------------------------------------- Carnivore2 v2.50 Beta Testing Program November 2021 Important information for testers Last updated: 26.12.2021 ------------------------------------- IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! IMPORTANT! Required actions before testing: -------------------------------- - Create a backup of your configuration EEPROM with C2CFGBCK utility - Create a backup of your FlashROM with C2BACKUP utility - Flash new firmware v2.50: carnivore2.pof - Flash new Boot Menu v2.50: BOOTCMFC.BIN - If you use Korean or Arabic MSXs, please flash BOOTCMFC.BIN from the "Special" subfolder - Flash new IDE BIOS v2.1.1 Beta 1: BIDECMFC.BIN - Copy Nextor 2.1.0 system files to the root of your CF card: https://github.com/Konamiman/Nextor/releases/tag/v2.1.0 - Optional: flash FMPAC BIOS: FMPCCMFC.BIN - Copy utilities to your CF card (don't use old utilities!) - If you use Korean or Arabic MSXs, please copy C2MAN and C2MAN40 from the "Special" subfolder - If you are using more than one Carnivore2 in the same system, configure them to use 2 different I/O ports Firmware's hashes (carnivore2.pof): MD5: 64fb7aabcedb5163a6bb57e137a5700e SHA1: f215915433a4bcfbb2946f0c13e616acfb28da6c SHA256: 87037fd4bd34b055da6da6af768089120c16bbd7987974905486b6de54d11802 New features: ------------- - User-configurable port (#F0, #F1 and #F2) for Carnivore2 identification and controlling was added to Configuration menu - Dual-PSG support was added; when enabled in PSG menu, Carnivore2's PSG is configured to work on ports #10-#11 - Adjustable Autostart delay with possibility to skip the startup message (when = 0) was added - Special Nextor 2.1.1 Beta 1 BIOS with disabled slave support was added as the default IDE BIOS - Original Nextor 2.1.0 BIOSes (Release) with different IDE driver versions were added as optional BIOSes - Original (Japanese) FMPAC BIOS was added as optional BIOS - C2IDETST now supports command lines switches: drive and iteration selection - The layout of palette controls was changed in the Configuration menu - Carnivore may now work in slot 3 if this is enabled in the Configuration menu (some restrictions may apply) - High resolution cartridge labels were added into the repository - A few new RCP files were added into the repository - New utility C2FINDER was created to identify Carnivore1 and Carnivore2 in a system using two different methods - The Boot Menu restores the original screen number and its resolution when exiting - The configuration screen allows to set the ID port's auto-selection mode (the port is selected based on slot number) - The Boot Menu restores the original screen colors when exiting Bugfixes: --------- - FMPAC drums volume fix was added: thanks to Uniskie (Japan) - Fixed starting segment numbers in ASCII mappers (set to zero) for better compatibility in C2MAN, C2MAN40 and C2RAMDLR - Fixed a bug in C2RAMLDR - the loaded RCP entries were incorrectly adjusted before writing into directory - Fixed a bug in Boot Menu that prevented the second/third Carnivore2 properly reading the configuration settings - Fixed a bug in Boot Menu - Arabic/Korean warning was shown twice during boot - Fixed a bug in Boot Menu - alert messages were shown on top of title screen if Dual-Reset was not active Other changes: -------------- - There are 2 additional files for OpenMSX to assign Carnivore2 to slot 1 or 2 (or both - you can use two Carnivore2 now) - Hardware interceptor gone, those regs are free: 25 V_AR_L 8 low address bits of the interceptor's code 26 V_AR_H 8 high address bits of the interceptor's code 27 aV_hunt interceptor's delayed configuration Carnivore2 port I/O: -------------------- Carnivore2 can be detected and controlled via its own configurable port #F0-F2. The following I/O operations are possible: - Detection of the cartridge - Write "C" to port, then read the value. Carnivore2 will respond with its version - "2" (ASCII format) - Identify the slot used by Carnivore2 - Write "S" to port, then read the value. Carnivore2 will respond with its slot, for example "1" (ASCII format) - Hide control registers - Write "H" to port, the control registers will be hidden - Show control registers - Write "R" to port, control the registers will appear at their defined location (see below) - Set location for control registers - Write "0" to port, the control registers will appear at #0F80 - Write "1" to port, the control registers will appear at #4F80 - Write "2" to port, the control registers will appear at #8F80 - Write "3" to port, the control registers will appear at #CF80 - Set cartridge's device configuration (software reset is required!) - Write "A" to port, the cartridge will enable only the main slot (one device only) - Write "M" to port, the cartridge will set the default configuration (all devices enabled) The location of the port number in the registers area: CardMDR+#35 The location of the port number in the configuration EEPROM: #21 Where and how to report problems: --------------------------------- All problems during testing should be reported to "wierzbowsky@rbsc.su" e-mail address. When reporting a problem please include the following information and files (inside a ZIP archive): - Carnivore2's manufacturer (Maxiol, 8bits4ever, Carmeloco, Retro Game Restore, Other - please specify) - Slot number where Carnivore2 was installed - Nextor's BIOS and IDE driver version (this is important when you have CF card problem) - Detailed problem's description - How to reproduce the problem (step-by-step instructions) - Screenshot(s) of the problem if applicable - File(s) that trigger the problem (ROMs, executables, etc.) - MSX computer where the problem was identified (vendor, configuration, external hardware) - Dump of your configuration EEPROM if applicable (use C2CFGBCK utility) - Dump of your FlashROM if applicable (use C2BACKUP utility) If you have CF cards that don't work with Carnivore2, please fill one of the templates with the information about your CF card, please also include a photo of the problematic card. If you have several different cards, please add the info and pictures of them into the template too. See the example PDF document on how your input should look like. In addition, you may always ask a question in English or Russian in the RBSC's Discord channel: https://discord.gg/dExqxXe ------------------- * ------------------- * ------------------- * ------------------- Thank you in advance for your help in the Carnivore2 Beta testing program! Russian Bear Service Crew ------------------- * ------------------- * ------------------- * -------------------