I've seen the ROM .bin file for Skyles Electric Works' Quicksilver 128 IEEE Interface online somewhere. (Maybe Andrew has it? I can't recall.)
I've never seen the 128 version of this interface come up for sale on eBay, though I've (very) occasionally seen the C64 version. In fact, one just ended.
Which raises the question: could you buy the c64 version and just stick in the C128 ROM and have it work? Or is there more to it than that?
I'd like to set up an SFD-1001 someday, or maybe even an 8250, just for the heck of it. I'd REALLY like to have something for my BASIC 7.0 COPY and BACKUP commands to do. :)
Quote from: airship on October 04, 2008, 03:28 AMI've seen the ROM .bin file for Skyles Electric Works' Quicksilver 128 IEEE Interface online somewhere. (Maybe Andrew has it? I can't recall.)
O.K., I'm off to the Hollywood Collectors Show and the E For All Expo this weekend, but when I return, I will make a concerted effort to dig out my Quicksilver 128.
Quote from: airship on October 04, 2008, 03:28 AMI've never seen the 128 version of this interface come up for sale on eBay, though I've (very) occasionally seen the C64 version.
IIRC, the C64 version was not called Quicksilver.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
Quote from: RobertB on October 04, 2008, 04:28 AMIIRC, the C64 version was not called Quicksilver.
The eBay auction I referenced just says 'Quicksilver'. It doesn't say '128' on it anywhere. Here's a pic, though the auction's over and I'm not sure how long it will remain:
(http://www.postimage.org/PqzfGf9.jpg) (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=PqzfGf9)
(Pictured moved to more permanent location. -GK)
Here's a pic of the Quicksilver-64/128 v2:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/43/QUICKSILVER-128%2B.jpg)
That site also has a pic of the guts of a Quicksilver; note the hand-labeled ROM which indicates it's for the 64/128:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e8/QUICKSILVER-128-PCB%2B.jpg)
So it may be the same thing, or there might have been a 64-only version before the 64/128 version with '128' on the label. Anyone know for sure?
I also just noticed that the case is different on the first one, and the expansion connector is vertical on one and horizontal on the other two. So it obviously went through some revisions.
Quote from: airship on October 04, 2008, 05:20 AM
That site also has a pic of the guts of a Quicksilver; note the hand-labeled ROM which indicates it's for the 64/128
There's a lot of hand-labeling on the cart.
Quote from: airship on October 04, 2008, 05:20 AM
I also just noticed that the case is different on the first one, and the expansion connector is vertical on one and horizontal on the other two.
The case looks the same to me. The ribbon cable is just folded under the cart in one of the photos.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
Quote from: airship on October 04, 2008, 03:28 AM
I've seen the ROM .bin file for Skyles Electric Works' Quicksilver 128 IEEE Interface online somewhere. (Maybe Andrew has it? I can't recall.)
No... I don't have that one. Although I'd be happy to host it if anyone finds it. :)
The Skyles IEEE interface I had at one point for the 64 was called "IEEE Flash! 64", not Quicksilver.
Quote from: Andrew Wiskow on October 04, 2008, 08:32 AMAlthough I'd be happy to host it if anyone finds it. :)
I'm pretty confident that I'll dig out... just lots of stuff in the way. After it's out of storage, I can make arrangements with you so that you can get a dump of it.
QuoteThe Skyles IEEE interface I had at one point for the 64 was called "IEEE Flash! 64", not Quicksilver.
Ah, that's the name I was trying to think of. I always get it confused with the 1541 Flash from Skyles (the two-part 1541 Flash is easily found in my house).
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Quote from: RobertB on October 04, 2008, 12:16 PMI'm pretty confident that I'll dig out... just lots of stuff in the way. After it's out of storage, I can make arrangements with you so that you can get a dump of it.
Great! :)
BTW, a bit off topic, but since you're making arrangements to get things to me, I think you still owe me a C128 power supply...
Turns out the Quicksilver 128 ROM was hosted right here. :) (I'm too lazy to go see if it still is, but it was in the old download forum.)
Robert, if you look you'll see that the first case is cut away at the bottom, while the second isn't. Small difference, but still...
Quote from: airship on October 05, 2008, 07:52 AM
Turns out the Quicksilver 128 ROM was hosted right here. :) (I'm too lazy to go see if it still is, but it was in the old download forum.)
Well, maybe it used to be here, but I can't find it here.
Quote from: airship on October 05, 2008, 07:52 AMRobert, if you look you'll see that the first case is cut away at the bottom, while the second isn't.
Ah, how does that song go? "The deepest cut..." ;)
In Los Angeles,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Quote from: RobertB on October 05, 2008, 03:19 PM
Quote from: airship on October 05, 2008, 07:52 AM
Turns out the Quicksilver 128 ROM was hosted right here. :) (I'm too lazy to go see if it still is, but it was in the old download forum.)
Well, maybe it used to be here, but I can't find it here.
Here 'tis: http://landover.no-ip.com/128/downloads/ROMs/%5bCBM-C128%5d%20QuickSilver%20128%20IEE488%20Rom.zip
Quote from: airship on October 06, 2008, 06:13 AM
Here 'tis: http://landover.no-ip.com/128/downloads/ROMs/%5bCBM-C128%5d%20QuickSilver%20128%20IEE488%20Rom.zip
I believe that is the kernal replacement and not the ROM from the controller.
Quote from: Andrew Wiskow on October 04, 2008, 12:25 PM...since you're making arrangements to get things to me, I think you still owe me a C128 power supply...
That was so long ago that I've forgotten. But if you say I owe you a C128 p.s., then I must. :)
Back from the E For All Expo,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Quote from: RobertB on October 06, 2008, 04:50 PMThat was so long ago that I've forgotten. But if you say I owe you a C128 p.s., then I must. :)
Just to "jog your memory"... It was at the second SCCAN meeting, the only one I've been to so far. You brought me two C128's, but you only had one power supply. So you told me you'd owe me one. There's no rush; I just thought I'd mention it while I was thinking about it. ;)
Quote from: Andrew Wiskow on October 06, 2008, 06:53 PMIt was at the second SCCAN meeting, the only one I've been to so far. You brought me two C128's, but you only had one power supply.
Ah, I remember now. The next SCCAN meeting is in November; we haven't decided whether it will be on a Saturday or Sunday. If you come to the Nov. SCCAN meeting, I can bring the p.s..
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Quote from: RobertB on October 09, 2008, 03:13 PMAh, I remember now. The next SCCAN meeting is in November; we haven't decided whether it will be on a Saturday or Sunday. If you come to the Nov. SCCAN meeting, I can bring the p.s..
The first two weeks of November, I'm hosting visitors from Brazil (my brother-in-law and his son), so I'll be busy then. But if it's held on the weekend of Nov. 22-23 or 29-30, it's possible that I'll be able to make it. :)
Quote from: Andrew Wiskow on October 09, 2008, 03:17 PMBut if it's held on the weekend of Nov. 22-23...
That's the usual weekend for the TOGA meeting in San Jose.
Quote from: Andrew Wiskow on October 09, 2008, 03:17 PM...or 29-30, it's possible that I'll be able to make it.
That is the Thanksgiving weekend.
SCCAN meetings are usually the second weekend,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/
Robert, I think I'll probably get that power supply from you the next time I make it to an FCUG meeting. ;)
Gentlemen, use PMs please.
I now have the manual for the Quicksilver "Fast IEEE Interface" if anyone needs it. Hopefully I'll have the ROM for the actual control within the next week too.
Quote from: Andrew Wiskow on October 04, 2008, 08:32 AMAlthough I'd be happy to host it if anyone finds it (the ROM). :)
Quote from: RobertB on October 04, 2008, 12:05 PM
I'm pretty confident that I'll dig out... just lots of stuff in the way. After it's out of storage, I can make arrangements with you so that you can get a dump of it.
While rummaging in the storage for other C= stuff, I found my Skyles' Quicksilver 128 and instruction book! I'll bring it to this Sunday's FCUG meeting, and Andrew Wiskow can take photos of the inside and outside of it and grab a ROM dump of it.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
Notacon 6 / Blockparty 3 on April 16-19
http://www.notacon.org , http://www.demoparty.us
Quote from: RobertB on March 14, 2009, 01:49 AMWhile rummaging in the storage for other C= stuff, I found my Skyles' Quicksilver 128 and instruction book! I'll bring it to this Sunday's FCUG meeting, and Andrew Wiskow can take photos of the inside and outside of it and grab a ROM dump of it.
Need me to bring my Promenade C1 clone along?
QuoteWhile rummaging in the storage for other C= stuff, I found my Skyles' Quicksilver 128 and instruction book! I'll bring it to this Sunday's FCUG meeting, and Andrew Wiskow can take photos of the inside and outside of it and grab a ROM dump of it.
Hmm...might be a piece of hardware that deserves to be cloned. Excepting the ROM, I don't recall anything unusual in the QS128. Can you list JEDEC numbers on the silicon that's in it?
Quote from: me on March 14, 2009, 01:49 AMI'll bring it to this Sunday's FCUG meeting, and Andrew Wiskow can take photos of the inside and outside of it and grab a ROM dump of it.
Oy! I had thought that the QS casing was held together by screws, but there are no screws, and the plastic casing halves seemed to be glued together. :( I'm not sure I want to break apart (and possibly destroy) the casing now.
But I'm still bringing the QS to the meeting,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
Notacon 6 / Blockparty 3 on April 16-19
http://www.notacon.org , http://www.demoparty.us
Hot knife it - then glue it back together.
QuoteHot knife it - then glue it back together.
Don't glue it back together, put a rubber band around it. :)
You may have to get to the board again later.
Dan...
I broke my Partner 128 cartridge casing for the same reason... But cartridges work just fine without the casing, so it doesn't really bother me personally. But I certainly understand people wanting to keep their Commodore items in original condition.
Quote from: Andrew Wiskow on March 15, 2009, 11:51 AMBut I certainly understand people wanting to keep their Commodore items in original condition.
If I can get it apart and then put it back together so that it looks original, that would be fine.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
Notacon 6 / Blockparty 3 on April 16-19
http://www.notacon.org , http://www.demoparty.us
At yesterday's FCUG meeting we were able to pry apart the QS casing a few millimeters but not enough to see what was in it. :( Andrew thought there was some center post holding the cart together with a possible screw hiding underneath the QS label.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
Notacon 6 / Blockparty 3 on April 16-19
http://www.notacon.org , http://www.demoparty.us
*bump*
I still would like to know if I can change a C64 Quicksilver interface into a C128 version just by swapping in a new ROM. :)
Quote from: airship on August 28, 2009, 05:27 AM
I still would like to know if I can change a C64 Quicksilver interface into a C128 version...
To my knowledge, there was never a Quicksilver 64 from Skyles; there was the "IEEE Flash! 64".
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug (http://videocam.net.au/fcug)
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/ (http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/)
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network
http://www.sccaners.org (http://www.sccaners.org)
Thats funny, as he already posted an image that showed the c64 version of the quicksilver.
Let me clear this up for you all as I have first hand experience. There were 3 (at least) IEEE interfaces for the c64 make by Skyles.
The IEEE FLASH, the quicksilver and the quicksilver 128.
The only difference in the 3 is the rom contents on the board. If you open an IEEE Flash! it will say quicksilver right on the PCB.
On a 128 you must have the Kernal replacement (which is the rom file you linked to, and the only one floating around out there)
You can turn any IEEE Flash! or Quicksilver into a Quicksilver 128 by swapping the rom.
You make make a regular IEEE Flash! work in a 128 WITHOUT the rom being swaped if you:
a) have the kernal replacement in your 128
b) turn the dip switch to OFF when the 128 is powered up.
After you power up the 128, flip the DIP to on and you can access the devices. its not perfect, but will do in a pinch.
I have the Quicksilver 128 ROM dump if you need it airship.
Thanks for that clarification!
I'd love if you could get a bin to Lance for the archive. That way it'll be there for anyone who wants it.
Now that I know it can be done, I'll be on the lookout for ANY of the Skyles IEEE interfaces! :)