Has anyone made an OS for the console?

Ask anything your want about Megadrive/Genesis programming.

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HardWareMan
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Post by HardWareMan » Sun Jun 22, 2014 7:27 am

Almost 10 years passed since I wrote my "monitor". It's simple text-based command processor with small amount of directives. Nothing special, but it supports PS/2 keyboard on 1 joystick port, uses some interrupts and able to work with memory. Able to launch code that manually entered to the RAM. Wrote on pure ASM for MD memory regions research.

MintyTheCat
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Post by MintyTheCat » Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:13 am

HardWareMan wrote:Almost 10 years passed since I wrote my "monitor". It's simple text-based command processor with small amount of directives. Nothing special, but it supports PS/2 keyboard on 1 joystick port, uses some interrupts and able to work with memory. Able to launch code that manually entered to the RAM. Wrote on pure ASM for MD memory regions research.
Then by all means consider releasing some of your Routines and even Libraries to help the MD Community.

I have my own Monitor embedded within my Library as one of the Test Applications. I need to take it out in order to have it as a seperate Project.

I shall release this as Open-Source to help the community.

One question for you, Hardwareman: did you manage to implement XModem/YModen/ZModem? I ask this as it would be a good way to transfer files between the MD and the PC and vice versa.

MintyTheCat
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Re: Has anyone made an OS for the console?

Post by MintyTheCat » Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:14 am

sega16 wrote:
MintyTheCat wrote: You can: for free :D People basically throw old Megadrives away - curse them in way... :lol:

Years ago I used to visit trash heaps when I was a student and I once found a 68000 inside a Video Player, I desoldered it any kept it as it was 'valuable' at the time.
Wow you are very lucky. Where I live there are no free consoles.
Check your local Thrift/Charity Shops and of course the Adverts in local Newspapers. Yard Sales perhaps.

MintyTheCat
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Post by MintyTheCat » Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:17 am

I suppose we have just gotten into the topic of the difference between a Command-Monitor and an Operating-System.

A Monitor to my mind is used purely as a development and debugging tool whereas an OS is used more for executing Application Code.
If you are interested in hosting an Editor and such like then you'd be looking at having an OS. If you are only interested in having a means to develop Code and to test it out on the Hardware then a Monitor may suffice; indeed, you may find that you need a Monitor to help you to write an OS.

ehaliewicz
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Post by ehaliewicz » Sun Jun 22, 2014 2:37 pm

MintyTheCat wrote:
HardWareMan wrote:Almost 10 years passed since I wrote my "monitor". It's simple text-based command processor with small amount of directives. Nothing special, but it supports PS/2 keyboard on 1 joystick port, uses some interrupts and able to work with memory. Able to launch code that manually entered to the RAM. Wrote on pure ASM for MD memory regions research.
Then by all means consider releasing some of your Routines and even Libraries to help the MD Community.
My system badly needs keyboard support, so I'd also love to see this.

HardWareMan
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Location: Kazakhstan, Pavlodar

Post by HardWareMan » Sun Jun 22, 2014 7:39 pm

MintyTheCat wrote:Then by all means consider releasing some of your Routines and even Libraries to help the MD Community.
I'm afraid that sources was lost in epic HDD fail 6 years ago. But I try to search on CDs, I may be lucky.
MintyTheCat wrote:One question for you, Hardwareman: did you manage to implement XModem/YModen/ZModem? I ask this as it would be a good way to transfer files between the MD and the PC and vice versa.
I worked with my implementation of XModem on AVR, MCS 51 and i8080/Z80. I even wrote true calculation of CRC16 without tables. Hyper Terminal from W'98 and W'XP works fine.

MintyTheCat
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Posts: 484
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:11 pm
Location: Berlin, Germany

Post by MintyTheCat » Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:33 am

HardWareMan wrote:
MintyTheCat wrote:Then by all means consider releasing some of your Routines and even Libraries to help the MD Community.
I'm afraid that sources was lost in epic HDD fail 6 years ago. But I try to search on CDs, I may be lucky.
MintyTheCat wrote:One question for you, Hardwareman: did you manage to implement XModem/YModen/ZModem? I ask this as it would be a good way to transfer files between the MD and the PC and vice versa.
I worked with my implementation of XModem on AVR, MCS 51 and i8080/Z80. I even wrote true calculation of CRC16 without tables. Hyper Terminal from W'98 and W'XP works fine.
I'd consider using something like Github to preserve your Sourcecode as HDs do fail - had it happen to me twice now in about 18 years.

I implemented CRC16 way back on a PIC24 myself, I would have to dig out that project to recall what I actually did though.

I am interested in making an Open-Source implementation of XYZModem for the MD. There are many Clients that can be used for most Operating-Systems so this should allow MD Developers with only a Flashcart to upload and download files and data between the MD and the PC/Mac.

Anyone else interested in this work at all?

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