DCMOTO - Release notes

DCMOTO is an emulator for Windows of all Thomson 8 bits computers
Version : 2010.10.22
Author : Daniel Coulom
Web page : dcmoto.free.fr

Emulated computers

• MO5, MO5E, german MO5E
• MO5NR, MO6, Olivetti Prodest PC128
• T9000, TO7
• TO7/70, arab TO7/70
• TO9, german TO9
• TO8, TO8D, TO9+

Warning

Version 2010.10.22 has been greatly improved compared to version 2010.04.
These changes may have produce new bugs. It is important to report every abnormal behaviour,
in order to fix program errors. In case of major issue, you can still use previous versions.

Installation

Required hardware configuration

Pentium or Pentium compatible processor. Processor frequency 300 MHz or better.
Windows 98/ME or Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Seven or newer.
640x480 or better display, 65536 or more colors.
Audio processor needed.

Install dcmoto

Unzip downloaded file to any folder.
Make a shortcut to dcmoto.exe program (optional).

Using dcmoto

Execute dcmoto.exe by double-clicking the filename or using the shortcut.
Select the language (Options/Settings...).
Read online Help and dcmoto web site documentation.
Keyboard layout can be displayed and modified by user (Options/Keyboard...).

History

Versions 2010.10 & 2010.10.22

• IRQ signal management error fixed with the new subversion 2010.10.22
• Dcmoto license text has been added to "About dcmoto" dialogbox
• "About dcmoto" dialogbox is automatically displayed when dcmoto.ini is missing or obsolete
• In debugger module, automatic incrementation of the address after a memory byte modification
• Computer power switch is emulated with PC Scroll-Lock key
• Pause state is ended with any key stroke, mouse click or joystick fire button
• Errors fixed and improvements made in Save snapshot and Restore snapshot functions
• Bank memory switching error fixed in TO8 mode
• Options and Tuning are now parts of the same dialog box
• Frame rate and sound buffer number options are no longer available. Best values are used
• Contrast and brightness tuning is no longer available
• Gamma curve modified to render better 8, 16 and 4096 color palettes
• CAPSLOCK flag added to the status line, near the computer name
• Video mode with 525 lines is emulated. Overscan routine works in the HCL Megademo
• IRQ signal duration has been increased to fix a sound problem in La Malediction de Thaar
• TO8 ans TO8D keyboard reading bug fixed
• TO8 and TO8D mute signal is accurately emulated after measurements on the real computer
• Memory bank number can be select for desassembly and memory dump
• Debug mode break point address and memory dump address are saved and restored like other dcmoto options
• Cartridge, disk and tape are saved in .mrx file and restored as well
• Error fixed in TO9 boot sector reading
• The 6809 emulator has been deeply modified, to make it easy to port to other systems
• In step by step debug mode, the screen is refresh after each instruction execution
• The tape is automatically rewind when a hardreset occurs
• The tape is no longer automatically rewinded at the end, there is just a warning message
• Disk and tape images are loaded into PC memory

Version 2010.04

• Brightness and contrast slightly modified for 16 color palette
• Right-Ctrl is used as the default key for ACC emulation, for all computers
• Better full-screen mode. Shortcuts are PAGE-UP for full-screen and PAGE-DOWN for windowed mode
• DirectSound is no longer used, to make sound emulation simple and light

Version 2009.05

• TO8, TO8D and TO9 keyboard emulation fixed. This solve the keyboard problem with Le 5ème Axe
• Better interrupt management in 6809 emulator
• Tape writing with TO7 : error fixed
• No more bank switching with TO8 and TO9 when writing to an address > &H1FFF
• Saving and restoring of 'Stop on invalid 6809 operation code' setting fixed

Version 2009.02

• Error fixed in TO9+ key decoding function
• New tuning : display contrast and brightness
• New dialog box for speed tuning, sound tuning and display tuning
• 4096 color palette computed with EF9349 gamma coefficients
• 8 and 16 color palette computed with genuine four level color coding

Version 2009.01

• French MO5E emulation (AZERTY keyboard)
• Arab TO7/70 emulation (QWERTY keyboard)
• German TO9 emulation (QWERTY keyboard)
• Memory expansion enabled/disabled option
• TO8 and TO9 Mute signal bug fixed
• Tape unit tool bug fixed
• Sound volume control added
• Emulation stopped during disk formating
• Screenshot function added to File menu
• Snapshot save and restore functions added to File menu
• Fixed 6809 SYNC instruction. Now 5ème Axe character doesn't blink anymore

Version 2008.01 (v10.1)

• Sharp tuning of microprocessor frequency (step = 1 kHz)
• Improved accuracy of sound sampling frequency
• New 'Apply' button in Settings dialog box
• New values for sound buffer number : 2-4-6-8-10
• Ramdisk formating fixed
• Load snapshot function fixed
• No more sound interferences during setting of T08-TO8D-TO9+ color palette

Version 2007.10 (v10.0)

• Automatic initialisation of the system date (TO8, TO8D, TO9+)
• New display routines for more acurate rendering (have a look at HCL demo)
• Enable/disable option for numpad emulation
• Enable/disable option for joystick emulation with PC numpad
• Fixed bug in music and game MC6821 emulation
• Fixed help dialogbox resize

Version 2007.08 (v9.6)

• Fixed v9.5 bug in QDD emulation for MO5 and MO5E
• Break point type can be selected (exec, read, write)
• Fixed lightpen and mouse coordinates in left or right margin
• Added warning message before floppy disk formating
• Auto-rewind after reaching the end of a tape image (.k7 file)
• After a floppy disk access error, right error code is returned
• Fixed disassembler bug for LDY, CMPX et CMPY (immediat mode)
• Fixed disassembler bug (PC relative address)
• Added CD 90-015 floppy controller emulation
• Added single side low density floppy disk emulation
• Fixed 6846 emulation error (CRC register)
• Added new option : number of sound buffers (2, 4 or 8)

Version 2006.12 (v9.5)

• Simplification of language dependent message management
• MC6846 controller timer emulation improved
• Mute signal emulation fixed (sound bug in Bob Winner is fixed)
• Fixed program crash when reading not opened .k7 file
• Added new screenshot size : 600x400
• New option to do not stop 6809 on invalid operation code
• New optional break point on memory read or write
• Lightpen position on a black area is no longer detected
• Fixed TO9 cursor blinking malfunction
• Fixed GP500 and Bactron sound problem on TO8
• Joystick emulation no more linked to emulated computer
• Added emulation of the TO8, TO8D, TO9, TO9+ numeric keypad
• Better executable compression using LZMA algorithm

Version 2006.10 (v9.4)

• Cartridge initialisation fixed in hardreset function
• Keyboard shortcuts for snapshot and screenshot
• CD90-351 emulation fixed (4 rom banks switched with &a7d8)
• MRX file format modified (controller type added)
• 6809 disassembly shows microprocessor cycle number
• New option for 320x200 screenshot (without border)
• TO9 colour errors fixed
• New emulation speed options : 800% and max
• Added new screen mode 'bitmap4HCL' for HCL mega demo
• New layout for 'debug' dialog box
• Bugs fixed in 6809 disassembler
• Selected bank number displayed in 'debug' dialog box
• Improved 'Copy to clipboard' function in 'debug' dialog box
• Printer emulation now works for every emulated computer
• External controllers now work for every emulated computer
• Fixed joystick detection bug (ie in Yeti)
• Fixed LOGO-TO7 cartridge control (a new logo-to7 is available)
• Many detail improvements
• .sap file conversion fixed

Version 2006.04 (v9.3)

• Task bar and menus are disabled in full-screen mode
• Keyboard customization dialogbox improvements
• Possible crash fixed in keyboard remapping
• .mrx format improvement, to save cartridge contents
• Keyboard shortcuts : Pause, Screenshot, Snapshot, Debug
• Screenshot size can be selected in Options / Settings...
• New F8 shortcut key to restore a .mrx file
• Error and warning message management fully redesigned
• Device selection bug fixed in 'Settings' dialog box
• Write protection checkbox in 'Tape unit' dialog box
• Status bar updated after option setting
• Status bar updated after 'Tape' tool had been used
• 'tape protection' checkbox size fixed in 'settings...' dialog box

Version 2005.09 (v9.2)

• Fullscreen mode available with ALT-ENTER
• Improved screen display programming (using function pointers)
• Video line displayed 12 microseconds sooner (to fit Puls group demos)
• Bug fixed in built-in TO8-TO8D-TO9+ controller (jamming some Infogrames games since v9.1)
• Optimization of 6809 emulator

Version 2005.06 (v9.1)

• User can change keyboard layout
• TO8 and TO9 Palette Load/Save functions corrected
• TO7/70 border color bug fixed
• Gamma correction improved for all emulated computers
• Many detail improvements
• CPU load reduced with more efficient programming (using pointers to functions)

Version 2005.01 (v9.0 beta 3)

• New display interface using DirectDraw
• New audio output using DirectSound
• Window can be resized and maximized
• New options for zooming and write protection
• New fields in Debug window
• .mrx file name can be choosed
• Screenshots can be saved to .bmp files
• TO7 second version is now emulated
• .sap files are read and automatically converted
• Bug fixed : disk format for unit > 0
• DirectX detailed error messages
• Screenshot .bmp structure compatible with non-microsoft software
• GetWindowInfo function removed for Windows 95 compatibility

Version 2004.08 (v8.4 preview)

• TO9 keyboard bug fixed
• About DCMOTO switched from file menu to help menu
• Minor changes in keyboard layout to improve consistency among emulated computers
• Memory access improved for a better performance