True discussion MegaSTE vs MEGA with Pak68 et al

[czietz]

That's interesting since the manual says boot roms are needed for TOSes other than German.

Turns out: They were when the manual was written...

Guess it's not needed. :?:

... while in the meantime Holger (pakman) managed to also modify non-German TOS versions in a way that allow the PAK to boot with a regular TOS 1.0x on the mainboard, too. I'm not sure if that version of PAK TOS is publicly available. Maybe DoG and PhilC can comment on where they got it from.

[PhilC]

The version of TOS i got was sent to me by Pakman, so Im unable to say whether it is "publicly" available or not. I believe there was a patch that needed to be applied to whichever version of TOS 3.06 you wanted to use but due to copyright, it wasn't directly available online.

[exxos]

I think myself and Darklord questioned 306 patches a few years ago. I think we did a dump of his ROM's to the 306 images and I don't think there was any difference. The german pak020 ROMs I had I think verified as normal german ROM's. I swapped them to English IIRC. RJ had my pak020 so maybe he can remember...

[DoG]

I only found Pak-TOS US 3.06 to download. From some thread in this forum. I think Darklord made a post and made it public. Probably in the thread where PhilC had problem with his pak-board.

[TheNameOfTheGame]

I see Holger posted the patch code over at the German forum along with the explanation that czietz summarized.

https://forum.atari-home.de/index.php/t ... #msg245286

Mystery solved then. That could be pretty confusing stuff if someone was only reading the manual.

[Darklord]

There's a discussion currently at the German forum about the mainboard boot roms needed for non-German TOS versions when using the PAK.

Can anyone comment on what they are using for the boot roms in their systems? Are you using them at all or does it just work with the existing mainboard roms?

Are you talking about the TOS ROMs or some of the other chips on the Pak board?

As far as TOS goes, I'm using a custom TOS v3.06 English version, given to me by
Pakman himself. :)

PS Using TOS v1.04 on the STacy's mainboard.

[Darklord]

I think myself and Darklord questioned 306 patches a few years ago. I think we did a dump of his ROM's to the 306 images and I don't think there was any difference. The german pak020 ROMs I had I think verified as normal german ROM's. I swapped them to English IIRC. RJ had my pak020 so maybe he can remember...

I know we dumped them and you examined them. :)

[Darklord]

I only found Pak-TOS US 3.06 to download. From some thread in this forum. I think Darklord made a post and made it public. Probably in the thread where PhilC had problem with his pak-board.

I did post them publicly online. I don't remember Holger (Pakman) ever telling me not to so.... :)

[PhilC]

Waiting patiently for someone to make some more boards. Could do with a Frak too.

[Darklord]

I, along with quite a few other people, wish someone would do a new
run of these amazing boards. I'd like to see a new run and with today's
modern technology, miniaturized as much as possible.

As is, the board has a rather large footprint.