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== What Is REX ==
<big> '''REX Products for Model T laptops! '''</big>


REX is completely plug and play flash memory upgrade. REX plugs into the Option ROM slot, with no soldering or necessity to open the laptop case.


REX gets it's name by being a cross between my other flash memory device, ReMem, and the original OPTION ROM (RAM) memory card, EXTRam.
<table border="0">
<tr><td>[[Image:REXCPM.PNG]]        </td><td>    All of REX + CP/M support!    ---></td><td>[[REXCPM]]    </td><td>[[Image:rexcpm.jpg]]</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Image:REXsharp.PNG]]      </td><td>    Next Gen Flash based REX     ---></td><td>[[REXsharp]]  </td><td>[[Image:rexsharp.jpg]]</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr>
</table>




The primary features of REX are:
<big> How to order  ---></big>[[Ordering Information]]




* REX allows for quick and easy switching between OPTION ROM images.  Once the binary software images are loaded into REX, the user can easily jump back and forth between different applications.  16 OPTION ROMs may be loaded, stored and used.
{| class="wikitable"
|'''Type'''||'''Supported Models'''||'''Memory type'''||'''CP/M?'''||'''Option ROMs?'''||'''RAM backups?'''||'''PCB2MOLEX Carrier?'''||'''Robustness improvements?'''
|-
|REXCPM||M100, T102||Static RAM, 2MB or 4MB||YES||YES||YES||YES||YES
|-
|REXsharp||M100, T102, T200, NEC||Flash, 1MB||NO||YES||YES||YES||YES
|-
|}




* REX provides the ability to backup and swap working RAM images.  At the press of a key, your current RAM contents are saved in REX.  Furthermore, you can reload any saved RAM image for use.  This creates a library of RAM images, which has a number of uses.  This offers an easy way to quickly backup all RAM to flash, or switch between multiple snapshots of RAM. This is similar to the "fast switch environments" on Remem: it is like having multiple laptops in the same case!  16 RAM images may be stored.


 
No longer orderable (from me), and end-of-support:
* REX includes an interface to TPDD devices (like TPDD, NADSbox, LaddieCon etc) for loading and saving binary images to external storage.
<table border="0">
 
<tr><td>[[Image:REXclassic.PNG]]   </td><td>   Classic Flash based REX      ---></td><td>[[REXclassic]]</td></tr>
 
</table>
In addition, REX is in-circuit, software reprogrammable. That means you can change, patch, or replace an Option ROM image without any special hardware or physically unplugging REX.
 
 
 
For advanced users, REX provides some additional features:
 
 
* REX distinguishes between traditional OPTION ROM software, and alternative OS software which runs from the option rom memory location.  This allows for some interesting future capabilities like CP/M or a FORTH based system.
 
 
* REX also supports "Main ROM Replacement".  This means that, with the addition of a single wire, the main rom on the laptop may be replaced by a version stored in REX.  This allows for flash-upgradeable main ROM images, to support patches, custom Menu and character sets, LOMEM patch, Y2K patch etc.
 
 
 
REX may be installed in Model 100 and Tandy 102 currently.  Tandy 200 support is not yet available but is in development.
 
 
 
 
'''REX is available exclusively through Club100.'''
 
 
 
[[Image:REX_installed.jpg]]
 
[[Media:Rex_OverviewV4.2.pdf|REX Overview PDF]]
 
[[REX Overview]]
 
[[REX Hardware Installation]]
 
[[REX Manager Documentation]]
 
[[REX Software and Utilities]]
 
[[Main ROM Replacement]]
 
[[Media:M100_REX_tested.zip|REX Validated OPTROM Images for M100/T102]]
 
[[REX2 - custom REX for CP/M support]]
 
== Installing the REX System- It's Easy ==
 
In order to initialize the laptop to use REX, you must install the REX system.  From a cold restart, power cycle the laptop and then simply type
 
 
(for M100/T102)
<code><pre>CALL 63012</pre></code>
 
 
(for T200)
<code><pre>CALL 61167,2</pre></code>
 
to install the REX system, which installs one hook in the timer, includes two short programs.
 
* first, an invisible file called RXHOOK which contains a special machine language routine that interacts with the timer hook in the laptop, to ensure that REX is properly configured on power up.
 
* and a visible basic program called REXMGR.BA.  This program contains a short embedded machine language routine that starts the REX Manager software on command.
 
 
You should see a program in the Menu called REXMGR.BA.  Running this program will always start the REX Manager software.
 
 
After REX Manager is installed, issuing those same commands won't re-install the system, but you will be directed to the Active OPTROM image software instead, just like you would expect if you had a normal option ROM installed.
 
If the REX system should somehow become de-installed (like on a cold restart) simply re-install it by repeating these instructions.




[[Category:Model T Hardware]]
[[Category:Model T Hardware]]

Revision as of 12:35, 10 June 2020

Red logo small.png


REX Products for Model T laptops!


REXCPM.PNG All of REX + CP/M support! --->REXCPM Rexcpm.jpg
REXsharp.PNG Next Gen Flash based REX --->REXsharp Rexsharp.jpg


How to order --->Ordering Information


Type Supported Models Memory type CP/M? Option ROMs? RAM backups? PCB2MOLEX Carrier? Robustness improvements?
REXCPM M100, T102 Static RAM, 2MB or 4MB YES YES YES YES YES
REXsharp M100, T102, T200, NEC Flash, 1MB NO YES YES YES YES


No longer orderable (from me), and end-of-support:

REXclassic.PNG Classic Flash based REX --->REXclassic