REX: Difference between revisions

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== What Is REX ==
[[Image:Red_logo_small.png||center]]<br/>


REX is completely plug and play flash memory upgrade. REX plugs
<big> '''REX Products for Model T laptops! '''</big>
into the Option ROM slot, with no soldering or necessity to open
the laptop case.


REX provides support for up to 8
in-circuit selectable option roms. That means, you can have 8 different
software packages on one Option ROM, and select between them without
physically unplugging anything.


In addition, REX is in-circuit, software
<table border="0">
reprogrammable. That means you can change, patch, or replace an Option ROM image
<tr><td>[[Image:REXCPM.PNG]]        </td><td>    All of REX + CP/M support!    ---></td><td>[[REXCPM]]    </td><td>[[Image:rexcpm.jpg]]</td></tr>
without any special hardware or physically unplugging REX.
<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>


== REX Manager ==


REX comes pre-programmed with REX Manager software. REX
<big> How to order  ---></big>[[Ordering Information]]
Manager allows you to pick which of the 8 ROM images is the one
currently in use.


REX Manager operates "behind the scenes" to make sure the currently
selected Option ROM image is automatically enabled on every power cycle.
This is an impressive trick since REX does not receive power while
the laptop is off (unlike the RAM memory circuit).


Also, REX Manager is able to do this while using a minimal amount of RAM space (about 10 bytes)!
{| 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
|-
|}


== Advanced BASIC ROM Replacement Mode (OPTIONAL) ==


For users with the do-it-yourself spirit, an optional
feature of REX can be enabled.


With a single wire soldered in place, REX permits BASIC ROM replacement!
No longer orderable (from me), and end-of-support:
<table border="0">
<tr><td>[[Image:REXclassic.PNG]]    </td><td>    Classic Flash based REX       ---></td><td>[[REXclassic]]</td></tr>
</table>


This means that you can disable the built-in BASIC/TEXT/TELCOM ROM
on your motherboard and replace it with a specific block of REX flash memory.
Typically, this will be the same BASIC/TEXT/TELCOM ROM image we know and
love, with a few changes. So, you can
upgrade your Model T with little tweaks like Y2K, the lomem patch, new
character sets, put your name on the main menu, etc.


== Installing REX Manager - It's Easy ==
[[Category:Model T Hardware]]
 
From a cold restart, simply typing
<code><pre>CALL 63012</pre></code>
 
will install the REX system.
 
To start REX Manager, ESC while holding in the reset button.  Then from
basic type:
<code><pre>CALL 911</pre></code>
REX Manager will start, allowing you to manage
which ROMs stored in REX can be used, and when.
 
== Additional Utilities ==
 
A separately loadable utility allows you to burn ROM images into REX.
 
== Future Roadmap ==
 
Future releases of REX will have a built in file system for managing
REX files, TPDD files and RAM files.
 
There will be approximately 512K of
file storage.
 
A likely future feature is a facility for freezing/thawing RAM images to/from flash. This would offer an easy way to quickly backup all RAM to flash, or switch between multiple configurations of applications and files in RAM.

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