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Using a new Z8 as a ProFile LLF MCU?

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blusnowkitty:
https://www.mouser.com/ZiLOG/Semiconductors/Embedded-Processors-Controllers/Microcontrollers-MCU/8-bit-Microcontrollers-MCU/_/N-a85ik?P=1z0zlfn&Keyword=z8&FS=True

Found out today that Zilog is still making the Z8 to this day... I know you'd have to underclock them for sure, but has anyone ever thought about using a new Z8 coupled with the LLF ROM as a cheap(er) way of getting an LLF-able ProFile? Obviously you'd still have to sort out the problem of actually getting an Apple III... or maybe Tom can roll ProFile LLF features into NeoWidEx?

rayarachelian:
BLU has LLF capabilities built in, you can use that on ProFile drives once you install the proper LLF ROM/z8.

see: http://sigmasevensystems.com/blumanual.html
and http://sigmasevensystems.com/blu.html

patrick:
You can use a MME UB8820M (U882) or UB8840M (U884) as Z8603 replacement. These are easily available at ebay and rather cheap.
Refer to http://john.ccac.rwth-aachen.de:8000/patrick/Z8emu.htm

stepleton:
Yes, BLU or UsbWidEx will format your ProFile for you.

I don't think I'll add ProFile formatting to NeoWidEx anytime soon --- now that lisa_io exists, my first priority there would be to rewrite NeoWidEx so it doesn't jump into unpublished routines in the boot ROM to print to the screen and do other things :)
This would remove the current version's dependency on the H ROM.

But I might be able to help in a different way. About five and a half years ago, Al Kossow spotted an eBay seller with some NOS 4K Zilog Z8613s (notice 1 instead of 0). I bought some with the hope of having a kind of Z8 formatter "library" for the Lisa community --- just a bunch of devices that could be floating around the Lisa community and passed back and forth. We weren't sure, but we thought that an 8613 would work in the place of the Z8603.

Now, I've passed one of these things out already, but I have nine more and would be happy to distribute more for all of us to share. The thing is, I've never got round to actually finding out for myself whether an Z8613 really is a functional Z8603 substitute! Now that I have a ROM burner, I really ought to get an (E)EPROM from somewhere and give it a shot.

But if you'd like to try it out instead, or if someone else would, get in touch, and I'll find some way to ship one out to you. The only requirement is that you'll have to whack a ROM on there for yourself, and the only request is that we all keep circulating these things! I can't imagine that more than ten people will ever want to format a ProFile at the same time, so if these things work, I think we'd be able to satisfy everyone's formatting needs...

patrick:
Z8613 is a 4k device, like UB8840M. You will need it for the Profile10M, and it should work with the 5 MB drive, too. Burn the code into a 2732, not 2716.

Z8603 and UB8820M can address 2k ROM only, which is sufficient for the 5 MB Profile. This needs a 2716.

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