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Altair-Duino Pro

Front Panel Switches

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Altair-Duino Pro 8800 - Front Panel
Altair-Duino Pro 8800 - Front Panel
If you come from the DOS and CP/M "keyboard world", the handling of the switches takes a lot of getting used to at first. Especially at the beginning, you always forget to reset the switches! At the beginning, you should always have a printout of David Hansel's manual (see below) next to you on your desk.

# AUX1

{the left one}

In contrast to the original Altair 8800, the AUX1 switch has an important function on the Altair-Duino simulator. Depending on the setting of the switches SW0 to SW7, the following processes, programs or boot loaders are started. For example, the game „Kill the Bit“; SW1 = UP.

AUX1 down

Before switching AUX1 down, you have to set the corresponding switches (SW7 to SW0)! For example, the game „Kill the Bit“; SW1 = UP.


76 543 210 SW
---------------------------
00 000 000 {print this directory}
00 000 001 Calculator
00 000 010 Kill-the-Bit
00 000 011 Pong (LEDs)
00 000 100 Pong (Terminal)
00 000 101 4k Basic
00 000 110 16k ROM Basic
00 000 111 MITS Programming System II
00 001 000 Disk boot ROM
00 001 001 ALTAIR Turnkey Monitor
00 001 010 Music ('Daisy')
00 001 011 CPU Diagnostic
00 001 100 CPU Exerciser
00 001 101 Music system
00 001 110 Hard disk boot ROM
00 001 111 Multi-boot loader ROM
00 010 000 Cuter for VDM-1
01 xxx xxx {Read Intel HEX data from primary host interface}
10 nnn nnn {load memory page, nnnnnn=file number}
11 nnn nnn {save memory page, nnnnnn=file number}
00 001 000 Disk boot ROM

MITS (88-DCDD) disk drive support:
With this setting, you start a previously mounted disk drive image. The images must be on the SD card.

00 001 110 Hard disk boot ROM

MITS (88-HDSK) hard disk drive support:
With this setting, you start a previously mounted hard disk drive image. The images must be on the SD card.

AUX1 up

Run the program configured in the CONFIGURATION MENU; a sort of quick selector switch.


for example:
...
Aux1 shortcut program (u/U) : 4k Basic
...

# AUX2

{the right one}

In contrast to the original Altair 8800, the AUX2 switch has an important function on the Altair-Duino simulator.

AUX2 down

SW14-12 set to 001

Display available MITS disk drives.

SW14-12 set to 101

Display available MITS hard disk drives.

Mounting a drive or hard drive

see below

AUX2 up

Unmounting a drive or hard drive

Exactly the opposite of mounting, see below!

Information

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