I have taken all those useless roms out, and now it is 'standard', but it can use 3x 16k eproms instead of 6x 8k eproms.

when I first put SkiWriter onto a 8k rom, it showed it at menu 3 & 4, as it wanted a 16k, so just doubles the 8k, therfore mine can do 2 optional roms :
so I put SkiWriter 0-2000 & your Forth 2000-4000, and now I get this :

menu 1-4

don't know if this is pg0 of the forth or

forth pg0 ?

forth ?

mine also fails for Bomber / Air Patrol

bomber - air patrol err

cheers, Col.

[GeoffB17]

Hello Col,

If the FORTH starts up correctly, you should get a screen something like:

Warm?

Regarding the Warm start (which assumes the state of RAM is OK).

Proceeding from there should give:

Copyright 1982
J.W. Brown
EPSON-FORTH V1.0

The '0' your screen shows might be relevant, as this might relate to the state of the stack, but I'd more suspect it indicates a problem. Is the forth active at the correct addresses (6000 to 7FFF)? Or have you changed the data?

Yes, the message for BOMBER is the same as I got. I've looked at the prog, and I think the GOTO on line 570 is wrong. Change it from GOTO 610 to GOTO 590 and this may fix the prog. The error in TOWERS is in fact VERY similar, don't know why.

To change the line, just type LIST 570. Use cursor keys to edit the line, then press enter. Then it may run properly. I've not had chance to test this fix yet, there might be other problems?

Geoff

[CMcDougall]

Hi Geoff,

Mine would of worked out 4000-5fff SkiWriter then 6000-7fff Forth, so yes in right area. Did not spend much time on it though.....

did not even have time to sort out the Bomber fix either, but now it's all ready if I get another spare hour.

someone found another with "Q30" in bottom left corner, but going by the screen shot, (phone & wee man) just same as my aftermarket.

Col.

[GeoffB17]

Hello Col,

Right, the other one you illustrate has the expansion unit attached, this may well provide extra RAM (to get you up to the 32k max) as well as alternative space for ROMs (I'm pretty sure the HX cannot have more than 64k of whatever/however.

I've had some play with BOMBER. I don't know if this is the game you were thinking of. There's no city, the target is a tank, and the game does need some work to make it more interesting. I'll need to study it further.

But for immed purposes, yes, line 570 should be changed to

570 IF BY=28 THEN 590

Also, once I'd changed this, the game went further, but then I got a SN (syntax) error. When I checked the line, I found the statement !SUB xxx. This is a damaged BASIC token, prob introduced by the HXTAPE code. I didn't make a note of the full details before I changed it! But I'm sure you'll spot it. Just change the !SUB to GOSUB, the destination line number is correct. With these changes, the prog runs without error, just doesn't 'run' anywhere too interesting.

First thing, it needs a RANDOMISE statement so it's not the same each time you run it. Then could do with some control over movement of the plane, seems to be none at the present.

BUT - when you do get the bomb to hit the target, note the game attempt to show the explosion. Well, it's TRYING!!

Anyway, the prog has 91 lines, and 2 were slightly damaged. Still beats typing it all in again!!

I've got a game somewhere called CRAM. Something I found in a book or mag, and changed for the HX.

Geoff

[GeoffB17]

Col,

Just to clarify, BASIC and FORTH use the same RAM, esp the bottom of RAM for a lot of 'system' stuff.

If you've been doing anything with BASIC, when you start FORTH and get the WARM? prompt you should say N (for No) which will allow FORTH to reset things as it needs. Else you risk all sorts of errors. When you do this, you will probably (almost certainly) mess up whatever is in BASIC, so make sure anything important is saved (and can be reloaded).

Geoff

[CMcDougall]

good morning Geoff,

I wonder if mine had the expansion unit once upon a time, but it was not in the cabinet where I found it ; now said cabinet is crushed & everything in the room is skipped. I do have 3 micro tapes that came with it, but they are not basic programs, probably specific to the telecom industry /original roms. Can't make .WAV of them as I've lost my old micro tape player

Bomber was a game I seen on YouTube on the HX20, I played it first on a Vic20 & then my electron /beeb. So thought was same, but as you say it's blow up a tank! There is also a demo on YouTube, but can't find any .WAVs for it either, all I found was the two bad quality MP3s that I fixed& re saved out to make the 11 progs posted half way up.

Forth as you say will wipe any basic progs still left in memory, & as we agree think all progs will be lost in eternity, but least you have saved the Rom!

Cheers Col.