Thoughts on I-Game Simms

[jdkmunch]

Can a sound simm be used as a pxl simm and vice a versa ???

They sure look the same .....


also what the heck is a CGF

[Tilt]

Yes, as long as the SIMM can hold all the data.  You can put a 8MB file on a 16MB SIMM, but obviously not the other way around.  The DIP switches set up the size and starting address for the data.  You need a programmer too obviously.

CGF (Color Graphics Flash) handle graphics data.  They come in 4 & 8MB sizes, and unlike the the snd/pxl simms, you can't put a 4MB CGF flash file on a 8MB CGF SIMM. SInce there aren't any DIP switches to set the size/address on them, the system will see the extra 4MB of empty space and will include it in the checksum calculation, which will cause it to fail.

[jdkmunch]

why why why are they different??????


It stresses my brain that they made two different physical "things" when you can have an 8 mb pxl game with an 8 mb cgf -  unicorn comes to mind

[Tilt]

Not really sure, but I suspect it's because of video processor's requirements.  Similar to the way video graphics memory is separate and different from RAM (program) memory in most computers. 

[Buzz]

Tilt I didn't have a 8 meg pxl simm ( what I needed ) so I coped the 8 meg file twice and pasted it once and put it into a 16 meg simm. Exactly the same way I do a eprom. My question is could a CGF 4 mg file be burned into a 8 meg CGF using this same method, copy twice and paste once ??? 

[Tilt]

Hi Buzz,

You probably only needed to copy the 8MB file to the 16MB SIMM once, and set the dip switches according what they should be for the 8MB SIMM.  Give it a try and see what happens if you have some time. 

As far as I know that won't work either.  In the same way that the system calculates the 4MB of empty space in to the checksum it will calculate the second set of data in, and you'll end up with a checksum error still. 

[Buzz]

Oh with out doubt it's going to change the check sum, but there will not be any empty spaces because the 4 meg files are in the 8  meg simm twice.

[Buzz]

Tilt  I've been messing around for a couple of days trying to program Dragons Gold in a 4 meg CGF. programs OK but will not verify with out a bunch of errors. I've about come to the conclusion I have about 15 bad 4 meg CGF simms. That or a corrupt file.  OK I just programmed that same file into a 8 meg CGF simm. Original file had a check sum of 4540 and data ended at line 003FFFF0, the new check sum is 8A80 and data ends at line 007FFFF0.

If I have time I will install it later tonight and see if the game plays. Sure pisses me off that I have to use up a 8 meg simm in a 4 meg game.

[Tilt]

I think that you probably have a bad file.

[djkompressor]

pxl and snd simm yes. CGF i actually have never tried.

[Buzz]

pxl and snd simm yes. CGF i actually have never tried.

If your talking about off setting the simms I did try that last night and it didn't' work. But i think I'm working with a corrupt file. Today I found another copy of that file and received the same results, simm will not verify. Matter of fact if I use a AMD simm most times I will get 29 errors ( one time 42 ), but if I use a ST simm I will get 1727 errors one time it was 1766 errors. Now what the brand name on a simm has to do with the number of errors I don't have a clue. Let me be clear this is using about 15 different 4 meg CGF simms. Once today I programmed Elephant King CGF and it verified good no errors, without touching the simm I programmed Dragons Gold in that simm, guess what 29 errors.

You know what I think, I think I allready don't like Dragons Gold.