Parobek is a multi-fast-loader utility ROM for the Commodore 16/116/Plus4 family.
It automatically selects the fastest available transfer method for the attached drive and can also fall back to the original KERNAL routines when needed.
Parobek means hired farmhand. It's a pun on C128's The Servant. Parobek is simple and unsophisticated, but gets the work done.
Works from any ROM bank (internal, external C1 or C2).
The function key is correctly registered and depends on the ROM's location. Function key starts the embedded Directory Browser.
The ROM image is 32 KB ($8000–$FFFF) – suitable for a 27C256 EPROM or equivalent EEPROM.
Warning: there are problems when Parobek is installed more than once (e.g. as internal function ROM and again on C1) so please avoid that.
For instance, do not put it on a 32KB ROM that goes into tcbm2sd - it would appear both as C1 and again on C2.
Requires the Burstcart interface.
Burst fastloader for 1570/1571/1581 – uses C128-style fast serial over the SRQ line with hardware shift register. Code based on the original burst loader for C64 by Pasi Ojala.
Not done yet. When implemented it must support both original CPU as well as 6502/6510 replacements.
Loader supports PPI (8255) / PIO (6529) interfaces (software handshake) and VIA (6522) / CIA (6526) Burstcart interface (hardware handshake).
Loader is based on SpeedDOS parallel loader based on C64 code. There is another loader option (disabled by default) based on Port-Turbo-V1.
With hardware handshake and 1541-RAMBOardII drive-side RAM/ROM expansion for quicker GCR decoding and whole track data cache, the operation is even faster.
1551 drive loader based on HypaLoad v4.7, patched to work with both device numbers: #8 and #9 and to work with two-way handshake.
1551 drive loader loosely based on HypaLoad v4.7 supporting 1551-RAMBOard drive-side RAM/ROM expansion for whole track data cache, the operation is 7x faster than stock 1551 and 27x faster than stock 1541.
Uses the same protocol as 1551 fastloader but requires ROM patched to support 1551-RAMBOard - with RAM signature at $a000 and jumptable at $a003.
Supports both drives #8 and #9.
The TCBM2SD fastloader works with both device numbers #8 and #9 for ultimate speed.
New commands:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
@ |
Display current drive status |
@8 |
Change current device number (e.g. @9 or @12) |
$ |
List directory of the current drive |
/ |
Fast load a file (also works by placing / in front of a filename listed by $ and pressing RETURN) |
← |
Save the BASIC program or memory image |
Integrated Directory Browser works with and without fastloader present for maximum compatibility.
- ACME cross-assembler
- GNU
make(optional – for the convenience target)
From the src directory:
cd src
makeThe resulting binaries are written to src/bin/.
Correct fastloader is autodetected, except for fast serial one. This is configured at ROM assembly step by setting the burst variable on top of the burstcart.asm file to one of possible values (VIA=2 is default):
; 1=CIA, 2=VIA, 3=CPLD
!set burst=2
- Normal reset – boots straight to BASIC without any cartridge hooks.
- Directory browser – starts the browser without installing fastloaders.
- Enable fastload – installs fastloader and DOS wedge; the directory browser becomes available on the registered function key (key depends on the ROM bank where Parobek is located).
Full development notes can be found in docs/burstc64.txt.
Hardware insights provided by the Plus/4 World community (plus4world.powweb.com).