Acorn Computers Limited PLUS 1 Manual de usuario
The Electron Plus 1
User Guide
Part no 419100
Issue no 1
Date March 1984
Exposure
Like most electronic equipment, the Electron Plus 1 should not be exposed to direct sunlight or moisture
for long periods.
© Copyright Acorn Computers Limited 1984
Neither the whole or any part of the information contained in, or the product described in, this manual may
be adapted or reproduced in any material form except with the prior written approval of Acorn Computers
Limited (Acorn Computers).
The product described in this manual and products for use with it are subject to continuous development
and improvement. All information of a technical nature and particulars of the product and its use (including
the information and particulars in this manual) are given by Acorn Computers in good faith. However, it is
acknowledged that there may be errors or omissions in this manuaL A list of details of any amendments or
revisions to this manual can be obtained upon request from Acorn Computers Technical Enquiries. Acorn
Computers welcome comments and suggestions relating to the product and this manuaL
All correspondence should be addressed to:
Technical Enquiries
Acorn Computers
Limited Fulbourn Road
Cherry Hinton
Cambridge CB1 4JN
All maintenance and service on the product must be carried out by Acorn Computers' authorised dealers.
Acorn Computers can accept no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage caused by service or
maintenance by unauthorised personnel. This manual is intended only to assist the reader in the use of this
product, and therefore Acorn Computers shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from
the use of any information or particulars in, or any error or omission in, this manual, or, any incorrect use
of the product.
First published 1984
Published by Acorn Computers Limited, Fulbourn Road, Cherry Hinton,
Cambridge CB1 4JN Typeset by Bateman Typesetters, Cambridge
Contents
1 Introduction 1
The different typefaces used 1
2 Setting up 2
Installing the Electron Plus 1 2
Using a printer 3
Using games paddles or joysticks 3
Using cartridges 4
Using tape cassettes with the Plus 1 4
Disconnecting the Plus 1 4
3 The analogue interface 6
Connecting to the 'analogue in' socket 6
Choosing a games paddle 7
Choosing a joystick 7
Choosing other analogue peripherals 8
Using the analogue interface from BASIC 9
Using the analogue interface from assembly language 10
4 Using a printer 12
Choosing a printer 12
Connecting a printer 12
Setting printer characteristics 13
Printing from BASIC 14
The internal printer buffer 15
Printing from assembly language 15
5 Using cartridges 16
Games and applications: ROM file cartridges 16
Languages: paged ROM cartridges 17
6 Dealing with problems 18
Improving processing speed 18
Problems which may not be faults 18
Electron malfunctioning 19
Peripherals malfunctioning 19
Appendix A 20
Summary of new and changed *FX commands and OSBYTE calls 20
*FX3,X
20
*FX5,X
20
*FX6,X
20
*FX16,X
20
*FX17,X
20
*FX21,X
21
*FX140,X
21
*FX163,128,X
21
*FX225,X
21
*FX226,X
21
*FX227,X
22
*FX229,X
22
*FX230,X
22
From assembly language only 22
1 Introduction
The Acorn Electron Plus 1 adds the following capabilities to your Acorn Electron computer
– Four 8-bit analogue to digital input channels, to allow the use of up to two joysticks or four
games paddles, or measurement of up to four analogue voltages.
– A parallel port for connecting a printer with a Centronics®compatible interface.
– Two cartridge slots for installing Acorn Electron approved games, utility, application or
language ROMs, or additional expansion devices. The ROMs may either hold files as a
ROM filing system or be paged 'sideways' language ROMs.
All of these facilities are accessed using simple BASIC or machine operating system (MOS)
commands, which are compatible with BBC BASIC.
The different typefaces used
You will notice that some letters, words and phrases in this manual have been printed differently
from the rest of the text. This is to help you tell the difference between explanatory text, words
which appear on the screen and certain keys on the computer keyboard.
– Ordinary text appears like this, or like this for emphasis.
– Text typed in at the computer or displayed on the screen appears
like this.
– Words like RETURN mean that you press the key marked RETURN rather than actually
type the letters RE T U R N.
2 Setting up
Installing the Electron Plus 1
Unplug your Electron computer from the mains (turn off the mains socket, remove the mains
plug and then the power cable from the side of the Electron). You may also find it convenient to
unplug any other cables (to the television or cassette drive) from your Electron, to make
installation easier.
Warning: Never install or remove the Electron Plus 1 with the power to the
Electron turned on.
Turn the Electron upside down with the expansion connector (at the rear of the computer)
towards you and remove the plastic cover from the connector, to expose the edge connector
fingers.
Take the Electron Plus 1 out of its packaging and check that the threaded ends of the two large
screws are not protruding through the base of the Plus 1; if they are, press them down so that the
threaded ends are flush with the base. Turn the Plus 1 upside down and locate the Electron' s
expansion connector in the mouth of the edge connector socket on the Plus 1, and push them
together firmly.
Setting up 3
Using a small coin or screwdriver, screw the two large screws in the Plus 1 into the Electron.
Do not overtighten. If the screws do not engage in the threads in the base of the Electron, try
reseating the Plus 1 on the Electron's expansion connector.
The Plus 1 should now be firmly attached to your Electron. Turn the Electron over and plug the
power supply (and any other cables you may have removed) into the Electron and turn it on.
Check that the Electron still works normally, by loading and running a small program which you
know has run successfully before. If all is not well, refer to chapter 6.
Now you have fitted the Plus 1 to the Electron and checked that the system works, you can
connect your printer, joysticks, games paddles or cartridges.
Using a printer
To connect a printer, you will need an extra mains socket (or an adapter) to power the printer
and an interface cable to connect the printer to the Plus 1. You should be able to obtain a
suitable cable from your dealer.
Put the printer on a stable, flat surface near enough to your Electron so that the interface cable
can reach. Turn both the Electron and the printer off. Connect the printer cable to the printer as
instructed in the printer manual, then connect the other end of the cable to the Plus 1 as follows:
—The printer socket is the wide rectangular socket at the rear of the Plus 1 to the right of the
analogue input socket (viewed from the rear). Insert the printer cable plug in this socket so
that the triangular mark on the socket housing lines up with the similar mark on the plug.
—Turn the printer and Electron on again.
You are now ready to use the printer for simple printing tasks. To turn printing on, type CTRL B
or execute VDU 2 in a program; all output displayed on the screen will then be sent to the printer
as well. To turn printing off, type CTRL C or execute VDU 3 in a program. For full details of
using a printer, see chapter 4.
Using games paddles or joysticks
Only use games paddles or joysticks which are compatible with the Plus 1 (ask your dealer or
see chapter 3). Turn the Electron off and plug the cable into the Plus 1 'analogue in' socket,
which is the smaller socket at the rear to the left of the printer socket The plug and socket are
shaped so they will only fit together
4 Setting up
one way up. Turn the Electron on again and the joysticks or games paddles are now ready for
use with suitable games or can be read from BASIC — see chapter 3 for further details.
Using cartridges
To use a cartridge produced by Acorn for the Plus 1, you must first plug it into either of the two
shuttered slots in the top of the Plus 1. Insert the cartridge with its label towards you (ie facing
the keyboard), pushing it into the slot so that the right-hand end makes contact first, then
pressing it home until you hear it click into place. The cartridges are designed so that it is very
difficult to insert them the wrong way round.
With a cartridge inserted correctly, either press BREAK (if the Electron was turned on) or
turn the Electron on. Instructions in the use of the cartridges vary; full details will be supplied
with any cartridge you purchase.
Using tape cassettes with the Plus 1
Whenever you use LOAD, SAVE, CHAIN, *LOAD, *RUN or * EXEC, the Plus 1 printer port and
analogue interface are automatically disabled for the duration of that command. If you are
using the BPUT#, BGET#, INPUT# or PRINT# commands in a program, you should use the * F
X163,128,1 command to explicitly disable the printer port and analogue interface before using
the tape, and re-enable them afterwards using * F X163,128,0.
Disconnecting the Plus 1
If you should need to disconnect the Plus 1 for any reason, be careful to turn off the Electron
first, then reverse the sequence of actions used to attach it. Note that the Plus 1 should not be
disconnected and reconnected repeatedly, as this will cause wear of the expansion connector
contacts.
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