Extracting other potential ROM images

[splorp]

The ROM images from the following devices still need to be extracted for use with Leibniz:

• Japanese Bunn Warmer Prototype (J-1b1.00)

[pablomarx]

I've created a fork of NewTen which is able to download ROMs from 1.x devices using the "serial debugger easter egg", and 2.x devices using Hammer's "Debugger Connection" package.

https://github.com/pablomarx/NewTen

I've provided @splorp with a precompiled binary of this.

[pablomarx]

I'd also like to see:

• Siemens NotePhone
• MP120 v2.0 (I've dumped v1.3)
• Cadillac ROM card (e.g. Russ Uzes' "EVTIC Diags 3/26/93 3:05pm", which I believe @splorp possesses).
• Does anything exist for the Bic? I know Jim Abeles' BIC came with a ROMulator, which probably connected to the red universal Newton NuBus boards. Were there standalone ROM cards for it?
• Andrei Chichak's collection of Egger ROMs :)

[pablomarx]

And RE: Cadillac dumping, I realize it's a bit tricky. I see a few options (ranked from easiest to hardest):

1. If it has a "memory dump and edit" screen, ala the OMP Diagnostics, I could possibly pull off a stunt similar to how I dumped the OMPs initially.
2. If one were willing to open the case of the card, then we could hopefully identify the ROM chips and trace them to the card connector edge. With that identified, we could then wire up an edge connector into a Teensy/whatever, plug the card in, and dump the ROM.
3. Make a long PCB that plugs into the Newton, the card plugs into the PCB. Then sniff all of the pins and try to identify them (address, data, vss, vdd, etc).

[splorp]

Besides the Japanese Bunn Warmer, I also have the following devices:

• Bunn Warmer (prototype with cracked display)
• NotePad (prerelease OMP)
• Batmobile (prototype)
• Siemens NotePhone
• Cadillac (prototype)
• Bic (prototype)

[pablomarx]

@splorp Is your Bic from the Huston brothers? I think Jim Abeles got his (for a song) from a gent in Atlanta, whom I got my ARMistice and ARMageddon from.

[pablomarx]

@splorp Don't you have a Batman OMP? Does it boot? Oddball OS version?

[splorp]

@pablomarx Yes, the Bic is from the Hustons. The Cadillac is from Russ Uzes. I haven’t tried booting the Batmobile in some time … I can’t recall if it worked or what the OS version was. I’m putting a bunch of new items on my to-do list.

[pablomarx]

Nudging @splorp on this. The 9 ROM images I've dumped are now running well. Need more ROMs for testing (and obviously archiving) :)

[splorp]

Oh, thanks for the reminder.

[pablomarx]

Probably should add the Digital Ocean and Harris ROMs to the list – I think these were all Lindy devices, no?

[splorp]

Yes, the Digital Ocean Tarpon was an updated version of the Harris SuperTech 2000. Both were based on the MessagePad 130. The earlier Digital Ocean Seahorse was based on what I believe was the MP110.

[splorp]

Sorry for the delay, Steve … I’ve been away on vacation for the past week.

Following up on the ROM dumping process, is the easiest way to do this to connect via serial using your hacked version of NewTen?

[pablomarx]

@splorp No worries. For ROM dumping on 1.x devices, my fork of NewTen is the only method available (that I'm aware of). It's a little on the "glacially slow" side. IIRC, it took ~ 40 minutes to dump a ROM.

It may not work with the NotePad. If not, let me know and I'll see if I can cook something up. (It won't work on mine, the OS build is too early and doesn't have "Serial Debugger" code).

I realize that'll take something like 72 years to dump all of your Newtons, so if I had to help narrow that down, perhaps the rare ones first? e.g. Japanese prototype, NotePad, etc.

Unless the Bic/Cadillac run a proper NewtonOS, this method won't work for them. I am in the process of making a PCMCIA card snooper for this exact reason (e.g. to dump the diagnostics ROM card for the Cadillac)

Perhaps others can help out with the less rare (NotePhone, Digital Ocean, etc). Or I can add them to my collection the next time one becomes available.

[pablomarx]

@splorp Is your Bic operational? I was always under the impression that it'd need either a ROM card (ala the Cadillac), or a ROMulator + Universal Newton Adapter NuBus card (small ones, often red) + Egger + appropriate ROM images on the Mac.

(IIRC, the Huston auction was for just the Bic itself, no other accessories...)